When you hear the word “awards,” your first thought might be the glamorous event, gala dinners and trophies – the moment the winner’s name is called, and they stride triumphantly to the stage. But here’s the truth: attending awards ceremonies is valuable even if you’re not walking away with the much-coveted trophy. Whether you’re a finalist, nominee, or simply a guest, awards nights offer a whole world of benefits.
At Don’t Panic we experience first hand why attending awards is important and why getting up on that stage is not what it is all about!
1. Networking Nirvana
You have ‘dressed to impress’ and you’re in a room filled with the best in your industry—leaders, influencers, and top-tier talent. It’s basically the Oscars of your career field and there is even a step and repeat photo opportunity. Attending an awards ceremony offers you a unique opportunity to mingle with the movers and shakers of your industry. Whether you’re having a casual chat over a glass of fizz or sharing the excitement of the awards ceremony, there’s something magical about the relaxed yet high-energy vibe of these events.
Networking at the drinks reception.
Connections made here can lead to collaborations,
partnerships, or new opportunities. The simple act of showing up puts you in
the right place to make some of the most meaningful contacts in your industry.
Let’s be real: many of the deals or partnerships that spark in digital happen
not in the boardroom, but at live events when everyone is in high spirits.
2. Showcase Your Brand—Without a Sales Pitch
Here’s the thing: an awards event is like a giant platform
for your personal or corporate brand, but without the pressure of a hard sell.
By attending, you’re associating yourself with excellence, innovation, and the
movers and shakers of your field. You’re positioning yourself as someone who
cares about the industry, staying connected, and being part of the bigger
picture.
Even if you’re not directly competing for an award, you are
there as a participant in the conversation, and it’s the perfect venue to share
what you and your team have been working on. Every conversation is a chance to
build awareness around your projects, goals, and vision. And because everyone’s
in a celebratory mood, it’s easier to talk shop without sounding like a digital
marketing obsessive or worse a sales person. Instead, you’re building authentic
connections.
3. Learning From the Best
Award nights are a masterclass in inspiration. Being in the room, you get to witness the brightest minds being recognised for their hard work and breakthrough ideas. Listening to their stories, struggles, and triumphs will give you insight into the trends and innovations that are shaping your industry. Think of it as a front-row seat to see what’s working, what’s next, and how others are thriving.
Even if you don’t win (this time), the exposure to top
talent in your sector can fuel you, and your teams, ambition and creativity.
These stories can be the push you need to explore new strategies, embrace bold
ideas, and aim higher for the next awards season.
4. Motivation for Your Team
Attending an awards ceremony is not just about personal glory—it’s about the team. Recognising the hard work, long hours, and dedication of your colleagues is essential for keeping morale high. Even if you don’t win, just being nominated can be a huge boost.
It’s also an opportunity to show your team that you value
their efforts. Taking them along to an awards night is a tangible way of
saying, “Hey, look what we’ve achieved together.” Plus, a night of
dressing up, celebrating, with some dancing thrown in is a great way to bond
outside the office walls.
5. Enjoy the Celebration!
Let’s not forget one of the most important reasons to attend: it’s fun! Awards ceremonies are full of energy, glamour, and excitement. From the suspense of waiting for the winners to the joy of watching colleagues and peers be recognised, these events are celebrations of success and creativity. It’s a chance to unwind, enjoy a fancy dinner, and soak up the good vibes.
And who doesn’t love an excuse to dress up and treat
themselves to a night out?
Final Thoughts
Sure, winning feels great. But attending awards isn’t just about the trophy—it’s about connecting with others, gaining inspiration, showcasing your brand, and motivating your team. Awards nights are about being part of something bigger than yourself and celebrating the collective success of your industry. Whether you win or not, you’ll leave with something valuable.
Award Season
has arrived, so the burning question is what to wear?
Dress to
Impress – a phrase that puts fear in us all is demystified by the Don’t Panic
Team.
As event organisers, we are uniquely placed to offer advice and guidance as you navigate through the season.
Dress to Impress! What does that even mean?
According to Google’s AI ‘dress to impress’ means semi-formal or cocktail attire! We don’t know about you, but that definition is as clear as mud! You can drink cocktails wearing anything you like!
Given Don’t Panic run awards throughout the year where we meet attendees with the same what to wear questions, here is our advice!
Comfortable
and Confident
Whatever you wear to an awards ceremony, make sure you feel comfortable and confident. Formal or semi-formal wear might not be your thing, so we recommend you do you for a special occasion.
Black Tie
and Cocktail Dress?
Yes,
absolutely wear black tie, or a wow dress! If you are celebrating and your aim
is to look mighty fine, then these options are not going to look out of place. At
every award we have ever delivered, and those we have attended, there are
always guests who opt for suits and black ties, and dresses of all colours,
shapes and lengths with accessories to match. It is all about personal
preference.
Jeans or
Trousers
This is a controversial subject. The reputation of jeans being casual (dare we say scruffy) is long gone and paired with the right shirt, blouse and or jacket can look impressive. If you feel happy to network, take to the stage and shake some moves on the dancefloor in your jeans then we say ‘why not?’
Shoes –
Flat, High or Trainers
If you are
attending an event with a drinks reception you are going to be on your feet for
an hour at least, chatting, networking and taking advantage of
photo-opportunities and there may not be seating available. Avoid shoes that
maybe a trip hazard, if you are at an awards event and win you will be taking
to the stage which inevitably means steps. From our experience most events will
include dancing so unless you want to go barefoot to the dancefloor bare this in
mind when making your choice. Our advice is to be comfortable whether that
means flats, heels, platforms or boots!
Work Wear
When life is busy you can find yourself going to an event straight from work with no time to change! If you are comfortable, then no worries you will always be welcome. However, if you are not comfortable in your work wear, then it will require some planning in advance! That might mean thinking about what you are wearing to work and how you can adapt it or dressing for your event and wowing your colleagues all day. Alternatively, ask your event organisers if there is space for you to change and freshen up at the venue.
Three Important Questions to Ask Yourself
What
Impression Do You Want to Make?
Your style
says everything about you and can help you spark a conversation, make a
business connection and attract opportunities.
How do
you want to look in the photographs from the night?
Events are
the perfect opportunity to promote your business and brand especially when it
comes to marketing during and after. Pictures of the event will be available
for you and your team to use and will inevitably be used for event promotion.
This is an opportunity to shine, your way.
What is
the Venue and What Time of Year is the Event?
Why does
this matter I hear you ask? Well, it appears to us that summer events have a
more casual air. If the weather is warm, you can see jackets cast aside and
let’s be honest more flesh on show. Equally if temperatures fall jackets become
a must and tights and long dresses make an appearance. In Summer events may
negotiate indoor and outdoor spaces, in Winter travelling to and from venues
will involve coats, scarves and umbrellas! So, as well as being comfortable, be
practical too.
Dress to
Impress?
Somewhere,
hidden in this statement is the answer to what to wear. We think it lies in who
you want to impress and that is a balance between you and your comfort zone and
the impression you want to make on fellow attendees.
Whether you
dress up, do smart-casual or just arrive looking relaxed if you are happy you
are going to have a great time, and that is what matters most.
