Asher Agency, WVU Today, Clay Center, Auge Gray Drake Collective Works, Auto Round-Up Publications earn top honors
WV Press News Sharing
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — “Amazing work and entries.”
That’s the description West Virginia Press Association Executive Director Don Smith used for the submissions to the first WV Press Associate Member Contest.
For 2021, WV Press put the work of its associate members and business associates into a separate contest, recognizing work on promotional, public relations, education, and membership materials.
“WV Press recognizes the editorial and advertising work of our member newspapers. We realized the work of associate members and business associates focused on other aspects of communications: promotional, public relations, education, and membership materials,” Smith said. “We were thrilled with the response and quality of entries for the first year. It was amazing. We are making it an annual event.”
Winners of first-place recognition, with a sample from the full entry, are shown below:
ASHER AGENCY:
Best Feature
Announcement of Raleigh County Memorial Airport Expansion by New River Gorge Regional Development Authority – 1st Place
Mister Bee Potato Chips and President Mary Anne Ketelsen in Potato Processing International Magazine – 1st Place
Best Promotional Product/Campaign
Appalachian Beekeeping Collective Launches – 1st Place
Best Industry Video Product/Campaign
Seth’s Story/AEDs Save Lives – 1st Place
WVU TODAY:
Best Feature
Wastewater COVID – 1st Place
Would You – 1st Place
Best Membership/Customer/Employee Product
Brood X – 1st Place
COVID IN WEST VIRGINIA – 1st Place
CLAY CENTER:
Best Feature
Clay Dates – 1st Place
Best Industry Video Product/Campaign
Clay Dates – 1st Place
AUTO ROUND-UP PUBLICATIONS:
Best Feature
1968 Pontiac Firebird – It Only Took 26 Years to Get It Right – 1st Place
Henry Ford: The Great Industrialist & Fateful Hunger March – 1st Place
Best Industry Print Product/Campaign
2021 Special Issues Subscription Offer – 1st Place
AUGE GRAY DRAKE COLLECTIVE WORKS:
Best Promotional Product/Campaign
West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission — West Virginia Community and Technical College System – 1st Place
The contest had six categories:
1 – BEST FEATURE: Topic appeal of feature, impact of presentation, creativity, quality of writing and visual elements. Entries could be print, digital and/or video.
2 – BEST MEMBERSHIP/CUSTOMER/EMPLOYEE PRODUCT: Focuses on the development of an information product, media kit, handouts, etc. with consideration of packaging, clarity, and explanation. Entries could be print, digital and/or video.
3 – BEST PROMOTIONAL PRODUCT/CAMPAIGN: Reader/Viewer appeal, call-to-action, impact of presentation and creativity. Entries could be print, digital and/or video.
4 – BEST INDUSTRY PRINT PRODUCT/CAMPAIGN: Newspaper, magazine, direct mail, or other print effort that “presents” your industry, services, product, business, agency, or association. These entries must be printed.
5 – BEST INDUSTRY VIDEO PRODUCT/CAMPAIGN: Video or media presentation that “presents” your industry, services, product, message, business, agency, or association.
6 – BEST SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN: A social media campaign for industry, services, product, business, agency, or association.
‘For judging, WV Press worked with current and retired public relations professionals. They were impressed with the quality,” Smith said, adding, “One judge commented, ‘First, thanks for reaching out to me for assistance on this project. As a (former) working PR professional, I appreciate the good work that many local people and organizations are doing. The entries you sent me are impressive and certainly worthy of recognition.'”
The contest was not a comparison competition between entries. The contest focused on the intent and quality of each entry. Entries were scored on a points system. For each category, there could be multiple first-place scores or no first-place scores. All first-place winners receive plaques. There are certificates for other winners.
