‘Winning an SMA has had a genuinely positive impact on our business’

A selection of our 2025 Sales and Marketing Award winners share what taking home a trophy has meant to them

Hours of blood, sweat and tears can go into crafting an entry for the CRN Sales and Marketing Awards, so it is no surprise that winning an award on the night can make a huge difference to a business.

As the 20 February deadline for this year’s awards draw ever closer, CRN caught up with some of our winners from 2025 to find out what winning has meant to them.

TIEVA was triumphant in two very competitive categories, taking home Best Marketing Campaign and Best Sales Team in the reseller categories.

Lee Ellams, head of marketing at TIEVA, said: “Winning two awards was a hugely meaningful achievement for everyone at TIEVA. Being recognised by the Sales & Marketing Awards validated the hard work, collaboration, and strategic alignment between our sales and marketing teams, and reinforced the impact of a truly unified go-to-market approach.”

He added taking a risk to stand out paid dividends: “With our award-winning campaign, we deliberately took a risk, opting for a bolder, more edgy and humorous approach to stand out in a crowded market. For me personally, receiving this recognition further validated that decision, reinforcing that being brave, challenging convention, and trying something new can deliver real, measurable results.”

Mitchell Feldman, CEO at Jam7, snapped up the Best Use of Data/AI in a Marketing Campaign trophy, and said winning has made a big difference.

“Winning the award last year had a genuinely positive impact on our business,” he said. “It was a huge moment of pride for our team to be recognised by the industry, and it gave everyone an extra sense of momentum and motivation. From a client perspective, the award acted as a strong endorsement of our work, reinforcing trust and confidence in what we deliver.”

He said awards like the SMAs play an important role in the industry.

“They celebrate excellence, raise standards and shine a spotlight on teams who are pushing sales and marketing forward in meaningful ways.”

Vanessa Cardwell, managing director of Bite IT Marketing, which won the Best Channel Marketing/PR Agency Award, said winning has “meant the world” to both her and her team.

“These are the awards that matter most in our industry — they recognise the real graft, creativity, and integrity that go into elevating technology brands, and we work incredibly hard to earn that recognition.

“For our team, it’s a moment of pride and validation; for our clients, it’s a thank you for the trust they place in us every day. Being named a winner isn’t just a trophy — it’s a reminder of why we do what we do and the impact we strive to deliver - solid, measurable, results driven campaigns that move the needle for our clients.”

The awards are a heady mix of company-based and individual awards, and vendor Exclaimer took home one of each.

Louise Buxton, channel marketing manager, EMEA at Exclaimer scooped the Marketing Star Award in 2025.

“It was an honour to take home this award,” she said. “But this recognition also reflects the support, guidance and creativity of my wider team and managers, who have been invaluable for every campaign. Exclaimer entered because we believed our channel marketing work genuinely moves the needle, and bringing home the trophy only boosted our confidence and inspired us to keep delivering.”

The company also took topped the Best Company to Work for category.

Laura Wilkinson, senior director, regional marketing at Exclaimer, said: “Being named Best Company to Work for was a proud moment for everyone. Our culture is central to our success and growth, and we wanted to celebrate our employees who live our values every day. One year on, the award is a powerful magnet for talent, a proof point for customers that we invest in our people and a daily reminder to keep building an inclusive, supportive environment where every colleague can thrive.”

The final winner we caught up with was HPE, which took home the trophy in a fiercely fought category – Best Vendor Marketing Campaign - blowing the judges away with its entry covering its highly-viewed Channel Reality Show.

Kathryn Couldwell, UK IMEA storage marketing manager at HPE, and Stuart Nixon, ‘To Channel’ marketing and communications at HPE, said they were delighted with the win.

“These awards are incredibly important to the HPE team. External recognition of our innovation in marketing and the impact we’re making across the channel is hugely rewarding, and it adds real momentum as we launch season three of the series.”

The deadline for the 2026 Awards is Friday 20 February – don’t miss out on your chance to shine.

Full categories and criteria can be found on the official SMA site here.

Good luck!