The Focus Group full-service strategic marketing, advertising and PR firm based in Mississippi, continues to be recognized for work developed on behalf of its clients. This time it was the Gulf Coast Advertising Federation Addy Awards for work created during 2020.

The award-winning work was created after The Focus Group reorganized to better serve clients and adapt to changes in the marketing landscape. Multi-disciplinary teams work with each client to develop and execute strategic, creative solutions.

“We became more flexible and prepared to face the changes we all experienced in 2020,” said Allison Buchanan, CEO. “The proof is in the results achieved for our clients and of course the numerous awards!”

Highlighted below are some of the awards along with links to award-winning work:


The Focus Group was privileged to have been selected for the statewide Mississippi Census campaign. The campaign won nine (9) total awards, including three (3) Gold and five (5) Silvers and an overall award for “Best of Film, Video and Sound” for a TV spot featuring Morgan Freeman which can be VIEWED HERE. The other awards ranged from creative social media and a logo to the overall interactive advertising campaign.


Biloxi Shrimp Co. is an e-commerce purveyor of wild-caught shrimp started in 2020 by clients Mark Mavar and Jonathan McLendon of Biloxi Freezing & Processing/M&M Shrimp.  The Focus Group won seven (7) different awards for the new brand and marketing effort, including a Gold award for “Cross-Platform Integrated Brand Identity Campaign.” The logo is seen on the left and the website built by The Focus Group can be VIEWED HERE.  Biloxi Shrimp Co. is now shipping shrimp across the U.S.


The Focus Group won six (6) awards for Greenwood, Mississippi Convention & Visitors Bureau for its “Away From it All” campaign, including a Gold for “Cross-Platform Integrated Ad Campaign” and a Gold for “Film, Video and Sound Internet Commercial Campaign” for the series of commercials promoting visitation listed below:  

Greenwood, MS CVB 2020 Girls’ Trip :30

Greenwood, MS CVB 2020 Food :30

Greenwood, MS CVB 2020 COVID-19 :30

Greenwood, MS CVB 2020 Couples :30


For Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport, The Focus Group won six (6) total awards, including both a Gold and “Best of Interactive” Award in the category “Online/Interactive Social Media, Single Execution” for its innovative “Facebook Instant Experience” AD LINKED HERE. Also, four silver awards recognized other Airport work including this TV spot for the new Nashville flight LINKED HERE.


The Focus Group won four (4) awards, including a Gold award for a new “Shrimplify” consumer recipe program logo for the American Shrimp Processors Association/Wild American Shrimp national consumer campaign shown here. Three additional Silvers were awarded for Wild American Shrimp work including a Thank You Video LINKED HERE created to recognize the boat-to-plate supply chain.


For startup international organization, IIFX (Innovation Institute for Fan Experience), The Focus Group won four (4) Addy awards for the new brand and various marketing efforts, including one for the logo shown at left, an award for IIFX’s comprehensive website LINKED HERE and the online flipbook event guide for its first conference LINKED HERE.


The Focus Group won five (5) awards for the Mississippi Department of Mental Health’s program aimed at promoting mental health services during the pandemic., including a Gold award for the interactive website LINKED HERE and an overall “Judges Choice” Award for the integrated campaign.


Phi Theta Kappa is a national, collegiate honor society boasting more than 3.5 million members. The Focus Group won a Silver award for their Annual Report microsite LINKED HERE.


A Gold Addy was awarded to The Focus Group for the category  “Public Service Brand Elements” for the Art in the Open logo shown above right created pro bono for the Walter Anderson Museum of Art’s ART IN THE OPEN outdoor, multi-location exhibit, which is a series of site-specific sculptures uniting the vision and designs of Walter Anderson with the natural world that inspired him.


Lastly, The Focus Group’s own campaign to uplift the Gulf Coast community during the pandemic, “We will shine through this one, too” received a silver award. See the video, which also won for voiceover and scriptwriting, LINKED HERE.


The Focus Group’s 2020 Addy awards recognized a wide variety of work for a broad client base. Work was recognized in social media, websites, writing, digital advertising, video, animation, motion graphics, print advertising, TV/internet commercials, integrated branding campaigns, integrated advertising campaigns, billboards, brochures, print advertising, and photography. The client base ranged from tourism, the shrimp/seafood industry, the Census and e-commerce, to the arts, events, mental health, and more.

“We are very proud of our team’s accomplishments in 2020,” said Buchanan. “It turned out to be our most winning year yet. We are grateful for the continued support of our clients across the state and the U.S. who enable us to create this work.”

The Focus Group’s headquarters is at 727 Howard Ave., Suite 401, Biloxi, MS 39530 with an office in Jackson, MS as well. The company can be reached at (228) 325-2930 or at tfg@focusgroupms.com. The company web address is: https://focusgroupms.com/

NOTE: Gold Addys advance to the Regional competition.

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