WINNING BIG
The Conference News Agency Awards took place once again this year , with the winners being recognised as the cream of the crop for agencies
he Conference News Agency Awards has come around once again , to recognise the agencies truly pushing the envelope in the events industry . Conference News ’ star-studded panel of judges have highlighted the best and brightest in our industry across a variety of categories .
Martin Fullard , editorial director , Conference News , said : “ Agencies represent the creative heart of the conference and experiential landscape , it ’ s important to highlight those providing excellence at all scales .
“ The Agency Awards is always a big occasion in the calendar , and this year was no different . I look forward to staying in touch with the winners and learning more about creative innovations .
“ I would also like to offer my personal congratulations to Anita Lowe , our Pioneer Award recipient . She is a true inspiration and without question one of the kindest people I have met in our industry .”
Over the next few pages we ’ ll show you the highlights from the night and the details of some of the winners who stood out to our judges .
What judges looked for
Each year our judging panel look for excellence among the entries , a tough ask as our shortlists often include some of the top agencies in the sector . Our judges talk about the defining factors of a winning entry .
David Parker , commercial and events director , Royal College of Physicians , said : “ I was looking within the entries for a bit of ‘ magic ’ something that made me stop and think ‘ Wow ’ that ’ s going to make the client happy . “ What stood out to me in the entries this year , is that all were exceptional in the delivery of services to the client , but many struggled to tell the story about what they did , why they did it , and what the result was . I wanted to be lost in the story of their success , the ones I judged most highly did this .” Client value was a theme throughout the judging , but was also accompanied by innovation for those clients – it ’ s no longer about achieving results for agencies , but doing it in a standout way that aligns with corporate values .
Heather Lishman , association director , ABPCO : “ It was great to see so many high-quality submissions , although it did make the judging quite tricky . The creativity and determination to offer innovative services to clients really stood out to me . It definitely seemed like a race to the top , which has got to be good for the whole industry .
“ The ones that really shone were those where the culture of the organisation for the team is strong . This then gives great foundations for exceptional service .”
Making waves
The awards are not just an opportunity to shine a light on the best in the industry , but also to find themes and trends among the workings of agencies . Sustainability , culture and recruitment cropped up as key areas for judging during this process .
Veronica Lake , head of events and marketing , UK ASEAN Business Council , said : “ The focus is on sustainability , support to employees , and matching the www . conference-news . co . uk