This award recognises a government or private sector campaign that successfully improves connections and relationships between targeted rural communities and organisations/government departments or agencies.

Campaigns may be short or long-term in nature and range from public education programs to community relations, they must though be run during the awards period. They should demonstrate success in advancing public understanding of an issue affecting rural communities or primary producers.

The award can be for a single issue or broader campaign and be delivered through one or multiple platforms (social, print/digital, broadcast).

Entrants must:

• Outline the campaign strategy (the aim, intended audience, research, planning and implementation).
• Highlight how the campaign benefited rural communities in South Australia/Northern Territory.
• Demonstrate how the client’s objective was achieved within the budget allocated.
• Provide evidence of campaign – up to 5 elements (images, video, audio, social).
• Provide other measurable results in addition to media coverage obtained if relevant (eg. survey results, phone inquiries, measures of outcomes).
• Be a resident of South Australia or NT.

Judging criteria

1. The brief, research and target audience (20% of mark)

Outline the communications challenge, opportunity, task or objectives and how the campaign met these. Explain the research undertaken to understand the issue. Identify the target audience and their relevance to the campaign.

2. Communications Strategy (20% of mark)

Provide a clear overarching strategy that guided tactical development and execution.

3. Execution (35% of mark)

Explain how the campaign was rolled out creatively and linked executional elements back to the strategy.

4. Results and Impact (25% of mark)

Demonstrate how the campaign achieved its goals via SMART objectives (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound)