Objective: The goal was to revitalize the Benztown 50 Awards and reinforce the value of human VO talent over AI voices by creating unique, high-quality custom rings for each of the 50 honorees.
Approach: I spearheaded the design and production of custom championship-style rings, collaborating closely with a vendor to ensure a high-quality product while keeping costs economical. To achieve this, we sourced various quotes and made strategic design alterations, such as using laser engraving instead of enamel. Managing logistics was also key, as I coordinated the collection of honorees’ ring sizes while controlling costs; each additional size would have increased the price by $200. The rings were manufactured overseas, with a 2.5-month production timeline. Despite tight deadlines, we successfully photographed, packaged, and shipped the rings within a 2-week window before the October 23 announcement. The campaign was launched with a video ceremony, press releases, and social media posts, designed using Canva and Photoshop.
Results: The project generated over 2,500 views on the video ceremony within 5 hours of the announcement, drove significant traffic to our website and YouTube channel, and reinforced the importance of VO talent in the industry.
Challenges: Balancing cost without compromising quality was a significant challenge. I worked through multiple design iterations to meet budget requirements, opting for laser engraving and minimizing the number of unique ring sizes to control expenses. Coordinating the production and shipping overseas, we worked on a tight timeline to ensure the rings were delivered in time for the launch.
Call to Action: We teased the announcement through social media and newsletters, asking, “Is the voice of your station a Benztown 50 honoree this year? Find out who made the list and congratulate them here.” This strategy helped build anticipation and directed traffic to our website, where visitors could engage with the honorees and view the video ceremony.
Susan Aksu Magarian 