Flock and Rally earns three IABC/SC Palmetto Awards of Excellence

Creative agency honored for brand communication and advertising

Flock and Rally, the women-owned integrated communications and marketing firm based in Columbia, S.C., was honored with three 2019 Palmetto Awards of Excellence for outstanding work in the areas of brand communication and advertising. The awards were conferred by the South Carolina chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC/SC).

The firm earned 2019 IABC/SC Palmetto Awards of Excellence for the Hire Me SC campaign, developed with Able South Carolina; the Asphalt Works! campaign, developed with the S.C. Asphalt Pavement Association; and the REALationships 101 campaign with the South Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault.

Founded in 2010, Flock and Rally is a full-service creative agency that works with clients across South Carolina and beyond, in sectors ranging from tourism, lifestyle, hospitality and nonprofit to education, tech, business, economic development and more. The firm’s headquarters are located across from the S.C. Governor’s Mansion complex in downtown Columbia, S.C.

“At Flock and Rally, we believe in building community,” notes Debi Schadel, co-founding partner. “We love to develop campaigns that increase a sense of connection and understanding across a variety of audiences. We are very proud of our creative team and are excited to share these awards with our clients.”

Details about each campaign are noted below.

Hire Me SC Campaign
https://www.hiremesc.org/

The statewide nonprofit Able South Carolina is working with Flock and Rally to develop and roll out a massive, multi-year public awareness campaign, Hire Me SC, to increase statewide employment outcomes for youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and to work toward a broader goal: to change the culture of disability employment across South Carolina.

Flock and Rally developed a recognizable, consistent brand and clear message for Hire Me SC, as well as an integrated communications and marketing campaign, which aims to show audiences across the state that individuals with disabilities in the workforce can and should be the norm — not the exception.

Flock and Rally created brand messaging guidelines, including a visual branding toolkit, to ensure that there is one cohesive conversation and look surrounding Hire Me SC. The team developed a website dedicated to the Hire Me SC campaign to direct each target audience to exactly what they need, and then a statewide awareness campaign was launched, utilizing billboard and digital advertising, campaign collaterals, public relations, social media and more.

The Flock and Rally team shares this IABC/SC Palmetto Award of Excellence in Brand Communication with Able South Carolina, as well as project partners Cait Maloney Creative and Crush Rush Photography.

REALationships101 Campaign
http://www.sccadvasa.org/Healthy-Relationships-101/

The South Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault (SCCADVASA), a statewide nonprofit, partnered with Flock and Rally to develop and launch REALationships101, a digital advertising and social media campaign to educate teens and young adults about healthy relationships.

Based on primary research conducted with S.C. high school students, the REALationships101 advertising campaign features lifelike YouTube and Instagram videos of text message conversations between young people that cover topics ranging from privacy and trust to consent. Conversations were workshopped by local comedy writers from Trustus Theatre as well as a scriptwriter who creates training scenarios for the FBI.

The REALationships101 advertising campaign also challenges teens and young adults to take a quiz to test their “REALationships IQ,” which leads them through a series of questions about relationships to identify what is or is not healthy behavior. The quiz was designed for both teens and parents, to make it easier to bring up what are often uncomfortable topics.

The Flock and Rally team shares this IABC/SC Palmetto Award of Excellence in Advertising with SCCADVASA, as well as with project partners Cait Maloney Creative and Sean Rayford Photography.

Asphalt Works! Campaign
https://www.asphaltworkssc.org/

The nonprofit South Carolina Asphalt Pavement Association (SCAPA) partnered with Flock and Rally to create the Asphalt Works! campaign, a statewide workforce development campaign aimed at recruiting more than 1,000 new employees to the asphalt industry over the next five years.

Following extensive research and creation of campaign branding by Flock and Rally, the Asphalt Works! campaign was launched to engage with prospective asphalt employees by showcasing how a career in asphalt can lead to high-paying, skilled work in an environment where family, honor and integrity are key. The campaign includes TV, radio, billboard and social media advertisements, as well as print materials and a standalone website rich with employee success stories.

The Flock and Rally team shares this IABC/SC Palmetto Award of Excellence in Brand Communication with Ashley R. Batson, Esq., the executive director of SCAPA, as well as project partners such as graphic designer Cait Maloney, web developer Jordan Ditton, photographer Sean Rayford and the brand filmmaking company As Told By.

The Flock and Rally Team
Flock and Rally is led by co-founding partners Debi Schadel and Tracie Broom. Flock and Rally’s full-time, in-house team is rounded out by Merritt McNeely, VP of marketing; Rachel Carter, operations manager; Shawn Skillman, Ashley Cady and Tanita Gaither, senior integrated communications managers; Hailey Covell, integrated communications manager; and Caitlin Dingler, integrated communications associate. Other team members include press archivist Denise Shealy and an array of professionals who lend their talents to the firm’s projects, including graphic artist Cait Maloney. The firm is certified as a DBE. Learn more about Flock and Rally at http://www.flockandrally.com.

IABC/SC
The South Carolina Chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators aims to connect communicators across the Palmetto State and improve the effectiveness of internal and external information exchange. IABC/SC achieves this by linking organizational, business communicators to a global network of communication professionals that develop, establish and adhere to the highest professional standards of equality and innovation in organizational/business communication. For more information, visit https://www.sc.iabc.com.

 

About Flock and Rally: Integrated Communications for a Brave New South

Founded in 2010, Flock and Rally is a full-service, women-owned creative agency based in Columbia, South Carolina. The firm integrates branding, public relations, marketing, traditional advertising, digital advertising, social media and more into campaigns for a diverse base of clients, ranging from regional nonprofits to large-scale businesses across South Carolina and beyond. Serving industry sectors ranging from lifestyle and tourism to business, technology, real estate, economic development and more, Flock and Rally’s mission is to rally the community around great ideas. Learn more at www.flockandrally.com.