News Article

A rugby club website, a bespoke software developer and an innovative PR agency all walked away with the top awards at this year’s North East Digital Awards ceremony and celebration.

The Awards, the first of their kind for the North East of England, celebrated the achievements of businesses and organisations that have recognised, developed and used digital techniques to generate and maintain an effective online presence.

The Awards were open to three separate business types; Digital Users, Digital Suppliers and Digital Innovators. In addition to the three overall awards, 52 other businesses also received recognition for their excellence by winning their specialist sub-categories at the ceremony which took place on Thursday 15 May.

Pascal Fintoni, head of business at the North East Regional Portal said: ““I would like to congratulate all the winners – their achievements and successes are an example to us all and have highlighted the successes of the digital industry here in the North East of England.

“The ceremony was the perfect way to conclude what has been a very successful awards campaign. The event was the first, so many of the region’s digital businesses were together in the same room, and demonstrates that we have a very strong platform on which to continue driving the North East’s digital development.”

The ceremony, held at Newcastle’s Hyena Café Comedy Club, was hosted by North East comedian Brendan Healey, who kept the 200-strong guests entertained throughout. In a refreshingly alternative move, guests were invited to attend in smart/causal wear and tucked into traditional fish and chips to help soak up the champagne.

The awards campaign was funded by regional development agency One North East. Stephen Carey, the Agency’s eBusiness Specialist Advisor, said: “The digital sector is a very important part of the region’s emerging knowledge economy, with a growing reputation for innovation and excellence. The response to North East England’s first Digital Awards has been fantastic and we would like to congratulate all the winners.”

The 2008/9 campaign is due to be launched this summer, providing impetus for both the organisers and potential entrants to raise the bar even higher and truly establish the North East as a vibrant hub for digital development.

The winners of the North East Digital Awards 2007 are as follows:

Digital Users

• OVERALL DIGITAL USER - Everything Rugby

Website Awards

• Best b2b website: Industrial Technology Systems
• Best b2c website: Million Dollar Women
• Best voluntary sector website: voluntrayskills.com (Project North East)
• Best public information website: Harrowgate Hill Community Link
• Best ecommerce website: Kahua Music
• Best start-up website: Blue Kangaroo
• Best youth enterprise website: Everything Rugby

Marketing Awards

• Best search marketing campaign: UK Digital Storage
• Best website optimisation: SJennings – Jennings Ford Direct
• Best online marketing campaign: Beatsuite Music Library
• Best use of blogging: Quickrelease.tv
• Best podcasting campaign: Adam Maxwell Fiction Lounge

Digital Solution Awards

• Best online learning: Williams Language Solutions

Media and Creative Awards

• Best use of animation: Six String Designs
• Best use of online film and video: Northern Film and Media
• Best music website: Kahua Music

Digital Suppliers

• OVERALL DIGITAL SUPPLIER - Platform One - Tradebox

Website Awards

• Best b2b website: RMT – Fat Frog Design
• Best b2c website: Waterstons – New College Durham
• Best voluntary sector website: MGH Consultants– Bentley Beetham Collection
• Best public information website: Lavender Web Design – Your Life Line
• Best eCommerce website: Mediamint – European Sole
• Best start-up website: Blueshark Design – letslivehere.co.uk
• Best youth enterprise website: Indigo Multimedia – Connextions Co. Durham
• Best example of accessibility: Indigo Multimedia Connextions Cambridgeshire

Marketing Awards

• Best search marketing campaign: Wynyard Consultants Ltd – Weschenfelder Search Marketing
• Best website optimisation: Angelfysh Internet Marketing – Cake Perfect
• Best online marketing campaign: Mobious – Creative in a bag
• Best mobile marketing campaign: Mobious – Carling Free Pint
• Best podcasting campaign: Media Arts – Bridgeclub business podcasts
• Best example of user-generated content: Off Exploring - STA Travel Blogs

Digital Solution Awards

• Best software solution: Platform One – Tradebox
• Best use of emerging technology: Waterstons – Visualisation and Off-site replication at Visage Ltd

Media and Creative Awards

• Best use of animation: Back to Front – Talking with Hands
• Best use of online film and video: Indigo Multimedia – 100% ME
• Best music website: Deanzod Website Design – Fixagig

Specialist Awards

• Best newcomer: Coalface Development – Coalface website

Digital Innovators

• OVERALL DIGITAL INNOVATOR: Webit PR – Social Media Press Release

Website Awards

• Best use of advanced practices in web development: Thap Ltd – iwant2b
• Best integration of emerging technologies: Synergiq Ltd - Mobiliq
• Best example of an interactive website: Firstline Interactive Systems Ltd - E.ON Interactive House
• Best news and entertainment website: ITV Signpost – BSL TV
• Best example of accessibility: dpidivision – Tradingeye

Digital Solution Awards

• Best use of emerging technology: Webit PR – Social Media Press Release
• Best online security solution: PINoptic Limited – PINoptic Authentication Solution

Media and Creative Awards

• Best experimental use of online video and animation: moShine – 50,000 pairs of feet