The IPM is delighted to open entries for The Awards 2025! After another remarkable year of creativity, innovation, and impact in promotional marketing, we are excited to come together once again to honour the best in our industry.

As the flagship awards for promotional marketing, the IPM Awards set the benchmark for excellence. Every entry is judged on creative execution, strategic thinking, and measurable results, ensuring that winners reflect the highest standards in the industry.

From shopper activations to experiential campaigns, loyalty strategies to brand partnerships, this is where the most impactful work in promotional marketing takes centre stage.

Be Part of the Industry’s Gold Standard

Since 1971, the IPM Awards have set the benchmark for the most effective, creative, and results-driven campaigns, reinforcing the importance of promotional marketing as a strategic discipline. Beyond the ceremony, the event is a key moment in the industry calendar, bringing together the brightest minds in promotional marketing. It’s a chance to reflect, learn, and celebrate the work that’s shaping the future of the industry.

If your campaign has made an impact, influenced behaviour, sparked engagement, or redefined brand experience, this is where it belongs—among the very best in promotional marketing.

“Over the past few years, we’ve witnessed an incredible level of creativity and innovation within the promotional marketing industry. The IPM Awards provide a platform to not only celebrate these achievements but also inspire future campaigns. Entering the awards is a fantastic opportunity to gain well-deserved recognition, showcase your team’s talent, and connect with industry peers. We can’t wait to see the exceptional work that 2025 will bring.” – Emma Kirk, IPM General Manager

Key Dates to Remember

The IPM Awards have sold out for two years running, and anticipation for 2025 is building. If you’re planning to enter, don’t miss the chance to do so at a reduced fee — the Early Bird deadline closes tomorrow, 26th March 2025 at 16:00. Secure your entry now to make sure your campaign gets the recognition it deserves and a shot at taking home gold.

• Early bird entry deadline: 26th March 2025 at 16:00
• Standard Entry Deadline: 30th April 2025 at 16:00
• Late Entry Deadline: 14th May 2025 at 16:00

How to Enter

Submitting your entry is quick and easy. Visit our awards page to review the entry guidelines, select the category that best suits your campaign, and submit your work through our online portal. Your submission should clearly outline the creative strategy, execution, and results that set your campaign apart. Entries are judged by an expert panel, ensuring a fair and rigorous assessment based on effectiveness, innovation, and impact.

Proudly Sponsored By

The IPM Awards would not be possible without the generous support of our sponsors. Their contributions help us celebrate excellence, innovation, and impact across the promotional marketing industry.

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Kallø, the ‘naturally different’ food brand from Ecotone UK, is marking its entrance into the breakfast category with an exciting new in-store experience, building on a wider creative and out-of-home (OOH) campaign which launched at the start of the year. From 9th-15th March, Kallø will be bringing its latest product, Organic Granola, to life with a one-of-a-kind activation at the Waitrose flagship store in Canary Wharf, London.  

The granola, which launched late last year, will take centre stage in a large-scale, interactive display featuring 3D-printed granola inside a giant bowl – inspired by the trend of adult ball pools. 

Kallø is encouraging shoppers to ‘ghost their toast’ in favour of granola – the key message featured in the brand’s wider OOH advertising campaign launched this January.

The activation is designed to engage and excite shoppers, bringing Kallø’s fun and joyful brand personality to life.  It also serves as a conversion stunt by incentivising people to buy the granola in store.

Cynthia Allaglo, Kallø Brand Manager, said: “Consumers are lacking creativity when it comes to mealtimes, and this is escalated at breakfast time – where a huge proportion of people habitually eat the same thing every morning. Kallø is pleased to help solve this by offering a naturally different option, helping to spark creativity and joy again. Our organic granola is also the sustainable choice, made with organic ingredients and no hidden nasties.”

“We’re thrilled to bring this interactive experience to Waitrose, to help spread the word of natural breakfasts and grab consumer attention at the point of purchase.”  

Alongside the immersive experience, visitors will have the chance to win prizes, pick up branded tote bags, and grab discount coupons to try Kallø’s range. To help spread the word, Kallø is also teaming up with influencers, creating recipes, and running Waitrose gift card giveaways to encourage more shoppers to visit the store. The brand will also be running giveaway breakfasts to surrounding businesses, to help spread the ‘ghost your toast’ message.

This activation marks an exciting step for Kallø as it continues to grow in the breakfast category, offering a playful, interactive way to connect with customers and showcase its organic range. 

