JAXPORT receives prestigious Trailblazer Award for innovative marketing campaign
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- JAXPORT receives prestigious Trailblazer Award for innovative marketing campaign
Photo: (left to right) Mackenzie Hill, JAXPORT Sr. Coordinator, Marketing; Beth Malik, TMSA President and SMC³ Sr. Director of Marketing & Communications; Raynesha Jones, JAXPORT Administrative Assistant; Carolyn Strigglers, JAXPORT Sr. Business Analyst & Service Provider Liaison.
The Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT) has been honored with a Trailblazer Award by the Ohio-based Transportation Marketing & Sales Association (TMSA) for its Europe-focused marketing campaign in 2023. The campaign, which resulted in increased volumes for JAXPORT’s European trade lane, showcased the port’s innovative approach to marketing and its significant impact on global trade.
Each year, the TMSA Trailblazer Awards highlight the best marketing and sales efforts in the transportation and logistics industry. JAXPORT’s award-winning campaign, “X Marks the Spot for Your Europe Shipments,” promoted the new MSC ScanBaltic service, which offers direct cargo transport between Europe and the Southeastern United States. The campaign’s audience included cargo owners, freight forwarders and customs brokers across the U.S. and Europe.
TMSA presented JAXPORT with the award during its 2024 ELEVATE Conference held in June. JAXPORT was the only port to receive a Trailblazer Award from TMSA this year, underscoring its leadership and influence in the industry.
The campaign featured an aligned effort among the port’s marketing, communications and sales teams, including tactics across the customer journey from promotional content like press releases, email announcements and social media content, to follow up by the port’s sales directors. In one example of innovation, the team used artificial intelligence (AI) to reach multilingual audiences across Europe. AI provided initial translations of ad copy in French, German, Polish and Dutch. Then, human translators refined the copy. This approach reduced campaign costs and ensured culturally appropriate messaging.
“These innovations were not just about using new tools but integrating them strategically to amplify our campaign’s reach and impact,” said Jeff Price, JAXPORT Marketing Director. “This recognition is a testament to our team’s dedication and creativity in setting new standards for future marketing initiatives.”
Within three months of the ScanBaltic launch, MSC increased service frequency from fortnightly to weekly due to rising demand. By the end of the nine-month campaign, JAXPORT had solidified its position as a critical player in transatlantic shipping.
About TMSA
TMSA is the only association dedicated to advancing the success of marketing and sales professionals in all modes of the commercial freight transportation market. Members represent all market segments including motor carriers, 3PLs, railroads, air carriers, ocean lines, port authorities, manufacturers, media and suppliers. TMSA’s mission is to enable sales and marketing professionals to learn and give back to the transportation and logistics industry through education, connections and resources, ultimately strengthening their individual development, their businesses and the industry-at-large.
About JAXPORT
Located in the heart of the Southeast U.S., JAXPORT is Florida’s No. 1 container port by volume and one of the nation’s top vehicle-handling ports. Jacksonville offers a 47-foot deepwater shipping channel, two-way ship traffic, and same-day access to 98 million U.S. consumers. Northeast Florida offers 156 million square feet of warehousing and distribution space, including the largest industrial park in the Southeast.