The Dispatch advertising staff, led by director Beth Proffitt, earned top honors for the fifth consecutive year in the Mississippi Press Association Better Newspaper Contest.
Advertising staff brought home 29 awards, including former graphic designer Kelly Ervin’s digital ad for Mike’s Fine Wine and Liquor earning Ad of the Year among all Mississippi newspapers. It was the second straight Ad of the Year win for Ervin.
General Excellence and Ad of the Year award winners were announced Saturday at the Tri-State Press Convention in Memphis, while MPA announced other advertising awards in March. All awards were for work produced in 2024.
Graphic designer Jackie Taylor notched three first-place awards, including for Outdoor Recreation Ad, which was judged against all other newspapers in the state. She also won first in Magazine Ad-Retail and Entertainment Ad, which were judged against other multi-day newspapers in the state.
Taylor placed second for Institutional Ad, Health Care Ad, Food and Beverage Ad, Automotive Ad and Magazine Ad-Retail. She also won third place in Small Space Ad and Magazine Ad-Institutional, Financial or Service.
Along with Ad of the Year, Ervin notched 13 individual awards, including five first-place honors for Institutional Ad, Food and Beverage Ad, Small Space Ad, Magazine Ad-Food and Beverage and Ad Series.
Ervin also won second place for Home Improvement/Lawn and Garden Ad, Use of Humor or Blooper and Ad Series. In third place, Ervin won for Home Improvement/Lawn and Garden Ad, Magazine Ad – Health Care and Holiday Ad. She was awarded honorable mention for Use of Humor or Blooper.
Peter Imes earned third place for House Ad.
The Dispatch also placed first for Editorial Special Edition, second for Niche Product and Magazine and third place for Magazine.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 35 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 35 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
