See Media has won Best Crisis Communications or Response Campaign at the UK Agency Awards 2025 for our work on Leeds Federated’s Sugar Hill redevelopment campaign.
With plans to update homes facing strong opposition from residents and campaigners who feared the loss of their homes and community, this campaign needed a sensitive approach.
Working closely with the Leeds Federated team, we created resident communications and stakeholder engagement that focused on respect and reassurance. From helping residents share their stories and concerns to creating a public art mural that honoured the estate’s history, every step of the communications strategy was designed to ensure people felt heard and involved.
The result was a genuine change in sentiment. Former critics became advocates, residents felt supported through a major period of change and the new homes were welcomed with pride and positivity.
According to the UK Agency Awards judges, the campaign was “an outstanding example of thoughtful stakeholder engagement and skilful management of reputational risks amid sensitive social issues. Tackling the complex and emotive topic of housing with a clear, targeted, two-way communication strategy, this campaign succeeded in transforming fear into trust.”
Sarah Thomas, See Media’s Senior Director, said: “This award really is a testament to the hard work of both the See Media and Leeds Federated teams. We all shared a commitment to making sure residents’ voices were heard above everything else. We’re so proud to have been part of this project with the Leeds Federated team and the residents, making sure everything was transparent for customers and a success for the redevelopment.”
Want to discuss a campaign idea or potentially tricky development project? Weʼd love to talk: hello@see-media.co.uk
