Excellence in Marketing

Sponsored and judged by Vantis Business Recovery Services (visit website)

The Category

The Excellence in Marketing Award is designed to recognise the development and implementation of imaginative and successful marketing activities within the last 12 months. "Activities" could relate to an overall marketing strategy or the implementation of a specific campaign for a product, service or organisation. Whilst the traditional forms of marketing should not be discounted, the sponsors are looking for innovation and originality.

Please write your overall description in no more than 500 words (fewer are perfectly acceptable) and then separately answer the questions below. If you want to attach supporting materials such as photos, leaflets, testimonials, etc. please do so.

When you come to the final stage of completing your on-line entry you will be asked to enter the number of employees including contractors.

What the judges are looking for

We want to hear from companies that have used effective marketing, be it PR, advertising, direct mail or web based, to achieve sales growth. It might even be that your marketing has been effective in lessening the impact of increased competition or a general decline in the area of business in which you operate.

Please be assured that your entry will be treated in the strictest confidence.

Specific questions to answer

1. Why did you identify the need for the marketing activity?
2. What market or competitor research did you conduct prior to developing your strategy?
3. What was the eventual marketing strategy? Include information on support materials and initiatives.
4. Over how long was the activity conducted? Provide details of the dates involved.
5. How was success measured? Please provide financial information and a brief narrative.

About the judges

Vantis is one of the top ten providers of business recovery services in the UK and offers a full range of products from routine to complex across many industries.

Gina Hall's main role is to organise marketing events and functions for the Hornchurch office as well as coordinating group wide events across the UK. Previously she spent fifteen years in the hotel industry during which time she developed an expertise in PR, advertising, brand management, direct mail and web site development.

Ray Brooks is Head of New Business and is responsible for strategic marketing planning and new business development and has been with Vantis since 2002. While based at their Hornchurch office, Ray also undertakes a national marketing role for the company's business recovery services sector. Ray previously spent some 30 years with Coopers and Lybrand/PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.