ALBUQUERQUE, NM – The Visit Albuquerque’s (Visit Albuquerque) new advertising campaign was presented with a Bronze Adrian Award from the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI), the leading organization of marketing professionals representing the hospitality and tourism industry. The campaign was created in partnership with the advertising agency McKee Wallwork Cleveland. This is the first Adrian Award for the Visit Albuquerque.
The Adrian Awards competition, now in its 50th year, recognizes outstanding advertising and public relations campaigns from the travel industry, including convention and visitors bureaus, hotels, airlines, cruise lines, and car rental companies. It is the largest and most prestigious event of its kind. Last year’s competition attracted over 1,200 entries from 36 countries around the world.
Entries in advertising, public relations and web marketing are judged by teams of expert industry professionals. The award selection is based on marketing objectives, creativity, quality, content and results. The Visit Albuquerque’s innovative advertising campaign features a custom-made tinwork theme to highlight the artistic traditions of Albuquerque. It was used in print advertising and for the digital marketing display at the Albuquerque International Sunport. In 2007, the campaign will integrate elements of leather and pottery in addition to the metalwork, and will also be incorporated on the Visit Albuquerque’s new website.
“Receiving this Adrian Award recognition from HSMAI is a tremendous honor,” said Dale Lockett, president/CEO of the Visit Albuquerque. “Our new campaign does an outstanding job of showcasing Albuquerque as a premier destination. The response from clients and our local industry has been very positive and this award confirms that the national industry agrees.”
The Visit Albuquerque was recognized on January 29, 2007 during the 17th HSMAI Annual Adrian Awards Show, a gala black-tie event held in New York City and attended by more than 700 industry executives and professionals. Other destination winners in this category included the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority and the Cayman Islands Department of Tourism.
“The Adrian Award-winning campaign simply reflects Albuquerque's unique characteristics,” said Bart Cleveland, creative director and partner of McKee Wallwork Cleveland. “No other destination could pull off a campaign like this one. The campaign's message has successfully captured what is most important about this place: genuineness.”