Highlands and Islands Enterprise's Speak Up for Broadband campaign undertaken by a collaboration of businesses from the area has received national recognition for its success from the IPA (Institute of Practitioners in Advertising).

The broadband registration drive, run by Navertech with major input from Arrow Creative Marketing, Atlantic Marketing, Spiritmedia, ITP Solutions, Key Commercial Services and a host of other local companies received a special prize for Best Integration as well as being awarded a bronze award at the IPA's 2005 Scottish Effectiveness awards held at Prestonfield House Hotel in Edinburgh on 16th June.

The broadband registration drive ran between January 2003 and April 2004 after Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) identified a lack of awareness of the potential of this technology amongst residents and businesses in the Highlands and Islands. The campaign was a phenomenal success with 26,134 registrations, 6,839 of which were businesses.

The Highlands and Islands accounts for just a fraction (0.7 per cent) of the UK population, yet the area delivered almost three per cent of all UK registrations, and 17 per cent of Scotland's. Nationally, 1.53 per cent of the UK population registered, compared with 6.5 per cent of the Highlands and Islands population.

Joanne Blanusa, of HIE's knowledge economy team, said: "Broadband is extremely important for the future competitiveness of the Highlands and Islands, and we were delighted that people took the time to register.

"The success of this campaign is largely down to the talents of the collaborative group of businesses from the area and this demonstrates the excellent pool of skills we have here in the Highlands and Islands. The roll out of broadband happened much faster as a direct result of the registration campaign. HIE is now focusing on ensuring businesses and community groups make use of broadband and maximise the benefits it can provide."

Roddy Ritchie, creative director of Arrow Creative Marketing Solutions, said: "Winning an award from a body as prestigious as the IPA is as good as it gets in our industry. Some of the best advertising and marketing brains in the world are looking at the work with a very critical eye. With that, their validation is very important for the confidence of the creative communication industry and clients as a whole.

"But the very special thing for me in all of this is that this was a true collaborative effort by many talented people in the Highlands and Islands. We, the collaborative team, should be very proud of what was achieved with the HIE Speak Up For Broadband campaign. The real winners of this campaign are the people of the Highlands and Islands. After all, it was their voice that made this campaign the success that it was."

Philip Jones of Spiritmedia added: "These are prestigious awards judged by the best marketing minds in the UK. This clearly shows how companies in the Highlands and Islands can work together in an integrated manner and in so doing achieve recognition for their effectiveness. What was achieved here will provide a blueprint for businesses throughout the UK."

Alistair Murray of Atlantic Marketing, who project managed the campaign, said: "I am delighted for everyone on the Navertech team. It proves that when like minds seek each other out we can show everyone that being rural is an asset, and that being smaller actually works."

Notes to editors: The collaborative group of Highlands and Islands businesses was made up of the following companies:

• Atlantic Marketing, Thurso, (Project Management);
• Arrow Communications, Muir of Ord, (Creative Development);
• Navertech, Thurso, (Web Development/Systems Co-ordination);
• Spiritmedia, Edinburgh, (Media Planning/Buying);
• ITP Solutions, Inverness, (Contact Centre/Data Management);
• Key Commercial Services, Bonar Bridge, (Fulfilment/Data Cleaning);
• Seabridge, Orkney, (Focus Group Research); Platform PR, Beauly, (Public Relations); Bluethistle Media, Strathpeffer, (Copywriting);
• Onlinewords.co.uk, Stornoway, (Web site content);
• Charlie Wilson, Culloden, (TV production), and
• Cairn Consulting, Fortrose, (Database)