Social Media Leadership Awards 2012 & 2013
The inaugural Social Media Leadership Awards was held in 2012. This global competition was created to recognize best practices in social media. Entries were to be evaluated by a panel comprised of global business and social media and academic leaders. Champions were chosen based on innovation and success in the use of social media to solve organizational challenges. Champions would receive repeated global exposure through Knowledge@Wharton and Office Arrow’s online publications and channels reaching millions.
The Social Media Leadership Awards was brought to you by Knowledge@Wharton, Social Strategy1 and Office Arrow, with support from Ernst & Young.
For several years this was the official website for the Social Media Leadership Awards.
Content is from the site's 2013 archived pages.
Award Categories
Social Media Leadership Awards will identify best practices in 12 award categories. Best practices will demonstrated innovation in the use of social media to overcome an organizational challenge. Categories are supported on an individual basis. Should you have interest in sponsoring one or more of the award categories, please visit our sponsorship page for further details.
Judging Criteria
- SMB or Large Enterprise – Organizations will be classified into appropriate division
- Objective Achievement – How well was your company able to meet the set objective?
- Weight of Strategy – How integral was the strategy in delivering the final results your company experienced?
- Novelty of Strategy – What makes your strategy original, thus differentiating your strategy from competitors?
- Performance Measurement – Quantify how your strategy was able to achieve or surpass desired results.
Social Media
Leadership Awards
December 9-10, 2013 | The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia, PA.
The Social Media Leadership Awards, held annually to celebrate and honor the best practices in social media, attracts hundreds of organizations scaling a vast number of industries and sizes.
The Social Media Leadership Awards recognizes social media strategies to achieve business objectives across 16 industry categories.
Category finalists are invited to attend the two-day conference that includes thought leadership panels and insights from today’s social-forward businesses and educators.
The major theme of this year’s event is how organizations are using social data to grow revenue and measure social media return on investment.
We’re continuing an emphasis on community by adding several forums, start-up and entrepreneurial sessions, workshops and networking opportunities, which will bring resources from many facets of the social media landscape together.
Last year, competitors submitted hundreds of case studies from more than 15 countries. This year’s competition is expected to bring in triple the number of entries, attendees and supporting involvement – growth that will make this year’s two-day event a must for all interested in social media.
Entries are evaluated by a panel comprised of global business and social media and academic leaders. Champions are chosen based on innovation and success in the use of social media to solve organizational challenges
Register to Attend
Join digital executives, entrepreneurs, marketers, bloggers, non-profits, media and VCs during the 2nd annual Social Media Leadership Awards on December 9-10, 2013 in Philadelphia.
Registration fees include access to all activities on including; keynotes, speaker presentations, panel sessions, breakfast and luncheon
Agenda
All finalists will be invited to participate in the two-day conference and awards ceremony from Monday, December 9 – Tuesday, December 10.
Monday, December 9
10:00 am – 11:00 am | Registration
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11:00 am – 12:00 pm
Keynote “The Social Media Foundation for Fighting Corruption”
Vladimir Ashurkov shares how he bridged business and politics to help Alexei Navalny reverse political repression and corruption towards gradual liberalization of the political system in Russia.
Conference provided luncheon for all attendees to follow
Enjoy lunch and discussion with global social media leadership
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1:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Best Practices Panel
Case based social media strategy and best practices
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2:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Social Business
Social media entrepreneurs and VC talk about social business
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Break
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3:30 pm – 4:30 pm
Awards Ceremony
18 Category winners | 1 Grand Champion
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5:00 pm – 6:00 pm
Cocktail Reception
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6:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Keynote “Fostering a Creative Economy: Designing for a Nation.”
Martin Ringlein, the social media “Mayor of the White House” and Presidential Innovation Fellow, shares how he’s influencing behavior, empowering change and promoting progress to brand our nation.
