Recognizing Marketing’s Finest
Here we present all of this year’s winning submissions, highlighting a different category each week.
PUBLIC RELATIONS—COMMUNITY OUTREACH /
Electrical Wholesalers New England
31 Days of Giveaways for Toys for Tots
Electrical Wholesalers New England has long supported Toys for Tots through branch-level toy drives. In 2025, the goal was to move beyond a simple collection effort and create a campaign that fostered sustained engagement, mutual trust, and shared pride among participants.
Electrical Wholesalers New England reimagined the effort as a two-month experience and, rather than requesting co-op advertising funds, invited manufacturer partners to donate prizes outright in support of Toys for Tots.
The strategy prioritized trust, visibility, and sustained connection. It encouraged repeat giving by clearly linking generosity to opportunity, extended engagement across two months to maintain momentum, replaced paid advertising with partner generosity and earned attention, and reinforced transparency from prize selection through final delivery.
The primary objective was to collect toys for Toys for Tots and exceed the company’s internal goal of 225 toys—and by the end of November, 833 toys had been donated.
“By fostering visible relationships with contractors, facility professionals, manufacturer partners, and employees, the effort created a win-for-all outcome that resonated with both the business community and the children served by Toys for Tots,” said the judges.
Parrish-Hare
Rising Stars Internship Program
In 2025, Parrish-Hare’s Rising Stars Internship Program took a more intentional and strategic approach to its internship efforts, building a structured program centered on mentorship, culture, and real-world experience. The strategy focused on immersive, multichannel learning experiences that combined internal training, leadership engagement, and external industry exposure.
A cornerstone of the program was “The Path to Leadership,” a weekly lunch-and-learn series designed to connect interns directly with Parrish-Hare leaders. Parrish-Hare also partnered with key industry leaders to provide off-site experiences.
Beyond technical learning, the program placed a strong emphasis on connection, culture, and community—including a kickoff event and a Texas Rangers game with other interns in the industry.
The judges called this program “a standout example of community-focused PR that both builds brand and cultivates future talent” and noted that it “exemplifies a people-first, intentional design.”
Codale Electric Supply
Children’s Charity Classic
Since 1993, Codale has hosted the annual Children’s Charity Classic golf tournament. For its 32nd annual event in 2025, Codale partnered with Ronald McDonald House Charities.
To maximize its collective impact, Codale engaged customers, vendors, and community partners through a purpose-driven outreach campaign
and structured high-value sponsorships and engineered multiple engagement layers, including a high-end silent auction, raffles, and interactive on-course games.
A six-month strategic rollout began with a “Save the Date,” followed by sponsorship opportunities at four months and mission-based storytelling featuring a Ronald McDonald House family three months prior to the event.
“Codale’s Children’s Charity Classic proves a powerhouse community outreach effort, delivering record-breaking fundraising while deeply engaging its customers, vendors, and the wider community,” said the judges.
OneSource Distributors
L.A. Fire Relief: Replacement Toolkits for Electrician Fire Victims
In the days following the 2025 Los Angeles County fires, OneSource saw a social media post from the IBEW chapter sharing that 24 of their members had lost their homes in the fire. Recognizing an immediate and urgent need, they wanted to do something meaningful to help.
After reaching out to IBEW, OneSource learned that replacement tools were a critical need.
Rather than a broad donation effort, OneSource focused on assembling complete replacement toolkits that would allow affected electricians to return to work. Working closely with IBEW Local 11 to ensure that the tools they provided aligned with what newly qualified electricians would need on the job, OneSource partnered with Klein Tools to make the effort both timely and effective.
The completed toolkits were delivered to IBEW Local 11’s facility in L.A. Lunch was provided for attendees, and OneSource spent time talking with the electricians about their experiences, the losses they had faced, and their efforts to rebuild and return to work.
“OneSource swiftly translated a clear objective into real, community-level impact while strengthening brand ties,” said the judges.
Intermatic
Heroes of Power & Light: A Thank You to Electric Pros
To show gratitude to the heroes that make its business a success, Intermatic’s marketing team got to work developing a short video highlighting the many roles and responsibilities that are included in the electrical industry landscape.
Putting partners and stakeholders front and center and acknowledging the heroic work they do every day to support the electrical community, the initiative served as a platform for industry advocacy.
Blending authenticity with cinematic scale, the video employed a rhythmic, poetic narration to salute the essential nature of the electrical trade and integrated archived clips of electrical pros using Intermatic’s products with curated stock footage to showcase the vast scope of their impact.
The judges said the effort “delivers a compelling, community-focused PR initiative that strengthens brand trust and supports emerging professionals.”
Siemens
Siemens Educates America
By aligning Siemens’s mission with industry education, access to technology, and skills development, Siemens Educates America supports both workforce readiness and sustainable industry growth.
Executed through partnerships with apprenticeship programs, trade associations, high schools, colleges, universities, and workforce organizations to support electrical training nationwide, Siemens provided access to immersive digital training technologies, while employees participated in trade shows, training events, and workforce development initiatives.
Through Siemens Educates America, Siemens established ongoing partnerships with 79 electrical apprenticeship programs and three national industry organizations across 32 states. The program supported 36 training labs by providing equipment donations and reached more than 32,000 apprentices through electrical labs, immersive training tools, and digital education resources.
“Siemens crafted a community outreach effort that turned workforce development into a partnership rather than a sales pitch,” said the
judges. “It delivered a partnership model that is both brand-enhancing and audience-centric.”
WEBSITE – Honorable Mention
Lonestar Electric Supply
Kids’ Meals Community Partnership
Sonepar USA
Tree Planting Partnership
Tagged with awards, Best of the Best, marketing