EVCOM Award Winners: Showcasing MediaZoo Clarion Awards Winners 2025
Following this year’s Clarion Awards, we heard a clear message from our community: you want more opportunities to see the brilliant work being recognised, and to hear directly from the creative teams behind it.
That’s why we’re excited to launch EVCOM Insights, a brand-new content series dedicated to shining a spotlight on our award winners. Each edition will showcase winning projects in greater detail – from the films themselves to the stories, challenges and ideas that shaped them.
Alongside this, we’re also launching a companion series focusing on our Board, offering a closer look at the expertise, perspectives and people who help steer EVCOM and support our industry.
Together, these new series are about celebrating excellence, sharing knowledge, and making sure the creativity and impact of our winners and leaders are seen and appreciated far beyond the awards stage.
These questions have been answered by two of the brightest stars at Mediazoo – Imogen Davis and Olly Engele, both of whom attended this year’s EVCOM Clarion Awards.
1. As you won so many awards can you tell us a little about favourite your winning project – what was it about and what impact did it have?
Imogen:
My winning project was the Neurodiversity animation for Santander. By crafting an emotive, animated documentary featuring real voices and lived experiences, we sought to illuminate the challenges neurodivergent people face while highlighting their strengths, in turn building a culture of understanding that enables Santander to better serve its customers.
The response has been overwhelmingly positive, with colleagues expressing how the film resonated with them personally. One viewer, a parent of a newly diagnosed autistic young adult, shared how the film reassured them that with the right support, their child will be okay. Others have praised the animation for its “emotive insight”, the way it “completely captures your attention”, and its importance in driving awareness.
The commissioning client really valued our strong, creative partnership and commented that working together in this way helped take the film to a whole new level – “Thanks for thinking outside the box and steering us towards an animated film because it really was a great decision”.
Olly:
My favourite has to be the HSBC film ‘Empathy – A Poem’, which I produced and directed. The film focuses on exploring empathy in leadership. It looked at how powerful it can be when people in customer facing roles genuinely take the time to understand those around them. To me this is so important because you never know what someone’s going through and how just a little bit of kindness can change the trajectory of someone’s day, or even life.
What made this project special was the approach. We used poetry and strong visuals to tell a story that felt human and relatable rather than just delivering information straight to camera. We wanted to let the audience know how important this is, sure, but we most importantly wanted them to FEEL it.
The impact was clear. The film sparked meaningful conversations within HSBC about how empathy can shape workplace culture and leadership styles –
“The film emphasises we are all human and the connection with our customer is vital to be able to provide personalised service, especially in a difficult time in their lives. It shows how we can connect; how important our voice is and how important empathy is on our calls. It put what we do in our day-to-day role into perspective.’ – HSBC Client
There were also reports of a few tears shed along the way, both Mediazoo and client side!
Winning awards for it was a huge bonus, but for me the real win was seeing how much the film resonated with people.
2. Why did this project matter to you and your team? And what was it that made it stand out?
Imogen:
The topic of Neurodiversity is especially close to my heart because I have ADHD. The stories and experiences shared in the Film are reflective of my own challenges and strengths within the workplace.
It was really important to me to handle the contributors’ honest and brave accounts with care and to really do it justice. I wanted to avoid any accidental misrepresentation, hence the decision to only use the actual clips from their interviews. I did not want to inadvertently misconstrue their descriptions or put words in their mouth.
The creative approach of animation allowed our contributors to remain anonymous whilst also providing a universal depiction of their experiences through character illustrations. We incorporated sound design, colour, and visual metaphors to translate complex internal experiences into something universally understandable, making the film engaging and inclusive for all viewers.
Olly:
This project really mattered because it was more than just a film. It was an opportunity to start an honest conversation about empathy in leadership, which feels so important in the world we work in today.