Tuesday, December 10
7:30 am 8:30 am
Breakfast / Registration
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8:15 am – 9:15 am
Social Selling
The evolution of sales, marketing and real ROI
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9:15 am – 10: 15 am
Customer Service
The real value of social media for customer service
Moderated by: Stefan Frank, The Wharton School
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10:30 am – 11:30 am
How brands are becoming more like media outlets
Moderated by: Matt Rozen, Adobe
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11:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Closing
2013 Social Media Leadership Awards Finalists
Posted by Jeanine on Tuesday, October 22, 2013
The 2013 Social Media Leadership Awards today announced finalists, among which are notable brands and organizations on the forefront of social media. All finalists are given the opportunity to join 200 social media professionals and executives for two half days of social media panels on social selling, customer service, social startups, best practices, content and communities, and a keynote awards ceremony.
Finalists were selected by a panel of judges who scored entries based on innovative strategies and measurable success in achieving business objectives through the use of social media. Category winners will be announced at the awards ceremony on December 9th. Tickets are available to the public at an early bird price now through October 30th.
The 2013 Finalists are:
• Adobe
• AEG, Global Partnerships Division
• American Airlines
• Ampush
• Angelstar Digital
• C-ERA Property Management & Realty, An Associa Company
• Campbell Soup Company
• World Cup Brasil by Carla Dauden
• City of Hamilton
• Civil Innovation Lab
• Dell
• Foundation for Fighting Corruption
• Gamma Labs
• GlaxoSmithKline
• Habitat for Humanity
• HSN
• Human Rights Campaign
• Innovation Africa
• InterContinental Hotel Group
• Investing in our Ourselves
• JPMorgan Chase
• Merck
• National Geographic Education
• New Brand Analytics
• Penn Foster
• Red Chillies Entertainment
• Risk for Good
• Share our Strength
• Social Metric Pte. Ltd.
• Society for Human Resource Management
• The Doctors Company
• Unisys
• Vanguard Group, Inc.
• Web-Done New Media
Social Media Best Practices Conference
December 9-10, 2013, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania
Today is the Deadline to Enter the 2013 Social Media Leadership Awards
Posted by Jeanine on Monday, September 30, 2013
The last opportunity for companies to submit their social media case studies to the 2nd annual Social Media Leadership Awards is Monday, September 30 by tonight at 11:59 pm ET.
The Social Media Leadership Awards honors organizations and brands that are demonstrating best social media practices to achieve business objectives. The judging panel will select and announce two finalists per category on October 15, 2013.
Entries that have already been submitted across the 16 industry categories include Campbells Soup Co, Cisco Systems, JPMorgan Chase, National Geographic Education, CME Group, Adobe and American Airlines to name a few.
All finalists are invited to the two-day event on December 9-10, 2013 at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA. Category champions will be honored with yearlong global coverage as best practices in their industry to an audience of two million industry leaders and businesses through Knowledge@Wharton and other channels.
Organizations can still submit at smlawards.com.submit-your-case-study.
Anyone interested in attending the event may purchase tickets available for an early bird price through October
The 2013 Social Media Leadership Awards Reaches Entry Deadline
Posted by Jeanine on Friday, October 4, 2013
The 2nd annual Social Media Leadership Awards has reached the submission deadline for the 2013 global competition, and the judging process is currently underway. Submissions represent countries from as far across the globe as Uganda, Philippines, and Israel,and include a variety of organizations like Innovation: Africa, Dell, Adobe, Habitat for Humanity, InterContinental Hotels Group, Vanguard, Campbell’s Soup Co, Mullen, JPMorgan Chase, and National Geographic Education.
Finalists will be announced October 15, and will be invited to the two-day event on December 9-10, 2013 at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA. Tickets to the conference and awards ceremony are available for an early bird price through October 30.
The Social Media Leadership Awards honors organizations and brands that are demonstrating best social media practices to achieve business objectives. Category champions will be honored with yearlong global coverage as best practices in their industry to an audience of two million industry leaders and businesses through Knowledge@Wharton and other channels.
Future of Advertising Program Partners with #SMLA13 as Advertising Category Sponsor
Posted by Jeanine on Friday, September 27, 2013
The Social Media Leadership Awards (SMLA) today announces that the Wharton Future of Advertising Program (WFoA) has partnered with the global competition and two-day event as an advertising category sponsor. WFoA provides an intellectual hub to challenge prevailing mental models by inspiring, engaging, and bridging academic and practitioner visionaries and innovators from all areas of advertising.
