2025 Awards for Communications Excellence 

ACCE is pleased to announce the 12 winners of the 2025 Awards for Communications Excellence competition.  

The program is designed to showcase the top communications and marketing work of chambers of commerce and similar organizations. These entries highlight some of the freshest and most innovative marketing and communications work coming from ACCE member organizations of all types and sizes. 

“Innovative, engaging communications are essential for chambers of commerce to demonstrate their impact and amplify their communities’ stories,” said ACCE President & CEO Sheree Anne Kelly. "This year’s winners have creatively celebrated their communities, strengthened local identity and showcased their commitment to inspiring progress and building vibrant, thriving regions." 

ACCE extends its gratitude to the 12 judges—marketing and communications leaders from chambers of commerce in Colorado, Kentucky, New York, North Dakota, Michigan, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Vermont, Virginia and Washington — who carefully reviewed all the submissions.  Entries were organized by category, based on the chamber’s annual revenue, and entry type: digital media, campaigns, print and electronic publications and websites.   

Three of these 12 winning entries will be revealed as Best in Show within their total annual revenue range category at the July 23 Awards Show, presented by Comcast Business, during ACCE's Annual Convention in Philadelphia. Register here.

2025 Award of Excellence Winners 

CATEGORY 1 

Digital Media 

"What's Next Janesville?" Video | Forward Janesville, Inc. (Wis.)  

After the 2009 closure of its largest employer, General Motors, Janesville focused on rebuilding its workforce, revitalizing downtown, improving infrastructure and adding amenities to attract talent. Now thriving, the community continues to look ahead. At its 2024 annual dinner, the chamber presented this video with the question: “What’s Next?” Following its premiere, the chamber has used it as a promotional tool by posting it to YouTube, the front page of its website and on its various social media channels. The video’s initial social media post became one of the chamber’s top-performing of 2024, reaching nearly 5,000 additional people across Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram. 

Campaigns  

Unity in the Community 25th Anniversary Marketing Campaign | Longmont Area Chamber of Commerce (Colo.) 

Unity in the Community is the Longmont Chamber’s most established event, and for its 25th anniversary in 2024, the chamber launched a comprehensive advertising campaign inviting the community to “party like it’s 1999.”  With a limited marketing budget, the chamber team designed a cohesive campaign that included promotional videos (written, directed and edited by chamber staff and featured event sponsors), social media posts and tangible collateral reminiscent of the 90s. The campaign, fueled by nostalgia, resulted in a 56% increase in attendance and an ROI of 1,761%.  

Publications 

2024 Sector Data Report | Greater Federal Way Chamber of Commerce (Wash.) 

This report is an analysis aimed at driving economic development in the Federal Way region. The chamber’s team collaborated with Lightcast to access comprehensive labor market analytics and produced this resource to identify growth opportunities, empower stakeholders and showcase the chamber’s commitment to innovation, collaboration and community engagement. The report was distributed through the chamber's website, newsletters and events. It has made a significant impact on the chamber's economic development strategies and serves as a valuable resource for businesses, policymakers and community leaders, offering actionable insights to inform decision-making and strategic planning.  

Websites  

Athens-Limestone County Chamber of Commerce Website (Ala.)  

In 2024, over the course of several months and without any financial support, the chamber team undertook a comprehensive effort to give their website a facelift. Citing previous issues with old, blurry photos, broken links and verbiage that took visitors in circles, the chamber staff created and revamped 38 pages and integrated more cohesively with their CRM system. Today, the website is visually stimulating, brand cohesive and easy to navigate. Visitors can sign up for the chamber’s newsletter and texting program and register for events. Website views jumped to 65.5K in 2024 vs 43K in 2023 (51% increase), 89 members joined via the integrated membership form (up 10% from 2023) and there was a 31% increase in event registrations. 

CATEGORY 2 

Digital Media 

“Back to the Chamber" Video | The Chamber of Commerce of West Alabama  
Inspired by "Back to the Future," this video creatively celebrates the chamber’s rich history while entertaining and informing its members. It premiered at the chamber's 124th Annual Meeting and Awards Celebration in 2024. By combining creative storytelling, local leaders as cast members and high-quality production by a chamber member, the chamber used humor and nostalgia to make its history both entertaining and relatable, deepening engagement and reinforcing its legacy in the community. The chamber posted the video to YouTube where it garnered 9.4K impressions and 1,993 views. On Facebook the video attracted 9.5K views and 405 engagements (likes, comments, shares).  

Campaigns 

Sarasota Chamber Small Business Awards Campaign | Greater Sarasota Chamber of Commerce (Fla.) 

