Maybe the economic downturn meant the event was slightly less raucous than previous years, but, if anything, this made it all the more enjoyable. The packed room celebrated long into the night as the awards were spread nicely around the major media owners and media agencies. Several after-parties around London ensured there were plenty of sore heads in media-land on Friday morning. Sales of Berocca apparently hit an all-time high on the streets of NOHO.
MediaCom was thrilled to wrest Agency of the Year away from two-in-a-row winners Carat and OMD UK in a close-run battle. It was a fitting way for Nick Lawson to bow out as he hands over the chief executive reins to Jane Ratcliffe and heads off for European pastures new elsewhere in WPP's GroupM empire.
Nick Bampton's Viacom Brand Solutions brought home the Sales Team of the Year prize in a hotly contested category against Guardian News & Media, Bauer Advertising, CBS Outdoor and JCDecaux.
Carat won the Grand Prix for its Adidas campaign; some consolation for losing out in Agency of the Year. Dave was Media Brand of the Year. There were also gongs for Starcom, GCap/Classic FM, Turner Media Innovations, Bauer Radio, ITV, IPC, News Group Media and Universal McCann. And Times Media's Juliet Kennard emerged from Media Week's rigorous 30under30 process to become a well-deserving winner of the Rising Star award in a very hot heat.
The Grosvenor House Hotel is full of people in dinner dress most nights of the year, but there is something genuinely special about the buzz of a Media Week Awards night and that can only be down to one thing - the people who attend. So thanks to all of you for making it a fantastic night and being such a great bunch of people!
Steve Barrett is editor of Media Week, steve.barrett@haymarket.com