the unawards 2025 - your guide to the big day

After a three-month build-up the UnAwards 2025 is almost here. Here’s your guide to the sold out big day…

by Darren Caveney

Now in their 10th year, there has never been a more important role for the UnAwards in saluting, recognising and celebrating the work of communicators across our industry. Most of you are working under tough conditions. Some of you are constantly adapting to smaller resources and increased demands amid a backdrop of restructures and constant change. And most are just busy delivering damned fine work.

The UnAwards is my own way of giving a little bit back to an industry which has been very good to me. I take huge pride and pleasure in being able to take a decent chunk of time out each year, away from the day-to-day consultancy work, to organise the UnAwards and to help fly a flag – in my own small way – for our communications community.

The big day

If you have managed to secure a ticket to the UnAwards 2025, thanks and well done – it’s a total sell out (please message me to join the waiting list if you want to be there)

Win or not you’re in for a great day where we can come together to celebrate your hard work across the year.

The UnAwards is my favourite work day of the year. It’s quite unlike any other industry event I’ve been to.

Not winning…

Of course, if you’re shortlisted but don’t win, you’ll be disappointed.

With a record-breaking 593 entries and 112 on the shortlist, across 22 categories, it’s stating the obvious in saying that not everyone can win. Some incredibly good work wasn’t shortlisted such was the volume of entries and sheer competition.

If you’ve been to a traditional awards event, paid handsomely for it, and left empty-handed it can feel like a massive anti-climax. I know, I have experienced that.

The UnAwards is different

The UnAwards aims to give everyone a fun day whatever the results.

The day is designed so that win or not you can genuinely enjoy a fun event and a unique opportunity to connect with industry colleagues new and old. That in itself is reason to be there.

Announcing the winners and snaps of the big day

I’ll be posting the winners names to the UnAwards website after the event.

We also have a photographer snapping and filming the event and I’ll get these online as soon as possible.

Timings, ceremony, film and food

The venue for the UnAwards 2025 is our spiritual home, the very cool Everyman Cinema up on the third floor of Birmingham's Mailbox, B1 1 RF.

If you are driving I recommend you park in the Mailbox car park – not the cheapest but nearest and best. Sat Nav code is B1 1RS.

If you are coming by train the Everyman Cinema in the Mailbox is a 10-12 minute walk – leave New Street Station via the Victoria Square exits and turn left. Cross the road carrying straight on at the lights and you’ll see the large red Mailbox buillding straight ahead of you.

If you’re coming along aim to be at the venue by 9.00am for registration, a mug of fresh coffee and a croissant. The UnAwards ceremony will begin at 9.45am sharp.

After the ceremony we’re watching a brilliant film, kept a closely-guarded secret until the day.

After the film we’ll have food in the diner – there’s a selection of veggie and non-veggie sharing plates to tuck into and be done by 3pm. I expect plenty of you may the stay behind for a pre-christmas celebratory tipple. And why not.

From 5pm many of us will be jumping in an Uber to 1000 Trades bar in Brum’s lovely Jewellery Quarter for drinks and food. It would be great if you can join us.

And the dress code is…

Whatever you fancy. Literally. This is NOT black tie, as you’ll have guessed 😊 But if you want to come in your fancy clobber then go for it. I will, as always, be showcasing velvet! Why don’t you join me.

Music to your ears - A Fusion Radio UnAwards takeover

Brand new for the UnAwards this year, we’re taking over Fusion Radio between 7am and 7pm - perfect for your trip to the big day.

Over 250 of you requested songs when you entered the UnAwards and ALL of them will be played on the station on UnAwards day.

Even better, if you win an UnAward, you’ll get a namecheck alongside your chosen track.

Search fusionradio.uk to listen to this fab station. Sounds different.

Fancy a pre-UnAwards social gathering?

You have snapped up almost all of the 30 places we have reserved at Brum’s favourite restaurant - The Indian Streatery. Tables are booked for 7.30pm. Put your name on the list HERE.

If you would like to be there too you could see if there are any tables free and come and join the fun. Their smoked aubergine curry is a thing of beauty. Just saying.

Giving back

Each year the UnAwards donates to an important charity.

This year it’s the Epilepsy Society, who have provided incredible support to a loved one over the past two years.

Epilepsy has a huge impact on the people affected, and around 80 people a week develop it in the UK, many in later life.

A small donation would make a real difference

 You can donate HERE.

Thank you

Saying thanks

Thanks so much for your support again this year, it means an awful lot. Everyone who entered, posted and supported.

Thanks to the panel of 35 external judges, who tackled an enormous challenge this year.

Special thanks too to the official UnAwards 2025 partners and sponsors: CAN Digital, the Local Government Association, Alive With Ideas, Orlo, e-shot, Perago, Letterbox Distribution, Whetstone Communications, Grey Fox Communications and Marketing, Seashell Communications, Ruby Bhattal Coaching and Consultancy, and the Behaviour Change Network. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – there would be no UnAwards without you.

