In 2021 we have chosen to continue to respect the impact of the pandemic and to celebrate excellence through a digital IPM Award Winners’ Week reveal rather than our traditional physical IPM awards event. Across the past five days we have been delighted to announce the category winners, who have demonstrated incredible inventiveness and vision in what have been very challenging times for industries across the board.

IPM Director, John Sylvester, explains: “The IPM is proud of its unique not-for-profit status as part of the self-regulatory body that serves this industry.  For over fifty years we have been recognising outstanding work in the UK’s promotional marketing and brand activation industry. We celebrate the campaigns that set new standards for creativity, innovation and effectiveness. And this year is no different, in fact we have seen a remarkable response to unique circumstances through the inventiveness and originality shown in the awards submissions.” 

“Of course, the tangible benefits of winning an IPM Award go far beyond the trophy itself.  The award recognises the tremendous efforts of the teams involved, it represents acknowledgement of excellence and provides industry endorsement that will serve our member businesses long into the future.”

We would like to thank our judges, the experts drawn from our membership, who have been through a rigorous judging process to scrutinize the multitude of entries across 17 Award categories and 5 COGS Award categories. They had the difficult task of reviewing the numerous impressive submissions to select not only the category winners but award the overall prestigious Grand Prix prize.

To catch up on all the winners announced this week, please click here.

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The IPM Awards & COGS Awards have always represented the pinnacle of excellence in our industry, recognising and applauding innovation and creativity in Promotional Marketing.  Since its inception in 1970, these awards have continued to evolve to focus on a diverse area of expertise represented by the many different award categories. Last year this was particularly true, as we saw businesses adapt in response to new challenges. While we have taken the difficult decision not to celebrate in person due to the pandemic, we are still proud and delighted to spotlight the fantastic work delivered in 2021. 

Instead, our annual celebration will take place over an IPM Award Winners’ Week, where we will reveal the incredible, ground-breaking work that has been produced for clients across the promotional marketing spectrum. Selected from the IPM Awards & COGS Awards 2021 shortlist, we will announce several category winners online each day from Monday 28^th to Thursday 31^st March, culminating in the IPM Awards’ Grand Prix winner. On Friday 1^st April we will also reveal our COGS award winners for 2021.  

IPM Director, John Sylvester, explains: “The IPM Award Winners’ Week will recognise the outstanding efforts of the teams involved and showcase not just their creativity and innovation but demonstrate the effectiveness of their work.  Our judging panel of industry experts have devoted many hours to scrutinizing the numerous impressive entries we received, and we are delighted to shortly be sharing the outcome of those deliberations.”

Look out for the daily announcements on our special IPM Awards & COGS Awards 2021 Winners’ Week page, our social media channels and the full awards round up in the upcoming Bitesize that week. 

Schedule of Winners’ Week Announcements

MONDAY 28th MARCH – A1 – Experiential Activation of the Year, A2 – Live Brand Experience in a Public Space, Digital Space or Hybrid, A3- Creative Sampling, B1 – Brand Partnership Activation of the Year, C1 – Shopper Activation of the Year & C2 – On, In or With Pack Activation.

TUESDAY 29th MARCH – D1 – Prize Activation of the Year, D2 – Incentive Activation of the Year, D3 – Loyalty Activation of the Year, E1 – Exceptional Promotional Marketing Management & E2 – Use of Applied Technology in Campaign Management.

WEDNESDAY 30th MARCH – F1 -Trial, F2 – Integrated / Multi-Discipline, F3 – Influencer / Social / Digital, F4 – Creative Execution, F5 – Impact Award & F6 Best Activation in response to Covid-19.

THURSDAY 31st MARCH – IPM Awards – Grand Prix winner 

FRIDAY 1st APRIL – COGS Awards

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The UK’s most effective brand activation agency, ZEAL Creative, is working with BUXTON natural mineral water to drive multi-pack purchase and reward shoppers with Great British Experiences.

Inspired to engage shoppers eager for new adventures after a year in lockdown, ZEAL created a campaign that aligned BUXTON with brand Virgin Experiences, harnessing the brand’s reputation and credibility. The on-pack competition offers consumers the chance to win one of 125 Virgin Experience Days, worth £250. ZEAL developed the partnership, creative artwork and promotional strategy to grow market share of BUXTON®’s multi-pack range and raise consumer awareness of the brand’s inspirational “Don’t Give Up, Rise Up” message.

