The Charleston Chapter of the American Marketing Association is proud to announce the finalists for the 2018 Spark! Awards. The Spark! Awards honor creative and marketing excellence in the Charleston community. This year, companies and individuals alike submitted their work in 22 categories. Submissions were open for the entire month of January to individuals and companies in the Charleston region for work completed in 2017. The chapter was thrilled to receive 158 submissions this year.
Entries were judged by the board of directors of AMA Reno-Tahoe with assistance from Stewart Law, past president of AMA Oklahoma City. The top 3 entries were selected as finalists in each category. In the case of tied scores, up to 5 finalists were selected. Marketer of the Year nominations were judged by a select committee of AMA Charleston's past chapter leaders. Charleston AMA also introduced a new award this year called the Giving Award. The Giving Award will commend the work of an individual or company based in the tri-county area that has donated a marketing service(s) to a nonprofit organization.
Our official list of finalists nominated for each 2018 Spark! award is as follows:
Best Print Ad
Brays Island Plantation, Rawle Murdy
Certified SC Grown “Fresh on the Menu,” Chernoff Newman
Palm Coast and the Flagler Beaches “Uncommon Character,” The Brandon Agency
Best Copywriting
Advantage Magazine Spring 2017, Advantage|ForbesBooks
Island Magazine “Sea Turtle Hospital: A New Chapter,” South Carolina Aquarium
“Where…” Campaign Print Ads, Town of Mount Pleasant
Best Website
Island Coastal Lager, Obviouslee Marketing
Medal of Honor Museum, Chernoff Newman
Redux Yoga, Shannon Caulk Designs
Best Commercial Photography
frogg toggs, The Brandon Agency
Island Coastal Lager, Obviouslee Marketing
Lowcountry Pet Specialties “Outdoor Lifestyle Creative,” Andy H Photo
Best Illustration
Frothy Beard Brewery, Tami Boyce Design
Italian Spot Illustrations, Andrew Barton Design
YALLFest, Timothy Banks
Best Direct Mail
Catesby Campaign, The Gibbes Museum of Art
Hatman New Year's Mailer, Andrew Barton Design
Inc. 5000 Illustrations, Advantage|ForbesBooks
npNEXT Invitation, Blackbaud
Where else but Charleston?, Charleston Wine + Food
Best Collateral
Authority Summit Program, Advantage|ForbesBooks
Balsam Mountain Preserve, Rawle Murdy
Charleston Allergy & Asthma, Trio Solutions Inc.
Gibbes Street Party: Food is Art, The Gibbes Museum of Art
Where else but Charleston?, Charleston Wine + Food
Best Corporate Identity
Charleston Parks Conservancy, Obviouslee Marketing
The Guild, Obviouslee Marketing
Nirenblatt Orthodontics, Andrew Barton Design
Best Promotional Video
Charleston Wine + Food Festival, Charleston Wine + Food
Island Coastal Lager, Obviouslee Marketing
Terminix “Customer Stories: Cockroach,” Rawle Murdy
Best Outdoor Signage
Sea Turtle Care Center, South Carolina Aquarium
Piggly Wiggly, Chernoff Newman
Charleston Airport Wall Wrap, Chernoff Newman
Best Corporate Blog
AdvantageFamily.com Blog, Advantage|ForbesBooks
Luxury Simplifed Retreats, Luxury Simplified
Mount Pleasantries, Town of Mount Pleasant
Take Maggie's Word for It, Black Book Marketing
Best Book Cover
Finding the Heart in Art, Advantage\ForbesBooks
Hope in the Darkness, Advantage\ForbesBooks
Interrupted Entrepreneurship, Advantage\ForbesBooks
Best Logo
Betty Carlton Kitchens, Katie Biondo
iParent, Andrew Barton Design
The Shay, Obviouslee Marketing
Best Event Marketing
Charleston Beer Garden, Fisher Creative LLC
Redux Yoga Eclipse Party, Shannon Caulk Designs
Volvo Car Open, Obviouslee Marketing
Best Social Media Campaign
Certified SC Grown “SEWE Social Countdown,” Chernoff Newman
Dewees Real Estate, Lovingood Media
The Unfair Advantage, Advantage\ForbesBooks
Best Non-Traditional Marketing
#LoveALocal, Lowcountry Local First
Dumas & Sons 100th Anniversary, Obviouslee Marketing
NYC Media Biscuit Class, Charleston Wine + Food
Best Public Relations
Charleston Wine + Food, Charleston Wine + Food
Dave & Buster's Grand Opening, The Brandon Agency
Here, There and Everywhere with Parker Bear, Fisher Creative LLC
Scotty's Ride for Water, Touchpoint Communications
Best Branding
Certified SC Grown “Roots,” Chernoff Newman
Island Coastal Lager, Obviouslee Marketing
Palmetto Brand Week, Palmetto
USC Health Sciences “Degrees of Health,” Chernoff Newman
Best Rebranding
Blackbaud Visual Rebrand, Blackbaud
South Carolina Ports “Seeing is Believing,” Chernoff Newman
Together SC, Trio Solutions Inc.
Best Facebook Presence
Charleston International Airport, Chernoff Newman
The Footlight Players, Fisher Creative LLC
Lowcountry AIDS Services, Fisher Creative LLC
Best Twitter Presence
The Footlight Players, Fisher Creative LLC
Lowcountry AIDS Services, Fisher Creative LLC
Best Instagram Presence
Charleston Wine + Food, Charleston Wine + Food
South Carolina Aquarium, South Carolina Aquarium
Southeastern Wildlife Expo, Obviouslee Marketing
The Giving Award
CreateAthon, Trio Solutions Inc.
Junior League of Charleston, Katie Biondo
Chapter Volunteer of the Year
Courtney Little
Charlotte Woodward
Amanda Culver Wynns
Marketer of the Year
Jenny Dennis, Trio Solutions Inc.
Colleen Troy, Touchpoint Communications
Chris Zoeller, The Post & Courier
Winners will be announced at the 2018 Spark! Awards Celebration on Thursday, March 8 from 5:30 to 8pm at Harborside East in Mount Pleasant. The event includes heavy hors d'oeurves and an open bar, and the emcees will be President Elect Maggie Mills and local actor Kyle Taylor. This year's theme is Old Hollywood and special prizes will be given to the best-dressed attendees. This is a black tie optional event. Tickets are $40 for AMA members and $50 for non-members. Learn more or buy tickets at sparkawards.eventbrite.com.
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This is an unedited press release
