2015 ESA Excellence Awards Now Inviting Entries From Across the European Sponsorship Industry 18th August, 2015

Submissions for the 9th annual Excellence Awards close on 30th September, with a glittering presentation ceremony taking place at London’s Café de Paris on February 11th 2016

The European Sponsorship Association (ESA), the membership body that works to inspire better marketing across rights holders, brands and agencies, is today inviting interested parties to submit their best work in order to be considered for a prestigious ESA Excellence Award.

Now in its ninth year, the ESA Excellence Awards are the only awards to recognise and celebrate the best sponsorships across Europe and reward the outstanding work achieved by sponsorship industry professionals.

Earlier this year, ESA announced that it was overhauling its Awards categories to better reflect the way sponsorships are being conceived and then activated across Europe. The 2015 ESA Excellence Awards will now feature 18 new-look categories across various industry sectors, including music, sport and arts and culture.

The full list of 2015 ESA Excellence Award categories are:

  1. ESA Best of Europe Award
  2. B2B Activation Award
  3. Best Use of Hospitality Activation
  4. CSR/Community Sponsorship Award
  5. Mass Participation Sponsorship or Event Award
  6. Sponsorship of the Year Award
  7. Media Sponsorship Award
  8. Employee Engagement Award
  9. Live Music Sponsorship or Activation Award
  10. Arts & Culture Sponsorship Award
  11. Best Use of Social Media
  12. Sports Sponsorship Award
  13. Best Use of Digital
  14. Best Use of PR
  15. Rights Holder Achievement Award
  16. Multi-National Award
  17. Best Use of Insight
  18. Best Use of Integrated Marketing

After inviting candidates to submit applications to become a judge for the 2015 Excellence Awards, ESA is delighted to be gathering together a group of industry experts who will review and select the best campaigns according to a strict set of judging criteria.

The deadline to submit an entry for the Awards is 30th September 2015 and the shortlist for each category will be publicly announced in October 2015. The ESA Excellence Award winners will then be revealed at a glittering awards ceremony in central London’s Café de Paris on February 11th 2016.

To enter the 2015 ESA Excellence Awards agencies, rights holders and brands should visit http://sponsorship.org/awards/awards-home/ for the online application forms, and to obtain further details of the Awards process. Organisations and individuals are also encouraged to enter the Awards as soon as possible in order to qualify for the ‘Early Bird’ entry discount, which expires on 11th September 2015.

Karen Earl, Chairman of the European Sponsorship Association, said:

“For almost a decade now the ESA Excellence Awards has come to represent the industry ‘gold standard’ and it is a great opportunity to celebrate the best-in-class sponsorship projects from across the continent.”

She continued: “The sponsorship industry goes from strength to strength and the new-look ESA Excellence Awards highlights how we have evolved the initiative to better reflect this progress and change, and so ensure that we remain relevant to the professionals who are producing outstanding work across a vibrant European sponsorship landscape.”       

Slingshot MD and ESA Board Member Jackie Fast, who has chaired a team of professionals working within the sponsorship industry to revamp the Awards, commented:

“We now encourage the whole industry to enter their best campaigns for these Awards. There are opportunities for everyone from across Europe to be involved, no matter what the size of the sponsorship budget. The judges will look for creativity, campaigns that have achieved the business objectives, and where there are clearly measured and evaluated results that prove success.

“Winning an ESA Excellence Award provides a valuable marketing platform to showcase your great work and promote your achievements to industry peers, and helps foster new, valuable sponsorship connections. The very best of luck to everyone who enters!”

Further general information about the 2015 ESA Excellence Awards can be found here: http://sponsorship.org/awards/awards-home/

Full details of the new Award categories can be viewed here: http://sponsorship.org/awards/categories

For information on how to enter the Awards: http://sponsorship.org/awards/how-to-enter

To purchase a table for the Awards ceremony, please visit: https://billetto.co.uk/en/events/esa-excellence-awards (UK Sterling payments) or https://billetto.eu/en/events/esa-excellence-awardseu (Euro payments)

For further information about the Awards, contact the ESA office, Tel +44 (0) 20 8390 3311 or email [email protected]

 


Slingshot’s MD Jackie Fast named as one of UK’s Hottest Entrepreneurs Aged 35 or Under 15th September, 2014

Growing Business today names its 12th annual list of the entrepreneurs aged 35 or under behind 30 of the UK’s brightest companies.

