• by Richard Whitman , Columnist, May 12, 2015

Awards. Eh. What do they really indicate? That an agency is really good at creating a piece of work that is super awesome looking but doesn't necessarily sell anything? That they are really good at placing supposedly client approved ads in publications no one's ever heard of at the last possible minute so that they receive award consideration? 

On its fifth anniversary, Indianapolis-based agency Bohlsen Group became the only Certified B Corporation in the state of Indiana and one of only a few in the region. B Corp certification functions for businesses as the Fair Trade certification for food or the LEED for buildings and assesses a company’s governance, community involvement, environmental impact and employment practices. According to the organization's Web site, the certification recognizes companies that create meaningful impact for a better world.

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I can hear you all now. Certified B Corporation what??? And you might be right. After all, awards are a dime a dozen, right? OK, well, maybe not a Cannes Lions. That shit costs a lot of Benjamins. And besides, who can fault an agency for touting the fact they're now a company that "creates meaningful impact for a better world?"