Interested in being part of the ESA Awards? To find out more about the sponsorship opportunities, please email opportunity@sponsorship.org to start a discussion.
ESA Excellence Awards – 2017 Winners
The winners of the award categories marked with an asterisk were entered into ESA Sponsorship of the Year – see details at the end of the shortlist **
Sector-focused awards
*Arts and Culture Sponsorship of the Year
– WINNER: Vodafone Comedy Festival
*B2B Sponsorship of the Year
– WINNER: Cadbury & Premier League Partnership
*Community Sponsorship of the Year
– HIGHLY COMMENDED: McDonald’s – 15 Years of Supporting Community Football
– WINNER: Wickes – Kits for Kids
*CSR Partnership of the Year
– WINNER: Electric Ireland’s ‘Darkness into Light’ Sponsorship
*Media Sponsorship of the Year
– WINNER: An Oykos Island Escape
*Sport Sponsorship of the Year < €1M
– HIGHLY COMMENDED: Skoda – Driven By Something Different
– WINNER: Wickes – Official Partner of the EFL
*Sport Sponsorship of the Year between €1M and €2M
– HIGHLY COMMENDED: Telenor Gold – SIM
– WINNER: #wimblewatch LIVE
*Sport Sponsorship of the Year > €2M
– WINNER: Vodafone Ireland : Irish Rugby #Team of Us
Discipline-focused awards
Agency of the Year (Pan-Europe)
– HIGHLY COMMENDED: WeAreFearless.
– WINNER: Nielsen Sports
Agency of the Year (Single Nation)
– HIGHLY COMMENDED: MKTG UK
– WINNER: Teneo PSG Sports (Formerly PSG Sponsorship)
Best Newcomer to Sponsorship
– HIGHLY COMMENDED: Cadbury & Premier League Partnership
– WINNER: Bridgestone ‘Chase Your Dream, No Matter What’ Olympic Sponsorship Activation in Europe
*Best Use of Branded Content in Sponsorship
– HIGHLY COMMENDED: Bridgestone ‘Chase Your Dream, No Matter What’ Olympic Sponsorship Activation in Europe
– WINNER: Ricoh Rugby Change Series
Best Use of Digital Channels in Sponsorship
– WINNER: TAG Heuer Pressure Test
Best Use of Employee Engagement in Sponsorship
– WINNER: HEINEKEN Race to the Tower
Best Use of Hospitality in Sponsorship
– WINNER: Mastercard – UEFA Champions League Final 2017
Best Use of Innovation in Sponsorship
– HIGHLY COMMENDED: NTT DATA, Official Patron of The Open Championship
– WINNER: DHL Innovation Experience – Discovering future-oriented solutions in Mixed Reality
Best Use of PR in Sponsorship
– HIGHLY COMMENDED: Mini National Team sponsored by Gjensidige
– WINNER Vodafone Ireland : Irish Rugby – Launch
Best Use of Social Media in Sponsorship
– HIGHLY COMMENDED: #wimblewatch LIVE
– WINNER: The Betsafe True Player Challenge
*Best Use of Talent in Sponsorship
– WINNER: Skoda – Driven By Something Different
Rights Holder of the Year
– WINNER: FNATIC
Special Categories
ESA Best of Europe BRONZE
– WINNER: Slovenia – SPORTO Awards (SPORTO Conference & Slovenian Marketing Association)
Laško x NK Maribor
ESA Best of Europe SILVER
– WINNER: Sweden – Gyllene Hjulet (Swedish Event & Sponsorship Awards)
SILVA sponsoring history’s greatest adventure
ESA Best of Europe GOLD
– WINNER: Norway – Sponsor og Eventforeningen (Sponsor and Event Award)
Telenor Gold SIM
ESA Sponsorship of the Year
– WINNER: Electric Ireland’s ‘Darkness into Light’ Sponsorship
***The ESA Sponsorship of the Year Award brings the winners of 10 eligible categories (see asterisk) together to be judged again by the expert panel of judges and one campaign that is regarded as the very best among these winners is crowned ‘ESA Sponsorship of the Year’.
ESA Excellence Awards – 2016 Winners
The winners of the #ESAawards categories marked with an asterisk were entered into the Sponsorship of the Year Award – see details at the end of the 2016 Winners list ***
Sector-focused awards
*Arts & Culture Sponsorship Award
– WINNER: Hilton Presents Udderbelly at London Southbank & Edinburgh Fringe Festival
*B2B Activation Award
– WINNER: Vodafone Ready Business Britain
*Community Sponsorship Award
– WINNER: The Lloyds Bank and Bank of Scotland Social Entrepreneurs Programme
*CSR Partnership Award
– HIGHLY COMMENDED: Electric Ireland’s ‘Darkness into Light’ Sponsorship
– WINNER: Scope – End the Awkward
*Live Music Sponsorship Award sponsored by CMU
– WINNER: O2 Academy Venue Sponsorship
*Mass Participation Sponsorship Award sponsored by Kru Talent
– WINNER: Prudential RideLondon 2016
*Media Sponsorship Award
– HIGHLY COMMENDED: Aunt Bessie’s and I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here!
