Southeast Missourian's Paul Walker receives Silver Medal Award at annual ADDY banquet

During his 45 years in the advertising business, Paul Walker has worked in just about every segment of the industry.

Walker was presented the Tri-State Advertising and Marketing Professionals' Silver Medal Award on Friday during the group's annual ADDY Awards banquet. One hundred forty people attended.

The ADDY Silver Medal award recognizes men and women who have made outstanding contributions to advertising and who have been active in furthering the industry's standards, creative excellence and responsibility in areas of social concern, according to the group's website.

For the past 25 years, Walker has specialized in the marketing of niche publications at The Southeast Missourian. He spearheaded the development of The Best Years (TBY) magazine, aimed at readers older than 50, and was instrumental in the launch of Business Today, a direct-mail magazine for the regional business community.

"Someone once said that the first three rules of advertising are repetition, repetition, repetition. So I would like to say, thank you, thank you and thank you," Walker said.

He has written, directed, produced and sold audio and video commercials. He's designed, constructed and sold trade show exhibits. Walker began his career in the 1960s, founding the Caxton Agency offering print and broadcast advertising services.

"This award-winning team developed and managed full-service advertising campaigns for political, financial, manufacturing, industrial, government, utilities, education, grocery and of course the newspaper industries," said Emily Sikes, Tri-State president.

As an artist, writer and photographer, Walker has used his skills to create compelling messages to promote local businesses.

In the process, he's won numerous local, state, national and international awards.

"It is a constant source of pride and gratification that my type of work will continue long after this speech is frayed and yellowed," he said.

Walker was nominated by previous Silver Medal winner Dr. Charlie Wiles, a retired Southeast Missouri State University marketing professor.

Numerous gold, silver and bronze ADDY awards were presented to area advertising companies for their work on individual projects. The gold Medal winners will be judged in the American Advertising Federation's District 9 competition in March in Cape Girardeau. This district includes the states of Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas. Winning district entries will compete on the national level.

The following projects received gold Addy awards and the top honor, Best in Show:

* Print Media: Rust & Martin brochure by Creative Instinct

* Interactive Media: STIHL BR 200 web commercial by Red Letter Communications

* Television: Saint Francis Medical Center Pink Up television commercial by The Roberts Group

Gold medal winners were:

* Saint Francis Medical Center New Physician Reception Invitation by The Roberts Group

* Southeast Cancer Center Window by Red Letter

* We Are Relentless website by Relentless Inc.

* Rust & Martin Flash website by Creative Instinct

* Mixed-media pieces for Praise the Lard Barbecue Cook-off by Silkworm Inc

* Mixed-media pieces for Southeast Cancer Center Launch by Red Letter

* ManExam public service announcement by Red Letter for the ManExam Coalition for Testicular Cancer.

In the student category, two gold medals were awarded for Red Svn Branding by Angela Hayden of Southeast Missouri State University and for the Around Town Brochure by AR 417/MK 343 Fall 2011 students at Southeast Missouri State University.

mmiller@semisourian.com

388-3646

Pertinent address:

3257 William Street, Cape Girardeau, Mo.