The two picked up the Grand Prix and two other category awards for a campaign that used data to attract businesses to the Tees Valley on the basis of the area's plentiful supply of water.
"The industry has historically focused on big brands and big agencies with big budgets as examples of best practice," said Alan Timothy, Rocket Science's chief scientist. "We've shown that's not necessarily the case.
It's about intelligence, not budget or brands."
The "Water" mail campaign triumphed in the public service and on-a-budget categories as well as landing the Grand Prix. The project cost just £52,000 and generated 13 serious leads.
Other entries shortlisted for the Grand Prix were: EuroDirect and PDSA (in the fundraising category); WDMP and The Carphone Warehouse (direct mail); Tri-Direct and Hiscox (financial) and HelpIt Systems (best new data software).
Twenty-one trophies were presented across categories extended to recognise suppliers for the first time. The supplier categories were: best list broker (won by Prospect Swetenhams); best list manager/owner (HLB); best new database project for a client (Marketing Databasics for Royal & SunAlliance); best new data software (HelpIT Systems), and best supplier of data and database marketing services (EuroDirect).
The multiple award-winners were Marketing Databasics and Royal & SunAlliance (which also picked up the business-to-business gong); EuroDirect (which also won the fundraising category); Broadsystem and Times Newspapers (entertainment/media and intelligent application of data in email); and Proximity London and Sainsbury's (FMCG and retail/home shopping).
"The passion for data really stood out in the winning entries, no more so than in the Grand Prix," said Rosemary Smith. chair of the judges, managing director of RSA Direct and vice-chair of the Direct Marketing Association (DMA). "The judges were unanimous in their praise of this campaign, which delivered fabulous results."
The awards were sponsored by Royal Mail and endorsed by the DMA.
See Case Study, page 22, and awards supplement, inside.
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