– WINNER: Colgate Expert White Toothbrush Plus Whitening Pen and Britain’s Next Top Model
Rights Holder Award
– HIGHLY COMMENDED: AEG Europe – Three cities, three venues, three unique naming rights deals
– WINNER: Snowboxx Music Festival Sponsorship Acquisition
Sport Sponsorship Award < €750,000
– HIGHLY COMMENDED: Electric Ireland’s sponsorship of Team Ireland for the Rio Olympics #ThePowerWithin
– WINNER: Lidl’s Sponsorship of Ladies Gaelic Football
Sport Sponsorship Award between €750,000 and €2million
– WINNER: evian #wimblewatch Takes Centre Court in 2016
Sport Sponsorship Award > €2million sponsored by Sportcal
– HIGHLY COMMENDED: DHL Formula E Sponsorship
– HIGHLY COMMENDED: Mars #Believe
– WINNER: O2 ‘Wear the Rose’ for England Rugby
*Sport Sponsorship Award sponsored by Kru Live
– WINNER: Lidl’s Sponsorship of Ladies Gaelic Football
Discipline-focused awards
Best Newcomer to Sponsorship
– WINNER: Lidl’s Sponsorship of Ladies Gaelic Football
Best Use of Digital sponsored by The Bosco
– evian #wimblewatch Takes Centre Court in 2016
Employee Engagement Award
– HIGHLY COMMENDED: Lloyds Banking Group’s Principal Partnership of BBC Children in Need
– WINNER: McDonald’s EURO Cup 2016
Best Use of Hospitality Activation sponsored by Just Displays
– WINNER: DHL Hospitality at Rugby World Cup 2015
Best Use of Innovation in Sponsorship sponsored by Infinite360
– HIGHLY COMMENDED: DHL Formula E Sponsorship
– WINNER: Fitness First & Team GB – The Sport Profiler
Best Use of PR
– HIGHLY COMMENDED: Fiat Professional Tradesman Trials
– WINNER: Electric Ireland’s sponsorship of Team Ireland for the Rio Olympics #ThePowerWithin
Best Use of Social Media sponsored by Pictures Experience
– HIGHLY COMMENDED: Using Social Media as the lead channel for Nissan’s Rio 2016 Campaign
– WINNER: AIB Backing Club & County #TheToughest
*Best Use of Sponsorship across Multiple Markets
– HIGHLY COMMENDED: PepsiCo & UEFA Champions League
– WINNER: McDonald’s Player Escort Diaries
Special Categories
ESA Best Professional Development Programme
– WINNER: Optimising PRISM Talent
ESA Best of Europe Bronze Award
– WINNER: Croatia – SPORTO Awards (SPORTO Conference & Slovenian Marketing Association)
Allianz – The missing piece
ESA Best of Europe Silver Award
– WINNER: UK – UK Sponsorship Awards
O2 Wear the Rose
ESA Best of Europe Gold Award sponsored by SPORTO Magazine
– WINNER: Sweden – Gyllene Hjulet (Swedish Event & Sponsorship Awards)
McDonald’s – a little too proud sponsor
ESA Sponsorship of the Year Award
– WINNER: Lidl’s Sponsorship of Ladies Gaelic Football
***The ESA Sponsorship of the Year Award brings the winners of nine eligible categories (see asterisk) together to be judged again by the expert panel of judges and one campaign that is regarded as the very best among these winners is crowned ‘ESA Sponsorship of the Year’.