I really look forward to seeing you on Friday 5 December

Darren Caveney is owner and creator of comms2point0, creative communicators and organiser of the UnAwards

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THE UNAWARDS 2024 ARE OPEN

The 9th annual UnAwards launch TODAY. They're the most exciting and accessible industry awards around. Now is not a time to quietly sit back and hope your organisation recognises and appreciates your efforts. Instead try and get yourself shortlisted for an UnAward to really put your work on the organisational map.

by Darren Caveney

Well, 2024 has been more of the same for communicators everywhere - stretched, busy, in demand, and with a general election thrown in for good measure. But still you have delivered brilliant and important work.

So, as summer turns to autumn, it’s time to launch the UnAwards and get you, your teams and the industry proudly entering and showcasing your best work. Now is not the time to let it pass and wait until next year.

The UnAwards are a huge passion of mine. They were established to recognise the hard work, creativity, successes of the communications and PR industry, largely but not exclusively by any means in the public sector.

They are truly accessible and do not run to generate a profit. They exist to celebrate and fly a flag for good people doing good things.

Something I think are now even more important than ever before.

WHAT DO I MEAN BY ACCESSIBLE?

Well, for starters it’s £free to enter

For seconds, it’s the simplest entry form you’ll find anywhere. This year again there is the fancy online entry form, courtesy of headline sponsors, CAN Digital. You can enter multiple categories with a single entry form too.

And for thirds, if you manage to bag a golden ticket to the most fun awards ceremony around it will cost you just £30.

I hope you’ll agree that definitely classes as accessible.

NEW TO THE UNAWARDS?

Well there's more here but in a nutshell they are the most accessible and innovative awards in our industry - free to enter, fun to attend and a celebration of our community's achievements.

There are 21 categories, so something for everyone, including this year an all-new behaviour change category sponsored by the Behaviour Change Network.

Even better you can enter the same piece of work in multiple categories to increase your chances of being shortlisted.

And if you come along to the big day – shortlisted or not – you’ll enjoy one of the very best networking events of the year

Oh and you get to watch a classic movie, which always remains a closely guarded secret until the day.

THE UNAWARDS IN NUMBERS…

• 9th annual UnAwards

• 450 entries last time

• 21  categories

• 3 public votes categories to decide winners

• 2k public votes last year

• 20+ external judges

• 275k visits to the comms2point0 website so far in 2024

• 140 attendees

THE UNAWARDS – THEY KEEP ON GIVING...

Each year the winners are invited to showcase their winning work at the popular UnAwards Winners Masterclass in the new year. Also free to attend. More on that another time.

HOW DO I ENTER AND WHAT IS THE DEADLINE?

The cool new online entry form can be found HERE.

And the closing date is 30 October at midnight. Please, please remember that the closing date is NEVER extended.

WHEN IS IT AND HOW CAN I ATTEND?

The 8th annual awards will be held at its iconic home - the Everyman Cinema in the Mailbox, Birmingham - on Friday 6 December at 9.30am for a 10am start.

Tickets cost just £30 + vat and will go on sale on 18 September. Please remember it’s always a sell out so don’t be slow to buy.

And there’s more…

There will be a pre-UnAwards social at the comms world’s favorite Brum restaurant, The Indian Streatery on 5 December. The food is delicious and I’ve agreed a £25 per head menu that you’ll love. If you’d like to join us you can register HERE.

So, ‘People of Comms’

How often have you heard the phrase – comms and PR people are bad at their own comms and PR?

That really shouldn’t be the case should it? Would you buy the services of a web agency who had a terrible web site?

So it’s time to kill that one off for good.

It's time to promote our successes – shout about them, if not quite from the rooftops then at least down the corridors of power. Let’s be proud and celebrate our achievements.

Other professions do, and some may deliver a hell of a lot less than you do.

So embrace this rallying call and book out some time in your diaries to pull together your entries and showcase your best work.

No one else will do this for you.

That other non-important work demand which can stifle – meetings, ad-hoc requests, multiple distractions and the “could you just…” passing trade won’t go away. Ever.

But you might have a rather nice UnAward-winning certificate hanging proudly on your office wall. So be a little selfish with your time for once.

Darren Caveney is creator and owner of both comms2point0 and the UnAwards and the owner of creative communicators ltd

IT'S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR: REFLECTIONS ON THE UNAWARDS17

The UnAwards17 ceremony was a chance to recognise excellence, celebrate success, connect with new faces and say hello to old friends.

by Darren Caveney

The UnAwards have become something of a pre-Christmas tradition with communications professionals from all across the UK converging on the event’s spiritual home, the Everyman Cinema in Birmingham.

