Newsworks holds first planning awards for newsbrands

Newsworks – the marketing body for the national newspaper industry – has announced its first ever planning awards to celebrate the UK’s planning talent in media agencies and beyond.

The free-to-enter scheme has been made appropriate for newsbrands in a multi-platform environment and in multi-media schedules, with the jury led by Unilever’s senior vice president Marc Mathieu.

The line-up also includes BT Retail’s head of media Graeme Adams, Marks & Spencer’s head of marketing communications planning Richard Smith and PHD Media’s head of planning David Wilding, amongst others.

The awards feature six categories, including Best Newspaper Campaign, Best Newsbrands Campaign, Best Topical Campaign, the Tablet Award, an Omnimedia Award and Best Use of Content. There will also be a separate Chair’s Award.

“The Newsworks Planning Awards are a welcome addition to the awards scene,” said Richard Morris, managing director at Vizeum UK and a juror.

“They will push us to think about newsbrands in their contemporary context and the role they play in effective media strategies. I recommend that agencies enter the awards and look forward to giving great planning the glory it deserves.”

Rufus Olins, chief executive of Newsworks – who will also sit on the jury alongside his client services and strategy director Venessa Clifford – added: “The winning papers will be a source of knowledge, inspiration and ideas. Newsbrands offer more than just information – they organise the world each day in a coherent way.

“These awards will celebrate newsbrands for their content and for the powerful advertising opportunities they offer.”

Details, entry forms and a full list of judges can be found at newsworks.org.uk/awards. The deadline for entries is 11 October 2013. An Awards celebration will take place on the evening of 28 November 2013 at the Groucho Club, London.