Barclaycard, Burberry, Kraft Foods, Universal Music UK, Xbox: Who should be digital marketer of the year?

The award recognises the role played by individual brand marketers to evolve digital marketing within their organisations. The shortlist below was chosen by journalists on Revolution and its parent title Marketing magazine, and the winner will be crowned at the Revolution Awards ceremony in London on 20 April.

To vote, click here. The deadline for voting is 30 March.

The case for Sonia Carter, head of digital, Kraft Foods Europe:
Carter oversees the online marketing activities of Cadbury’s chocolate and confectionary brands, alongside Olympics sponsorship. She has been instrumental in promoting the value of social media at Kraft, pushing it up the agenda at a brand owner that has traditionally invested a large part of its marketing budget on TV. She is also a big supporter of new technologies. Working with technology firm Blippar, Cadbury recently used augmented reality technology on its packaging, transforming it into a game.
 
The case for Fiona Bosman, head of advertising and content, Barclaycard:
At Barclaycard, Bosman has been using social networks to both reward and engage with customers and has launched a number of innovative digital campaigns to promote the financial services provider’s products, including a competition on Facebook and an online advent calendar. Its new brand campaign aims to position the brand as making life easier for both consumers and merchants with its payment systems.
 
The case for Paul Evans, European head of media, Xbox:
As leader of Xbox EMEA’s media function, Evans has responsibility for all console and game media planning and buying within the region, including the recent global launch of Kinect for Xbox 360. Evans is credited with using social gaming to help Xbox tap into new audiences, including young women and families. He has ensured that Microsoft-owned Xbox has invested in social networks other than Facebook, to engage further with casual gamers. Evans’ background is firmly in FMCG land: before Xbox, he was media & integrated marketing planning manager, EMEA, at Kimberly-Clark, senior media marketing manager at Inbev UK and senior product manager at First Drinks.
 

The case for Simon Gresham Jones, director of digital marketing, Burberry:
Gresham Jones became Burberry’s first head of digital three years ago and is setting the agenda for how luxury brands can make the most of digital. He was responsible for the launch of the clothing brand’s own social network, Art of the Trench, which attracted more than 200,000 unique users in its first week. The brand stole the show at last year’s London Fashion Week, largely down to its use of digital marketing, with live tweeting as models went down the catwalk.
 
The case for Paul Smernicki, director of digital, Universal Music UK
Smernicki has been working closely with Universal’s artists, labels and partners to drive digital innovation, putting fan behaviour at the centre of activity. He’s also been active in Parliament, meeting with MPs to debate the implementation of the Digital Economy Act. Music has been a constant throughout his career: Smernicki was previously director of digital and D2C at Polydor Records, Universal's largest label, where he is credited with bringing an artist-friendly approach to the label’s digital strategy. He is a founder director of Fiction Records.
 
 
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This article was first published on marketingmagazine.co.uk