Winner
Edelman and MTD: Yard-Man Mow Across America

Edelman was charged by client MTD to boost interest in its Yard-Man line of riding lawn mowers, but without the benefit of any new product news. The Edelman team wasn't discouraged by the task, however, deciding to reprise and update the cross-country Mow Across America campaign, which had been used to successfully launch the mowers.

Yard-Man spokesman Brad Hauter, an “all-American guy,” was enlisted to ride a tractor-sized grass cutter across the country, from California to the East Coast. The stunt not only provided great visuals, but also was well-targeted to the key demographic of men ages 24 and up. In fact, Hauter's engaging personality and the quirkiness of the trip became an integral part of numerous news segments. Despite setbacks such as the announcement of war in Iraq on kickoff day and having a mower stolen along the route, the campaign was well received.

“It was a smart idea and a good way to utilize the product,” said one judge. “It really nailed its target audience,” said another. A third commended the plan for being “well conceived” and having “multiple levels.”

The visual of Hauter cruising his lawn mower in front of well-known sites such as the Golden Gate Bridge, Times Square, and the White House was a huge media draw, but Edelman didn't rely solely on the landscape to generate interest. The agency pitched the story with local angles in 24 key markets across the country. This included stops at the headquarters of MTD partner Wal-Mart in Bentonville, AK, and events in towns where MTD operates production plants. In other markets, Edelman developed stunts that would be interesting locally, such as having Hauter mow across the ice during an NHL game in Phoenix.

In all, the b-roll distributed by Edelman earned more than 52 million media impressions, including stories on national outlets like Good Morning America and CNN's American Morning. The target demographic was specifically reached through media hits including coverage on CNN's Sports Tonight, ESPN's SportsCenter, and MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann. The footage was also used locally in more than 140 different markets. Most impressively, MTD's total sales at Wal-Mart rose 30% due to an increase in Yard-Man sales, including a 50% increase in sales of riding mowers.

Honorable Mention
Weber Shandwick and the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism: Broadcasting live from the Bahamas

The Islands of the Bahamas rely on tourism to keep their economy afloat, but for six months each year, the threat of hurricanes keeps both tourists and businesses on edge. Weber Shandwick was hired by the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism to boost visits to the islands, especially during hurricane season. The team decided to address the hurricane issue head-on, creating an annual Bahamans Weather Conference for meteorologists across the country. Weather presenters not only broadcast live from the islands during their stay, but also learned how to differentiate the many islands that make up the chain, thus increasing the accuracy of weather reporting. For instance, during Hurricane Isabel, the ministry reached out to attendees with information about the storm's exact path, allowing meteorologists to inform viewers that it was hundreds of miles from prime tourist destinations.

Finalists 2004
Edelman and MTD: Yard-Man Mow Across America

Equals Three Communications and National Institute of Mental Health: Real men. Real depression

GoToMyPC Public Relations: Guarding against identity theft

Weber Shandwick and the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism: Broadcasting live from the Bahamas

Weber Shandwick and General Mills, Yoplait Light Yogurt: Yoplait Light Yogurt – New study finds yogurt may help burn body fat

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