May 19, 2022

CONTACT:

Alana Joyce

Executive Director

703-245-8021

[email protected]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

AAPC Announces 2022 Pollie Award Winners

Political advertising’s largest and most prestigious Awards program has record-breaking year

San Juan, Puerto Rico (May 19, 2022) – The American Association of Political Consultants (AAPC) today announced the winners of the 2022 Pollie Awards, the premier awards competition for the political advertising industry. This cycle, over 200 firms submitted a 1,100+ entries across 10 mediums, including television, digital, direct mail/print, radio and phones. Despite the large number of entries received, given AAPC’s stringent standards for trophy eligibility, only 11% of entries earned Pollie Gold, the industry’s top honor.

“The 2021 campaign cycle featured no less challenges than 2020, and continued to test long-standing campaign tactics and force innovation," said Becki Donateli, AAPC President. “The firms honored with a Pollie Award this year developed new strategies and campaign tools whose impacts were felt in the results of elections across the country. AAPC offers our most fervent congratulations for their wins.”

The Strategy Group Co, a Republican firm based in Columbus, Ohio took home the most Pollie wins this year at 18, while Bergmann Zwerdling Direct, headquartered in Washington, D.C., commanded the top spot among Democratic firms with 12 wins. Republican firm The Strategy Group Co. and Democratic firm Putnam Partners tied for the most Pollie Gold wins, both earning 5 coveted trophies.

“The Pollie Contest could not have been a success without the help of more than 120 AAPC members who volunteered to serve as judges,” said Larry Huynh, AAPC Vice President. “In addition to evaluating the political effectiveness and execution of each piece, our judges assessed whether or not each entry met AAPC’s higher standards on citations and the requirements of AAPC’s Professional Code of Ethics. We sincerely appreciate all of our judges who helped to uphold AAPC’s values.”

About the Pollie Awards

The Pollie Awards (Pollies) are bipartisan honors awarded annually by the American Association of Political Consultants (AAPC) to members of the political advertising and communications industry who have demonstrated superior work on behalf of their candidates and causes. A blind jury of their professional peers selects AAPC award winners. Esquire magazine has dubbed the Pollies “…the Oscars of political advertising.”

The full list of 2022 Pollie Contest winners can be found in the 2022 Winners Book, and the winning work can be viewed in the 2022 Pollie Gallery.