Q&A with Sky

Delve into our discussion with Rebecca Williams, head of communications at Sky, as she unveils the strategies and passion behind their victory. With a commitment to authenticity and a spotlight on the incredible narratives within Sky, the team shares their journey in crafting engaging video testimonials on a modest budget.

‘Every story we told had people at the heart of it.’

Winner: Skills> Best Storytelling

Congratulations on winning the IoIC Award for Best Storytelling. How did you feel to win?
As a team, we were delighted to win. We featured the stories of inspirational people working at Sky, and so the award was really a tribute to them. A lot of hard work had gone into the campaign. We knew the pieces had been a success internally, but it was nice to know they'd been well received by the judges too.

What do you think makes your storytelling so special?
Every story we told had people at the very heart of it. Our case studies were inspiring, relatable and provided a glimpse into working life at Sky. For example, Barry lost his sight in a car accident in his twenties and is now testing Sky's accessibility features.We also went behind the scenes in different departments. This included filming the Sky News helicopter team, who were responsible for covering Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral. Each person we interviewed demonstrated resilience and determination, which made the videos both heart-warming and inspiring.

What do you put your success down to?
The people that bravely shared their stories with us. There are so many inspirational people working at Sky and this series showcased just a few of them. Our campaign didn't have a huge budget. In fact, we filmed and edited the videos either ourselves or in-house, to keep costs down. We didn’t want them to appear too polished or glossy. Instead, the aim was to create authentic VTs, which I think ultimately made them more engaging and relatable.

What advice would you give to anyone considering entering the IoIC Awards this year?
I think it's important to clearly set out what you'd initially hoped to achieve from your campaign and then track its success. So, we included video viewing figures, employee comments and stakeholder feedback, as part of our submission.

What do you think when you think IoIC?
When I think of the IoIC, I think of experts in the field of internal communications. The awards are among the most prestigious of the year, which is why we made it a priority to enter the campaigns we were most proud of in 2022.

As an IC team, what would you like to achieve next?
We will be entering the awards again this year. As an internal comms team, we will continue to put storytelling at the heart of everything we do. Offering a great employee experience is important to us at Sky and so this year, there will be a big focus on offering our people “only at Sky” experiences, telling our people’s stories, and showcasing Sky talent, whilst also adding a bit of sparkle to our priority campaigns.