Flock and Rally Receives Multiple American Advertising Awards
March 3, 2025 (COLUMBIA, S.C.) — Flock and Rally, a women-owned and led integrated marketing and communications agency based in Columbia, South Carolina, received multiple ADDY awards, including a coveted Best in Local, three Special Judges Awards and several gold and Silver ADDYs, from the American Advertising Federation (AAF Midlands) at their annual American Advertising Awards ceremony at Segra Park. The American Advertising Awards is the advertising industry’s largest and most representative competition —attracting over 40,000 entries nationwide.
"Winning these awards is a testament to the creativity, dedication and strategic thinking that our team brings to every project," says Merritt McNeely, chief executive officer at Flock and Rally. "Being recognized by AAF Midlands is an honor, and we are excited to continue pushing the boundaries in advertising and integrated marketing."
At the 2025 American Advertising Awards, Flock and Rally was awarded a Best in Local and Gold ADDY for "46 Reasons to Celebrate South Carolina," a Special Judges Award and Gold ADDY for the Peak Drift/Riverbanks Zoo collaboration, and a Silver ADDY for the April Fool’s Chicken Rebrand. Flock and Rally also received a Special Judges Award, a Gold ADDY and a Silver ADDY for Film, Video and Sound for the firm’s collaborative work with Soda City Films for the Riverbanks Zoo and Garden’s Wild Lights spot.
SCSF: 46 Reasons to Celebrate South Carolina
Best in Local Award
Gold ADDY
Flock and Rally’s work for the South Carolina State Fair’s 2024 campaign, "46 Reasons to Celebrate South Carolina," highlighted the unique heritage of each of the state’s 46 counties. The campaign utilized digital, TV, radio, print ads and live social media coverage to engage audiences throughout the event. Flock and Rally’s cohesive branding and strategic messaging helped drive ticket sales and boost attendance, contributing to the fair’s record-breaking success and earning top honors at the ADDYs.
Peak Drift Brewing Company and Riverbanks Zoo & Garden Collaboration
Special Judges Award: Sales & Marketing Packaging Campaign
Gold ADDY
Flock and Rally created two custom-can designs for Peak Drift Brewing Company for their collaborative campaign with Riverbanks Zoo & Garden. The fully recyclable cans were printed using Peak Drift’s sustainable digital can printing program, Peak Press.
Flock and Rally April Fool’s chicken rebrand
Silver ADDY: Advertising/Media Industry Self-Promotion Brand Elements
Cait Maloney, creative director at Flock and Rally, earned a Silver ADDY for her exceptional work on eight designs for the April Fool’s rebranding of Flock and Rally’s iconic chicken mascot.
Wild Lights at Riverbanks Zoo & Garden
Special Judges Award: Elements of Advertising Animation, Special Effects or Motion Graphics
Gold ADDY
Silver ADDY: Film, Video & Sound Local Single Spot
After 35 years, Riverbanks Zoo & Garden replaced its long-running Lights Before Christmas with Wild Lights, an event featuring nearly 60 handcrafted, nature-inspired lanterns. Flock and Rally collaborated with Soda City Films to create a 30-second TV spot to introduce the immersive experience. Since there was no existing video footage, animation was used to emphasize the larger-than-life lanterns and highlight the event’s family-friendly atmosphere and Riverbanks’ commitment to conservation.