2008 TSMA Communication Award Winners

North America’s transportation industry showed off its “breakout plays” in communication at the Transportation and Sales Association (TSMA) 2008 Communication Awards Competition.

The competition recognizes excellence in advertising and marketing programs by transportation service providers and firms offering products or services to the transportation industry. Winners were announced during a Communications Awards Banquet in April at the TSMA Annual Conference at the Pointe Hilton Squaw Peak Resort in Phoenix, AZ.

Receiving the “Best of Show” award, as voted on by TSMA conference attendees, was Pitt Ohio Express for its “Expansion Tour 2007 Campaign” in the marketing campaign category.

“We saw a number of ‘breakout’ examples of advertising and communication that combined creativity with no-nonsense business appeal,” noted Bill Ferreira, TSMA Communications Awards Competition chair and President & Publisher, National Highway Carrier Directory. “These are examples of advertising, marketing and internal communication that can make the difference as companies ‘breakout’ from the pack to capture the attention of their audiences.”

As one of the most popular events at the TSMA Annual Conference, the Communication Awards Competition gives companies the opportunity to display their best communication efforts next to programs developed by similar firms across the United States and Canada. Written evaluations of each entry are provided by a panel of advertisers, artists, designers and other marketing professionals. Whether or not they receive awards, all entrants benefit from receiving this valuable information to use in future marketing strategies and advertising.

Judging was based on how well an entry met the stated objective of its category, its results and its overall effectiveness. Categories in this year’s competition included calendars, marketing campaign, print advertising, sales literature, specialty items and web site. To ensure a fair and relevant competition, entries were compared with entries from companies of similar size and resources. The two revenue divisions were for annual revenue below $75 million and another for revenue above $75 million.

Winners by category were:
• Calendars: Clarke Transport (Concord, ON), first place, revenue division A; Meyers Transport Ltd. (Belleville, ON), second place, revenue division A; Hi-Way 9 Express Ltd. (Drumheller, AB), third place, revenue division A; Roadway Express, Inc. (Akron, OH), first place, revenue division B; Xtra Lease (St. Louis, MO), second place, revenue division B; ATS Andlauer Transportation Services (Etobicoke, ON), third place, revenue division B.
• Marketing Campaign: Pitt Ohio Express (Pittsburg, PA), first place; McLeod Software (Birmingham, AL), second place; Meyers Transport Ltd., third place.
• Print advertising: Carlile Transportation Systems (Anchorage, AK), first place, revenue division A; National Fast Freight (Concord, ON), second place, revenue division A; Meyers Transport Ltd., third place, revenue division A; TransGroup Worldwide Logistics (Seattle, WA), first place (2 separate entries - tie), revenue division B; TransGroup Worldwide Logistics, second place, revenue division B; Southeastern Freight Lines, Inc. (Lexington, SC), third place, revenue division B.
• Sales Literature: Apps Transport Group (Brampton, ON), first place, revenue division A; Shaw Tracking (Mississauga, ON), second place, revenue division A; Quik X Group of Companies (Mississauga, ON), third place, revenue division A; Pitt Ohio Express, first place, revenue division B; Lakeville Motor Express (Roseville, MN), second place, revenue division B; Pitt Ohio Express, third place, revenue division B.
• Specialty Item: Carlile Transportation Systems, first place; Meyers Transport Ltd., second place; Pitt Ohio Express, third place.
• Web Site: White Glove Transportation (Mississauga, ON), first place; Quik X Group of Companies, second place; Pitt Ohio Express, third place.