The judges for Auto Trader’s Click Awards have been chosen from the UK’s most “progressive” blue chip digital retailers.

They are:

  • online estate agent Rightmove’s Sarah Brown (pictured), who is responsible for the brand’s consumer facing marketing activity
  • Dan Daly, Amazon senior marketing manager
  • James Hayr, AOL head of branded content,
  • LinkedIn’s James Mooney
  • David Arkwright, founding member of MEAT, a global brand consultancy which works with some of the biggest and most aspiring brands including BP, Castrol, Coca-Cola and Kellogg’s.
  • iProspect’s senior executive, Ben Sutherland. He brings over 15 years’ experience of understanding the consumer journey and how to unlock more meaningful relationships between brands and their consumers.

Brown said: “Developing and delivering successful, consumer-facing, marketing initiatives means you really need to understand your key audiences better than you know yourself.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing which marketing initiatives have really engaged with their audiences, are innovative and have an integrated approach by embracing all aspects of digital marketing that really drives business.”

The ninth Click Awards recognise and celebrate those automotive retailers whose digital marketing initiatives are “innovative and creative”.

Nick King, Auto Trader director of insight, said: “The latest research reveals how car buyers spend nearly 11 hours researching their next car purchase online and the majority visit the dealership for the first time to either buy the car or conduct a test drive.

“That makes the virtual forecourt and how retailers and manufacturers engage with online users of critical importance.

“These awards recognize those car companies, franchised groups, supermarkets and independent retailers who have come up with creative and innovative ways to achieve this. We are looking to celebrate those retailers who put digital at the heart of their business.”

There are 12 Click Awards, including two dedicated to independent dealerships, with manufacturers and retailers able to self-nominate for six awards.

The two new awards are only open to independent retailers and recognise those who have demonstrated true innovation or creativity in their digital marketing initiatives.  

The two awards are: ‘Best integrated marketing approach’, and ‘Best digital initiative’.

The Click Awards takes place on Thursday June 23 at the Banking Hall, London.

Nominations are open, and entrants have until May 6 to enter.

For a full list of the awards, how to enter and further information visit the Click Awards website: www.autotraderclickawards.co.uk