The Field Marketing Awards 2008

Field Marketing Agency of the Year
Gold: Gekko


Gekko is a specialist IT/ Electronics retail field agency. It is always going to be hard for such an agency to win an award which recognises all round merits. Nevertheless Gekko showed off several consistent performances alongside good strong campaigns that in themselves saw gold and silver recognition in the 2008 awards.

But it was all round excellence that impressed. Gekko is a successfully growing business and it does so by having a very low attrition rate for its clients. It works with some of the biggest names in IT, including Apple, Toshiba, Samsung and Epson and these brand owners typically provide glowing testimonials for their agency.

2007-8 was a very big 12 months for Gekko. Apples Store in store innovation took that relationship onto another level. The roll out that won silver in this year's innovation category is unparalleled in UK field marketing and further cements a client agency relationship that looks rock solid. Apples preference is to have Gekko's reps selling their products at retail rather than relying on the retailer. It is an enormous compliment to the agency.

This year Gekko also showed tactical sales excellence for Toshiba. Again, this sales success was not a one off, but brought into be by the learnings from several similar activities, honing and polishing the strategy and teamwork until it really shone.

2007-8 was also the year when Gekko was entrusted with the instore launch of a major new name in broadcast TV, Setanta. So Gekko had a great chance to prove that they could negotiate merchandising exposure with grocery retailers as effectively as any FMCG specialist and they did so, as testified by the merchandising and compliance judges who brought the activity through onto the shortlist of finalists at the expense of leading grocery brands.

There was a final case study too, showing how Gekko handled the winning of the TUPE contract with Epson. IT was the final vindication in favour of our agency of the year. IT showed an agency that has high principles for staff motivation and care and provided judges with a very rounded picture.

So for innovation allied to strong merchandising traditions, and multiple sales successes allied to responsible staff training and development and great client relationships that are underpinning steady and sustainable agency growth, Gekko is named the 2008 Field Marketing Agency of the Year.

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