March 1, 2001

Agriculture Department wins 10 advertising awards for public-private partnerships

TALLAHASSEE -- The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ creative efforts to educate the public and promote Florida agriculture have been recognized with top honors from the professional advertising community.

The Addy Awards -- which recognize excellence in creativity, originality and creative strategy in print and electronic media -- were presented to the Department by the Greater Tallahassee Advertising Federation during the group’s annual awards ceremony February 24. The Department received three Gold awards, six Silver awards, and a Best of Show Award.

"Promoting the consumption of Florida agriculture products through innovative advertising and marketing is an important role of the Department," Florida Agriculture Commissioner Terry L. Rhodes said. "To receive such professional recognition is a great tribute to our Department’s employees who produced these creative projects. It also is a tribute to those in Florida’s agriculture community who place their confidence in our efforts to promote their products and expand markets."

Brad Ray, Addy co-chairman for the Tallahassee Advertising Federation, said the judges were impressed by the quality and unprecedented number of award-winning entries by a state agency -- in a field largely dominated by large advertising firms with national contracts.

"You swept up, and it’s such an honor that you have done that," Ray said. "It speaks volumes about your creative abilities. You’ve redefined creative for state agencies."

One of the top award winners is a public-private partnership between the Department and the Florida Forestry Association. The "Florida Forests Forever" campaign was launched in 1997 to educate school students and the general public about the importance of Florida’s forests. The public awareness campaign has received several Addy Awards in previous years, as well as a state-sponsored Davis Productivity Award in 1998. Two components of the campaign received Addy Awards this year: An interactive CD-ROM called "Forest Friends" received a Gold Addy and a Best of Show Award, and a television spot about the reforestation efforts of professional landowners and foresters received a Silver Addy.

"We’re seeing more and more cooperative efforts between the public and private sectors, and it’s encouraging to see those efforts being recognized," Rhodes said. "This partnership helps our young people understand how proper forest management can provide the balance required to protect our environment and still meet society’s need for the many products that come from trees."

The Department received a Gold Addy for a series of colorful seafood recipe brochures featuring numerous species Florida finfish, shellfish and aquaculture products.

The Department received a Gold Addy for a multiple-page magazine ad promoting the advantages of propane gas. The magazine ad is a component of the "Turn Pro" multimedia campaign, a public-private partnership between the Department and the Florida Propane Gas Safety, Education and Research Council. In addition, the overall "Turn Pro" marketing and advertising campaign -- which includes radio, television, brochures, billboards and a traveling exhibit -- received a Silver Addy.

A Silver Addy was awarded for the "Florida Sun Fresh Tomato Campaign," a multimedia campaign promoting Florida-grown tomatoes. The campaign, which featured in-store promotional and marketing materials, is a public-private partnership between the Department and the Florida Tomato Committee.

A Silver Addy was presented for the "Dive In" logo, a component of a new campaign designed to promote aquarium fish, of which Florida is a leading producer. The "Dive-In" campaign is a public-private partnership between the Department and the Florida Tropical Fish Farms Association and the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association.

A Silver Addy was presented to the Department for "China Consumer Research: A Path For Florida Citrus." This report presents data gathered by the Department that gauges Chinese consumers’ preferences for Florida citrus. This report, produced by the Department in conjunction with the Florida Department of Citrus and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is helping lay the groundwork for mass marketing of Florida citrus in the world’s most populous country.

The Department also received a Silver Addy for its "Florida Bistro" cookbook, which features recipes and photographs of dishes using Florida ingredients.

The nine award-winning projects will now be judged in regional competition, which includes all of Florida and the Caribbean.

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