On the same day the Radio Mercury Finalists were announced (my lone entry not having made the final cut), I received word that one of my favorite clients, a local supermarket, had won top honors in a recent marketing competition involving more than 300 SUPERVALU stores, for a radio spot I’d created for them.

That made me feel pretty good.

In fact, I later learned that two of the three finalists in the Radio Spot category had been my spots. Even better.

Awards are nice perks.

The recognition, whether from the radio advertising community or the supermarket industry, provides a fleeting bit of peer validation of one’s work.  (Think smiling Sally Field in 1984: “You really like me.”)

The majority of radio commercials never win awards.  Most are never even entered into competition.  It’s almost axiomatic in our business: commercials that win awards often fail in the marketplace, whereas commercials that increase sales rarely win awards.  The rare exceptions are special, indeed.

What matters most, to most advertisers, is whether the investment in radio advertising results in a profitable return.  All indications are that these two commercials have helped attract business to their respective departments.

The award?  Frosting on the cake.