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Northern Digital Awards 2019 – The Winners

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At Leeds’ spectacular Royal Armouries Museum, in the surroundings of New Dock Hall on the banks of the river Aire, digital leaders came together to celebrate in style at 2019’s Northern Digital Awards.

Hosted by BBC 5 Live’s Will Perry, the 2019 event was attended by more than 450 people from all corners of the region.

This year’s Northern Digital Awards were supported by headline sponsor Amobee, while thanks also go to Force24, category and photo booth sponsor, along with category sponsors CDS, Circle Loop, Digital Lancashire and Visualsoft.


Entries and judging

Entries were submitted by the region’s most innovative and forward-thinking digital specialists in multiple industries – so thank you to everyone who made an entry. The shortlist only goes to show the immense talent and imagination at play in Northern businesses.

We’d also like to thank the industry experts who made up our panel of judges:

Dawn Anderson, Founder of Move It Marketing and international SEO consultant; Tom Armenante, eCommerce Manager at Wolsey, Nicole Farhi and BLK DNM; Liliana Ashton, Digital Business Management Consultant; Tom Cheesewright, Book of the Future founder; Richard Dawson, Digital Marketing Expert at The Cheshire Digital Marketing Agency; Mike Deyes, Deputy Director of Marketing (Digital) at the University of Liverpool; Arianne Donoghue, Paid Media Development Manager at Epiphany; Liam Dyson, Head of Digital at Plusnet; David Edmundson-Bird, Principal Lecturer in Digital Marketing at Manchester Metropolitan University; Marcus Hadfield, Apadmi Chief Strategy Officer; Brendan Keegan, Digital Marketing Senior Lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University; Stephen Kenwright, Director of Search at Edit; Herb Kim, Thinking Digital Conference Founder; Mark Kuhillow, Founder of R.O.EYE; Neil McKay, Endless Gain CEO; Katrina Michel, Marketing Cheshire CEO; Paul Morris, Head of Marketing Planning & Performance at Tesco Bank; Jack Norrell, Digital Marketing Consultant at Forward3D; Erin Portsmouth, NHS Head of Communications and Engagement; Duke Tanson, Head of Digital Marketing at Boohoo; Jonathan Wall, Chief Digital Officer at Missguided; Anna Wilson, Head of Digital at Tangerine; and Peter Young, Managing Partner and Head of Wavemaker Content.



Northern Digital Awards 2019: The Winners

Best Digital Marketing Campaign – Retail: Kenyons & St Johns Shopping Centre

Also nominated were:

  • Amobee & Epiphany – Stokke’s ‘Designed to be Closer’ Campaign
  • Bring Digital For Ann Summers – The 30 Day Sex Position Challenge
  • Evolved Search – Helping Mattress Online To Bounce Back
  • Media Agency Group & ClickTap Media – Liverpool One Summer Campaign
  • Media Agency Group, ClickTap Media & Liverpool One – Student Retail Campaign
  • Mosquito & Zoflora – VIP at Crufts
  • Shop Direct & Threefold – Santa’s Toy Team

Best Digital Marketing Campaign – Finance: CandidSky & Buddy Loans – demonstrating true value

Also nominated were:

  • Click Consult & Chill Insurance – ‘Insuring Ireland’s Future’
  • Evolved Search – Putting Select Car Leasing in the driving seat
  • Evolved Search – SEO with Interest for Money Guru
  • Fat Media for H&H Insurance Brokers Brand Campaign 2018
  • Latitude & Gladstone Brookes – Navigating the Deadline with Paid Search

Best Digital Marketing Campaign – Travel and Leisure – sponsored by Force24: Edit & SpaSeekers.com – Global Relaxation

Also nominated were:

  • Click Consult & Kwik Fit – ‘Know before you go’
  • Digitaloft & Globehunters – Europea’s Most Instagrammed Beaches
  • icelolly.com
  • twentysix & DFDS – “Sailing the waves of Google algorithms”

Best Digital Marketing Campaign – Entertainment and Sports: Mosquito & Basketball England #TogetherWeAreBasketbALL

Also nominated were:

  • Bumbl & 7 Of The Best – Driving Website & App Conversions in a Noisy Arena
  • Orange Bus – Fan Engagement
  • Pixelbuilders & Harrogate Town AFC – Introducing The New Brand
  • Welcome to Yorkshire – Tour de Yorkshire

Best Digital Marketing Campaign – Third Sector: Zero Suicide Alliance – Talk2Me Campaign

Also nominated was:

Best Digital Marketing Campaign – Public Sector: Republic of Media – Keeping Young Men Safe on Scotland’s Country Roads

Also nominated were:

  • Culture Liverpool & Liverpool City Council – Giant Spectacular Liverpool’s Dream
  • Diva Creative & Darlington Borough Council – Young Discounts Campaign
  • Diva Creative & Leicester City Council, as part of Sport England’s Swim Local Initiative

