We love the work we do. But every now and then, we also get the opportunity to get dressed up and be recognized by our peers in the marketing industry. And this year, we’re honored to have brought home four Pinnacles — the show’s top prize — affirming the strength of our strategy, the power of our creative thinking and the valuable client partnerships that helped bring each of these campaigns to life. But that’s not all — we’re also raising a glass to our Chief Client Officer Katie Herzog, who was named Marketer of the Year by AMA Omaha at the 2025 Pinnacle Awards.
Katie Herzog takes home Marketer of the Year.
It’s hard to overstate Katie’s impact on Ervin & Smith — and on Omaha’s marketing community as a whole. For more than two decades, she’s been a force for strategic innovation and client success. As our chief client officer and a member of our executive team, Katie has helped shape our agency’s mission, guided transformative campaigns and mentored the next generation of marketing talent.
Her recent leadership on the biBerk rebrand — a campaign that delivered increased brand recognition and triple-digit revenue growth — is just one example of the way she blends business acumen with creative courage. Whether she’s speaking at AMA workshops, co-chairing community events or building new frameworks for strategic planning, Katie leads with both insight and integrity. We’re lucky to have her — and thrilled to see her recognized.
Work that works: Best of Show, two years in a row.
In addition to cheering Katie on, we were proud to see several of our client campaigns recognized this year for strategy-first thinking and creative execution. These projects were rooted in research, built for impact and, most importantly, delivered measurable results.
- RTG Medical: Traveler Appreciation Campaign — Pinnacle Award, Best of Show
- RTG Medical: Traveler Appreciation Campaign — Pinnacle Award, Promotions — Large Business
- Live On Nebraska: Earn Your Heart Campaign — Pinnacle Award, Grassroots Campaign of the Year
- biBerk: Spokesperson Brand Campaign — Pinnacle Award, Digital Media — Large Business
RTG Medical’s Traveler Appreciation Campaign won Pinnacle and Best of Show.
What do you give healthcare workers who are overwhelmed, overworked and over it? Not another branded tumbler. We partnered with local darling and delightful ice cream shop eCreamery, to help RTG Medical deliver custom pints featuring the faces of real traveling nurses. The results? A 550% increase in web traffic, an 858% spike in Instagram reach and a 91% jump in job inquiries. Mission (deliciously) accomplished. Read more in our case study.
Live On Nebraska’s “Earn Your Heart” Campaign won Grassroots Campaign of the Year.
How do you get teens to care about organ donation? You let them tell the story. We partnered with Live On Nebraska to create this Gen-Z focused campaign that used real voices, peer-to-peer influence and the sense of pride and independence every teen feels when they finally get their driver’s license. The result? We reached young people where they were and inspired them to action, achieving nearly 10 million impressions and a 20% lift in new users.
biBerk’s Spokesperson Campaign won a Pinnacle award.
To reach new heights in a slowing market, biBerk took a bold leap from performance-only tactics into full-funnel brand marketing. The campaign introduced two quirky spokespeople who brought warmth, trust and a little insurance-nerd energy to the brand’s identity. In just 10 weeks, the campaign delivered a 62% lift in brand awareness and $1.5 million in incremental revenue, exceeding biBerk’s growth goals.
A night to remember. A future to build on.
The Pinnacle Awards celebrate marketing that works — marketing that moves people, drives growth and delivers results. We’re proud to be in the company of so many talented marketers and thankful for the clients who trust us to help tell their stories.
Interested in working with a strategic marketing partner that can help make a measurable impact for your brand? Get in touch, and let’s make the next award-winning idea together.