Simon Grater, Mad River Founder and Creative Director, adds: “Our design for Kallo’s ‘Naturally Different’ breakfast activation builds on the rising popularity of playful, immersive experiences. Think adult ball pits, but with a delicious twist. By transforming the in-store space into an oversized cereal bowl, we’ve created a fun, hands-on moment that stops shoppers in their tracks and invites them to engage with the brand in a fresh way. We develop experiential activations like this because they spark curiosity, drive social sharing, and make brand interactions more memorable. We’re proud to support Kallo in reaching younger consumers through creativity that’s as natural and joyful as their products.”

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Yeo Valley, the UK’s leading organic dairy brand, has hit the ground running with a high-impact shopper and social campaign designed to promote its Greek Recipe range (0% & 5%). The objective? To drive awareness and consideration for the range, making Greek Recipe the go-to choice for runners and fitness enthusiasts looking to recover and refuel.

Created by Activation, an IPM Member, the campaign reinforces Greek yogurt’s high-protein benefits, highlighting its role in muscle recovery, sustained energy, and post-workout nutrition. Whether pounding the pavement, chasing a PB, or simply staying active, Yeo Valley is keeping fitness fans on track.

Marketing That Goes the Distance

At the heart of the campaign is the compelling tagline: “Our purest protein for miles.” To bring this slogan to life, Yeo Valley teamed up with GB modern pentathlete Charlie Follett, who incorporates the Greek Recipe range into her post-workout routine.

A multi-channel activation keeps the campaign on track across digital and in-store platforms with high-energy 15-second and 6-second videos highlighting the yogurt’s high-protein credentials. Meanwhile, a shopper marketing rollout ensures Greek Recipe stands out where purchase decisions are made—helping consumers refuel at the finish line.

Now live, the campaign is running across digital, retail, and online channels, reinforcing brand messaging and encouraging trial among active audiences.

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The IPM is thrilled to spotlight Wall’s latest campaign, “Sing It to Win It!“—a fantastic demonstration of how brands can blend creativity, interactivity, and digital marketing to engage consumers.

This campaign builds on creative agency Activation’s earlier work, which first cooked up the “When Hunger Calls, Grab a Wall’s“ tagline. From tradespeople taking on the Wall’s Street Challenge to sausage rolls flying off shelves thanks to freebie giveaways, the tagline has already left its mark. Now, Wall’s is turning up the volume. Now, with ‘Sing It to Win It!’, the UK public is invited to perform their take on this catchy line. Participants can submit their renditions online for a chance to win £5,000, collaborate with a music producer, and have their jingle professionally recorded for a national radio ad airing next spring.

Rolling Out Big Laughs and Bigger Connections!

Wall’s expertly blends user-generated content with influencer partnerships, teaming up with On the Tools for a second year to strengthen its connection to the tradesperson community. By creating relatable, laugh-out-loud content that resonates with this audience, the campaign ensures its messaging hits home where it matters most. Key to driving the campaign’s success are sausage roll-loving influencers, who leverage their platforms to spread the word far and wide. This is further bolstered by Wall’s own social media presence and a targeted digital push on Meta and YouTube.

The campaign flips the script by inviting fans to join the action, turning a tagline into a national singalong. By encouraging people to get creative and have fun, Wall’s isn’t just selling sausage rolls—they’re turning consumers into co-creators and giving them a chance to shape the brand’s story. It’s a bold and playful move that brings Wall’s closer to its audience, turning everyday fans into the stars of the show.

This campaign stands out as a feel-good moment during challenging times. By offering a chance to win a tasty £5,000 prize, Wall’s serves up a tasty treat that will bring smiles and shares along the way. This approach brings the audience closer to the brand, creating a shared experience that’s fun, uplifting, and unifying. Think you’ve got what it takes to be Wall’s next star? Visit grabawalls.co.uk and let your voice be heard!

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Checkout.com’s latest research on Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) trends reveals shifting consumer interests in the UK. Drawing from the broader Digital Economy: Peak Season Trends 2024 study, the data shows that bargain-hunting Brits are looking beyond traditional categories like clothing, beauty, and electronics, with new interests in air travel and health products, especially among younger generations. As British consumers gear up for peak season sales, this report offers valuable insights for marketers looking to capture attention in an ever-evolving digital marketplace.

• Air travel is forecast to see increased sales during BFCM this year, with 14% of the population intending to buy during peak season in 2024, up from just 8% saying they have purchased in peak season in the past (a 75% increase compared to previous years). Younger generations are driving this trend, with nearly a third (28%) of Gen Z (an 87% increase compared to previous years) and a quarter (24%) of Millennials intending to buy air travel during BFCM this year. 
  
