A small creative live marketing agency put many of it’s larger counterparts in the shade at the Event Awards, held at Grosvenor House, London last Friday night.

DNA Productions, led by chief executive Matt James, took the night’s premier accolade, the Event Award for Best Live Event Activity for creating the British Red Cross Ball 2005, for which it also won Best Celebration Event. The agency also walked away with the award for Most Effective Event Activity – Travel/Tourism/Leisure for La Fete Noire at the 58th Cannes Film Festival, which it produced for Chopard. What’s more, another of its live creations, Elton John’s Seventh Annual White Tie and Tiara Ball for the Elton John Aids Foundation, also received a nomination.

DNA’s crowning glory, the British Red Cross Ball 2005, helped raise £650,000 for the charity, £250,000 up on the previous year. “We’ve been running a ball in November for 10 years with the aim of raising funds for our work in the UK and internationally,” said Paul Marvell, Head of Major Donors and Events for the charity, “but things have really improved since DNA was brought on board two years ago. In 2005, Matt James and his team radically changed the theme and increased the production values, attracting more interest and raising donations.”

Marvell put the successful relationship his organisation enjoys with DNA in part down to the size of the agency. “I think they only have around four full-time staff and they feel more a part of our team than a supplier,” he said.

Another multiple Event Award winner was Jack Morton Worldwide, while Media 10 scooped the Event Award for Best Exhibition Activity for Grand Designs Live.

An exclusive video of the awards night, featuring interviews with many of the winners, will appear soon on EVENTS:review. For a complete rundown of winners and nominees click here.