Jackie Fast, MD of Slingshot Sponsorship, has been named one of the UK’s most outstanding entrepreneurs aged 35 or under, revealed today in Growing Business’ Young Guns ‘Class of 2014′.

Recognised at an awards luncheon held at the prestigious Kensington Roof Gardens, this year’s crop is made up of 54 entrepreneurs behind 30 of the country’s fastest-growing firms.  The Class of 2014 join an alumni already containing the founders of 330 businesses named since the Young Guns awards began in 2003.  Sponsored by law firm Keystone Law and chartered accountants haysmacintyre, Young Guns celebrates the most outstanding crop of young entrepreneurs the country has to offer with only 30 companies selected each year, and no repeat appearances.

Commenting on the win, Jackie Fast said: “It is an absolute honour to be recognised amongst this incredibly influential and successful group of people shaping the future of business in the UK.  As our agency is driven to enable and secure the future of other businesses commercially through securing partners, this award is particularly relevant to us.  We can’t wait to see what the future holds for Slingshot Sponsorship as well as the other Young Guns!”

Now in its 12th year, the awards has a track record of talent spotting, previously recognising the fledgling businesses started by the likes of Michael Action Smith OBE of Mind Candy, Holly Tucker MBE of Notonthehighstreet.com, Neil Hutchinson of Forward Internet Group, Matthew Riley of Daisy Group Plc, and the co-founders of Innocent Drinks, Huddle, YPlan, Nails Inc., Chilango, and Made.com.

 

View the full list of 2014 Young Guns and their profiles here:www.growingbusiness.co.uk/young-guns

In numbers: Who are the Young Guns Class of 2014?

  • There are 54 qualifying co-founders
  • The 30 businesses are 4 years old on average
  • The mean age between the qualifying founders is 29, with the youngest just 18
  • On average their companies employ 36 people, with the highest employing 200
  • Between the 20 companies that are equity backed, the total they’ve raised stands at over £114m
  • That means those 20 companies have raised £5.7m on average – the highest being House Trip, which has raised $60m and Nutmeg with $50m.
  • It also means 10 companies in this Class have grown organically
  • Their average turnover (for the 26 who told us) is £4.1m and they’re forecasting to grow that to £7.2m this year
  • Of the 26 who told us, they still own 61% of their equity

Slingshot Sponsorship Announced as National Business Awards Finalist for The BlackBerry Business Enabler of the Year Award 16th July, 2014

Slingshot Sponsorship Announced as National Business Awards Finalist for The BlackBerry Business Enabler of the Year Award

Britain’s leading businesses, business leaders and social enterprises have today been revealed as finalists for the 2014 National Business Awards and Slingshot Sponsorship is amongst them.

Slingshot Sponsorship has been shortlisted for The BlackBerry Business Enabler of the Year Award – recognising organisations that help businesses to increase profitability by improving efficiency, developing talent and implementing innovation.  This award recognises the impact of ‘enablers’ that offer value beyond services.

Commenting on the Slingshot Sponsorship award entry, Judge Simon Feary, CEO, Chartered Quality Institute said:

“Slingshot has positioned itself to address a niche market overlooked by the main providers. To do that profitably and sustainably, especially within the small business-low margin segment you really have to know your market. Small beginnings but the growth is there suggesting they have their model right.”

This year’s shortlisted businesses cover activities as diverse as retail, technology, men’s grooming products, telecoms, construction, advertising, entertainment, and publishing. Of the businesses shortlisted, 24% turnover under £5m, 26% turnover between £5m and £25m, 15% over a billion and 10% not for profit organisations. The smallest business recognised has a turnover of just £23k with the largest reaching £20 billion. Finalists collectively employ over 850,000 people, the smallest has just one member of staff while the largest employs around 165,000 people globally.

