Howorth and Hitachi Data Systems wins ADMA award

Howorth continued to score accolades for its work on award-winning campaigns, with Hitachi Data Systems earning an award for effectiveness (technology section) at the Australian Direct Marketing Association’s (ADMA) awards ceremony last Friday.

Hitachi won for “The Great Information Glut” campaign, which was devised by Howorth to differentiate Hitachi from its competitors and raise its profile. The campaign developed an independent research report that found that one in three organisations across Australia and New Zealand were struggling to manage the excessive growth of digital information within their businesses. The media strategy included a series of 1:1 media interviews with Hitachi execs and third party spokespeople. Following this, Hitachi conducted direct marketing activities in order to further raise awareness of the “information glut” issue, targeting key existing and potential customers.

The ADMA awards recognise effective and creative direct marketing campaigns, which are judged on criteria including business objectives, results and innovative and strategic approach. In total, 154 entries were shortlisted this year.

Howorth works with Telstra Enterprise & Government for ‘best brand’ win at World Communications Awards

Howorth scored further award accolades last Wednesday, with Telstra Enterprise & Government taking out the 2010 Best Brand gong at the World Communications Awards ceremony in London.

The award recognises the more than two years of research and consultancy work for the ‘Telstra Productivity Indicator’, which is now an integrated program incorporating marketing, advertising, media relations and sales tools to provide productivity consultancy to Australia’s largest organisations.

Now in its 12^th year, the World Communications Awards recognises the best telecommunications companies across every sector. The best brand award recognises a carrier or service provider that has been the most effective in creating a compelling brand for its products or services in one or more branches of the media.

Howorth receives Highly Commended award for “Telstra Productivity Indicator” campaign

At last Monday night’s national PRIA Golden Target Awards in Darwin, Howorth received more recognition for its excellent public relations work.

This time, hot on the heels of the its Commended Award in PRIA’s New South Wales state awards, the Telstra Productivity Indicator campaign went one better and received a Highly Commended award in the Business-to-Business marketing category. This campaign, which was in its second year, reinforces Telstra’s Enterprise & Government position as a thought leader in technology, business and productivity. The campaign has successfully positioned the company as a trusted advisor, offering strategic advice, industry insights and world-class technology to enterprise and government.

This campaign has been Howorth’s most awarded, having previously scooped PRIA awards when first launched in early 2009, and going on to get international recognition.

Howorth receives Honourable Mention for Microsoft Windows 7 launch

Howorth has received an Honourable Mention at the 2010 Platinum PR Awards. The award is for Microsoft Australia Windows 7 Launch: “Windows 7 Was My Idea”, in the product launch category. Following the lukewarm response from business users, technology influencers and the general public in Australia toward Microsoft’s Windows Vista in 2006, Howorth was engaged in May 2009 to generate buzz and build excitement for the upcoming launch of Windows 7 in October 2009 in Australia. Howorth’s tactics included negotiating for Windows 7 Review Code to be cover mounted on five of Australia’s top ranking PC magazines to build buzz among technology influencers in the lead-up to launch.

The Platinum PR Awards provide PR professionals the opportunity to showcase their best communications initiatives of the year and salute outstanding performance by individuals. Presented by PR News, the highly competitive program honours the best PR campaigns and smartest communications initiatives of the year.

Congratulations to the team involved.

Major global award for Howorth & more nominations

Hot on the heels of the PRIA NSW award for the Telstra Productivity Indicator campaign, Howorth won the coveted worldwide WPP Public Relations WPPed Cream Crème de la Crème award, for the same campaign. According to Sir Martin Sorrell, CEO WPP: “Every year WPP companies succeed in producing the exceptional with greater and greater consistency: and that, to me, is the real test of professional excellence. The one-off masterpiece is to be welcomed and rewarded – but permanently high standards deserve our highest praise.”

Marcia Silverman, the public relations jury chairman, said: “The competition has grown tremendously as we enter the fourth year of the WPPED Cream awards. The entries, which came in from all over the world, were of the highest calibre of work. This year we had an astounding 28 submissions for consideration from more than ten different agencies in the Public Relations/Public Affairs categories of: business-to-business, consumer marketing, and corporate & public affairs. After careful consideration, I’m happy to announce that the PR Crème de la Crème winner for 2010 has been awarded to Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide/Howorth out of Sydney, Australia. Their superior efforts for the Telstra Corporation allowed their client to have a marked increase in sales while outperforming competitors. We all agreed that their efforts to innovate their clients reputation and business-to-business offerings merited this highest of distinctions.”

Given the competition for these awards, this is an outstanding achievement for Howorth.

And the news just gets better.

Yesterday, the shortlisted finalists for the PR Week awards Asia Pacific were announced, and Howorth is shortlisted for four awards. In total, Ogilvy Public Relations Australia has been shortlisted for 12 awards in 11 categories. The winners will be announced on Monday 22 November in Hong Kong.

The campaigns shortlisted are:

Category: Technology Campaign of the Year
Campaign: Citizen Mayors of Sydney Unite
Client: Microsoft Australia

Category: Best Use of Digital
Campaign: Citizen Mayors of Sydney Unite
Client: Microsoft Australia

Category: Business-to-Business Campaign of the Year
Campaign: TP12 Powerful PR addresses the productivity gap
Client: Telstra

Category: Product Brand Development Campaign of the Year
Campaign: Australia – Who do you think you really are?
Client: Ancestry.com.au

Finally, Howorth will discover on October 5 whether it has won an award at the 2010 Platinum PR Awards. The nomination is for Howorth’s Microsoft Australia Windows 7 Launch: “Windows 7 Was My Idea”, in the product category.