ESA Excellence Awards – 2015 Winners
The winners of the #ESAawards categories marked with an asterisk were entered into the Sponsorship of the Year Award – see details at the end of the 2015 Winners list ***
*Arts & Culture Sponsorship Award
Winner: KPN – Late Rembrandt exhibition campaign 2015
*B2B Activation Award sponsored by Gaudio Awards
Winner: Lloyds Bank & Bank of Scotland Social Entrepreneurs Programme
Best Use of Digital
Winner: Evian #wimblewatch; bringing a new spin to Wimbledon
Best Use of Hospitality Activation
Winner: McDonald’s – The FA Community Awards
Best Use of Insight
Winner: – Octagon The Passion Shift™
*Best Use of Integrated Marketing
Winner: Tennent’s Lager T in the Park
Best Use of PR sponsored by Sportcal
Winner: Electric Ireland GAA All-Ireland Minor Championships #ThisIsMajor
Best Use of Social Media sponsored by Pictures Experience
Highly Commended: Barclays Spirit of the Game Heroes
Winner: EE: The Wembley Cup
*CSR or Community Sponsorship Award sponsored by SPORTO Magazine
Winner: The FA Mars Just Play Programme
Employee Engagement Award
Winner: Dixons Carphone Race to the Stones
*Live Music Sponsorship or Activation Award sponsored by CMU
Highly Commended: Barclaycard presents British Summer Time Hyde Park
Winner: Tennent’s Lager T in the Park
*Mass Participation Sponsorship or Event Award sponsored by KruTalent International
Winner: Buxton Water #WithYouAlltheWay – London Marathon 2015 Sponsorship
*Media Sponsorship Award
Winner: Morrisons’ It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas
*Multi-National Award
Winner: Microsoft Lumia Music
Rights Holder Achievement Award
Winner: What Car Awards – Rewarding amazing sustainability in sponsorship
*Sport Sponsorship Award sponsored by VIP Sportstravel
Highly Commended: Electric Ireland GAA All-Ireland Minor Championships #ThisIsMajor
Winner: British Gas’ sponsorship of British Swimming
Best of Europe joint BRONZE:
Belgium – Belgian Sponsorship Awards (VAAV Communication)
Joint Winner: ING – Mons European Capital of Europe 2015
Germany – ISA (International Sponsoring Award) / FASPO (Fachverband für Sponsoring-Agenturen und Dienstleister)
Joint Winner: Mercedes-Benz – “Bereit wie nie” (ready as never before)
Best of Europe SILVER:
Serbia SPORTO Awards (SPORTO Conference & Slovenian Marketing Association)
Winner: Frikom Basket Project – Basketball
Best of Europe GOLD:
Sweden Gyllene Hjulet (Swedish Event & Sponsorship Awards)
Winner: Tele2 Sweden – A world class Arena
Sponsorship of the Year: ***
Winner: Buxton Water #WithYouAlltheWay – London Marathon 2015 Sponsorship
***The Sponsorship of the Year Award, new for 2015, brings the winners of nine eligible categories (see asterisk) together to be judged again by the expert panel of judges and one campaign that is regarded as the very best among these winners is crowned ‘Sponsorship of the Year’.
ESA Excellence Awards – 2014 Winners
ESA Professional Development Award
Winner: Fuse Sport + Entertainment
ESA Best of Europe
Gold: KPN – Olympic speed skating campaign 2014 (The Netherlands)
Silver: Liberty Insurance – GAA All Ireland Senior Hurling Championship (Ireland)
Bronze: AB Inbev Jupiler & Red Devils ‘We Are Ready’ World Cup campaign (Belgium)
Best Use of Public Relations
Winner: Jaguar – Keep Pushing
Best Use of Social Media
Highly Commended: McDonald’s FryFutbol
Winner: Heineken #ShareTheSofa
Business to Community
Special Commendation: 1% FairShare®
Winner: Cravendale: Do Something Marvellous for Sport Relief
Business to Community – Low Budget
Winner: An Post Cycle Series
Business to Consumer
Winner: AG BARR, Proud Soft Drink Supplier Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games
Business to Consumer – Low Budget
Winner: Electric Ireland GAA Minor Championships #ThisisMajor
Business to Consumer/Business – Media
Winner: Citroën #DrivenByBeauty
Business to Employee
Winner: McDonald’s EURO Cup 2014
Business to Youth
Winner: Kellogg’s Krave – The Quest for the Chocovore Idol
Multi-National Award
Winner: Heineken #ShareTheSofa
ESA Excellence Awards – 2013 Winners
ESA Best of Europe Award
For 2014 national sponsorship award winners across Europe (by invitation only)
Gold: Electric Ireland’s Sponsorship of Team Ireland in London Olympics 2012 (2013 The All Ireland Marketing Awards)
Silver: Hypo Alpe Adria – Basket of Services EuroBasket 2013 (2013 SPORTO Awards, Slovenia)
Bronze: Sky’s Sponsorship of the Great Britain Cycling Team (2013 UK Sponsorship Awards)
ESA Professional Development Award
Winner: MEC Access
Business to Business
Winner: Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open
Business to Community
Highly Commended: Aberdeen Asset Management Cowes Week
Winner: Genworth Putts4Charity
