150 years.
Trusted local Journalism since 1874
SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITY
150 years.
Trusted local Journalism since 1874
WHY DO WE STAGE THE BUSINESS AWARDS AND WHAT BENEFITS DO THEY BRING?
• To provide a platform that celebrates successful people and businesses across the region
• To create a pro-active campaign that accentuates the positives and provides example after example of best practice in the area
• The campaign is driven by the region’s largest regional multimedia organisation which gives a marketing reach second-to-none
• A variety of categories means the awards are relevant to the majority of businesses, regardless of size, age or sector, so long as they are within the Express & Star circulation area
• They culminate in an glittering awards evening in front of up to 400 members of the business community that is a celebration of success, organised by an experienced team with a proven track record
150 years.
Trusted local Journalism since 1874
WHY BECOME A SPONSOR?
• Be part of the premier event on the region’s business calendar
• Associate with other top flight sponsors
• Raise your company profile above that of your competitors through a multimedia campaign
• Put your brand in front of thousands of readers of the country’s largest regional newspaper and fastest growing regional website
• Be invited to an exclusive sponsors’ lunch
• Have the opportunity to take part in the on-site judging and engage with the finalists, the best in the business
• Table for 10 at the awards night
• Take ownership of a specific awards category
• Help raise the profile of the region and celebrate success in a positive, professionally delivered campaign
150 years.
Trusted local Journalism since 1874
PREVIOUS SPONSORS
150 years.
Trusted local Journalism since 1874
CATEGORY SPONSORSHIP PACKAGE
• Ownership of category
• Branding on front cover of awards launch supplement in Express & Star
• Full-page business profile within launch supplement
• Business profile featuring corporate logo on event website
• Logo on promotional ads published regularly from launch to closing date
• Branding to appear in awards supplement featured in glossy Black Country Business magazine published by Express & Star and mailed out to business leaders across the region
• Invitation x2 to exclusive Express & Star sponsors lunch, in April
• On-site judging of finalists who entered your category (You choose winner)
• Branding on ‘Meet the Finalists’ supplement published in Express & Star
• Table for 10 people at awards ceremony
• Opportunity to present trophy on stage at awards evening
• Logo to appear on front page of ‘Meet the Winners’ supplement in Express & Star following awards ceremony
• Corporate identity featured on stage screen throughout presentation evening
• Logo featured in awards event programme
• Post event social media and branding in Express & Star, expressandstar.com and in the Black Country Business magazine
• 2 x Page Takeovers (PTO) on expressandstar.com in lead up to event or 1 X PTO and 1 x 20,000 video pre-roll impressions on expressandstar.com
Trusted local Journalism since 1874
CATEGORY SPONSOR ADDED VALUE:
• Category specific social media posts on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. Posts appear at entry, finalist and winner’s stage.
Trusted local Journalism since 1874
CATEGORY SPONSOR ADDED VALUE:
• Inclusion on generic social posts such as event countdown, sponsors lunch coverage, thank you to sponsors etc...
• Like/share of sponsors own social posts
Trusted local Journalism since 1874
CATEGORY SPONSOR ADDED VALUE:
• Logo inclusion on print adverts that feature QR code linking to website
• Logo included on email marketing campaign activity (enter now stage and congratulation emails that go to finalists and winners)
• Cross promotion posts to Express & Star editorial
• Event coverage in Black Country Business magazine
150 years.
Trusted local Journalism since 1874
AWARDS TIMELINE
• Awards launched in Express & Star January 2025
• Simultaneous launch on-line including countdown to closing date for entries
• Branding on promotional advertisements encouraging entries published regularly in the Express & Star
• Entries close late February 2025 followed by preliminary judging
• Exclusive sponsors’ lunch April 2025
• On-site judging of finalist companies take place in May 2025
• Profile of finalists published in Express & Star days prior to the awards night
• Black-tie awards evening June 2025
• News coverage of main award winner next day and coverage of winning companies in business supplement the following week
