Garmann Miller has earned 2024 Marketing Excellence Award honors from Zweig Group for its recent “Let’s Roll” trade show campaign. The annual MEAs celebrate outstanding marketing achievements and successful business development results with entries judged by an external team of senior AEC marketing professionals.
The “Let’s Roll” campaign was presented at the 2023 Indiana School Boards Association Fall Conference, 2023 Ohio School Boards Association Capital Conference and the 2024 Indiana Association of School Business Officials Conference. Investing in trade show marketing builds brand awareness for GM and creates cultural distinction in a competitive marketplace.
“They keep the experience light and fun, offering engaging activities and an opportunity to get to know their team members on a personal level as opposed to high-pressure sales and heavy marketing,” said Heather Krebs, director of budgeting at Fort Wayne Community Schools. “A stop by their booth is a refreshing change of pace in what is always an otherwise hectic environment.”
The campaign—conceptualized by Kristi Shaner, communications manager; Jamee Thobe, creative leader; and Doug Rentz, marketing director—featured a “High Five” game, during which participants rolled five dice to get five of a kind in three tries. It included a colorful 3×6-foot felt table, giant florescent dice and staff in custom “They See Me Rollin” t-shirts.
Shaner stressed the importance of using themed tactics as a strategic tool across multiple platforms that included e-mail marketing, custom mailers and social media. “Our ‘Let’s Roll’ campaign was a collaborative effort that showcased our commitment to engaging with our audience in unique and memorable ways,” she said.
This award marks the third time in the past four years that Garmann Miller has been honored by Zweig Group. In 2023, GM received three first-place MEAs as well as the M Award of Excellence from SMPS for its trade show marketing.
Zweig is the AEC industry-leading source for data, research and trends. The organization annually recognizes top firms for their growth, project success, and top marketing initiatives with a variety of honors. In addition to its MEA honor, GM also will be awarded for being a Best Firm to Work For at Zweig’s 2024 ElevateAEC Conference & Awards Gala, Sept. 19, in Tampa, Fla.
