Me Show Awards / Marketing Excellence Awards

This was the official website of the 2015 & 2016 The ME Show is the only awards showcase in St. Louis solely dedicated to the recognition and celebration of top-notch business-to-business marketing and advertising. Previously the TAM Awards, the Marketing Excellence Awards (ME Show) debuted with a new look and new ways to recognize the top B2B marketers in our city.
Content is from the site's 2015-2016 archived pages as well as other outside sources.

#####

The ME Show is the perfect opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments of the St. Louis B2B creative community.

An Awards Show That's All Business 2015

About The ME Show

Whether it’s a tradeshow booth or a website, a poster or a postcard, we’re committed to highlighting the most elite St. Louis B2B marketers of the year.

Details

Entry deadline is Friday, August 14, 2015.

BMA Members

First and Second Entry

$75.00 each

Third Entry and Beyond

$65.00 each

Non Members

First and Second Entry

$100.00 each

Third Entry and Beyond

$90.00 each

The ME Show welcomes entries from all St. Louis-area corporations, companies, individuals, independents, agencies or vendors/suppliers who have created or produced communications directed at industry, businesses, students or professionals. All work produced after January 1, 2014 is eligible for 2015 submissions.

Vendors/suppliers may enter on behalf of their customers. Any company producing B2B work for a St. Louis-based company or organization can submit work regardless of location.

BMA Logo

Want premier access to all things B2B in St. Louis?

Learn about all the benefits of a membership and how to join.

Sub Categories

1. New Brand Launch — Product or Company

2. Brand Re-Launch — Product or Company

3. Integrated Marketing Communications Strategy

4. Logo or Trademark Design — Company or Product

5. Identity Package — New Business Identity or Identity Change of Existing Company (Minimum of Three Print/Electronic Items)

6. Annual Report — Print or Electronic

7. Newsletters, External or Internal

8. White Papers

9. Half Page Ad

10. Full Page Ad

11. Spread or Larger

12. Campaign — Two or More Advertisements

13. Single Printed Mailing Piece

14. Campaign — Two or More Pieces

15. 3-Dimensional Mailers

16. Trade Show Exhibit

17. Tradeshow Promotions & Attractions

18. Meeting/Event — Internal Audience

19. Meeting/Event — External Audience

20. Event Marketing Strategy

21. Brochure, Sell Sheet or Pamphlet

22. Video Production — Product or Brand

23. Video Production — Company

24. Product Catalogue — Print or Electronic

25. Dealer and Distributor Channel Aids

26. Self-Promotional Materials

27. Website — Internet or Intranet

28. Website — E-commerce

29. Animation & Motion Graphics

30. Mobile Website

31. Mobile Application

32. Email Marketing — Single Email

33. Email Marketing Campaign — Two or more emails.

34. Social Media Marketing

35. Electronic Presentation, Webcast, Podcast, Broadcast

36. Blog

37. Integrated Digital Campaign — Three or more different mediums used to implement a marketing initiative.

About The ME Show 2016

The ME Show is the only awards showcase in St. Louis solely dedicated to the recognition and celebration of top-notch business-to-business marketing and advertising. Whether it’s a tradeshow booth or a website, a poster or a postcard, we’re committed to highlighting the most elite St. Louis B2B marketers of the year.

This year, the ME Show will be held at the National Blues Museum on October 6th at 6:30pm.

Details

Entry deadline is Thursday, September 1, 2016.

BMA Members

First and Second Entry

$65.00 each

Third Entry and Beyond

$45.00 each

Non Members

First and Second Entry

$105.00 each

Third Entry and Beyond

$90.00 each

The ME Show is an award competition open to all St. Louis area corporations, companies, individuals, independents, agencies or supplier/vendors who have created or produced communications directed to industry, business, students or professions.

Vendor/suppliers may enter on behalf of their customer; or any company, anywhere producing B2B work for St. Louis companies.

