Swype® Named Finalist at the UK Paid Media Awards 2026

Swype® has been named a finalist at the UK Paid Media Awards 2026 for Charity / Not for Profit Campaign of the Year, recognising our work with Foster4.

The nomination reflects a campaign built to solve a complex recruitment challenge across multiple local authorities, bringing structure, clarity and measurable performance to an area that has historically been fragmented.

Foster4 is one of the first initiatives in the UK to unite multiple councils under a single fostering recruitment brand. Its purpose is to create a more sustainable, consistent and effective approach to recruiting foster carers at a regional level.

Swype® was appointed to design and deliver the full digital strategy. At the outset, there was no shared data, no central infrastructure, and no unified approach across the participating councils. Everything needed to be built from the ground up within a short timeframe.

The result was a fully integrated, performance-led framework that could operate across multiple authorities while maintaining local relevance.

A More Considered Approach to Fostering Recruitment

Rather than relying on generic messaging, the campaign was built around a clear behavioural insight. Many people dismiss fostering before they fully understand what it involves.

The strategy focused on addressing these barriers directly. This included tackling common misconceptions, improving clarity around eligibility, and reinforcing the level of support available through local authorities.

Creative and messaging were shaped around real experiences and practical considerations, helping to build trust and encourage more informed enquiries.

This was supported by a structured, multi-channel approach across paid media and search, aligned with wider activity including events and content.

Recognition from Industry Judges

The campaign received strong feedback from the UK Paid Media Awards judging panel, highlighting both its strategic depth and delivery.

One judge described it as:

“a strategically mature and operationally impressive campaign that transformed fragmented council-level fostering recruitment into a unified, performance-led acquisition system.”

Another commented on the clarity and execution:

“the initiative to build a fully modular, multi-council system from scratch in a short timeframe demonstrates exceptional foresight and operational excellence.”

The use of insight-led targeting and creative was also recognised:

“really loved the data behind this and the use of persona targeting… a clear strategy with strong results and unique ideas.”

Judges also noted the strength of the overall approach, including the supporting documentation, campaign structure and creative execution.

Building Something That Lasts

This project was not just about campaign delivery. It was about creating a model that could be sustained, adapted and built upon over time.

Being named a finalist is an important milestone. But the real value lies in what has been built, a unified, performance-led approach that delivers long-term impact beyond a single campaign.