Over the past year there has been an evolution in the way brands utilise digital tools to optimise online user experience and interact with digital audiences. The entries were of an incredibly impressive calibre and measured across deliverables, social media, specific audiences, evaluation method and sector.

Winner of the prestigious Grand Prix award is University of Cambridge and Battenhall, for their campaign working to change existing stakeholder perceptions of the institution and attract more applications from UK Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities.

'Digital agency of year' was awarded to Rufus Leonard for its creativity and innovation when developing a gamified app for the WWF, which combined technology, storytelling and social sharing. The award for 'Digital in-house team of the year' went to The Church of England for is varied and consistent use of digital to amplify its messaging and connect with audiences through the pandemic.

Andrew Thomas, founder of the awards and publisher of Communicate magazine, says, “Digital has connected workforces, strengthened relationships with employees and kept citizens informed of crucial information amid a changing landscape. It is always so rewarding and illuminating to examine those setting the standard for excellence in strategic digital communications. Congratulations to all of this year’s very deserving winners!”

This year’s awards were held at the Park Plaza London Riverbank on 25 November.

The complete list of winners of the Digital Impact Awards 2021 is as follows:

Best corporate website
Gold – British Land and Investis Digital
Silver – Reckitt and Emperor
Bronze – Hausfeld and Living Group
Bronze – Wentworth Resources plc and three thirty studio
Highly Commended – DigiPlex and Silver
Highly Commended – Pearson and Investis Digital

Best use of mobile and/or corporate app
Gold - WWF UK with Rufus Leonard and Pocket App
Silver - Samsung and Edelman
Bronze - Philip Morris International and Play Retail
Bronze - ShapeUp4Life: Solutions4health

Best digital accessibility
Gold – Lloyds Banking Group and DRPG
Silver - Kainos and Organic

Best digital communication as part of an integrated campaign
Gold - Rinat Akhmetov Foundation
Silver - Popal and Elevate Digital
Bronze - Philip Morris International

Best corporate viral campaign
Silver - JTC

Best digital communications during Covid-19
Gold - Rinat Akhmetov Foundation
Silver - LNER
Silver - Xbox UK and Edelman
Bronze - Ancestry and 1000heads
Bronze - Child Poverty Action Group and Librios
Highly Commended - Accenture and Omobono
Highly Commended - Natures Menu and The Lucre Group

Best use of online video
Gold - MRS Digital
Silver - ENVEA and Next Rebel
Silver – The Church of England
Bronze - PRS and Next Rebel
Highly Commended - Philip Morris International

Best use of audio
Gold – The Church of England
Silver - Octopus Energy Limited and Audere Communications
Bronze - Natures Menu and The Lucre Group

Best digital rebrand
Gold - Hausfeld and Living Group
Silver - Mitsubishi Chemical Advanced Materials and Omobono
Bronze - Wentworth Resources plc and three thirty studio
Highly Commended - CPL Aromas and Battenhall

Best use of data
Gold - KFC and Automated Creative
Silver – State Street Global Advisors and Living Group
Bronze - Carolina Herrera and Seedtag

Best use of artificial intelligence
Gold - Jim Beam Peach and Automated Creative

Best use of augmented reality or virtual reality
Gold - Nestlé Purina and Zenith Media
Gold – The Church of England
Silver - Wella and 1000heads
Bronze - Random42 Scientific Communication

Best innovation
Gold - Tencent: PUBG Mobile and Ranieri Agency
Silver - Just Eat and Bridge
Bronze – Unily Universe
Bronze - Vakifbank and Papillon Istanbul
Highly Commended - DRPG
Highly Commended - Fidelity International and Vismedia

Best use of existing social media platforms: Small budget <£20k
Gold - Weetabix and Frank
Silver - Green Cola UK and OneFifty Consultancy
Silver - Jim Beam Peach and Automated Creative
Bronze – The University of Sheffield and Crunch Digital Media

Best use of existing social media platforms: Medium budget £20k-£75k
Gold - Specsavers and Tangerine Communications
Silver - Ancestry and 1000heads
Bronze – No.1 Millbrook and famille
Highly Commended - Aviva UK and Battenhall

Best use of existing social media platforms: Large budget £75k+
Gold – The Church of England
Silver - Aunt Bessie’s with Elvis and Zenith Media
Bronze - Tencent: PUBG Mobile and Ranieri Agency

