City of Portsmouth College wins silver in national marketing awards

City of Portsmouth College has won silver at an awards ceremony celebrating the work of marketing teams from further education colleges across the country.

The marketing team was awarded a silver certificate in the Innovation & Creativity Award category, through its Great Things Come from Portsmouth campaign.

The campaign used innovative tactics and technology – including AI to reimagine Portsmouth’s greatest figures, both historical and current – to celebrate Portsmouth’s rich heritage and creative potential, linking the city’s proud history with student ambition.

It engaged with the Portsmouth community by holding a vote to choose its greatest hero, which turned out to be Hertha Ayrton, an English electrical engineer, mathematician, physicist and inventor, and suffragette who was said to have “tamed lightning”. City of Portsmouth College’s iconic tower at its Highbury Campus, has been named after her in her honour.

The judging panel said of the campaign: “The Silver Award recognises a campaign that blended emotional storytelling, cultural insight and emerging technology to reconnect education with place and pride. Faced with a challenging market, this work used bold, creative, AI-generated visuals and experiential activity to celebrate local heritage while inspiring future ambition. By inviting the community to participate — not just observe — the campaign created genuine emotional connection, strengthened reputation and delivered significant uplift in awareness, engagement and applications. It stands as a powerful example of how creativity, courage and authenticity can redefine perceptions and rebuild trust at scale.”

Collecting the award were Director of Marketing and Communications, Mike Stevenson, Junior Marketing Manager, Louis Allman, Events Manager, Matt Hancock, Digital & Social Media Manager, Heather Colesell and Events Co-ordinator, Lily Luffman.

Mike Stevenson said: “This is a fantastic moment, cementing how great the partnership is between the city and the College and proving that great things do indeed come from Portsmouth!

“I’m especially proud of the marketing team for coming up with such an innovative idea that showcases the College’s brilliance and delivering it so successfully.

Katy Quinn, Principal and CEO of City of Portsmouth College, added: “I’m thrilled for our marketing team. This award is the deserved recognition of a campaign marked by innovative ideas and brilliant execution.”