Jackie Fast, Managing Director of Slingshot Sponsorship commented:

“Having our business model recognised as a business enabler at the National Business Awards opens up a world of opportunity for our agency proposition beyond our typical market of sponsorship and marketing professionals.  As we champion the value of commercialisation in marketing, it is an honour to be recognised against some fierce competition in this category – especially from those organisations in the financial industry.”

Visit The National Business Awards for a full list of all finalists and to attend the event.

Slingshot Sponsorship’s Mark Mylam Shortlisted for Barrie Gill Award for Most Promising Young Executive at Hollis Sponsorship Awards 2013 22nd March, 2013

Slingshot’s very own Mark Mylam has been shortlisted for the prestigious Barrie Gill Award for Most Promising Young Executive at the Hollis Sponsorship Awards 2013.  The awards will be held at the Marriott Hotel in London on 26th March, 2013.

The Hollis Sponsorship Awards represent the pinnacle of any Sponsorship Executive’s career.  Honouring the very best in the sponsorship industry for 19 years, the Hollis Awards have become a highlight in the sponsorship calendar.  Throughout its lifetime, the ceremony has awarded some of the most memorable and innovative campaigns in sponsorship history.  Furthermore, no other award rewards effectiveness and excellence across all sectors of the sponsorship industry like the Hollis Sponsorship Awards; emphasising the feat of Mark’s achievement.

Mark stated ‘It is a real honour to be nominated for the Barrie Gill Award, alongside a host of young talent within the industry.  Hollis Sponsorship celebrates the increasingly diverse and innovative nature of sponsorship, and I am flattered to be recognised as a part of it.’

The Barrie Gill Award for Most Promising Young Executive, sponsored by the European Sponsorship Association, recognises young executives (27 or under) working within agencies, client companies or rights holders who are making a significant impact within their organisation or sector at large.  The awards seeks to honour excellence, recognise effectiveness of campaigns and in Mark’s case, his nomination is a testament to the hard work, creativity and driving energy that he has contributed to Slingshot Sponsorship as an agency.  We wish him so much luck for the ceremony this Tuesday!

Slingshot Sponsorship Wins Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2012 9th November, 2012

Jackie Fast managing Director of Slingshot Sponsorship has won the Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award for the second consecutive year at the 2012 Camden and Islington Business Awards. The category was open to business owners who have shown exceptional business acumen and achieved consistent business growth since launching.

Slingshot Sponsorship delivers and develops long-term brand strategies that engage targeted audiences through sponsorship rights.  Integrated and tailored in each approach, Slingshot Sponsorship diversifies across a range of industries with clients based in publishing, events, trade associations, charities, motorsport and music.

Jackie Fast was absolutely thrilled to win the award, commenting:

It is an absolute pleasure to be nominated, let alone win this category for a second year.  Since launching Slingshot Sponsorship three years ago, our business has grown exponentially – which truly shows how valuable our unique business proposition is. It’s a fantastic honour to be recognised by the local community for all the hard work put into developing the agency.

The strict criteria set out for the Camden & Islington Business Awards indicated that only the strongest candidates within the area would be shortlisted for the award. Miss Fast’s repeat win illustrates Slingshot Sponsorship’s capabilities in creating successful partnerships that generate ROI through sponsorship.

The winners of the Camden & Islington Business Awards were announced at the awards ceremony in London on Thursday, 1st November 2012.

Slingshot Sponsorship Win Two Golds at the Corporate Engagement Awards 20th September, 2012

Slingshot Sponsorship took home two Gold Awards at the 2012 Corporate Engagement Awards for their work with Haymarket Consumer Media publication What Car? magazine.

