EEDA - East of England Development Agency

National champions: Running the Gauntlet wins UK PR industry 'Oscar'

8 June 2007

Running the Gauntlet, the East of England Development Agency's £2m investment competition for entrepreneurs, took the top award at last night's national PR industry 'Oscars' - the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) President's Grand Prix.

The landmark competition - which offers entrepreneurs business education and the possibility of significant investment - scooped the award for the UK's best Business to Business campaign.

Running the Gauntlet's triumph last night was the latest boost to what has been a phenomenally successful competition, now in its third year. 

East of England Development Agency (EEDA) executive director of communications Rachel Bosworth said: "We're really proud that Running the Gauntlet has won this accolade - the competition had a positive impact on hundreds of entrepreneurial businesses in the East of England, and it's satisfying that this has been recognised nationally.

"We always knew that the idea behind Running the Gauntlet was very strong, but success requires more than just an idea, and this is where our team has delivered.  We have run an integrated PR campaign that has captured the interest of entrepreneurs in the East of England and helped them make their businesses more successful."

Marcie Bell, EEDA's project manager for Running the Gauntlet, added: "Taking the national title is a welcome and exciting reward and it underpins just how effective and useful the competition is.  Over the past two years Running the Gauntlet has not only provided investment for some of the East of England's most  promising entrepreneurs, but also it has given many others in the region the tools they need to make the most of their business ideas." 

CIPR President Lionel Zetter said: "Winning a Grand Prix Award is proof that you are the best of the best in the UK - at the top of your professional game."

The President's Grand Prix is the culmination of a national competition that saw 1,292 entries received from across the UK. In November last year, EEDA's team of communications experts scooped a staggering three 'gold' awards at the regional PRIDE awards ceremony, all of which were competing for national honours last night. The other two campaigns were the team's Independent Performance Assessment 'survival' campaign - which, in the regional awards, scooped both the gold Use of Internal Communication award and the Grand Prix award - and a campaign to challenge migrant workers' myths, which won the In-House campaign.

Last night's awards were held at the Sheraton Skyline Hotel, Heathrow. It included a half day conference featuring an exciting line up of industry speakers, before culminating in spectacular awards ceremony and gala dinner with over 250 guests from across the UK.

The complete list of award winners can be viewed online at http://www.cipr.co.uk/prideawards/presidentsawards.

Running the Gauntlet 2007 is now open for entries, with more details available at http://www.runningthegauntlet.com/.

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