DADI Awards 2008

The Royal Armories played host on Friday 31 October to the second annual DADI Awards from The Drum magazine. A night of celebration for excellence in new media and the digital creative industries in the UK saw nominations from the likes of Leeds based MezzoFilms, fuse8, MadeByPi and England.

After a delicious three course meal, entertainment from Strictly Come Dancing star Tom Chambers opened the ceremony winning laughs through impressions of original pop sensation Cher and an audience membership tribute act for Take That including Yorkshire Forward™s very own Stuart McFarlane.

With eager anticipation the formalities followed to find out who would be crown DADI of each twenty six categories. Marketing Leeds voiced the heart for startup businesses in the digital creative industry in Leeds when expressing the delight of welcoming national companies into the city.

As the ceremonies progressed, a few commendations were received by outstanding nominations in several of the categories. Hopes were high for companies to take away recognition of the excellence they are pioneering. Winners of the categories included clients Versus Cancer and from company BJL for Best Not-For-Profit Website or Campaign. Matmi walked away with Best In-house Website or Campaign for ˜Ho Ho Ho Yellow Snow™. Leeds based MezzoFilms, the makers behind Leeds Media, missed out to digital company Fudge winning Best Use of Visual Design with a beautiful website for Kitty Cooper. In the crowded market of recruitment websites, McCann Erickson Communication House achieved Best Recruitment Website for their work with Aldi.

The time for Leeds came to regain the spotlight through recognition of company MadeByPi based in Roundhay, for Best Public Sector Website or Campaign with Make Your Mark Adult Instructor Recuitment. Pioneering search engine optimisers fuse8 continued for Best Use of Organic Search. New talent took to the stage, although not in person, with an appreciative audience cheering for Best Student of the Year going to Emma Duckworth (Salford University) for Bollington Arts Centre client work. The one that everyone wanted was Digital Agency of the Year. Stiff competition included Leeds based Swamp, Numiko, Code Computerlove and Curious Digital although it was previous winners Line who won for a third year running!

It was an evening of prestigious reputation that met high expectations, bringing together established alongside new, creative and strategic, links and connects within a fast growing industry that will no doubt dazzle many more onlookers in the future.

For more information on nominations or sponsorship for DADI Awards 2009 get in touch with Louise McFarlane at The Drum.

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