WPTZ and WOKO win 'Best in Show' at VAB commercial contest

WPTZ-TV and WOKO-FM were winners of the Best in Show awards in the 2010 VAB Commercial of the Year competition. The awards were announced during the VAB s 55th Annual Convention May 27 at the Capitol Plaza Hotel in Montpelier.
More than 195 entries were submitted by radio stations, TV stations and local advertising agencies for the VAB awards, which remains the only regional competition of its kind.
Multiple first-place award winners included television stations WCAX, WVNY and WPTZ. WJEN-FM in Rutland and WWFY-FM in Barre each won multiple first place awards in the radio competition, and Shadow Productions and Mt. Mansfield Media both took home multiple awards in the ad agency contest.
WPTZ won Best in Show among all television entries for "Contraptions," a commercial for the ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center in Burlington.
WOKO-FM won Best in Show for radio for "Cupholder," a commercial for Treadway Service Center.
The entries were judged by a 12-person panel assembled by Champlain College Communications Professor Nancy Kerr. The number of entries was way up this year, said VAB Executive Director Jim Condon. I think that s a sign the economy is starting to rebound.
(A full list of winners is attached)
RADIO
Best Produced Commercial, Agency:
"Vermont 350 Dance Party"
Shadow Productions
Writer and Talent: Kathryn Blume
Producers: Alex Ball, Rob Ostrander
Best Produced Commercial, Station:
Vermont Sports Grill "Teaser"
Writers: Sue Gosselin and Mitch Terry
Talent: Mitch Terry and Dave Marshall
Producer: Dave Marshall
Most Creative Commercial, Agency:
Lake Champlain Chocolates "Wonderland"
Shadow Productions
Writer: Place Creative
Talent: Ken Wade, Zara Vincent
Producer: Alex Ball
Most Creative Commercial, Station:
Pet Food Warehouse "Chew to the Bone"
WJOY-AM
Writers: Val Wynot and Ed Johnson
Talent and Producer: Ed Johnson
Most Moving Commercial, Station:
Ramunto's Pizza "2 Inches Means More"
WGMT-FM
Writer and Talent: Colleen Long
Producer: Steve Nichols
Best Produced Promo, Station:
"Champ Mancave"
WCPV-FM
Writer and Producer: Nick Morgan
Talent: Natalie Miller
Most Creative Promo, Agency:
Magic Hat "Mardi Gras"
Shadow Productions
Writer: Magic Hat
Talent: Alan Newman
Producers: Doug Lang and Rob Ostrander
Most Creative Promo, Station:
"Text Drive Golf Promo"
WDVT-FM
Writer and Producer: Dave Tibbs
Talent: Dave Tibbs and Thad Monteiro
Most Moving Promo, Station:
"Santa Train"
WJEN-FM
Writers: Thad Monteiro and Terry Jaye
Talent and Producer: Thad Monteiro
Best Produced PSA, Station:
"Haunted Firehouse"
WORK-FM
Writer, Talent and Producer: Dexter Rowe
Most Creative PSA, Station:
"Flea Market"
WWFY-FM
Writer, Talent and Producer: Dexter Rowe
Most Moving PSA, Station:
"C is for Cancer"
WJEN-FM
Writer and Producer: Judy Anderson
Talent: Judy Anderson and Jessica Cota
Best Produced Spec Ad, Station:
"Vermont Sports Grill"
WTNN-FM
Writer and Talent: Seth "Lobo" Hughes
Producers: Seth "Lobo" Hughes and Mike Salvaty
Most Creative Spec Ad, Station:
"Barre Dogs"
WWFY-FM
Writer, Talent and Producer: Dexter Rowe
Most Moving Spec Ad, Station:
Midway Diner "Happiness"
WJEN-FM
Writer: Dave Ricard
Talent and Producer: Thad Monteiro
Best in Show, Radio:
Treadway Service Center "Cupholder"
WOKO-FM
Writer: Dan Dimille
Talent: Bill Sargent, Rod Hill and Pete Richards
Producer: Bill Sargent
TELEVISION
Best Produced Commercial, Station:
Skill Tech "Instructors"
WCAX-TV
Writer and Producer: Tara Pereira
Talent: Dan Burke
Most Creative Commercial, Agency:
Heritage Automotive Group "H-Team Origins: Wayne"
Mt. Mansfield Media
Writer and Producer: Mt. Mansfield Media
Talent: Wayne Stewart
Most Creative Commercial, Station:
Shearer Auto Group "The Joke's on You"
WVNY-TV
Writers: Steve Redmond and KDS
Talent: Steve Herrera
Producer: Andy Brumbaugh
Most Moving Commercial, Station:
Amtrak "Autumn"
WCAX-TV
Writer and Producer: Tara Pereira
Talent: Dan Burke
Best Produced Promo, Agency:
Heritage/Lake Monsters "Kids Eat Free"
Mt. Mansfield Media
Writer and Producer: Mt. Mansfield Media
Best Produced Promo, Station:
"I-Phone App"
WCAX-TV
Writer and Producer: Tara Pereira
Talent: Dan Burke
Most Creative Promo, Station:
"Cars"
WCAX-TV
Writer and Producer: Thea Lewis
Talent: Dan Burke
Most Moving Promo, Station:
"Captain Phillips in His Own Words"
WNNE-TV
Writer and Producer: John Osterhout
Talent: Jim Gratton
Best Produced PSA, Station:
Vermont Special Olympics "Penguin Plunge"
WCAX-TV
Writer and Producer: Jared Reynolds
Talent: Dan Burke
Most Creative PSA, Station:
"Haunted Forest"
WCAX-TV
Writer and Producer: Tara Pereira
Talent: Dan Burke
Most Moving PSA, Station:
"The Cows Come Home to Burlington"
WPTZ-TV
Writer: Susan Acklen
Talent: Lisa Malay
Producer: John Osterhout
Most Creative Spec Commercial, Station:
Lamoille Valley Ford "Shooting Prices"
WVNY-TV
Writer and Producer: Shaun Danforth
Talent: Steve Herrera
Best in Show, Television:
ECHO Center, "Contraptions"
WPTZ-TV
Writer: Juston Vancour
Talent: Alex Ball
Producer: Dave Fleming
Source: VAB. 5.27.2010