If you’re starting your own business with little to no financial backing, you’re going to need a lot of creativity and some smart strategic planning. By using the resources. you have and digging deep into your skillset, you can successfully launch a business without sacrificing your financial security. And with these tips shared below by Don’t Panic Events, you can set yourself up for success.
Tap
into Your Network
The people in your life right now will be the people you’ll want to reach out to first. Family, friends, and even coworkers can provide you with tips, advice, and maybe some financial support once you’re ready to go. Beyond these folks, you can tap into your social media contacts from across the wide range of platforms currently available. And if you haven’t talked to someone in a long time, maybe now’s the best time to rekindle that connection. Your network is a powerful ally during the early stages of your business, so make the most of it.
Establish
a Robust Online Presence
Connecting people is easier than ever these days, which is why you need to start building your online presence right from the jump. You can kick things off with a professionally designed website that highlights and showcases all of the products and services you have to offer. Once your site is up and running, head to social media and start promoting your business. After all, connecting and engaging with your followers is easy to get them interested in what you’re selling. And last but not least, spend some time adding real, valuable content to your site. There are plenty of resources available to help make all of this possible.
Get
Familiar with SEO
Every small business owner with an online presence needs to learn all about search engine optimization (SEO). However, you’ll need to think beyond keyword stuffing — modern SEO is about optimizing your entire website so you can bring in more organic traffic. The best thing about SEO: you can learn this yourself. So, instead of paying someone a lot of money to optimize your site, spend a weekend diving into YouTube videos and online how-to tutorials. With everything you’ve learned, you can help your website rank higher in search results.
Exploring
Low-Investment Business Ideas
Naturally, there are many business ideas
better suited to those who are strapped for cash. For instance, if you’re an
animal lover at heart and don’t mind spending time with other people’s pets,
starting a pet-sitting business is an excellent low-cost option. Are you into
physical fitness? Do you have a love of sharing that knowledge with others?
Becoming a personal trainer not only allows you to pursue something you love,
but it’s also affordable to get started. Who knows? Your favorite hobby could
be the secret to a low-cost business startup.
Deliver
Exceptional Customer Service
There’s one thing that can turn people
away from your business quicker than anything else: bad customer service. That’s why
you always need to go above and beyond to ensure your customers are happy and satisfied
with the products and/or services you provide. If you make someone happy,
they’re more likely to return and recommend your business to others. At the
same time, if you skimp on customer service and leave them with a bad taste in
their mouths, people will spread that info around on social media as quickly as
they can. Besides, providing great customer service is easier than damage
control.
Maximize
Self-Sufficiency
When you’re starting a business with very
little cash, you really can’t afford to hire people to help you out. This means
you’ll be doing a lot of the heavy lifting yourself while you’re building and
growing your customer base. As mentioned about SEO, there are tons of online resources available that
can help small business owners gain a deeper, richer understanding of how
businesses operate. What’s more, these resources can teach budding
entrepreneurs how to handle things like taxes, budgets, business plans, and so
much more.
Is starting a business with very few resources difficult? Definitely! Starting any sort of business is difficult, but it can be more complicated when you’ve got very little money to work with. However, by using your personal network and taking steps to make your online presence a smashing success, you can overcome these financial challenges and rise to the top.
Experts when it comes to running and delivering awards, conferences, festivals and networking events the team at Don’t Panic deliver over 30 events a year, both live and virtual, across the world. We know what a great media partnership looks like and why the benefits are win/win.
What is Media Partnership?
A media partnership is a mutually beneficial collaboration
between an event organiser and a media organisation, such as a publication,
broadcaster, or online platform. The partnership aims to leverage the strengths
of both parties to achieve shared goals, typically involving the promotion and
coverage of an event.
Media Partnership is a great opportunity and economically viable proposition for businesses who want to raise their brand awareness and connect to new targeted audiences.
The Audience
When choosing to become a media partnership, it is important
to weigh up the audience that you want to target and how the partnership aligns
with your business goals.
Our primary audience are digital marketing agencies that are
looking to achieve industry recognition at one of our Award events. However,
our events are a celebration of good practice, and we also receive entries from
big brands with in-house teams, tech and software companies and eCommerce
businesses. With awards celebrating everything from company culture to search
and paid media our audience is guaranteed to be innovating and working at the
top of their industry.
Awards are a celebration of outstanding work and the people
that are behind the results. If you are looking to align your brand to the
reward and recognition of those working at the top of their field, those
setting new benchmarks in ways of working then Awards are an excellent
opportunity.
Who Are Don’t Panic and What is their Ethos
Don’t Panic have over 20 years of running events and awards across a multitude of digital marketing areas of expertise including business tech, content, search, paid media and company culture.
Award categories are carefully designed to reflect business
behaviours, trends and latest developments within the industry. Don’t Panic
Awards are accredited by the Independent Awards Standard Council, Awards
Standards Mark, and we are proud to have achieved Gold Standard on all our
Awards that are 2 years old or older.
Our exciting live events are always ‘a night to remember!’
Guests are welcomed with a drinks reception which is followed by a gala dinner.
Celebrity hosts introduce the award sponsors, partners and categories before
winners are announced to huge applause and a photographer snaps the action as
trophies are jubilantly received. The evening ends with entertainment and
dancing until close.
Live events are an opportunity for networking which is a huge part of the evening as entrants, sponsors and partners connect.
Mutual Promotion and Visibility
For a media partnership to work successfully both parties
have to be fully committed to promotion.
At Don’t Panic the earlier you become a media partner the
more coverage and opportunities are available.
As event organisers we are looking to give our partners:
Brand visibility and recognition through the event promotional materials (emails, website, social media and at a live event, onsite branding)
Opportunity to provide short and long-form content for emails and blogs for the relevant Award website.
Invitation to the event, to present an award and network directly with attendees.
In return we ask for:
Event exposure through the media partner’s channels (websites, email, social media and podcasts)
Opportunity to provide valuable short or long-form content appropriate to mutual audiences.
It is all about like-for-like marketing and a combination of strengths to create a win-win outcome.
Media Partners & Don’t Panic
We already work with some incredible media partners who
promote our events. You may have seen them at some of our live events and you
will have seen their logos and blog posts on our website.
Businesses across the UK and around the world are
experiencing the impact of the economic downturn and the first 5 months of the
year have, to put it bluntly, been a slog!
Both the UK and US face uncertain weeks and months ahead due
to elections, wider worldwide conflicts continue to dominate outcomes,
especially in eCommerce due to shipping routes and supply.
However, business continues! So, let’s talk about the
day-to-day obstacles we face and share some tips for riding out the challenges,
because from what we are reading the forecast for the future is bright (ish).
Day to Day Business Challenges
Common factors that affect our day to day are:
Budgets and limited resources
Client losses
Talent acquisition
Work-life balance and company culture
AI Good vs Evil?
Social Responsibility and Sustainability
Budgets and Limited Resources
Whatever business you are in and whether you are working in
an agency or an in-house team you will know that a big bang is expected from a
small buck right now. Resources for marketing, brand awareness, talent
acquisition and living are all limited.
Client acquisitions are difficult, and competition is
fierce! Making a win is crucial.
You know what though? If budgets and resources are limited
for you and your clients, they are limited for your competition and the clients
you want to win! You are not alone in the downturn. We know that is not a tip,
but it helps to recognise that what you are achieving on a tight budget is
still making an impact and that impact is relative. Where growth is crucial, in
a tough economic environment even small wins and profits are worth counting.
