Congratulations to all our 2021 ESA Awards winners!

Sector-focused awards

Arts and Culture Sponsorship
– WINNER: Secret Sofa by Häagen-Dazs

Esports Sponsorship
– WINNER: BMW – United in Rivalry

Media Sponsorship
– WINNER: SuperValu Inspiring Cooking

Music Sponsorship
– WINNER: The Virgin Money Unity Arena: the world’s first socially distanced live music venue

Purpose-led Sponsorship: 2 sub-categories

Purpose-led Sponsorship – Cause
– HIGHLY COMMENDED: Energia Get Ireland Growing
– WINNER: Generali’s Community Sponsoring with The Human Safety Net

Purpose-led Sponsorship – Sport
– HIGHLY COMMENDED: 20×20: AIG, Investec, KPMG, Lidl & Three
– WINNER: INTERSPORT – NOT BAD FOR A GIRL

Sport Sponsorship sponsored by DataPOWA: 3 sub-categories

Sport Sponsorship < €1M sponsored by DataPOWA
– HIGHLY COMMENDED: Energia – The Power Behind Irish Rugby
– WINNER: Ramboll Stockholm half marathon

Sport Sponsorship €1M – €5M sponsored by DataPOWA
– WINNER: Carlsberg & Liverpool FC – ‘Champions’ Campaign

Sport Sponsorship > €5M sponsored by DataPOWA
– HIGHLY COMMENDED: O2 x England Rugby
– WINNER: NatWest Cricket

Discipline-focused awards

Best Employee Engagement
– HIGHLY COMMENDED: Ramboll Stockholm half marathon
– WINNER: FedEx – Official Sponsor of the UEFA Europa League

Best Newcomer
– WINNER: SUPERCELL x Paris Saint-Germain, an innovative new partnership

Best Use of Branded Content
– HIGHLY COMMENDED: An Post Insta Story Club with Image
– WINNER: O2 x England Rugby – RWC TVC

Best Use of Digital Channels (inc Social Media)
– HIGHLY COMMENDED: VIRGIN MONEY UNITY ARENA
– WINNER: Old El Paso #MessFreeChallenge

Best Use of Insights
-WINNER: Energia – The Power Behind Irish Rugby

Best Use of PR
– HIGHLY COMMENDED: INTERSPORT – NOT BAD FOR A GIRL
– WINNER: VIRGIN MONEY UNITY ARENA

Best Use of Talent
– HIGHLY COMMENDED: SuperValu Inspiring Cooking
– WINNER: Cadbury Win The Captain

Best Use of Virtual Experiences: 2 sub-categories

Best Use of Virtual Experiences – Fan Engagement
– HIGHLY COMMENDED: West Ham United’s ‘Best Seat in the House’ brought to you by Experience Kissimmee
– WINNER: Heineken and UEFA present the Opening Party powered by Defected

Best Use of Virtual Experiences – Participation
– HIGHLY COMMENDED: Vhi Virtual Women’s Mini Marathon
– WINNER: Secret Sofa by Häagen-Dazs

Special Categories 

Best Ethical Response to COVID-19: 2 sub-categories

Best Ethical Response to COVID-19 – Cause
– WINNER: Electric Ireland & Pieta – Sunrise Appeal

Best Ethical Response to COVID-19 – Sport
– WINNER: Wasserman x United Nations ‘Keep It Up’ Campaign

Rights Holder of the Year
– JOINT WINNER: Paris Saint-Germain Football Club
– JOINT WINNER: Transport for London

ESA Best of Europe sponsored by SPONSORIUM

– BRONZE WINNER: France – Sponsor of the Year 2020 (Sporsora
Jeep ELITE naming, French basketball championship

– SILVER WINNER: Ireland – All Ireland Marketing Awards (Marketing Institute of Ireland)
Team Of Us

– GOLD WINNER: Norway – Best Campagne (Sponsor og eventforeningen)
“Practice makes perfect” by Gjensidige