Best Digital Marketing Campaign – Health & Beauty: Venture Stream & Morrison Shenfine – Applying Best-Practice to Dental Patient Lead Generation 

Also nominated were: 

  • Bray Leino – Covonia Feel the Power Campaign
  • twentysix with Currentbody.com – ‘Campaign migration and global acceleration’

Best Digital Marketing Campaign – FMCG: Wavemaker Manchester & Dr Oetker – Home Baking Rising to The Social Challenge

Also nominated were:

  • Mindshare & Warburtons – Gluten Free Rebrand Criteo Launch
  • twentysix – Fortnum & Mason – Drive forecasted growth with a multi-channel strategy

Best Digital Marketing Campaign – B2B – sponsored by Force24: R.O.EYE Using Social Media to Drive Performance B2B Traffic

Also nominated were:

  • Don’t be Shy & Promethean
  • Halston Marketing – Hark Systems Marketing Launch
  • Peak – You & AI
  • Reckless & LABC – Building Authority By Challenging Foundations
  • Shoot the Moon, GDHA & The Stoves – Range Cooker Launch
  • Stein IAS & Ingredion – You Are How You Eat
  • Venture Stream – Delivering Leads for AlphaGraphics UK

Best Digital Marketing Campaign – B2C: Republic of Media – Keeping Young Men Safe on Scotland’s Country Roads

Also nominated were:

  • Banana Kick For Plusnet – The Yorkshire Citizenship Test
  • Bray Leino – Covonia Feel The Power Campaign
  • Bring Digital For Ann Summers – The 30 Day Sex Position Challenge
  • Digitaloft & Forward2me – Instagrammable Sneakers
  • Mabo – Lifestyle Fitness Fighting Fit Through Google Ads
  • Mabo – New Cakes – Have Their Cake And Eat It
  • Media Agency Group & ClickTap Media – Liverpool One Student Campaign



Best Affiliate Campaign: twentysix and Currentbody.com

Best Low Budget Campaign: Digitaloft & forward2me – Instagrammable Sneakers

Also nominated were:

  • Culture Liverpool – Liverpool City Council – Giant Spectacular Liverpool’s Dream
  • Jam gets festive with Transport for Greater Manchester
  • Journey Further & Airtasker – Yorkshire Pudding Tester
  • Mosquito & Basketball England – #TogetherWeAreBasketbALL
  • Mosquito & Vileda – My Life My Vileda
  • Office Friendly – Pioneering Powerful Performances
  • Visualsoft & Miltons Diamonds – The Watches of James Bond

Best Integrated Campaign – sponsored by Force24: Media Agency Group & ClickTap Media – Liverpool One Summer Campaign (Integrated)

Also nominated were:

  • Amobee & Epiphany – Stokke’s ‘Designed to be Closer’ Campaign
  • Co-op’s #TheCoopWay storytelling
  • Diva Creative & Leicester City Council, as part of Sport England’s Swim Local Initiative
  • Journey Further & Christy – Creating a shop window across paid media
  • Stein IAS & Ingredion – You Are How You Eat
  • Wavemaker & GWR Adventures start here

Best PPC Campaign: The SEO Works – Howzat! The SEO Works Bowl a Corking 2586% Return For All Rounder Cricket

Also nominated were: 

  • Extreme Creations – Park Leisure Holiday Home Ownership Campaign
  • Mabo – New Cakes – Have Their Cake And Eat It
  • Mabo & Boomf  – Boomf There It Is!
  • Marketing Signals & LED Hut – Lighting up the SERP’s efficiently!
  • Salience & Crisis – A Christmas Campaign With An ROI Of 32
  • Venn Digital & We Buy Any House – Strategic thinking across multichannel paid campaign
  • We Influence & VaVaVoom – Huge ROAS increases with TrueView for Action

Best SEO Campaign: Blueclaw, Myracing.com & The Queen’s Winnings

Also nominated were:

  • Auto Trader UK – Embracing the new world of JavaScript to grow SEO
  • Digitaloft & forward2me – Instagrammable Sneakers
  • Edit & SpaSeekers.com – Global Relaxation
  • Epiphany & Irwin Mitchell – Leading the marketing through user-focused SEO
  • Fast Web Media & Blu – When Number 1 isn’t enough
  • Venture Stream – Shop by Diet for Planet Organic
  • Wavemaker & Swinton Insurance – Social Media an invitation for burglary?

