Jury secrets, selection jury tips on what sets award-winning work apart

MMA Global India, in the spirit of the 14th edition of SMARTIES, hosted two special LinkedIn Café sessions this month, bringing together top CMOs, marketers, and industry leaders to open up the “jury room” and share what truly sets award-winning marketing apart.

Across these two conversations - the Main Jury session and the Selection Jury session - one idea was clear: marketing effectiveness is evolving fast, but the principles that win remain rooted in clarity, impact, and insight.

Jury speakers: 

1. Ashish Tiwari, Chief Marketing Officer, Home Credit

2. Ashish Bajaj, Chief Marketing Officer, Narayana Health

3. Deepali Naair, Group CMO, CKA Birla Group

4. Kaushik Chakraborty, Head Marketing & Corporate Communication, Tata Capital

5. Moneka Khurana, Country Head & BOD, MMA Global India

6. Nitin Malhotra, Chief Marketing Officer, Livpure India

7. Piyush Jain, Chief Marketing & Digital Officer, Agilus Diagnostics

8. Richa Khera, Global Marketing Director, Schneider Electric

9. Shantanu Shauhan, Director - Marketing Noise

10. Taranjeet Kaur, VP & Head Of Media, Digital Marketing, Brand & PR, Tata Consumer Products

11. Anu Raj, Chief Marketing Officer, Mahindra Finance

Selection jury speakers: 

1. Akila Jayaraman, Head - GTM Strategy & Marketing, JioAds

2. Dr. Kushal Sanghvi, Chief Revenue Officer, iCubesWire

3. Gyan Pratap Singh, Head - Growth, Times Prime

4. Nishant Arora, SVP - Marketing, Netcore

5. Ravi Shharma, Chief Business Officer, Bobble AI

6. Sameer Malik, Head of Digital & D2C, India Sub-Continent Haleon

7. Saurabh Aggarwal, Founder & CEO, Insybit

8. Shailendra Sharma, Associate General Manager, Asian Paints

9. Udit Agarwal, VP & Global Head of Marketing, Exotel

10. Vanita Uppal Rathore, Sr. Director - Global Ads sales, TrueCaller Ads

11. Shilpashree M., Director ESG & Communication, Colgate-Palmolive

12. Umanath V, Managing Editor, medianews4u.com

13. Rajiv Gopinath, Chief Solutions Officer, Publicis Media

Here’s what the combined Jury and Selection Jury had to say about raising the bar, avoiding common pitfalls, and building entries that don’t just get shortlisted - but take home the Gold.

When two finalists score similarly across all criteria, what intangible qualities push one to the top?

• Clarity of storytelling - a crisp, compelling arc that defines the problem, insight, solution, and outcome.

• Emotional pull and human insight - entries that make the jury feel something stand out.

• Degree of innovation that nudges the industry forward - smart use of tech or media formats with purpose.

• Simplicity over jargon - entries that cut through complexity to deliver clear intent.

• Authenticity - soul over sparkle, work that feels genuine and culturally relevant.

• Scale and relevance to real consumer truths.

How important is the ‘craft’ of the submission itself - case video, clarity of write-up, and storytelling - in determining winners?

• Your submission isn’t documentation - it’s your final creative deliverable.

• A well-edited, emotionally engaging video, with clear data storytelling, shows respect for both the idea and the jury’s time.

• Avoid “verbal diarrhoea” - more words don’t mean more value.

• Tailor your story to the category, and don’t assume the jury knows your brand.

• Package the insight, execution, and impact in a tight, persuasive, well-crafted narrative.

What’s one thing that always impresses judges - and one thing that instantly puts them off?

• Impresses: Sharp human insight, cultural relevance, emotional resonance.

• Clear link to business impact - real metrics over vanity numbers.

• Seamless blend of technology and creativity, where tech feels integral, not bolted on.

• Puts off: Forced narratives, category mismatch, buzzword overload.

• Entries clearly designed just to win awards without real-world scale or impact.

• Poorly packaged or excessively complex submissions that lose the plot.

What advice would you give to someone aiming to move from being shortlisted to taking home Gold?

• Lead with business impact - it’s non-negotiable at 40% of scoring.

• Tell a focused, strategic story with quantified outcomes.

• Avoid trying to be everything to everyone - choose your core message.

• Align category choice to the campaign’s actual objective and results.

• Invest in your case video - it’s your two-minute elevator pitch.

• Respect the jury’s time; make your case clear, compelling, and well-structured.

Which categories are raising the bar the fastest—where you're seeing more boldness, integrated thinking, or unexpected storytelling?

• AI-powered personalisation at scale.

• B2B with main-character storytelling and sharper narrative.

• Brand Experience with immersive, local relevance and authentic emotional connection.

• Martech-led hyper-personalisation that remains human and empathetic.

• Purpose-driven work that delivers real, not performative, impact.

  

Selection Jury: How to Make the Cut - Their Practical Tips

• Prove Business Impact: Don’t just mention results - show clear, quantified before-after deltas. Align KPIs to goals like revenue, acquisition, retention, or brand equity.

• Avoid the Data Dump: More isn’t better. Smart entries are concise, intentional, and easy to read.

• Your Video is Your Trailer: Bring the idea to life beyond the document. Make it emotional, engaging, and under two minutes.

• Category Fit Matters: Misaligned entries get penalised. Choose strategically.

• Recognise Different Kinds of Impact: Performance needs sales or ROAS. Brand work needs loyalty or awareness. Purpose-driven needs real behaviour change.

• Bottom Line: SMARTIES rewards work that delivers business outcomes, demonstrates consumer understanding, and proves its worth through strategic storytelling and craft.

In an era where marketing budgets are scrutinised, and award shows themselves are asked to prove their value, SMARTIES India is doubling down on what matters most: Effectiveness. Innovation. Business Impact.

These jury insights aren’t just about winning a trophy - they’re about elevating the standard of marketing itself.

If you’re a brand, agency, or marketer looking to showcase work that moves the needle, these are the principles to keep front and centre.Ready to put your work on the global stage? Submit Your Entry Now

(We got this information in a press release.)