2016 Winners

The Cheating of the Minds
3-Dimensional Mailers
Alpine Testing Solutions
Green2Go Temporary Jobsite Power & Light
Animation & Motion Graphics
Solstice Productions, LLC
Mercy Health Foundation Rebrand
Brand Re-Launch – Product or Company
Atomicdust
muck Magazine
Brochure, Sell Sheet or Pamphlet
2e Creative
Start with Me Campaign Materials & TECNISIOL.com
Campaign: Two or More Advertisements
2e Creative
Alphabet Postcard Campaign
Campaign: Two or More Pieces
Gabriel Group
Floatinator Distributor Resources
Dealer and Distributor Channel Aids
Atomicdust
Throttlenet TN Tech Talk & TNtv Digital Video Content Marketing Campaign
Electronic Presentation, Webcast, Podcast, Broadcast
SteadyRain
Get Real
Email Marketing Campaign – Two or More Emails
MAI
Green Street St. Louis Identity Package
Identity Package - New Business Identity or Identity Change of Existing Company (Minimum of Three Print/Electronic Items)
Atomicdust
Throttlenet Integrated Digital Marketing Campaign
Integrated Digital Campaign
SteadyRain
Motivating the Workforce of 2020 Integrated B2B Campaign
Integrated Marketing Communications Strategy
Maritz Motivation Solutions
Green Street St. Louis Logo
Logo or Trademark Design - Company or Product
Atomicdust
Thompson Knox
Marketer of the Year
SteadyRain
Emerson Leverages CERAWeek to Become a Trusted Partner
Meeting/Event – External Audience
FleishmanHillard
Benson Hill Mobile Website
Mobile Website
Atomicdust
ANEW Branding
New Brand Launch – Product or Company
Atomicdust
2e Intern Posters
Self-Promotional Materials
2e Creative
Anders Onboarding Collateral
Single Printed Mailing Piece
Atomicdust
Vigamox Your Ally
Spread or Larger
2e Creative
Unexpect Ophthalmology
Trade Show Exhibit
2e Creative
Lincoln Electric – Product Videos
Video Production – Product or Brand
Geile/Leon Marketing Communications
Benson Hill Website
Website - Internet or Intranet
Atomicdust
Johnny Mac's Sporting Goods
Website - E-commerce
VIVIDSITES
David Kidd
Young Marketer of the Year
SteadyRain

PRESS RELEASES

St. Louis Digital Agency SteadyRain Takes Home Five Awards At 2016 BMA ME Show Event

Danielle Hohmeier

As Senior Marketing Manager at Atomicdust, Danielle Hohmeier develops focused and effective social media and content marketing strategies for clients. This includes identifying the audiences, appropriate channels and key content categories, and finding SEO and SEM opportunities.

ST. LOUIS – October 20th, 2016 – SteadyRain, a St. Louis based digital strategy, web development and digital marketing agency, recently won five awards at the 2016 Business Marketing Association St. Louis’ ME Show Awards. SteadyRain secured first place in four of those awards and runner-up in another.

The ME Show Marketing Excellence Awards is the only awards showcase in St. Louis solely dedicated to the recognition of top-notch business-to-business marketing and advertising. Held at the National Blues Museum in downtown St. Louis on October 6, 2016, the event brought together creatives and marketers from the area to celebrate recent success in communications directed to industry, business, students or professions.

A highlight from the evening was two SteadyRain employees earning the only two awards that recognized individual achievement. Partner Thompson Knox and Director of Digital Marketing David Kidd won the Marketer of the Year and Young Marketer of the Year awards, respectively.

SteadyRain also won first place in the Integrated Digital Campaign category for its client ThrottleNet. The St. Louis-based IT outsourcing company has partnered with SteadyRain for the past three years to produce an effective digital strategy that incorporates paid search, display advertising, search engine optimization and content marketing. Those campaigns drive visitors to the ThrottleNet website which was also designed and developed by SteadyRain.

Additionally, SteadyRain captured first place in the Electronic Presentation, Webcast, Podcast and Broadcast category for ThrottleNet’s TN Tech Talk and TNtv digital video content marketing campaign. ThrottleNet boasts an internal team of producers who film and edit various videos every week, providing viewers with insightful and valuable information related to technology. SteadyRain makes those videos easily accessible through a devoted media section on the ThrottleNet website. By designing and implementing an organized video category structure, along with easy-to-find video search functionality and clear presentation, SteadyRain amplifies the user experience to deliver a valuable impact for ThrottleNet website visitors.

Lastly, SteadyRain earned the runner-up award in the Website – E-Commerce category for its client Carr Lane Manufacturing. The website offers users easy navigation of Carr Lane’s catalog, as well as a positive online purchasing experience for Carr Lane’s products.

