Duval Street Media Wins Prestigious, American Association of Political Consultants, Pollie Award

Key West, April 24, 2023: Local Key West marketing agency, Duval Street Media has won Best Direct Mail Piece for Local/Municipal/Mayoral campaign in the AAPC Pollies for the Southern Region this year. In the recent midterm elections, Duval Street Media ran a successful campaign that helped get their client, Dr. Sue Woltanski, reelected to the Monroe County District 5 School Board.

Duval Street Media’s co-founder Christopher Massicotte traveled to the annual Pollie Awards Conference in  Palm Springs, California this week to accept the award on the agency’s behalf. “I am so proud of our team, I have been a member of the AAPC for almost 20 years and being recognized for our work in the Florida Keys, and winning this award is a really big deal.”

Despite Woltanski being the incumbent, as well as a longtime public education advocate and involved community member, the team’s candidate began the race as an underdog. Woltanski was running against a tough opponent who moved from Miami into the Keys. She was well-funded and endorsed by Governor Ron DeSantis. “This was not an easy race to win, our opponent had run for office before and was an experienced campaigner.” Explains Duval Street Media’s Christopher Massicotte, former partner at DSPolitical in Washington DC. “Monroe County is Republican-leaning, and even though the School Board is not technically partisan when the Republican Governor endorsed our opponent  it changed how we had to strategize.”

“The DSM team was masterful in creating a piece that allowed me to remain positive, celebrate our fantastic local teachers and schools, and push back against my opponent’s damaging ideological ‘Cultural War’ narrative,” said Dr. Woltanski. “They kept my integrity intact, and, in the end, that was all that mattered.”

Leading the team’s creative development is co-founder Jamie Mattingly, “It was a privilege to work with Dr. Woltanski. Her enthusiasm for our teachers, administrators, and students is infectious and inspirational – the creative ideas just started to flow” She recalls. “Unlike our opponent, we wanted to keep things positive and focused on the teachers and students, and that’s what we did. It means a lot not only to be rewarded with her re-election but with this award as well.”

Woltanski campaigned tirelessly through to Election Day, which paired well with the winning campaign that Mattingly and the rest of the Duval Street Media marketing team crafted for her campaign. On election day, Woltanski was not only reelected but won the race by a significant margin, making her one of only two school board members in the whole state of Florida, to win their race against DeSantis-endorsed candidates.

“I have run county and local campaigns for 15 years,” explains Josh Mother, Dr. Woltanski’s campaign manager. “When Sue and I started planning her campaign it became clear we had to go above and beyond what local races usually require, and up our communications game.” Adding, “Not only are they digital media and marketing experts at Duval Street Media, but also consummate professionals. Their work and expertise leveled the playing field for Sue Woltanski, helping her come from behind, and win her Monroe County School Board Seat. I do not think we would have prevailed without them.”

This is the second time Duval Street Media’s work has been recognized for a creative award. The first time was in the 2020 election season, and earned the team a win for “Best Campaign Launch Video”. This winning video was created for the Safer Cleaner Ships organization and featured strong support for the referenda by record-setting freediver, conservationist, and television personality from the Florida Keys, Mehgan Heaney-Grier.

Heaney-Grier has since joined the Duval Street Media team bringing her media and marketing expertise as the agency’s Brand and Communication Manager.

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