The Chartered Institute of Marketing, Ghana (CIMG), says its annual marketing awards have encouraged businesses to rethink how they attract customers, build brands and compete in the market over the past 36 years.

The Institute says the awards have promoted better marketing practices and pushed organisations to find more innovative ways to improve performance.

The awards were established to raise the profile of marketing in Ghana and recognise individuals and companies whose work demonstrates excellence in the profession.

Over the years, the CIMG award has expanded to cover several sectors of the economy, including banking, insurance, manufacturing, telecommunications, hospitality and the media.

Recognising businesses and individuals

The CIMG National Marketing Performance Awards cover six main areas: personalities, the Hall of Fame, media and marketing communications, business organisations, products and not-for-profit organisations.

Individual awards include Marketing Man of the Year, Marketing Woman of the Year, Marketing Practitioner of the Year and Marketing Student of the Year.

Companies compete in categories covering industries such as banking, insurance, agriculture, healthcare, retail, e-commerce and telecommunications. The awards also recognise marketing campaigns on television, radio, outdoor and digital platforms.

The awards reward consistency and individual achievement. Companies that win in a category for three consecutive years qualify for induction into the CIMG Hall of Fame on their fourth win.

Those that maintain their Hall of Fame status for ten consecutive years qualify for induction into the Elite Hall of Fame on their 11th win. They must, however, continue to meet the Institute's assessment requirements to retain their status.

How winners are selected

The selection process has changed considerably since the awards were introduced.

CIMG initially relied on committees that visited companies and individuals to assess their performance. The process later moved to formal presentations by shortlisted nominees.

Today, nominees complete detailed questionnaires, which independent evaluators assess before the results go to the CIMG Governing Council for a final decision.

The assessment considers factors such as customer understanding, innovation, market reach, corporate reputation, social impact and contribution to national development.

According to the Institute, the assessment panels comprise 60 per cent technical professionals and 40 per cent non-technical members with the competence to evaluate the submissions.

Maverick Research and Media Monitoring Services worked with CIMG to collate and assess the results for this year's awards.

Keeping pace with business changes

The awards have also evolved to reflect changes in the business environment. New categories introduced over the years have brought areas such as e-commerce, digital media, real estate, private healthcare and courier services into the competition.

CIMG has also moved its nomination and assessment processes online, allowing nominees to submit questionnaires digitally and panel members to evaluate entries through the same system.

The Institute says it will continue reviewing the criteria to keep the awards relevant to changing business needs and public expectations.

Its regulatory responsibilities are supported by the Chartered Institute of Marketing, Ghana Act, 2020 (Act 1021), and the 2023 Regulations (L.I. 2479).

For CIMG, the challenge is to maintain confidence in the awards while encouraging businesses to take marketing seriously - not simply as a way to sell products, but as a means of understanding customers, improving services and building lasting relationships.