Winning Campaigns Promoted the USS IOWA and Wendy’s Hot ’N Juicy Cheeseburgers

DES MOINES, Iowa (Jan. 9, 2013) — Strategic America (SA) has won two 2012 Magellan Awards in the Communications Campaign Competition for the agency’s promotion of the USS IOWA for the Pacific Battleship Center and also, its creation of the Hot ’N Juicy Microsite for Wendy’s Restaurants.

More than 400 entries were submitted for the 2012 Magellan Awards and fewer than one out of four received award-level recognition. The League of American Communications Professionals (LACP) Magellan Awards honored the USS IOWA Campaign with the Gold Award, an honor reserved for campaigns that were in the top two best campaigns in their respective categories. The USS Iowa also was recognized as the 24th best overall campaign among all the entries.

SA promoted the battleship as a tourist attraction and increased the visibility of the Pacific Battleship Center, the nonprofit group that owns the ship and transformed it into an interactive museum in the Port of Los Angeles. The USS IOWA gained nearly $3 million in earned media value through its partnership with SA, which generated more than 14,500 media mentions and clips in both traditional and electronic media. SA also negotiated a partnership with TEKGroup for an online newsroom and created content for the newsroom. Plus, SA helped the USS IOWA build long-term relationships with reporters in the tourism and travel industries as well as develop its membership and event materials.

“Overall, we find this work to be outstanding, earning a total score of 98 out of a maximum of 100 points,” says Christine Kennedy, LACP Managing Director. The judges commented that “The campaign’s effectiveness is remarkable.” The USS IOWA attracted more than 100,000 visitors during the first five months of operation, according to the Pacific Battleship Center.

SA’s Hot ’N Juicy Microsite for Wendy’s received a Silver Magellan Award and ranked as one of the top three campaigns in its category and also was listed as among the top 50 best overall campaigns. In just seven days after its launch, the microsite had 6 million impressions, nearly 6,000 visitors and more than 2,000 coupons downloaded.

“Overall, we find this work to be outstanding,” says Kennedy, noting that the campaign received a total score of 97 out of 100. Judges of the competition commented that “The materials that comprise this campaign are both visually compelling and highly memorable. . . . It’s clear that a lot of strategic planning and tactical execution were invested into this campaign.”

The League of American Communications Professionals was established in 2001 to create a forum within the public relations industry that facilitates discussion of best-in-class practices within the profession while also recognizing those who demonstrate exemplary communications capabilities.

Strategic America is a West Des Moines-based integrated marketing communications firm that ranks among the 250 largest independent advertising agencies in the U.S., according to the Advertising Age 2012 Agency Report. Founded in 1980, Strategic America employs 90 communications professionals and represents more than 40 diverse national, regional and local clients, focusing on insurance/financial services, business-to-business, and dealer and consumer marketing.

SA is a well-regarded member of the 4As (American Association of Advertising Agencies), the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) and is a partner of the WORLDCOM Public Relations Group.

For more information:

Mike Schreurs, CEO
Strategic America
515.453.2000
mschreurs@strategicamerica.com