This is WFoA’s second year collaborating with SMLA to support and bring awareness to the innovative uses of social media in the advertising industry. The advertising category is open to businesses that create, plan, promote and handle advertising for clients. American Airlines, Campbell Soup Co, CME Group, and The Vanguard Group, Inc are just a few of the companies that have submitted to this category.
SMLA is a global competition that honors organizations and brands that are demonstrating best social media practices to achieve business objectives. The deadline to submit a social media case study is September 30, 2013. The judging panel will select and announce finalists from each of the 16 industry categories on October 15, 2013. Submit your social media case study or success story through Monday, September 30, 2013.
About Wharton Future of Advertising Program (WFoA)
The Wharton Future of Advertising Program provides an intellectual hub to challenge prevailing mental models by inspiring, engaging, and bridging academic and practitioner visionaries and innovators from all corners of a broader world of “advertising.” The project team is led by Dr. Jerry Wind, the Lauder Professor and Professor of Marketing with founding Executive Director, Catharine Findiesen Hays and supported by senior industry advisors, academic collaborators and a team of student research assistants. The FoA Global Advisory Board of 75+ thought leaders from around the world and across the industry meets annually and in smaller working sessions to assure research relevance, share insights, vet findings and ensure project sustainability. In an effort to discover expert leaders who may not have visibility, a data mining team looking at large sets of research data has been commissioned with Debra Haskel as DevOps manager and Dean Finn as DevOps architect. Their hope is to develop, test, and improve the software used in their research in a very short time frame, and then to improve on the process going forward. Social media and recruiting websites will provide additional data used as inputs to their process.
About Social Media Leadership Awards (SMLA)
The Social Media Leadership Awards is an international competition, organized by Social Stategy1, AUS, Inc., Knowledge@Wharton , and sponsored by EY and is designed to promote best practices in social media. Corporations and organizations worldwide were solicited to submit their successful social media strategies and results, which were judged by a distinguished panel of industry leaders, businesspeople and educators in order to identify industry best practices. Well over 100 entries were submitted and analyzed by the judging panel. Social Strategy1 has assembled the winning entries by category into a white paper series in order to share best practices from industry leaders.
http://www.smlawards.com | @smlawards
FAQ
Submitting to the Social Media Leadership Awards
Who can submit?
Any level of representation from any organization may submit on behalf of the company, so long as there are no legal barriers prohibiting the disclosure of the information you intend to submit.
Which category should I enter?
Categories are defined on our Official Rules page and should be choosen based on the industry that best suits the description of the case study you’re submitting.
Can I enter more than one category?
No, each submission should be entered into one category, however you may enter as many case studies as you’d like. Should your organization be in the wrong category, SMLA judges will adjust the category selection during judging of entries.
Judging Process
How do you judge entries?
The Judging Panel will judge all entries through Darwinator Tournament technology according to the criteria.
How do you pick the judges for your competition?
The Social Media Leadership Awards judges are selected and requested by our Executive Advisory Board members.
Is it possible to receive the judges’ ratings and feedback?
Evaluations can be saved and provided upon the request to each submission.
Winners and Awards
How many entrants win?
For each category there will be two selected winners, one representing either small or large business division.
What do I get if I am selected as a finalist of my category?
All Finalists are invited to attend the two-day workshop and awards ceremony, will receive outstanding recognition as an event Finalist, and will be featured in event collateral.
What do I get if I am selected as champion of my category?
Champions receive outstanding recognition and global exposure through Knowledge@Wharton and Office Arrow’s online publications, gain access white papers, thought leaders and distinctive honorary award in your classified business size.
Can I buy additional awards for members of my team, clients and others if I win?
Yes, awards and certificates will be available through the SMLA website.
Can I buy certificates or other merchandise to commemorate the event?
Yes. To help promote achievement, SMLA provides its winners the notable Champion’s Award. Additional Awards can be purchased.
Attending the Social Media Leadership Awards
Do we have to attend the event to receive our award?
