In its first year EXPOSED was named an award-winning magazine. Now in our second year we've been recognized once, twice ... nine times. But who's counting?
Suburban Newspapers of America released its annual advertising award winners last month and, we've got to say, we cleaned up. With hundreds of SNA members competing for recognition, EXPOSED walked away with nine awards. They include four first place honors, one second place and four honorable mentions.
* We took first place, a bump from third last year, for Best Teenager or Young Person Publication. We take issue with the award's name (no offense, teeny boppers, but our content is mainly intended for people who drink legally) but we aren't ones to argue with first place. For this category we submitted our November 2008 issue of EXPOSED featuring Minnesota Roller Girl Mary Tyler Roar on its cover.
* We took first place (a bump from nothingness last year) for Best ROP Special Section. Take note, businesses, we're the place to advertise! Our Roller Girl mag served us well here too.
* Designer Jeffrey Johnson was honored with four SNA awards. He nabbed first, second, third and honorable mention for Best Single ROP. Among his winning ads was our staple Beer Bellyz ad featuring a woman's curvy, bare midriff. Johnson also won for other creative works, including an ad for business Deck Renewal that we fondly call "the butt crack" ad.
* Designer Annie Skogen won twice for her Froots ads. She received third for Best Ad Series, which included her ironic ad showcasing a stack of straws with the headline 'SUCK THIS.' Skogen's clever Froots 'Bite me' ad featuring an apple won an honorable mention award for Best Single ROP Ad. Let's just call it a double whammy for Annie.
* Designer Heath Hartwig nabbed honorable mention within the Best Single ROP Ad category for his Work Out World ad. In Hartwig's winning ad a wimpy, headband-wearing guy flexes his nonexistent bicep under the headline, 'Work Out World ... where you don't have to feel self conscious.' Perhaps the SNA judges can relate.
They aren't named in the awards specifically, but our whole team is critical when it comes to putting out an award-winning magazine. EXPOSED General Manager Monica Hensley, Sales & Marketing Guru (not her official title, but it's OK to elaborate on occasion) Carissa Gisi and Graphic Designer/Photographer Heath Hartwig team up with me to publish something new and cool each month.
We're pleased, it's true. This is our second-year anniversary issue of EXPOSED. We're giddy about publishing our magazine each month and we're even happier when others like it too. As our awards show, EXPOSED is more fun than just about anything else you're reading. You can't argue with Roller Girls, bare midriffs and butt cracks. Can you?