British Gas and Carat Sponsorship scooped the Sponsorship of the Year award at last night’s Hollis Sponsorship Awards for their work with British Swimming.

The annual event, now in its 16th year, rewards effectiveness and excellence across all sectors and budgets of the sponsorship industry.

Held at the London Marriott Hotel, other winners on the night include HSBC, rewarded in the Arts category for its work with Festival Brazil, and Compeed, whose partnership with the ATP won the First Time Sponsor Award.

The Hollis Sponsorship Awards also recognise individuals in sponsorship, and this year Carat’s Matthew Riches won the Barrie Gill Award for Most Promising Young Sponsorship Executive. James Cracknell, meanwhile, picked up the award for Hollis Sponsorship Personality of the Year, and Consultancy of the Year went to IMG Consulting.

Rosemary Sarginson, organiser of the event, said: “The quality of entries this year was excellent. While the economic downturn has clearly taken its toll on many companies and individuals, the sponsorship industry has again shown its resilience and innovation.”

WINNERS AND SHORTLISTED ENTRIES

ARTS
Supported by Arts & Business
Deloitte Royal Opera House Sponsorship
Sponsor:  Deloitte
Entered by:  Deloitte

Glenmorangie Research Project
Sponsor:  The Glenmorangie Company
Entered by:  National Museums Scotland

Festival Brazil
Sponsor : HSBC
Entered by: Four Communications and HSBC
WINNER

Robinsons Pantomime
Sponsor:  Robinsons
Entered by: IMG
HIGHLY COMMENDED

CHARITY, COMMUNITY & ENVIRONMENT
Supported by the NCVO

ASDA Sporting Chance
Sponsor:  ASDA
Entered by: Savvy Sports
Brakes Group FareShare Partnership
Sponsor:  Brakes Group
Entered by:  Brakes and FareShare
WINNER

British Gas Pools 4 Schools
Sponsor:  British Gas
Entered by: Carat

Royal Bank of Scotland and The Prince's Trust
Entered by: Royal Bank of Scotland

EDUCATION

British Gas Pools 4 Schools
Sponsor:  British Gas
Entered by: Carat Sponsorship

Education
Wrap Splat Hat!
Sponsor:  Garnier Ambre Solaire
Entered by:  National Schools Partnership

Unilever Series
Sponsor:  Unilever
Entered by: Tate/WSB Consulting
WINNER

MEDIA
The Christian O'Connell Breakfast Show
Sponsor:  British Gas
Entered by: Absolute Radio

More Than/Heart FM
Sponsor:  More Th>n
Entered by: Royal & Sun Alliance plc
A Game of Two Halves
Sponsor:  Sony Ericsson
Entered by: MEC Access

Absolute Radio Live
Sponsor:  Swiftcover.com
Entered by: Absolute Radio

The TV Book Club
Sponsor:  Specsavers
Entered by: MEC Access and Specsavers
WINNER

SPORTS UNDER 750k
Supported by Sport England

Bupa Great Run Series 2010
Sponsor:  Bupa
Entered by:  Synergy Sponsorship/ENGINE

Official Partner of England Cricket
Sponsor:  Jaguar
Entered by:  brandRapport
WINNER

Win A Pro Contract
Sponsor:  Samsung
Entered by:  Samsung

Old Firm Sponsorship - Flash Football
Sponsor:  Tennent's
Entered by:  Material

SPORTS OVER 750k
Supported by Sport England

The Aviva GB & NI Team
Sponsor:  Aviva
Entered by: Aviva

British Gas Sponsorship of Swimming
Sponsor:  British Gas
Entered by: Carat Sponsorship
WINNER

npower Football League
Sponsor:  npower
Entered by: Octagon
HIGHLY COMMENDED

O2 3D Rugby
Sponsor:  O2
Entered by: IMG

GRASS ROOTS SPORTS
Supported by the Sport and Recreation Alliance

ASDA  Sporting Chance
Sponsor:  ASDA
Entered by: Savvy Sports
WINNER

Aviva Elevating Athletics Fund
Sponsor:  Aviva
Entered by: Aviva

The Co-operative's Sponsorship of Activate Sport
Sponsor:  The Co-operative
Entered by: Generate Sponsorship

The FA Tesco Skills Programme
Sponsor:  Tesco
Entered by: The FA

RBS RugbyForce 2010
Sponsor:  Royal Bank of Scotland
Entered by: Synergy Sponsorship/ENGINE

BRAND UNDER 750K

Aviva and The National Theatre
Sponsor:  Aviva
Entered by: National Theatre

Bupa Great Run Series 2010
Sponsor:  Bupa
Entered by: Synergy Sponsorship/ENGINE

Glenmorangie Research Project
Sponsor:  The Glenmorangie Company
Entered by: National Museums Scotland
WINNER

Aways Summer With Havaianas
Sponsor:  Havaianas
Entered by: Ocean Events

Baddiel & Skinner at 2010 World Cup
Sponsor:  Sony Ericsson
Entered by: Absolute Radio

