Destination Mansfield-Richland County collected statewide marketing honors at the Ohio Travel Association's RUBY Awards, handed out Oct. 8 at the Roberts Centre in Wilmington during the Ohio Conference on Travel.
The tourism organization won top RUBY awards in two categories: a seasonal blog series written from the viewpoint of a Gen Z traveler, and a promotional video focused on motorsports. It also picked up two Citations of Excellence for a digital and marketing campaign built around the region's two race venues — the returning Mansfield Speedway dirt track and the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course — which the organization used to position Mansfield as a motorsports destination.
Accepting the awards were president Lee Tasseff, marketing and meetings director Kim Miers, communications coordinator Natalie Snyder and special projects director Jodie Snavely.
According to the association, the RUBY program — Recognizing Uncommon Brilliance Yearly — honors work in advertising, marketing and experience design across Ohio's tourism and hospitality industry. Ohio Magazine sponsored this year's competition, which drew a record 267 entries spread over 17 categories. Nine judges drawn from academia, consulting firms and advertising agencies scored entries on concept, creativity and measurable results.
Executive director Melinda Huntley said the contest has grown every year and this edition set an entry record. In her view, the winners reflect the strongest work in marketing strategy and experience design.
The Ohio Travel Association is a nonprofit trade group representing travel- and tourism-related businesses statewide.