With content increasingly a barometer of success, recognising the best creative strategies underpinning global advertising is paramount. To celebrate the best in cross platform, cross border, content-driven advertising, the third World Media Awards 2018 (WMAs) has opened for entries. Offering eight categories, the free-to-enter awards offers its winners an unusual prize - true acknowledgement of the global leaders in content-led advertising.

President of the World Media Group and international sales director at the Washington Post, Emma Winchurch-Beale, says the awards’ increasingly global reach is indicative of the increasing importance of content in every industry. “Last year we were delighted to see a significant increase in entries with an impressive array of submissions from all over the world,” she says.

Last year’s winning entries included the Grand Prix winners, Tata Motors, along with Shell, UBS, Bet365, Universal Pictures and Visit Faroe Islands. But a trophy is not all the competition offers its winners. The WMAs are unique in celebrating its winning campaigns through a single global advertising campaign, valued at €500,000. The final campaign is shown acrosss leading international media brands the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, Time, the New York Times, National Geographic, Newsweek, Fortune, the Economist and Bloomberg. All publications are members of the WMG, the parent company behind the WMAs.

Winchurch-Beale says, “We were blown away with the quality of entrants who demonstrated to us the power that content has to tell a brand’s story across multiple channels and borders. “We hope that in 2018 we will see even more great campaigns from around the world that disrupt and amaze us.”

Jodie Stranger, CEO UK group and president global clients EMEA at Starcom, Publicis Media and judge at the WMAs, says, “Having been both a judge and a category winner for these awards, I know first-hand not only how hard fought they are, but also the kudos they bring to the winners. Our client especially loved seeing their winning campaign lauded around the world through the winners’ ad campaign in the World Media Group titles. Who wouldn’t?”

The 2018 awards will see eight award categories and a Grand Prix selected by the jury from amongst the category winners. These are ‘Financial services,’ ‘Travel and tourism,’ ‘Technology and telecoms,’ ‘Lifestyle,’ ‘Luxury and fashion,’ ‘Automotive,’ ‘Corporate influencer,’ ‘Media and entertainment,’ and ‘Brand/media partnership.’

Enter for free at www.wm-awards.com. WMA wines are to be announced at the exclusive World Media Awards reception at the Ham Yard Hotel in London on 22 March 2018.  All shortlisted entrants receive two free tickets as guests of the World Media Group. Additional tickets will be available for purchase. The deadline for entry is 25 January.