This year the British Association for Screen Entertainment brought the 40th anniversary BASE Awards home, with entrants and colleagues from across the industry finding their own ways to celebrate while they watched a series of specially made awards videos that announced who was commended, highly commended or a winning entry for this year’s 24 BASE Awards.
After an introduction from Liz Bales, CEO and Lesley Johnson, Co-Vice Chair of BASE, the first video took a moment to reflect on all of the remarkable content submitted into this year’s Awards, providing viewers with the opportunity to reflect on and be re-inspired by the huge range of stellar content on show. The subsequent videos each revealed the winners of a different section of awards, starting the evening with Retail Awards followed by Box Office categories, then moving on to Non-Theatrical content and Special Awards, before a stirring video dedicated to the recipients of the inaugural Category Hero Awards.
In the retail-focussed categories, Asda led the way with two wins, including Retailer Initiative of the Year for their DVD Aisle Revitalisation work, while Sky Store and Amazon also received an award each, for Digital Retailer of the Year and Online Physical Retailer of the Year respectively. Moving onto Box Office and Non-Theatrical sections, Lionsgate UK led the way by winning three out of the six Box Office categories as well as PR/Publicity Initiative of the Year for their John Wick: Excommunicado activity. Universal Pictures UK and Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group also had a fantastic year, both winning three awards each, as did Sony Pictures Home Entertainment whose strong performance across their TV content secured two of their three wins.
Looking at this year’s Special Awards, toppling Universal Pictures UK’s run of four consecutive wins, The Walt Disney Company won this year’s Distributor of the Year award, and in conjunction with Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment, also took Title of the Year, thanks to the behemoth that is Bohemian Rhapsody. Due to the huge volume of impressive entries into this year’s Outstanding Innovation Award, the judges made the decision to split the category into two; Retail and Distribution. Winning the Distribution Award was BBC Studios, for their ground-breaking work on Seven Worlds, One Planet – Sustainable Packaging, while the Retail Award went to UCA for their Hybrid Tower, which was one of two awards for the Universal UK/Sony Pictures collaborative venture this year, which also included External Team of the Year – Industry Supplier. Our Awards partner Obviously Creative also saw success this year in this group of Awards, winning External Team of the Year – Creative Agency.
Finally, the first ever Category Hero Awards rounded off this year’s 40th Anniversary event, created to acknowledge some of the individuals in the category who consistently go above and beyond and are deserving of special recognition for their outstanding contribution. Thanks to generous nominations from industry colleagues, there are seven recipients of the award this year; Andy Anderson (formerly of HMV), Robert Callow (Spirit Entertainment), Vicki Davis (Universal Pictures UK), James Gallagher (BASE, the Industry Trust & the DEGI), Mark Horton (formerly of Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment), Andy Snook (SilkFactoryAV) and Andrew Thompson (ASDA).
Kevin Dersley, Co-Vice Chair, BASE / Managing Director, Elevation Sales said: “This year it is more important than ever to remind ourselves of the consistent commitment and dedication demonstrated across the video category, so I would like to thank all of the entrants for engaging with this year’s BASE Awards, and allowing us to shine a spotlight on their incredible achievements. I would like to extend my deepest congratulations to all of the winners, both teams and individuals, and those entries that the judges chose to Highly Commend and Commend – it is down to you that this category has been able to adapt to all of the changes seen over the last 40 years, and will continue to show resilience and flexibility as we continue to tackle the challenges of 2020 into next year.”
Liz Bales, Chief Executive, British Association for Screen Entertainment said: “Due to an extraordinary year, our customary celebrations have been moved online for the first time, but we are no less excited to be honouring the huge host of accomplishments submitted by BASE members and category colleagues in this year’s BASE Awards. As always, the BASE Awards are only possible with the help and support of our partners and sponsors, and this year in particular, the huge amount of flexibility and pragmatism shown by everyone involved throughout the planning process. We hope that all of our nominees were able to raise a glass and celebrate safely in their own way while watching our announcement videos, and we cannot wait to dust off our dancing shoes and party with you in person once again next year.”
This year’s Awards were generously sponsored by: Action for Children, BBC Studios, Fero, FindAnyFilm.com, Huckleberry Recruitment, Lionsgate UK, Obviously Creative, Official Charts Company, Organic, The Raygun, Spirit Entertainment, StudioCanal, Universal Pictures UK, Visual Data, The Walt Disney Company Ltd, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group and West 10.
Special thanks to Awards partners: Obviously Creative, Premier and Snakes and Ladders.
Click here to view the Announcement Videos and access the Awards Programme.
