A year ago fiscal stimulus sounded mildly arousing, banks could be trusted and few people knew pigs could catch 'flu. But while there's little doubt that the world has changed dramatically in the 12 months since the cream of the North West's media and creative sectors gathered for the inaugural How-Do Awards, judging by the passion, enthusiasm, and zeal on display at last night's ceremony it's clear that the industry is most definitely up for the challenges that lie ahead.
With burly egos and sizeable rivalries cast aside for the evening, more than 550 movers and shakers from the North West's leading creative, digital, broadcast, print and PR industries converged on Manchester's Old Trafford stadium to reward the successes achieved in 2008.
Click here to see a short video of the prize winning performances on the night And a mere glance around the packed room was telling. Industry heavyweights from opposing worlds networked freely, met new faces, renewed old acquaintances and - quite possibly - generated new business leads. The sheer scale of the event was also apparent. At a time when others are being shelved, here was a ceremony that had built on the solid foundations laid last year and raised its profile yet further.
As the food, drink and conversation flowed, it was soon time to get down to the serious business of the night. First up was keynote speaker Peter Salmon, a man once described as the "father" of undercover television journalism by investigative reporter - and sometime TV ice skater - Donal Macintyre. As the first ever Director BBC North, it’ll be Salmon’s job to drag the London centric Corporation out of its traditional heartland when Peel's MediaCity development opens in two years time.
 Peter Salmon
Stirring words indeed. And there were more to come from the night’s second keynote speaker Mark Howe, the “UK face” of the world’s first $1bn brand Google. His commanding speech praised the North West for its “can-do attitude” and sense of community among businesses. He also pointed to the internet as a tool to help many through the recession and urged companies to follow Google’s lead and keep innovating to get ahead. [Hands up who’ll be trying out the Google Goggles now]
And so it came to the moment of truth and to what the night had been building to – the awards. Ably compered by former ITV and BBC stalwart Jim Hancock, there would be 12 in total, with a special category for the person deemed Personality of the Year.
IAS b2b Marketing was crowned Advertising/Media Agency of the Year in the first category of the night, beating a strong field that included last year’s joint winners ICE Marketing & Communications and Mediaedge:cia Manchester. It marked a real triumph for the agency which returned to its b2b roots in 2008 after the departure of founder Tim Hazelhurst and the loss of a major account.
Liverpool-based Uniform took the design consultancy award, thanks to its impressive turnover growth and ability to attract clients on an international scale, while fellow Scousers Mando Group was named Digital Agency of the Year. Founded by Matt Johnson, the agency saw pre-tax profit shoot up 50% in 2008 and boosted staff headcount to more than 40. Preston agency Motionlab was commended.
 Mark Howe
Stewart Maconie, Hunter Davies and hairy biker Dave Myers helped Cumbria Life to scoop Magazine of the Year, while the Telegraph Media Group, another to have benefitted from a restructure last year, won the media sales award. It was to be BBC Liverpool’s night in the media website category, defeating a line-up of eight other sites, although lancashiretelegraph.co.uk was commended for its breaking of news and engagement with readers.
Staff at the Stockport Express can at least have some cause for cheer after the title triumphed in the newspaper category, beating the Manchester Evening News in the process, while Crain’s received a special nod for its business coverage. And Liverpool was soon celebrating its fourth win of the night as the acquisitive Paver Smith emerged victorious from a very strong PR agency shortlist. Internationally orientated BDB was commended.
As the night ebbed towards conclusion, Smooth Radio smoothly did it to win the Radio Station award, and the Nine Lives/Channel 5 compelling documentary about Ronnie and Donny Galyon, the world’s oldest conjoined twins, won TV Programme of the Year. A Granada Reports special broadcast to mark the end of the Rhys Jones murder trial was also, quite rightly, commended.
And so that was almost it. With just one award to come, it had been a night of drunken joy for the winners, drunken disappointment for the losers, but above all, it had been a show of solidarity from a diverse industry intent on making it through the recession. And fittingly, the last word went to Paul Abbott, the scriptwriter of Shameless, Clocking Off and Cracker amongst others, and the man named Personality of the Year.
“You have to build with talent, not just bricks and mortar. The region has talent in spades and tonight has proved that. And that’s why the North will reclaim what was lost to London when MediaCity opens and together the region will become world-class.”
