Annual BMA Bell Awards 2.0 Recognizes Local B2B Marketers' Best Work

MILWAUKEE - The Business Marketing Association/Milwaukee Chapter held its annual Bell Awards celebration April 7, 2009 at the Italian Community Center. The Bell Awards recognize area companies and creative firms that achieve excellence in the production of materials or development and execution of programs that promote products or services to a business audience.

The awards banquet was unique this year as it shifted to a technology-driven 2.0 program. From communications and marketing to judging and presentment, the entire program was conducted digitally. Enforcing the 2.0 theme, over 300 attendees browsed nearly 300 entries electronically on large plasma screens and selected their favorite entry on a touch screen monitor, determining the People's Choice award.

A total of 30 Bell awards were presented to companies whose entries placed best in each of 33 categories, and 53 Excellence awards were given to companies who exhibited outstanding work in B-to-B marketing.

The BIG winner for the evening was Nelson Schmidt who took home a total of eight Bell awards and two Excellence awards. Nelson Schmidt also took home Best of Show for the "Paid by ADP" campaign for ADP Small Business Services. Johnson Controls and agency Marx McClellan Thrun won the People's Choice award for the "Think Customer" campaign in the online communications division category. Other Bell award winners for the evening included Avicom Marketing Communications, Bader Rutter & Associates, Branigan Communications, Core Creative, Cramer-Krasselt, Derse, Exhibit Systems, Finn Digital, Fullhouse, Johnson Controls, JWD-Creative, LePoidevin Rickinger Group, Mader Communications Group, Marketing Images, Marx McClellan Thrun, McDill Design and THIEL Design.

A complete list of winners will be available on the BMA Web site at www.bma-milwaukee.org.