Honouring those who set the bar for excellence in visual communications, Communicate magazine has announced its shortlisted entries for the Lens Awards 2025. This year’s selection promises an exciting and competitive evening celebrating the very best in creative innovation and storytelling.

The Lens Awards spotlights organisations that bring film and video to life through their communications strategies, celebrating the originality and flair that make them industry leaders. This carefully curated shortlist features companies using diverse formats – from animation and infographics to documentary-style videos – to stir emotion, deliver clarity and engage key audiences, from investors to prospective talent. In today’s landscape, video has become an indispensable tool for organisations to connect meaningfully with their audiences.

The 2025 programme spans multiple facets of the industry: business purpose, audience engagement, creative style, strategic innovation and sector-specific impact. Categories include ‘Best Use of Video as Part of an Integrated Campaign’ and ‘Best Live or Experiential Video’, highlighting the broad impact of video in modern communications.

A distinguished panel of judges, featuring experts from organisations like Microsoft and Buzzfeed UK, have meticulously reviewed each submission to the Lens Awards. This shortlist reflects only those companies and agencies truly setting new standards in video communications, narrative and production.

The awards ceremony will be a glittering affair, taking place on 5 February, 2025, at The Brewery, London. Don’t miss this opportunity to celebrate visual communication’s finest: secure your place by booking online or contacting Katie for more information. Both tables and individual tickets are available.

Here is the full shortlist of this year’s outstanding nominees:

BUSINESS OBJECTIVES OR AUDIENCE

Best Video Targeted to a General Stakeholder Audience
Conversation Over Borders and Bladonmore
dsm-firmenich and Brunswick
Silent Pool and NRG
Skipton Group and Brunswick

Best Video Targeted to the Internal Audience
Amazon and Gorilla Gorilla!
Arcadis and Tribe Culture Change
Barclays
BT and DRPG
Phoenix Group and Emperor

Best Video Targeted to the Investor Audience
Anglo American and Gorilla Gorilla!
Knight Frank and Bear Jam
Mubadala and Emperor
SoftBank Group and Bladonmore

Best Employer Brand Video
Adarma Security and NRG
Skipton Group and Brunswick
Unum and Rocking Horse Pictures

Best Use of Video to Aid CSR/ESG
Howden and Big Button
LNER and Chris Jackson Media
Standard Chartered and Brunswick
University of Warwick

Best Use of Video to Support EDI
CGI UK and LEAP Create
Kingfisher plc and Cavendish Consulting#
Lumo

STYLE AND CREATIVITY

Best Use of Video on Social Media
Embraer Commercial Aviation and Gravity Global
Hull Trains and CWA
M&G Investments and ITCH
Magic Light and NRG

Best Documentary Style Video
Amazon and Gorilla Gorilla!        
Conversation Over Borders and Bladonmore    
Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Deadline Digital
Natasha Allergy Research Foundation and CASA Creative Film      
Zurich Insurance PLC and VideoFrog    

Best Live or Experiential Video
EE Live and DRPG
GoCardless and Big Button

Best Animation
Embraer Commercial Aviation and Gravity Global
Rentokil and NRG
Worcestershire County Cricket Club and DRPG

Best Creative Execution
Dow and Emperor
dsm-firmenich and Brunswick
Silent Pool and NRG

Best Use or Promotion of Artificial Intelligence
Dow and Emperor
Osprey Charging Network Ltd and Bear Jam
SoftBank Group and Bladonmore

STRATEGY

Best Copy Style or Tone of Voice
Hull Trains and CWA
Ignis
RTW and SampsonMay
Skipton Group and Brunswick

Best Innovation
Dow and Emperor
CGI and Leap Create

Best Use of Video as Part of an Integrated Campaign
Embraer Commercial Aviation and Gravity Global
IFS and SourceCodeComms
M&G Investments and Gravity Global
SoftBank Group and Bladonmore
Southern Water and Cavendish Consulting

Best One-Off Video Campaign
GoCardless
Lumo

Best Long-Term Video Strategy
Arcadis and Tribe Culture Change
Embraer Commercial Aviation and Gravity Global

Best Creative Strategy
Bapco Energies and Interstate
Embraer Commercial Aviation and Gravity Global
Standard Chartered and Brunswick

SECTOR

Best Use of Video by a Charity, NGO or Not-For-Profit
Chris Jackson Media 
Conversation Over Borders and Bladonmore
Natasha Allergy Research Foundation and CASA Creative Film
Sign Health and NRG       

Best Use of Video from the Energy and Utilities Sector
Bapco Energies and Interstate
Cero Generation and Emperor
Hoegh Evi and Brandpie<

Best Use of Video from the Engineering, Mining and Manufacturing Sector

Anglo American and Brunswick
Anglo American and Gorilla Gorilla!
Embraer Commercial Aviation and Gravity Global

Best Use of Video from the Financial Services Sector
Flood Re and Cavendish Consulting
GoCardless
M&G Investments and ITCH
SoftBank Group and Bladonmore
Zurich Insurance PLC and VideoFrog

Best Use of Video from the Food and Beverage Sector
dsm-firmenich and Brunswick
Silent Pool and NRG

Best Use of Video from the Healthcare and Pharmaceutical Sector
Alexion and Edelman Spain
RTW and SampsonMay – Our purpose video
RTW and SampsonMay – Science Animation

Best Use of Video from the Professional Services Sector
Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) and Redactive
Unum and Rocking Horse Pictures

Best Use of Video from the Property, Construction and Facilities Management Sector
Housing Matters
Q Scaffolding and NRG

Best Use of Video from the Public Sector
Ministry of Justice 
Royal Air Force and Not Going to Uni and Content Marketing Pod

Best Use of Video from the Technology, Media and Telecommunications Sector IFS and SourceCodeComms
Ignis

Best Use of Video from the Transport and Logistics Sector
Amazon and Gorilla Gorilla!
Lumo
Osprey Charging Network Ltd and Bear Jam

There is no shortlist for ‘Video production company of year’ and ‘Video of the year.’ All shortlisted companies are eligible and the winners will be announced at the prestigious awards ceremony on 5 February 2025.