Connecticut Office of Statewide Marketing & Tourism Named Finalist for PRWeek’s 2026 Best in Integration Award
State stands alongside Global Brands: Coca-Cola, Hasbro, Heinz, and Vaseline (Unilever) in one of the industry’s most competitive categories
Hartford, CT — [December 12, 2025] — The Connecticut Office of Statewide Marketing & Tourism has been named a finalist for PRWeek’s 2026 Best in Integration Award, placing the state in rare company alongside some of the world’s most iconic global brands: The Coca-Cola Company, Hasbro, Kraft Heinz,and Unilever.
Connecticut is the only state tourism brand recognized across PRWeek’s 2026 Awards — which is traditionally dominated by multinational consumer brands with massive global budgets — for its “Pizza Capital of the U.S.” campaign, a year-long, PR-led effort that took a distinctly different approach to destination marketing and delivered the largest brand-perception shift in state history.
The Best in Integration category recognizes the creativity, innovation, impact, and effectiveness of an integrated campaign where the public relations (PR) strategy leads the way and crosses various marketing channels. Connecticut’s campaign did exactly that — applying a disciplined, integrated approach to a single idea, resulting in sustained national attention and measurable impact across key tourism metrics.
What began as a bold declaration with a Welcome to Connecticut, Home of the Pizza Capital of the U.S.highway sign placed at the border with New York, evolved into a year-long cultural engine. The campaign sparked a national food rivalry, landed a late-night television moment, ignited social debate by the millions, and culminated in the launch of the Connecticut Pizza Trail. Along the way, the effort contributed to the largest positive shift in Connecticut’s brand perception in state history, while driving measurable gains in travel interest and visitation.
Finalists in the 2026 Best in Integration category include:
- Coca-Cola / Ogilvy — The Athletes Code (Powerade)
- Connecticut Office of Statewide Marketing & Tourism / Adams & Knight — Pizza Capital of the U.S.
- Hasbro / R&CPMK — Peppa Pig “Pig Changes”
- Heinz / Zeno Group — Mustard x Mustard
- Vaseline (Unilever) / Ogilvy — Vaseline Verified
“For a state to be recognized in a category like this — alongside the most powerful brands in the world — is extraordinarily rare,” said Anthony Anthony, Chief Marketing Officer for the State of Connecticut. “This campaign proves that when creativity, cultural insight, and strategy align, even a small state with limited resources can compete — and win attention — at the highest level.”
The campaign was developed and executed in partnership with Adams & Knight, Connecticut’s longtime integrated marketing agency partner.
“This recognition reinforces a simple truth: integration isn’t about scale — it’s about intention,” said Jill Adams, CEO of Adams & Knight. “Connecticut set a clear vision and stayed disciplined in how it showed up across every channel. Our role was to help support that vision with strategy, creative and execution, and this finalist nod reflects what’s possible when a client commits to a bold, cohesive approach.”
The campaign’s impact has also been recognized by the travel industry. Last month, Connecticut’s Pizza Capital of the U.S. campaign earned Gold and Best of Show honors at the HSMAI Adrian Awards for Broadcast TV Earned Media. The campaign is a finalist for HSMAI’s Platinum Adrian Awards, the highest honor in tourism marketing.
The PRWeek U.S. Awards are among the most respected honors in the communications industry, celebrating campaigns that set new benchmarks for creativity, integration, and impact. Winners will be announced March 12, 2026, at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City.
