LONDON, November 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

Specific Media, Google/You Tube, Facebook and News International were just some of the sixteen winners announced tonight (Tuesday 15^th November 2011) at the IPA's first Media Owner Awards (the MOA) ceremony which are designed to showcase best practice from online media owners and to raise the digital standard.

Prizes were handed out for eight submission-based awards ranging from Most Effective Online Campaign (The Register for Microsoft) to Sales Newcomer of The Year (Spotify's Emily ffrench Blake). Six entrants also received Commendations.

A further eight awards were given out based on the results of this year's IPA's Online Media Owners Surveys, covering 'Best' and 'Most Improved'(which are based on the results of this year's IPA's Online Media Owners Surveys).  Specific Media has won Best Overall Media Owner and Facebook has won Most Improved Media Owner.  

Submission-based MOA winners and commendations:

Most Innovative Online Campaign

Winner: The Register (for Microsoft)

Most Innovative Cross-Media Campaign

Winner:  Global Radio (for Sony Ericsson)

Most Effective Online Campaign

Winner: Adnetik (for IG Financial Services)

Highly commended: Tribal Fusion (for VUE Cinemas)

Most Effective Cross-Media Campaign

Winner: News International (for Lloyds Bank Corporate Markets)

Unsung Hero Of The Year

Winner: Matthew Roberts, Senior Delivery Analyst, Specific Media

Highly commended: Jason Tunstall, Head of Products and Services, O2 Media

Sales Newcomer Of The Year

Winner: Emily ffrench Blake, Account Manager, Spotify

Highly commended: Vicky Strong, Assistant Account Manager, Specific Media,

Paolo Janer, Sales Manager, Tribal Fusion

Commercial Director Of The Year

Winner: Ian Dowds, Senior Vice President UK, Specific Media

Highly commended: James Brown, Digital Sales Director, Telegraph

Best Unfeatured Media Owner

Winner: Glam Media

Highly Commended: O2 Media

Survey-based MOA winners:

Best (based on spring and autumn 2011 combined survey results):

Best Overall Media Owner: Specific Media

Best Innovation: Google/YouTube

Best Partnership with agencies: Specific Media

Best Cross-Media Exploitation: Telegraph.co.uk

Most Improved (based on autumn 2011 vs autumn 2010 survey results):

Most Improved Media Owner: Facebook

Most Improved Innovation: IPC Media

Most Improved Partnership with agencies: News International

Most Improved Cross-Media Exploitation: IPC Media

The judging panel for the submission-based awards was made up of some of the members of the IPA Digital Media Group - Paul Nasse, Digital Buying Director, ZenithOptimedia, Adam Russell, Head of Display, LBi, Elliot Muscant, Managing Director, Carat Manchester, Claire Valoti, Head of Online Display and Mobile, Mindshare, Hannah Amess, Media Director, Agenda21. As well as Justin Pearse, Editor, NMA, and Amanda Smith, Interactive Marketing Manager, Unilever UK. The panel was chaired by Matt Simpson, Head of Digital, EMEA, Omnicom Media Group and Chairman of the Digital Media Group.  

Says Matt Simpson, Chair of Judges:"The IPA MOA has the opportunity to become one of the most important dates in the media diary.  Both leading media owners and exciting new entrants alike have already realised the important recognition these awards give both their business and staff.  We have been delighted with the level of interest and excitement shown in these, the inaugural Awards, and look forward to the MOA complementing the IPA Media Owners survey in driving excellence in our industry for many years to come."

Says Nigel Gwilliam, IPA Digital Consultant "We have been tremendously impressed by the quality of submissions to the inaugural MOA. Online media owners have taken to the Awards with fantastic enthusiasm and we're already planning to build on the success in 2012."

The 2011 MOA are supported by NMA. More information on the awards is available on http://www.ipamoa.co.uk. You can also join in the conversation on twitter #IPAMOA

The awards scheme identity draws its heritage from a Moa; a large flightless New Zealand bird that walked the earth for 60 million years.  

Summaries on winning campaigns/personalities

Submission-based MOA winners and commendations:

Most Innovative Online Campaign - The Register (for Microsoft)

The Register built a 100% bespoke campaign for Microsoft to position them as the leader in the Cloud Computing arena. They built a new channel including a forum, a mobile app for all smartphones, an iPad and a tablet app, as well as running webinars in order to offer one-to-one opportunities for Microsoft to engage with the audience. They successfully delivered almost 5,000 qualified leads, and the website was also the first in the world to host content pulled from the LinkedIn API. (Credited companies: Freeform Dynamics; Marketing Solutions, LinkedIn; Situation Publishing; UM).

Most Innovative Cross- Media Campaign -Global Radio (for Sony Ericsson)

A compelling story that brought to life a multi-platformed solution through a wide variety of touch points that met the brief on every level. The campaign used mobile technology above and beyond the client's expectations using a small team over a short lead time. By integrating the Sony Ericsson brand using artist endorsements, digital and radio brought people together at a unique venue to experience the brand against the backdrop of one of the UK's favourite bands, Scouting for Girls.(Credited Companies: Global Radio; MEC).

Most Effective Online Campaign- Adnetik (IG Financial Services)

The IG campaign objective was to attract new visitors to the website, and to increase the number of IG Index full accounts. To acquire the right audience and the right inventory, Adnetik implemented their own real-time bidding technology known as Audience Investment Management (AIM), across all major ad exchanges. By the end of the campaign, Adnetik outperformed 15 other providers and exceeded the client's Cost-Per-Action (CPA) by five times less than the target CPA goal. The client has since booked additional campaigns with Adnetik that extend beyond the UK to the United States and the rest of the EU. (Credited companies: Adnetik; IG; MediContacts).

