Evaluation
Senior communications practitioners are recruited to serve as judges. A minimum of two judges will use IABC Gold Quill criteria and score sheets to evaluate each entry. Winning entries must meet clearly stated objectives, show originality, and demonstrate results based on measured outcomes.
IABC’s Seven-Point Global Scale of Excellence is the standard by which each entry is scored, creating a level-playing field. Diversity and context are celebrated and understood. Entries do not compete with each other. Rather, entries are scored vis-a-vis the rubrics and standards. Most importantly, you will also learn through the scores and comments of distinguished communicators who have volunteered as judges.
We will once again use Award Force as our online award system. This system aligns with IABC Gold Quill Awards and IABC Canada’s Silver Leaf Awards, making it easier for you to scale up and submit the same entry across all IABC award programs to gain national and international recognition.
Scoring Details
Judges score both your work plan (Divisions 1, 2 and 3) or online entry form (Division 4) and your work sample.
- For Communication Management entries, the work plan and work sample are each worth 50% of the score.
- For Communication Skills entries, final scores are based equally on:
- Strategic alignment
- Professional standards of execution for the category
- Creativity, resourcefulness or innovation
There are two levels of IABC/Toronto OVATION Awards:
- Award of Excellence
- Award of Merit
The level of award depends on your total score:
- A total score of 5.25 to 5.74 is required to win an Award of Merit
- A final score of 5.75 to 7 is required to win an Award of Excellence
There is no limit to the number of awards that can be presented in each category.
Awards of Distinction
These six awards celebrate exceptional IABC/Toronto OVATION winners.
- For each Award of Excellence won, a winner receives three (3) points
- For each Award of Merit won, the winner receives one (1) point
- The entrant with the highest point total in its Awards of Distinction category wins the award
In the event of a tie, the total scores of each IABC/Toronto OVATION entry will be calculated and the entrant/organization with the highest average will be the winner.
All entrants are considered for one of the following Awards of Distinction:
- Boutique Agency of the Year (Five or fewer employees)
- Small Agency of the Year (Six to 20 employees)
- Mid-Size Agency of the Year (21 to 50 employees)
- Large Agency of the Year (51 or more employees)
- Corporate Communication Department of the Year
- Not-for-Profit Communication Department of the Year
Best of the Best Award
Recommended by evaluators and reviewed by the IABC/Toronto OVATION Awards Committee, the Best of the Best Judges’ Choice Award winner represents the very best entry seen in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). The winner will be announced at the IABC/Toronto OVATION Awards celebration and will receive a special trophy.
If you do not want to be considered for the Best of the Best Judges’ Choice Award, please select “No” during the online submission process. There is no cost associated with this award.
Notification of Winners & Awards Celebration
- Early April: All IABC/Toronto OVATION Awards entrants will receive a one-page evaluation with scores and comments from our judges for each entry submitted. The email will be sent to the person and email address listed as the main contact on the IABC/Toronto OVATION Awards online entry system. It is the responsibility of the entrant to follow up with IABC/Toronto at toronto-info@iabc.to if results have not been received by April 30, 2024.
- May: The 2025 IABC/Toronto OVATION Awards will be held in person on May 8 at Hart House, University of Toronto. The event promises an inspiring evening of connection, celebration, and recognition, featuring winners of the Best of the Best Judges’ Choice Award and Awards of Distinction and more. Winners will be posted on the website toronto.iabc.to following the celebration.