The full list of BASE Awards winners:
DISTRIBUTOR OF THE YEAR – Sponsored by The Official Charts Company
The Walt Disney Company Ltd
TITLE OF THE YEAR – Sponsored by The Official Charts Company
Bohemian Rhapsody – Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment / The Walt Disney Company Ltd
PHYSICAL RETAILER OF THE YEAR – Sponsored by Universal Pictures UK
WINNER
ASDA
HIGHLY COMMENDED
HMV
Tesco PLC
ONLINE PHYSICAL RETAILER OF THE YEAR – Sponsored by The Walt Disney Company Ltd
WINNER
Amazon
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Zavvi
Zoom
DIGITAL RETAILER OF THE YEAR – Sponsored by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group
WINNER
Sky Store
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Google Play
Prime Video
Virgin Media Store
RETAILER INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR – Sponsored by StudioCanal
WINNER
DVD Aisle Revitalisation – ASDA
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Continued Innovation to Grow Their Transactional Base – Sky Store
COMMENDED
Zoom Pop-up shop at MCM Comic Con London – Zoom
IN-STORE THEATRE INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR
WINNER
Downton Abbey – Universal Pictures UK
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Pizza Deals – ASDA
CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR FOR NON-TRADITIONAL RELEASE – Sponsored by The Raygun
WINNER
Western Stars – Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Jay and Silent Bob Reboot – Universal Pictures UK
PR/PUBLICITY INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR – Sponsored by Organic
WINNER
John Wick: Excommunicado – Lionsgate UK
HIGHLY COMMENDED
The Favourite – Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment / The Walt Disney Company Ltd
COMMENDED
Jay and Silent Bob Reboot – UPHE Content Group, NBC Universal
CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR FOR CATALOGUE: SINGLE PRODUCT – Sponsored by FindAnyFilm.com
WINNER
Mean Girls 15th Anniversary – Universal Pictures UK (on behalf of Paramount Pictures)
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Apocalypse Now: Final Cut – StudioCanal
COMMENDED
Doctor Who: Season 26 Collection Boxset – BBC Studios
The Italian Job – 50th Anniversary – Universal Pictures UK (on behalf of Paramount Pictures)
CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR FOR CATALOGUE: MULTIPLE PRODUCT – Sponsored by FindAnyFilm.com
WINNER
Digital Recruitment – The Ultimate Winter Watch List – Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group
COMMENDED
Cinema Magic – The Walt Disney Company Ltd
CREATIVE MARKETING INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR – Sponsored by Lionsgate UK
WINNER
The Crown: Complete Boxset – Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Bohemian Rhapsody Treasure Truck – 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment / The Walt Disney Company Ltd
Mega Movie Week – Obviously Creative
EXTERNAL TEAM OF THE YEAR – CREATIVE AGENCY – Sponsored by West 10
WINNER
Obviously Creative
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Grapevine Digital
COMMENDED
Target Group
EXTERNAL TEAM OF THE YEAR – INDUSTRY SUPPLIER – Sponsored by West 10
WINNER
UCA
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Spirit Entertainment
CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR FOR TV – Sponsored by Spirit Entertainment
WINNER
Outlander Season 4 – Sony Pictures Entertainment
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Mrs Brown’s Boys – Universal Pictures UK
COMMENDED
Doctor Who: The Macra Terror – BBC Studios
CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR FOR FILM – UP TO £1M BOX OFFICE – Sponsored by Action for Children
WINNER
Hunter Killer – Lionsgate UK
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Brightburn – Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
COMMENDED
Bait – BFI
CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR FOR FILM – £1M-£1.99M BOX OFFICE – Sponsored by Visual Data
WINNER
Hellboy – Lionsgate UK
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Overlord – Universal Pictures UK (on behalf of Paramount Pictures)
COMMENDED
Apollo 11 – Dogwoof Ltd / Universal Pictures UK
CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR FOR FILM – £2M-£4.99M BOX OFFICE – Sponsored by Huckleberry Recruitment
WINNER
Nativity Rocks – Universal Pictures UK (on behalf of Entertainment One)
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Rambo: Last Blood – Lionsgate UK
COMMENDED
Robin Hood- Lionsgate UK
CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR FOR FILM – £5M-£14.99M BOX OFFICE – Sponsored by Huckleberry Recruitment
WINNER
John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum – Lionsgate UK
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Pokémon Detective Pikachu – Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group
COMMENDED
Bumblebee – Universal Pictures UK (on behalf of Paramount Pictures)
CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR FOR FILM – £15M-£24.99M BOX OFFICE – Sponsored by Fero
WINNER
Venom – Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Aquaman – Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group
Rocketman – Paramount Home Media International
CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR FOR FILM – OVER £25M BOX OFFICE – Sponsored by Fero
WINNER
A Star is Born – Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Spider-Man: Far From Home – Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
OUTSTANDING INNOVATION OF THE YEAR – DISTRIBUTION – Sponsored by Obviously Creative
WINNER
Seven Worlds, One Planet – Sustainable Packaging – BBC Studios
HIGHLY COMMENDED
Digital Gifting – Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
COMMENDED
Harry Potter Advent Calendar – Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group
Universal Interns Green Challenge Initiative – Universal Pictures UK
OUTSTANDING INNOVATION OF THE YEAR – RETAIL – Sponsored by Obviously Creative
WINNER
Hybrid Tower – UCA – Universal Pictures UK / Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
COMMENDED
Zoom at MCM Comic Con 2019 – Zoom
Multibuys on FTP and STP products – Tesco Plc
CATEGORY HEROES – Sponsored by BBC Studios
WINNER
Andy Anderson – Former DVD Product Manager, HMV
Robert Callow – Managing Director, Spirit Entertainment
Vicki Davis – Head of Customer Experience, Universal Pictures UK
James Gallagher – Senior Marketing Manager, BASE, The Industry Trust for IP Awareness & The DEGI
Mark Horton – Former Marketing Director, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment
Andy Snook – Director of Production and Founder, SilkFactoryAV
Andrew Thompson – Senior Buying Manager – Music, Video, Games & Books, ASDA
