The Charleston American Marketing Association Launches the Charleston Marketing Podcast

Premiering on August 1st, the podcast in partnership with the Charleston Radio Group will highlight key influencers and business professionals in the Charleston marketing industry. 

The Charleston American Marketing Association (AMA) has launched their podcast, The Charleston Marketing Podcast, entirely geared toward Charleston’s marketing professionals. Featuring conversations with the Lowcountrys’ movers and shakers, changemakers and elite knowledge workers, each episode of The Charleston Marketing Podcast and YouTube channel provides listeners with relevant and topical takeaways ready to be applied and implemented. 

Hosted by Stephanie Barrow and Mike Compton, board members of the Charleston American Marketing Association, the “CAMA Cast” is highly engaging with guests like Will Hayine, Mayor of Mount Pleasant, Nikki Kuniej, Director of Digital Strategy, Charleston Radio Group, Olivia Flowers of Southern Charm. With a new episode dropping each month, many more thought-provoking interviews are planned with top marketing experts, industry thought leaders, nonprofits and successful Lowcountry entrepreneurs. Four episodes will be launching in August including an intro episode. 

“To me, it’s all about connecting and building community, like we do at CAMA. We are discussing content and ideas for all types of marketers. From solopreneurs to c-suite agency heads, from college grads to entrepreneurs that wear all the hats. We plan to have all the conversations, big and small so everyone can take something away from the podcast,” shares Mike Compton. “The Charleston Marketing Podcast has been a goal of our Chapter since I was President. The pandemic reiterated to our team the importance of connection, inspiration and motivation. I am genuinely thrilled and humbled by the amazing opportunity to interview these truly inspiring Charleston professionals who are making an impact here in the Lowcountry,” stated Stephanie Barrow.

Episodes will be available on the platforms Spotify, YouTube, Buzzsprout and CharlestonAMA.org as of Tuesday, August 1, 2023.

Follow @charlestonama for your updates, marketing inspiration, Charleston news and networking events.

 

Reflecting on 2021

And just like that, we are at the end of 2021. 

This year wasn’t the year that I had prepared for when I considered running for president-elect. No one could see what was going to happen in 2020, and we certainly did not think we would still be in the pandemic at the end of 2021. Well, at least this overly optimistic person did not. Despite the past two years not developing to be all that we had hoped, we have proved the resiliency of our Charleston chapter and the community we love. Together we pivoted and created opportunities for professional development outside of our norm. You all kept showing up for events, even when the Zoom fatigue was next-level. And for this, the board and I are forever grateful.

As we go into the New Year, I am excited for not only the opportunity to be back in person for events but to have the opportunity to take what we learned in the past year to grow. We recognize that one of the many benefits of being a member of the Charleston American Marketing Association is the opportunity to network and gather together. We are excitedly working on a new calendar of events full of opportunities to learn, grow and engage in our community.

One of our highlights this year was the highly successful Spark! Awards. After having to take a year off to do a virtual event, it was wonderful to be amongst our peers and celebrate our marketing community in person with dancing, drinks, and seeing new and familiar faces. We have exciting plans for the 2022 Spark! Awards and our annual Marketing Bootcamp coming up in a few months. Not to leave out our signature programming and new opportunities to mix and mingle. Let’s just say, I am exhilarated, proud, and hopeful for all the things to come.

I want to take a moment to thank my fellow board members and volunteers for their dedication and hard work throughout this past year. Some of you started during the pandemic and quickly jumped in headfirst. All of us were forced to evolve and think outside the box to deliver programming that mattered. It has been one of the greatest honors of my life to work beside you, and as you know, are all marketing superheroes in my book.

2022, we are coming in hot and hope you are ready. Thank you for your continued support and we look forward to seeing you at an event soon. Happy New Year! 🎉

Stephanie Barrow
President, Charleston AMA

Charleston AMA Announces 2021 Spark! Awards Winners

2021 Spark! Awards

Charleston American Marketing Association (AMA) is pleased to announce the winners of the 2021 Spark! Awards. The annual Spark! Awards is the premier marketing event of the Lowcountry that honors creative and marketing excellence in the Charleston community. After receiving hundreds of submissions in 20 categories, fellow AMA chapter, AMA Tahoe, judged and casted their votes for finalists and winners, while Charleston AMA Board of Directors selected winners for Marketer of the Year, The Giving Award, and Chapter Volunteer of the Year.

Awards finalists, Charleston area marketing professionals, and business leaders gathered for the lively awards celebration on September 23 where winners were revealed. The awards were hosted by event emcee Whitney McDuff, who is a recent winner of Best Marketing/PR Company for Charleston City Paper’s 2021 Best of Charleston.

