The Scrutineering process

The Scrutineering Process

The scrutineering process is conducted by The Conference Company and will be carried out after all entry deadlines have passed.  The Conference Company will review all entries to check ONLY the following:

• Correct entry form used - Entries not entered on the correct official Comms Council entry form, or if they are handwritten or incomplete in any way.  Please note every category has a separate (different) entry form.  
• Word count - The word limit will be STRICTLY ENFORCED.  Any entry that exceeds 2,500 words will be returned.  Agencies are required to insert the word count on the entry form. Please note you should only count those words in the white answer boxes of the entry form.  DO NOT count the total words on the entry form.  Table/graph captions should not be included in the word count provided they are less than 20 words, eg:  "Figure 1.  Market share for Shampoo category."     
• Agency blind - Any entry that cites agency names in any form will be returned.  Any entry that has ANY logo will be returned.  Please note this includes research companies and client logos.   
• Campaign material - NO campaign material can be submitted at the time of entry and no creative elements are allowed in the written entry form eg., screenshots of facebook, pictures etc.            

Should The Conference Company find any entries that do not meet the entry requirements above, that entry will be returned marked as not complying with the entry requirements.   The entrant has the option to make good their entry (as per the requirements made by The Conference Company) and re-submit their entry upon payment of an additional fixed scrutineering payment of $400 + GST per entry that is re-submitted.  

A deadline will be given to each entrant by The Conference Company, by which time all outstanding issues must be resolved.  There is no limit on the times the entry can be re-submitted, but the final version must be submitted within the deadline with all issues resolved otherwise it will risk being disqualified at judging.  

Note that the scrutineering process looks only at the “hygiene factors” above. Complying with scrutineering requirements is not a guarantee that an entry will not be disqualified on other grounds.

An entry that does not pass scrutineering and is not successfully resubmitted will forfeit the original entry fee.