We shine the spotlight on Cheerful Twentyfirst, which picked up three awards and a judges commendation at the micebook Awards 2023 last week…

The worthy winner of this year’s Grand Prix Award, Cheerful Twentyfirst won both the Best Product Launch and Best Creative Concept categories for The News Movement’s New York Brand Launch and was awarded Highly Commended for its Best Agency (more than 40 employees) entry.

The 60-strong agency operates in three key markets – UK, US and EMEA – and services more than 50 brands globally. In the last twelve months, Cheerful Twentyfirst has grown quickly while protecting its culture and personality to keep the team not only engaged but empowered to challenge and innovate at every turn.

Balancing people, planet and profit continues to be a focus across the business. The agency’s client carbon measurement programme includes advance impact forecasting and actual emissions reporting, supported by sustainability consultancy to guide reduction, mitigation and offsetting of its carbon footprint. Cheerful Twentyfirst has also doubled down on its commitments to inclusive and ethical business, which means thinking bigger, challenging everyone to do better and most importantly, taking action.

The agency’s case studies, and client testimonials are impressive. For The News Movement’s New York launch event, Cheerful Twentyfirst created an interactive experience that transported guests through time. Splitting the event in two halves, the experience opened with a loud, bustling and busy 1950’s newsroom, with guests cast as employees of The Manhattan Monitor and set tasks by a time-poor editor trying to meet his deadlines.

The doors then opened to present day and the event transformed from monochrome to technicolour. The launch included a live-action news briefing, featuring the co-founder on stage with two young journalists to demonstrate how a news story is identified, reported and broadcast. The guest list comprised a blend of media and marketing movers and shakers and influential members of Gen Z; there was a 91.5% adoption rate from registration to attendance with 200 acceptances and 183 attendees, which was impressive considering the calibre of the guests.

CEO of The News Movement said: “I had very high expectations, and I would say that this event surpassed all those expectations. I spent about an hour watching people’s faces as they came in because the reactions were unbelievable, it bonded people who didn’t work together or had never met… It was one of the best things you could do at an event.”

Cheerful Twentyfirst also worked with YouTube on its News Creator Workshops. YouTube’s Strategy and Operations Manager said: “The Cheerful Twentyfirst team has made our project work incredibly easier and richer. Cheerful Twentyfirst has brilliant ideas and wonderfully creative and thoughtful work, including ingenious designs and 1-1 support to back those designs up. Working together and communicating is never a challenge, as the team is very detail-oriented, engaging, and attentive. I am excited to continue working with this team on every available opportunity.”