• by Staff Writers , September 5, 2008

Finalists - Television

Spark: Karen Coleman, senior vice president; Miraj Parikh, director; Carrie Schwarz, associate director. Fallon: Heather Kruse, group media director; Rachel Endress, media planner; Aaron Seymour-Anderson, assistant media planner. Travelers: Shane Boyd, vice president, corporate communications; Joan Palm, vice president, corporate communications. Turner Sports: Steve Crilly, account executive.

Sports fans glaze over when announcers offer sponsored trivia questions or opportunities to enter online contests. But they appreciate in-game integrations that add to their understanding and enjoyment of the game. A scintillating example came when Spark Communications devised a "Travelers Lead-Off Line" for the baseball playoffs on behalf of the insurance company. Travelers' core message is protection against everyday risk. Spark smartly found a part of the game with exciting risk: a runner deciding whether or not to steal a base. It partnered with TBS to insert a graphic that showed how risk increased as a runner took a longer lead. It got fans thinking about a part of the game in a new way while also thinking about Travelers.