Best Use Of Social Media: Pole Star Digital & Patient Claim Line

Also nominated were:

  • Co-op’s Cheers #TheCoopWay
  • Co-op’s TheCoopWay storytelling
  • Edit & Wren Kitchens – Food Tube
  • Jam & Transport for Greater Manchester – Stamping out annoying behaviour on Metrolink
  • Jam gets festive with Transport for Greater Manchester
  • Mustard Media & AMP Lost & Found Festival 2018 – Festival marketing campaign
  • Sky Bet – Driving 1 million incremental bets through Facebook

Best Use Of Video: Stein IAS & Merck Animal Health – Caninsulin Sugar and Spike – The Diabetic Duo

Also nominated were:

  • Co-Op’s #TheCoopWay Storytelling
  • Communicator Corp – Communicator – Launch Of Smartsend Via Video
  • Editors Keys  – Creators Tutorials
  • Extreme Creations – Pioneering The First Facebook Live For Nisa Local
  • Stein IAS – Post-Modern Marketing Video Series

Influencer / Blogger Outreach Campaign: Christy’s Digital Re-Brand Using Bloggers and Influencers

Also nominated were:

  • Access Creative College – Access X Helen Anderz
  • Co-op’s Cheers #TheCoopWay
  • Diva Creative & Rail Delivery Group – #PlusBikeDayOut
  • Mosquito & Vileda – My Life My Vileda
  • Mosquito & Zoflora – VIP at Crufts
  • Pole Star Digital & WeBuyAnyCar – What Will People Do In Driverless Cars?
  • SEEN Connects – The Very Network

Best Website: icelolly.com

Also nominated were:

  • Clicky Media & Halton Housing – Digital Transformation in the Housing Sector
  • Fishtank Agency for BHP Corporate Finance Website
  • Perfect Fit Media Interactive Website
  • Pixelbuilders & Harrogate Town AFC – Launching The New Brand
  • Search Consultancy – search.co.uk – candidate-centric website
  • Strawberry for Aunt Bessie’s New Website
  • Welcome to Yorkshire – Christmas in Yorkshire
  • Well Pharmacy – Eddie

Best eCommerce Website: IGOO – Utility Redesign and Redevelopment

Also nominated were:

  • Digitl & Pixel Kicks – LED Controls
  • Extreme & BishopSound – Turning Up The Volume On Premium Audio Sales
  • Limely – Lingerie Outlet Store
  • Pinpoint Designs & Beer Hawk – Ale in a day’s work
  • Pixelbuilders – Direct Blinds – Website Optimisation
  • Strawberry for Roland Mouret’s New Website
  • Venture Stream – Master Debonair Website Launch



Best App: MadeByPi, M&C Saatchi World Services & The International HIV and AIDS Alliance

Also nominated were: 

  • Cantarus – Sports Direct App
  • GoFantastic app by Fantastic Services 
  • Nutracheck Calorie Counter App
  • Sauce & Ideal Boilers – Ideal Touch Connect
  • The CircleLoop App
  • The Worrinots
  • Well Pharmacy App

Best MarTech: Latitude Digital Marketing & The Ticker

Also nominated were:

  • Force24 – The next generation of marketing automation
  • PPC Protect – Click Fraud Prevention
  • R.O.EYE – Delivering incrementality through transparency
  • Ruler Analytics – www.ruleranalytics.com
  • Stein IAS & Ingredion – You Are How You Eat

Best Digital Tool or Software: R.O.EYE – Delivering incrementality through transparency

Also nominated were:

  • Allstar Media Services – PayBurst
  • CircleLoop
  • eviFile
  • Fusion Unlimited – Natural Edge
  • PPC Protect – Click Fraud Protection
  • Quba – www.symphonyem.co.uk
  • RapidSpike – Digital Experience Monitoring

Digital Marketing In-House Team Of The Year: Welcome to Yorkshire Digital Team

Also nominated were:

  • Co-op’s Digital Engagement team
  • hedgehog lab
  • Irwin Mitchell Digital Marketing Team
  • Ribble Cycles
  • Visualsoft’s In-House Email Marketing Team

Search Agency Of The Year: Journey Further

Also nominated were: 

  • Blueclaw
  • Click Consult – ‘A year to remember’
  • Digitaloft
  • Epiphany
  • Evolved Search
  • Fusion Unlimited
  • Mabo

Social Media Agency Of The Year: MountDigital

CRO Agency of the Year: Endless Gain

Also nominated was:

  • Worship

Small Digital Agency Of The Year – sponsored by Visualsoft: Pole Star Digital

Also nominated were:

  • Digitaloft
  • Don’t be Shy
  • Hydra Creative
  • Marketing Signals
  • MountDigital
  • Orientation Marketing
  • Pace Communications

Large Digital Agency of the Year – sponsored by CircleLoop: Venn

Also nominated were:

Young Digital Marketer of the Year – sponsored by CDS: Olivia Smith from Digitaloft

Also nominated were:

  • Andie Barry, Editors Keys 
  • Carrie Rose Balloch, Senior Campaign Strategist, Edit
  • Laura Dobbin, Accord North         
  • Laura Williams, Senior Paid Search Analyst, Visualsoft Ltd   
  • Matthew Soakell, Mabo     
  • Rebecca Downey, Digital Marketing & eCommerce Assistant, Christy UK LTD    
  • Tom Holgate, Pace Communications















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