The Masters of Marketing Award Winners

I feel like a Cheshire cat. You know; the grinning one.

Oh why so, I hear you proclaim (in my imagination, you’re already gripped by that intro line).

I’ll tell you why. I’ve just picked up the Masters of Marketing Award for Best Automotive Campaign 2015 for Citroen’s Parking Hero.

Awards are awards aren’t they? I’m not one for gloating – except when United beat City, Chelsea, Arsenal or Liverpool. We’ve always been in the background as an agency, and I don’t mind that: our clients are happy, so we’re happy. However, this one is special.

Special because it’s actually the third award for this particular campaign (the first two were recognition from our social & digital media peers and we’ve been shortlisted for another two before the year ends) but more importantly, it has been awarded by the wider marketing industry.

Special because we were up against big marketing agencies, with big budgets, big resources, tools and….a level of ‘expectant-ness’. How dare we!

Special because it was a properly integrated PR and social campaign that relied on a great creative idea supported by insight, research and understanding of the channels that make up the all-important Earned Media everyone strives for. You know… that free stuff; the bedrock of good old fashioned PR.

At our core, we’re a PR agency but we’ve evolved and adapted to the ever-changing media landscape over the years. Two years ago we dropped the PR from our name and became a Communications agency to reflect the new landscape, but deep down, we know what we are: a PR agency winning a Marketing Award. It’s a rare thing. Advertising agencies talk about content marketing… while we deliver storytelling content.

Above all, I’m chuffed with this one because it once again proves that a good idea can come from anywhere in the marketing mix. It proves that PR deserves greater recognition. It proves that integration can only be achieved when egos are parked outside the room and everyone wants to pull together.

It also proves that we have rather excellent clients who believe in us and let our madness rule. Not all campaigns will be award-winning, but if you don’t try, you’ll never know.

So watch this space for what we’ve got coming in the next few months. Hopefully I’ll be back at the Masters of Marketing next year to pick up another award.