Atomicdust’s B2B Marketing Work Awarded at Marketing Excellence Show

Renée Fleddermann

Renée Fleddermann has always wanted to be a writer and narrowed her focus on copywriting during college, at the University of Missouri. On every project, from branding work to blog posts, she approaches problems with her own creative flair.

For the seventh year in a row, Atomicdust’s B2B marketing work has been recognized by the Business Marketing Association (BMA) of St. Louis – this time at a brand new event.

The ME Show is the perfect opportunity to celebrate the accomplishments of our creative community, while reflecting on our own year of work at Atomicdust. Check out some of this year’s awards listed below.

FIRST PLACE

Self-Promotional Materials
Business Prom

New Brand Launch
Premise Health

E-Commerce Website
Boss Gloves

Mobile Website
PGAV Destinations

SECOND PLACE

Mobile Website
Boss Gloves

Event – Internal Audience
Premise Health

Full Page Ad
Reebok KRIOS

Event – External Audience
Business Prom

Identity Package
Propper

Congratulations to all the winners! We look forward to celebrating again next year.

More about the winning projects

The Tale of Business Prom

The best ideas start in hotel bars.

At least, that’s where the idea for Business Prom was born.

A few years ago, Mike, Jesse, Erika and I were in Philadelphia meeting with clients for a few days, and spending a fair amount of time in the Loews hotel bar. One night (after a few cocktails, naturally) we started discussing the awkward formality of conversation and business card exchanges at networking events, and posed the question, “What if corporate networking events were like school dances?”

I don’t remember who said it first, or who even brought it up to begin with, but it didn’t take long to come up with a name and tagline for our hypothetical event:

Business Prom. It’s not normal, it’s formal.

The Tale of Business Prom
The best ideas start in hotel bars.

At least, that’s where the idea for Business Prom was born.

I don’t remember who said it first, or who even brought it up to begin with, but it didn’t take long to come up with a name and tagline for our hypothetical event:

Business Prom. It’s not normal, it’s formal.
And Business Prom stayed just that – a hypothetical event, a silly joke from a business trip – for a while. We laughed about it. We told others about it. We always said, “Someday we’ll do it! We’re not kidding!”

But, alas, we never got around to it. Other events always seemed to get in the way – the annual Midtown Alley BBQ, St. Louis Design Week, a weird tater tot-themed holiday party.

Finally, sometime this past winter, we decided to make it happen.

A prom committee was formed.
A Basecamp project was set up (because, we are creative professionals, after all).
Meetings were had.
BusinessProm.business was bought.
Wishlists were made.
A budget was set.
And coincidently, said wishlists were slashed.

Early in the initial planning, Erika came to us and made one request – she wanted tickets sales from the event to support The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis. They’re a great nonprofit that provides access to postsecondary education for community members without the financial means to fulfill their educational goals. We found the perfect cause, worthy of our event centered around high school nostalgia.

“This is the ultimate case study in us taking a joke too far.”
At times, Business Prom erred closer to a Hollywood premiere than a high school dance. In the initial talks, we discussed red carpets, limos, “arrival photos,” and a logo wall… some of which made it into the final event. All of these planning chats prompted a lot of conversation around our own prom experiences.

Who went to theirs, and who didn’t. Who we went with and what we wore (though, we were all already familiar with Jesse’s blue tuxedo from past Halloweens at the office). Prom photos were shared and horror stories rehashed (sorry, Jazzy).

Because of all these varied experiences, we sometimes struggled in designing the perfect identity for Business Prom. Case in point – Ken went to prom in 2008. The “classic” or “cliche” prom some of us had in mind was out of line.

“This is the ultimate case study in us taking a joke too far.”

At times, Business Prom erred closer to a Hollywood premiere than a high school dance. In the initial talks, we discussed red carpets, limos, “arrival photos,” and a logo wall… some of which made it into the final event. All of these planning chats prompted a lot of conversation around our own prom experiences.

Ultimately, we settled on a late 1980s/early 1990s vibe – graphics were tinted in fuchsia, classic corporate photography was juxtaposed with nostalgic party shots, and the logo includes a early-model mobile phone. All of this was paired with clever copy that poked fun of the whole thing. (If you haven’t actually read the copy on BusinessProm.business, you’re missing out.)

