From a more sustainable concrete block to a Grand Prix-winning marketing campaign, Lignacite proved that even the most traditional products can make a big impact with the right idea.
At the inaugural East Anglian Marketing Awards 2026, Lignacite took home both Excellence in Innovation and the Grand Prix, recognising the creative thinking behind its ECO Range launch.
We spoke to Tom Tawell, Senior Marketing and Brand Manager at Lignacite, about the thinking behind the campaign, the importance of challenging industry conventions, and what the recognition means after 11 years in marketing.
Q: Huge congratulations! How did it feel to hear that you’d won Excellence in Innovation – and then the Grand Prix later that evening?
It was an incredible moment to hear that we’d won Excellence in Innovation, but we could hardly believe it when we were then announced as the Grand Prix winners! We knew we’d taken an innovative approach to launching the Lignacite ECO Range, particularly within such a traditional industry, but having that recognised by the judges and our industry peers was a real validation of the work. We’re very proud of what we’ve achieved, and the recognition has only strengthened our ambition to keep pushing boundaries with our marketing.
Q: What was the original challenge or opportunity behind the Lignacite ECO Range?
The challenge was to launch a more sustainable concrete block into an industry that has largely relied on the same materials and methods for generations – an industry comfortable with tried-and-tested products.
But with sustainability regulations and expectations accelerating, we saw an opportunity to challenge that mindset with a genuine “best of both worlds” proposition: a block with significantly lower carbon and higher recycled content, without compromising on performance.
That led us to our guiding principle: “Same block, less carbon.” Inspired by Coca-Cola Zero’s “Same great taste, no sugar” positioning, the message was simple: you shouldn’t have to lower your standards to build more sustainably. That became the north star for both the product and the marketing.
Q: What makes the product genuinely innovative, and what does it mean for the construction industry?
The initial innovation was in the block’s mix design: replacing primary aggregates with recycled and secondary alternatives. This resulted in a product containing up to 70% recycled content and delivering up to 70% less embodied carbon.
But increasing recycled content was only part of the challenge. We also needed to prove those credentials independently and give customers the confidence to specify the product.
We became the first masonry manufacturer in the UK to have the recycled content of our blocks independently verified by a third-party environmental consultancy. We also strengthened our BES 6001 responsible sourcing rating to “Very Good” and introduced independently verified Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), providing customers with robust evidence of the product’s environmental performance.
That transparency was fundamental to the proposition. We weren’t simply making claims about sustainability – we were prepared to put those claims in writing and subject them to external scrutiny.
The innovation extended beyond the product itself into how we communicated it. Bold messaging such as “Others talk green. We’ve got it in writing.” turned a technical sustainability story into a clear and memorable point of difference that punched through. We transitioned from a traditional features-and-benefits model to a more evidence-based approach: features, benefits and proof.
By combining genuine product innovation, independent verification and distinctive communication, we created a proposition that not only reduced the environmental impact of the product, but also helped raise the bar for transparency and accountability across the construction industry.
Above: Edwina Mullins [left] of DigitalB – sponsor of the Grand Prix award – with the Lignacite team.
Q: How important was marketing in helping communicate what could otherwise be quite a technical proposition?
Marketing was hugely important because, visually, a concrete block is just that: a grey rectangular prism. We needed to make the sustainability story instantly understandable.
Our solution was to wrap the block in foliage. It immediately communicated “green”, while also giving us a visual way to represent the level of recycled content – a 50% recycled content block was 50% covered in foliage, while the 70% variant was 70% covered. We could then bring that idea to life through animation.
A fresher visual identity was also introduced for the ECO Range, with vibrant greens, a leaf icon and new typography, creating a clear distinction from the Standard Range while retaining the strength of the Lignacite brand and staying aligned with its wider identity.
That same thinking carried through into the digital experience. Rather than simply adding the ECO Range to our existing website, where it could get buried amongst all the other products and content, we created a dedicated microsite designed around the needs of our customers. Giving the ECO Range its own space meant we could bring all the necessary information together in one place, while creating more of an experience around this new product range and turning it into a powerful conversion tool that connected back to the main site. Away from the confinements of the main site, it also allowed us to have more fun with the visual elements.
Working closely with architects, contractors and subcontractors, and taking inspiration from tech brands such as Apple and Google, we wanted to create a slick, intuitive and interactive destination that brought the range to life as a compelling proposition. It captures attention while speaking clearly to each customer group and makes it easy to access and specify these products for upcoming projects.
Ultimately, marketing helped turn a highly technical product offering into something people could understand, engage with and act on. It brings credibility and clarity to a sustainability story in an industry where claims can often be met with a level of scepticism and resistance. Importantly, it felt like evolution, not revolution.
Q: The campaign centres around the idea of “Cutting Carbon, not corners.” How did you arrive at that positioning?
Lignacite has been a mainstay of the UK construction industry for almost 80 years, so protecting the reputation for quality we’ve built over generations was critical.
