The video industry celebrated with its usual gusto at the 2013 BVA Awards last night at Old Billingsgate, as winners from companies large and small revelled in their successes after months of tough trading conditions. Studios and indies showed how they have embraced new technologies to maximise their marketing prowess, especially in its use of new media to promote its wares.

The event was hosted by rising stand-up comedian Rob Beckett, who presented the awards and led tributes to the recipients. The presentation of trophies began with the BVA's Special Award to the Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT), which had a remarkable 12 months of enforcement successes against online and physical piracy and celebrates its 30th Anniversary this year.

Universal Pictures won 'Retail Distributor of the Year' and picked up three further awards for its sophisticated marketing initiatives; 'Marketing Initiative of the Year for a Catalogue Campaign' for its "cost-effective state of the art" Universal Pictures 100th Anniversary Campaign; 'Specialist Marketing Initiative of the Year' for Kevin Bridges: The Story Continues... and 'Children's Marketing Initiative of the Year' for Monster High - Ghouls Rule. Universal took home a fifth award for 'Creative Initiative of the Year' also for its 100 Augmented Reality campaign, that "comprehensively breathed life back" into its classic titles.

The Best-selling video of 2012, The Dark Knight Rises, won 'Retail Title of the Year,' achieving sales of 1.96 million copies on disc between its launch on 3 December 2012 and the end of the year. Warner Home Entertainment also took home a highly prized 'Marketing Initiative of the Year - Film with a box office over £10 million' against stiff competition for The Dark Knight Rises. The judges highlighted the studio's use of new technology from Blippar and Dotter to Twitter and a Facebook countdown widget.

Twentieth Century Fox had a successful evening, winning 'Marketing Initiative of the Year - Film with a box office of £3 million-£10 million' for its deftly targeted Diary of a Wimpy Kid 3: Dog Days and 'Catalogue Marketing Initiative of the Year' for their Bond 50 Blu-ray Collection campaign.

StudioCanal took home three awards. 'Film Marketing Initiative of the Year - Film with a box office up £1 million' for Cockneys vs Zombies, whose campaign judges said made great use of social media to reach regional audiences. 'Music Marketing Initiative of the Year' for Searching for Sugar Man. The judges noted the challenges presented by this title; StudioCanal successfully promoted a documentary about a largely unknown 1960s musician, Rodriguez, with no appreciable fan base in this country. 'Best British Authored Disc of the Year' [sponsored by DVD and Beyond, pictured] went to StudioCanal's Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, authored by Premier. Premier also won 'Supplier/Agency of the Year.'

Momentum Pictures and Lionsgate Home Entertainment each picked up an award for their innovative 'Marketing Initiative of the Year - Film with a box office of £1m-£3m,' with The Raid, and for 'Marketing Initiative of the Year - Television' with Mad Men: Season 5 respectively.

In the online environment competition is growing each year and the awards reflect that. Amazon, iTunes and LOVEFiLM were all successful, winning 'Online Retailer', 'Online Digital Service' and 'Rental Service of the Year,' respectively. Amazon also took home 'Retailer Initiative of the Year' for its Star Trek Scan and Buy Campaign in partnership with Paramount Home Entertainment, which judges praised for its immersive experience, while Sainsbury's won 'Retail Store Group of the Year' for the first time at the annual BVA Awards.

"The awards provided a wonderful opportunity to get together and celebrate the achievements of the past 12 months as well as look to the future," said Lavinia Carey, Director General of the BVA. "This time last year we anticipated a tough 12 months ahead of us in the face of difficult trading conditions and technological change. The industry's resilience has been tested, but we are proving that we can meet the demands of the British public who continue to show an insatiable appetite for top quality video entertainment."





FULL LIST OF AWARDS WINNERS

BVA Special Award
Federation Against Copyright Theft - 1983-2013

Retail Distributor of the Year
Universal Pictures (UK) Ltd

Retail Title of the Year
The Dark Knight Rises

Creative Initiative of the Year
Universal 100 Augmented Reality Campaign (Universal Pictures (UK) Ltd

Supplier/Agency of the Year
Premier (20th Century Fox Home Entertainment/Universal Pictures (UK) Ltd)

Marketing Initiative of the Year - Music
-Searching For Sugar Man (StudioCanal)

Marketing Initiative of the Year - Catalogue Campaign
Universal Pictures - 100th Anniversary Campaign (Universal Pictures (UK) Ltd)

Marketing Initiative of the Year - Specialist
Kevin Bridges - The Story Continues... (Universal Pictures UK Ltd)

Marketing Initiative of the Year - Children's
Monster High: Ghouls Rule (Universal Pictures UK Ltd)

Marketing Initiative of the Year - Television
Mad Men Season 5 (Lionsgate Home Entertainment)

Marketing Initiative of the Year - Catalogue Product
Bond 50 Blu-ray Collection (Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment)

Marketing Initiative of the Year - Film with a box office up to £1 million
Cockneys vs Zombies (StudioCanal)

Marketing Initiative of the Year - Film with a box office of £1 million to £3 million
The Raid (Momentum Pictures)

Marketing Initiative of the Year - Film with a box office of £3 million to £10 million
Diary Of A Wimpy Kid 3: Dog Days (20th Century Fox Home Entertainment)

Marketing Initiative of the Year - Film with a box office over £10 million
The Dark Knight Rises (Warner Home Entertainment)

Retail Store Group of the Year
Sainsbury's

Online Retailer of the Year
Amazon.co.uk

Rental Service of the Year
LOVEFiLM

Online Digital Service of the Year
iTunes

Retailer Initiative of the Year
Amazon.co.uk - Scan and Buy Campaign

Best British Authored Disc of the Year
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (StudioCanal/Premier)

Story filed 03.05.13