19 June 2009

Big winners at the Big Chip awards

Winners Recognised for Digital Excellence at Region’s Top Digital Awards

A host of the hottest North West digital companies took the plaudits at the 2009 Big Chip Awards, the North West’s annual awards for digital excellence.

Winners were announced at a glittering awards ceremony last night at The Palace Hotel in Manchester, hosted for the second time by broadcaster Terry Christian.

The ceremony was rounded off in style by comedian, actor and musician Bill Bailey, who took to the stage for a 15-minute ‘mini-gig’ following his tour at the Palace Theatre.

Organised by Manchester Digital, the trade association for the region’s digital sector, and backed by media partners Insider and New Media Age, the awards attracted a record number of entries with 226 in total from 134 companies – and a shortlist of 55 entries.

The big winners of the night were Manchester’s LOVE, Who scooped 4 awards and Liverpool’s New Concept Gaming Limited who took home three awards. LOVE won Best Digital Marketing Campaign for Doctor Martens, Best Use of Visual Design for its LOVE website,  the Big Chip New Media Agency Award and the Tasty Website award. 

New Concept Gaming’s jOG  - an in-game motion-sensing controller - won Best Application of Technology, Big Chip International Award for Innovation and the overall Grand Prix Prize.

Lightbox Education from Cheadle, Cheshire took two awards for Best E-Learning Project for Licence to Cook as well as Best Public Sector Project and AHD MI took the Best Use of Animation for their ahd 168 animated robot film.

Liverpool’s Mando Group scooped best Public Sector Project for Liverpool Biennial 2008 and a commendation went to stardotstar for hearmanchester.com. The company was also commended for the same project in the Best Use of Visual Design.

The Game of the North Award was snapped up by Runcorn’s Evolution Studios for ‘Motorstorm: Pacific Rift’, and a commendation went to Connect2Media for ‘Guitar Hero Backstage Pass.’

Flashtemple’s Matt Booth was crowned Best Freelancer/Micro Enterprise in the North West for the second year running. 

As a special tribute to the late Tony Wilson, a former much-loved compere of the awards, Sue Woodward, of the Sharp Project, and former ITV Granada boss was invited to judge a special award in his name and presented the Anthony Wilson Original Modern Award to AHD MI for their ahd168 animated robot film.

The panel of nine judges, chaired by Michael Nutley, editor of New Media Age magazine, and including Alasdair Rawsthorne of Manchester University, Alasdair Scott of The Bright Place and Matt Locke commissioning editor at Channel 4, had the tough job of selecting the winners.

Sponsors of this year’s event were Arts Council England, Business Link Northwest, Creative Manchester, Manchester Digital, Marketing Manchester, Melbourne, MIDAS, Montpelier, NWDA, and Orchard.

Chairman of Manchester Digital, Shaun Fensom, said: “This year once again we had a record number of entries, and the judges were particularly impressed with the standard of the entries, higher this year than ever before. Big Chip is a fantastic showcase for the immense talent that we have within the digital sector in the North and North West.”

Mark Hughes, Executive Director of Economic Development at the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) said: “These are exciting times for the region’s digital and creative sector. Despite the current economic conditions the winners here are testimony to the ‘can do’ attitude of Northwest companies, who continue to produce an innovative range of products and services.

“By recognising and rewarding excellence, England’s Northwest is continuing to raise the bar, demonstrating its position as a global leader for the digital industry.”

Kath Martin, operations director at Montpelier Chartered Accountants, sponsors of the ‘Best Animation’ award, commented: “The Big Chip Awards play an important role in helping to identify and applaud companies that have excelled within the sector.  The North West is a leader in fostering the development and growth of the creative and digital industries, and we are confident that exciting times lie ahead.”

For more information on the event or on the winners and their winning projects and to read the judges’ comments visit www.bigchipawards.com

ENDS

The winners of this year’s Big Chip Awards are:

Best E-Business Project
Winner: TBWA\Manchester

Best Public Sector Project
Winner: Lightbox Education

Best Not For Profit Project
Winner: Mando Group

Best Digital Marketing Campaign
Winner: LOVE

Best E-Learning Project
Winner: Lightbox Education

Best Use of Visual Design
Winner: LOVE

Best Application of Technology
Winner: New Concept Gaming Limited

Best Use of Animation
Winner: ahd imaging / Ian Hogg

Best Use of Search
Winner: PushON

Big Green Chip Award
Winner: Melbourne

Best Established Freelancer/ Micro Enterprise
Winner: Flashtemple

Best On-line Brand Development
Winner: Code Computerlove

Best Newcomer (enterprise)
Winner: AdInsight Limited

Big Chip New Media Agency Award
Winner: LOVE

Game of the North
Winner: Evolution Studios

Big Chip International Award for Innovation
Winner: New Concept Gaming Limited

Tasty Website Award
Winner: Code Computerlove

Grand Prix
New Concept Gaming Limited

Anthony Wilson Original Modern Award            
AHD MI

-- Ends --

For further media information and images please contact Caty Cartwright, Andrew Spinoza or Richard Bond at SKV Communications on (0161) 838 7770 or email caty.cartwright@skvcommunications.co.uk

Note to Editors:

For more information on the Big Chip Awards visit www.bigchipawards.com

Big Chip Awards Entry Criteria

The Big Chip awards are for the North West. The competition is open to any organisation based in the North West. Projects, products or services entered for an award should have originated in the North West or most of the relevant work should have been carried out in the North West.

Organisations and individuals entered for awards should be based in the North West – this can include North West-based subsidiaries or divisions of larger organisations which have made a particular contribution to the North West digital sector.

The judges may rule that an entry does not have sufficient association with the North West, in which case their decision is final.

About Manchester Digital

Manchester Digital is the independent trade association for the thriving ICT and new media industries in the North West of England.

Its vision is simple: that the way to make Manchester and the North West an even better place for digital businesses is by working together.

A lively events programme offers members opportunities to learn and do business - from the flagship Big Chip Awards - celebrating the best from the region - through regular top quality seminars and evening events, to small self-help groups and networks offering practical help and advice.

Manchester Digital is a non-profit association, independent of the public sector, but well connected with policy makers and committees, where it promotes the sector's interests.