Australia has managed to nab a number of awards at the International News Media Association Awards with free commuter newspaper mX taking out two first places and Fairfax winning the INMA Innovation Award held in San Francisco.
The mX smartphone app for free commuter newspaper mX has pulled in two first places for the News Corp masthead, as well as a second and third in four categories.
The app was designed when the lack of a “digital extension” to the mX for 24/7 content left commuters “frustrated”, according to the campaign summary.
“Just like the print product, we had to create an engaging, funny, witty, informative, entertaining product for our socially savvy commuter audience always on the move.”
The campaign was awarded the top prize for the ‘Best new mobile app or website’ as well as the ‘Best idea to grow digital audience or engagement’.
The app also won second place in the ‘Best idea to grow advertising sales or retain advertising clients’, and third place in the ‘Best launch of a brand or product to create a new audience segment’.
“This is a fantastic achievement. It is representative of the high engagement and creativity of the mX brand,” Tara Oppen, publisher of mX, said.
“The app has recorded 105,790* downloads in the year since inception. It has allowed us to extend our commuter brand beyond afternoon travellers to reach our young, curious readership 24/7 in a new, innovative way.
"I’m pleased the hard work the team here has put in over the last year has received global recognition.”
The mX wasn’t the only local to snatch up a prize in the awards.
Fairfax Media was named the worldwide winner of the INMA’s Global Innovation Award for its ‘real-time working’ project.
The project involved a series of physical, behvaioural and technological strategies aimed at creating more efficient work from staff.
“The Fairfax Real-Time Working project is the kind of comprehensive culture change that is happening in the media industry worldwide as companies re-tool for multi-media consumers and advertisers,” Earl J. Wilkinson, executive director and CEO of INMA, said.
“The company re-thought the physical workplace in a way that promotes collaboration and makes the workplace a magnet for talent in the competitive Sydney area.”
Greg Hywood, CEO of Fairfax Media, said: “Winning this inaugural award is reflective of how we at Fairfax are at the forefront of the change in the global media industry.
“It is wonderful for everyone who was involved in the change to be recognised. This is one of many ways we are successfully transforming Fairfax and sustaining our future.”
Other locals also nabbed a spot at the INMA awards.
The Manly Daily won second place in the category ‘Best idea or innovation to create new profit centres’ for its ‘Local Shoppa’ campaign.
In the category ‘Best marketing solution for an advertising client’ APN NZ Media won first place for its work APN Tourism Australia: Explore your Australia passions.
The aim of the campaign was to get 40-64 year olds travelling around Australia without their kids, resulting in more than one million Kiwis visiting Australia.
See the full list of award results here.
