Construction Writers Association Announced Award Winners
November, 2003
(Buffalo Grove, IL) The 2003 Construction Writers Association Website and Marketing Communications Awards were presented at an awards luncheon Friday, October 17, 2003, at the Hotel Allegro, Chicago, IL. The luncheon capped CWA's midyear meeting, which also featured educational and information sessions along with an architecture tour and a construction site tour.
Website Award
The winner of the 2003 CWA website award was Malcolm Marketing Communications, Racine, WI, for the website it created for equipment manufacturer J.I.Case, www.CaseMediaKit.com . The winner was a strong consensus choice of the jury because the site was well conceived from the start and thus easy for users to navigate. The jury also liked the specific nature of what they were trying to accomplish -- provide a 24/7 resource to the press that would be incredibly efficient for both the users and the company. Users can download high-resolution images, background data, and specs of the company's construction equipment at anytime they need them. Because of the depth of information available at the web site, company staff are freed up from having to respond to every media request.
The website award judges were Aurora Cammarata of The RF Walsh Company, Boston, MA; Linda Koch of KA Inc., Cleveland, OH; Jim Newman of BuildingGreen, Brattleboro, VT; Craig Park of Harmon Professional Group, Northridge, CA: and Michael Reilly, Reilly Communications, Boston, MA.
Marketing Communications Awards
The CWA Marketing Communications awards are given in three broad categories: Corporate Communications, Public Relations, and Advertising. Entries are judged on graphic design, editorial content, and effectiveness in achieving the stated marketing and communications goals.
Corporate Communications was the biggest category this year, and first place went to Centex Construction Company, Fairfax, VA, for a direct mail campaign that consists of individual, oversized, full-color postcards that emphasized new projects awarded to Centex. The judges cited the postcards for excellent design and said the campaign "supports branding and communications objectives and is a quick and easy read, giving the facts in an easy to understand format."
An honorable mention was also given in the Corporate Communications category. It went to DMJM Harris, Los Angeles, CA, for AECOM Technology's 2002 annual report. About 60,000 copies were printed for 15,000 employee-stockholders and the project time was only 60 days. Judges praised the color scheme, design and photo selection, saying that the piece accomplished "excellent positioning of AECOM as an industry leader and partner with the government."
Two Rivers Marketing Group, Des Moines, IA, won in the Public Relations category for its client, Bobcat. The judges thought that Bobcat�s PR/direct mail campaign was "fun and created interest and excitement about the upcoming launch. The copy was written to spark excitement. The piece was well done."
BE&K, an international construction management and engineering firm headquartered in Birmingham, AL, won the prize in the Advertising category for its community impact campaign, which was charged with a corporate philosophy of integrity, quality and efficiency. Judges said the ads were "well composed and communicated a sense of community" that was in line with the company�s goals.
Judges for the Marketing Communications Awards included Gina Borgman, an account executive with Gibbs & Soell, Hoffman Estates, IL, and Ambika Puniani, editor of Professional Roofing magazine, Rosemont, IL.
Joe Hanneman (left) of Malcolm Marketing Communications, Racine, WI, accepted the 2003 CWA Website Award from Mike Reilly, Reilly Communications, Boston, MA. Malcolm designed the winning website for J.I.Case to provide company information to the media. Reilly chaired the Website Awards.
CWA is a nonprofit, non-partisan, international organization for professional journalists, writers, editors and publicists serving the information needs of the construction industry. Additional information on the association's annual meeting will be posted on the website, www.constructionwriters.org .
For information:
Deborah J. Hodges
Executive Director
P.O. Box 14784
Chicago, Illinois 60614
Telephone 773 687-8726
Fax 773 687-8627
info@constructionwriters.org