That's why, three years ago in 2010, the IPM launched the Marketing Services Awards, otherwise known as The COGS.

In 2011, the second year of The COGS, more than 1,600 individuals from clients and agencies nominated over 350 marketing services companies which they had worked with over the previous two years. And last year we had even more votes from even more clients.

If you want to get an idea of the kind of companies eligible to enter The COGS 2013, then take a look at the winners lists elsewhere on this site.

The whole purpose of The COGS 2013 is to recognise and reward the individuals or companies that, in your experience as a client, provide outstanding service, above and beyond what is expected of them.

This year we have slightly changed our categories, splitting up risk management and security and adding in a new category, loyalty.

All of the votes cast for companies and individuals will be added together to produce a shortlist for each industry category award and for the Company of the Year and the Individual of the Year awards.

The shortlists for the 19 industry sector categories and the two special awards will be published in the nominations section of this website towards the end of June.

Those companies and individuals which have been shortlisted will then be given the option of putting together a submission detailing why they deserve to win for the second round. These submissions will be considered by our judging panel (made up of leading promotional marketers from the IPM, clients and agencies) who will select a first, second and third placed entrant.

The votes from the first round will only be used to determine the shortlists: it will be the judges who will decide what awards, if any, companies and individuals which go through to the second round actually get.

Check out the rules page for more info.