Communication Award finalists unveiled
As this year’s Business Challenge draws near to its conclusion we announce who is in with a chance of winning the Business Challenge 2008 Communication Award.
Presented by Twofour, this award was an exciting new category for the 2008 Business Challenge. The judges were looking for a company that had successfully used communication tools and platforms to communicate and work with its key audience. Having completed the shortlisting and site visit stages the following organisations (in alphabetical order) have been decided on as finalists:
- Cornwall Care
- Frugi
- Watergate Bay
Tim Jackman, Business Challenge judge and Director of Legal and Business Affairs at Twofour commented "At Twofour we use the power of TV and technology to help organizations manage and build their brands. With this new award we have been looking at the communication strategies businesses in the region are using to see how they are engaging with their clients and stakeholders to deliver key business messages. All of the shortlisted businesses, and particularly the finalists, have impressed us with their clarity of purpose, use of innovative techniques and excellence in delivery to help them achieve their goals. The real joy of the awards is to see such diversity in terms of size, sector and market and to realise how many fantastic businesses there are out there.”
Cornwall Care
Cornwall’s largest provider of care services, Cornwall Care, has developed a marketing strategy and communications plan that encompasses all elements of their business and pushes the boundaries and common perceptions of their sector.
As well as care homes, Cornwall Care delivers nursing care, domestic services, day care and support to carers. The key messages for all of their services run throughout their marketing communications and are particularly prominent on their newly designed website www.cornwallcare.com
Marketing & Communications Manager Ellie Allen said: “The care sector has an image and people have preconceived ideas about what care homes and services are. It has been our aim, through our communications strategy to challenge these perceptions and develop innovative methods of communication with our audience.
“Communication is key in our industry and our approach has always been to strive to stand out from the crowd and offer an alternative image of the sector, more fitting to what we deliver.”
Frugi
Frugi is an Organic, Fair Trade and ethical company that designs and manufactures clothing for babies, children and mothers. Based in a converted grain barn on the Helford River in Cornwall, Frugi currently employs a team of 10.
The business started in 2004 when mum of two, Lucy Jewson, struggled to find clothing that would fit over her first born’s cloth nappy bottom. Cloth nappies have been on the increase over the past few years with councils actively encouraging their use to try to divert disposables from entering landfill. However, cloth nappies are a little bulkier than disposables and Lucy’s idea has filled a niche in the market both in the UK and abroad. Since then the brand has expanded into a larger age range now spanning newborn – 6 years plus a range of breastfeeding wear.
Lucy says “a key thing for us is to only do what we know; as our children have grown we have expanded our range so that our clothing reflects a mum’s own wish list of how clothing for that age should be. Essentially a celebration of childhood rather than a mini version of adult wear, incredibly soft and with every comfort feature imaginable. We haven’t managed to invent self cleaning clothes yet, but at least ours wash and tumble brilliantly!”
Currently exporting to 31 countries, Frugi sell their clothing to boutiques (around 200 in the UK) and direct to consumers through their e-commerce site and mail order catalogue. They were recently awarded “Best Buy” in Ethical Consumer Magazine’s “Most Ethical Childrenswear Brand” Table, beating the likes of high street giants, Gap Organic, M&S Organic and H&M. That was just the start of this year’s award run as they achieved Business Innovation, Entrepreneur of the Year and overall Winner of Winner Awards at the Cornwall Business Awards in May.
Watergate Bay
Set on its own spectacular surfing beach on the North Cornwall coast, The Hotel & Extreme Academy, Watergate Bay is rapidly gaining a reputation as one of the ‘must visit’ coastal destinations in the UK. Laid-back living and great places to eat and drink mix with exhilarating beach sports, in a distillation of the best the country has to offer.
In 2005 the Watergate Bay Hotel merged with the Extreme Academy to create a unique beach lifestyle destination. Renamed The Hotel & Extreme Academy, Watergate Bay, the business today employs 90 full-time staff and a further 50 seasonal employees. Staying true to the original vision of creating a ‘ski resort on a beach’, the brand now offers guests the facilities to play sports on the beach; learn to surf, waveski, traction kite or kitesurf; eat at a selection of restaurants; sleep in contemporary beach house style accommodation; shop for the latest surf gear and accessories; or simply soak up the atmosphere.
Managing Director Will Ashworth says ‘We are delighted to be recognised for our marketing communications which we have worked hard to develop. Integral to our strategy has been the creation of our life style magazine ‘Another Place’, which has proved so successful in communicating our brand to our target market.’
Please note a media pack is available from Liz Morgan (details below).
For more information please contact:
Liz Morgan
Bond Pearce LLP
Tel: 0845 415 6625
Email: liz.morgan@bondpearce.com
