Finalists announced for Charleston AMA’s 2017 Spark! Awards

February 21, 2017

The Charleston Chapter of the American Marketing Association is proud to announce the finalists for the 2017 Spark! Awards. The Spark! Awards honor creative and marketing excellence in the Charleston community. This year, companies and individuals alike submitted their work in 21 categories, including projects like best print ad, best website and best Facebook presence as well as full campaigns for best event marketing, best non-traditional marketing, best social media and best public relations. The contest was open for the entire month of January to individuals and companies in the Charleston region for work completed in 2016. The chapter was thrilled to have a record-setting 164 entries this year.

To ensure fairness and objectivity in judging, the entries were independently evaluated by the board of directors of our sister chapter, AMA Reno-Tahoe, with assistance from the past president of AMA Tampa Bay, Greg Millman. Our official list of finalists nominated for each 2017 Spark! award is as follows:

Best Print Ad

2017 Campaign Ads, Charleston Wine + Food

Carriage Properties Sallie Ad, Lily Magazine

This is Crowdfunding, Blackbaud

 

Best Illustration

100 Days of Worry, Andrew Barton Design

Luxury Simplified Illustration, Luxury Simplified

Monsters in Charleston, Timothy Banks

 

Best Promotional Video

Blackbaud Corporate Brand Video, Blackbaud

Charleston County Business Concierge Series: The CodeLynx Experience, Charleston County Economic Development

Equifax ACA Essentials Solution Promo & Testimonial Video, Equifax and Hed Hi Media

The Normal Brand Video, The Brandon Agency

Steps of Heroes, Moondog Animation Studio

 

Best Logo Design

Charleston Airport, Chernoff Newman

Fuel in Motion, Fork & Knife

Lulu McClain, Fork & Knife

Owl & Elephant, Bob Durand Design

 

Best Direct Mail

Charleston Parks Conservancy, Obviouslee Marketing

Fork & Knife Holiday Coffee, Fork & Knife

Membership Renewal Campaign, South Carolina Aquarium

 

Best Copywriting

Allison Ramsey Architects, JTE Marketing Group

Carriage Properties Sallie Ad, Lily Magazine

Root ‘Cause, Blackbaud

 

Best Outdoor Signage

A+E Digital Printing, Obviouslee Marketing

Sabal Homes, SQ FT Sequentials, Trio Solutions

Charleston Wine + Food Poster, Andrew Barton Design

You Otter Come Visit!, South Carolina Aquarium

 

Best Website

Experience Mount Pleasant, Town of Mount Pleasant

Traveler of Charleston Website, Traveler of Charleston

WED, Fork & Knife

 

Best Collateral

2016 Annual Report, South Carolina Aquarium

The Art of Porgy and Bess, The Gibbes Museum of Art

#NoFilter Nonprofit, Blackbaud

QEI Security Brochure, QEI Security

War Pigs, Fork & Knife

 

Best Corporate Blog

Luxury Simplified Blog, Luxury Simplified

npENGAGE, Blackbaud

Sabal Homes, Trio Solutions

 

Best Corporate Identity Package

Blackbaud Institute for Philanthropic Impact, Blackbaud

Charleston Airport, Chernoff Newman

St. Andrew’s Church, Andrew Barton Design

 

Best Commercial Photography

Charleston Airport Redesign, Foxworthy Studios

Footlight Players Theatre, Foxworthy Studios

Hook+Gaff, The Brandon Agency

 

Best Book Cover

The Cuttlefish Marketer, Advantage Media Group

disTRACKted, Advantage Media Group

The Eyes Have It – Julie Allan, Berge Design

God Bless Crime, Advantage Media Group

Inclusion, Advantage Media Group

The S.N.O.B. Experience, Advantage Media Group

 

Best Event Marketing

bbcon, Blackbaud

Charleston Wine + Food “Gastronaut”, Obviouslee Marketing

Syntax Conference, Chris Edington

 

Best Non-Traditional Marketing

Fresh on the Menu Wall, Chernoff Newman

Here’s to You, Blackbaud

Homeless Awareness Campaign, Meadors

 

Best Public Relations

Charleston Fashion Week, Touchpoint Communications

Colonial Lake Grand Opening, H.A.F. Creative

Maxtrix Kids Rooms Opening, H.A.F. Creative

 

Best Rebranding

Cedar Rowe Partners, Fork & Knife

Luxury Simplified, Luxury Simplified

Meadors Inc., Meadors

 

Best Social Media Campaign

Harry Barker 20th Anniversary, Harry Barker

March to 200, South Carolina Aquarium

Save Our Nurses, The Brandon Agency

#TurnYourTuesday on #GivingTuesday, Blackbaud

 

Best Facebook Presence

Charleston Wine + Food, Charleston Wine + Food

South Carolina Aquarium, South Carolina Aquarium

Traveler of Charleston, H.A.F. Creative

 

Best Instagram Presence

ExperienceMP, Town of Mount Pleasant

Traveler of Charleston, H.A.F. Creative

Theodora Park, Sarah Lovingood and David Rawle

The Local Palate, The Local Palate

 

Best Twitter Presence

Blue Acorn, Blue Acorn

Lowcountry AIDS Services, H.A.F. Creative

mtPleasantBiz, Town of Mount Pleasant

Traveler of Charleston, H.A.F. Creative

 

2017 Marketer of the Year

Elizabeth Boineau

Philip Cheves

Danielle Manopoli

 

Winners will be announced at the 2017 Spark! Awards Celebration on Thursday, March 9 at Harborside East in Mount Pleasant. The event includes heavy hors d’oeurves and an open bar, and the emcee will be Travis Rice of News 2. This year’s theme is Mad Men, and 1960’s costumes and flair are encouraged! Tickets are $35 for AMA members and $45 for non-members. Learn more or buy tickets at sparkawards.eventbrite.com.

 

About the Charleston American Marketing Association

The Charleston American Marketing Association supports and enhances the needs of marketers and business owners at all levels and provides access to valuable information and business contacts, boosting careers and building business. For more information, visit www.charlestonama.org.