Pet Industry Federation Awards 2026

Last week the Nobull Pet Team headed to Stoke on Trent for the Pet Industry Federation Awards, and what a great night it was. We’ve been going for a few years now and they’re yet to disappoint.

Aside from all the merriment, it’s just always good to getout from behind the laptop occasionally and spend some time with the people and businesses that make up one of Nobull’s specialist sectors. Pet. There were lots of familiar faces, plenty of new ones, and some well-deserved award wins.

Working with pet brands every day in my role as Communications Director at Nobull, I regularly get to see first-hand just how much hard work, creativity and ambition goes into building and growing any business in this sector. But it's easy to get caught up in the day-to-day, which is why I think events like the PIF Awards are so important.

They give us a chance to stop for a moment, recognise some brilliant work and celebrate the people behind it. And there's plenty to celebrate.

One of the things I love about working in this space is the sheer variety of businesses and people in it. From independent brands and ambitious start-ups to established names, there is so much going on.

It's an industry full of passionate people, but it's also commercially exciting, innovative and increasingly competitive. Businesses are constantly finding new ways to develop products and services, connect with pet owners and stand out in a busy marketplace.

Also, running a business is hard work. Building a brand is hard work. Getting a great product or service noticed and giving customers a reason to choose you is hard work. So, it’s lovely to have an opportunity to dress up, be merry and officially recognise the people doing all of that brilliantly

A special mention for some brilliant brands

This year's awards were particularly exciting for us, as Nobull had the pleasure of sponsoring the Best Marketing Campaign category.

We were particularly chuffed to see Hay Pigs! take home Best Marketing Campaign. It's a thoroughly deserved win for Rik and Helen Cridland - and very satisfying to see their hard work recognised. They almost singlehandedly created the UK’s first ever guinea pig festival from scratch. Piggy Fest was a triumph and attracted thousands of fans from all over the country, plus a few from places further afield, including the Netherlands.

Congratulations, too, to our clients Tug-E-Nuff and Dorwest, who were both shortlisted across multiple categories.  We're incredibly proud to work with both businesses.

And a very special congratulations to Tug-E-Nuff, who went on to win Ecommerce Brand of the Year. A fantastic achievement and thoroughly deserved by Danny and Chris Nelis Rouse. Building a successful ecommerce brand takes a huge amount of work, from creating a distinctive identity and delivering a great customer experience to making sure the business keeps evolving. It's been brilliant to see Tug-E-Nuff continue to grow, and we're delighted to be part of that journey.

We’re also always particularly pleased to see marketing and ecommerce getting the recognition they deserve. Marketing is so much more than posting on social media or creating a nice-looking campaign. It's about understanding your customers, knowing what makes your brand different, telling stories that resonate and, ultimately, helping a business grow.

We believe that success with legacy will always come from a strategic blend of creative storytelling and performance. It’s a mantra that I and Nobull Digital Director, Jake, preach almost daily. So, seeing this marketing recipe celebrated is always going to be a highlight for me personally.

The people that make it

But maybe the best thing about evenings like this is simply getting everyone together.

It's easy to spend your working life focused on deadlines, campaigns, meetings and everything else that comes with running a business. Having the chance to catch up with people, make new connections, share ideas and celebrate each other's successes is genuinely invaluable.

A big thank you to Nigel Baker, Alexandra Baker and Dan Everett for facilitating this - and for another brilliant event. Congrats too to our friend, Dr Scott Miller, for doing such a fantastic job presenting.

Finally, congratulations again to ALL winners and nominees. There was some brilliant work recognised last week, and plenty of reasons to feel positive about our sector.

Already looking forward to the next one!

https://petfederation.co.uk/