2007 Copper Quill Award

“Playlist Phoenix” appeared in the official program of the 2007 Rock 'N' Roll Arizona Marathon. The copy, which was produced by the Greater Phoenix Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB), describes things marathon participants and their supporters can do in the Phoenix area during the week of the event. Tapping into the race's musically charged scene, the Greater Phoenix CVB crafted an article in the form of an iPod-style playlist, matching each showcased attraction with an appropriate song title. (For example, Melissa Ethridge's “You Can Sleep While I Drive” headlined a copy block suggesting runners take a post-race nap at a luxury resort while their significant others played a round of golf.) The result was a smart, hip piece of promotional writing that resonated with race participants, 60 percent of whom were between the ages of 20 and 39.