NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--At today’s TVB Forward Conference in New York City, Gannett Broadcasting’s Denver, CO television station, KUSA-TV and local business Applejack Wine and Spirits (“Applejack”) were awarded the first ever EMMA in recognition of their collaborative multiplatform advertising campaign over the past twelve months. TVB’s new annual award for Excellence in Local Media Marketing Solutions (EMMA), recognizes the local broadcast television station and advertiser who collaborated to deliver the most outstanding and effective local, multiplatform marketing campaign as judged by the Executive Board of TVB’s (the not-for-profit trade association of America’s commercial broadcast television industry) Station Sales Advisory Committee.

“Applejack Wine & Spirits went from a non-TV advertiser to a top TV advertiser on Channel 9. We are very proud of our partnership with this leading local business establishment.”

The nominated marketing campaigns were judged on their on-air, online and mobile advertising efforts and the effectiveness of the campaign in addressing objectives and challenges and the campaign’s overall results. Bobby Springer, Director of Advertising Promotions, KUSA-TV-Denver and Jim Shpall, President and CEO, Applejack Wine & Spirits, were on hand at the Forward Conference to accept their EMMA.

KUSA-TV’s objective was to create a unique and quickly customizable television and digital campaign that would provide Applejack – a large, successful liquor store -- with a highly visible and memorable competitive advantage in Denver, a market where state law prohibits any business from owning multiple liquor stores which heightens the competitive atmosphere in the market. The effectiveness of KUSA-TV’s creative and multiplatform approach is noteworthy as it was instrumental in transitioning Applejack into a new and regular advertiser on the station’s platforms. Previously the majority of Applejack’s media plan had been allocated to a competing medium (newspaper).

Jim Shpall stated, "We used to be able to reach our customers with newspaper ads; but today it's all about TV. TV is a vibrant medium which provides us the immediacy we need to reach our customers. KUSA, channel 9, helped us create perfectly tailored commercials that our customers frequently tell us they've seen when watching their favorite broadcast TV programs."

Steve Lanzano, President and CEO of TVB, said, “The on-air, online and mobile platforms of local broadcast television stations are leaders in their markets in helping local business owners elevate consumer awareness and appreciation for the unique aspects of their business that make them the preferred choice in their community. We’re proud to recognize KUSA-TV and Applejack Wine and Spirits as the first ever winners of the new annual EMMA as their campaign truly set the standard for collaboration, creativity and effectiveness.”

“On behalf of KUSA-TV and Applejack Wine and Spirits, we are very appreciative of this recognition for our comprehensive marketing campaign and being awarded the first ever EMMA,” said Mark Cornetta, President & General Manager of KUSA-TV. “Jim Shpall placed Applejack’s trust in the hands of our creative and sales and promotions teams and the result of our collaboration is an ongoing multi-platform campaign that has positioned Applejack as a leader in the Denver market. It’s very exciting when we introduce an advertiser to Broadcast Television and hear their cash register ring like never before. Broadcast television advertising always delivers!”

Cornetta added, “Applejack Wine & Spirits went from a non-TV advertiser to a top TV advertiser on Channel 9. We are very proud of our partnership with this leading local business establishment.”

Scripps Media’s, KSHB-TV, in Kansas City, MO, earned runner-up status for their “Fill the Fridge” community service campaign in partnership with local non-profit food pantry, Harvesters, as well as Price Chopper, which was aimed at providing underprivileged families and children with perishable food. The Fill the Fridge campaign was a collaboration of KSHB-TV’s news, promotions, sales and digital departments to make an impact in the local community while simultaneously generating strong incremental sponsorship dollars to help support the initiative. KSHB-TV has held three Fill the Fridge events that collectively raised over 51,000 lbs. of food and more than $44,000 in cash for Harvesters, which equates to approximately 270,000 meals.

“We are similarly pleased to highlight the tremendous job done by KSHB-TV in delivering a critical community service message that benefitted many families and children in the Kansas City, MO market,” added Lanzano. “Local television broadcasters are committed to using their unparalleled power to help local businesses grow and communities thrive. We look forward to recognizing the best of the best in these efforts every year with the annual EMMA.”

The EMMA finalists can be viewed on the TVB website at TVB.org.

About TVB

TVB is the not-for-profit trade association of America’s commercial broadcast television industry. Its members include television broadcast groups, advertising sales reps, syndicators, international broadcasters, associate members and over 500 individual television stations. TVB actively promotes local media marketing solutions to the advertising community, and in so doing works to develop advertising dollars for the medium’s multiple platforms, including on-air, website and mobile. TVB provides a diverse variety of tools and resources, including www.tvb.org, to support its members and to help advertisers make the best use of local ad dollars.