Kansas City Life Insurance Company won the coveted SAMMY Award for “overall Best of Show” at the 59th Annual Insurance Marketing & Communications Association (IMCA) Showcase Awards Gala, held last evening during the 2017 IMCA Annual Conference in Scottsdale.
Additionally, The American Equity Underwriters Inc. was honored with IMCA’s inaugural TaDa! Award, which attendees voted on to select the best onsite tabletop display of an award finalist during the conference.
Specifically, Kansas City Life earned the SAMMY Award for its “VIP Victory in Production, President’s Birthday Contest” project in the In-House, Product or Image Advertising/Marketing category. American Equity Underwriters was honored for its onsite conference display of the “2017 Mardi Gras Mailout” program in the Public Relations category.
More than 90 awards were presented in 33 distinct categories during the Showcase Awards ceremony at The Scottsdale Hotel at McCormick Ranch. Organizations from across the United States and Canada entered the competition this year, which recognizes outstanding marketing and communications products and programs and promote higher standards of excellence within the insurance industry.
“The high quality of entries in our Showcase Awards program this year was tremendous,” said Anna Hargis, chair of the IMCA board of directors and director of advertising at Shelter Insurance. “We had a great mix of entries from insurance carriers, agencies and brokers, as well as various advertising, marketing and communications organizations that support our industry. It was a great showcase of the value marketing and communications professionals bring to our industry.”
AIG and The Co-operators earned the most awards overall, with seven wins apiece including two Best of Show Awards each. They were followed by Aon Affinity, which won six awards including three Best of Show. The Doctors Company also won six awards, including one Best of Show, and John Hancock Insurance earned six awards, including four Best of Show, the most of any entrant.
The Main Street America Group was honored with five awards, including two Best of Show Awards. Earning four awards each were CNA (one Best of Show), Foremost Insurance Group (three Best of Show), Frankenmuth Insurance and The Hanover Insurance Group (one Best of Show).
Other winners of a Best in Show Award included: Applied Underwriters, COUNTRY Financial, Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America, Manulife, MAPFRE Insurance, Missouri Employers Mutual, Preferred Connect Insurance Center LLC, Sun Life Financial, and The Cincinnati Insurance Companies.
Additional Award of Excellence winners included: Acuity Insurance, Allstate Business Insurance, Artex Risk Solutions, ASEQ | Studentcare, Atlantic American Corporation, Aviva Canada Inc., Direct Choice, Inc., Great American Insurance Group, HealthMarkets, Jackson, Kansas City Life Insurance Company, Manulife, MAPFRE Insurance, MiniCo Insurance Agency, Missouri Employers Mutual, NORCAL Mutual Insurance Company, PEMCO Mutual Insurance Company, Preferred Connect Insurance Center LLC, Safeco Insurance, The American Equity Underwriters Inc., The Cincinnati Insurance Companies, UFG Insurance and Universal American.
Judging criteria for each of the 2017 IMCA Showcase Awards’ 33 categories included background (why was the program or product created), target audience, objectives (what was the intended outcome/strategy and measurable success criteria) and results versus established metrics. More than 70 judges participated in the virtual judging process of the 300-plus entries. Judges included advertising, marketing, public relations and corporate communications executives from across North America.
About the Insurance Marketing & Communications Association
IMCA (www.imcanet.com) is the oldest association for insurance marketing and communications professionals in North America with roots tracing back to 1921. Membership includes leading international and domestic multi-line insurance companies and brokerage firms, regional and specialty companies, general agencies, and prominent industry suppliers. The organization represents over 120 companies, including the top five property/casualty writers. Members include senior level management and professional staff working in the areas of corporate communications, advertising, public relations, marketing communications, marketing and sales promotion, marketing research and technology.