This year’s CIPR Excellence Awards 2007 took place last night, and an great party was had by all. PR and communications professionals from across the UK and overseas came together at The Honourable Artillery Gardens in London for the CIPR’s top event, with everyone hoping for a win!
The night kicked off in style with champagne and networking, then guests were guided through the evening by the National Lottery’s ‘Voice of God’. After dinner, it was down to the serious stuff with BBC News presenter, Stephen Sackur, compèring the evening, and our sponsors announcing winners in all 27 categories.
There was a great buzz to the ceremony as short listed guests waited for the names to be announced. The first winner of the night was Hill & Knowlton: HSBC – with their campaign on ‘The future of retirement: what the world wants’, in the Corporate Communications category. Judges said it was a ‘truly awesome integrated global campaign, which achieved exceptional, precisely measured results in terms of media coverage and message penetration.’
A new category for 2007 was Best use of new media, which DSG International won with their: Introducing the tech guys. One of the most competitive categories, usually with the highest number of entrants, is Media Relations, which saw Brahm PR bringing home the prize for their Football Fever Report (for Littlewoods Football Pools).
The highly regarded Outstanding Young Communicator award went to Karen Mignon from Lansons Communications, who impressively worked her way up from account assistant to account director and equity partner at Lansons in five years. Inspiring! 
The final award of the evening – Outstanding Public Relations Consultancy, went to the London Communications Agency. Congratulations all round - to the winners and to everyone who was short listed. A real achievement. Then the night really got hot with dancing to a great disco, more networking, and a crowded casino tables.
We all had a great (and busy) night, as did the guests who said ‘It was slick and ran very smoothly’. If you want to find out more about the Excellence Awards, or you are interested in entering next year, go to: www.cipr.co.uk/excellence. You can also view photos of the evening there.
