The cream of Ireland’s sponsorship talent will be letting their hair down in London tonight as the industry gathers for this year’s European Sponsorship Awards.

Ireland had a stunning level of success in the shortlist for the awards when they were published in December

Across 23 categories we have secured no fewer than 34 nominations across an impressively wide range of different brands, agencies and campaigns.

There are so many potential winners from the Sport for Business community and it promises to be a night to remember.

Competing against the very best of the best in Europe though means that even getting onto the shortlist is a major recognition in its own right.

Core Sponsorship and Teneo have been shortlisted for Agency of the Year (Single nation).

FRS recruitment – 70 minutes of home, the campaign they ran across GAAGo channels in the darkest days of no crowds in lockdown has been shortlisted in the Best Ethical response to Covid, Best use of Digital Channels and Best Newcomer categories.

SuperValu, Centra and the GAA’s Club Together campaign is also in the first of those.

Ireland has taken four of the six spots on the shortlist for best Media Sponsorship. Lifestyle Sports and Spin’s Summer Mash-Ups is joined by Zig and Zag do ESB Science Blast, Londis’ Sponsorship of Ireland’s Fittest Family and Electric Ireland and Pieta for Darkness Into Light.

Energia Get Ireland Growing and Children’s Reading in Ireland are on the list for Purpose Led Sponsorship outside of Sport while Ireland dominates the Sport subcategory with Guinness’ Never Settle Campaign, AIG’s Effort is Equal and Game-Changers from Electric Ireland in Northern Ireland all being shortlisted for their efforts on behalf of Women’s sport.

Bank of Ireland’s Never Stop Competing, FBD Insurance’s Support for Team Ireland, Indeed’s Talent Unleashed, Electric Ireland’s GAA Partnership and Vodafone’s with the British and Irish Lions are all up for the three different Sports Awards.

Energia, Indeed and Guinness have also secured shortlisting in the Best Use of PR category while AIG’s Show Your Skills, of which Sport for Business’ Rob Hartnett was one of the judges is up for the Best Use of User Generated Content.

Vodafone’s Team of Us, Energia’s Seachtain na Gaeilge and the VHI Women’s Mini-Marathon are among the six shortlisted campaigns for best Use of Virtual Experience.

Finally, Indeed, Immedis, Allianz and Aviva, all great partners of Sport for Business are dominant in the Best Use of talent category.

Sport for Business Perspective

It is an incredible haul of shortlisted campaigns, a real reflection of the talent we have here in Ireland and a source of real pride for those who have worked their way the hardest two years of their careers. We salute you and wish you the very best of luck this evening.