• A third (32%) of Millennials are looking to buy streaming services during BFCM deals – nearly double the UK average (17%). In fact, streaming is the most popular category for Millennials ahead of usual favourites clothing (31%), Beauty (30%) and electronics (29%). 
  
• Healthcare and wellbeing is also high on UK consumers’ BFCM shopping lists, with 16% intending to buy products in this category, rising to nearly a third (29%) of Gen Z consumers. 
  
• Clothing remains the most popular category, with a fifth (21%) UK adults planning to make a clothing purchase during BFCM, almost doubling to 40% of Gen Z adults intending to buy clothes during the peak sales.  

“Traditionally Black Friday Cyber Monday deals have been focused on clothing, beauty and electronics. However, with a growing digital economy, we’re seeing this evolve. The increase in planned flight spend is fascinating – particularly when it comes to the younger generations, even in an era of conscious consumerism. Travel experiences rate high in priority and they are explored, discovered and made using social platforms. This reflects a growing cultural trend when it comes to travel – and how Gen Z takes a social-first approach to planning trips abroad.  
 
It’s incredibly positive to see how British consumers are planning to spend around health – from private medical, to investing in their own wellbeing.” 

Rory O’Neill, CMO at Checkout.com

Half of Brits Buy Gifts During Sales 

• When it comes to buying for others, UK consumers are also looking to sales to purchase gifts. Half (50%) of Brits are now buying presents for their partner when they see a bargain. 
  
• Two thirds (34%) of this group buy gifts for their partner all year round when they see a bargain, with the remaining third (16%) specifically waiting for BFCM to buy gifts for their partner.  

“While BFCM is still a significant shopping period, we’re also starting to see a trend towards always-on retail sales. By understanding consumer shopping habits based on spending data, merchants can tailor deals to reach specific consumers at the right time and encourage conversions. In short, every day is a peak season sale opportunity – and retailers need to remember that during this peak season.”

Rory O’Neill, CMO at Checkout.com

BFCM subscription deals emerge as a strong customer acquisition tool for merchants 

• Subscriptions are a good acquisition tool during BFCM, with half (49%) of Brits remaining subscribed after the deal ends because they wanted to keep the service.
  
• Gen Zs are the most forgetful at cancelling subscriptions, with 38% intending to but forgetting, compared to just 19% of Baby Boomers. 

Generational split on deal discovery, with TV ads losing their impact with younger generations 

• UK consumers are still fairly traditional in how they discover BFCM deals, with a third (32%) finding out about deals via TV ads, followed by browsing marketplaces (31%) and using a search engine (29%).  
  
• However, looking at younger generations, 40% of Gen Z and 43% of Millennials find out about deals via social platforms (compared to 24% across all UK adults).  

“This data speaks to the need to ensure marketing strategies are always built in mind with the right audiences in mind. Given Gen Z and Millennials are the most likely to buy during BFCM, it’s important to make sure marketing piques the attention of this group, in terms of both the message – and the channels. A tailored, not broad brush approach is always needed, as is remembering the critical role that social platforms play in engaging this community. This research is a stark reminder that merchants need to constantly review and refine their selling channels to avoid missing out on sales when targeting specific demographics with the deals that will appeal to them.”

Rory O’Neill, CMO at Checkout.com

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UK supermarket Sainsbury’s has debuted their exciting new Christmas advertisement today, featuring Roald Dahl’s universally beloved character the BFG.

Set to premier on ITV1 at 8:15pm on Friday 1^st November during Coronation Street, the ad follows the 24-foot friendly giant as he embarks on a new adventure with Sainsbury’s employee Sophie. In a TV first, real-life Sainsbury’s colleague ‘Sophie’ embarks on a journey with the Big Friendly Giant (the BFG), showcasing the delicious flavours of Sainsbury’s festive Taste the Difference range.

The deal was negotiated and managed by Born Licensing, licensing agent for Roald Dahl Story Company. RDSC engaged Born Licensing to bring to life their global partnership and licensing strategy, facilitating ATL campaigns which truly harness the unique storytelling qualities of their IP in an authentic way.

Born Licensing, in collaboration with the Roald Dahl Story Company, worked with Sainsbury’s creative agency, NCA, to ensure this new iteration of the BFG came to life with authenticity. Fans of the beloved book will be delighted to see famous references from the story including snozzcumbers, Frobscottle, and dream jars feature in this magical Christmas campaign. 

The extensive partnership will see the BFG appear across TV, print, outdoor, social media, direct mail, and PR.

