Activate: Internet Marketing Ireland

Irish Web Awards 2009: A Great Night.

Posted 12 Oct 2009 in Activate , Events | 2 Comments

Congrats to Count Me Out on winning the Best Social Media Campaign at the Irish Web Awards on Saturday night!  A worthwhile winner and great to see a smaller budget make such a big impact.  See the full list of winners here.

The evening itself was greatly enjoyed by myself and my client Joanne Grehan of LookWest.ie.  Compliments to Damien Mulley for organising it and Rick O Shea for presenting with such style.  The focus was on fun and informality.  The giant bags of all things ‘crispy’  (e.g. Wagon Wheels, Taytos, Chickadees, Onion Rings) and the t-shirts  thrown by Rick  into the audience caused much swapping and passing along.  I didn’t see any fights, but I can’t vouch for what went on behind me.

I can also reveal here that there was almost a Kanyeesque moment.  Sitting half way down the room, as the shortlist for the Best Practice website was announced, I spied a screen shot of what I thought was my brother’s website.  My brother however had texted me a few hours earlier asking if I fancied joining him for few bevvies.  So I thought that  we had a situation whereby he was shortlisted and didn’t know about it.  I wondered what would happen if  his website won.  Should I go up on stage and accept the award on his behalf?  I texted my brother “What is name of your cars website” (yes I know I am a bad sister for not remembering).  Before I got an answer CarsIreland.ie was announced as the winner.  I scanned the room and initially didn’t see any takers.  I steeled myself for walking right up there and making some excuse for my brother.  I looked around one last time for good measure and saw the rightful owner of the award making his way to the podium.  Stage invasion narrowly averted!  My brother says CarsIreland.ie were worthy winners of the award by the way, but he thinks an invasion of the stage would have been a great guerilla marketing campaign for his site.

I got the opportunity to meet loads of people with whom I’ve communicated via Twitter but never met.  Sabrina Dent, the offer of a meal,  bed and lift from station was geniune, I will get in touch.  Joe Scanlon amazingly remembered that I threatened a sulk if he didn’t make good on his promise to link to my blog.  It worked well and I’m wondering if sulking as part of my overall link-building strategy has legs to it. It was  lovely to meet Damien Mulley and I was very encouraged by his words about the LookWest campaign.  I also met @IDAIreland who very deservedly won the Best Government & Council Website category.

At some silly hour of the night I found myself heading home in a taxi with many packets of tayto stuffed inside my handbag.  The taxi driver was very appreciative of a late night snack.  I myself placed a packet of Chickadees beside my pillow.  You wouldn’t want to be overcome by hunger in the middle of the night.

Tags: Irish Web Awards 2009, linkedin