The Marketing Society Scotland has revealed the shortlist for the 2023 Marketing Star Awards, which is to be held in June this year. The annual awards event is the benchmark for marketing effectiveness in Scotland, with over 30 agencies and clients nominated. The dinner is expected to be attended by over 600 marketing experts from Scotland’s leading brands and businesses as well the nation’s top agencies. Several agencies from the rest of the UK are also named.

Both Union and Union Direct were nominated 11 times in the main strategic, communications and sector categories. Union clients nominated include Scottish Government, Transport Scotland, South of Scotland Destination Alliance, Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service, Scottish Widows, Social Security Scotland and Historic Scotland. The nominations are across a wide range of categories, from Digital Strategy and Planning and Insight, to Tourism and Leisure and Digital Communications. In total, the agency is nominated in 9 out of 13 categories. This makes the Union the agency with the most nominations and also the agency nominated in the most categories.

Last year at the Star Awards The Union won 10 awards, which included two Golds and two Silvers. The agency was last named Scotland’s Agency of the Year in 2021.

Adam Swann, Chief Strategy Officer at Union, commented: “What’s great about the Star Awards is they are recognised as a benchmark for industry performance, innovation and delivery of results. These awards matter because they are an independent measure of quality and cases are judged primarily on their effectiveness. While a nomination is by no means a guarantee of award success, to have been shortlisted 11 times, in categories that often have over 20 entries, is a testament to the consistency, quality and ambition of our hard work.”

Adam Swann: “The awards are recognised as a benchmark for industry performance.”

Michael Hart, the agency’s Creative Director, has also been nominated in the Inspirational Agency Leader category, and with Social Security Scotland the agency is shortlisted in the Champions of Diversity, Equality and Inclusion category.

The Union has a long history of success at the Star Awards. Over the last eight years the agency has now gained 79 nominations; which demonstrates considerable consistency and quality of output. Over the same period the agency has won 55 awards.

The Union celebrates winning ten awards in 2022.