The Sport Industry Group is delighted to unveil the Official Shortlist for the Sport Industry Awards 2012.

After a rigorous steering process involving more than 40 key figures from across the industry and 50 hours of intensive judging – fully overseen by Deloitte, the Official Independent Scrutineer of the Sport Industry Awards, to ensure absolute transparency and impartiality – the list of nominees represents the best the industry had to offer in 2011.

With more than 160 campaigns, brands, teams and events considered by this year’s steering committees, reaching the shortlist in 2012 represents a stellar achievement.

A number of leading brands have secured multiple places on the list, with Sky Sports and BSkyB collectively securing nominations across four categories, an achievement matched by online betting exchange Betfair. Despite a disappointing Rugby World Cup, O2’s sponsorship of the England rugby team and the brand’s ‘Get up for England’ campaign secured three nominations, as did sportswear giants adidas.

Nick Keller, the Chairman of the Sport Industry Group, commented: “Being named on the Official Shortlist for the Sport Industry Awards is definitive proof that a team, brand or organisation’s work has been amongst the very best in its field across an entire year. Over the past 11 years we have seen some truly incredible campaigns honoured at the Sport Industry Awards, and when the industry comes together on 2nd May we will once again be celebrating a fantastic year for the UK sports business.”

The shortlists will now go forward for consideration by the main Judging Panel, who will decide the winners in each category.

The results will be announced at the star-studded Sport Industry Awards ceremony on Wednesday 2nd May 2012.

Official Sport Industry Awards 2012 Shortlist

Best Sponsorship of a Sport Event or Competition
Sponsored by Icon
• adidas – adidas Terrex Coast to Coast Race
• AEGON – AEGON Championships 2011
• Aviva – Aviva Premiership Rugby
• NatWest – The NatWest Cricket Club
• RBS – RBS 6 Nations
• RWE npower – The npower Football League

Best Use of PR in a Sport Campaign
Sponsored by Action Images
• Barclays – Barclays Ball Kids
• Betfair – Trash Your Tevez Shirt
• Betfair – Beach Volleyball – A Bum Deal
• France 2018 Ryder Cup Bid
• Lloyds TSB & Bank of Scotland – London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay Nomination Campaign
• Wasserman Media Group – Mark Cavendish ‘Behind the Glasses’

The Community Programme Award
• Football Foundation – Barclays Spaces for Sports – Sustainability Programme
• Premier League – Premier League 4 Sport
• Premiership Rugby – HITZ Project
• RBS – RBS Club Rugby Support Programme
• BSkyB & British Cycling – Sky Ride 2011
• Tottenham Hotspur – Tottenham Hotspur Foundation Education & Football Development Centres

Best Use of Digital Communications in Sport
Sponsored by Late Night London
• Badminton England – PlayBadminton
• Betfair – Stars and Strikes
• NatWest – The NatWest Secret Cricketer
• Nivea For Men – The Great Football Experiment
• Slazenger – Slazenger Stick Cricket
• The FA Group & Wembley Stadium – Wembley’s Greatest Event

Best TV Sport Commercial
Sponsored by Eurosport
• adidas – One Brand Anthem
• Aviva – Paving The Way
• ESPN – The Gift
• O2 – O2 ‘Get up for England’
• Sky Sports – ‘This is Football’ 2011
• Vauxhall – Vauxhall England Football Line Up

Best Sponsorship of a Sport Team or Individual
Sponsored by Nolan Partners
• British Airways – Team GB: ‘They Will Fly’
• GE – GE Great Britain Triathlon Team
• Jaguar – The England Cricket Team
• O2 – England Rugby Team
• EA Sports – Manchester City Football Club
• Vodafone – Vodafone McLaren Mercedes F1

Best Integrated Sport Marketing Campaign
• adidas – One Brand Campaign
• Badminton England – YONEX BWF World Badminton Championships London 2011
• Betfair – Paul Nicholls – He Knows A Winner. So Can You.
• O2 – O2 ‘Get Up for England’
• Samsung Electronics UK – Samsung ‘Win a Pro Contract’ – Swindon Town FC
• BSkyB – Sky GO 2011

Sport Website of the Year
• The Guardian – guardian.co.uk/sport
• Manchester City Football Club – mcfc.co.uk
• talkSPORT – talksport.co.uk
• Teamer – teamer.net

Sport Participation Event of the Year
• Bank of Scotland Great Scottish Run
• Manchester’s Great Day of Sport
• Dextro Energy Triathlon London
• J.P. Morgan Corporate Challenge
• Nike – The Chance
• Royal Parks Foundation Half Marathon

Sport Agency of the Year
Sponsored by Colouration
• H+K Strategies
• IMG Consulting
• M&C Saatchi Sport & Entertainment
• Octagon UK
• Pitch
• Synergy

Best International Campaign
• Castrol EDGE – Castrol EDGE Presents Ronaldo Tested to the Limit
• Dunlop – Dunlop Biomimetics
• G4S – The G4S 4teen Programme
• Heineken – Legendary Football
• Infiniti – Infiniti Red Bull Racing F1 Sponsorship
• Shell Brands International – Shell’s Technical Partnership with Ferrari in Formula One

Sport Brand of the Year
Sponsored by Pinsent Masons
• Manchester City Football Club
• Sky Sports
• talkSPORT