RAC Scoops Two Revolution New Media Awards

Revolution, the new media marketing magazine, announced the winners of its first new media awards in the latest edition of the magazine, and gave the best online advertising award to RAC Grand Prix Advertising (http://www.rac.co.uk/).

Produced for the RAC’s group communications manager Peter Hawtin by CHBi, the campaign was described by Revolution as ‘simplicity itself, and all the more effective for it.’ The judges gave the award for best online advertising on the basis that it was the most effective in reaching the desired target audience and in generating the necessary response or awareness. The RAC created a new corporate identity in April last year and faced the task of relaunching itself successfully. The website formed an integral part of this relaunch.

Banner ads for the site were placed on sites such as Top Gear, The Times and Yell and offered the chance to win tickets to the British Grand Prix. This resulted in an inital 50% increase in traffic on the site which rested at 34% higher than it had been prior to the campaign. On-site subscriptions to the RAC trebled during the promotion. 70% of visitors to the site were non-RAC members.

The RAC site also clinched another award by being commended for best use of new media in an integrated marketing campaign. The judges believed that the RAC website showed evidence of how the use of new media enhanced and strengthened the overall campaign. The site was praised for delivering services which are of ‘genuine use’ to visitors such as the real-time traffic report and the accommodation planner.

Other awards were given as follows:

Best use of intranet or extranet was awarded to Norwich Union for the closed network service for independent financial advisors (IFAs) with whom Norwich Union works very closely. The site was produced and designed inhouse.

The award for best use of new media for consumer marketing was given to the Mini website (http://www.mini.co.uk) which was handled by Ammirati Puris Lintas. The site was seen to enhance brand value and identity and also allows users to ‘construct’ the mini of their dreams.