“Christmas is the most competitive period for British advertisers and licensing a generationally adored character like the BFG is a sure fire way to capture attention. This is a brilliant example of how powerful advertising can be when combining cherished IP with brilliant creative.”

David Born, Founder and CEO of Born Licensing

“At the Roald Dahl Story Company storytelling is at the heart of what we do and we’re always on the lookout for opportunities to bring our beloved characters and stories to life in new ways, through bespoke and authentic partnerships and marketing campaigns. The BFG is the perfect fit for Sainsbury’s in creating a big Christmas.

Alice O’Brien, Head of Global Commercial Partnerships at the Roald Dahl Story Company

The power of Roald Dahl’s unique stories and characters is evidenced in Sainsbury’s desire to collaborate on the biggest marketing moment of the year. The partnership provided the opportunity to tell their story in a new and innovative way, harnessing the nostalgic love that the BFG brings to generations of audiences.

NCA and Ogilvy were behind the Creative with Rogue Films producing the TVC. The longform” film with cutdowns was directed by award winning Director Sam Brown. Post-production and VFX were done by Electric Theatre Company.

“By collaborating with Sainsbury’s to bring Roald Dahl’s beloved BFG to life in a new story, we hope the nation is as captivated as we are to see two old friends back together this Christmas.”

The BFG is perfect for Sainsbury’s mission to create a Big Christmas for all. Having only snozzcumbers to devour in Giant Country, his curiosity for good food leads to an adventure of discovery and wonderment with Sainsbury’s Sophie in order to bring the magic of Christmas to everyone.”

Natalie Hopkins, Director of Global Product and Partnerships at the Roald Dahl Story Company

This brand-new campaign comes as more and more audiences are enjoying Roald Dahl’s iconic stories being brought to life. Recently, stage adaptations of The Witches and The Enormous Crocodile opened to critical acclaim and sell-out shows, Paul King’s Wonka became an international box-office smash and Wes Anderson’s cinematic adaptation of Roald Dahl’s adult short story The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar received numerous plaudits including an Academy Award. Brand new publishing inspired by Roald Dahl’s The Twits by Greg James and Chris Smith landed in the Top 10 Children’s Hardback charts upon release, and fans the world over continue to devour Roald Dahl products and enjoy partnerships like The Twits and Charlie & The Chocolate Factory Afternoon Teas in London.

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As festive as we are all rapidly becoming, this is not a topical suggestion for a Christmas cracker joke, moreover a serious question.

When is a Sales promotion not a sales promotion?

Or perhaps we should be asking, when is a marketing campaign simply a well-executed Sales Promotion campaign?

Recently Scottish brewers and famous courters of controversy, BrewDog come over all Willy Wonka, with gold cans set to be hidden in cases of beer. The prize for the lucky winners being to receive the gold can worth £15K, £10k of BrewDog shares & VIP tour of our Brewery.

The delightfully engaging initiative has been hailed as a ‘wonderful example of marketing’ as well as a ‘publicity stunt’ and ‘guerrilla marketing at its best’ but never, as far as the author can locate, has it been described as a ‘classic sales promotion campaign’.

And we would like to know why?

As is common knowledge the IPM helped craft section 8 of the CAP code and therein lies the definition of a Sales Promotion campaign. Without needing to go into exact detail, the BrewDog campaign fits festively into this category, so why do we find the description of the initiative, across all media, failing to credit is as Sales Promotion campaign?

As an industry we need to proactively reclaim our section of the marketing mix and make sure that is being spoken about in the correct context and campaigns are lauded for being great examples of Sales Promotion.

Phraseology understandably changes over time, but the premise of what our members do, does not. COVID has demonstrated how brands have been forced to uncover fresh creativity in their work, and it should not be overlooked that this creativity often finds itself rooted in the most effective part of the marketing mix, the humble Sale Promotion.

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The current climate has undoubtedly forced us all to make changes not only in the way we work but in the manner of the work that we do. From experiences to brand loyalty and engagement, the rule book is, temporarily perhaps, being rewritten.

Recently, Amazon Prime announced they would be hosting a virtual escape room inspired by its supernatural comedy series Truth Seekers. During the 45-minute challenge, players will encounter characters from the show who will ask them to help restore a 6G signal at a museum in Weymouth and recover the artefact causing the disruption.

A terrific example of a brand pivoting to meet the constraints set up it, but is this the way it will always be? The Incentive, Prize & Loyalty Community at the IPM dare to think otherwise, because of a single human characteristic, emotion.

Pre COVID, Deloitte Digital wrote about exploring the value of emotion-driven engagement.

