Propaganda awarded silver by Creative Circle for Best Charity Commercial.

Leeds-based strategic and creative agency Propaganda has seen off major competition from the UK’s leading creatives to receive the silver Best Charity Commercial award from Creative Circle. The national creative awards body praised the agency’s emotional tribute to murdered teenager Sophie Lancaster, which was developed on behalf of the Sophie Lancaster Foundation.

Propaganda’s entry was evaluated by a rigorous voting panel and was short listed against London-based agencies BBH and WCRS. Established in 1940, Creative Circle is one of the most influential awards open to all creative bodies within the UK. Agencies such as Abbot Mead Vickers, M & C Saatchi and JWT London were just some of the prestigious national companies nominated this year.

Propaganda has worked with the Sophie Lancaster Foundation since it was established in 2007, and chose to create a tribute to the tragically murdered girl to educate people on the importance of tolerance, regardless of subculture. Working closely with French animator Fursey Teyssier and iconic British band Portishead, the haunting and thought provoking two-minute film, the brainchild of Propaganda’s creative director Mark Williams was created over several months and launched in November at a public screening in Manchester.

As a result of this win, The Sophie film will be entered into the Creative Circle annual, to be published later on this year.

Mark Williams, creative director at Propaganda, said: “This is a significant achievement for us, as we were up against some of the biggest players in the creative field. The Sophie film touched us all and it is amazing to be honoured for all of the hard work that went into creating something so memorable.”

The Film was launched to millions on MTV and has recorded close to 150,000 hits on YouTube to date