MIA Names 2005 Rocky Winners

LAS VEGAS – The top strategies for promoting the stone industry received their due in October with the announcement of the First Rocky Advertising Awards.
The competition, offered by the Marble Institute of America (MIA) and sponsored by Salem Stone, drew more than 130 entries. The eventual 12 winners in nine categories were announced during StonExpo 2005 in Las Vegas on Oct. 21.
Serving as judges for the 2005 competition were Larry Nozik, Nozik Design; John Scavnicky, Design Direction; Denise Ziganti, Design Direction; and Mary Gerity and Sue Myers, Manheim Advertising Inc.
“We wanted to partner up with the MIA,” said Mike Willard, vice president of sales and marketing at Winston-Salem, N.C.-based Salem. “We have a lot of respect for the MIA and the things that they’re doing within the trade industry.”
Steve Brown, Salem’s advertising/marketing director, added that, “We just saw it as an opportunity since we are relative newcomers to be involved in the stone community.”
“With more than 130 entries, we have clearly found an area of interest with our membership,” said MIA Executive Vice President Gary Distelhorst. “The program should only grow in future years.”
Awards were given in categories based on company annual sales of less than or more than $2 million. Winners received either a Rocky certificate or a Rocky plaque.
The 2005 winners are:
• Roma Tile, Syracuse, N.Y., certificate for print advertising, black and white (newspaper, more than $2 million).
• Pokarna Ltd., Secunderabad, India, and Daltile, Dallas, awards for print advertising, color (magazine, more than $2 millon). Granite Tops LLC of Cold Springs, Minn., certificate in the same category.
• Akdo Pacific LLC, Haywood, Calif., award for print advertising, color (magazine, less than $2 million).
• Renaissance Marble & Granite, Blackwood, N.J., award for collateral material (direct mail, more than $2 million).
• Vetter Stone Co., Kasota, Minn., award for collateral material (brochure, more than $2 million). Rocky Mountain Stone, Albuquerque, N.M., certificate in the same category.
• Hartztone LLC, Bedford, N.Y., certificate for collateral material (brochure, under $2 million).
• Kepco+, Salt Lake City, certificate for its point-of-sale trade-show-booth design.
• Great Northern Stone, Exeter, Ontario, 30-second radio spot.
• Colucci Fabrication of Pittsburgh, 30-second TV spot.