At the same time, our research showed that sustainability claims can be met with scepticism, particularly in an industry where greenwashing is a concern. And when you’re designing and building everything from a house to a mega-structure, you need to know that the product will meet rigorous performance standards, from fire and thermal requirements to acoustics and durability, and stand the test of time. We therefore knew we couldn’t position the ECO Range around sustainability alone. We had to demonstrate that lower carbon could be delivered without sacrificing the quality and performance our customers expect.
That thinking ultimately led us to “Cutting carbon. Not corners.” It captures the whole proposition in five words: we’re reducing carbon, but we’re not cutting corners on the things that matter. The word “corners” also gave us a subtle visual connection to the physical form of the block, adding another layer to the positioning that our customers could immediately recognise.
Q: What has the response to the ECO Range been like so far?
The response has been fantastic. Lignacite ECO Range products are already being used on major developments including One Victoria Street in Central London and Botanic Place in Cambridge, while specifications continue to grow.
The Treehouse Expansion Project in Ipswich is also being constructed using Lignacite ECO Range blocks, giving us another opportunity to support our designated charity, East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices.
Even more pleasing is that we’ve had key decision-makers within our customer base proactively get in touch to tell us how much they love the marketing. That’s particularly rewarding because it shows the campaign is cutting through with the people we’re trying to reach.
We’re continuing to develop and improve the ECO Range, and this really is just the beginning. So, watch this space!
Tom’s Advice for entering awards
If you’re a marketing team, agency or individual working in East Anglia, don’t hesitate to put yourself forward!
The quality of the awards, from the categories and judging process through to the celebration itself, has clearly been designed with real care and purpose. These awards shine a light on the exceptional marketing talent across the region, and being part of that is something special that shouldn’t be missed.
Q: Why do you think this work stood out to the EAMA judges enough to win the overall Grand Prix?
I think it was the combination of product innovation, marketing innovation and the context in which we were doing it.
Construction isn’t renowned for forward-thinking marketing, yet the sector is facing huge pressure to become more environmentally responsible. We took a genuinely lower-carbon product into that highly traditional market and refused to follow the usual conventions of marketing within the industry.
From the visual identity and campaign messaging to the microsite and the way we used evidence to build trust, every element was designed to challenge expectations. I think that boldness, combined with substance behind the creative, is what made the work stand out.
Q: What does it mean to see an East Anglian business and its marketing recognised as the very best of the inaugural awards?
It’s incredibly personal for me. In 2015, I left a successful career as a primary school teacher to move into marketing – taking a £10.5k pay cut at a time when I had a mortgage, cars and a wedding to pay for. It was a big risk, but I was prepared to start at the bottom and work my way up because I thought it was the perfect place to maximise my creative talents and love for storytelling.
Over the past 11 years, I’ve made it my mission to become the very best marketer I can be. To now see Lignacite’s marketing receive the highest recognition at the inaugural EAMAs feels like a wonderful culmination of that journey.
But I couldn’t have reached this point without the amazing support and contribution of my colleagues at Lignacite and our external partners. Marketing may lead the storytelling, but shaping the brand narrative, launching new products and delivering campaigns are collective efforts across the business. Their hard work, expertise and willingness to embrace new ideas, as well as to feature in our content, have been a huge part of our success, and I’m extremely grateful to them.
I’m particularly proud that we’ve shown a legacy brand doesn’t have to stand still. Lignacite has been around since 1947, but that doesn’t mean we can’t evolve, challenge the status quo and innovate. In fact, I think that’s exactly how you protect a legacy: by continuing to build it.
Q: Finally, what advice would you give to someone considering entering the EAMAs in 2027?
If you’re a marketing team, agency or individual working in East Anglia, don’t hesitate to put yourself forward!
The quality of the awards, from the categories and judging process through to the celebration itself, has clearly been designed with real care and purpose. These awards shine a light on the exceptional marketing talent across the region, and being part of that is something special that shouldn’t be missed.
So, write those entries, tell your story and give yourself the chance to have your work recognised.
A huge thank you to the EAMAs for showing that even the most humble of products can make it to the big stage and have their time in the spotlight!
Why We’re Sharing This
At the East Anglian Marketing Awards, we created the EAMAs to shine a brighter light on the brilliant marketing, creative work and talent coming out of our region.
Tom’s story is a fantastic example of what we want to celebrate: the power of creative thinking, the importance of challenging convention and the impact marketing can have when it is underpinned by a genuinely strong proposition.
Lignacite’s success also shows that award-winning marketing doesn’t have to come from a household name or a traditionally creative industry. With a clear strategy, bold ideas and a willingness to do things differently, businesses across East Anglia can make their mark.
We’re sharing this interview to celebrate Lignacite’s well-deserved double win, recognise the people behind the work and inspire other marketers to share their own success stories.
Could your work be next? Nominations for the East Anglian Marketing Awards 2027 open on 3 March 2027. Start thinking about the stories, ideas and achievements you want to put forward.