Over the past few years, various professionals and members of the public have been raising concerns over the way some awards are being run when compared with global best practices. Their sentiments were vented mainly through social media platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn and the Whatsapp messenger application.
One area that has come up for discussion by concerned Zimbabweans is the criteria being used to give business awards. The other gripe is the way some bodies are using awards as a scam to milk some willing award-loving people.
In October this year Barmlo Investments owner and author, Banabasi Marambire took to his Facebook page to narrate how some award-giving entities operated, which exposed the unscrupulous method they used to cream off award-loving professionals and other people.
“This year alone I was nominated on eight different awards platforms, (and) received four letters confirming that I was a winner of certain awards, but I received none Why? After (being) nominated or after you are awarded the first position, you are required to invest back in (the) institution that is giving you the award. You are required to book a table and attend the ceremony,” Marambire said.
Marambire is not the only one who is concerned with the way awards are being run. In April, Ecocash Holdings Head of Marketing (Insurance), Liberty Kazhanje posted on his LinkedIn page complaining of being invited to participate in awards whose nomination was unclear and nominee identities kept a secret.
Marambire indicated that the table, which normally seats up to 10 people, cost anything from US$1500 US$5000 each. Marambire attributed the malpractice to dwindling event sponsorship. This is traceable to the prevailing economic challenges.
Sponsorship gone wrong
“I understand that these institutions who are giving awards don’t have sponsors, so they self-raise funds themselves,” Marambire said.
Main Street Farm co-founder, marketer and events professional, Patience Tsikira-Chikombero concurred with Marambire. She expressed concern over award companies and institutions which compromised the credibility of their awards by prioritising sponsorship at the expense of merit.
“The credibility of most awards is highly questionable. It looks like giving individuals and corporates awards is primarily focused on fundraising rather than credibility. For instance, a company that has been nominated for a certain award is likely to sponsor that event. Therefore, nomination criteria may be determined by the ability of companies or individuals to sponsor an event. The essence of awards is now questionable,” she said in a marketers’ Whatsapp group in March this year.
UNICAF Business Development Manager, Douglas Mahere noted that sponsors’ financial muscle determined who got which award. Financially powerful sponsors end up taking home the most prestigious awards instead of those who deserved them.
“It’s so easy to get some of these awards you just need a deep pocket. ‘Platinum sponsors’ are usually the ‘winners’ of the big awards. All the other attendees will be nominees,” Mahere commented.
Awards have lost their credibility, integrity and third-party endorsing effect which they are supposed to have on the winning brands, companies and professionals. Consequently, awards can no longer set award winners apart from the common herd of non-winners. Because of the requirement for winners to pay, awards are now being regarded as bought rather than won as before.
Marambire summarised the situation most aptly when he posted: “Now if I have to spend that much to receive an award, should I then celebrate the award or it feels like I have bought the award?”
Lack of transparency
Another major concern among those who have raised concerns is the lack of transparency in the process. The criteria for picking the award nominees in most cases is opaque. This compromises the integrity of the awards and reflects negatively on the organisers and their brands. Matters are made worse by the fact that all the award nominees’ names are not disclosed, a point that Kazhanje complained about.
“It’s sad, I have an organisation that approached me a month ago with a potential award, I asked for the criteria they used and who I contested with, but they couldn’t tell me and I gladly did not take it. I had been promised that I would come out in a newspaper supplement. I don’t mind getting awards but everything has to be above board & transparent otherwise you risk getting your personal brand soiled by these awards,” he said.
Jericho Advertising Chief Executive Officer, Denford Magora also complained about the nomination process and other aspects of awards in Zimbabwe.
“I’ve ignored around 50 Zimbabwean “awards” that I’ve supposedly “won” without ever having entered them or been notified about the nomination. It is just a way to fundraise for all of them,” Magora weighed in on the LinkedIn discussion initiated by Kazhanje.
Awards and award event awards still beneficial
Mahere however saw things differently.
“On the flip side some individuals/organizations take advantage of these “awards” to build their brands. Who doesn’t want a Marketing Manager who has a track record of winning awards every year?” he opined.
Other people who responded to Kazhanje’s post were of the opinion that despite the negativity now associated with some awards, business awards ceremonies remained good occasions for business networking.
“I go (to award events) not for the award but for the networking. To be honest and truth be told, these have been wonderful networking platforms for me. After all your network is your net worth. I have had many doors open that I would have never been able to get to. And also the recognition helps with getting people talking about you and your brand. For some of us starting from the bottom with no connections these have been great,” said 143 Communications Chief Executive Officer, Geraldine Eve Mathela.
Too many awards
Another concern that the market has regarding business awards is the increasing number of awards. Some also expressed disquiet over awards like “40 Emerging Business Leaders under 40” where the organisers of the initiative just announce winners without inviting nominees from the market.
Some of the comments on the issue of business awards on various social media platforms showed that some people outside Harare had come to the conclusion that most of the awards are won by Harare-based individuals, companies and brands.
Way forward
Some of those who participated in the discussions on the issue proffered suggestions that they thought would bring back sanity in the business awards sector. These included the formation of a body to regulate the business awards industry and restore its integrity. Kazhanje is among those who advocated for the formation of a body to regulate activities. However, none of the participants in the discourse could give finer details on how such a body works.
Magora’s narration of his experiences with the CNBC Africa All Africa Business Leaders Awards (ABBLA) in 2014 was instructive on how business awards should be run.
“Look at CNBC Awards, for example, I was told I’d been nominated, interviewed by phone two times and then had to fly to Cape Town for another final selection interview before the announcement for the ABBLA Africa Entrepreneur of The Year award. At the awards (ceremony), I wasn’t asked to pay a “table and dinner” for staff/friends like the fake awards in this country,” he submitted.
Award organisers should clearly communicate the nomination, selection and judging processes. The Marketers Association of Zimbabwe (MAZ) this month issued a post on its social media handles explaining the processes involved in its annual Superbrand awards emphasising the role of the consumer and the involvement of research to ensure the integrity and credibility of the awards.
The Small and Medium Enterprises Association of Zimbabwe (SMEAZ) insists and ensures that the sponsors of its Local Legends Awards do not participate in the awards and, therefore, do not win any accolades.
Awardforce.com advises award organisers to inform award participants and the market of the eligibility requirements, how their judges assess the entries (including criteria and weighting, if used), the extent of input from any sponsors and how the final decision will be made.