An exclusive incentive programme for Vodafone business partners, produced by Twickenham-based agency Adding Value, took top honours at last week’s Eventia International Awards, held at the Grosvenor House Hotel on London’s Park Lane.

Entitled Courchevel 1850 – The Phenomenon, the programme was held at a world class resort with access to one of the largest ski areas in the world, expert tuition and an extensive après ski schedule.

Adding Value had a highly successful night, not only winning the Platinum Award, but also walking away with Best Promotional Communication and Best Incentive Programme Short Haul for its work on Vodafone’s incentive programme.

The International Awards celebrated excellence in business-to-business and business-to-consumer events, including meetings, conferences, product launches, reward and recognition programmes, hospitality and celebratory events. The great and the good of the events, meetings and conference industry were in attendance to witness the winners of a host of awards spanning the events spectrum during a glittering ceremony, and went on to party the night away.

Other key successes included Banks Sadler, which won the newly introduced catergory of Agency of the Year, while Nigel Cooper, divisional managing director for the Travel & Events Division within Motivcom plc, was presented with an Oustanding Achievement Award. Cooper is regarded as an industry authority on the subject of developing, implementing and directing large scale events and travel programmes. He makes regular contributions to industry press comment and is a sought-after speaker. From 2005 to 2007 Cooper was Eventia Chairman and came first in Conference and Incentive Travel Magazine’s (C&IT’s) most recent Power 50.

A key part of Eventia’s Awards ceremonies is fundraising, and this year’s prize draw raised more than £6,500 for the Mziki Village in KwaZulu-Natal which will be distributed through the charity Habitat for Humanity. The main prize was a trip of a lifetime sponsored by South Africa Tourism, which includes a visit to the Mziki-village for the winner.

“We chose this charity to continue the good work started during C&IT’s CSR Challenge,” said Eventia executive director Izania Downie. “I’m delighted that we managed to raise much-needed funds for a cause that is so close to the hearts of everyone in our challenge team – especially mine. To have met the people whose lives will be changed through this funding makes this prize even more special. The trip winner – Mark Taylor from Grass Roots Group – is someone who will really appreciate visiting the village and reporting back to us on the progress being made.”

Here’s a full roundup of the Gold Awards presented during the evening:

Most Creative use of a Small Budget
DNA productions for Fremantle Media Enterprises

Most Creative use of a Venue’s Facilities
Carlson Meetings & Events for Medtronic Vascular

Best Use of Logistics
Jack Morton Worldwide and Banks Sadler for IBM Hundred Percent Club

Best Promotional Communication
AddingValue for Vodafone

Best Product Launch
Line Up for Volvo

Public Event of the Year
BCD Meetings & Incentives for Sony Marketing Europe

Best Celebratory Event
DRP Group for Thomas Cook

Best Event Demonstrating Corporate Social Responsibility
Grimaldi Forum Monaco for Canon Europe

Most Creative use of a Destination
MCI UK for Schroeders

Most Effective Delivery of ROI
BI for Motorola

Best Conference or Congress Short Haul (under six hours from the UK)
WorldEvents for Abbott Vascular

Best Conference or Congress Long Haul (over six hours from the UK)
Jack Morton Worldwide for Philips

Best Incentive Travel Programme Short Haul (under six hours from the UK)
AddingValue for Vodafone

Best Incentive Travel Programme Long Haul (over six hours from the UK)
MCI UK for Eli Lilly

Best Integrated Solution
instinctif for Reuters

Best Consumer Marketing Programme
P&MM for Bose

Agency of the Year
Banks Sadler

Platinum Award
AddingValue

For a complete list of all winners, including Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze Awards and finalists, visit: www.eventia.org.uk/internationalawards

Look out for EVENTS:review's video of the Eventia International Awards featuring interviews with some of the Gold Award winners coming soon