Liquid rounds off 10th anniversary with top award

BIRMINGHAM-based communications consultancy Liquid rounded off its ten-year anniversary celebrations with a top award.

The firm, which has offices in Birmingham, Guernsey, Jersey and consultants in London, was named Outstanding Public Relations Consultancy for the ‘South of England and Channel Islands’ in the latest Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) PRide Awards.

The win follows its silver award in the same category in the Midlands PRide Awards, where it also won gold in the issues or crisis management category in the Midlands region.

Elisabeth Lewis-Jones, Liquid CEO, said: “To receive independent recognition and endorsement from our peers is both a great honour and humbling. We started the year being named consultancy of the year at the Public Relations Consultants Association (PRCA) DARE Awards in the Midlands and retaining our ‘Top 40 outside London’ ranking by the authoritative PRWeek annual league table.

“We finished 2014 with two golds and a silver in the PRide Awards and an exciting move for our UK team into Birmingham city centre which will be significant in our commitment to continuing to build our regional and national client base.”

Impressive haul of trophies for Big

BIG Communications has had its work recognised with a clutch of industry honours. The agency has accrued an impressive haul of 38 trophies in recent months.

At the international Epica Awards, Big collected bronze in the automotive and accessories category for its work on the ‘Trade Up’ campaign for Harley-Davidson.  The agency was also shortlisted in the copywriting and storytelling category for its work with Alder Hey.  
 
The Cream Midlands Awards, which were held in Birmingham, saw Big achieve greater recognition than any other agency, winning over half of the gold honours handed out during the ceremony.  The six golds were awarded for Big’s work with Trees for Cities, Always a Chance, Boost and Bridgestone, in categories covering art direction, photography and press, outdoor and viral campaigns.
 
At the Fresh Awards, held in Manchester, Big successfully collected 20 awards from 27 nominations, including the prestigious Agency of the Year title. Big triumphed in a number of other categories including social networking, digital portfolio, illustration, low budget, copywriting, charity and consumer advertising.
 
Regarded highly amongst the global creative community, Epica is the only prize awarded by journalists working for marketing and communications magazines from around the world.

Dylan Bogg, CEO of Big, said: “We are immensely proud of the work we do for our clients, and it is fantastic for this to also be recognised by the industry to such an extent. To have achieved such a significant amount of nominations at both the Fresh and Cream Awards and be shortlisted in an international awards programme is something that we feel especially honoured by – and even better for all the awards that we won.”
 

PRide success for GBW

BROMSGROVE-based marketing agency, Gough Bailey Wright (GBW), was also among the winners at the CIPR Midlands PRide Awards.
 
The full-service consultancy won an array of accolades, including gold awards for Best Public Affairs Campaign and Best Low Budget PR Campaign, and silver awards for Best Event and Best Use of Photography.
 
Judges were also impressed with the work carried out by the agency’s Community & Public Affairs team.

The PR team also won gold for Best Low Budget PR Campaign, as it launched the National SEA LIFE Centre’s Penguin Ice Adventure. The campaign resulted in 224 pieces of media coverage, including national, consumer, trade, television and radio, as well as the centre enjoying its busiest Easter since opening.
 
Silver came for Best Event as GBW held two world record attempts for the Largest Gathering of People Wearing Onesies and The Longest Scream By A Crowd at Drayton Manor Theme Park. The consultancy also scooped silver for Best Use of Photography for its work with the NFU and the delivery of an iconic picture campaign raising awareness of home-grown produce.

Sue Bailey, GBW’s managing director, said: “It is an honour to be recognised once again by the PR industry’s chartered body. We are absolutely delighted to be such big winners on the night, walking away with an outstanding four awards.”

Ms Bailey is pictured left with client services director, Michelle Wright.