Vroom Digital, GRANITE, Kooba and more win big at the 28th Spider Awards, in association with One4all

Picture by Andres Poveda

The Spider Awards 2025, Ireland’s longest-running digital awards programme, announced Vroom Digital as the recipient of the coveted Grand Prix Award for its outstanding ‘Love Story’ campaign for EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum.

The Spider Awards, Ireland’s longest-running digital awards ceremony, announced the winners of its 28th annual event at a special gala ceremony on Friday, 21st March 2025.

Sponsored by One4all, the ceremony brought together leaders in Ireland’s digital landscape. Held in the Round Room at Dublin’s Mansion House, this black-tie gala dinner boasted 500 attendees celebrating excellence in the digital industry.

Vroom Digital won Grand Prix award for its ‘Love Story’ campaign for EPIC: The Irish Emigration Museum. The agency also took home the award for Best in Storytelling.

Other big winners include Kooba, named Large Agency of the Year, and GRANITE, which secured Best in UX & Customer Experience and Best Use of Disruptive Technology.

Digital marketing – An ever-evolving landscape

The event was hosted by Tracey Carney, Managing Director of Catalyst Media, who noted that it was her sixth year presenting the prestigious ceremony. She welcomed Louise Hickey, Director of Marketing EMEA for One4all, to the stage. Hickey welcomed attendees and spoke at length about the extensive changes seen in the digital marketing landscape over the last year.

Pictured: Lou Hickey, One4all. Picture by Andres Poveda.

“We’ve witnessed transformative developments that have totally redefined how we connect with audiences and how we build narratives”, she said.

“Social media marketing has become more dynamic, with innovative storytelling techniques and live interactive content captivating consumers like never before.Influencer marketing has matured into a strategic powerhouse.

“It leverages authentic voices to build trust and drive engagement, and SEO has taken a leap forward, embracing AI driven insights that allows us to predict trends and tailor content with surgical precision.”

A nod to the past

This year’s ceremony was themed around 80s style and fashions. Guests were greeted upon entrance by a DeLorean, made famous by the Back to the Future franchise. Situated upon each table were a host of 80s accessories, including leg warmers, shutter shades, and wrist bands. The event proudly fused nostalgia with cutting-edge technology.

A special prize for best dressed, awarded to the attendee who best embodied the spirit of the decade, was presented to Sarah Carroll Kelly from Access Point, who was treated to a luxury escape for two to Lawlor’s of Naas, a four-star boutique hotel.

Sarah Carroll Kelly from Access Point, winner of Best Dressed. Picture by Andres Poveda.

Winners

Commenting on this year’s winners, Tracey Carney, Managing Director of Business & Finance, said: “The calibre of this year’s winners reflects the incredible innovation, creativity, and ambition driving Ireland’s digital sector forward. From sustainability-focused initiatives to AI-driven marketing solutions, these companies are not only excelling but setting new standards in their respective fields. We are proud to celebrate their achievements and look forward to seeing how they continue to shape the future of digital in Ireland.”

Terry Spence, Director of B2B Sales at One4all, added: “At One4all, we are thrilled to support the Spider Awards, recognising the best in digital innovation and excellence. This year’s winners showcase the incredible talent and ingenuity within Ireland’s digital community, proving that businesses here are not just keeping pace but leading the charge in global digital transformation.”

Pictured (L-R): Category sponsor Brendan McDonagh of Access Point with Heather McDonnell and Dermot O’Shea from Granite, winner Best UX & Customer Experience at the 28th Spider Awards, in association with One4all. Picture by Andres Poveda.

GRANITE took home both the Best UX & Customer Experience award and the Best Use of Disruptive Technology. Dermot O’Shea, Managing Partner of GRANITE, said of the win: “We weren’t expecting it at all. I’m delighted for the client [Safe Events Global] because the brief for this project was ‘don’t give me back a boring website, give me something fresh and something different and don’t give me the same old UX.’

And every time we came back with a new idea, the man went to the well and brought back extra cash to commission video and our friends in heritage … and the team shot and made footage out of all these beautiful festivals should go on and see.

GRANITE also claimed the prize of Best Use of Disruptive Technology.

Pictured: Sponsor of the category, Ann Marie Sheehan of Aprire PR, with Yvonne Reilly and Lorcan Lambe from Virgin Media, winner of Best Collaboration award at the 28th Spider Awards, in association with One4all. Picture by Andres Poveda.

Virgin Media won the Best Collaboration prize. Lorcan Lambe, the group’s digital brand manager, said: £It’s great to get good recognition of a really good, solid collaboration.”

The AI Institute won the AI-Powered Marketing Excellence Award. Maryrose Lyons, the group’s founder and course co-ordinator, said: “I’m really delighted that. We are being recognised for our own use of AI because we teach people how to use AI. That’s very good.”

Pictured (L-R): Sponsor Brian Kearns- of Catalyst with Julie Morand, Niamh O’Kennedy and Richard Grey from hello human, winners of Best Website – SME at the 28th Spider Awards, in association with One4all

hello humans took home the Best Website – SME award. Richard Grey of hello humans said: “Niamh [O’Kennedy] has transformed the agency from where it was, and has taken the big leap to rebrand as hello humans, and it’s amazing. There is such an amazing team of people behind actually humanising digital technology and going, ‘OK, it’s not about digital, it’s about humanising brands in the digital space.”

Square1 won Best in E-Commerce. Diego Solorzano, co-founder and COO, said of the win: “It’s brilliant because Camps for Clubs is a product that we launched not too long ago, so it’s fantastic to be recognised.”

The Spider Awards Winners 2025:

A Standout Campaign: EPIC – The Irish Emigration Museum & Vroom Digital

Vroom Digital’s ‘Love Story’ campaign for EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum captivated judges with its storytelling, execution, and cultural resonance. Titled ‘The Love Story Before Love Story’, the campaign cleverly connected history with modern pop culture by tracing the untold love story of Taylor Swift’s Irish ancestors.

Launched ahead of her Dublin concerts, the campaign reached over 13 million people globally, secured 230+ media features, and drove a 16% increase in website traffic to EPIC’s site.

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Finalists announced for Spider Awards 2025, in association with One4all

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