The promotion appears on over 5 million packs of BUXTON® 8 x 50cl, 12 x 50cl and 6 x 1.5l packs and drives entry via the brand’s website. Integrated with in-store point of sale materials, organic social media and paid media activity, the campaign also drives footfall into water aisles. Adding value to BUXTON® products over own label and other water brands, the promotion broadens reach and engages shoppers, ultimately driving purchase.

This is the first creative campaign ZEAL has run with BUXTON and the latest Nestlé brand to appoint the agency. ZEAL has also developed shopper engagement promotions for Nescafé and Nestlé confectionery brands including KitKat, Aero and Milkybar.  

Polly Rowntree, Business Development Director at ZEAL Creative, says: “The opportunity for BUXTON to encourage the nation to RISE UP & WIN Great British Experiences after what’s felt like a long year indoors couldn’t be missed. Partnering with Virgin Experience Days was the perfect fit as the prize provider, and we look forward to seeing the positive impact on sales as a result of the campaign.”

Agathe Robert, Nestlé Waters Local Brands Lead, comments: “After this uncertain time, BUXTON is on a mission to bring hope and inspire a nation that never gave up to RISE UP. Now, more than ever. This campaign is directly drawn from BUXTON® positive and resilient mindset. Every promotional pack gives a chance to win Great British Experiences, thanks to the partnership with Virgin Experience Days. We look forward to inspiring our shoppers and seeing a positive impact on sales.”

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The IPM is proud to be announcing its support and backing to the newly launched ‘Nights On Us’ campaign, a brilliant example of collaboration in the time of Coronavirus. The campaign pledges to reward ICU Nurses with complimentary overnight stays at some of the nations most loved hotels.

The concept of campaigns that have purpose has long been on the tip of our tongues across the industry and it could be argued that the recent pandemic has forced our hand into making this a reality. From logistic companies switching their processes to manage the delivery of PPE equipment to breweries manufacturing hand sanitiser, stories of collaboration and purpose are becoming more commonplace.

The IPM is an official partner of ‘Nights On Us’ and through the Brand Partnerships Community we are delivering the concept to all our members. Should you feel there is an area in which you would like to support this worthwhile initiative please do contact the IPM.

Black Tomato’s Jake Pickering and Greg Früchtenicht share their story:

“I’ve always believed in the power of partnerships and the success that a collaborative approach to marketing can bring. However, since lock-down, my concept of what’s possible when brands collaborate has changed dramatically. After Co-Founding a new non-profit called Nights On Us, I’ve seen some of the best minds from a raft of industries pool together to help launch an initiative that has collaboration and good-will at its core.

Nights On Us is a non-profit initiative designed to reward ICU Nurses with complimentary overnight stays at some of the nations most loved hotels. As I write this, we have over 6,200 nights donated from over 55 of the UK’s most iconic, charming and generous properties including The Fish, The Beaumont and Shangri-La at The Shard. As Nights On Us gears up to begin welcoming nurses to our properties, it’s becoming increasingly evident that none of this would have been possible without the partnerships we have formed and the generosity of the businesses that we’ve collaborated with.

Since starting Nights On Us in April, we’ve partnered with leading names across various sectors who’ve helped us enrich our own value proposition by allowing us to utilise their expertise. We’ve received ongoing web and tech support from the digital specialists Journey, pro-bono print and digital advertising in collaboration with Newsworks, and had ongoing support with editorial and PR from a host of brands including The Walpole, The Telegraph, Country & Town House and Original Media.

Though there’s no shortage of negative business stories during these times, at Nights On Us, we’ve been fortunate to experience the positivity and good-will that unprecedented times like these can bring.”

Nights On Us are always open for collaborative opportunities, whether you’re a hotel that wants to pledge rooms to the cause, or a potential media/brand partner looking to help with the marketing effort. Please email info@nightsonus.org or get in touch via the Nights On Us website for more details

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Eastern Daily Press has launched a new mental health campaign to tackle loneliness during social isolation.

The aim of the newspaper is to try and ensure people not to become mentally ill during these times of social isolation and show solidarity to those who may be feeling the strain at this, particularly tough time.

Stay home to save lives may be the message when it comes to combating the coronavirus pandemic, but that has meant many of us battling with new mental health challenges in recent weeks.

From those who are potentially vulnerable to Covid-19 self-isolating, to parents who are homeschooling, key workers pressing on with vital roles, people furloughed from their job and those working from home – all of us are facing new challenges at the moment.

So, Eastern Daily Press has decided to send this message that you are ‘Not Alone’ and encourage readers to show their support, particularly for those who battle with anxiety or depression issues.

