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TheBuzz
Erika Engle
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Spinning creative idea ‘hay’ into precious metals
The Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau has turned gold and silver in to platinum.
Alchemists everywhere may be turning green with envy. Rumpelstiltskin is none too pleased, either.
HVCB won eight awards, including two platinum awards, from Hospitality Sales and Marketing International. It presents bronze, silver, gold, platinum and best-of-show awards for advertising, public relations and Web marketing to companies in all aspects of travel and hospitality -- from airlines to casinos to travel suppliers.
Thousands of entries pour in to HSMAI from airlines, hotel corporations and destinations -- some of them entire countries, like Dubai. HSMAI calls its annual black-tie presentation the "Oscars" of travel and hospitality marketing.
Indeed, a record crowd of more than 1,000 industry elite saw the HVCB called up to the stage to accept its platinum awards in public relations and Web Marketing. To be considered for platinum, an entry must first win gold.
HVCB's PR platinum, for work by McNeil Wilson Communications, was among seven awarded to the likes of Cunard Line and Hilton Hotels. The award was for Top Chef 2: Hawaii Season Finale, for feature placement in television.
HVCB's Web platinum, for work by Milici Valenti Ng Pack Advertising's Firefly Interactive, was one of five for companies including Marriott International Inc. and the New Orleans Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau. HVCB's winner was titled, "The Colors of Hawaii -- Blue Video" and was a multimedia entry from the HVCB Web site.
The Colors of Hawaii, which included additional color concepts, also won a silver award.
Among the advertising awards, HVCB also won gold for its "Discover the Colors of Hawaii" campaign, and two silvers -- for its Avid Traveler two-page spread and for the "Share the Experience" campaign.
The awards do more than validate HVCB's choice of advertising and PR firms.
"We want to aspire to do the best work possible and be the industry leader," said Jay Talwar, HVCB vice president of marketing. "We believe Hawaii deserves that" and the award is "one of the checkpoints along the way."
In many cases HVCB bested competitors with much bigger budgets, said David McNeil, co-founder of McNeil Wilson. "Within the travel (marketing) industry, this is really top of the top."
Erika Engle is a reporter with the Star-Bulletin. Call 529-4747, fax 529-4750 or write to Erika Engle, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210, Honolulu, HI 96813. She can also be reached at:
eengle@starbulletin.com