ESA Sponsorship of the Year
– WINNER: Old El Paso #MessFreeChallenge

See previous years’ winners here

2021 ESA Awards Shortlist

Sector-focused awards

Arts and Culture Sponsorship
– An Post Irish Book Awards
– BTHVN on Tour in the USA, Orchestrated by DHL
– Davy Sound – Davy & the National Concert Hall
– Secret Sofa by Häagen-Dazs

Esports Sponsorship
– BMW – United in Rivalry
– MotoGP eSport Championship (How to align Virtual and Real sponsorship with Oakley)
– SAFEIS 24 Hours of Le Mans Virtual

Media Sponsorship
– Amazon Prime and TfL
– Frank and Honest with Jen Zamparelli on 2fm
– Lidl sponsorship of Gogglebox Ireland
– Panadol Extra Homegrown Heroes with RTÉ
– SuperValu Inspiring Cooking
– Toyota Gazoo Racing

Music Sponsorship
– ‘Hotel Mama’ by Ethias
– O2 Academy: This is just an interval
– The Virgin Money Unity Arena: the world’s first socially distanced live music venue

Purpose-led Sponsorship: 2 sub-categories

Purpose-led Sponsorship  – Cause
– Energia Get Ireland Growing
– Generali’s Community Sponsoring with The Human Safety Net
– Scottish Ballet’s Safe to be Me supported by Aberdeen Standard Investments
– Volunteer it Yourself and Dulux and Travis Perkins

Purpose-led Sponsorship – Sport
– 20×20: AIG, Investec, KPMG, Lidl & Three
– AIG
– BT: 4-3-3
– Cadbury & Manchester United – Donate Your Words
– DHL Race to Rugby World Cup
– Electric Ireland Game Changers
– INTERSPORT – NOT BAD FOR A GIRL
– Parasport powered by Toyota

Sport Sponsorship sponsored by DataPOWA: 3 sub-categories

Sport Sponsorship < €1M sponsored by DataPOWA
– Düren fährt MAN / Düren drives MAN
– Energia – The Power Behind Irish Rugby
– INTERSPORT – NOT BAD FOR A GIRL
– Loch Lomond Whiskies – European Tour UK Swing (Be There In Spirit)
– Ramboll Stockholm half marathon
– The Innovation Hub – European Tour & Tata Communications Start-up Challenge
– Vodafone Front Row

Sport Sponsorship €1M – €5M sponsored by DataPOWA
– Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open 2020
– AIB #The Toughest – Sponsorship of Grassroots & Elite Gaelic Games
– Carlsberg & Liverpool FC – ‘Champions’ Campaign
– DHL Rugby World Cup 2019 #EpicMoments
– OBOS’ Mascots
– Purplebricks. The Official Estate Agent of Team GB.
– SAP Interactive Data Space – TSG Hoffenheim

Sport Sponsorship > €5M sponsored by DataPOWA
– Bridgestone Chase Your Dream No Matter What Campaign (2019 – 2020)
– BT: 4-3-3
– FedEx – Official Sponsor of the UEFA Europa League
– NatWest Cricket – Sport Sponsorship
– O2 x England Rugby
– Paris Saint-Germain x ALL Front Jersey Sponsorship
– This is for Them – AIG Life & the All Blacks

Discipline-focused awards

Best Employee Engagement
– Atea – The Danish National Team in Information Technology
– B-Well @ Home – Bridgestone B-Olympic
– BT: The 4-3-3 Squad & FA Playmaker Recruitment
– FedEx – Official Sponsor of the UEFA Europa League
– HJK and Bolt.Works partnership
– Ramboll Stockholm half marathon

Best Newcomer
– 2FM The Jen Zamparelli Show
– INTERSPORT – NOT BAD FOR A GIRL
– Secret Sofa by Häagen-Dazs
– SUPERCELL x Paris Saint-Germain, an innovative new partnership

