Avatar and Fox win big at BVA awards

Fox’s Avatar took three awards at the British Video Association (BVA) annual awards ceremony in London last night [May 5].

The hit was the most popular title of 2010, selling more than 3 million units on Blu-ray and DVD, according to statistics from the Official Charts Company (OCC).

Consumers voted Avatar Best Blu-ray Title of the Year through the HMV website, as well as Rental Title of the Year – scored by the public through Kantar’s consumer panel.

Kantar also confirmed that Rental Distributor of the Year went to 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, whilst OCC sales volume data confirmed Universal Pictures (UK) Ltd as Retail Distributor of the Year.

In the retail sections, HMV took two awards: the Bricks and Mortar Retailer of the Year and Blu-ray Retailer of the Year. Retailer Marketing Initiative of the Year went to Sainsbury’s for its Shrek Forever After launch campaign.

A panel of Managing Directors, Sales Directors, and Marketing Directors from key distributors awarded Amazon.co.uk with the Online Retailer Of The Year award for the second year in a row.

The prized Marketing Initiative of the Year for film awards was divided into three categories, according to box office revenue. The winners were: Momentum Pictures and their campaign for The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (up to £3 million Box Office category), 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment for The A-Team (£3 to £10 million Box Office category) and Icon Home Entertainment for Paranormal Activity (over £10 million Box Office category).

Further marketing awards were divided according to genre. The Marketing Initiative of the Year for television was won by HBO Home Entertainment forThe Pacific, whilst Lionsgate Home Entertainment won the specialist category with Keith Lemon’s Fit. The children’s category was won by The Walt Disney Company for Beauty and the Beast. The award for ‘non-theatrical’ was won by Passchendaele (High Fliers Films), the music award went to Les Misérables in Concert –the 25th Anniversary Edition (Universal Pictures (UK) Ltd), and for the best catalogue campaign it went to the Love It campaign (Sony Pictures Home Entertainment).

The new award for Online Digital Service of the Year was won by iTunes.

Finally, the BVA award for Industry Initiative of the Year went to the Real Deal campaign launched and run by the Industry Trust for IP Awareness in partnership with the Alliance Against IP Theft. Creative Initiative of the Year went to Icon Home Entertainment for their work on Paranormal Activity and Premier PR fought off the competition to be crowned Supplier/Agency of the Year.

Lavinia Carey, Director General of the BVA said: “We were inundated by fantastic nominations for the Awards this year, all ofwhom deserve to be recognised for their exceptional work and talent in this very tough retail environment. More than ever, theshortlisted campaigns and winners demonstrated the new business opportunities presented by this rapidly evolving sector and how exciting it is to be a part of it. Consumers now have more choice than ever to enjoy video entertainment and all the winners and runners up at the Awards have produced great campaigns and promotions that point viewers to the best content available to suit them however and whenever they wish to watch.”

More than 1,000 guests attended the event at Old Billingsgate, London.