WAA dares to achieve success for Gracechurch campaign

SUTTON Coldfield marketing agency WAA Chosen has seen success at the PRCA Dare Awards 2015 for a year-long integrated campaign for one of its clients.

The agency’s PR team won the Live, Launched and Loud category for a campaign delivered for client, Gracechurch Shopping Centre, entitled ‘Reigniting the brand: The Gracechurch Centre’s 40th Birthday campaign.’

Led by PR Group Account Director Jeremy Merckel, the team developed and implemented a series of tactics, including PR, outdoor/digital advertising and social media, to support three events over the year, all of which adhered to the campaign’s 40th birthday theme.

“We put a lot of hard work into this project so it’s incredibly satisfying for it to be rewarded with this win. This is also a fantastic example of the type of creative and integrated campaign that we as an agency pride ourselves on developing and delivering for our clients,” said Merckel.

Judging day looms for Midlands Media Awards

A RECORD number of 35 journalists are competing for the prestigious title of News Reporter of the Year (Daily) – one of the top accolades at this year’s Midlands Media Awards. A

And, despite redundancies and current uncertainties in the print sector, the total number of entries received for the 22 awards on offer has matched last year’s best-ever figure of 300.

“Such an impressive response from the region’s broadcasters, photographers and journalists is, I believe, a clear indication of their professionalism – and speaks volumes for their commitment towards maintaining a healthy and vibrant media sector in the Midlands,” said Ed James, chairman of Birmingham Press Club.

The awards, to be held at Villa Park on Thursday September 10, are being organised by Cloud 9 Event Management on behalf of the Press Club as part of its 150th anniversary celebrations.

CloserStill gets its teeth into new NEC deal

CLOSERSTILL Media has signed a new long term agreement with the NEC which will see the Dentistry Show return to the exhibition venue annually for the next three years.

CloserStill said the deal underlined its confidence in the venue and the exhibition.

The Dentistry Show, which has been held at the NEC since 2007, and has co-located with the Dental Technology Showcase since 2014, brings together dental professional from across the UK to discover and learn about the latest developments in the industry and undertake some of the best free-to-attend clinical education available.  

Chris Brown, Group Event Director at CloserStill, said: “We welcomed a record number of visitors to the most recent edition of the Dentistry Show at the NEC and we are confident that the show will continue to grow.

“With its central location and first rate transport links, the NEC is easily accessible for dental professionals across the UK, so it is the perfect home for the Dentistry Show and DTS. We have a great relationship with the venue team and we had no hesitation in committing The Dentistry Show’s immediate future to the NEC.”

Louise Conway, NEC Account Manager, said: “We are delighted to be extending our relationship with CloserStill Media. The Dentistry Show is a fantastic event that constantly delivers dynamic and engaging content for its visitors. We are looking forward to working with organisers for the next three years to help the show continue to grow.”

Six qualifications in a month lift Ascendancy

A TEAM of digital marketing employees at Shropshire agency Ascendancy Internet Marketing have achieved six top industry qualifications in a month.

Helen Culshaw, managing director and who founded the Shifnal-based business 10 years ago, said: “I’m very proud of my team. They have worked extremely hard to achieve outstanding results in a very short space of time.

“As a Google Partner and specialist in providing digital marketing services such as Google AdWords management it is really important that we keep ahead of the game.”

She said she set her digital marketing team a challenge and that was to pass two additional professional Google exams each – in just four weeks.

“It was a tough challenge, but they did it,” she said.

“The new qualifications demonstrate the breadth and depth of our expertise here at Ascendancy and show that we are an agency which is constantly evolving and moving with the times.”