Awards recognize San Diego’s most skillful marketing work of the past year, selected from a record-breaking field of 154 entries to San Diego’s premier marketing awards program.
SAN DIEGO – May 21, 2026 – cThru Media took home a Gold and Bronze American Marketing Association (AMA) San Diego Sandie Award in the Digital Marketing and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion categories for its Visit Rainier Pierce County 2025 Tourism Campaign and SEAL ELA/ELD Campaign.
More than 250 marketing professionals, agency leaders and students gathered at the Town & Country Resort on May 21 to celebrate the region’s top marketing campaigns and projects as winners were announced live across 14 categories. With a record-breaking 154 award submissions, the 2026 Sandies were the most competitive in the program’s history.
cThru Media’s winning entries:
Visit Rainier – 2025 Pierce County Tourism Campaign
cThru Media and Meilee Anderson’s Pierce County Tourism Campaign for Visit Rainier helped drive tourism and economic impact across the region, resulting in record-breaking lodging referrals and a 32% year-over-year increase in overnight stay referrals. By combining targeted digital advertising with compelling seasonal storytelling, the campaign successfully connected travelers with local lodging partners and experiences, reinforcing Pierce County’s reputation as a premier destination for year-round adventure.
SEAL – ELA/ELD Focus Campaign
cThru Media’s award-winning ELA/ELD Campaign for SEAL helped connect California educators with research-backed professional development designed to improve outcomes for multilingual learners, resulting in triple-digit growth across key website engagement metrics. By combining targeted digital advertising with compelling, action-oriented messaging, the campaign generated qualified educator engagement and positioned SEAL as a trusted partner in translating ELA and ELD standards into effective classroom practice.
Quynh Uong, Creative Lead at cThru Media, says, “These awards reflect the power of combining strategic thinking with meaningful storytelling. The Visit Rainier and SEAL campaigns served very different audiences, but both challenged us to create work that was authentic, impactful, and grounded in real outcomes. We’re grateful to partner with organizations that are making a difference in their communities and proud that these campaigns not only achieved exceptional results but also helped advance missions we deeply believe in.”
Sandies Chair and AMA San Diego Board Member Summer Haines says, “Congratulations to cThru Media for its award-winning work in Digital Marketing and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Our judges had a difficult job this year, the depth of talent across every category made for some of the closest scoring we’ve ever seen. Earning a Sandies Award is a real distinction, and reflects the bold ideas, sharp execution and measurable results that define the best of San Diego marketing.”
All entries were judged by AMA members from chapters outside San Diego with no affiliation to the nominated organizations, agencies or campaigns.
About American Marketing Association San Diego
San Diego AMA is a 501(c)3 organization of marketers at every career stage — from students to senior leaders — dedicated to advancing the art of marketing and creating unique growth and learning opportunities for marketers. San Diego AMA provides education, networking, information, resources and valuable connections in a fun and approachable environment where personal development goals
can be achieved. Visit www.sdama.org.
About cThru Media
Founded in 2015, cThru Media is an award-winning digital marketing agency that helps mission-driven organizations turn strategy into measurable impact. From destination marketing and higher education to public sector and nonprofit campaigns, cThru combines creative storytelling, media expertise, and performance-driven digital marketing to connect audiences with ideas, opportunities, and experiences that matter. Built on a foundation of transparency, collaboration, and community, the agency partners closely with clients to deliver work that not only drives results but also creates lasting value. Learn more at cthrumedia.com.
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Media Contact: kkearns@cthrumedia.com
Kevin Kearns
cThru Media
kkearns@cthrumedia.com
(619) 748-1141