How-Do Awards 2009 - The categories, the short listed entrants and the winners
Advertising/media agency - sponsored by Business Link NorthwestThe winner was IAS b2b Marketing and the shortlist comprised: BJL Brilliant Media Gyro International IAS b2b Marketing ICE marketing & communications Mediaedge:cia Manchester TBWA\Manchester
Design consultancy – sponsored by APG Highlight printersThe winner was Uniform and the shortlist comprised: Cuckoo Design glorious creative MARK Studio The market creative consultants True North Uniform
Digital agency - sponsored by Bauer RadioThe winner was Mando and the shortlist comprised: Amaze Code Computerlove Fluid Creativity Mando Group Matmi Motionlab The Neighbourhood Rippleffect
Independent TV/radio production company - sponsored by the NWDAThe winner was Channel K and the shortlist comprised: All Out Productions Channel K Made in Manchester Productions Nine Lives Media Shine North Title Role Productions
Magazine - sponsored by Shipley SolicitorsThe winner was Cumbria Life and the shortlist comprised: All Together Now! Cumbria Life Lancashire Life Landlord & Buy-to-Let Magazine Media sales - sponsored by The HiveThe winner was Telegraph Media Group and the shortlist comprised: HBP Media Sales News International Telegraph Media Group Media website - sponsored by the Manchester Publicity Association The winner was BBC Liverpool and the shortlist comprised: BBC Liverpool City Talk 105 Lancashire Evening Post lancashiretelegraph.co.uk Manchester Evening News Planet Confidential Salfordonline TheBusinessDesk.com The Westmorland Gazette
Newspaper - sponsored by The Co-operative The winner was the Stockport Express and the shortlist comprised: Asian Lite Crain's Manchester Business Lancashire Evening Post Manchester Evening News Stockport Express
PR agency - sponsored by KMP The winner was Paver Smith and the shortlist comprised: BDB Citypress Fido IAS b2b Kenyon Fraser MC2 Paver Smith Tangerine The Write Angle Weber Shandwick North
Radio station - sponsored by Northwest Vision and MediaThe winner was Smooth Radio and the shortlist comprised: Key 103 107.6 Juice FM Rock FM Smooth Radio
TV programme - sponsored by Creative Manchester at Manchester Metropolitan University The winner was Conjoined Twins and the shortlist comprised: Conjoined twins/Nine Lives/Channel Five The Crimes That Shook Britain/The History Channel/Title Role Dragons' Den/BBC Frankenstein's Cat/Mackinnon & Saunders Inside Out Northwest Granada Reports/The Rhys Jones murder Personality - sponsored by TBWA\Manchester Paul Abbott
Drinks reception - sponsored by gorkana
How-Do Awards 2009 – the judges
Alice Morrison, chief executive Northwest Vision and Media. Alice started her career in journalism on an entertainment magazine in Dubai and subsequently helped launch BBC News24 before plumping for a change of career with a switch to a leading Lancashire ISP, prior to joining NWVM.
Alison Hastings, former editor and currently an adviser to various bodies including Camelot. Probably best-known currently as the BBC Trustee responsible for England. Edited the Newcastle Evening Chronicle from 1996 to 2002 before relocating to Liverpool. Former columnist on UK Press Gazette and can be frequently heard and seen as a media pundit on radio and TV. A member of the Society of Editors and an adviser to the Press Complaints Commission.
Anthony Taylor, former head of external communications at £2bn turnover Littlewoods Shop Direct and former head of media at the General Medical Council. Began his career at a PR agency in Manchester and subsequently worked in London and the Turks and Caicos Islands before moving back to his native North West.
Iain Bennett is the sector leader for digital and creative industries at the NWDA where he is responsible for strategy and development of Europe’s second largest cluster of creative and digital companies. He was previously a theatrical agent and subsequently a founder of a new media design agency. In 2002 he joined London Metropolitan University as managing director of its new media training company.
Jim Hancock, journalist, presenter and political commentator for over 30 years. He was Granada TV’s political correspondent from 1987 to 1994 and political editor of the BBC North West from 1998 to 2006. His columns can be seen in the Daily Post and the MEN. Has recently reappeared on Granada and can also be found chairing conferences for bodies such as the NWDA and the CBI.
Karen Gee, general manager of the Kuoni-owned travel company Journeys of Distinction. Was previously sales and marketing director at Shearings Leisure in Wigan. Since graduating in International Marketing, Karen has specialised in the travel and leisure industry, working for companies including Airtours, First Choice, Flying Colours, Universal Studios Florida and Sky Travel.
Martin Anderson, ad agency BDH's last chairman and one of the most prominent figures in the region’s advertising community over recent years. Spent most of his career at what was BDH (now TBWA) where he became creative director in 1978. Moved across to account management in 1988 and became MD in 1992 and chairman in 1996. Was chairman of IPA regions 1994 to 1996 and served on the IPA council in London for 15 years.
Mike Hackett is the managing director of Principles Agency, one of the largest independent ad agencies outside London. Mike joined Principles as an executive in 1988. Progressing through the ranks, he became the youngest person to be elected to the Principles board. Having been creative services director, he then spent a number of years as the agency’s commercial director. In 2006 he was appointed managing director. Leeds-based Principles has a turnover of c£24m.
Paul Newman, head of communications at MediaCityUK and previously in charge of Liverpool Culture Company's PR and public affairs team overseeing Liverpool ’08. Prior to promoting Liverpool as European Capital of Culture, Paul was director of communications at the Football Association in London. Prior to joining the FA, he spent 20 years as a broadcaster working for BBC News and Sky News, ITV in addition to covering the first Gulf War for TV-am.
Philip Graf CBE, former chief executive of Trinity Mirror and currently deputy chairman of Ofcom, a partner with the executive coaching firm Praesta Partners and a NED with Archant. Philip is also a trustee of the homeless charity Crisis. A Cambridge law graduate, Graf joined the Liverpool Daily Post and Echo in 1983 and became chief executive of what was then Trinity in 1993. Led the acquisition of the Mirror Group in 1999 and subsequently became the chief executive of the enlarged company. In 2003 he was asked by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to carry out a review of the BBC's online activities.
Sally Sykes left AstraZeneca to join DePuy as a board director in March but has recently moved back across the Pennines to take up a role as head of communications at the Health and Safety Executive in Bootle. Previous roles with Ciba-Geigy, Scottish & Newcastle, Littlewoods and Manchester Airport. Sally is on the national executive and board of the CIPR and was rated by “PR Week” in 2006 as one of the 50 most influential UK PR practitioners.
Shaun Fensom, chief executive of Manchester Digital and chairman of the Community Broadband Network. Has been working in the online industry since the 1980s in various roles and with a number of ISPs. He oversees the Big Chip Awards - the largest digital event outside London.
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