Charleston AMA is thankful for this year’s sponsors, including Nelson Printing, Squeeze Marketing, Fox Audio Visual, Larry Monteith Photography, Seth G. Music, Holy City Sinner and Chris Hervochon CPA CVA.

And the winners are…

Charleston AMA 2021 Marketer of the Year:
Charlotte Berger, CharlotteBergerPR

The Giving Award:
Stan Foxworthy, Foxworthy Studios

Chapter Volunteer of the Year:
Taylor Ion, Charleston AMA Director of Marketing and Communications

Best Book Cover
WINNER: Advantage | ForbesBooks – Stuck In The Middle Seat by Stephen E. Gerard
FINALISTS:
Advantage | ForbesBooks – Stuck In The Middle Seat by Stephen E. Gerard
Advantage | ForbesBooks – Hidden Wealth by Terry H. Monroe –
Banks Creative – Eleanor, Alice and the Roosevelt Ghosts by Dianne K. Salerni
G Sharp Design – Mindscaping

Best Branding
WINNER: Squeeze Marketing – Lowcountry Trolley
FINALISTS:
PlanSource – PlanSource
Trio Solutions – Marketing Impact Assistant (aka M.I.A)

Best Corporate Blog
WINNER: Roper St. Francis Hospital – House Calls Magazine and Health Hub Blog
FINALISTS:
Stingray Branding – Tumbleston Photography
Winkler Group – Winkler Group Corporate Blog: Part 1 – Counterintuitive Fundraising

Best Corporate Identity
WINNER: Roper St. Francis Hospital – Roper St. Francis Healthcare Brand 2020
FINALISTS:
Trio Solutions – Bleecker Family Law

Best Collateral
WINNER: Rawle Murdy – Desert Highlands
FINALISTS:
Push Digital – Stop Soldier Suicide – 2020 Impact Report
Squeeze Marketing – Lowcountry Trolley

Best Content Marketing
WINNER: Lunch + Recess – Vertical Roots Brand Video
FINALISTS:
BoomTown – The BoomTown Effect
PlanSource – Employee Communications Interactive Site

Best Digital or Print Ad
WINNER: Push Digital – Dermatology & Laser Center of Charleston
FINALISTS:
Rawle Murdy – Terminix

Best Direct Mail
WINNER: PlanSource – THRIVE SalesCon Box and Deliverables

Best e-Newsletter
WINNER: Charleston County Parks – Charleston County Parks Explore

Best Event Marketing
WINNER: Mex 1 Coastal Cantina – Mex 1 Snowboard Rail Jam
FINALISTS:
BoomTown – Unite
Push Digital – Lung Cancer Research Foundation – Free to Breathe Event
PlanSource – Eclipse Live Marketing Collateral

Best Fundraising Campaign
WINNER: CharlotteBergerPR – Warrior Surf Foundation Surfboard Auction

Best Social Media Presence
WINNER: Rawle Murdy – Sleep.com Mattress Firm
FINALISTS:
Charleston County Parks – Charleston County Parks Facebook Page –
Push Digital – Stop Soldier Suicide

Best Illustration
WINNER: Banks Creative – College of Charleston ‘What Type of Cougar are You?
FINALISTS:
Banks Creative- College of Charleston ‘What Type of Cougar are You?
Charleston County Parks – Step Into Nature
Lunch + Recess – Osprey and Snake Illustration

Best Logo Design
WINNER: In the Black Marketing & Consulting – Migliori’s Pizza
FINALISTS:
Gibbes Film in Focus – Banks Creative
Stingray Branding – Juneteenth
Stingray Branding – Your Space Designs
TRIO Solutions – Ruby’s Academy

Best Non-Traditional Marketing
WINNER: Banks Creative – Gibbes on the Street – Gibbes on the Couch
FINALISTS:
CharlotteBergerPR – LoDi Coffee Sleeve Design
Rawle Murdy – Primland Resort

Best Social Media Campaign
WINNER: Matchstick Social – Kickin Chicken
FINALISTS:
Chernoff Newman – MUSC Don’t Go Viral
Nelson Strategic Marketing – Meals on Wheels Summerville: Stories of Isolation

Best Pandemic Pivot
WINNER: ArcheMedX, Inc. – COVID-19’s Effect on Virtual Tech in Clinical Trials
FINALISTS:
CharlotteBergerPR – Warrior Surf Foundation Surfboard Auction
Maggie Mills – Take Maggie’s Word for It

Best Promotional Video
WINNER: Lowcountry Local First – Every Dollar Matters
FINALISTS:
BoomTown – Success Assurance
Charleston Battery – This Is Your Club
Mara James – Shiksona Beauty

Best Website
WINNER: Squeeze Marketing – Lowtide Brewing
FINALISTS:
Push Digital – PushDigital.com
Squeeze Marketing – Southern Concepts
Stingray Branding – Wild Blue Ropes