Welcome SMOTY Nominee!

You have been nominated as Startup Marketeer of the Year 2026 by Gründerszene, Jung von Matt START and Appinio. To complete your application we need some infos and data from you.

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The Application consists out of 3 Parts:

A – Nominee Profile

Give us some basic infos about yourself for the record.
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⏱️ 5min

B – Recent Works

Show us how your brand appeared in public recently.

⏱️ 10min

C – Detail Questionnaire

How does your brand work behind the scenes?
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⏱️ 15min

Text reading 'MARKETERS OF THE YEAR START HERE.' in bold purple letters on a bright green background.

Give us some basic infos about yourself for the record.
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A – Nominee Profile‍

Name
Email Address
Company
Title / Role
Since
LinkedIn‍
Portrait Photo
About you

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Text stating 'THIS FORM NEEDS YOUR TOP FORM.' in bright green on a purple background.

B – Recent Works

Show us how your brand appeared in public recently.
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Campaign 01
mandatory

Campaign Name
Main Objective
Time frame
Main Channels
Assets
Description

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Campaign 02
optional
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Campaign Name
Main Objective
Time frame
Main Channels
Assets
Description

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Campaign 03
optional
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Campaign Name
Main Objective
Time frame
Main Channels
Assets
Description

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Bold purple text saying 'YEAH! ALMOST! THERE!' on a bright green background.

C – Detail Questionnaire

How does your brand work behind the scenes?
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What is the name of your brand?

Which title best describes your role?

Is there another marketing lead above you in the organization?

How many peole work at your company in total (FTEs)?

How many full-time employees, excluding yourself, work predominantly or entirely on marketing topics?

How many part-time employees work predominantly or entirely on marketing topics?

What was your company`s revenue in 2025?
What percentage of revenue did your media budget represent? (Includes paid media, sponsorships, influencers and other paid reach)
In addition to media, many startups rely on partnerships, collaborations, trade fairs, and events. How important are these compared to media, measured by staffing effort and project costs?

Which of the following media activities have you done in the last two years?
Multiple answers possible.Display banners (e.g. Google Display Network)Search ads (e.g. Google, Bing)Podcast adsPaid social (ads)Paid social (content)Online video (e.g. YouTube, RTL)Influencer marketingTV advertisingPrint advertisingOut-of-home / billboard advertisingRadio advertising

Which of the following other marketing activities activities have you done in the last two years?
Multiple answers possible.POS promotionsTrade fairsEventsPatnerships with other brandsPartnerships with shops (online, retail, other)Organic social content (e.g. Instagram, TikTok)CRM (e.g. newsletter, loyalty programs)Own retail stores

How well is your brand defined? Which of the following building blocks apply?
Multiple answers possible.General brand design guidelinesBrand positioning (brand core, brand messaging, brand values, etc.)Dedicated tone of voice guidelinesSocial media guidelinesVisual execution guidelines (e.g. for shoots, illustration, CGI)

What do you focus on most in day-to-day brand management?
Please rank by priority.

What role does your brand play in product marketing? Select all statements that apply.
Multiple answers possible.Product messages are always clearly derived from brand messagingCopywriting is always closly aligned with brand tone of voiceEmotional benefits always outeigh features and specificationsAudience demand (what people want) always outweighs tecnology (what is possible or mentionable)Design standards - even performance assets clearly reflect our brand visually

What role does your brand play in product development? Select all statements that apply.
Multiple answers possible.New products or features are evaluated based on how well they support the core brand promiseBrand decision-makers have an active say in overarching product decisionsWe test new ideas and concepts before implementation (e.g. market research, customer surveys, test ads)We actively incorporate ideas from our community into the further development of our offeringNone of the above

What most strongly influences your brand image? Which of the following aspects have priority for you?
Please name the top three.Packaging design Product experienceCustomer experience / CRMSocial contentDigital advertising (display, online video, in-stream, podcasts, etc.)Traditional advertising (OOH, print, TV, radio)

Who is currently primarily responsble for bringing your brand to life?
Multiple answers possible.In-house visual creative (graphic design, design, photography, video, etc.)In-house content creatives (copywirting, content creation, etc.)In-house brand or marketing managers (whithout creative training)Freelance visual creatives (graphic design, design, photography, video, etc.)Freelance content creatives (copywriting, content creation, etc.)Small agency (design studio, boutique agency, etc.)Large agencyProduction company / studio (film, photography)None of the above

Who has previously contributed to bringing your brand to life?
Multiple answers possible.In-house visual creative (graphic design, design, photography, video, etc.)In-house content creatives (copywirting, content creation, etc.)In-house brand or marketing managers (whithout creative training)Freelance visual creatives (graphic design, design, photography, video, etc.)Freelance content creatives (copywriting, content creation, etc.)Small agency (design studio, boutique agency, etc.)Large agencyProduction company / studio (film, photography)None of the above
Is there something else you would like to tell us about your role as a marketing executive in a startup/scaleup?

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I consent to the processing of the personal data I have provided as part of my application for the SMOTY Award for the purpose of organizing, reviewing, and evaluating the award.I understand that my data may be shared with the responsible jury members for evaluation purposes. The processing of my data will take place exclusively in connection with the SMOTY Award.I may withdraw my consent at any time with effect for the future. Further information can be found in the privacy policy.In the event of being shortlisted or receiving an award as part of the SMOTY Award, I consent to the publication of my name, submitted content, and, where applicable, company information in connection with reporting on the award. This may include publication in online, print, and social media channels of the organizers.This consent is voluntary and may be withdrawn at any time with effect for the future. Further information can be found in the privacy policy.
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Thank you! Your submission has been received!

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2026 by Jung von Matt START & Gründerszene
Any Questions: info@startupmarketeroftheyear.com

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