Telstra Productivity Indicator scoops another award for Howorth

Last night at the Public Relations Institute of Australia’s (PRIA) annual NSW State Awards for Excellence event, Howorth was the proud recipient of another award.

This time, we received a Highly Commended award in the Business-to-Business marketing category for the “Telstra Productivity Indicator” campaign, launched for the second consecutive year in February 2010. The goals of the campaign are to demonstrate Telstra Enterprise & Government as a leader in technology, business and productivity , as well as successfully position the company from a transactional leader to a trusted advisor offering strategic advice, industry insights and world-class technology to the C-Suite across public and private enterprises in Australia.

Highlighting how tough it is to win a PRIA Award, Howorth was the only winner in the Business-to-Business category. As a result of this award, the campaign is now in the running for PRIA’s Golden Target national awards, which will be unveiled at the national conference in Darwin on 25 October.

Congratulations team and fingers crossed for more recognition!

Howorth shortlisted for Platinum PR Award

Howorth has been shortlisted a finalist in the 2010 Platinum PR Awards. The nomination is for Howorth’s Microsoft Australia Windows 7 Launch: “Windows 7 Was My Idea”, in the product category. The Platinum PR Awards provide PR professionals the opportunity to showcase their best communications initiatives of the year and salute outstanding performance by individuals. Presented by PR News, the highly competitive program honours the best PR campaigns and smartest communications initiatives of the year. The award winners and honourable mentions will be announced at an awards luncheon on 5 October 2010 at the Grand Hyatt in New York City. For more information on the awards or to check out the details, click here.

Howorth achieved an honourable mention in the 2009 Platinum PR Awards for its Livewire campaign.

Howorth fills its ranks with new hires

We’re happy to announce the recent addition of eight new talented employees to support continued growth across our corporate, IT and consumer technology teams.

Le Tran, senior account manager who joined Howorth late last year,  took a whirlwind six week trip to Vietnam to do volunteer work at an orphanage. She rejoins the corporate/B2B team, bringing her experience of creating and executing award-winning thought leadership campaigns. Meanwhile, Simon Gomes  joined Howorth as an account manager, and works on Microsoft and PGi. From the UK, he has worked with a range of technology brands, including VeriSign, NetApp, Epson, Quantum and Buffalo Technology, boasting a wealth of experience dealing with technology and specialist media. He holds a Bachelor of Economic and Social Studies with Honours in Politics from Cardiff University.

Duncan Smith and Adam Clatworthy, both senior consultants, also arrived fresh from the UK. B2B PR specialist Duncan began his career at UK agency Bell Pottinger, where he focused on national and international corporate and digital campaigns for brands that included Nikon, Roche, Kimberly Clark and Johnson & Johnson. Meanwhile, Adam brings significant experience in IT and telecommunications to Howorth, having executed PR programs for D-Link, Nuance Communications, Trend Micro, VASCO and Claro Software during a four year stint at UK agency NSPR.

UTS alumni Dorea Lau and Erin Copping – both with track records in technology, business and not-for-profit sectors – have also stepped into the fold. Dorea and Erin can count client experience including Hewlett-Packard, Accenture, Motorola, Microsoft, Citrix, Toshiba and the Jane McGrath Foundation. This is Erin’s second spell with Howorth.

Recently graduated from Charles Sturt University, Anna Barnes has become a full-time account coordinator, having previously completed an internship last year. Anna currently provides support across all aspects of the Microsoft account. Meanwhile, Sophie Jones has joined the Howorth family as our office coordinator. Sophie comes from an event management background, and has the challenge of keeping the Howorth team on its toes and the office running smoothly.

Last but not least, Amanda Do and Tara Mills will also be joining us next week to fill two much needed account coordinator roles. Both have displayed fantastic initiative whilst completing internships at Howorth earlier in the year, and we look forward to their coming on board.

Welcome folks!

Socialising the enterprise: a chat with Ogilvy 360DI’s John Bell

John Bell, global managing director of Ogilvy 360 Digital Influence, visited Australia last week and spoke to BNET about the concept of socialising the enterprise.

John shares his thoughts with BNET’s Phil Dobbie on the opportunities and challenges that business leaders will likely encounter when devising and deploying social media strategies. He also explains the reasons why it’s important to make social media part of the corporate-wide strategy that promotes long term engagement.

Listen to the interview here:

Calling all Foursquare Mayors! World’s first ‘Office Mayor Meetup’

To launch Microsoft Office 2010 in Australia, Microsoft is hosting the world’s first ‘Office Mayor Meetup’ via Foursquare at Martin Place next Tuesday!

So come on down. For your chance to win a copy of Microsoft Office 2010:

• Be a Foursquare Mayor of your office, business, home or school (or wherever you do your work!)
• Show up at Martin Place Amphitheatre area and look for the Microsoft Office 2010 signs
• Check in on Foursquare at the Office 2010 Mayor Meetup
• Leave a message when you check in saying why you want to win a copy of Office 2010

So if you’re a Mayor of your workplace, mark your calendars (Outlook, of course) and head down next Tuesday for the Office Mayor Meetup at Martin Place! Join in on the fun and don’t forget to follow the hashtag #OfficeMayor

Look forward to seeing you there.

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