It was also a project where the client really trusted me. To me that meant a lot. Like a lot of people, I have many ideas, but a personal frustration of mine is that I’ve not always been able to get my ideas out. With this client, they and Mediazoo handed me the keys It genuinely was the most satisfying experience ever.
What really made it stand out was the way we approached it. We took a near run‑and‑gun style on set, keeping the shoot fast‑paced and natural, and almost treated it like a music video in how we used visuals and rhythm to support the message. That gave the film a unique energy and personality that I feel made it stand out.
3. What’s the importance of purpose driven brand comms?
Olly:
For me, purpose driven brand comms is about more than just saying the right thing. It is about using storytelling to actually make a difference, whether that’s starting important conversations, challenging perceptions or inspiring change.
People can tell when something is authentic, and they respond to it. When a brand or person communicates its purpose in a way that feels real, it builds trust. That’s when content stops being just marketing and becomes something that can genuinely influence people.
It’s also important internally. Purpose driven work gives teams a shared goal and helps them feel proud of what they are creating. It pushes everyone to go beyond the brief and make something meaningful.
For the team and I, this is the kind of work we want to be doing. If a film can make someone feel seen or spark a conversation, that is when you know it has done its job.
4. What were the biggest challenges you faced – and how did you overcome them?
Olly:
One of the biggest challenges was filming on the streets of London. We were shooting in busy areas like Richmond, Trellick Tower, Portobello Road, Piccadilly Circus, and more! This meant dealing with crowds, residents, watching out for phone snatchers, unpredictable weather and the usual rush of city life. It is a lot to manage when you are trying to keep a creative vision intact.
Keeping the crew light and mobile meant we could adapt quickly, capture the shots we wanted and make the most of the locations without getting bogged down by logistics.
There was also the challenge of making sure the film still felt polished and purposeful, despite the fast‑paced setup. That came down to planning. We were really clear on the visuals we needed and worked closely as a team to stay on track throughout the shoot.
5. How did it feel to win award…after award, after award at the Clarion Awards this year?
Imogen:
It was an incredible experience. It was fantastic to see that our award-winning films were of such a high standard that they were able to fulfil the winning criteria of multiple categories.
Being able to bring 7 awards back to the office was a great morale boost for the team and allowed us to take some back up to our Glasgow office, so that they can sit on the shelves in both locations.
It inspires the team and provides a constant reminder of the achievements and potential we hold within ourselves when we are allowed to push the creative boat out and collaborate closely with each other.
6. What’s the importance of the EVCOM Clarions to you? (or any other EVCOM award for that matter!)
Imogen:
Winning awards such as the EVCOM Clarions meant a great deal to me. For one, it was the first time I had won an award for my filmmaking. The accolade of returning with silver and gold provided me with a great sense of professional achievement and was testimony to the hard work and collaboration of the team that worked on the project.
For Mediazoo more widely, awards such as this boost our brand credibility, reaffirming our standards of high quality, creativity and purpose driven outcomes. They allow us to reach a broader audience, including potential clients and partners, leading to new opportunities and markets.
Similarly, it strengthens our bond with existing clients, gaining their trust to work on more adventurous creative treatments in the future, safe in the knowledge that we can execute them to an ‘award winning’ standard.
7. What’s your ‘magic sauce’? Is there something personal – a value, habit, or belief – that you bring to your work that helps make it award-winning?
Olly:
I think my magic sauce is that I really value fun on set. I want everyone to have laughed at least once or at least smiled during the day. We are lucky to get to make films for a living, so I think it is important to enjoy the process.
For me, a happy and comfortable crew always produces the best work. When people feel relaxed and appreciated, they bring their best selves to the project, and that always comes across in the final film.
On a personal note, I know what it feels like to have things on your mind but still have to turn up to work and put on a front. If I can do my part to add even a little bit of joy to someone’s day, then I feel I have done my job as a human being, not just as a director or producer.
That belief has carried through to every project. Creating an environment where people feel good leads to better collaboration, better creativity and ultimately better films.