Highest Honor Goes To Miami International Airport

Like any business, airports have to tell their story in order to thrive and grow. Airports Council International-North America (ACI-NA) announced that 28 airports are winners of its 2011 Excellence in Marketing and Communications Contest, with two airports leading the pack for the top honor. In a close contest, Miami International Airport edged out three-time winner Edmonton International Airport, and is receiving the top honor, the Peggy G. Hereford Overall Award for Excellence.

While both Miami and Edmonton received four 1st place wins, in a tie-breaker, Miami was selected as the contest’s top winner due to its 2nd place award in the Special Events category.
 
“ACI-NA congratulates the winners of the 2011 Excellence in Airport Marketing and Communications Contest,” said ACI-NA President Greg Principato (pictured). “Each year, this very competitive contest allows airports to showcase their best marketing and communications efforts that serve their stakeholders, including the flying public, airlines, tenants, and employees. We continue to be amazed by these award-winning entries and will remain committed to promoting the contest to our North American airport members.”

This year, 44 airports and airport authorities submitted 175 entries in the contest, which encompasses categories that recognize work in marketing and public relations, and provides airports the opportunity to be honored for the quality of their work. Awards are distributed in 17 categories ranging from brochures, advertising, marketing and public relations campaigns, newsletters, special events, video and film productions, to social media campaigns and websites. For the second time in contest history, communications and marketing professionals from the U.S. and Canada served as judges to review contest entries remotely, by way of web access.

The Peggy G. Hereford award is widely recognized throughout the airport industry as the highest honor an airport can earn in the marketing and communications field. The award recognizes creativity in illustrating the airport’s message, effectiveness in connecting with audiences, and the overall scope of the airport’s effort in marketing and public relations. The award’s goal is to spotlight the commitment and dedication of the winning airport’s accomplishments in marketing and communications.

Hereford, a founding member of the ACI-NA Marketing and Communications Committee, sought to capture the energy of aviation and unleash it to the world. She served as the Public Affairs Director at Los Angeles International, and elevated the profession of public relations in the aviation field to new heights.
 
"We are honored to be this year's recipient of the Peggy G. Hereford Award and to be recognized by industry experts across the nation for our marketing and communications efforts," said Miami-Dade Aviation Director Jose Abreu." We know we join a prestigious group of past winners, and that makes this special recognition even more rewarding."

FMI: www.aci-na.org/content/peggy-g-hereford-award