Demand for tickets is always high and not everyone managed to bag a ticket this year. But the demand just adds to the special vibe experienced at Friday’s fourth annual UnAwards. What was pleasing to me was that half of the attendees had been to an UnAwards ceremony before. 10 people had even been to all four.

Each year I give the UnAwards a new theme and this year’s was perfectly reflected by all of the winners – being brave, doing it differently and swimming against the tide. Choosing a film for 140 people is always a bit tricky – not everyone would appreciate my ‘potential’ choices of Goodfellas, Rocky 3 or Pulp Fiction. Jerry Maguire was this year’s choice and definitely supported this year’s theme – and many of the audience seated in screen 3 hadn’t seen it.

Winning. Always be winning.

18 winners walked away happy that their work had emerged top against a huge volume of high quality competition. Those shortlisted and highly commended should be mighty proud of their achievements too. We’re a competitive bunch in our industry so those people will undoubtedly have been a bit disappointed not to have won. But they really shouldn’t. And if motivation were needed for the UAwards18 it’s that a couple of people shortlisted last year picked up wins this year, including a home-town win for Birmingham City Council.

The best thing of all about the UnAwards is the chance to spend some quality time with peers and to meet and connect with new contacts. A day out of the office, away from the daily pressures, to do this is really valuable. Is this work, some might ask? Hell, yes. In fact it’s my favourite work day of the year.

Here are some more thoughts and reflections now that the magic dust has settled…

South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue equalled Sheffield City Council’s feat from 2015 in picking up three wins. A fabulous achievement and against very stiff competition. You can see their rather brilliant campaign video here. Well done, team.

There was so little to separate the four shortlisted best comms pros, and that really is a title to be proud of. Well done to Ceri Lewis, Rebecca Beck and Albert Freeman and to the winner Melissa Thermidor.

Likewise the winners of best comms team, Enfield Council, who were nominated by someone else and encouraged to enter. A lesson there for sure.

The best low cost comms was the most popular category with 60 entries. A clear sign of the times. Impressive work couldn’t even make the final shortlist but that has to be good in terms of continuous improvement and the raising of bars.

Greater Manchester Police winning the best crisis/emergency comms category will have been celebrated my many. The very least the team there deserve.

It was good to see an increase in the number of entrants and winners from the NHS this year. I hope this continues next year.

And the important category of best ethical communications behaviour and diversity too saw a good increase versus last year’s numbers. Let’s push this even higher again next year.

Having two previous Lifetime Achievement UnAwards winners to hand over to this year’s winner Jill Walden was special. Winning a Lifetime Achievement UnAward guarantees an invite every year so I hope that Jill Walden can join us and do the same in 2018.

The Lifetime Achievement award saw two exceptional police communications leads who have each done so much for their sector over a significant period of time. I thought it was so appropriate that, given some of the terrible and tragic events of 2017, that it was two police communicators nominated this year. It’s almost unfair to call one a winner as both Jill and Amanda Coleman deserve our thanks and recognition.

Talking to colleagues from the emergency services at the event it’s clear that employers have a responsibility to safeguard the mental health of their staff which includes comms teams. Some do. Others from across all sectors? I’m not convinced. I’ve thought and said for a while that I don’t believe we do enough as an industry to provide sufficient support for wellbeing for comms people and teams and this is something which needs greater attention. Comms Unplugged – highly commended in the UnAwards – has wellbeing at its heart and that’s what made it special for those who attended. More on this in future posts.  

Saying thanks

Big thanks to Granicus for being the official UnAwards17 partner and to Alive With Ideas, Perago Wales, the Local Government Association, NUJ PRCC, SocialSignIn, Social Simulator and the Council Advertising Network for sponsoring. It’s a pleasure to work with you all. If anyone from the comms2point0 community would like me to introduce you to any of these fine folk please contact me.

Finally

Well done to the 70 on the shortlist and the highly commended entries.

And a big well done to the 18 winners.

You can see the full list of winners here.

Finally, finally, some metrics…

The dedicated website has received over 10k unique since this year’s UnAwards was launched.

And in the week of the #UnAwards17 187 contributors created a reach on 557k of Twitter.

I know, they are vanity metrics. But it’s ok to be a little bit vain occasionally?

Finally, finally, finally…

If you want to look for yourself in the official pics by Nigel Bishop here’s the link (thanks, Nigel) and here is a short film too.

So the UnAwards17 ends. One of my next tasks is to organise the Masterclass next year to showcase and learn from the winners. Shout if you’re interested in sponsoring this.

And talking of next year I’m already off and running with plenty of new ideas. And there is already a date…

SAVE THE DATE – The UnAwards18 will take place on Friday 7 December.

Darren Caveney is creator of comms2point0 and organiser of the UnAwards

pic by me