BEST MARKETING PROJECT / INITIATIVE
ACCA – A World Without Accountants
A World Without Accountants didn’t just ignore the rulebook — it shredded it, set it on fire, scattered the ashes across LinkedIn, moonwalked through the debris in a spreadsheet-print jumpsuit, and dared the entire profession to loosen its tie and join the dance.
In a world of bland B2B and buttoned-up accountancy campaigns, we launched something unapologetically bold. While others stuck to stock photos, spreadsheets, and jargon, we posed one big, rebellious question: What if accountants didn’t exist?
The answer? Total chaos — and the perfect canvas for creativity.
This wasn’t a tweak to the usual formula. It was a full-on creative rebellion against decades of risk-averse marketing. Where others saw boundaries, we saw an opportunity to shake the profession out of its shell and challenge everything people thought they knew about accountants.
We made a profession famous for being cautious into the unexpected heroes of comedy, chaos, and clever strategy.
This was accountancy advertising turned upside down.
Our mission:
• Smash the stereotype of accountants as back-office number crunchers.
• Reposition them as vital, strategic business leaders who keep the world turning.
• Make employers stop, smile – and seriously rethink the value of ACCA-qualified professionals.
Bathroom Association – Member Monday
“Member Monday” is a weekly initiative that highlights the talents, insights, and experiences of our community members across YouTube, our website, LinkedIn, and our members’ site. The series aims to foster an inclusive space for knowledge-sharing, skill-building, and collaboration. Each episode features a different member, showcasing their work, company, and initiatives, while offering actionable content to inspire and empower others.
By sharing authentic member stories, “Member Monday” motivates others to pursue their passions and connect with like-minded individuals. The series has become a highly anticipated feature, creating a consistent stream of content that encourages ongoing engagement and participation. This year, all spots for “Member Monday” were fully booked before the end of Q1, with a waiting list for available slots.
“Member Monday” has led to increased community interaction, with members actively engaging via LinkedIn, and facilitated valuable knowledge-sharing that benefits the entire group. Ultimately, the initiative celebrates the power of community, continuous learning, providing a platform for members to showcase their achievements and inspire others. It has proven to be a powerful tool in strengthening our community, making a lasting impact on both members and the wider audience.
British Dietetic Association – From digital crisis to the edge of greatness and beyond
In 2023 the BDA was at the height of a catastrophic CRM/website failure, leading to member complaints, loss of basic functionality, complex workarounds including a separate arrears system, and the auto cancellation of 10% of the membership. The challenge was not just technology—it was operational, financial, and reputational.
We developed purposeful partnerships with the best suppliers and excellent project management expertise to create conditions for success collectively, including clear vision and values, applying an honest lesson learned approach.
We set up a benefits realisation framework and continue to track outcomes eighteen months post Go-Live. These outcomes have been transformational for the organisation from reduced strategic risk, to improved membership and staff experience, cost and efficiency improvements, enhanced reputation and a high ROI.
We have learnt painfully the value of our data, the need to treasure and invest in it as a key asset, for our members and the association.
We have propelled ourselves from crisis to the edge of greatness with a clear digital roadmap in place – this roadmap is flexible, based on our core digital vision and values and can now take on the opportunities and challenges of AI.
British Educational Suppliers Association – The BESA Hub at Bett UK
BESA’s stand engagement campaign at the sector’s most significant calendar event turned a trade show presence into a high-impact content marketing initiative that delivered visibility, inclusion, and long-term value for members. The central stand acted as a hub for information and networking, welcoming thousands of interactions over three days.
Built around sustainability and collaboration, the campaign supported 66 UK EdTech members through shared exhibiting infrastructure, an open-access Presentation Zone, and strategic international engagement. Alongside this, BESA launched a refreshed brand and website, hosted member-led talks, and championed youth voices through Kids Judge Bett.
The impact extended far beyond the venue. Without paid media spend, member companies, delegates, and international partners helped amplify branded content, live sessions, and youth engagement across professional networks. A wide range of social touchpoints highlighted the reach and influence of the campaign.
Environmental, social, and economic sustainability were embedded throughout. Delivered under budget, with surplus reinvested, the initiative showcased how strategic storytelling, peer-driven amplification, and purposeful design can transform event participation into a community-focused, commercially effective content marketing campaign.
Nautilus International – Nautilus linkup with Travel with Liberty
Nautilus International, the trade union for maritime professionals, has seen membership growth among superyacht crew. To better reach this audience, which favours Instagram over traditional channels, Nautilus launched a digital-first influencer campaign in May 2025. Partnering with Liberty Nogueira (@TravelWithLiberty), a superyacht worker and Instagram influencer, the union promoted its services – such as legal support, sea time verification, and unpaid wage recovery – via sponsored videos and reels. Liberty created and shared five videos and a photo reel highlighting Nautilus benefits, with a 15% membership discount and a trackable landing page.
With a modest £1,500 budget, the campaign generated 20 membership applications and six sign-ups – a 3.2% conversion rate, which Nautilus considers strong ROI. Positive engagement, including comments praising the union’s support for yacht crew, helped raise awareness and perception among the target audience. Despite skipping a major industry event that year, May saw an overall membership uptick. Based on these results, Nautilus plans to explore further influencer partnerships to expand its social media outreach and future-proof its communications strategy.
Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners – On a mission to maintain a high membership renewal
STEP experienced a 14% membership growth in 2023, adding over 2,300 new members. This growth brought a key challenge: ensuring long-term member engagement and retention. With a historical renewal rate of 93%, we aimed to maintain or exceed this benchmark despite a larger membership base. Insights from annual surveys and global volunteer feedback revealed members prioritise staying current with industry developments, upholding professional standards, and global networking.
To meet these needs, we implemented a year-round engagement strategy focused on new members, beginning at their first interaction. Efforts included personalised and segmented communications, a new member hub, quarterly insight-packed emails, and coordinated outreach through social media, local branches, and education partners. Telemarketing support for affiliates boosted their renewal rate from 90% to 94%.
The result: a record 94% renewal rate, generating £74,000 in renewal fees from a £7,000 investment. More significantly, with most members staying for at least 10 years, the projected lifetime value of retaining new members is £740,000. The campaign also fostered organic advocacy, with members proudly sharing their affiliation online, enhancing STEP’s visibility and reinforcing a sense of community and professional pride.
World Commerce & Contracting – WorldCC’s Most Negotiated Terms 2024
WorldCC’s Most Negotiated Terms (MNT) 2024 campaign was an ambitious and multifaceted content marketing initiative designed to deepen member engagement, expand our influence across the global contract and commercial management (CCM) community, and drive revenue through both content consumption and commercial enablement. It exceeded expectations in terms of reach, creativity, innovation, and commercial outcomes—the product itself brought in $145k in 2024, with an additional $25k coming in 2025 – and the campaign delivered over $34,000 in attributed revenue, influencing 16,406 contacts, and introducing 178 new brand contacts to WorldCC.