For the event itself, we knew only one theme was right – Under the C-Suite– playing off the classic “Under the Sea” theme. This inspired decorations throughout the office, like a Post-It Note seahorse, jellyfish made out of money, netting and blue and green tulle. And to counteract the high school-gym vibe, we covered the office in Successories and corporate jargon.

In the days leading up to Business Prom, Atomicdust employees balanced their time working on client projects, attending meetings and constructing a balloon arch.

Taylor spent the week rigging up and testing camera equipment to build our own limo photo booth. Yes, that’s right. We rented a limo just to sit in our back alley, serving as a photo booth. It was worth it.

We worked with vendors to get pens and keychains, music, a blow-up dancing man and, of course, an ice sculpture shaved into the shape of shaking hands. It should be noted that this ice sculpture was also a shot luge… because it was a party, after all.

Under The C-Suite

On Prom night, we danced, we laughed, we took 350+ photos in Taylor’s limo photo booth. Attendees dropped business cards into a fishbowl to enter to win a golden briefcase and the title of CEO of Business Prom. Oh, and did we mention we did all this while dressed in either classic prom or business attire? Sparkly dresses. Shoulder pads. Ill-fitting pants. Jesse wore his blue tuxedo, naturally.

After weeks of planning and one long night of partying, we were excited to be able to present The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis with a giant cat check for $2,000.

ScholarshipFoundation

The clean up was brutal – imagine listening to people popping balloons while you’re hungover – but it was worth it to see our weird, little bar idea come to life.

More Background on MeShowAwards.com

Introduction

The Marketing Excellence Awards, widely known as The ME Show, stands as St. Louis’ only award showcase solely dedicated to honoring excellence in business-to-business (B2B) marketing and advertising. Launched as a reimagining of the former TAM (Targeted Advertising & Marketing) Awards, the ME Show emerged as a vital platform recognizing the region’s top B2B creatives, agencies, and marketers. Operating under the banner of MeShowAwards.com, the event served not just as a competitive award ceremony but also as a celebration of marketing innovation, strategic thinking, and branding craftsmanship that powers industries behind the scenes.

Historical Background and Evolution

The ME Show was initiated in 2015 by the Business Marketing Association (BMA) St. Louis Chapter as a way to elevate the B2B creative landscape. While B2C advertising often garners most of the glitz and attention, the ME Show gave overdue credit to the marketing minds operating in a more complex, technical, and strategic world of B2B.

Originally evolving from the TAM Awards, the ME Show preserved the spirit of recognizing excellence while rebranding itself to reflect a more modern and inclusive approach. It introduced broader categories, streamlined submission processes, and embraced digital innovation in both submissions and evaluations.

Ownership and Organizational Structure

The awards were organized and managed by BMA St. Louis, the local chapter of the national Business Marketing Association (which later became part of the ANA – Association of National Advertisers). The ME Show functioned under the strategic and creative direction of BMA board members, volunteer judges, and marketing professionals who ensured the integrity and prestige of the awards remained uncompromised.

Goals and Vision

The ME Show was designed with the following goals:

Recognize Outstanding B2B Marketing: Celebrating excellence in design, copywriting, strategy, and execution.
Highlight Local Talent: Drawing attention to creative firms, freelance professionals, and corporate marketers within the St. Louis region.
Foster a B2B Marketing Community: Encouraging collaboration, innovation, and pride among B2B professionals.
Educate and Inspire: Through case studies, press coverage, and post-award recognition, winners’ work was used as educational inspiration across the marketing community.

Eligibility and Entry Guidelines

To ensure inclusivity while maintaining a strong regional focus, the ME Show welcomed submissions from:

St. Louis-area companies, corporations, agencies, and freelancers.
Vendors or suppliers producing B2B marketing for St. Louis-based clients, regardless of their physical location.

All work submitted needed to be produced after January 1 of the year preceding the award event. Entry fees were structured to be accessible, with discounts for BMA members and bulk submissions.

