Meet The Shortlist: Young Agency Of The Year
This year’s Young Agency of the Year category sees six agencies from a variety of backgrounds and specialisms selected by the steering committee.
The category was introduced in 2017 to reflect the growing number of new agencies across the sport industry. Won in its inaugural year by influencer agency, Goat, the agency’s director, Nick Cooke, spoke to Sport Industry Group back in November about the impact the award had on the organisation.
“Winning the award was a wake up call for how well we had been doing,” admitted Cooke. “Internally it was a massive confidence boost to the whole team, but externally the outcomes have been fantastic.
“In terms of reputation, we have since walked into meetings where people have referenced our win and we have had clients who have came directly from the BT Sport Industry Awards, including a sports star that attended on the night, so there have been genuinely tangible results off the back of the award.”
The shortlist for the BT Sport Industry Awards 2018 includes: Earnie, Fifty Digital, MATTA, Onwards, TwelfthMan and WeAreFearless.
EARNIE is an independent creative agency that specialises in helping rights holders, governing bodies and sponsors, with some of the world’s largest global sport organisations trusting them to lead integrated campaigns and tackle their complex commercial challenges.
Alistair Gammell, managing director of Earnie, admitted: “We’re proud of the number of new client wins that have come from other client referrals and our launch of Earnie Productions. Pulling production in house has given us the flexibility to deliver some fantastic content to hit big campaign targets.
“We put insight at the heart of our creative. By understanding market trends, audience data and client insights we’re able to take a wider business approach.”
Great to be shortlisted for the BT Sports Industry Awards 2018 #BTSIA @SportIndustry pic.twitter.com/JKhHHHSKcq
— Earnie (@EarnieAgency) February 8, 2018
On being shortlisted for the BT Sport Industry Awards, Gammell added: “It was fantastic for our whole team, clients and suppliers – it’s been an incredibly busy year, but the hard work has been worth it. It’s a testament to all those that have put their faith in us over the last few years.”
Digital and social media agency, FIFTY DIGITAL, works with brands, teams, rights holders and athletes to combine digital and social media with sponsorship to deliver engaging digital strategies that maximise their activation in sport.
Started by two ex-Mercedes F1 team employees in a Soho coffee shop last year, Fifty Digital now has 16 employees working with the likes of Mercedes-Benz, Epson, England Rugby’s Mike Brown, Puma and Ladbrokes Coral.
Nick Jackman and James Campbell, co-founders of the agency reflected on the factors behind being shortlisted for a BT Sport Industry Award during such an early stage of the business:
“Picking one factor is difficult so we would say bravery, creativity, innovation and teamwork. Bravery in refusing to use our company size or age as an excuse to deter us from competing with more established companies. Creativity in ensuring we deliver fresh, unique and engaging content to our clients. Innovation in progressing the content we offer clients to help differentiate them from their rivals. And most importantly, teamwork. We have a young, motivated and talented team who want to push the boundaries and have fun while doing so.
“In our view, social and digital are not mere add-ons, they’re a rights holders’ or athlete’s public face to the world so are a powerful medium with unlimited possibilities. While we love likes, shares and engagements, we get excited by uniting them with conversions. That’s how we feel a sponsorship delivers genuine value. That’s our challenge each time.”
We’re really excited to be shortlisted for the prestigious BT @SportIndustry Young Agency of the Year Award 2018!
Thanks to all our clients and everyone who has supported us so far, here’s to a massive year to come @FiftyDigital #BTSIA pic.twitter.com/SY1CIitLdF
— Fifty Digital (@FiftyDigital) February 12, 2018
“It was an amazing feeling and an endorsement of all the incredible work the team have been doing. In life there are always risks, but it’s hugely rewarding to have the chances we’ve taken validated with this nomination,” added the co-founders.
MATTA is the creative agency for nine major sporting national and international governing bodies, amongst an expanding roster of 15 sports-related clients. By applying the FMCG principles of brand-building and communication to the sport sector, MATTA has helped build the equity of brands through identity and advertising campaigns.
