Place Name: First Place Contestant Name: Jackson County Pilot Entry Title: Jackson County Pilot - Advertising Excellence Entry Credit: Jackson County Pilot Judge Comment: The Jackson County Pilot had plenty of sponsored pages proving a good mix of local businesses and organizational and educational opportunities for local residents to shine. *Nov & Dec 2019 Shop Local "Spread Cheer All Around, But Keep Your Dollars in Town" pages. (always push the support of those who support you). *Good mix of advertisers and edit coverage in 6-page Huskies Football Team sectin. *Be A Local Santa gift guike. *Kudos to the person(s) who sold the two facing Xmas worship pages. *Meet the New Jackson County Central Teachers pages. Nice. *A+ on the Jackson County Progress Back to Business Covid related section. Well participated by advertisers. *Lastly, a special mention to the Minnesota Youth Livestock Expo section.
Place Name: Second Place Contestant Name: Kimball - Tri-County News Entry Title: Tri-County News Entry Credit: Jean Doran Matua Judge Comment: Kudos to the creative person who originated the Nov 2019 center spread Holiday Gift Buide. The ads were all different shapes and illustrated as wrapped gifts, weraths, ornaments and other holiday shapes. A+ on this one. Very attractive and makes the reader want to read through each advertiser. *Also very creative was the "We Appreciate You!" Thanksgiving advertiser giveaway drawings. Its never easy to convince an advertiser to commit to giving away a product without a guarantee of a return on their investment. *Well laid out Business Directories with a nice mix of businesses
Place Name: Third Place Contestant Name: Tyler Tribute Entry Title: Advertising Excellence Entry Credit: Staff Judge Comment: Very nice recognition with a mix of sponsors for the High School & Middle School 1st Quarter Honor Roll Students. *The sponsored weekly player's stats for high school sports teams is impressive. Many, many spoonsoring businesses. Good to see. *Back to School sponsored page is a stand out. *3 pages of 4H Champions is outstanding. 4H participants, their parents, friends, family, etc. can't help but want to see their particular Champ in the list of Champs. Overall very nice job with all of the sponsored opportunities
Competition Comment: It's obvious all of the newspapers submitted have a passion for their communities and their communities appear to suppor them. Bravo to each newspaper. Following are some additional notes for these newspapers.
The Timberjay Tower: Well laid out Santa's Christmas Specials Gift Ideas. Very attractive and a good mix of engaged businesses advertising. Nice Home Improvement Guides.
The Maple Lake Messenger: Wonderful 4C "American Education Week" page. Great use of the books, pencil, note pad paper and chalkboard graphics. It drew me into reading every word on the page. While not a sponsored page, your Helpful Preparing for Success at School page was full of information parents needed.
Hinkley News: Your Best of the Best reader's choice contest pages are well laid out, attractive and do justice to each business.
Cloquet Pine Knot News: The play of the word Knot in your name is genius.
Your use of "I Think Knot" as a turn of words for your readers thinking of the paper is great. The ad laid out on a background of knotty pine is truly eye catching. I hope you have much success with that. *Impressive, colorful "Kid Scoop" activity pages. Get children engaged in newspapers at a yound age. Kudos
