During an election year the power of communications campaigns is more prominent than ever, and the adoption of digital tools makes that potential for wider-reaching and influential campaigns greater than it has ever been.

The Westbourne100 recognises impactful campaigns from the last 12 months. The campaigns are organised into five categories; politics, media, technology, advocacy and engagement. Worldwide campaigns from the online space this year included the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge and Unicef’s Wake Up Call no make-up selfie, both have made it into the technology category of the Westbourne100.

The top 100 were picked by Westbourne communications firm and are contenders at the Change Opinion Awards held in London on March 17.

Westbourne director James Bethell says, ‘Any campaign can make a difference but only great campaigns can change opinion. Each year the Change Opinion Awards get bigger and better, and this year’s Westbourne100 long-list really shows the innovation and creativity being used over the past year to change opinion, policy and outcomes.’

Other shortlisted campaigns include the Guardian’s End FGM campaign and the Daily Mail’s Banish the Bags campaign in the media category. In the political category, shortlisted campaigns include Russell Brand and Meg Hillier MP’s campaign to protect the New Era Estate in Hoxton and Zac Goldsmith’s campaign to hold a national inquiry into historic sex abuse.

The Change Opinion Awards were launched in 2013, in 2014 the Westbourne 100 was created to form the basis of the shortlist for the awards. Last year’s winners include The Sun’s breast cancer awareness campaign, Coppafeel, the Labour party’s energy price freeze and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s bid to get the EU to change fishing quota laws.