Award Categories: Comprehensive and Diverse

The ME Show offered one of the most diverse sets of award categories of any regional competition, reflecting the multifaceted nature of B2B marketing. Categories included:

Creative & Design:

Logo/Trademark Design
Identity Packages
Brochures and Pamphlets
Full Page Ads and Spreads

Strategic Marketing:

Integrated Marketing Communications
Campaigns (2+ pieces or advertisements)
Brand Launch and Re-launch
Event Marketing Strategies

Digital Innovation:

Websites (Internet, Intranet, E-Commerce)
Mobile Applications and Sites
Email Marketing
Social Media
Video Production and Animation
Integrated Digital Campaigns

Experiential & Promotional:

Tradeshow Booths and Promotions
3D Mailers
Internal/External Events
Dealer and Distributor Aids

Individual Awards:

Marketer of the Year
Young Marketer of the Year

This expansive category structure allowed companies from across industry sectors—healthcare, education, manufacturing, tech, and entertainment—to find a place for their work to shine.

Notable Venues and Atmosphere

In 2016, the ME Show was held at the National Blues Museum in downtown St. Louis, reflecting its cultural grounding in the heart of the city. The event combined celebration with professionalism, offering marketers an opportunity to network, share ideas, and enjoy the city’s artistic heritage in an engaging and energetic setting.

Highlighted Winners and Cultural Impact

The ME Show awarded dozens of St. Louis’s finest firms and creatives. Two standout agencies from the 2015–2016 showcases include SteadyRain and Atomicdust, both of which received multiple awards across categories.

SteadyRain

Captured five awards in 2016, including:
- Integrated Digital Campaign for client ThrottleNet
- Electronic Presentation & Podcast content
- Runner-up in Website - E-Commerce for Carr Lane Manufacturing
- Marketer of the Year (Thompson Knox)
- Young Marketer of the Year (David Kidd)

SteadyRain’s success showcased how B2B marketing can transcend technical content by delivering results through digital storytelling and UX innovation.

Atomicdust

A creative powerhouse known for its branding brilliance.
2016 winners for:
- New Brand Launch (Premise Health)
- E-Commerce Website (Boss Gloves)
- Self-Promotional Materials (Business Prom)
- Mobile Website (PGAV Destinations)

Atomicdust's Business Prom was a particularly cultural moment. What started as a tongue-in-cheek idea—turning a networking event into a high school-style prom—became a philanthropic and branding success, benefiting The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis. With red carpets, “Under the C-Suite” décor, and limo photo booths, it blended satire and sincerity into a uniquely effective B2B case study.

Marketing Community and Audience

The ME Show cultivated a loyal, enthusiastic audience comprising:

Creative agencies
In-house marketing departments
Freelancers
Media production companies
Marketing students and educators
Vendors and suppliers

By elevating B2B marketing to an art form, the ME Show helped dissolve the stigma of “boring” business marketing. Many attendees found the ceremony both professionally valuable and emotionally affirming, as evidenced by testimonies like that of affiliate marketer Jocelyn Harding, who submitted casino-themed work despite concerns about industry bias—and won accolades for bold branding.

Press & Media Coverage

Local media and marketing blogs routinely covered the ME Show. Press releases highlighting winners and campaigns were distributed by PR teams and featured in:

Marketing-focused blogs by participating agencies
Press rooms on agency websites
Regional business journals
Design and advertising associations

The event was also widely shared on social media by attendees, winners, and partners—amplifying the reach and impact of the winning work across platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram.

Recognition and Awards Beyond the Event

Winning at the ME Show was not just ceremonial; it provided:

Peer recognition within the B2B marketing ecosystem
Portfolio-enhancing credentials for creatives
Case studies for clients and agency marketing efforts
Recruiting leverage for marketing departments seeking top talent

These outcomes reflect the long-tail benefit of participating in such a niche yet prestigious award show.

Cultural Significance in St. Louis

The ME Show became an anchor event for the St. Louis marketing community. It offered a chance to pause, reflect, and reward the quiet creativity that drives many of the city’s industries. From tech startups and healthcare to education and manufacturing, B2B storytelling played a critical role—and the ME Show gave that role a stage.

It also injected vibrancy into the often formal world of B2B through events like Business Prom and partnerships with local venues like the National Blues Museum. In doing so, it blurred the line between professional recognition and cultural engagement.

MeShowAwards.com and The ME Show served a vital purpose in the Midwest marketing landscape. More than just an award show, it provided validation, camaraderie, and a platform for celebrating the hard-working creatives who power B2B communications. By honoring innovation in strategy, storytelling, and digital execution, the ME Show solidified its place as a unique and impactful fixture in St. Louis’ business and creative culture.

MeShowAwards.com