Don’t Panic Awards, which recognise outstanding work across
a plethora of disciplines, all ask the important question ‘What was your
budget?’ Why? Because our independent expert judges recognise that what you
achieve with a budget is as important as the outcome itself.
Client Losses
With clients looking for that big bang on a limited budget,
there are bound to be disappointments when it comes to outcomes and sadly
disappointment means clients will shop around for their next partnership and
agency. It is a fact of agency life!
If you can hand on heart, say, you did the very best you
could with the resources then, as the infamous break-up quote goes, “It’s not
you” it is their expectation!
Establishing relationships and open and honest communication
is the way to build a relationship that overcomes the highs and lows and
flourishes with longevity!
Continuing the needless route of love and relationships, if
you love someone let them go, it might be they come back to you in the long
term, especially given what we noted earlier… everyone is on a limited budget
right now.
Talent Acquisition
Finding the right talent for your business is not a new
challenge. The digital industry has reported that talent acquisition has been
problematic for several years.
When your checklist for talent includes fills a skills gap,
aligns with company values and affordability; and theirs includes: opportunity
for growth, commensurate wages and work life balance, there are a lot of
considerations to juggle, heightened when budgets are limited.
Is talent sharing an option, when you know an individual has
what you need, but they work for another agency? If it is good enough for the
Football leagues where ‘on loan’ is part of the journey to becoming top class,
surely it can be adopted more readily in business, especially in a world with
honour and NDAs.
Or more practically is a collaboration between agencies with
differing talents to deliver outcomes the answer. Alliances with your
competition is an option for delivering projects, campaigns and results.
Alliances are an opportunity to skill share and learn from one another a
win/win whilst you negotiate through the difficult economic climate and perhaps
a whole new way of approaching projects?
At Don’t Panic we believe part of the beauty of our Awards events are the opportunity to connect with like-minded companies and individuals and share best practise, whoever is setting the benchmark.
Work-Life Balance and Company Culture
Is work-life balance more important than salary? A Reuters study in January 2024 revealed workers prioritise work-life balance over pay when considering their next role and that future prospects, training and company culture played an important part in their decision-making.
In a study by Hays, employees shared their belief that work
life balance is not just about hours and flexible working but also about
supporting employees to develop and progress at a pace appropriate for the
individual.
Company and workplace culture is making the difference when
it comes to attracting the right talent and the right personal fit. Finding the
right person who demonstrates the skills and experience you are looking for,
but who are also a good cultural fit is not easy. When the job market is tight
the interview process is as much for the candidate’s benefit as yours.
Communicating your company culture, and not just saying but
proving it is vital. Social media channels are a great way to show the
personality of your business and team, and you can be sure that candidates will
be looking before they even apply. Culture isn’t only about office socials and
the fun stuff, it is also about the policies you have to support and develop
your staff, how you approach your social responsibility and what your
diversity, equality and inclusion initiatives represent.
Investment in culture, including small personal touches can
make a huge difference to your teams. Show you care, reward effectively and
most importantly listen and be flexible.
AI Good vs Evil
AI has been around for a long time but over the past 18 months it has hit the headlines and there has been an explosion in interest which has seen a shift in the adoption of tools and technologies, but it still remains a challenge.
Sadly, for agencies, AI has now given clients the belief
that they can go it alone and do work themselves without understanding the
limitations and pitfalls.
Having AI as part of your pitch including details of how you
use it successfully and why it isn’t as easy as it seems, is a must. If clients
want high rankings on Google or other search engines making sure AI content
doesn’t fall into the traps and cracks is complicated and we guarantee
attempting it with no experience will end in ultimate failure and no bang for
their buck!
Content, which has seen most of the press coverage, is just
one aspect of the AI experience however we believe this is where clients and
businesses think they can save money. You are working with AI every day so be
sure to share your knowledge and experience around AI as many clients won’t be
aware of all the technologies available to improve customer journeys and
engagement. Expertise is where agencies can step in to make the difference.
What to a client seems like a cost-saving opportunity, could simply be an
unnecessary expense in the long term.
Did you spot the AI error in the header image? We bet your
clients won’t!
Social Responsibility and Sustainability
What we notice more and more currently, is clients are
increasingly concerned with relationships where businesses align from a social
responsibility and sustainability values point of view.
Following the Paris Agreement, many companies are now
setting net zero baseline figures and putting together plans to meet the 2050
targets.
More and more businesses are signing up to the United
Nations Sustainable Development Goals pledge and gaining Bcorp certification to
show their commitment and take accountability for sustainability actions.
Having green and environmental credentials is increasingly
attractive for business relationships including those with clients and
employees, especially when accountable to one another, and Scope 3 becomes
crucial for effective carbon footprint management.
Even though we all know that social responsibility and
sustainability is a challenge that does not come easy and costs impact
profitability, we need to be committed and passionate as 2050 will soon be upon
us, and we do owe respect to the planet and the next generation.
Overcome Challenges by Investing in Award Entry
When budgets are tight, entering Awards will often take a
backburner when it comes to spending, however, Award recognition can ease the
pain regarding all the above day-to-day challenges that businesses currently
face.
You are much less likely to lose clients if you work with
them in becoming Award-winning. Collaborating on an award entry is exciting as
well as an opportunity to reflect on the work you have done. Your belief in
your project will shine through and that will be infectious.
Regarding talent acquisition, agencies that make a
shortlist, or indeed win awards are attractive propositions for job hunters
with a pick of opportunities.
Our Company Culture Awards are a celebration of work-life balance, health and wellbeing initiatives, and ESG commitments, winning one or more of these precious awards demonstrates to clients and talent your personality and ethos and can be the perfect way to showcase what your business stands for and who your people are.
As for AI, Don’t Panic, our newest Award, The UK AI Awards
will be launching in November. It will be your opportunity to show how you are
mastering AI tools and technologies to analyse behaviours, drive customer
experience, create acquisition strategies and create content that remains
engaging and original. Keep an eye out on our channels for updates on the
awards.
MD, Helen Barkley shares her thoughts on Mental Health Awareness at Don’t Panic and how the team are supported wherever they find themselves in the world.
This week marks Mental Health Awareness Week, and we at Don’t Panic feel it provides an all-important and much-needed time to reflect on the challenges and struggles that many people face when it comes to their mental health.
As a Managing Director and a working mum, I’ve
experienced first-hand the impact that mental health issues can have on our
personal and professional lives and felt it important to acknowledge and
encourage others not only to prioritise their mental health and well-being but
also to share their experiences too.
Mental health issues do not discriminate and can affect absolutely anyone and everyone at any stage in their lives. As someone responsible for leading a team and driving a business to success, I too am not immune to the stresses and pressures that come with the job. The nature of the work we do at Don’t Panic has high stakes and we must be incredibly quick-witted and provide solutions extremely quickly… it is the nature of the beast.
A high-pressure role in a fast-paced industry mixed with the added responsibility of balancing professional with personal can be extremely challenging. Often being present feels impossible and it seems you can never be in one place for long enough. This is especially true when we are constantly travelling to destinations to deliver stunning events. On the outside, it looks glamorous, but the reality is you are running on broken sleep, poor diet, and logging on when you have a spare moment whilst still checking in on the family you have left behind.