Gliding into the weekend after being shortlisted for Young Agency of the Year! #BTSIA @SportIndustry pic.twitter.com/0ORXbCF95R
— MATTA (@makeitmatta) February 9, 2018
“We create effective, strategically based advertising campaigns, brand identities and communication plans for sport and sport alone,” explained Matt Hunt, the agency’s strategy & brand director. “Uniquely, and somewhat unusually, the agency was commissioned to create campaigns for three different national women’s sport teams across three major global tournaments, all in the summer of 2017.
“Competitively winning two new major global accounts including the ATP World Tour has catapulted the agency to the next level in terms of scale and impact.”
ONWARDS is a nimble branding agency of just eight full time employees, helping organisations find focus, bring their stories to life and move forward with purpose through a lean, flexible and collaborative approach.
“As probably the smallest agency to be shortlisted in any category, we’re all hugely proud to be on the BT Sport Industry Awards shortlist,” said co-founder Graeme Cook. “It’s been an epic year for Onwards – growing our team, working with loads of awesome clients, delivering undoubtedly our best work ever and having loads of fun in the process – moving the studio to Lisbon for a week was a definite highlight!”
We’re thrilled to be on the official shortlist for Young Agency of the Year at the BT Sport @SportIndustry Awards 2018. They’re the most prestigious awards in the sports industry, so it’s awesome to be recognised for our work with @wattbike @brentfordfc @fiit & more #BTSIA pic.twitter.com/ONngUQGIDi
— Onwards (@onwardsagency) February 8, 2018
“Being shortlisted is a real honour,” concluded Cook. “It’s always great to see our work recognised, but more importantly it vindicates our belief that in today’s world being small, nimble and agile is the best way to deliver world-class branding.”
In just three years, TWELFTHMAN has evolved into a 30-strong, full-service creative agency, working with a diverse portfolio of clients across a range of sports – from rights owners, competitions and federations to sponsors, clubs and fans.
“It’s the range and scope of what we do,” said founding partner Scott Ryder, when asked what the agency’s point of difference was. “We are brand, we are publishers, we are product developers. We’re more than just a brand agency. Having all these disciplines under one roof gives us unique insights into the sport industry.”
TwelfthMan are proud to be shortlisted in the Young Agency of the Year category, for the @SportIndustry Awards 2018. All thanks to our amazing team at TwelfthMan #BTSIA pic.twitter.com/uPF0EaN5f6
— Twelfth//.an (@WeAreTwelfthMan) February 8, 2018
“We also really think our team spirit makes a difference,” added Ryder. “We don’t just deliver a project for our clients – we become a part of the team. We believe this is the why we’ve been able to build trusted, long-term relationships with so many of them.”
WEAREFEARLESS, who along with MATTA are on the Young Agency of the Year shortlist for the second-consecutive year, was launched in February 2015 with zero clients but a new vision – to inspire a braver and more effective sports and entertainment marketing industry.
The agency is now more than 20-strong, led by founder Garry Dods, who explained: “This has been a defining year for WeAreFearless across all our clients but in particular the successful roll out of Bridgestone’s integrated Olympic campaign across six European markets from just one pilot in Spain – all before our third birthday!”
Wow thanks @SportIndustry for our Best Young Agency nomination and Best International Campaign for Bridgestone Europe. V proud & grateful for the brave clients and team we have #BTSIA #Fearless pic.twitter.com/AkM1j0qHoZ
— Garry Dods (@GarryDo) February 9, 2018
Dods concluded: “We’re absolutely thrilled to be recognised for this award because we’re a passionate bunch who really care about our work to deliver on our clients’ bold ambitions, and we are continually driven by our purpose to inspire fearlessness with each step we take.”
The Young Agency of the Year Award is open to any agency that has been operating for less than four years at the time of entry and a maximum of 35 full-time employees.
Check out the full shortlist for the BT Sport Industry Awards here.
The BT Sport Industry Awards are the largest commercial sports awards in the world, taking place at Battersea Evolution in London, on Thursday 26th April 2018.
Bringing together sports stars, celebrities, senior decision makers, influencers and global media, the industry’s most anticipated night of the year celebrates the very best work from across the sector. The famous trophies are awarded on-stage in front of a sell-out crowd of 1,700 guests at the star-studded event, held annually in London.
Tables for a variety of packages are still available to purchase here. For more information on the event click here, and follow @SportIndustry #BTSIA.