A London-based sponsorship agency, Slingshot Sponsorship has been championing an innovative approach to sponsorship since its launch three years ago with a focus on creating successful and lucrative corporate sponsorship programmes that amplify core organisational activity.  Being recognised at the Corporate Engagement Awards is a testament to the unique approach they take with their clients.

Held at the Victory Services Club in London, the evening featured some of the largest sponsorship campaigns focused on corporate partnerships – including Barclays Cycle Hire, Coca-Cola and London2012, as well as BT and Comic Relief.

Competition for the awards was fierce with Slingshot beating out Aviva and Barclays to take home the Gold in Best Execution of Corporate Sponsorship Activity and Best Relationship-building Sponsorship Programme.

Jackie Fast commented, “It is an incredible achievement for Slingshot Sponsorship to be recognised for a second consecutive year at the Corporate Engagement Awards.  We have been working with What Car? since we launched and these awards are the culmination of our hard work.  The sponsorship programme we have developed for What Car? has not only put in place a sustainable sponsorship revenue for the magazine, but has also  helped build stronger commercial relationships overall with their industry partners  – which is exactly what best practice sponsorship should do.”

The Corporate Engagement Awards, organised by Communicate Magazine, are the only European benchmark of best practice in all aspects of the corporate partnership & sponsorship process. They provide an opportunity for staff, companies, agencies and beneficiaries alike, to see their efforts recognised and to celebrate excellence in their collaborative projects.  Entries by contenders in each of the 16 categories were judged on the three criteria of strategy, execution and outcome.

What Car? Announces Sponsorship Deal with Mondial Assistance 21st August, 2012

What Car? has announced that Mondial Assistance UK will continue its sponsorship of the executive car category in the 2013 What Car? Car of The Year Awards.

The What Car? Car of the Year Awards are the most coveted accolades in the automotive industry. The Awards are presented to cars that set the highest standards in their sector after being put through the toughest, most rigorous tests by the most experienced team in the business.

Andrew Golby, What Car? publishing director, said: “We are pleased to be working with Mondial Assistance. It will help deliver our target to reach as many motorists as possible with the What Car? Car of the Year Awards news.”

The benefits of the sponsorship deal includes the alignment with the most authoritative and trusted brand in motoring, brand positioning and awareness, extensive PR opportunities, networking and brand association with the awards via a multi-channel promotional campaign.

Lee Taylor, Automotive Sales Director for Mondial Assistance in the UK said: “The sponsorship of the What Car? Awards is an important platform for us to build awareness of our change of name to become Allianz Global Assistance later this year.  The automotive market remains an important part of our business and we will continue in our delivery and development of support services to vehicle manufacturers and their customers.  Continuing our support of What Car?  and its Car of The Year Awards demonstrates our commitment to the UK motor industry and enables us to communicate with the growing What Car? audience”.

Andrew Golby continued: “Winning a What Car? Award is good for a car maker’s business. The authority of the What Car? brand sells cars, plain and simple. It adds power to advertising and marketing campaigns and is a huge draw for customers.”

The What Car? Car of the Year Awards event is attended by more than 1000 leading industry figureheads alongside the most influential motoring correspondents from the wider media.

The event is to be held at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London on January 9, 2013 with top-class entertainment yet to be announced. Previous headline acts have included Jonathan Ross, Jimmy Carr, Al Murray and Jo Brand. For more information and table bookings visit www.whatcarawards.com

Warranty Direct Announced as the Headline Sponsor of What Car? Awards 2013 28th June, 2012

What Car? has announced that Warranty Direct will be headline sponsor of the What Car? Car of the Year Awards 2013, which will be held on January 9.  Warranty Direct will also sponsor the City Car category.

Andrew Golby, What Car? publishing director said: “We are delighted to be working with Warranty Direct, which is the industry’s leading provider of direct consumer warranties.”

The What Car? Car of the Year Awards are the most coveted accolades in the automotive industry. The Awards are presented to cars that set the highest standards in their sector after being put through the toughest, most rigorous tests by the most experienced team in the business.