With all these pressures, the one thing that I feel
is undervalued in these circumstances is communication. Communicating with your
team and family when these pressures take hold can be hugely helpful.
Unfortunately, I know people still feel shame in admitting they are struggling
or feel they are a burden for asking for help, but this simply is not the case.
For me personally, sharing that I have a child with
additional needs has been extremely empowering not only have I found a network
of people who are experiencing the same challenges as me, but I have received
so much understanding from colleagues who empathise and simply want to support.
The feeling of isolation has certainly lifted.
Through my personal challenges, self-care just
hasn’t been enough and sometimes professional help is necessary to navigate
through the complexities of mental health. There is no shame in seeking help I
know choosing this path to preserve my own mental health has certainly made me
a better person, better wife, better mummy and a better leader.
I know I and many of the team at Don’t Panic do not
prioritise themselves. We do not protect our time the way we would an important
meeting or an engagement that we simply must be at. My plea to them and others
on Mental Health Awareness Week is that you take this as a reminder to make
yourself aware of the times when you put your own needs at the bottom of your
to-do list. Find your activity or the thing that brings you peace, make time to
surround yourself with the things that make you happy and protect this time
like you would any other engagement or commitment.
Ironically our sales manager and I have flown into Mental Health Awareness Week on a very tiring night flight, but we have made a conscious effort to take little moments to recharge when we can…for a change!
Don’t Panic have been delivering Digital Awards for over 15 years and over the years the awards have evolved and grown. Our ‘Guide to Entering’ has seen a number of rewrites and reprints over the years, each building upon the experiences of entrants and judges. The newest edition is hot off the press, or should I say straight from the creative team and ready to be downloaded!
With the help of judges, finalists and winners we have
collated top tips, 12 Steps to a Successful Entry and a guide to the entry
process itself, including the terms and conditions that make us Accredited by
the Awards Standards Council – Awards Trust Mark.
Never entered an award before and feel you need a little bit
more help and guidance book a meeting with one of our team below:
In today’s digital age, marketing and advertising have radically evolved. Brands are always on the lookout for new and innovative methods to promote their products and services. Sponsoring events has emerged as an effective way of engaging with audiences and creating brand awareness. And when it comes to events, Don’t Panic is the name associated with ethical, transparent and digital industry awards that celebrate cutting-edge digital campaigns, ground-breaking tech and software, and pioneering teams. As well as running Awards Don’t Panic also delivers networking events that bring together industry experts, agencies and teams who share their expertise and knowledge in relaxed settings that encourage discussion and collaboration amongst peers. These are excellent opportunities for sponsors to get up close and involved.
Exposure to
a Targeted and Engaged Audience:
Don’t Panic has a reputation for hosting some of the most innovative and exciting events across various industries. The brand attracts a highly targeted and engaged audience keen on the latest developments in their respective fields. Sponsoring a Don’t Panic event means you will be presented with the opportunity to engage with this captive audience, all of whom are prospects that could be converted to loyal customers.
Benefit from
a Strong Partnership:
Sponsoring a Don’t Panic event goes beyond just showcasing your brand to an audience; it also provides a great opportunity to build a strong partnership with a team who put celebration at the heart of what they do and with the large volume of entrants that participate annually in our award competitions. The team at Don’t Panic work closely with sponsors in order to construct a successful partnership that delivers results.
Brand
Visibility and Recognition:
Sponsorship of Don’t Panic events provides a great platform for brand exposure. Your logo and message will be visible to all our attendees and our engaged database of, increasing brand recognition and awareness. With various sponsorship packages available, you can choose the level of visibility that suits your budget and marketing goals. Don’t Panic’s partnership is always fluid and we encourage sponsors and partners to submit content that expands their insights, communication and reach to the audience pre, during and post-event.
Don’t Panic prides itself on hosting events that benefit the wider community. As a sponsor, you will not only be promoting your brand and enjoying exposure, but you will also be contributing to the greater good. Supporting and celebrating the incredible work that is being showcased at the event and within the digital marketing industry maintains and sets standards for the future, something that partners can be proud to align their brand with.
Networking
Opportunities:
Don’t Panic events offer a valuable opportunity for sponsors to connect with their peers, customers, and other industry partners. The events come with built-in networking opportunities that help sponsors connect with potential customers or partners, all while having a great time.
Next Steps
Sponsoring a Don’t Panic event is a
great decision for any brand or agency looking to establish a presence in their
industry, connect with a targeted and engaged audience, and build valuable
partnerships. The opportunity for brand recognition, network building, and
community contribution is invaluable. So why not take the first step and start
exploring sponsorship opportunities with Don’t Panic today?
Download your sponsorship brochure for details of the exciting packages available at our awards ceremonies and contact Helen Barkley at helen.barkley@dontpanicprojects.com to arrange a meeting to see how a Don’t Panic collaboration can work for you.
Over the past 12 months, my family have been on a personal journey in relation to my youngest daughter Ella.
Following some beautiful and quirky traits (“Ellarisms”) she began to display; we started on a pathway leading to a neurodevelopment assessment as these traits are conducive of Autism and Sensory Processing Disorder. This journey has not been easy and has involved many tears, turbulence day to day, and many hours of personal research and immersion into a new world we are trying to navigate and understand.
This journey is not one I have shared on a professional front; however, I now feel the need to share my experience and how it has opened my eyes to the lack of inclusivity for neurodivergent individuals within the events industry.
From personal experience, I have attended and delivered events that would be ‘sensory hell’ for my daughter and those who share the same traits, and I am sad I didn’t learn these lessons sooner so that I could bring attention to the issue and make changes earlier.
This week, coincidentally Autism Acceptance Week, I have spent time talking to incredible neurodivergent women who have shared their stories and inspired our team. They have lived experience of the event industry and Don’t Panic Events has a lot to learn as we start a journey towards events that are inclusive for all.
We are delighted to announce we will be working with Hannah B. who will be our Independent Neurodiversity Consultant. We know we have a lot to learn and Hannah is the perfect fit for our business and we trust she will guide us forward, to ensure no-one avoids our events.
I promise Don’t Panic will be working at pace to implement changes as soon as we can, and we will be announcing all measures we are adopting to ensure everyone can attend our Awards Ceremonies and Networking Events.
Q1 for the Don’t Panic Team has been incredibly productive.
We have already delivered 6 events from Australia to Europe to the UK, and entrants have already met 4 entry deadlines, with many more fast approaching in Q2.
I have been out and about, firstly to Pubcon in Austin with Sales Manager, Steph Gianfriglia, which was a chance to connect to our US Agency and US Search Awards entrants and learn about the latest trends in Search across America.
Steph and I then headed off to SMX Munich to connect to our European entrants and to make new partnerships. The conference was an incredible opportunity to understand the latest SEO and SEM tactics that challenge Search marketing as well as connect with the We Are Search European contingent.
Whilst in Munich we also had the privilege of attending an event delivered by Peak Ace which explored the impact AI will have on the future of digital marketing across every industry vertical. Given the noise AI is continuing to make amongst the Search community this was a great opportunity to hear an agency’s take on the advancements. Bastian, from Peak Ace AG has kindly shared the slide deck from the event which you can access below.
