Stone Ward Gets Award for ‘Go Fish’ Campaign

Stone Ward, the downtown Little Rock advertising agency, has picked up a national award for its “Go Fish” campaign for the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission.

The agency, led by Larry Stone and Millie Ward, received a 2021 bronze OBIE Award in the transportation, travel and tourism category of the annual awards program of the Out of Home Advertising Association of America.

The honors are the oldest and most prestigious awards in the world of out-of-home advertising, which includes all advertisements seen outside the home, including billboards and signs, ads on bus shelters or benches, and ads at public venues like stadiums, airports and theaters.

The bronze award to Stone Ward was one of 58 presented this year at a virtual ceremony, said the trade group, based in Washington, D.C.

Ward, president of the agency, said she was thrilled with the award and even happier with the results from the campaign, “an 18% increase in fishing license sales over the previous year.” License sales are a crucial revenue source for the Game & Fish Commission.

She said that, for nearly 80 years, the OBIEs have honored the best and most innovative work in the industry. This year’s contest had 129 entries.

“To be seen as one of the best among the best is very flattering,” Danny Koteras, Stone Ward creative director, said in a news release. “We’ve been fortunate enough to create some great work for the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission because they are a great client to work with.”

Stone Ward, which has an office in Chicago as well as in Little Rock, works with clients like the U.S. Soccer Federation, Sport Clips Haircuts, Snap-on Tools, Arkansas Blue Cross & Blue Shield and the Central Arkansas Honda Dealers.

The trade group, founded in 1891, said its members donated more than $500 million in public service advertising annually.