Business to Consumer
Winner: Liberty Insurance and the GAA
Business to Consumer – Low Budget
Highly Commended: Little Mix / Schwarzkopf LIVE Color XXL
Winner: SAP at Kieler Woche
Business to Consumer – Media
Highly Commended: Anchor and Food Glorious Food
Winner: Morrisons – Ant & Dec Bring Out The Talent
Business to Employee
Highly Commended: Prudential RideLondon
Winner: British Gas SwimsBritain
Social Media
Winner: RBS 6 Nations
Rights Holder Award
Winner: British Athletics and Sainsbury’s
Multi-National Award
Highly Commended: The Standard Chartered Trophy
Winner: McDonald’s EURO 2012 Player Escort Programme
ESA Excellence Awards – 2012 Winners
ESA Best of Europe Award
Bronze: SuperValu Proud Sponsors, Real Supporters of the GAA Football All Ireland Championship
Silver: DreamHack powered by TELIA
Gold: O2 Academy Sponsorship
ESA Professional Development Award
Winner: Synergy
Business to Business
Highly Commended: UPS and London 2012
Winner: Cisco London 2012 Games Partnership
Business to Community
Winner: Lloyds Olympic and Paralympic Games
Business to Consumer
Highly Commended: Emirates Air Line
Highly Commended: P & G’s “Thank you, Mum”
Winner: Mars – “Work, Rest, Play Your Part for England”
Business to Consumer – Low Budget
Winner: Birds Eye – The Great Food Journey
Business to Consumer – Media
Winner: Arla Foods – Cravendale and the Muppets
Business to Employee
Winner: A Personal Best for Lloyds Banking Group
Multi-National Campaign
Winner: MasterCard Disney Sponsorship
Rights Holder Award
Winner: Gaelic Athletic Association – Kellogg’s Cúl Camps
Social Media Activation
Highly Commended: O2 Academy Social Media Activations
Winner: Golden BMW
ESA Excellence Awards – 2011 Winners
Business to Business
Winner: Aviva Premiership Rugby
Highly Commended: NYSE Euronext European Champions Fantasy League
Business to Community
Winner: Barclays Cycle Hire
Business to Community – Low Budget
Winner: UniCredit Pass it on!
Business to Consumer
Winner: Telefónica Ireland Ltd – The O2 Dublin
Business to Consumer – Low Budget
Winner: Arla Foods – Kids Closer to Nature
Highly Commended: MAOAM meets SNO!ZONE
Business to Employee
Winner: The McDonald’s Cup
ESA Rights Holder Award
Winner: The Lawn Tennis Association
Highly Commended: ParalympicsGB
Multi-National
Winner: Compeed – ATP World Tour Sponsorship
Highly Commended: Alltech FEI World Equestrain Games 2010
ESA Excellence Awards – 2010 Winners
Business to Business
Winner: Philips and The National Theatre
Business to Community
Winner: British Gas Pools 4 Schools
Highly Commended: Barclays Ball Kids
Business to Community – Low Budget
Winner: The AEGON Breakfast Club
Business to Consumer
Winner: O2 Be The Difference / Irish Rugby
Highly Commended: Guinness Premiership: Season 2009-2010
Business to Consumer – Low Budget
Winners: O!Karte Riga Night Run and: Specsavers – An Eye for Expertise
Business to Employee
Winner: BT – The Difference is You
Multi-National
Winner: MasterCard UEFA Champions League Sponsorship
Highly Commended: Castrol 2010 FIFA World Cup
ESA Excellence Awards – 2009 Winners
Business to Business
Winner: DHL Football Delivered
Highly Commended: The Standard Chartered Great City Race
Business to Community
Winner: Nicotinell – Helping Football Fans Kick the Habit
Highly Commended: Turk Telekom – Schools & Beyond: For the Education of Turkey’s Young
Business to Consumer
Winner: Wrigley’s Extra – Extra 90+
Highly Commended: Coke Zero Presents: Wayne Rooney’s Street Striker and: PUMA Ocean Racing
Business to Employee
Winner: Heineken Internal Table Football Competition (HitFC)
Highly Commended: The McDonald’s Cup
International
Winner: PUMA Ocean Racing
Highly Commended: Vodafone Formula One and: Vodafone McLaren Mercedes Sponsorship 2009
ESA Excellence Awards – 2008 Winners
Business to Business
Winner: iShares Cup Extreme 40 Sailing Series 2008
Highly Commended: Accenture’s silver sponsorship of Skandia Team GBR
Business to Community
Winner: Turkcell – Snowdrops
Business to Consumer
Winner: Etihad Airways & The GAA Hurling All-Ireland Senior Championship
Highly Commended: Bank of Scotland totalART
Business to Employee
Winner: G4S 4teen
International
Winner: Castrol UEFA Euro2008™
Special Acknowledgement
KD Life Insurance: A child’s smile is the meaning of life!
ESA Excellence Awards – 2007 Winners
Business to Business
Winner: The Unilever Series at Tate Modern
Highly Commended: Silver Sponsorship of Skandia Team GB
Business to Community
Winner: BT Community Connections
Business to Consumer
Winner: AIB’s Banking on the Ryder Cup
Highly Commended: MTV Under The Radar
Business to Employee
Winner: Norwich Union Join Our Team
International
Winner: Allianz BMW ORACLE Racing Sponsorship