Steph returned home just in time to kickstart Q2 by overseeing the final entries in the European Search Awards and as with last year the award entry numbers and companies has grown, and record numbers have been set again. This year we have seen exponential growth which is a testament to the incredible work that is taking place across Europe. The judging for these awards will take place next week with the long-awaited shortlist being released on Friday 31 March, 2023.
As you may know we deliver Digital Awards across tech, growth, excellence, content, social media and culture, and this year we have seen increased numbers across them all. There Is clearly a desire to be recognised by industry experts to legitimise creativity, innovation and results. We are proud that our Awards really shine a spotlight on the incredible work teams and agencies across the world are producing. We are also extremely proud of how ethical and transparent our awards continue to be, we know just how important it is that our finalists and winners receive accolades that can’t be bought and are judged on the merit of the results and work they demonstrate. For all our Q1 finalist and winners we congratulate you on making it through the competition as the standard of entries we have received have been exemplary.
What next for us. Well, I believe the Don’t Panic Team need their own show of appreciation for all their Q1 efforts and achievements, so our Culture Club has arranged an afternoon of Escape Room fun, followed by pizza and drinks.
Then on Monday we will be back to business as usual as we head to into the delivery of our Q2 events. There is already huge excitement in the air at Don’t Panic as Q2 sees the return of the European Search Awards. We are also thrilled to be launching our Search and Sundowners fringe event in Lisbon in May as well as our first MENA Marketing Mixer in Dubai. As always we also have tonnes of entry deadlines coming up so if you need any support with your award winning entries, please reach out to our team awards@dontpanicprojects.com
To be part of the Don’t Panic Awards scheme, download the events calendar and we will hope to see you at an Awards Ceremony soon.
Come and meet Helen Barkley, Managing Director and Stephanie Gianfriglia, Sales Manager at SMX Munich – March 15 – 16, 2023. The conference is Europe’s largest for search marketing and we are delighted to be able to attend and share details of what, where, who, when and why. Don’t Panic award subscribers are eligible for a 15% discount on ticket prices, find the link at the end of the article.
Search Marketing in Challenging Times – Competing Effectively in a New Era
We are not in a difficult phase, even a crisis. We are at the beginning of a whole new era: resources are limited, budgets are not infinite, and challenges have increased. Our work must be better, more effective, and more sustainable. Wasting resources, budget and time is no longer an option. And more than ever, we need to understand our clients – because they have changed too.
That’s exactly why you shouldn’t miss SMX Munich: Two days of conference programme with up to six parallel tracks on SEO, PPC, Data & Analytics, UX, Content and many more online marketing topics, will provide you with the building blocks for the future. Learn from and discuss with 70+ speakers from around the world. You decide which topics are the most relevant to you right now, ensuring that your time and budget investment is used effectively and wisely.
The programme
This year’s edition will kick off with Lily Ray and Inna Zeyger from Amsive Digital, covering the most important topics for SEO and PPC in 2023. Additional cutting-edge keynotes feature Purna Virji, LinkedIn and Liraz Margalit. And if you want to know what the future of performance marketing will look like, then this is your chance to hear it from none other than the VP Analytics & CMO of Meta, Alex Schultz. His fireside chat, together with Curt Simon Harlinghausen, Managing Director at Miele X is one of the most anticipated sessions for this year’s event.
All SMX session are tactical, actionable, and just what online marketers need in tough times.
Here are a few of the highlights:
The Rise of AI: Beyond the Theory – Tools, Use-Cases & More with Bastian Grimm, Peak Ace
Modern PPC Account Structures with Aaron Levy, Tinuiti
Advanced Tips for Leveraging Google MUM in Your SEO Strategy with Cindy Krum, MobileMoxie
Local PPC Strategies That Work for any Budget with Mark Irvine, SearchLab
Mastering the Creation & Testing of RSAs with Brad Geddes, Adalysis
How to Use Google to Supercharge Your Amazon Listings and Visa Versa with Dan Saunders, Evergreen Finance London
State of Search 2023 From a Data Perspective with Marcus Tober, SEMrush
A Match Made in Heaven: Video Content and E-Commerce with Izzi Smith, In a Nutshell
Combining Content Strategy with PPC Targeting and Bid Automation Layered on Top: Here is Your Roadmap! With Christi Olson, Microsoft
Architecting 3D content: what video structuring can teach us about the metaverse SEO [an experiment] with Emilija Gjorgjevska, MediaMarktSaturn Tech & Wordlift
Tools & Techniques to Timely Troubleshoot JavaScript Issues with Martin Splitt, Google and Ulrika Viberg, Unikorn
The Lost Art of Natural Linking with Dan Petrovic, DEJAN Marketing
Scale Your Search Campaigns With Bulk Uploads and Ad Customizers with Christopher Gutknecht, bergzeit
NB: Most sessions are held in English; some are held in German. All sessions are labeled with a language flag.
If there’s one conference you don’t want to miss in 2023, it’s SMX Munich!
Want to dive even deeper into search marketing knowledge? Check out our Workshops!
There are three workshops on offer the day before SMX. Each workshop is an entire day of intensive work on your topic with top experts in a small group. You can hardly use the day before SMX more effectively.
Choose from:
Advanced Technical SEO Workshop with Bastian Grimm, Peak Ace
International SEO Strategies & Tactics with the WebCertain Pros
Advanced Google Ads Workshop with Brad Geddes, Adalysis
Combined tickets (conference plus workshop) with a price advantage are available.
Our Partners
There is no better place to extend your knowledge than meeting our partners in the exhibition area. A key difference at SMX to many other events is that here, every exhibitor is relevant. You will meet with the top experts of companies that shape the search marketing business to discuss your questions. Our partners even have some fun events in store, including a casino where you can test your search marketing knowledge and win cool prizes.
Here is a full list of our exhibitors and partners.
Networking
It is finally time to network again in person. And at SMX you will have plenty of opportunity to do so. From coffee and lunch breaks to a dedicated networking evening event, SMX After Dark, on March 15th, to discuss all your learnings with like-minded people, make new contacts, reunite with friends, and meet and mingle with the speakers.
And although people come to SMX for the top-notch content, there is always highest praise for the delicious food and drinks provided – all of it is included in your ticket price.
NB – the SMX After Dark event is included in some ticket categories. Click here for the ticket overview.
Ready to conquer challenges and tackle the future of search marketing?
Get your ticket here and secure the best deal by using the exclusive Don’t Panic discount code dontpaniclsmx (15% discount)
The SMX Team is looking forward to welcoming you in Munich.
It’s time to become a Judge for the Don’t Panic Awards Series.
Don’t Panic deliver digital awards around the world and pride themselves on the transparent and ethical judging process they use to ensure results can be trusted by entrants, clients and the industry.
Why Become an Awards Judge?
Judging Awards is a great way to give back to your industry and
build upon your personal and professional brand. It is an opportunity to meet
fellow professionals from around the world and share your experiences and knowledge
for the greater benefit of the digital industry as a whole.
Being a judge is not easy! You will have multiple entries to
judge for each category you are allocated, but you will be evaluating the best
campaigns, software and teams, which is an honour. Many of our judges return
year on year to be part of the awards process and to celebrate the incredible
achievements of all our entrants.
