The City of Welland’s corporate writing style guide and a thought leadership article following its guidance were awarded a Gold award in this year’s MarCom Awards. MarCom presents the Gold Award to those entries judged to exceed the high standards of the industry norm.

The city’s corporate writing style guide is a living resource for city staff to refer to when writing, from style to caps and spelling to abbreviations and acronyms to a writing checklist. With 36 pages of helpful information and quick references, staff have a resource to help them write more precisely and consistently.

Written by the city’s corporate communications manager, Marc MacDonald, the featured article award submission closely examined the misconceptions of a popular municipal buzzword (transparency) and offered a refreshing and sound transition in thinking. The article was featured in Municipal World – a nationwide municipal publication – this spring.

“Writing is a significant part of not only my job but everyone in the corporation,” said Marc MacDonald, corporate communications manager. “The style guide allows everyone at the City to refer to the same document and create the consistency in our writing and messaging that ultimately creates a level of trust and confidence in our work.”

MarCom Awards honours excellence in marketing and communication while recognizing creativity, hard work, and industry professionals’ generosity. Since its inception in 2004, MarCom has evolved into one of the largest, most-respected creative competitions.

The MarCom Awards are administered and judged by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals. The international organization consists of several thousand marketing, communications, advertising, public relations, digital, and web professionals. The Association oversees awards and recognition programs, provides judges, and sets standards for excellence.