Propaganda and The Car People Win Gold at MCA Awards
Propaganda wins for a record fourth consecutive year
Propaganda has won the Gold Award for Marketing Strategy at the annual, national Management Consultancies Association (MCA) awards. The award was based on work conducted with The Car People, the Yorkshire-based car retailer, which saw brand awareness increase by 9% and turnover to over £100 million, an uplift of 43%. Propaganda fought off the likes of Accenture, KPMG and Ernst & Young to win its fourth gold award in the category in as many years, a record for the MCA. Propaganda is the only marketing and brand consultancy in the UK to be awarded accreditation of the MCA.
In 2005, Propaganda won for its work with leading consumer brand ghd, taking it to be the UK’s fastest growing private company. In 2006 Propaganda won two gold awards for innovation and marketing strategy for the work conducted with Spear & Jackson and the launch of its ‘Predator’ wood saw, which increased sales by 200%. And in 2007 the company won gold again for the success of its brand and marketing strategy with Huddersfield-based FMG Support. Most recently, Propaganda’s group business strategist, Kirsty Cowan won the marketing consultant of the year award, beating off competition from all over the UK, including representatives from Accenture, Delloite, and KPMG.
The latest award follows a successful programme of work over the past three years with The Car People. In a highly competitive market, The Car People approached Propaganda to develop a strategy that would provide real differential; one based on trust, a friendly approach and a long-term commitment to customers in an industry dominated by a tradition of aggression and delivering a sale at any cost.
Following a comprehensive consumer research programme to develop real insights into the market, Propaganda developed a proposition that was rolled out across multiple media channels including TV, press, web and radio, spreading the brand story and its associated benefits. Since the brand re-launch, The Car People has outperformed the market, growing its annual turnover by 43% to over £100 million. New customer visits increased by 22%, brand awareness increased by 9% and repeat sales from existing customers have grown to 25%. Industry ‘bible’ What Car? Magazine also ranked The Car People in second position for performance, up from ninth the previous year.
Jonathan Allbones, sales and marketing director, The Car People said:
“Winning this Gold MCA Award is great news for the team here and evidence of the incisive strategic and creative thinking that has gone on since we started working with Propaganda nearly three years ago.”
Mike Phillipson at Propaganda commented:
“To win for a fourth consecutive year on the back of three successful gold award wins is testament to the quality of the work that we deliver for clients, and most importantly the results that we generate for their businesses. Propaganda’s success is based on having people within the business that have the strategic and creative ability to consult at the highest level and working with clients like The Car People that have the courage and belief to let us help transform their brands.”
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