Ethical, Trusted, Accredited
Don’t Panic Awards judges follow a robust two-step judging
process that includes pre-scoring to establish a shortlist and judge discussion
to determine an overall winner, and in some cases a silver award. We ask that
all judges give feedback to all entrants, to provide them with help and advice
regarding perfecting work and entries.
Our Awards have been accredited by the Independent Awards Standards Council, with all of our Awards that are over 2 years old accredited as ‘Outstanding.’ Visit our Awards page to see which of our awards suit your expertise. We have Awards that celebrate Search, Culture, Content, Business Tech and more.
Joining our judging panel aligns your personal and professional brand with ours!
We don’t pay our judges, nor do we charge our judges. In return for your hard work and dedication we provide you with Judge assets, an invitation to blog or contribute content to our audience and an invitation to attend the winners’ ceremony where you have opportunity to meet fellow judges and finalists.
How to Apply to be a Judge
If you, or someone you know, work brand side and want to get involved with judging Awards accredited ‘Outstanding’ by the Independent Awards Standards Council, email: alex.rimmer@dontpanicprojects.com
Rising Star Awards celebrate individuals who are setting the benchmark in your organisation for innovative thinking, commitment to goals and personal contribution to the success of the overall business.
Why Enter Your Rising Star?
The Rising Star is a much-coveted title and just being nominated for a Rising Star Award by your Senior Management Team means the world to nominees.
In 2021 Kendra Rogers from psLondon won the Rising Star at the UK Content Awards, bumping into her at the 2022 event, where she handed her crown to Jasmine McKenzie from Absolute Digital Media.
Kendra Says…
“It was such an honour to win the Rising Star award at the UK Content Awards in 2021. It meant recognition for the work that I’ve done with psLondon, but also recognition of all of the growth that I’ve achieved throughout my career in Content Marketing – both in the UK and in Canada. Each accomplishment in my professional career laddered up to that exciting moment last year, where the belief of my team, clients and all of the mentors and friends who’ve supported me in my career culminated.”
What a Rising Star does for your Agency!
The Rising Star Award also impacts on the business as a whole. Employees see a nomination and the competition as a career goal and focus on achieving results for the business and their team. Although awarded to an individual, it is always the team that celebrates the win.
Peaky Digital celebrated the nomination of Chloe Davison for the UK Agency Awards, Rising Star category by sharing their reasons for putting Chloe forward and how they feel to have such talent in their ranks.
“With less than three year’s experience in the industry, Chlöe has worked exhaustively since she arrived at Peaky Digital in 2020 as a Digital Marketing Assistant – earning multiple promotions off the back of her success and stepping into the role of Social & Email Manager this month. Since day one, Chlöe has been passionate about upskilling and eager to take on new challenges, becoming a pivotal part of Peaky’s leadership team that has seen the company grow from five to twenty employees since her arrival. As a small, boutique agency, we’re delighted that the hard work Chlöe has poured into her role and craft is being recognised at a national level”
India Gumbley, Strategic Director, said: “The Rising Star award is a great way to recognise the work of talented and fast-climbing young individuals in our sector, and we’re so excited that this includes Chlöe! She’s an integral part of our team and her dedication is inspiring.”
What the Judges Say…
Judges also love the Rising Star competition. They believe that recognition of new talent is an investment in the future, not only of individual companies but in the digital industry as a whole and the awards can be a driving force in keeping the digital industry at the cutting edge of development.
“For me, the Rising Star Award is the most interesting category. Entries showcase some of the brightest talent in the industry. Entries are always varied but each has one thing in common – a gifted individual who is smashing their world and destined to become a future leader. As a judge, you get a snapshot into someone’s journey as a (digital) marketer and the opportunity to help them get the recognition and reward they deserve. Judging this award is truly a gift and privilege. To everyone out there – if you have someone who sets your world on fire, nominate them for the Rising Star Award, it’s about the best thing you can do for them.”
Why Not?
Agencies are sometimes reluctant to nominate employees for the Rising Star Award as they fear they will be tempted to pursue a career elsewhere, however, our nominees and winners tell us differently. They agree that the respect and faith shown in them through their nomination increases their loyalty and commitment and if anything makes them drive further to prove their worth. Yes, their profiles are checked out by the competition, but in the digital community, it is often to wish them well and to make connections, and we all know connections work both ways. Their win not only enhances their personal profile it heightens employee reputation too and this can only attract talent interested in your company.
Companies who have already celebrated their Rising Stars include Absolute Digital Media , Content Square, Yrs Truly, psLondon, Wiro Agency, connective 3, Receptional, Scoro, Pixel Nordic, Wavemaker and Results Repeat to name a few in 2022.
Time To Act!
So, look around your team today. Who do you feel is your Rising Star? You might have more than one. Invest in their future, support their development and give them the industry recognition they deserve. It is simply the right move!
Don’t Panic Awards celebrate Rising Stars and individuals who are crushing the digital industry! Join us.
What Judges want to see in a Rising Star Entry – Judge, Hannah Smith has completed a fictional entry to the category to help you shine the spotlight on your Rising Stars.
2023 is off with lightning speed at Don’t Panic with the
excitement of this year’s plans motivating the entire team to get underway with
delivering our packed calendar of events and activities.
We are kicking off this year with the new UK Digital Excellence Awards followed by the APAC Search Awards and the Northern Digital Awards. We are thrilled to be able to start the year with a new event to the portfolio, but also love the Northern Digital Awards and the APAC Search Awards, both of which have seen exponential growth this year.
In February we will be heading out to Pubcon Texas to connect with the digital marketing community in the US. We are delighted to be taking part in this event as exhibitors, and are very much looking forward to discussing how our awards assist in the growth of those who enter, and the ethical and transparent approach we adopt when delivering all our awards.
In March we will also be exhibiting at SMX Munich and banging the European drum when it comes to search marketing. We are extremely excited to connect with familiar and new faces at this two-day event on March 15-16.
May will see the return of our European Search Awards in Lisbon. This year will be slightly different as we will be hosting the European Search and Sundowners event the day prior to the awards on May 24. This fringe event already has a confirmed panel of fantastic speakers and will add further value for those attending the awards the next day. We will also be discussing how to craft the perfect award winning entry, so the event is not to be missed.
We are also extremely excited and privileged to announce that the partnership we made with Diginius in 2022 has been renewed for 2023, with the Diginius team headlining our European, Global, US & UK Search Awards along with our UK Paid Media Awards and European Search & Sundowners event.
Diginius provide automated technology including advertising
management software that monitors, measures and reports results across digital
performance, delivering visibility and transparency for all and are already
assisting many of our entrants across their digital marketing efforts.
May will be an extremely busy month for us as we will be hosting our Dubai Marketing Mixer on May 17. Topics being discussed will include AI tools, SEO & UX, strategic digital marketing, building a successful agency and more. This will be a free to attend event and will provide a great opportunity for networking within the region.
We are also exited to announce the Global Search Awards will take place as a live in person event this year, the first time since its inception in 2020. We will be announcing the location at this year’s European Search Awards but as always, we can guarantee a great location to celebrate the very best the world has to offer across the Search industry.
That takes us through to July, when in the Summer we will need time to take a breath and regroup for the final six months of the year. We will keep you updated on our news via our Don’t Panic Newsletter – you can sign up for ours and industry news below.
