Crashed Hood Blimp Garners Agency Top Print Award

Last September the famed (in New England, at least) Hood blimp crash landed in the appropriately named Massachusetts town Manchester-by-the-sea. After the crash the dairy company placed an ad thanking the residents of the town for their patience and cooperation during the blimp's clean up. Either out of sentiment or true adoration, the ad, created by VIA, was handed The International Dairy Foods Association's "Best Overall" award in the print ad category at the organization's Smart Marketing 2007 conference held last month in Las Vegas. Did that blimp really crash or was that planned all along? OK. Just kidding.

VIA also won a Best Radio Ad for their Hood holiday eggnog spots and a Best Public Relations Campaign award or its press conference with Boston Red Sox star Coco Crisp as well as an award in the "Best Promotion" category for their Sox Tops for Kids program.