Best Use of Branded Content
– AIB #The Toughest – Backing Club & County
– An Post Insta Story Club with Image
– Bridgestone Chase Your Dream No Matter What Campaign – New Ambassadors (2019 – 2020)
– End of Football – Xylem and Manchester City
– Father’s Day – Gillette
– O2 x England Rugby – RWC TVC
– SANTA RITA 120 AND ARSENAL FC
– Tata Communications #MotoGPConnect

Best Use of Digital Channels (inc Social Media)
– #15Love: 15 Ways to Experience the Next with Infosys and Roland-Garros
– AIG Show Your Skills
– Chelsea and Duracell’s pioneering short-term digital partnership
– DHL Backyard Mechanic
– OBOS’ Mascots
– Old El Paso #MessFreeChallenge
– Ramboll Stockholm half marathon
– VIRGIN MONEY UNITY ARENA

Best Use of Insights
– AIB The Toughest – Sponsorship of Grassroots & Elite Gaelic Games
– Energia – The Power Behind Irish Rugby
– Measuring Return on Sponsorship Investment (ROSI) for Kindred Group’s Existing & Future Partnership Portfolio

Best Use of PR
– 20×20: If She Can’t See it, She Can’t Be It
– INTERSPORT – NOT BAD FOR A GIRL
– Levi’s x Liverpool FC
– VIRGIN MONEY UNITY ARENA

Best Use of Talent
– Cadbury Win The Captain
– Old El Paso #MessFreeChallenge
– Santander and F2 Freestylers – The Numbers Game
– Secret Sofa by Häagen-Dazs
– SuperValu Inspiring Cooking
– Tackle Your Feelings

Best Use of Virtual Experiences: 2 sub-categories

Best Use of Virtual Experiences – Fan Engagement
– CrowdAmp
– Energia AIL Virtual Rugby Awards
– Heineken and UEFA present the Opening Party powered by Defected
– NatWest Cricket – A Summer Of Virtual Events
– NTT DATA and The Open for The Ages
– Royal Ascot At Home (Multiple Sponsors)
– The Symphony of Silence | Emotional Remix of the UEFA Europa League Anthem by Hankook Tire and David Garrett
– The Tottenham Hotspur Virtual Mascot Programme, presented by Kumho Tyre
– West Ham United’s ‘Best Seat in the House’ brought to you by Experience Kissimmee

Best Use of Virtual Experiences – Participation
– DHL Backyard Mechanic
– NN Running Day
– Parasport powered by Toyota
– Secret Sofa by Häagen-Dazs
– The One Million Run & Vaudoise Insurances
– Vhi Virtual Women’s Mini Marathon
– Virtual Baloise Belgium Tour

Special Categories 

Best Ethical Response to COVID-19: 2 sub-categories

Best Ethical Response to COVID-19 – Cause
– Scottish Ballet’s Dance Health supported by Baillie Gifford
– Electric Ireland & Pieta – Sunrise Appeal
– Guinness and ALONE
– NEC Group supports NHS by delivering NHS Nightingale Birmingham
– «OBOS Jubel (Jubel means cheering in Norwegian)
– Vaudoise Insurances & Qoqa: the DireQt project

Best Ethical Response to COVID-19 – Sport
– BT: We Connect For Good
– Levi’s x Liverpool FC
– Lucozade Sport – The Keep Us Moving Initiative
– Malcolm got a prize “G-Drive. The best player of March” by drone. Project FC “Zenit” and “G-Drive”
– Sport For Good Response Fund
– Wasserman x United Nations ‘Keep It Up’ Campaign

Rights Holder of the Year
– British Canoeing – Go Paddling This Summer
– Dorna Sports – MotoGP eSport Championship (How to align Virtual and Real sponsorship)
– Paris Saint-Germain Football Club
– Transport for London

Special Categories (announced at ceremony)

ESA Best of Europe sponsored by SPONSORIUM
– Bronze
– Silver
– Gold

ESA Sponsorship of the Year

See previous years’ winners here