The Don’t Panic team and I look forward to catching up with you at our events throughout the year.
Don’t Panic and We Are Search are heading to Pubcon 2023,
Austin, Texas.
In its 21st year Pubcon is taking place on February 27 and 28 at the AT&T Conference Centre.
The event presents leading industry experts offering the
latest strategies in SEO, PPC, Local Search, Social media, Content and Digital
Marketing and more.
Come and talk to our MD, Helen Barkley and Head of Sales, Stephanie Gianfriglia about how we support the digital industry with our Digital Awards programmes around the globe and fringe and networking events.
2022 is drawing to a close and as always, I like to reflect
and share my thoughts the Don’t Panic Year.
I am not sure wild is a strong enough word to describe the
past 12 months! It has been a rollercoaster of a ride that I don’t think I, or
the team could have predicted.
We entered this year with a postponed Northern Digital
Awards due to the threat of Covid continuing to decimate the hospitality and
events industry. It wasn’t the start of the year we had hoped for.
However, the winds of change were in our favour! From
postponing our first live event of the year we have gone on to achieve many
firsts that I am extremely proud of and some of which have become real career
highlights for me personally and hopefully the team I am lucky to manage.
We achieved our first live international event after 2 years of virtual-only events. From the stunning venue in Barcelona to the electric atmosphere when each of the finalists entered the room and collected their awards European Search was just a joy to be a part of from beginning to end. The event was a sell-out with us having no tickets left after 3 weeks of sales which we genuinely never anticipated.
We then went on to sell out many of this year’s events which may not seem like a huge achievement but going from not being able to fill a venue with more than 6 people per table,2 metres apart, to now sourcing larger venues to accommodate the growth of our award programmes is a huge achievement in less than 12 months.
We then boxed off the 33 events in our 2022 calendar with the infamous UK Search Awards which I must say was stunning! 650 old and new faces descended on the Big Top in central London for an incredible evening of celebration and entertainment that I can safely say continued into the very early hours of the next day. Again, this has been another favourite of mine this year and an incredible showcase of talent within the UK Search scene.
Our Culture Club, which we introduced last year, has had a busy year with social events, initiatives and reminding us all to take care of our mental well-being. They have some great things planned for next year and are an integral part of making Don’t Panic an amazing place to work and thrive.
Due to the expansion in most areas of the business, we also
moved into a larger office to accommodate our team who although still operating
a hybrid working pattern come together regularly to collaborate in a larger
more productive workspace.
So, all in all, we have had the most incredible year and one
that feels very much like a bounce back and worlds apart from the previous two.
It feels great to be back doing what we love and especially on an international
scale. It is however not lost on us that none of this would be possible without
the support of some incredible people and businesses.
I would like to thank all our entrants old and new who have entered each of our awards and demonstrated just what a talented industry we are part of. To all our judges who have spent tireless hours judging each of the entries received and made some incredibly difficult decisions we thank you for your continued support. To all our sponsors and partners, your investment in our events ensures that we can deliver the most spectacular celebrations for the digital community and is hugely appreciated by us and all of those who enter and attend. And thank you to the clients some of whom we have previously worked with who have entrusted us to deliver their events many of which returned for the first time this year.
On a personal note, I would like to thank Nicky Wake our
Founder, Michelle Graham our Finance Director and Richard Gregory our Non-Exec
Director for their unwavering support of me this year especially as this is my
first full financial year as MD. The trust you instil in me is incredible but
the support and knowledge you provide is invaluable and something that I value
immensely.
And finally, I want to thank the entire Don’t Panic team for
all of their efforts and dedication this year. One of the biggest lessons I
have learnt as an MD is to surround yourself with people who inspire you,
motivate you and teach you things you wouldn’t have known because that is what
makes a business and team great. I can safely say each member of our team
inspires me, motivates me and teaches me things I didn’t previously know and
for that, I am grateful so thank you.
We have some incredibly exciting things planned in the New
Year which I will announce upon our return in January. For now, we are going to
take a well-deserved and needed break with the Don’t Panic office closing on
December 23rd and reopening on January 3rd.
From all of us at Don’t Panic we wish you, your teams and your families the most wonderful Christmas and a prosperous New Year.
The UK Search Awards extended deadline passed on Friday and as usual, entrants left it right up to the wire with their submissions. However, we are delighted to say that we have had unprecedented numbers of entries from companies located across the UK!
It is
incredible to see the Awards growing year on year, especially as entries
demonstrate the extremely high calibre of work the UK Search industry is
producing and the pride that companies have in their campaigns, software and
teams. Congratulations to all our entrants – you are setting creative and
innovative benchmarks for the industry to celebrate.
The shortlist will be announced later this month, on Friday, 21st October and tickets will officially go on sale for the event at The Bloomsbury Big Top, London on Wednesday, 30th November.
The Don’t Panic
team have planned a spectacular evening at this exciting and fun venue and of
course, there will be the ‘infamous’ afterparty!
Sponsorship packages for the event are still available and can be tailor-made to suit your budget. If your target audience is PPC, SEO and Content experts you will want to be part of the Search Awards community as they celebrate their achievements over the past year.
Benefits of
Sponsoring the Search Awards
High-profile
branding to UK Search companies, and the wider Search community around the
world via We Are Search
Raise
your profile within the industry
Opportunity
to connect and network with your audience at the event
Align
your business to a ceremony that celebrates the best of Search
Cost-effective
recruitment with the very best talent in the room
There are several sponsorship opportunities available including Headline, Social Wall and Category Sponsor. As a sponsor your logo and message will appear in pre-event promotional materials such as email and social, will be included in the event programme and appear on the screen during the awards. You can also talk to us about branding a shot glass, vodka luge, glow stick and more!
To get involved
in the celebrations email Helen Barkley
to discuss your package.
Last year, we experienced the same exceptional growth at the European Search Awards which were live in Barcelona.
Following the
event sponsors shared their thoughts.
CleverAds –
Drinks Reception Sponsor
“I want to congratulate you on behalf of CleverAds for your professional performance in the organization. It was a pleasure for us to be involved in such an amazing event.” Marta Fernandez, Marketing Director
Majestic – Step
and Repeat Sponsor
“Majesticis
delighted to sponsor the 10thAnniversary
European Search Awards in Barcelona. Our history of involvement in the European
Search Awards dates back to their inception in 2012. Since that memorable
evening in Amsterdam, this celebration of excellence in Search and Digital
marketing has toured Europe, showcasing the very best this continent has to
offer. We offer our congratulations to the team at Don’t Panic for building an
awesome set of events that enrich the marketing calendar.” Philip
Aggrey, Head of Commercial Operations
Advanced Web Ranking – Photo Booth Sponsor
“The Advanced
Web Rankingteam was thrilled to sponsorthe photo booth at this year’s Don’t Panic event. Thank you to the SearchCommunity for the opportunity to be part of the EuropeanSearchAwards! This partnership opens the door to exciting opportunities
for all of us to get involved and connect with others who are passionate about
digital search. We can see everyone had a
great time and hope they made marvellous memories with fun photos!”
We usually send a round-up of the highs and lows of Don’t Panic at the end of the year, however, given the fast-paced, ever-changing events landscape of the last 12 months, I believe a 6-month reflection is essential.
