Do all entries require a digital display board?

Yes. If your entry wins an award, we will print and display your board at The Lantern Awards Gala Exhibition and Dinner.

Your digital board should be high-res PDF or JPG 30"w by 20"h. Utilize the space on the board to best tell the story for each entry. No oversized boards will be printed. Only ONE board per winning entry will be printed.

How do I pay for my entries?

All entries should be paid for online. If you require your entries to be invoiced, please contact info@houstonbma.org

Who should be listed in the contact details on the entry form?

These contact details are in place so that the Lantern Awards Committee knows whom to contact if there are any questions about your entry. The contact information will default to the first person entered, however, it does not have to be the same person for every entry. This is also the person who will be contacted regarding winning entries.

Who judges the Lantern Awards?

The Lantern Awards Committee assembles a wide panel of seasoned marketing professionals typically from outside of the state of Texas.

These objective, expert judges are a key reason why the Lantern Awards have been recognized as Houston’s most prestigious marketing and advertising awards competition dedicated solely to the B2B industry.

The selected judges dedicate their time and expertise to participate in a rigorous process of judging the contest entries and selecting award recipients.

How are my entries judged?

Each entry is independently reviewed by three judges and scored across four categories: Selling Prop/Objectives, Strategy/Target Audience, Creative, and Results. The final total score is the average score from the three judges.

How do I know if my entry won?

You will be contacted via email. The email address that is used for your entry should be the email you would like to be contacted on and notifications will be sent around the first week of October. You will only be contacted if your entry won a Lantern Award or an Award of Excellence.

Why is there not a word count limit for each section of the criteria?

Judges ask that you be descriptive but brief when describing your entry.

Do I have to fill out all four criteria sections?

Thoroughly completing all of the criteria, selling proposition/objectives, target audience/strategy/implementation, creativity, and results, is the best way to help the judges properly score your entry. For best results, be brief but as descriptive as possible.

When a category lists a budget, what does the budget include?

Budget includes the entire ad campaign budget (cost of creative, placements, etc.). Rationale on where the ads were placed, how effective they were, what response was received, etc., as well as the rationale behind the creative, is all taken into consideration by the judges, so include as much detail as possible.

In some categories, you request 2-3 pieces from a campaign or a series be submitted. What does this mean?

A campaign or a series must have two or more pieces to be defined as such. The judges need to see an appropriate sampling of either to properly score the campaign or series.

We have a campaign entry that includes both web and print. Should we submit the website and the printed piece separately or together?

This could actually be two separate entries under individual components (one for print and one for web) or submitted together as a total campaign (to include both components together). You can include the other components to help with the rationale behind the entry, but each entry will be judged within the category entered.

Can I submit the same art in more than one category?

Yes, however, each entry requires its own entry form and entry fee.

I have a website or video, how do I submit these types of entries?

Review the categories to find the best fit for your entry. Complete the entry form by filling in all required information. Enter the video file(s) or web link(s) with any required login/password to link(s) field on entry form. You may submit an unlimited number of links with your submission.

I have a digital entry and my site requires a login to view. What do I do?

Include the necessary login details with the entry form in the link(s) field. If you need to set up a temporary password, make sure it stays active through the end of judging.

I want to submit a departmental annual report that was for both internal and external consumption. The only category I can see that this would fit into is the annual report under Category K. This report was subject-limited rather than of the entire company. What category does it fall under?

That would still fall under the Annual Report category (K5). In your entry rationale, be sure to note that it is a "piece" of the annual report and not a full-blown annual report.

How do I get help with my entries?

First, review the Entry Rules and the FAQ sections. If your question remains unanswered, email us at info@houstonbma.org.