Qualitest was named the winner of a Bronze Stevie® Award in the Branded Content Campaign of the Year category in The 20th Annual International Business Awards® today.

The International Business Awards are the world’s premier business awards program. All individuals and organizations worldwide – public and private, for-profit and non-profit, large and small – are eligible to submit nominations. The 2023 IBAs received entries from organizations in 61 nations and territories.

More than 3,700 nominations from organizations of all sizes and in virtually every industry were submitted this year for consideration in a wide range of categories, including Company of the Year, Marketing Campaign of the Year, Best New Product or Service of the Year, Startup of the Year, Corporate Social Responsibility Program of the Year, and Executive of the Year, among others.  This year’s competition also featured a number of new categories to recognize organizations’ and individuals’ achievements in sustainability initiatives.

Qualitest won in the Branded Content Campaign of the Year category for its “Where’s the Bug” campaign.

We wanted to create a unique branding campaign  with personality that would demand attention and help position us as a leader in quality engineering across multiple industries, as well as a great place to work.

Another goal was to have Qualitest’s name recognized and be synonymous with solving or avoiding software and technology quality problems. We came up with the “Where’s the Bug” concept, where people were asked to find our new character Quinn the Bug. The bug is hiding in “Where’s Waldo”- style illustrations of places that relate to our clients’ industries (banks, hospitals, shopping malls etc.) and causing damage to their systems.

This campaign differed from a traditional branding campaign because it was active rather than passive. We asked people to find Quinn the Bug with each illustration. If you could find Quinn in less than 10 seconds, you should come work for Qualitest. If it takes you more than 10 seconds, you need Qualitest’s support.

To support the campaign, we also launched an internal versionthat encouraged Qualitest employees to find the bug, win prizes and share with their network.

The panel of judges had this to say about the campaign: “Where’s The Bug Campaign 2023 seems to have been well-planned and executed, with a clear focus on targeting specific industries and incorporating a fun and engaging concept. The use of illustrations and videos with a cartoon-inspired style adds to the appeal of the campaign .It effectively targeted specific industries, utilized engaging visuals, generated impressive impressions and clicks within a limited budget, and received enthusiastic feedback from both internal and external stakeholders.”

The panel of judges also highlighted the campaign embracing Diversity & Inclusion as well as the campaign’s effectiveness: “The campaign’s use of diverse and visually appealing illustrations, along with the incorporation of Pride Month, demonstrates the company’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, enhancing its brand image. The use of videos, banners, and GIFs to promote and share each illustration is a smart move to increase engagement and spread the challenge among a wider audience. The low cost spent on the campaign with impressive results in terms of impressions and clicks showcases its effectiveness and efficiency.

“We are thrilled to win the Bronze Stevie Award for our ‘Find the Bug’ campaign,” said Adrian Maynard, Head of Global Marketing for Qualitest. “We are grateful to the Stevie Awards for recognizing our efforts, and we look forward to continuing to create innovative branded content that connects with our audience.”

“Nominations to the IBAs get better every year, and this year’s class of Stevie winners is the most impressive yet,” said Stevie Awards president Maggie Miller. “The winners have demonstrated that their organizations have set and achieved lofty goals. We congratulate them on their recognized achievements and look forward to celebrating them on stage in Rome on 13 October.”

Stevie Award winners were determined by the average scores of more than 230 executives worldwide who participated in the judging process in June and July. Winners will be celebrated during a gala banquet at the Cavalieri Waldorf Astoria Hotel, in Rome, Italy on Friday, 13 October.

Details about The International Business Awards and the lists of Stevie Award winners are available at www.StevieAwards.com/IBA.

About Qualitest

Founded in 1997, Qualitest offers a wide range of AI-powered quality engineering solutions designed to mitigate the business risk associated with digital adoption. Qualitest achieves this by deploying engagement models tailored to the precise quality engineering needs of technology platforms in the healthcare and life sciences, BFSI (banking, financial services, and insurance), retail and consumer goods, media and entertainment, energy and utilities, technology, manufacturing, and public sector verticals. It has operations in the US, UK, Israel, India, Germany, Switzerland, Portugal, Romania, Argentina, Mexico, and Madagascar and serves over 500 blue-chip customers worldwide. Qualitest is majority-owned by international private equity group Bridgepoint.

About the Stevie Awards
Stevie Awards are conferred in eight programs: the Asia-Pacific Stevie Awards, the German Stevie Awards, the Middle East & North Africa Stevie Awards, The American Business Awards®, The International Business Awards®, the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, the Stevie Awards for Great Employers, and the Stevie Awards for Sales & Customer Service. Stevie Awards competitions receive more than 12,000 nominations ea