The 2013 International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC) European Solal Marketing Awards winners have been announced. A record-breaking 229 entries were received from shopping centers in 24 countries. 13 Gold Awards, 32 Silver Awards and a special ICSC Community Foundation Award were made.
The ICSC Solal Marketing Awards are the benchmark of the industry’s creative excellence, bringing together the best of shopping center marketing across Europe and South Africa, recognizing best practice and rewarding the most innovative and effective campaigns.
The program is the single most important marketing competition for Europe and, in 2009, South African shopping centers asked to get involved, as there were no such high quality Awards program in their region. By offering the awards annually, ICSC Europe gives shopping center marketers the opportunity to present their best work to industry peers.
ICSC Jury Co-Chair Jacques Sinke, Director of International Retail at MAB Development who is co-chair of the 2013 ICSC Solal Marketing Awards Committee along with Manuela Calhau, Marketing Director at Sonae Sierra said: “Entries into the awards program didn’t disappoint and this program continuously manages to achieve high participation, reflecting its strength and value to the industry. This year there was a 25% increase in the number of entries from 2012. Turkey alone increased its participation by 39%. South Africa, Portugal, Poland, Italy and Belgium also had many entries. First-time participation came from Croatia, Luxembourg and Ukraine.”
Awards in the traditional marketing fields of Public Relations, Advertising and Sales Promotion were highly sought after with dozens of entries each. Cause Related Marketing again was the most popular category, clearly underlining the ever-growing importance of excellent community relations and social sustainability. This year the New Media category received a lot of attention and for the first time, entries were divided into social media, emerging technology and integrated digital campaigns.
Sinke added: “In this respect, major changes in the marketing technology landscape emerge; mobile devices of all shapes and sizes and location-based services continue to grow and it is about how to use these new technologies to further enhance the powers of attraction.”
The jury includes retailers, developers and investors. All winners automatically qualify for entry into the internationally acknowledged ICSC VIVA 'Best of the Best' Awards that recognize excellence in global shopping center marketing. Centro Oberhausen, Germany, one of last years’ Solal gold winners, received the 'Best of the Best' Award for the best overall marketing project globally in 2012.
GOLD AWARD WINNERS
Gateway’s Material World/ VDJ Fashion Preview, Gateway Theatre of Shopping Durban, South Africa
CentrO Christmas Wonderland, CentrO, Oberhausen, Germany
Customer Satisfaction Survey Campaign, Strandtorget, Lillehammer, Norway
Flash Stores, Sierra Portugal SA Lisbon, Portugal
My Baum Schoolmate, CITYPARK, Graz, Austria
Pink Ribbon Campaign, Magasinet Drammen AS Drammen, Norway
Lifted Campaign, Cavendish Square Cape Town, South Africa
Art Arrived at Colombo, Centro Colombo, Lisbon, Portugal
Tour de France - Post-it WR, Galeries St Lambert, Liège, Belgium
The Giant Ice Slide, Canal Walk, Cape Town, South Africa
My Forum Entertainment Studio, Marmara Forum, Istanbul, Turkey
Only for Oslo Cityzens Oslo City, Oslo, Norway
Emporia Social Media for Grand Opening Emporia, Malmoe, Sweden
Source: Nicky Godding
