Mount Vernon-based writing and marketing firm What’s Your Avocado?, and company president Stacie Zinn Roberts, were honored recently with four national awards for writing and marketing campaigns from TOCA, the Turf & Ornamental Communicators Association, at the organization’s 26^th Annual Meeting held in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Roberts won a First Place marketing/communications writing award for Best Feature Article, “Seeding a Sodded Variety,” that ran in the October 2014 issue of Sports Turf magazine. The article, written and placed in the publication for client Sod Solutions, featured an interview with Billy Findley, head groundskeeper for the St. Louis Cardinals Major League Baseball team. Read the story here: http://hgtsod.com/2015/03/10/seeding-a-sodded-variety/

Roberts was also awarded three Merit awards—two for journalistic articles, and the third for a social media campaign she developed for client, Performance Nutrition fertilizers.

Merit winner “Muddied Waters,” ran in the January 2014 issue of Golf Course Management magazine. Named Best Product Information Article, it investigated Florida’s confusing fertilizer regulations and their impact on golf. Read the story here: http://www.gcsaa.org/gcm-magazine/2014/january/gcm-january-2014-muddied-waters

The story, “It Never Rains in California,” was awarded a Merit award for Best Environmental Stewardship article. It ran in the June 2014 issue of Golf Course Management magazine and examined the efforts of the California golf course industry to manage drought conditions while keeping golf courses open for play. Read the article here: http://gcmdigital.gcsaa.org/i/319440-jun-2014/62

Roberts also won a Merit award for Most Engaging Social Media Campaign for client, Performance Nutrition, along with graphic designer, Todd Maguire. The campaign, “We Care What You Put on Your Turf Because We Know Who Plays On It,” promotes a social media photo contest hosted by the company, a manufacturer of eco-safe fertilizers and turf care products for lawns, sports fields and golf courses. The contest is open until September. To learn more about the campaign, visit: http://www.pnfertilizers.com/positive-message/

ABOUT WHAT’S YOUR AVOCADO?

What’s Your Avocado? is a writing and marketing firm based in Mount Vernon, Washington, specializing in the agriculture, golf, turf and real estate industries. Company Founder Stacie Zinn Roberts is a writer, marketing consultant, speaker and the author of the book, “How to Live Your Passion & Fulfill Your Dreams. www.whatsyouravocado.com

ABOUT TOCA

The Turf and Ornamental Communicators Association (TOCA) is comprised of editors, writers, publishers, photographers, public relations/advertising practitioners, industry association leaders, manufacturers and others involved in green industry communications. It is a national organization based in New Prague, MN.

Stacie Zinn Roberts

Stacie Zinn Roberts is a nationally recognized, award-winning writer and marketing expert with more than 25 years of experience. She has won more than 40 national awards for her work including the United Nations Environmental Program for retail environmental marketing, as well as from organizations such at the Public Relations Society of America and the Turf & Ornamental Communicators Association. She’s written for industry publications such as Golf Course Management, Sports Turf, Golfdom and PR Daily. She spent eight years as the president and director of marketing for Environmental Turf, where she developed the branding for SeaDwarf Seashore Paspalum, the grass that eventually became the greens grass for the Rio Olympic Golf Course. Stacie served for six years on the Board of Directors of the Florida Turfgrass Association as Chair of the Research & Scholarship Committee where she worked closely with the scientists from the University of Florida’s turfgrass breeding program. Stacie founded What’s Your Avocado? Marketing & Public Relations in 2012.