LEONARDTOWN, Md. (June 22, 2009)—The St. Mary's Hospital Marketing and Public Relations Department recently won three awards for its smoke-free marketing materials and development materials. The department won a gold award under the special events category for its smoke-free marketing materials - "We're Smoke-Free Because We CARE" - in the 2009 National Aster Awards. The hospital also won a gold award under the professional recruitment category for its development materials.
The Aster Awards program is an elite competition recognizing the nation's most talented health care marketing professionals for outstanding excellence in advertising.
The smoke-free campaign also won a merit award in the 26th Annual Healthcare Marketing Advertising Awards Competition in the special events category from Healthcare Marketing Report.
The Marketing and Public Relations Department is comprised of five employees - Jaclyn Bardin, Emily Funderburk, Julie Goddard, Kathy Magiera and Nicki Strickland - and longtime volunteer Lorena Goeller.
"I'm so proud of this marketing team and the quality materials they create," said Holly Meyer, director of the Marketing and Public Relations Department. "Communication to our employees, physicians, patients and community is better understood and received when the writing and design is clear, expressive and appealing."
More than 3,600 entries were received in this year's competition. This health care advertising awards competition is the oldest, largest and most widely respected. The awards are sponsored by Healthcare Marketing Report, the leading publication covering all aspects of health care marketing, advertising and strategic business development.