LIDL continued a stellar year in the Northern Ireland grocery trade, walking away with the top prize of best marketing campaign at the annual Ulster Grocer Marketing Awards.
Winners were announced during the Grocers’ Ball, an annual gala evening at the Culloden Hotel to raise funds for grocers’ benevolent fund GroceryAid. This year’s event saw £44,345 raised for the charity.
Awards were distributed across eight categories and reflected the breadth of the local grocery sector, with other winners including the Henderson Group (green retailer of the year), Asda (best CSR initiative/charity partnership), Cloughbane Farm (best brand), Mash Direct (best food export marketing), Squeeze Wheatgrass (best artisan foods campaign) and White’s Oats (best new product launch/relaunch).
Hosting the evening was UTV presenter Paul Clark, while also presenting awards were Ulster Grocer publisher James Greer, Miss Northern Ireland Leanne McDowell and individual award sponsors.
“Entry numbers for the Ulster Grocer Marketing Awards continue to grow year on year,” said James Greer.
“Judges this year were impressed by the quality of entries from not just major retail chains but also independent shops and small, local producers.
“As the local agri-food sector continues to grow and receive recognition as a vital driver of the Northern Ireland economy, the Ulster Grocer Marketing Awards also reflect a return to confidence with businesses of all sizes willing to invest in marketing and brand building.”
The top accolade of best marketing campaign, sponsored by digital print services provider McGowans, went to Lidl, recognised by judges for its succinct campaign objectives and integrated programme embracing diverse media.
