Outdoor Planning Awards opens for entries

The Clear Channel Outdoor Planning awards, held in association with Brand Republic Group, are now open for entry. The awards celebrate effective and intelligent planning of the outdoor medium and, in their successful sixth year, have been expanded to include a new category: Best use of digital in outdoor.

A new category, Best Use of Digital in Outdoor, has been added to the roster, which will be judged by an esteemed list of media experts.

This year, the judging panel will be chaired by Philip Smith, Head of Content Solutions, Brand Republic Group. He will be joined at the judging day in February 2012 by:

• James Hilton, Chief Creative Officer, AKQA
• Andrew Mortimer, Head of Media Strategy and Planning, BSkyB
• Tracey De Groose, Managing Director, Carat
• Matthew Dearden, CEO, Clear Channel UK
• Gayle Noah, Media Manager, L'Oreal UK & Ireland
• Mick  Style, Managing Director, MEC Manchester
• Marc Mendoza, CEO, MPG Contacts
• Mike Baker, CEO, Outdoor Media Centre
• Russell Place, Chief Strategy Officer, UM

The six categories are:

Best Use of Outdoor in a Multi-Media Campaign

Best Use of Multiple Formats in Outdoor

Best Use of Continuity

Best Use of Innovation in Outdoor

Best Use of Digital in Outdoor

There will also be one overall prize for the most effective and forward-thinking campaign of 2011. Last year's winner was Nike's Grid project.