BRAND OVER 750K

FIA World Rally Championship & BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team
Sponsor:  Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority
Entered by: North One Sport

Betfair - Proud To Back Manchester United
Sponsor:  Betfair
Entered by: Synergy Sponsorship/ENGINE

Castrol 2010 FIFA World Cup
Sponsor:  Castrol
Entered by: Mindshare

Coca-Cola FIFA World Cup & "What's Your Celebration?"
Sponsor:  Coca-Cola
Entered by: Synergy Sponsorship/ENGINE

Taking Wimbledon Digital
Sponsor:  Evian
Entered by: MEC Access
WINNER

O2 3D Rugby
Sponsor:  O2
Entered by: IMG

CORPORATE

BT - The Difference Is You
Sponsor:  BT
Entered by: Lane4

Deckchair Dreams
Sponsor:  Bloomberg
Entered by: Royal Parks Foundation

Brakes Group FareShare Partnership
Sponsor:  Brakes Group
Entered by: Brakes and FareShare
The Blue Shed
Sponsor:  Ekspan
Entered by: Ekspan
WINNER

THE FIRST TIME SPONSOR AWARD
Sponsored by SponsorshipStore

Insuring a Match Winning Result
Sponsor:  Amlin
Entered by: MEC Access

Compeed & The ATP World Tour
Sponsor:  Compeed
Entered by: Velocity Sports & Entertainment
WINNER

Official Business Insurance Partner of Premiership Rugby
Sponsor:  QBE
Entered by: Generate Sponsorship

Rubicon Summer of Cricket
Sponsor:  Rubicon
Entered by: IMG

Sportingbet Wolves Accumulator
Sponsor:  Sportingbet
Entered by: JCPR, part of Edelman Sport

CONTINUITY

Deckchair Dreams
Sponsor:  Bloomberg
Entered by: Royal Parks Foundation

Wrap Splat Hat!
Sponsor:  Garnier Ambre Solaire
Entered by: National Schools Partnership
HIGHLY COMMENDED

The O2, Three Years On
Sponsor:  O2
Entered by: AEG Worldwide
WINNER

Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival
Sponsor:  Theakstons
Entered by: Harrogate International Festivals

THE ESA INTERNATIONAL SPONSORSHIP AWARD
Sponsored by the European Sponsorship Association

AB InBev and the 2010 FIFA World Cup
Sponsor:  AB InBev
Entered by: Octagon

Castrol 2010 FIFA World Cup
Sponsor:  Castrol
Entered by: Mindshare
WINNER

Festival Brazil
Sponsor:  HSBC
Entered by: Four Communications and HSBC

Travelex & National Theatre Live
Sponsor:  Travelex
Entered by:  The National Theatre

Shell's Technical Partnership with Ferrari
Sponsor:  Shell
Entered by: Shell Brands International / PRISM

BEST USE OF RESEARCH IN A SPONSORSHIP CAMPAIGN
Sponsored by Marketlink Research and SMG Insight

British Gas Sponsorship of Swimming
Sponsor: British Gas
Entered by: Carat

Fantasmagoria - Shell Fireworks Parade
Sponsor: Shell
Entered by: Shell

Unilever Series
Sponsor: Unilever
Entered by: Tate
WINNER

BEST USE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS IN A SPONSORSHIP CAMPAIGN
Supported by the Public Relations Consultants Association

Sponsorship of the England Cricket Team
Sponsor:  Jaguar
Entered by: brandRapport

The Snow Leopard
Sponsor:  Paddy Power
Entered by: Fuse Sport

Old Firm Sponsorship - Flash Football
Sponsor:  Tennent's
Entered by: Material
WINNER

BEST LOW BUDGET SPONSORSHIP
(UNDER £50,000)

The AEGON Breakfast Club
Sponsor:  AEGON
Entered by: AEGON

Free To Be Me
Sponsor:  Carefree (Johnson & Johnson)
Entered by: National Schools Partnership

Fantasmagoria - Shell Fireworks Parade
Sponsor:  Shell
Entered by: Shell

Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival
Sponsor:  Theakstons
Entered by: Harrogate Festival
WINNER

SPONSORSHIP CONSULTANCY OF THE YEAR
Sponsored by Icon
IMG Consulting International - WINNER
Limelight
MEC Access
Synergy Sponsorship/ENGINE

The Barrie Gill Award For Most Outstanding Young Sponsorship Executive, sponsored by the European Sponsorship Association
Shortlisted:
Matthew Riches, Carat Sponsorship - WINNER
Joshua Friedler, IMG - Shortlisted
Jessica Hill, Lloyds TSB - Shortlisted
Ed Leech, Hill & Knowlton - Shortlisted

HOLLIS SPONSORSHIP OF THE YEAR - British Gas Swimming Sponsorship Programme, entered by Carat Sponsorship

HOLLIS SPONSORSHIP PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR - JAMES CRACKNELL