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“Win an Agency for a Year” competition

As part of the Marketing 4 Start Up Britain Week project one start up business will win marketing agency support for a year.

Entries have come in with answers to the following questions:

1. Tell us about your company (max 100 words)

2. Why should your company win a marketing agency for a year? (max 200 words)

Entries have closed and the first round judging panel have met.

Chair of the 1st round judging panel, MAA Board member & founder of HH&S, Mike Halstead has added to the open competition brief to develop what the 1st round judging panel looked for when they met on Tuesday 28th June:

“We were looking for the Best start up enterprise concepts, ones that show originality and opportunity of idea and can substantiate their opportunity.”

The shortlisted start-ups have been invited to pitch their ideas to our “Dragon’s Den” style panel on Friday, 8th July, at 1.45pm, during Marketing 4 Start Up Britain week itself.  

Panellists include Barbara Cassani, CBE, Travers Clarke-Walker (Barclays Business), Amar Lodhia (The Small Business Consultancy) and, MAA Chairman and Iris founder, Ian Millner.

There are 6 shortlisted businesses:

1. Armadillo Merino (www.armadillomerino.com)

The Armadillo Merino brand is owned by Ministry of Wool Ltd a company based in Derbyshire and established in February 2011. 

Armadillo Merino specialises in next to skin protective clothing that utilises the unique properties of merino wool. These garments are constructed for demanding environments using a range of merino performance fabrics that deliver superior comfort, protection and performance to professional risk takers.

Armadillo Merino is targeting professional risk takers throughout the world in occupations such as military, police, fire, ambulance, search & rescue, heavy industry and other outdoor professions.

Discover Armadillo Merino - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLoXPQTW1P4

2. Buggytug (www.buggytug.com)

Bus 94's product is the BuggyTug which is the UK's only branded pram wrist strap, it attaches to the pram handle and round the wrist of the carer to ensure the two don't become separated. It's a very simple invention but one designed to save lives; accidents are so common that in some countries it is illegal not to have a pram strap. The strap line is “Don’t let your pram go without you” and more Tug products are on their way including TeddyTug, TotTug and wait for it... HubbyTug!

3. Follow The Flag (www.followtheflag.com)

We are a directory of businesses run by forces families. We are supporting and supported by three military charities. We are a group of entrepreneurs (growing rapidly every day) coming collectively to the market place to demonstrate the best of British. Our members are largely female and have shown true initiative and flair in bringing new products and services to the market place often with very limited resources.

4. Rocktails (www.rocktails.co.uk)

ROCKTAILS is a 10% ABV premixed frozen cocktail. Captured inside each double-serve pod is a unique fusion of refreshing fruits and vodka. 

People can’t conveniently recreate bar quality cocktails at home. Cocktails are messy and expensive, as well as requiring knowledge, equipment and a lot of effort. ROCKTAILS solve all of this. They have been expertly blended to create a spectacular taste and look fabulous, instantly creating frost on the outside of a glass like you would experience in a cocktail bar. ROCKTAILS is super easy, minimal mess, and no waste. Simply FREEZE. LEAVE. SQUUEZE.

5. Safetray Products (www.safetrayproducts.com)

There’s nothing that breaks the spell of graceful high-end service like the sound of a toppling tray and the smash and crash of glasses breaking. 

Invented in Scotland by former waitress and event manager Alison Grieve, the Safetray enables new members of staff to serve with the style and confidence of experienced servers; thus preventing the cost, danger and embarrassment of toppled trays. 

A discrete, retractable hand clip on the underside of the Safetray provides such stability that a bottle of wine can be placed right on the edge of the surface whilst the tray remains completely horizontal.

6. Syndicate Room (www.syndicateroom.co.uk)

Syndicate Room (SR) is a crowd funding online platform that aims at promoting entrepreneurship by making syndication of angel investment easier, simpler and cheaper allowing professionals to invest alongside business angels with smaller individual investments. SR gives professionals the option of choosing which start-ups and early growth companies to support, reducing the risk through diversification of investment both for professionals and business angels.

Thank you for your interest in the "Win A Marketing Agency for a Year" competition, as you can see the deadline for entry has now passed and no further submissions can be accepted.

You can still register to attend the event and see the shortlisted start ups pitch to win in the Marketing 4 Start Up Britain week.