Winners do NOT need to attend to receive their awards, although many plan on attending.
How can I sponsor SMLA?
If you are interested in being considered as a sponsor of the Social Media Leadership Awards, contact Steve Ennen or Jeanine Nelson,Jeanine@socialstrategy1.com or phone: (904) 416-0718
Can I rent the list of SMLA entrants or winners?
SMLA will not provide the contact or business information about any of our entrants, submissions, sponsors, or parties involved in creating this event, so to respect the privacy of our team and honorees.
Is there a list of preferred hotel accommodations?
Yes, they are listed on our events page, along with the information about rates and room blocks.
What if our flight prevents us from arriving on-time?
Traveling conflicts will not inhibit your company from receiving appropriate recognition and awarding during the event.
How many days ahead should we plan to be in town?
Please keep in mind that traveling conflicts are unpredictable. Plan to be in town at least a full day ahead of time.
Connecting with the Social Media Leadership Awards
What is the SMLA newsletter?
Delivers late breaking SMLA news and developments directly to your Inbox. If you are subscribed to the newsletter or have opted in to receive messages from SMLA and our sponsors, you may receive special SMLA Announcements between regularly scheduled K@W, OA, EY newsletters.
How can I engage with the competition through social media channels?
Social Media Platforms: Facebook – Knowledge@Wharton group page, Knowledge@Wharton, Ernst & Young, Twitter – @SMLAwards, #SMLA, LinkedIn – Social Media Leadership Awards, Knowledge@Wharton
What is the mailing address?
5000 Sawgrass Village Circle, Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida 32082
Unacceptable Material
Entries that contain inappropriate material, propagate “hate” messages, make defamatory statements, or which are otherwise extraordinarily offensive are not eligible.
More Background On SMLAwards.com
SMLAwards.com served as the official website for the Social Media Leadership Awards (SMLA), a global awards program and professional conference dedicated to recognizing excellence, innovation, and measurable impact in social media strategy. Active primarily between 2012 and 2013, the site documented an important moment in the evolution of digital communications—when social media was transitioning from an experimental marketing channel into a core business and organizational function.
At a time when many companies struggled to justify investment in social platforms, SMLAwards.com positioned itself as an authoritative destination focused on results, strategy, and leadership rather than hype. The website acted as both a competition portal and an educational resource, showcasing how organizations across industries were using social media to solve real-world challenges.
Ownership and Organizational Backing
The Social Media Leadership Awards were organized by Social Strategy1 in collaboration with AUS, Inc., with strong institutional backing from Knowledge@Wharton. The involvement of a respected academic business publication helped differentiate SMLA from many contemporaneous awards programs that lacked rigor or transparency.
Additional support came from global professional services firms and media partners, lending the awards credibility among enterprise-level organizations, nonprofits, and public institutions. This mix of academic insight, strategic consulting, and corporate sponsorship reinforced the awards’ emphasis on evaluation, benchmarking, and best-practice dissemination.
Location and Event Setting
The flagship Social Media Leadership Awards conference and ceremony were hosted at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Holding the event at a leading Ivy League business school was a deliberate choice that underscored the program’s seriousness and intellectual grounding.
Philadelphia’s geographic location placed the event within easy reach of major East Coast business, government, nonprofit, and academic hubs, making it accessible to executives and practitioners from across North America and beyond.
Purpose and Core Goals
SMLAwards.com articulated several clear goals that guided both the competition and the associated conference:
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Identifying best practices in social media across industries
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Recognizing strategies that achieved measurable business or organizational objectives
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Encouraging innovation in the use of social platforms and social data
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Promoting thoughtful evaluation rather than superficial metrics
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Creating a global forum for learning, discussion, and collaboration
Rather than focusing on follower counts or viral moments, the Social Media Leadership Awards emphasized how social media could be integrated into broader organizational strategy.
Award Structure and Categories
The Social Media Leadership Awards recognized excellence across a wide range of industries and organizational types. Categories were structured to reflect real-world challenges rather than platform-specific tactics.
