We are pleased to announce the launch of the first in a series of workshops which aim to demystify the world of digital marketing.

The first workshop will take place on Thursday 5th March at The Lighthouse in Brighton.

Social Media for Business has been designed to educate and inspire SMEs to harness the power of social media for their businesses.

You will learn how social media tools can drive to new sales, increase the reach of your brand and foster positive customer relations.

Come along and find out the answers to all of your questions from our social media experts.

Find more information on the Social Media for Business Workshop here.

If someone had said to me before that the immeasurable success of this year’s DIMAS would be amplified by a large church (and by amplified I don’t just mean the amazing acoustics), a pie in a cardboard box and colloquial dress code, I would have had my doubts. Media events are often top heavy with glamour and ostentation, and light on substance and compassion.

The 2008 DIMAS, however, avoided any of the above and instead produced an evening of exceptional local talent, only matched by our emphatic neo-gothic surroundings. Leapfrogg were among an illustrious list of sponsors, and we were proud to support the ‘Most Effective Digital Marketing Campaign Award’. As a sponsor, we knew it wasn’t about our name up in lights, but more for the recognition of the industry and businesses that we are happily associated with – especially with the last quarter of this year being enveloped by an unstable economic climate. I think the industry and everyone involved has proved that staying positive and passionate has certainly got us all through a turbulent time.

This is the why the DIMAS had more emphasis draped on them this year. Each category was full of businesses, agencies, studios and individuals who had all remained focused and driven, and subsequently deserved to be nominated.

Kevin Carey delivered a speech with the usual amount of brilliance. His engaging introduction, titled ‘HumaniTy’, echoed around the cavernous All Saints’ interior. Proceedings were then comically sewn together by host Stephen Grant, with the help of Mark Walker of SCIP; very few escaped a cheeky, but innocuous comment from the Komedia keeper as people arrived on stage! The award itself deserved a prize for its innovative design and unique character – attributes that were synonymous with each winner that held it.

The judges undoubtedly had their work cut out to distinguish between some healthy local competition, so they were probably thankful when the task was momentarily directed to the audience. As the award for ‘BANG Best Use of Animation’ was ascending, glow sticks (yes, glow sticks) were being distributed to every table, and guests looked at each other with both puzzlement and anticipation. Was this to be a media rave of religious proportions? Not tonight, no. The glow sticks were to be used to select the winner by everyone waving them frantically in the air when each nominee was announced! The light from the sticks and the noise from those cheering was captured on a visual device, that then gauged the nominees popularity on the large screen. Whether or not the experiment was genuine, it certainly provoked the crowd and was the perfect preface to Big Fug stimulating the masses with their DJ set.

So, a night to remember. Never before have I had so much fun in a church, neon green glow stick in my grasp, surrounded by the elite of the digital south! The Brighton and Hove Web Awards may be in the past, but the reincarnation of the DIMAS has a very bright future indeed. I can’t wait to see next year’s agenda…

We are delighted to have won ‘best employer’ at the Sussex Business Awards!

Having already picked up the same prize at the recent Brighton and Hove Business Awards, we are over the moon at making it a double! Our staff enjoy some fantastic benefits including generous holiday allowance, duvet-days, flexi-time, full private health care, regular days out and the “Leapfrogg’s got talent” bursary.

All of this and more makes Leapfrogg a great place to work, therefore keeping staff happy, committed and above all motivated to deliver the very best to our clients and partners.

We’d therefore like to take this opportunity to thank them for all their hard work! Have a great weekend

We are delighted to announce that Leapfrogg has been nominated for yet more awards! After October saw us win the Best Place to Work at the Brighton and Hove Business Awards (BAHBA’s), we now find ourselves up for a further three gongs at the Sussex Business Awards; best employer, best customer service and entrepreneur of the year for the MD Rosie Freshwater.

The prestigious Sussex Business Awards will be celebrating a very special anniversary. This year marks 20 years of the awards which acknowledge and reward organisations and individuals whose passion and motivation has lead to business success in 2008. The award scheme is supported by some of the county’s renowned companies including The Argus, Sussex Enterprise, and Southern. Sussex Business Awards are also proud to have three new sponsors this year too; international airline Emirates, leading law firm asb law and RBLI (Royal British Legion Industries).

