New Media x Swipe iX win gold for content and tech excellence in New York

This is the second major international award for the McCain Family Cookbook brought to you by Food24, a first-of-its-kind cookbook print-on-demand platform, built by Swipe iX. At the 2021 International Content Marketing Awards in London, the same project won gold for Best Use of Innovative Technology.

New Media CEO Aileen Lamb says: "New Media's purpose is to tell the stories that matter most. The marriage of technology and storytelling in the McCain Family Cookbook perfectly illustrates our human-centred approach to digital solutions. Adding a tech layer to the wonderful tradition of the well-worn family cookbook allowed Food24 users to create their own personal food stories in a beautifully printed product. We are so proud of this work and of the recognition by our peers in the US and UK."

The Content Marketing Awards, owned and presented by the US-based Content Marketing Institute, recognise the best content marketing projects, agencies and marketers in the industry each year. This year's panel of all-star judges reviewed nearly 1 000 entries to determine the best of the best in content marketing excellence.

A collaboration between New Media's Food24 team, Swipe iX, communication agency Planit Media and frozen food company McCain, the Cookbook Creator tool gave users the opportunity to create their own family recipe keepsake. They could upload six of their own recipes, complete with pictures or notes, and add to these from a bank of Food24 recipes in five different categories - from baking, desserts, starters, vegan, vegetarian, diabetes-friendly, BBQ, pasta, salads and under-30-minute recipes. Six of Food24's most popular recipes and six McCain recipes made up the remaining 12, for a total of 48. Users could personalise the name of their cookbook and, once built, it was printed and couriered direct to their doorstep.

McCain's marketing manager: Foodservice and Retail, Catharina Bester, says: "McCain is a catalyst for bringing families and friends together. Whether it's sharing a simple moment or a celebration around the table, we strive for togetherness - because we know we are better together. The opportunity to partner with Food24 on a project that combined food and technology to build social connections was, therefore, a perfect fit for the McCain brand. Families connect across generations - and that is where the real lasting magic of the McCain Family Cookbook lies."

Planit Media director Erica Gunning adds: "Developing audience-led strategies enables collaborations like these with media partners that not only add value to consumers but also build brand equity for clients, with content at the core and technology as the enabler."

New Media acquired Swipe iX in 2020, combining decades of storytelling expertise with solid, scalable tech solutions.

Lamb concludes: "New Media and Swipe iX are where internationally award-winning content strategists, editors, art directors and videographers collaborate with the best software developers and UX specialists in South Africa. Together, we help brands connect with their customers through storytelling and bespoke content delivery that drives measurable return on investment."