"Free" PR Campaign Wins Award

If you live within reasonable driving distance of the Wildwoods, chances are you noticed a billboard advertising the "free" aspects of the resort this past summer.

Similar ads were featured in local and regional newspapers, on the Internet, and in TV commercials.

According to the Cape May County Herald, the "Are You Free This Summer? The Wildwoods Are!" marketing campaign has earned a Bronze Adrian Award from Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International.

The award will be presented to the Greater Wildwoods Tourism Improvement and Development Authority on February 1 at the 2010 Adrian Awards Gala in New York City.

This is the second award won by the GWTIDA and its PR firm, Suasion Communications Group/Smith O’Keefe, this year. The Wildwoods’ 2008 public relations campaign received the 2009 New Jersey Governor’s Award for Tourism Excellence from the New Jersey Division of Travel and Tourism.

“We’re honored to have received a coveted Adrian Award," said GWTIDA executive director John Siciliano in a statement. "It shows that our persistent public relations effort has paid off and that the Wildwoods’ brand is continuing to grow in the minds of consumers and industry professionals, alike."

Click HERE to check out the promotional videos that were part of the 2009 campaign.