The benefits of the sponsorship deal includes the alignment with the most authoritative and trusted brand in motoring, brand positioning and awareness, extensive PR opportunities, networking  and brand association to the awards via a multi-channel promotional campaign.

Duncan McClure Fisher, managing director of Warranty Direct Ltd, said: “We are looking forward to working with What Car? to help deliver the best ever What Car? Awards. A What Car? Award is essentially a huge stamp of approval that car buyers can trust. Hopefully they will be so pleased with their new car they will want to keep it and care for it with a Warranty Direct warranty when the original warranty expires.”

Andrew Golby continued: “Winning a What Car? Award is good for a car maker’s business. The authority of the What Car? brand sells cars, plain and simple. It adds power to advertising and marketing campaigns and is a huge draw for customers.”

The What Car? Car of the Year Awards event is attended by more than 1000 leading industry figureheads alongside the most influential motoring correspondents from the wider media.

The event is to be held at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London on January 9, 2013 with top-class entertainment yet to be announced. Previous headline acts have included Jonathan Ross, Jimmy Carr, Al Murray and Jo Brand.

PREVIOUS WHAT CAR? CAR OF THE YEAR WINNERS

2012                       Volkswagen Up                                                  1994                       Peugeot 306

2011                       Audi A1                                                                 1993                       Ford Mondeo

2010                       Peugeot 3008                                                     1992                       Volkswagen Golf

2009                       Ford Fiesta 1.25i 82 Zetec 5dr                        1991                       Rover Metro

2008                       Jaguar XF 2.7D V6 Luxury                                1990                       Rover 214 Si

2007                       Vauxhall Corsa                                                   1989                       Ford Fiesta

2006                       BMW 320d                                                           1988                       BMW 735i

2005                       Land Rover Discovery                                       1987                       Renault 21 Savannah

2004                       Volkswagen Golf                                                1986                       Saab 9000 Turbo 16

2003                       Seat Ibiza                                                             1985                       Volkswagen Golf

2002                       Toyota Corolla                                                    1984                       Peugeot 205

2001                       Ford Mondeo                                                      1983                       MG Metro

2000                       Skoda Fabia                                                       1982                       Mercedes 200T

1999                       Rover 75                                                              1981                       Volkswagen Golf

1998                       Land Rover Freelander                                    1980                       Vauxhall Astra

1997                       Renault Mégane Scénic                                   1979                       Peugeot 305

1996                       Peugeot 406                                                       1978                       Renault 20

1995                       VW Polo

Slingshot Sponsorship win agency contract with Autosport for 2012 19th January, 2012

Autosport, the authority on motorsport, has appointed Slingshot Sponsorship to develop and implement a new sponsorship strategy for the 2012 Autosport Awards.  Slingshot is briefed to increase awareness and commercial value for the event through the creation of additional opportunities and sponsorship platforms throughout the year.

Rob Aherne, Publisher at Autosport:

We are delighted to be working with Slingshot Sponsorship on the Autosport Awards. They have proven themselves to be a vibrant company with lots of ideas about driving our event forward commercially, and we look forward to making plenty of progress together.

Held every December at the Grosvenor House Hotel on London’s Park Lane, the Autosport Awards are voted for by the readers and attended by the biggest names in motorsport including Formula 1, Motorsport GP, British Rallying & World Rally Championships.  Winners of the International Racing Driver of the Year Award have included Sebastien Vettel, Jensen Button, and Lewis Hamilton.

Slingshot Sponsorship will assist Autosport with consultation and overall execution of a strategy that will attempt to forge new brand partnerships, whilst raising awareness of the programme overall for current sponsors Castrol, Mercedes-Benz, Perelli, Skoda, BMW, UBS, Parkalgar, and TW Steel.

Jackie Fast, Managing Director of Slingshot Sponsorship:

We can’t wait to get started with the Autosport Awards.  It is a phenomenal event and can deliver real marketing value to sponsoring brands.  We will be looking to enhance their current programme through the creation of additional touchpoints as well as integrating new sponsoring brands to help diversify and deliver additional value.