Hollis Sponsorship Awards 2010

John Smith's and SBI Triumph at Hollis Sponsorship Awards 2010

The sponsorship industry celebrated some of its finest campaigns at the Hollis Sponsorship Awards 2010 last night. Romping home with two category wins – Brand Sponsorship and Continuity - and the Grand Prix, the Hollis Sponsorship of the Year Trophy, was John Smith’s Grand National entered by SBI. The Trophy was presented to the John Smith’s and SBI teams by the Rt Hon Richard Caborn, the Prime Minister’s World Cup Ambassador who urged the audience to put all efforts behind the 2010 World Cup bid.

Judges described the John Smith’s campaign as a “textbook sponsorship strategy”, one which ticked all the boxes and with strong sales, positive PR, high-profile media exposure and excellent hospitality was a benchmark for the sports marketing industry. During its five year partnership, the beer brand has consolidated its position as market leader through excellent consumer and business-to-business activations.

From the biggest budget to the smallest, from the most high-profile sports campaigns to fantastically creative and niche arts projects, the line-up at this year’s Awards demonstrated how this segment of the marketing business has taken on such strategic significance for brands.

The Awards recognise and reward the most creative and effective campaigns to have come out of the sponsorship industry during the last year. To have made it to the shortlist was reason for celebration in itself, the campaigns having had to meet a strict set of commercial criteria. Judges looked for clear objectives, evidence of innovation and proof of positive business results.

On show across all categories was evidence of how sponsorship can give a commercial edge even during downturns. Its ability to drive sales, encourage purchase consideration and create brand engagement is tangible. Click here to see full list of winning and shortlisted entries. Photographs of the Gala Dinner are now posted on www.paulmellorphotography.co.uk.

© Paul Mellor Photography

John Smith’s and the SBI team celebrate with the Rt Hon Richard Caborn, Prime Minister’s World Cup Ambassador

Synergy Wins Prestigious Hollis Sponsorship Consultancy of the Year Prize

Synergy fought off great competition from highly-successful consultancies Capitalize, Four Sports, Arts & Sponsorship, MEC Access, Octagon and SBI to win the top prize Hollis Sponsorship Consultancy of the Year, a category – sponsored by Icon – which is designed to recognise the work that goes on behind-the-scenes of the great sponsorship campaigns. Synergy has managed to buck the recession, delivering £1 million in new business wins. Now in its 25th year, Synergy’s success is evident in the breadth of its work and its success rate in holding on to existing clients. As part of the Engine Group of companies, it has managed to retain its identity whilst also drawing on the expertise of sister groups in servicing clients.

© Paul Mellor Photography

The Synergy Sponsorship team celebrate Consultancy of the Year win.

Most Outstanding Contribution to Sponsorship Prize goes to Artes Mundi’s Lucy Stout

Lucy Stout, head of development at Cardiff-based arts initiative Artes Mundi, was presented with the Hollis Award for Outstanding Contribution Award by Arts & Business chief executive Colin Tweedy. Lucy has dedicated her career to arts fundraising. Few people have done more to bring together the public, private, arts and education sectors in a way which benefits cultural, community and commercial stakeholders. In a prestigious career which spans 25 years, Lucy has been development director of the Royal National Theatre in London and was Director of Development for the Welsh National Opera, establishing the department and leading the fundraising team for 13 years. Lucy’s aim is to bring the arts together with the right business sponsors in relationships that go way beyond the money.

Barrie Gill Award for Most Most Promising Young Executive – Nick Marsden

The Hollis Sponsorship Awards recognise not only the best sponsorships but also seek to recognise talented individuals. The Barrie Gill Award, supported by the European Sponsorship Association, seeks out the up and coming talented and motivated young executives who are making a difference to the sponsorships they are working on, their companies and the professionalism of their sectors. On the shortlist this year were Nick Marsden from the Royal Albert Hall, Jasmine Sall from agency Generate and Sarah Steel from Sheffield Football Club. Of these three extremely talented individuals, Nick Marsden was deemed the winner and presented with champagne and a cheque from ESA’s vice chair and Sponsorship Consulting’s Managing Director Pippa Collett.

To find out how to nominate your talented members of staff, please email rsarginson@wilmington.co.uk.

For more information on the Hollis Sponsorship Awards or the Hollis Sponsorship Bulletin, please email rsarginson@wilmington.co.uk or call on 020 8891 1067.