The ceremony is to be held on the 20th November at the lavish Copthorne Effingham Park Hotel. Along with the other nominated businesses, we will take a table to find out who the winner is for each of the 12 awards. The finalists will be treated to a three-course meal and entertainment.

Nearing our 5th Birthday picking up an award or two at the Sussex Business Awards, to compliment our recent win at the BAHBA’s, will be some way to celebrate!

For more information about the Sussex Business Awards visit: http://www.thebusinessawards.co.uk/sussex

Friday night saw the Leapfrogg team win the prize for the ‘best place to work’ at the Brighton and Hove Business Awards, one of the premiere awards ceremonies in the South East.

We were delighted to have been short-listed for three awards on the night; ‘best customer service’, ‘growth’ and ‘best place to work’. Of course, we would have loved to walk away with all three but the ‘best place to work’ was the one we were really after having invested a huge amount in our staff and their working environment.

Right from day one, we have taken employee satisfaction very seriously and as such have implemented some brilliant incentives to keep the team happy, bonded and passionate about their jobs, Leapfrogg and the digital market at large. Not only do we provide the team with financial incentives, they also enjoy free ice-cream and beer days; two “duvet-days” a year, flexi-time; full health care; the opportunity to work from home; company days out; a “Leapfrogg’s got talent” bursary; and legendary Christmas parties!

The team agrees: “Little perks make working here fun and the bigger ones make us all feel excited about the company we are working with and valued. Then, on top of all the perks, we have a great office, a supportive team, respect, responsibility and an ethical outlook. We really are privileged to be working here, no wonder no one wants to leave!”

The result of all of this? A 100% staff retention rate in almost four and a half years since we started Leapfrogg. As we are pretty close to 20 staff now we don’t think that’s too bad! Our view is very much ‘if you look after your staff, the rest will take care of itself’ (well nearly!).

Here are some pictures of the evening…

Amelia, Suze, Rosie (MD), Sacha, Claire and Rachel

Simon, Ben (Sales Director), Andy and Mike

Rachel and Andy (both Account Managers) enjoying the champers!

Simon Dance (Senior Social Media Strategist) and Sacha (Paid Search Exec)

Amelia (Paid Search Manager) and Mike (Finance Director)

The big moment!

Just a bit happy!!

Claire (SEO Exec), Jo-Rosie (Communications Officer) and Rachel

Sacha, Suze (SEO Manager) and Claire

Ben and Rosie, the Directors, looking pleased as punch*!

*shortly after this, much wine was consumed in celebration and there were some very sore heads in the morning!

We are never ones to blow our own trumpet but sometimes it just has to be done!

We are delighted to have been shortlisted in three categories for the Brighton and Hove Business Awards (BAHBAs) which acknowledge and celebrate organisations and individuals who help build the ‘Brighton brand’. We have been shortlist for the ‘Business Growth Award’, ‘Best Customer Service Award’ as well as the ‘Best Place to Work Award’.

The awards application process involves the completion of a questionnaire for each of the awards being entered. This is a great chance to really think long and hard about every aspect of your business, identifying both strengths and weaknesses. From here companies are shortlisted before then enduring a ‘Dragon’s Den‘ style grilling from the judges. I highly recommend using the application process for awards of any nature as a fantastic opportunity to review your business in a structured way and by involving all of your staff in the process.

The ceremony itself is to be held on the 26th of September and Leapfrogg, along with 32 other businesses, will take a table to find out the winner of each of the 13 awards. The venue for the illustrious Brighton award ceremony is the Hilton Metropole and we’ll be enjoying a full champagne reception as well as a four course meal. Woo hoo!

The award scheme is supported by some of the city’s most affluent companies including iCrossing, Legal & General, Brighton and Hove City Teaching Primary Care Trust, MDHub, Hilton Brighton Metropole, First Capital Connect, NixonMcInnes, Brighton & Hove City Council, The Argus, University of Brighton and award organisers, Midnight Communications. The sponsors were this year also joined for the first time by Royal Mail and Allied Irish Bank.

Wish us luck!