Emotional responses are paramount to almost everything that lies between the beginning and end of a consumer’s relationship with a brand and ‘promotions’ are arguably the most efficient way to develop that engagement. And yet, beyond marketing, very few organizations are adequately thinking about their customers’ feelings, or more importantly, acting upon how and when emotions impact connection and loyalty to a brand.

Tim Greulich and Jennifer Buchanan who wrote the White Paper explained that ‘When consumers describe the kind of relationship they want to have with brands, it sounds a lot like a good old-fashioned friendship.’ And this kind of friendship, The IPL Community argue can most effectively be forged through physical, intelligent engagement, and by intelligent we mean relevant and valuable experiences.

Sophie Chambers, Chair of The IPL Community colours this thinking by explaining ‘We found in the short term that promoters were keen to harness the power of virtual rewards as they helped soften lockdown and kept contact with consumers who were facing a challenging time.  However, as time has passed, the landscape has changed and it feels that for some audiences a “virtual” burn out is occurring and these incentive types aren’t quite as attractive. We are seeing the consumer market seems to be keen to get back on track, where possible, with real activities and aspirational rewards.’

Greulich and Buchanan explain that emotional data is key to building reliable, meaningful, loyal relationships with customers that stand the test of time. And the IPL Community argues that the truest of emotional data is harvested from meaningful and contextually appropriate experiences.

So, whilst we applaud and learn from the way in which brands are pivoting to navigate the current restrictions on engaging consumers, we can also prepare for when the waters are calmer and experiences in real life return to our shores.

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As lock down begins to ease, so are agencies and brands beginning to become more comfortable with the idea that a sense of business normality is returning, but it is not without its pitfalls. The way we work as well as the manner in which we work has undergone a tremendous overhaul and brands are more acutely aware than ever that now, more so perhaps than ever before, mistakes could be dramatic.

The brand that is seen to be ‘cashing in’ or not appearing to be sensitive to the current climate will suffer. The phrase ‘read the room’ has never been more accurate.

Which puts this webinar delivered exclusively for the IPM by creative strategists Studio Black Tomato up there with the most important webinars you’ll hear all year. Entitled “How to Sell With Sensitivity” it covers the topic of brands that are worried to be seen as crass, insensitive and misjudging consumer sentiment and equips IPM Members with the tools to continue to sell creatively with this in mind.

Key messages

• Now is the time to move on from apologetic COVID marketing.
• Examples of historic times when similar things have happened and how brands have reacted.
• The need to start being creative again.
• How you balance that with sensitivity.
• How to be more human / emotional with your promotions.
• How brands can find the message that is right for them.

Wednesday 15/07/20 14.30 30 mins + Q&A.

Places will be limited so please contact: membership@theipm.org.uk to book your slot.

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Ocean Outdoor has launched @ The Local, a UK wide community of digital citizens which gives voice to the diverse views and values of young, highly mobile consumers living in the nations and regions outside of London.

Designed as an interactive online community, @ The Local provides a live snapshot of consumer trends, mindsets and behaviours to better understand peoples’ views on multiple topics  – and how these may differ from Southampton and Bristol to Newcastle and Glasgow.

The engagement of communities in a two-way conversation will also help Local Authorities better understand their citizens’ ideas and thoughts on community issues and initiatives. @ The Local will also host surveys and discussion forums on relevant topics and host product testing sessions and focus groups to better inform brand communications and product development.

@ The Local forms part of Ocean’s Digital Cities for Digital Citizens proposition which sets out the role of Ocean’s digital out of home portfolio in the evolution of connected, smart modern cities.

Phil Hall, Managing Director at Ocean Outdoor UK, said:  “We are recruiting an audience of digital citizens – those young, hard to reach, highly mobile and digital citizens in key cities and regions who are often overlooked due to the ever-growing London-centric bias. The formation of this new research led community creates a valuable two-way conversation with highly engaged consumers and key stakeholders – be that brands, councils, or anyone in-between. Broad statements don’t always cut it. @ The Local helps brands and advertisers to tap into consumers at a granular level to understand what concerns, motivates and inspires people in different parts of the UK. These insights will inform communications strategy and show how best to use a dynamic OOH creative platform which is perfectly positioned to have those conversations on both a one to one and a one to many basis.”

There are many ways to participate in @ The Local. In response to a range of different activities, people can post comments, reply to other user’s posts and comments, give “likes”, participate in a discussion, stay updated via the communicate blog or participate in surveys, discussion forums and product testing in return for rewards and special events. The hub will also measure media preferences and viewing trends, shopping, social and leisure habits.

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