We’re not going to lie, when the email landed in our inbox confirming that the website we’d built for Ascend Payroll had won at the Web Excellence Awards, there were a few high-fives around the office. But once the initial buzz wore off, it got us thinking about something we hear quite a bit – are industry awards just ego boosters, or do they actually mean something?
It’s a fair question. We’ve all seen those trophy cabinets gathering dust, and some awards seem to pop up for just about everything these days. But when it comes to recognition like the Web Excellence Awards, or the other accolades we’ve been lucky enough to pick up over the years, we’d argue there’s real substance behind the shine.
Our recent wins
Our win at the Web Excellence Awards was a brilliant moment for the team. We’d worked closely with the founders of Ascend Payroll to create something that really broke the mould in what can be quite a corporate, samey sector. Bold colours, quirky sticker designs, and a tone of voice that actually sounds human – it was a risk, but one that paid off.
But this isn’t our first time at the awards table. We were named Best Digital and Marketing Agency 2023 at the Midlands Enterprise Awards, which was a huge validation of everything the team works so hard to achieve. We’ve also picked up various awards for creativity and customer service at the Great British Small Business Awards – including that very special “A Team” award that recognised how we work together and support each other, our clients, and our community.
And then there are the sector-specific nods. Being finalists for Innovation in Tourism and Innovation in Healthcare shows that what we do translates across different industries. That’s not just about design skills – it’s about understanding businesses, their challenges, and their audiences.
Why it matters for our team
When Kirk, our Creative Director, first presented the Ascend Payroll concepts, he took a real leap with those bold design choices.
When Alison developed the brand positioning and tone of voice, she pushed for something genuinely different in a sector that loves to play it safe.
Awards like these tell them, and the rest of our team, that taking those creative risks and putting in the long hours actually makes a difference.
It’s easy to get buried in the day-to-day work and forget that what you’re producing is genuinely excellent. Industry recognition gives the team a moment to step back and think, “Actually, we’re really good at this.” That’s not ego, that’s acknowledgement of craft, dedication, and expertise. And it matters.
What it means for our clients
When we win an award for a client’s project, it’s not just our win – it’s theirs too. The Ascend Payroll founders can point to independent industry recognition of their website. That gives their internal team a boost, validates the investment they made in getting it right, and gives them something tangible to share with their own stakeholders.
For businesses deciding whether to work with us, awards cut through the marketing speak. Anyone can say they’re creative, innovative, or customer-focused. But when an independent judging panel agrees, when you’re recognised alongside other leading agencies, it backs up those claims with evidence.
The bigger picture
Industry awards also do something else that’s often overlooked – they push us to keep improving. When you’re entering work to be judged against your peers, you look at it differently. You ask yourself whether it’s truly innovative, will it deliver real results, and is it something you’re genuinely proud to put your name to.
That scrutiny is healthy. It reminds us that good enough isn’t good enough when we’re competing with some of the best agencies around.
So, ego or criteria?
Both, probably. We’d be lying if we said the recognition didn’t feel good – of course it does. But the real value lies in what that recognition represents – validation of our team’s skills, reassurance for our clients, and a benchmark that pushes us to keep delivering work we can be proud of.
Filling the trophy cabinet is great, but the real win is the standards they represent and our approach to every project, client and brief.
And if you’re looking for an agency that doesn’t just talk a good game but has the independent recognition to back it up, you know where to find us.