Most Effective Cross-Media Campaign- News International (for Lloyds Bank Corporate Markets)

Mapping British Business and Road to Recovery are the products of the closest relationship that the business teams on The Times and Sunday Times have ever had with a commercial partner. Together with Lloyds Bank Corporate Markets (LBCM) News International created content both in paper and online that showcases British business success stories across a huge range of sectors. Research has demonstrated that not only is the content being consumed by LBCM's hard to reach target audience and that they find the content engaging, but that it has had a positive impact both on their business confidence and on their view of Lloyds. (Credited companies: LBCM; News International; MEC).

Unsung Hero of The Year- Matthew Roberts, Senior Delivery Analyst, Specific Media

Matthew Roberts has become one of Specific's most influential team members. With a background in medical science, he has brought a new level of analytical insight, which is not only changing the way Specific does business, but enhancing the performance of clients' campaigns. His achievements include singlehandedly securing an additional £600,000 in upweight revenue in 2010; successfully challenging convention by developing innovative new testing; and providing clients with a depth of analysis and level of transparency that is unprecedented for Specific Media and probably unparalleled in the sector.  

Sales Newcomer Of The Year - Emily ffrenchBlake, Account Manager, Spotify

After graduating with an MA in social anthropology from Edinburgh, Emily began her working life at Google, as a search account manager, in 2006.  As the primary point of contact for 12 large travel firms, Emily managed $22m of revenue per annum. In 2010, she made the jump over to display and to sales, joining Spotify as a key account manager. As an account manager, Emily is responsible for selling the product to both media and creative agencies, dealing with buying, planning, communications and creative teams. Emily made the largest ever UK booking for Spotify in August 2010. The campaign was for Berocca Boost, worth £110,000.

Commercial Director Of The Year -  Ian Dowds, Senior Vice President UK, Specific Media

Entering the world of digital marketing from the traditional arena of television, Ian changed the way Specific Media talks to its customers. In bringing big media experience to digital media, he has elevated the relationships with agencies in terms of seniority and number of contacts. He has also grown the team by more than three times, yet maintained customer service excellence. As a result, in the last two years, Specific's client numbers have doubled and sales tripled.

Best Unfeatured Media Owner - Glam Media

Over the last 12 months, Glam Media has enjoyed tremendous success. They have invested in their product, both editorially and technically; their operational service, and the skill set and perspectives of their sales people. The result has been exceptional levels of growth in advertising revenue, +53% in Q1 and 86% in Q2, new acquisitions to Glam's publishers portfolio, a host of new brand partners and a bunch of plaudits from publishers and agencies alike.

Survey based MOA winners;

Best Overall Media Owner - Specific Media

In terms of overall experience, Specific has demonstrated consistently high performance coming top in both spring and autumn, 2011 surveys. They are also the only media owner to have over three quarters of respondents agreeing that it delivers the best overall experience, cementing their position as the media owner to beat.

Best Innovation - Google/YouTube

In this highly competitive category, Google/Youtube have shown you do not have to come top in every survey to win.  As the only media owner to feature in the top three on both spring and autumn surveys they have demonstrated that consistency is key to winning a best in class MOA.

Best Partnership with agencies - Specific Media

A sense of partnership is something agencies place tremendous value on. Specific Media has achieved the highest average score across both 2011 surveys when it comes to engendering a sense of partnership with agencies.

Best Cross Media Exploitation - Telegraph.co.uk

In 2011 there has been one very clear winner when it comes to demonstrating a good understanding of how cross media opportunities can be exploited. Telegraph.co.uk has placed first in both spring and autumn surveys of this year, making this aspect of the business their own.  

Most Improved Media Owner - Facebook

Perhaps as a result of their explosive growth, the opinion of Facebook's overall service had dipped in autumn, 2010. But after turning the decline around in the following spring they then went on to deliver a fantastic autumn 2011.

Most Improved Innovation - IPC Media

Year on year, IPC Media posted a massive improvement amongst those agreeing that it delivers innovative, creative solutions. This improvement is reflected in IPC Media's rising position compared to its peers against this criterion soaring up 9 places compared to a year earlier.

Most Improved Partnership with agencies - News International

The digital commercial team at News International faced serious challenges from the introduction of reader charging for online content. They adapted quickly to these changes and successfully communicated the new opportunities presented to their trading partners, leading to substantial period-on-period improvements in both spring and autumn 2011 surveys.

Most Improved Cross Media Exploitation - IPC Media

Of all four 'Most Improved' Awards this year, IPC Media demonstrated the single largest points improvement in Cross-Media Exploitation rising nearly 20 points year on year. Together with their award for most improvement in delivering innovative creative solutions, this has been a year on the up for IPC Media.

Note to editors:

The Institute of Practitioners in Advertising (IPA) is the trade body and professional institute for UK advertising, media and marketing communications agencies. It was established in 1917 as a servicing body and to negotiate on behalf of its members with media bodies, government departments and unions. Its 274 corporate members handle over 80% of the UK's advertising agency business which has an estimated value (excluding press and TV production) of £17.7 billion.

For further information:

Institute of Practitioners in Advertising
44 Belgrave Square  London  SW1X 8QS
telephone: +44(0)20-7201-8261  fax: +44(0)20-7245-9904
e-mail: danielle@ipa.co.uk  website: http://www.ipa.co.uk

SOURCE IPA (The Institute of Practitioners in Advertising)