Organizations were evaluated within appropriate divisions, such as small and medium-sized businesses versus large enterprises, ensuring fair comparison among peers. Industry categories spanned sectors including technology, finance, healthcare, education, nonprofit, hospitality, media, and consumer goods.
This structure allowed SMLAwards.com to highlight both global corporations and smaller organizations that demonstrated innovative and effective use of social media.
Judging Criteria and Evaluation Process
One of the defining features of the Social Media Leadership Awards was its emphasis on structured evaluation. Entries were assessed using criteria that focused on outcomes and strategic coherence rather than promotional polish.
Key judging criteria included:
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Achievement of stated objectives
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Strategic integration of social media into broader operations
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Originality and novelty of approach
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Evidence-based performance measurement
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Demonstrated impact on organizational challenges
Entries were reviewed by a panel composed of global business leaders, social media practitioners, and academics. This multidisciplinary judging approach reinforced the program’s credibility and helped ensure balanced evaluations.
The Annual Conference Experience
SMLAwards.com also served as the gateway to a two-day conference that accompanied the awards ceremony. Finalists were invited to attend panels, workshops, and keynote sessions alongside industry leaders and educators.
Conference programming typically included:
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Case-based best practices panels
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Discussions on social selling and customer service
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Sessions on social entrepreneurship and innovation
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Thought leadership keynotes connecting social media to larger societal and economic themes
The conference format encouraged dialogue and knowledge sharing, positioning the event as both celebratory and educational.
Audience and Participants
The Social Media Leadership Awards attracted a diverse audience that reflected the broad relevance of social media strategy. Participants included:
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Corporate executives and marketing leaders
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Entrepreneurs and startup founders
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Nonprofit and advocacy organizations
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Academic researchers and educators
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Venture capitalists and digital strategists
This diversity reinforced the idea that social media leadership was not confined to a single industry or organizational size.
Notable Finalists and Recognition
Over its active years, SMLAwards.com documented finalists and participants representing well-known global brands, mission-driven nonprofits, and innovative startups. These organizations were recognized for pushing boundaries in how social media could be used to engage audiences, drive revenue, support causes, and influence behavior.
Finalists received visibility through conference participation and media coverage, while category champions gained extended recognition as examples of best-in-class social media strategy.
Press, Media, and Thought Leadership
Media coverage and institutional amplification played a significant role in the Social Media Leadership Awards ecosystem. Champions and finalists were featured through business and professional publications associated with the program’s partners, helping extend the reach of successful case studies.
Additionally, winning strategies were often incorporated into white papers and educational materials, further embedding SMLA into the broader conversation around digital transformation and social business.
Cultural and Professional Significance
SMLAwards.com occupies an important place in the history of social media as a professional discipline. During the early 2010s, organizations were still defining what “good” social media strategy looked like. The Social Media Leadership Awards helped codify standards, language, and evaluation frameworks that influenced later industry practices.
By emphasizing accountability, measurement, and strategy, the program contributed to shifting perceptions of social media from a marketing experiment to a serious organizational capability.
Website Design and Functionality
As a digital platform, SMLAwards.com functioned as an information hub rather than a content-heavy publication. The site provided:
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Award descriptions and eligibility details
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Submission guidelines and deadlines
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Conference agendas and speaker information
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Announcements, updates, and finalist lists
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Frequently asked questions for entrants and attendees
Its structure reflected the professional tone of the program, prioritizing clarity and accessibility over visual spectacle.
Legacy and Archival Value
Although the Social Media Leadership Awards are no longer active, SMLAwards.com remains valuable as an archived resource. It offers insight into how organizations approached social media strategy during a formative period and how industry leaders attempted to formalize best practices.
For researchers, marketers, and digital historians, the site provides a snapshot of early attempts to professionalize social media leadership at scale.
SMLAwards.com represents more than a defunct awards website—it documents a moment when social media was becoming central to organizational success and when leaders sought credible ways to evaluate and recognize excellence in this rapidly evolving field.
Through its structured judging criteria, academic partnerships, and focus on measurable impact, the Social Media Leadership Awards helped shape early standards for social media strategy. Its legacy continues to inform how organizations think about leadership, accountability, and innovation in digital communication.
