PPAI is currently accepting submissions for its annual Pyramid Awards, which honor creative excellence in the promotional products industry and recognize dependable suppliers, outstanding promotions, creative campaigns and exceptional craftsmanship by Association members. Submissions are open through May 7. To highlight and learn from 2021 Pyramid Award winners, PPB Newslink is speaking with several of them in a series of articles to learn more about what it means to secure a PPAI Pyramid win. This installment features St. Paul, Minnesota, distributor Seven Corners Promotions and Printing and its Silver Award in client promotions for its “The Greatest Day Celebration.”

Seven Corners’ campaign commemorated the 40th anniversary of the one of the greatest upsets in sports hockey—the U.S. Olympic hockey team’s triumph over the Soviet Union’s team at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York, also known as “the miracle on ice”—and attracted volunteers and attendance to The Greatest Day Celebration event. Greatest Day Committee members were selected from strategic businesses across St. Paul, Minnesota, and assigned specific tasks based on company resources and event offerings. Seven Corners Promotions and Printing was approached to assist in product selection and sourcing for all promotional product giveaways of a high-perceived value and collectability.

The Greatest Day Celebration campaign was Seven Corners’ first time participating in the PPAI Pyramid Awards, but it wasn’t the first time for Vice President of Sales and Marketing Dan Livengood, CAS.

“In previous positions, I have entered some from my own campaigns and assisted my reps and colleagues in entering theirs,” says Livengood. “However, this was a first-time entry for Seven Corners Print and Promo. I explained to our owner, we definitely should enter The Greatest Day Campaign for the PPAI Pyramid Awards, as it exceeded every expectation for the customer as well as garnering a nice balance of qualitative and quantitative results from a marketing perspective. The best advice I can give to someone who is considering entering, is to first form a checklist to help qualify your campaign. Creativity is a plus! However, the entry must have objectives and other criteria that were met.”

Livengood recommends potential Pyramid participants consider the following questions in evaluating a campaign for entry into the Pyramid competition:

  • What was the overall objective of the campaign or program?
  • Who was the target audience?
  • Is the campaign unique and creative?
  • Did it meet the allotted budget?
  • Did the strategy and execution of the program meet both yours and your client’s expectations?
  • Since results are heavier weighted during the judging process, were they outstanding? Did they have impressive qualitative and quantitative results?

Livengood adds, “It is an incredible honor to be selected as a finalist and winner in the Pyramids. When you become a winner, you are given lots of materials and suggestions on how to use your winning entry for PR and business development. I’ve let my clients know this award is truly our industry’s version of the Oscars. Additionally, entering the Pyramid Awards helps hone your writing skills when planning and communicating new campaigns. The criteria used in the judging process can also be used as framework in formulating a new solution for your client. As a solution-selling advocate, I always encourage my reps to conduct thorough research and discovery before consulting with clients. By practicing these disciplines, you become a more credible resource to clients and prospective clients.”

For more information and to submit entries to the 2022 PPAI Pyramid Awards, go to www.ppai.org/pyramid. For assistance or additional questions, email awards@ppai.org.