In 2024, the chamber implemented a strategic, multi-channel communications campaign to amplify their Small Business Awards’ visibility, engage the community and celebrate business excellence. The campaign featured compelling storytelling, targeted social media engagement, email marketing, press coverage and interactive event experiences. On event day, they incorporated on-site branding, digital signage and live updates to keep attendees engaged and extend the event’s reach. Post-event content, including recap videos and a blooper reel, helped maintain engagement beyond the event day. Results include: 173,000+ social media reach compared to 25,000 in 2023; email open rates increased by 16%; ticket sales revenue increased by 28%; and sponsorship revenue surpassed 2023 by 22.7% 

Print & Electronic Publications 

Elevating Your Business with the Lancaster Chamber Advertising & Media Kit | Lancaster Chamber (Pa.) 

This media kit compiled the chamber’s marketing resources into a comprehensive guide designed to help businesses maximize visibility, build brand awareness and connect with the local business community. The resource allows businesses of all sizes and industries to tailor their advertising approach based on their unique goals and budget. To maximize reach, the chamber promoted this booklet via a dedicated website landing page, targeted email campaigns and in-person promotions at chamber events. This multi-channel approach was successful in helping members leverage chamber resources to elevate their businesses. The chamber acquired 61 new advertisers, generating over $32,000 in revenue in 2024. 

Websites

Greater Arvada Chamber of Commerce Website (Colo.) 

The Greater Arvada Chamber's goal for this website is to be the first, frequent and favorite stop for Arvada area entrepreneurs and business leaders. The website is organized into the chamber’s three priority areas: Membership, Business Services and Economic Impact, with regular updates for each regarding events, resources and engagement opportunities. Notably, the website features a robust blog and content library, with over 130 blog posts added in 2024. The redesigned website saw over 79,000 website visitors in 2024, surpassing their highest mark of 68,000 in 2020. They attribute their membership growth of 141 new members to the addition of new resources, improved membership storytelling and an expanded content library.   

CATEGORY 3 

Digital Media 

BusinessLNK Video Podcast | Lincoln Chamber of Commerce (Neb.) 
This video podcast has redefined how the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce does digital storytelling. BusinessLNK is a tool to amplify the voices that drive their community forward. With over 80 episodes (34 produced in 2024), they continue to evolve and drive important conversations in the community. The chamber expanded their offerings to reach a diverse audience, including Latino Connect, Lincoln Visits and TalentLNK. In 2024, they reported a 77% increase in views and listens. With year-over-year audience growth, BusinessLNK proves to be a catalyst for important conversations, a platform for storytelling and a valued tool for promotions. 

Campaigns 

Greater Reading Chamber Alliance Member Storytelling Campaign | Greater Reading Chamber Alliance (Pa.) 

This campaign shares stories from some of Greater Reading's businesses. The chamber collaborated with two members to create seven web-based member stories featuring video interviews, facility tours, photo and video shoots – all with a universal theme of perseverance and overcoming obstacles. The stories were shared via email to about 8,000 contacts, a three-weeklong paid Facebook campaign and video and photo organic posts to the chamber’s social media channels. The campaign achieved over 344,000 impressions and more than 10,000 link clicks. The videos in the campaign have been viewed more than 200,000 times. Tangible results include new sponsorship dollars, retained members and new opportunities for non-dues revenue. 

Publications 

Together We Thrive | Greater Raleigh Chamber (N.C.) 

The "Together We Thrive" Impact Report highlights the chamber's work and accomplishments during the 2023-24 fiscal year. It successfully reached a wide audience, combining timely outreach (in December 2024 when many members were returning to the office after the holiday break) with a multi-channel approach that included email and social media promotion. The success of the publication, evidenced by the metrics, reflects the chamber's ability to communicate effectively with its community and showcase the ongoing value of membership and collaboration. The results include a 33% email open rate, 15.4% click through rate and almost 19,000 social impressions. 

Websites 

Santa Rosa Metro Chamber Website (Calif.) 

In 2024, the Santa Rosa Metro Chamber launched a dynamic, user-centric website that serves as a comprehensive digital hub for members, programs, initiatives and community. Feedback from stakeholders, including board members and program directors, played a crucial role in shaping the site's content and functionality, ensuring it met the needs of their audience. Today, the site showcases a fresh visual identity, intuitive navigation and immersive storytelling. It also brings forward their events, advocacy and the vibrancy of the Santa Rosa community. The new design and navigation have led to increased traffic, an improved user experience and allows the chamber to display the full range of programs and initiatives.