Rating: LACKS CONTEXT
The Facts: Sonshine Media News International (SMNI) recently received an award from the Asian Sterling Awards for “World-class Political Debate of the Year”. (https://www.facebook.com/UsapingBayanSMNI/posts/1952713181783913)
This is true, but it’s like saying it won an award from your neighborhood sari-sari store.
The Asian Sterling Awards (ASA) is a startup award run by NCO Events and Advertising Co., Inc., which on its official website admits that its purpose is to use awards events to “increase marketing, advertising, and promotional opportunities for its sponsors.” (https://asiansterlingaward.wixsite.com/asa2021/about)
The awards have little background or backing, and has only been around for less than a year.
The ASA Facebook page has only around 5,000 followers, and was created only on May of last year (https://www.facebook.com/Asiansterlingawards/about) Its sponsors page list some six businesses, which have each been awarded recognition by ASA (https://asiansterlingaward.wixsite.com/asa2021/sponsor).
Its About page on the official site also directly states that the award is for “Boosting Brand Credibility and Enhancing Brand Positioning”, and offers advertising contracts for winners (https://asiansterlingaward.wixsite.com/asa2021).
Additionally, the awards that the ASA hand out are incredibly specific to the businesses that they choose to showcase, such as “Most Outstanding Glutathione Supplement” and “Most Outstanding Innovative Gluta Drip and Facial Service” being separate categories, and other categories such as “Most Outstanding Affordable Office Furniture Shop” and “Most Outstanding Boutique Nursing Home Franchise.”
Given the lack of backing and recognition for the award as well as the ease with which a company can enter nominations, which according to the official site can be done by companies directly, it would be a stretch to say that the awards are prestigious. More like a vanity award given to congressmen and mayors.
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