Best community development
Gold - Atoti and Made by Giants
Gold - The North Face and 1000heads
Silver - Samsung and Edelman
Bronze - Quick Sigorta

Best intranet
Gold - Transport for London and WM Reply
Silver - Travers Smith
Bronze - SCC and Unily

Best digital employee communication
Gold - Nationwide Building Society and DRPG
Silver – The Church of England
Silver - Transport for London and WM Reply
Bronze - Philip Morris International
Highly Commended - LSEG and Bladonmore

Best online annual report
Gold - Centrica and Comprend
Silver - BT and Emperor
Silver - Legal & General and Superunion
Bronze - Coats and Emperor
Highly Commended – Anglo American and Investis Digital
Highly Commended - UK Power Networks and Instinctif Partners

Best use of digital to an investment audience
Gold - Ocado Group
Silver - CFA Institute and Living Group

Best online newsroom
Gold - DFS and PressArea
Silver - De Beers Jewellers and Epresspack

Best evaluation strategy
Gold - CFA Institute and Living Group

Best use of digital by a charity, NGO or NFP
Gold - WWF UK with Rufus Leonard and Pocket App
Silver - Macmillan Cancer Support and Zenith Media
Silver - Rinat Akhmetov Foundation
Bronze - Cybersmile and Organic
Bronze - Encephalitis Society
Highly Commended - Child Brain Injury Trust and 3 Sided Cube

Best use of digital from the education sector
Gold - University of Cambridge and Battenhall
Silver - Rinat Akhmetov Foundation
Silver – The University of Sheffield and Crunch Digital Media
Bronze - Mindful Education

Best use of digital from the energy and utilities sector
Gold - Yorkshire Water and CDS
Silver - Aggreko and Vismedia
Silver - OVO Energy and Sequel Group
Bronze - UK Power Networks and Instinctif Partners

Best use of digital from the engineering and manufacturing sector
Gold - Mitsubishi Chemicals Advanced Materials and Omobono
Gold - RS Components and Bridge
Silver - Worcester Bosch and DRPG
Bronze - ENVEA and Next Rebel

Best use of digital from the extraction (oil, gas and mining) sector
Gold – Anglo American and Investis Digital
Silver - Wentworth Resources plc and three thirty studio

Best use of digital from the financial services sector
Gold - Fidelity International and Vismedia
Silver - Direct Line Group and DRPG
Silver - Paxful and Verve Search
Bronze - Quick Sigorta

Best use of digital from FMCG sector
Gold - Weetabix and Frank
Silver - Green Cola UK and OneFifty Consultancy
Bronze - Aunt Bessie’s with Elvis and Zenith Media
Bronze - Philip Morris International and Play Retail

Best use of digital from the food and beverage sector
Gold - KFC and Automated Creative
Silver - Just Eat and Bridge
Bronze - 44 Foods and 44 Digital

Best use of digital from the healthcare and pharmaceutical sector
Gold - Diaverum and MerchantCantos
Silver - Durex PH and Automated Creative
Bronze - Clinigen and Omobono

Best use of digital from the industrial and basic materials sector
Gold - Mitsubishi Chemical Advanced Materials and Omobono

Best use of digital from the professional services sector
Gold - White & Case and Sequel Group
Silver - Accenture and Omobono
Bronze - Hausfeld and Living Group

Best use of digital from the property, construction and facilities management sector
Gold - OneDome
Silver - Willmott Dixon and Tribus Digital
Bronze - British Land and Investis Digital
Bronze - Countrywide and Three Whiskey

Best use of digital from the sports, travel, leisure and tourism sector
Gold - Rinat Akhmetov Foundation
Silver - Tencent: PUBG Mobile and Ranieri Agency
Bronze - Preferred Hotels & Resorts and Crafted
Highly Commended - W Series and Organic

Best use of digital from the retail sector
Gold - Specsavers and Tangerine Communications
Silver - Carolina Herrera and Seedtag
Silver - Dixa and Design by Structure

Best use of digital from the technology media and telecommunications sector
Gold - Kainos and Organic
Silver - Atoti and Made by Giants
Silver - iSAW and Unily
Bronze – DigiPlex and Silver

Best use of digital from the transport and logistics sector
Gold - Motability Operations Limited and Bray Leino
Silver - LNER

Digital in-house team of the year
The Church of England

Digital agency of the year
Rufus Leonard

Grand Prix
University of Cambridge and Battenhall