The marketing industry's annual big night out - which takes place on 9 June at the London Hilton on Park Lane - attracted sackfuls of entries. Just 64 papers, from 14 categories, have made it through to this penultimate stage.
Shortlist judges were looking for marketing excellence in particular. This year, they have the option to pick multiple award winners within a single category, as well as recognise the differing resources of big and small organisations.
An Ethical Marketing category has been introduced, recognising the fundamental changes many organisations are making to improve their social and environmental responsibility. There is also one for marketing campaigns using digital channels, and a special prize for the best example of leading-edge thinking applied to a business challenge.
Mobile-phone operator O2 has netted the highest number of shortlisted entries, with three, and there also nominations for Carphone Warehouse, Phones4U and BT, following a busy year in the telecoms sector.
A handful of companies have received two shortlisted entries, including Johnson & Johnson and Scottish Widows.
The Marketing Society Awards is one of the must-attend events of the year; and for those with the added bonus of a shortlisted entry, there will no doubt be an extra ripple of excitement. L
Nominees: The Marketing Society Awards 2008
- Arla Foods: Lactofree
- B&Q: Energy efficiency made easy at B&Q
- Barnardo's: Breaking from the past
- BBC: Launch of iPlayer
- BBC Radio 1: The bands + the DJs + the audience
- Beiersdorf: In touch with consumers
- Berry Bros & Rudd: Speyside's best-kept secret
- British Heart Foundation: Doubt kills
- BT: BT sauce
- Cabinet Office: NetworkEngage
- Cable & Wireless: A new approach
- Cadbury Trebor Bassett: Trident, the gum revolution
- Cadbury Trebor Bassett: Gorilla marketing
- Capital One Bank Europe: The Capital One identity theft
- Channel 4: Putting digital at the heart of marketing
- Danone: Activia - learning the language of function
- DCSF: Cyberbullying
- DCSF: RU thinking? Habbo Hotel
- DCLG: A sustained market-led approach to fire prevention
- Digital UK: Getting the nation set for digital
- Dyson: Getting hold of the hand-held market
- Encams: Dirty pig campaign
- Eurostar: Making a grand impact on a grand project
- Eurostar: Being green shouldn't cost the earth
- First Direct: Virtual forest
- GSK: Fight back with Beechams: the insight revolution
- Guardian News & Media: Guardian soulmates
- Halo Furnishings: Small can be beautiful
- ICI Paints: Dulux - from paint company to company of colour experts
- ICI Paints: Transforming business performance with fewer bigger brands
- Johnson & Johnson: Launch of Listerine Total Care
- Johnson & Johnson: Listerine UK growth
- Little Dish: Launch of Little Dish brand identity
- Littlewoods Shop Direct: Marketing helped Littlewoods' aspirations become a reality
- Lloyds TSB: For the journey
- Mars UK: Building a billion-dollar brand
- McCain Foods: It's all good
- Metropolitan Police Service: Using digital media to fight gun crime
- Michelin Lifestyle: Michelin automotive accessories in the UK
- Monarch Airlines: Most visible airline in natural search-engine results
- Npower: Brighten up Britain campaign
- Nutricia: The 'in practice' programme - supported by C+G
- O2: It's your O2, it's your staff's O2
- O2: Loyalty just got emotional
- O2: O2 corporate council
- Phones4U: Drive footfall and differentiate brand
- Procter & Gamble: Ariel turn to 30¡
- Procter & Gamble: Pampers UNICEF: helping protect babies together
- R+R Ice Cream: Making fab fun again
- Sainsbury's: How marketing helped make Sainsbury's great again
- Scottish Widows: We understand. We'd like to see if we can help
- Scottish Widows: See if we can help. Engaging Scottish Widows colleagues
- Silverjet: Promise helps Silverjet redefine flying
- Stockport Council: Winning healthy hearts and minds
- The Carphone Warehouse: Giving customers a better mobile life
- The Co-operative Bank: Shape law on climate change
- The Economist: Making The Economist a global must-read
- Prostate Cancer Research Foundation: Give a few bob
- Transport for London: Cabwise: creating a brand to help save lives
- UKTV: Dave - the home of witty banter
- Unilever: Axe - click
- Visit London: Totally London goes global
- Wesleyan Assurance Society: Launch of Wesleyan for lawyers
- Wesleyan Assurance Society:Internal marketing
The Marketing Society Awards Evening
The event will take place on Monday 9 June at the London Hilton, Park Lane. Tables are still available for The Marketing Society Awards for Excellence ceremony. To make a booking, contact Kate Collins on 020 8267 8188 or email kate.collins@haymarket.com. A booking form can be downloaded from