Year of Music Campaign Wins U.S. Travel Association Mercury Award

Montgomery, Ala.– The Alabama Tourism Department has won the U.S. Travel Association’s National Mercury Award for its 2011 Year of Music Campaign. The National Council of State Tourism Directors (NCSTD) presented the 2012 Mercury awards for Niche Marketing to tourism director Lee Sentell last night in Boston.

“We are honored to receive such a prestigious award for our year of music campaign,” Sentell said. “Our staff does an outstanding job promoting Alabama and our campaigns.”

The Mercury awards are given to state tourism offices by NCSTD, recognizing members for excellence and creative accomplishment at the state level in tourism marketing and promotion, and inspiring the continued development of exciting destination marketing and promotion programs. The awards are comprised of twelve categories, including: Print Advertising; Print Visitors Guide; Broadcast Advertising: Radio; Broadcast Advertising: TV; Co-op Marketing; Niche Marketing; Travel Website; Digital Campaign; Best Use of Social Media Platform; Public and Media Relations; Special Promotion; and Overall Program.

Alabama Tourism Department’s Grey Brennan served as the coordinator of the Year of Music campaign and the Songwriter’s Contest. “It’s rewarding that we are recognized for the hard work and efforts that our staff put in on this year-long campaign,” Brennan said. “I’m thrilled to be a part of the efforts that our department puts forth to promote the great state of Alabama.”

This year, the awards were judged by JWT, an internationally recognized marketing and communications firm. Judges offered a unique perspective because the agency was chosen to help develop Brand USA’s national tourism promotion strategy.