Member Article

News startup OtherWorld picks up major European award

Those behind a news and placemaking technology pilot in the UK are celebrating after it was awarded ‘Best Digital News Start-Up’ at the 2018 European Digital Media Awards in Copenhagen earlier this week.

The awards, presented by WAN-IFRA, the World association of newspapers and news publishers, recognise innovative publishers who have adopted digital media and mobile strategies as part of their total product offering to meet the major changes in how people consume news and information today.

OtherWorld was piloted in Manchester last year, trialling an innovative new way to send highly-targeted news stories and marketing offers to people’s mobile phones based on their location. It does so using beacon technology to magically beam stories to people’s mobile phones as they walk past them, without the need for an app. In addition to its potential to spark to storytelling possibilities, OtherWorld was praised for its ability to engage younger audiences in local news – the generation of people who love local stories but are unlikely to ever buy their local newspaper.

OtherWorld was the brainchild of Stuart Goulden and his marketing agency and startup studio Like No Other.

The service received funding from Google and attracted over 50 content partners in Manchester, including Greater Manchester Police, Manchester International Festival, Manchester City Council, NHS, Trinity Mirror, Allied London and Spinningfields, Big Issue, Visit Manchester, Co-op, Manchester Histories, National Football Museum and local businesses, charities and arts venues.

OtherWorld was shortlisted alongside news organisations 24sata in Croatia and Omni in Sweden. As the winner it will now progress onto the World Digital Media Awards competition.

Speaking about the award win, Founder of Like No Other and OtherWorld, Stuart Goulden, said:

“I’d like to thank all the contributors who helped make the pilot happen. This award celebrates their belief in a radical new idea and our collective ability to make it happen, putting forward a future for local news in which it can thrive once more and play an important role in the future of cities. Our time in Manchester proved we are onto something rather exciting and we’re now exploring where we could take it next.”

OtherWorld is also shortlisted for International Digital Innovation of the Year at the newsawards next Wednesday, 18 April 2018. It will compete against the Guardian, Press Association, Reuters Connect, Correio (Brazil), Aftonbladet (Sweden) and others.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Stuart .