WASHINGTON, D.C., January 26, 2005: The American Association of Political Consultants (AAPC) recently announced the winners of the 2005 Pollie Awards. EpandMedia and Squier Knapp Dunn were awarded Silver or Second Place for its 2004 radio ad for Illinois – “Open Roads Tolling (Jet).” Successfully promoting Illinois’ new tollway initiative, the ad was written by SKD’s Bill Knapp and produced by EpandMedia’s Len Epand. SKD’s Jay Marlin served as Account Executive for the campaign which was sponsored by the Chicago Federation of Labor and the Cook County Building Trades Council.
The Pollie Awards are the national showcase for excellence in political communications. The winners were announced at the gala Pollie Awards Ceremony on Saturday, January 22, 2005 at the Park Hyatt in Washington, D.C.
The 2005 competition was the most competitive Pollie Awards to date with 256 firms entering and a record number of entries. Over 150 political experts from across the country participated as judges for the competition and winners were selected in more than 130 categories that represent the broad spectrum of political communications. A complete list of winners can be found at the AAPC website (http://www.theaapc.org/).
AAPC President Wayne Johnson said, “The Pollie Awards have grown dramatically in recent years, representing the growth of the profession. These awards are a celebration of creativity and the American democratic system. The large increase in submissions is a reflection of the continued specialization and diversity that have characterized campaign activity in recent years. There are more Americans involved in politics than ever before, and as a consequence, we are seeing an increase in both substance and passion in political speech. American democracy is alive and kicking, and that bodes well for the future.”
In addition to the presentation of the awards, there were two days of panel discussions that explored new campaign techniques and organizations, assessed what worked and what didn’t work during the 2004 election cycle, and previewed what to expect in 2006 and 2008. The next Pollie Awards will focus on public affairs and will be held in the Napa Valley and Sonoma wine country in 2006.
Founded in 1969, the AAPC is a bipartisan membership organization for political and public affairs professionals.