THE Irish News, Translink, CDE Global and the Public Health Agency were among the headline winners at prestigious Ireland Marketing Awards in Titanic Belfast.
Hosted by the Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM), the world’s leading professional marketing body, the awards are a celebration of the most cutting-edge marketing innovations, interventions and campaigns crafted by organisations, businesses and agencies from across Ireland.
The ceremony, attended by more than 250 guests and sponsored by The Marketing Trust, highlighted the new face of marketing, with digital innovation and multichannel customer experience at the forefront of this year’s winning campaigns.
Digital Twenty Four scooped the Agency of the Year title for its performance in delivering marketing excellence for clients, while Lauren Campbell was recognised as Marketer of the Year for her professionalism and the outstanding business achievements she delivered for Belfast's Victoria Square.
The Irish News won the Professional Services Marketing category, which is pitched at those in the fields of professional services in education, financial, legal, recruitment or accountancy.
The honour came for the paper's Irish News Young News Readers project, which is aimed at improving literacy for key stage 2 & 3 pupils which challenges young readers’ knowledge and understanding of daily news and current affairs.
Indeed as an extension of the winning project, a new school edition of The Irish News will be launched in 2019 to ensure that the content of the paper will be school friendly and tailored to ensure that pupils engage with and enjoy the project.
Irish News marketing manager John Brolly said: “Our Irish News Young News Readers initiative is a great partnership with St Mary's University College Belfast and its principal Professor Peter Finn, who need to be congratulated for their leadership and passion, as it was only with their contribution and professionalism that YNRs reached its full potential."
He added: "CBI NI and Newspread (Reach Stationery) also need acknowledged, as their involvement highlighted the significant importance of the project in terms of making a positive change to literary levels across Northern Ireland.
"I would also like to thank all the primary & post-primary teachers that took part in our YNRs. It is incredibly rewarding that more than 9,000 children have experienced our project, and as a newspaper we have genuine interest in making a positive impact in the education of pupils.
"I encourage any teacher seeking more information on our literacy project to visit www.irishnews.com/ynr or email marketing@irishnews.com.”
Prof Finn said: “Congratulations to the Irish News on achieving the CIM award for its Young News Readers Project. I also commend my colleague at St Mary’s University College, Donna Hazzard, co-ordinator of our Masters in Education degree programme, who developed the concept of critical literacy into easily accessible learning resources through a most fruitful partnership with the Irish News.
"Through the project, this innovative and dynamic newspaper has made a significant contribution in assisting pupils to develop the skills required for navigating a text and media-saturated world.”
Angela McGowan, director of CBI NI, said: "We are delighted to support the Irish News’ literacy project for young children. Critical reading is an important part of a child’s development. This experience works to support a child’s analytical and evaluation skills – both of which are highly valued in the world of work. Our support for this project chimes well with the CBI’s support for breakfast clubs in disadvantaged areas.
"The business community is well aware that investing in our young people today pays huge dividends when it comes to the future economy.”
The winners were judged by an esteemed panel of experts, including Nicky Jackson, deputy head of local campaigns for the Cabinet Office, and Ann McGregor, chief executive of the NI Chamber of Commerce.
Star campaigns include the Public Health Agency’s #NotSorryMums and Ardmore’s Translink Christmas. Employers for Childcare, InspecVision and Velocity Worldwide were also winners on the night.
CIM chief executive Chris Daly said: “These awards recognise and celebrate the insight, creativity and impact Irish marketers are having on the world.
“The Marketing Trust has provided invaluable support to the industry, and has joined forces with us in Ireland for the first time to highlight the advantage marketing can provide in today’s increasingly competitive – and often uncertain – business environment.”
Eileen Curry, chair of CIM Ireland, said: “It’s clear that the role of the marketer is becoming more demanding, competitive and varied as it expands to encompass data analysis, commercial awareness, business development and customer experience.
"All our winners have demonstrated the enormous value that marketing brings to a business or an organisation, particularly during these times of immense change. I offer my congratulations to all who made it to the finals. They reflect the very best in marketing talent.”