Readers were asked to participate by posting a short video on social media using #NotAlone to offer their tips on the best way to keep a clear mind and a positive outlook or email the video to the newspaper.

David Powles, the editor of the EDP and Norwich Evening News, said: “There has rightly been a lot of focus on physical health over the last few weeks, but I’m concerned that as the isolation period extends we need to really look after our mental health as well. Through this campaign, we just want to remind people to try and stay as positive as possible, remember that this will not last forever and to look out for yourself and each other. If every person picked a minimum of five of their friends and family to stay in close contact with and keep an eye on their well-being, I think it could make a real difference.”

The public’s reaction to the campaign was very positive, with a host of passionate mental health advocates giving their support to underline the importance of staying close to our family and friends during this difficult period.

Ben Langley, comedian and panto star of the Norwich Theatre Royal, said: “I want to contribute towards good feeling and positivity at this time, so please remember to stay positive as much as you can, this isn’t going to last forever. Follow the government guidelines and just remember we are all in this together. We’re all in the same boat, which in a way is quite comforting, I feel.”

Charlie Hodson, chef at the Crown Inn in Northwold, mentioned: “Text your mate, call your mate, Skype your mate, Instagram your mate, tweet your mate – one thing you mustn’t do, please don’t visit your mate! We can beat Covid-19 together but also at the same time, watch out for each other, look out for each other and keep each other safe.”

Public Health England (PHE) has released mental health and wellbeing help in recent days, providing guidance for anyone feeling vulnerable during the social restrictions put in place to combat the spread of Covid-19, with backing from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

You can watch the video contributions here. If you’d like to record a video message of hope and contribute to this initiative, you can send them to david.freezer@archant.co.uk or by tagging @EDP24 or @eveningnews on Twitter and using the #NotAlone hashtag.

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The FA has launched ‘Football’s Staying Home’, a campaign across England’s digital channels to produce content to promote physical and mental wellbeing and offer hope, entertainment and togetherness at this difficult time.

With millions isolated in their own homes, ‘Football’s Staying Home’ will house informative, entertaining and empowering content, which will bring together past and present players and experts from St. George’s Park. The content will be supported across all of The FA’s brands and channels, including The Bootroom, a coaching and education hub

The campaign was launched by Harry Kane and Steph Houghton

Introducing #FootballsStayingHome!

We'll let our captains tell you more. Over to you, @stephhoughton2 and @HKane… pic.twitter.com/ATbKoh0Rlw

— England (@England) March 30, 2020

The FA will also be broadcasting classic Emirates FA Cup and Barclays FA Women’s Super League matches across their social channels and The FA Player every Sunday.

The whole football community – fans, players, parents, teams, leagues and County FAs – can support the campaign by creating their own content and using #FootballsStayingHome. The best posts will be featured in an online hub at TheFA.com/FootballsStayingHome.

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Deliveroo is making Easter egg hunts a lot harder this year with the launch of a range of invisible eggs.

Ahead of Easter on April 12th, Deliveroo is launching a range of Invisible and customisable Easter Eggs, which will be available from the food delivery platform over Easter weekend in two flavours – chocolate and Cointreau. Customers in London and Manchester will all have the chance to get in on the action (if they can spot it).

The translucent eggs are made from premium grade gelatine and purified water in order to make the egg clear. The chocolate and Cointreau flavourings are produced using a centrifuge, this scientific equipment extracts flavour by spinning materials at high speeds to achieve separation.

In keeping with Easter traditions, each egg comes packaged with three pots of edible decoration and art supplies, so kids and adults alike can get creative.

Joe Groves, at Deliveroo says: “An Easter egg without the guilt and they’re invisible, so no one can keep track on how many you’ve eaten, roll on Easter! There’s one for the kids and one for the big kids, so everyone can be in on the fun this Easter. 

These Invisible Eggs are the much-anticipated sequel to last year’s Dragon Eggs, launched to celebrate the final series of Game of Thrones.

The Deliveroo Invisible Eggs are available from Good Friday (April 10th) at £1.95 (chocolate flavour) and £2.15 (Cointreau flavour) in London and Manchester.

This project is delivered by Talker Tailor Trouble Maker.

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OREO is launching a UK campaign featuring The Only Way is Essex and The Mummy Diaries star Sam Faiers. Developed by ELVIS, ‘OREO Twin to Win’ plays on the social media phenomenon of ‘twinning’ – wearing matching outfits – and stars influencer Sam Faiers twinning with her niece, Nelly in pieces from the exclusive fashion collection launched by OREO and ELVIS in January this year.