We headed into 2022 with hope, but reticence as to how the event landscape was going to look, given the threat of new variants and the possible return of lockdown. Fast forward to now, and we could not be any more positive.
Despite our nervous disposition, we pushed on and the start of the year began with the most spectacular return to our international events. The long-anticipated live European Search Awards took place in the beautiful city of Barcelona at the historic Llotja de Mar. Not only did we get to travel once again, and do what we love doing, but we sold out the event, live streamed to eagle-eyed viewers watching from afar and were trending on Twitter!
I am pleased
to say this trend (excuse the pun) has continued with the sell-out of both the
UK Agency Awards in September and the UK Business Tech Awards in October. We
always believed there would be a return to live events, however, the pace of
this return has amazed us! I would like to thank everyone who has joined us to
celebrate their achievements, all our judges who have continued to show their
commitment and the sponsors who supported us along the way.
This year’s success doesn’t stop there. We may not be growing at an exponential rate, but I am pleased to say we are growing sustainably and have introduced some incredible new members to the Don’t Panic team. Across 2022, we have welcomed our new Graphic Designer, Kyle, Account Executives, Jordan and Joe, our new Content Apprentice, Isobel, new Event Manager, Emily, and Event Assistant Allison.
In terms of personnel, we have also grown a new member of
the Don’t Panic team, the very beautiful baby boy of our Operations Manager
Sarah. We are already missing Sarah, but no one on maternity leave ever really
leaves us and we will look forward to welcoming her back into the fold when she
is ready, and supporting her newfound role as a Mum.
The growth we have experienced has left us needing to invest
in a bigger space for all our team to come together and collaborate. Despite
operating a flexible policy around where our team members work it seems they
like to come together and needed a brighter and bigger space which is conducive
to their creativity. So, one year after our last office move, we have moved
again!! This is a huge milestone for us as an Events Agency and one I would
like to thank the Don’t Panic team for making it possible.
Internally we have seen positive developments in our culture,
and the satisfaction of employees. Last year we introduced our Culture Club which
has been an integral part of keeping all our team motivated and has delivered
some much-needed fun in our busiest months. I am also over the moon to report
that each member of the Don’t Panic team has reported that they would recommend
us as a great place to work. 100% of the team also reported that they feel free
to open and voice opinions and ideas whilst also having a clear understanding
of the company and individual work objectives.
Personally, I believe this is our biggest achievement of
2022 so far. Our team are the lifeblood of Don’t Panic. They turn up day after
day with a smile and an excess of energy and passion for delivering our
ever-growing portfolio of events and celebrating your success.
I am beyond proud and grateful to get to work alongside the
team every day!
Speaking of
the team, they will be out and about at awards events, conferences, exhibitions
and networking events over the next 6 months, so if you see them, say hello,
they are a friendly bunch!
The Team at Don’t Panic is delighted and proud to announce that their Awards Trust Mark Accreditation for 2022 has arrived and we achieved Outstanding on 28 of our Digital Awards.
The Awards Trust Mark is awarded by the Independent Awards
Standard Council which runs the accreditation programme with the goal of
enhancing trust between award entrants and the organisations running them.
To receive the outstanding accreditation the Awards must have been running for at least a year. The council requires the business to agree to an extensive list of elements and sign their code of conduct as well as having their work validated through randomly selected awards’ judges and entrants.
Don’t Panic has also been accredited for their two new Award events the MENA Agency Awards and UK Digital Excellence Awards both of which are in their first year. We have no doubt that next year these will receive their ‘Advanced” quickly followed by the ‘Outstanding’ accreditation we strive for on all of our awards.
We believe that Awards are only valuable to the digital industry when they are trusted by entrants and their employees and clients. We strive to be the best Digital Awards organisers in the world and work with leading industry experts, who give up their time for free, to ensure that entries are competently judged against appropriate judging criteria and that the shortlist and winners are worthy winners.
After being away on maternity leave, it is great to be back!
People always say, ‘it feels like I have never been away,’ and this is true! However, there have been changes over the past 12 months and exciting times are ahead.
Whilst I was away, the Don’t Panic team worked tirelessly to deliver virtual events during the dark days of covid, and when lockdown was lifted, they brought back as many live events as they could. This tenacity and determination has seen the business grow, and over recent months has seen us hiring across all departments.
So, I left as Senior Event Manager and came back as Head of Events, and now I am managing a team of 4 incredible women (we didn’t have any men apply for the vacancies!) and we are looking for 1 more – everyone welcome.
Despite the growth, I have slotted back into working life
with the team easily. I have already been lead at a live Awards celebration,
been on a site visit and menu tasting in Barcelona and worked on a client
event!
I think what has made it so easy to return is because Don’t
Panic have stayed in touch throughout my maternity leave, and I never felt less
of a team member being on leave, than had I been at work. I had invites to all
the socials and invites for my son Otis to visit the office for fun days.
What’s My Plan?
There is nothing like a live event so I want to see as many as we can over the coming year. Search is top of my agenda as European Search in Barcelona was a sell-out, we intend to build upon this with fringe events taking place around the ceremony itself. The US Search Awards are already live again in Las Vegas, UK Search is heading to a bigger, better venue this year, The Bloomsbury Big Top in London, and following the incredible success of the still virtual Global Search Awards in 2022 we are determined to get it live in 2023! Following that MENA and APAC Search we are coming for you!
In addition to the Awards, which remain a huge priority, we are also starting work again with clients to deliver launches, expos, conferences and festivals. As a team we are always looking to change things up, so working with new clients will be an exciting adventure, but you can quote me on this ‘there isn’t anything we can’t do!’
Personally, 2023 sees me getting married to Josh. 3rd time lucky! Not in husbands, but in venues. Covid put pay to our first wedding date, the venue burning down (no word of a lie) prevented the second wedding date, so one way or another we are getting married next year whether that is in a beautiful barn overlooking Rivington (already booked) or last-minute flights to Vegas!
I will be heading out to Awards, industry events and
networking socials over the coming year to build relationships with our award
entrants and industry clients, so I look forward to meeting you.
Alex Rimmer
Don't Just Take Our Word For It
Testimonials
Don't Panic has been an invaluable partner to the Craft Beer Marketing Awards.
Their unwavering dedication and expertise has played a pivotal role in the evolution and growth of the CBMAS competition each season.
Jimm & Jackie Craft Beer Marketing Awards
From the initial planning stages to the execution of the event, their team demonstrated unparalleled professionalism, creativity, and attention to detail. Don’t Panic perfectly understood our vision and went the extra mile to ensure it was brought to life. It was like having an extended department within our business!
Dale Hicks, Director The Fashion Network
We've sponsored multiple events in conjunction with Don't panic over the last couple of years. It's been a key route for us to, develop sort of brand visibility and brand recognition. Coming to the awards gives us the opportunity to get in front of 50 or even 100. The events are so well run, everything works like clockwork.
Richard Ingles, Sales Director Diginius
Don’t Panic Events continues to raise the bar of their events each and every year. Participating in each of the Search Awards is always a special experience for us as an organization, they provide an opportunity to celebrate the successes of our amazing industry with so many of our clients, partners and colleagues, all in one room.
Jennifer Hoffman, Marketing Director Lumar (formerly DeepCrawl)
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