Innis Maggiore, a SARTA Partner earns APTA AdWheel Award
SARTA team members (left to right) Ebony Fontes, Latrice Virola, and Timothy Montgomery display the APTA AdWheel award.
CANTON, Ohio (April 9, 2024) — Innis Maggiore, the nation’s leading positioning ad agency, today announced the “Community Partner” campaign it developed with the Stark Area Regional Transit Authority (SARTA) won a 2024 AdWheel Award in the “Best Print Media Educational Initiative” category. The American Public Transportation Association (APTA) recognizes its members’ marketing and communications efforts through its AdWheel Awards program.
The “Community Partner” campaign included video spots and static ads featuring testimonials from businesses, medical facilities, schools, and community service organizations about the role SARTA plays in the lives of their employees, clients and customers, students, members, and the community. Content was displayed across the transit system’s social media platforms, broadcast radio commercials, and newspaper ads.
Testimonial participants included Stark State College, Lifecare Family Health and Dental Center, Stark Economic Development Board, JRC Learning Center, and ICAN Housing Solutions.
The APTA AdWheel-winning project was developed for the second quarter of 2023 as part of the transit system’s 25th “SARTAversary” celebration. Other 2023 quarterly initiatives included the “Where Ya Goin’?” campaign, the “SARTA Café” event, and the “Holiday Lights” contest.
Innis Maggiore collaborated with SARTA’s marketing and communications team, comprised of Timothy Montgomery, marketing administrator, Ebony Fontes, digital media coordinator, and Latrice Virola, director of customer relations, who originated the idea.
“We enjoy creating engaging and compelling content with the SARTA team, and winning an APTA AdWheel Award is a testament to that collaboration,” said Jeff Monter, principal key accounts at Innis Maggiore. “It’s important to express the value public transportation brings to our community, and we’re delighted our efforts continue to make an impact.”
Innis Maggiore and SARTA earned APTA AdWheel Awards in 2021 for the “Rider/Driver Thank You” campaign and the “Ohio Loves Transit Day” promotion in partnership with the Canton Charge basketball team. Both campaigns earned top honors.
APTA AdWheel Award entries are judged by effectiveness, overall impact, clarity, and production quality across 27 categories. The annual competition hopes to share best practices and spread awareness about the value of public transportation marketing professionals in the industry.
About SARTA
The Stark Area Regional Transit Authority (SARTA) was established in 1997 to meet the public transportation needs of Stark County, Ohio residents. SARTA provides more than 2.5 million rides annually to commuters, seniors, individuals with disabilities, students, and veterans through the system’s fixed routes, Proline, MedLine, veterans, and campus bus services. Along with providing safe, reliable, and affordable transportation to destinations in Stark and beyond, SARTA is a nationally recognized leader in the use of transit technology. The system has received numerous awards for its clean energy initiatives, which include the acquisition and deployment of one of the world’s largest fleets of hydrogen fuel powered buses. To learn more, please visit sartaonline.com.
About Innis Maggiore
Innis Maggiore Group is recognized as America's leading positioning ad agency, building strong brand positions for companies around the world. The full-service integrated agency had 2023 capitalized billings of about $27 million. Some of its key clients include Advanced Power, Aultman Health System, AultCare Health Plans, Babcock & Wilcox, Baird Brothers Fine Hardwoods, BellStores, The Center for Health Affairs, Encino Energy, ForeverLawn, Inc., GOJO Industries (Purell), Hall of Fame Resort and Entertainment, Harris Battery, KFC/Kendall House, Lewis Services, MID'S True Sicilian Pasta Sauce, Midwest Industrial Supply, Prolectric (UK), Robertson Heating Supply Company, Roetzel & Andress, SimiTree, SmithFoods, Stark Area Regional Transit Authority (SARTA), and Stricklands Ice Cream.