Messenger wins big in advertising contest

The Cairo Messenger was the big winner in the 2011 Georgia Press Association’s Advertising Contest with the winners announced at the GPA Advertising Conference held at Lake Blackshear Resort Friday.
The Messenger was represented by Editor and Publisher Randolph H. Wind, Advertising Director Mesha C. Wind and Ad Designer Brynn Knight.
This year’s contest was judged by members of the Tennessee Press Association.
The Tennessee judges awarded The Cairo Messenger a total of seven first place awards and seven second place awards in the annual advertising contest, which was the most of any paper in the state for Division F that includes weekly newspapers with circulation of 5,000 or greater.
Coming in behind The Messenger was The Clayton Tribune with five first place awards and six second place awards, followed by The Hartwell Sun with five first places and three second places.
All of The Messenger’s award-winning ads were created by Ad Designer Brynn Knight.
“We are very proud that Brynn has been recognized for her marvelous talent and her hard work,” said Editor Wind.
He noted that this is the second straight year The Messenger has brought home so many top honors for its ads. In last year’s contest, The Messenger brought home five first place awards and four second place honors.
“When we win an award for an ad, it is really our advertisers who are the winners. Effective, eye-catching and attractive ads result in more customers and potential customers reading a local merchant’s ad,” Wind said.
The editor also acknowledged the hard work of the advertising sales staff, which, in addition to Ad Director Mesha Wind, includes Linda Lee and Jennifer Searan.
“All of our employees work extremely hard week in and week out to produce a newspaper this community can be proud of. I appreciate the hard work of Linda, Jennifer and Mesha. Without ad sales we cannot publish a community newspaper,” Wind said.
The first place awards won by The Messenger included: an ad for Mr. Chick, food category; an ad for United National Bank, service/institutional category; an ad for Miss Myrt’s, miscellaneous category; The Messenger’s Pigskin Preview, special section category; The Messenger’s “Good Luck Syrupmakers” page, signature page category; an ad for Gilliard’s Store, small ad category; and a series of ads for Citizens Bank, advertising campaign category.
The Messenger’s second place awards included: an ad for Thomas of Cairo, color motor vehicle category; an ad for Cairo Medical Care, health care category; an ad for New Genesis Center, service/institutional category; an ad for Cairo Jewelers, apparel, jewelry & accessories; an ad for Miss Myrt’s, miscellaneous category; a Messenger ad, newspaper promotion category; and an ad for Delicious Delights, small page ad category.
“It takes a team effort to publish a community newspaper and our staff is not only talented, but also dedicated. I appreciate each one of them. It is even sweeter to have the hard work of The Messenger staff recognized by out-of-state judges,” Editor Wind said.