People can enter OREO’s ‘Twin to Win’ competition by posting a picture of themselves and a friend or family member twinning on Instagram, using the hashtag #OreoTwintoWin, for the chance to win two items from the OREO fashion collection or the grand prize of a £1,000 shopping spree. Consumers can choose to submit their own real-life twinning photos or to enter via a specially created virtual twinning Snapchat lens or LoopMe.

Campaign activity will run across Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube Masthead and LoopMe. Film content, which was directed by Jack Bowden and produced by Craft Films, has a ‘behind the scenes’ feel and captures Sam and Nelly’s natural reactions in a fun, playful style.

Bryony Tate, Junior Brand Manager OREO UK, said: “Following the launch of our first ever fashion collection last month, we’re excited to be sparking more playful connections with the UK iteration of the campaign starring Sam Faiers and her niece, Nelly. With her love of fashion, Sam really resonates as an influencer our audience of millennial parents loves to follow.”

Elli Stone, Creative, ELVIS, added: “The OREO Twist Your Style collection is super playful, and we wanted to bring that attitude right through to the way you win the items… twinning. Just like OREO, it’s something that’s light-hearted, fun, brings people together and definitely doesn’t take itself too seriously!”

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For a second year running, Nestlé has partnered with Virgin Holiday for the KitKat ‘Make a Break For It’ on-pack promotion, delivered by award-winning creative agency, ZEAL Creative.

Shoppers have the opportunity to win 1 of 10 £8,000 Virgin Holiday vouchers of holiday packages to Barbados, Antigua, Los Angeles, Orlando, Seychelles, Mexico, Maldives, Cuba, Miami & Hawaii.

Shoppers also have the opportunity to win 100 ‘Sun-believable’ travel merchandise by entering the unique code inside packs to the promotional microsite.

ZEAL has further developed this promotion to offer winners the chance to choose the prize design, including fully branded beach towels, travel wallets, luggage tags & reusable water bottles designed around 4 different holiday personalities: ‘Sunshine Lover’, ‘Thrill Seeker’, ‘Culture Vulture’ and ‘Epic Explorer’.

Sophia Huddlestone, Account Director at ZEAL Creative, says: “This time of year is typically a difficult trading period for confectionery, due to shopper’s New Year’s Resolutions driving them away from the category. Using our core shopper insight and our exclusive partnership with Virgin Holidays, we’ve created a stand out in this busy aisle, along with added value & increased relevancy to retailers. With this year’s evolved campaign, we’re driving sales during an historically quiet time of year and aiming for more in 2020!”

To educate shoppers & consumers on the promotion, the campaign is being supported by a £5 million activation budget. From shopper activation across major retailers, tags on KitKat® TV advertising, 6 sheets, social posts & digital media. The promotion is also being supported by Virgin Holidays on a range of their channels, from retail stores to social media touchpoints.

Those who have entered the code will also receive a 5% Virgin Holidays booking to be used on their next Virgin Holidays booking and can be redeemed in-store, by phone & online.

The core promotional period runs until 29th March 2020, and the promotion is available in all major & independent retailers.

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This February, Bumble is hosting their Chez Moi Valentine’s Day dinner party at the women-founded restaurant Wild By Tart in London on Thursday 13th February. The date-focused dinner is a continuation of Bumble’s infamous Chez Moi series and is aimed at encouraging singletons to make the first move in a fun and safe environment.

Helping guests to find their perfect match will be event host and Chicken Shop Date founder Amelia Dimoldenberg. Known for her hilarious YouTube dating series which sees Amelia combining fried chicken with flirting in a one of a kind dating interview format, Amelia will be bringing Wings with her army of ‘Wing Women’ dating experts.

Experts in finding love, the Wing Women will be connecting compatible guests by chatting to everyone and making introductions based on common likes and interests. The Wing Women will also be on hand to offer tips and advice on making the first move.

Also bringing the heat to the dinner in the form of music with a twist will be classically-trained musician The Grime Violinist, Tanya Cracknell. Tanya will be making a special appearance to perform an intimate instrumental live set whilst guests enjoy a table setting of origami roses and an aphrodisiac menu.

Bumble users can apply for a free space from Friday 31st January by downloading Bumble and matching with the in-app profile to fill out a short application form. To double the chances of finding love, guests who win a space will have the opportunity to bring a guest.

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