The United Kingdom has the most shortlisted entries in this year’s IMC European Awards for Integrated Marketing Communications, with 16 campaigns getting through to the finals.
Next in line was Ireland (15) followed by Belgium (12), Italy (10), Spain (3), Czech Republic (3), Germany (1) and the Netherlands (1).
The IMC European Awards are open to any campaign which has first won a Gold or equivalent in its national awards programme. In the UK, the Institute of Promotional Marketing‘s annual IPM Awards are the only route to enter the IMC Awards.
Carey Trevill, managing director of the IPM, says: “The fact that UK agencies have the most entries on this year’s IMC Awards shortlist is testament to the strength of promotional marketing in this country.”
The UK winners will be announced at an event organised by the IPM in the next few weeks.
The UK agencies appearing most on the shortlists are experiential specialists TRO, with four nominations, and integrated agency Leith, also with four. Arc has five shortlisted entries, but two are shared with other Leo Burnett Group agencies.
The agency with the most shortlisted entries across all the countries involved is BBDO (Belgium) with nine nominations – three for “Unpaid Bills”, three for “Stalker” and three for “5 Euro”. Next most shortlisted agency is Ireland’s Guns and Knives with four nominations – three for “Heineken DAMOC Coolers” and one for “’We’re So Local’ Regional Campaign”.
The first round selection was made by a jury panel made up of 60 leading industry professionals across Europe. The second round jury, comprised of IMCC Council member representatives, took place in Prague on 11th September. This year’s winners will be announced in December.
IMCC Chairman Ondrej Gottwald says: “This year’s campaigns in the IMC European Awards were the most interesting I have seen during my chairmanship and presence in the jury. I am delighted that our industry is doing well and the work across Europe is of such high quality. Aside from the commercial campaigns, I always appreciate the increasing amount of very successful social and corporate responsibility campaigns and commercial campaigns with a positive social impact. To see these campaigns being recognised and rewarded by industry professionals is very satisfying.”
The IMCC – the Integrated Marketing Communications Council Europe – represents the integrated marketing communications agencies and agency associations in Europe and is part of the European Association of Communications Agencies (EACA).
The IMCC acts as a central source of information for the industry and assists in the development of the reputation and professionalism of the industry across Europe by focusing on four key areas: best practice, lobbying, recognition via the IMC European Awards and education through the IMCC International Diploma, which was developed for the body by the UK’s IPM.
EACA is a Brussels-based organisation which represents full-service commercial communications, media agencies and agency associations in Europe. The IPM is a member.
EACA promotes honest, effective advertising, high professional standards and awareness of the contribution of advertising in a free market economy and encourages close co-operation between agencies, advertisers and media in European advertising bodies.
