Balcom Agency sweeps Fort Worth's 2026 American Advertising Awards with Best of Show and 21 total honors. Monday, march 2, 2026 News Balcom Agency sweeps Fort Worth's 2026 American Advertising Awards with Best of Show and 21 total honors. Fort Worth, Texas (March 3, 2026) - Balcom Agency took center stage at the American Advertising Federation (AAF) Fort Worth's 2026 American Advertising Awards on February 27, 2026, securing a total of 21 awards. This includes the night's top honor, Best of Show, for the integrated launch of Better With Dairy for nonprofit regional dairy council, Dairy MAX. Work for longtime client Dairy MAX not only earned the highest accolade, Best of Show, but also Best of Digital for the Better With Dairy website. In total, the campaign secured five Gold ADDYs, two Silver ADDYs and two Crystal Awards across logo design, illustration and social media. Balcom's recognition for the evening spanned a wide array of categories, from digital innovation to direct mail, for a diverse roster of local and national clients. The agency's work for Cook Children's Health Care System was a highlight, with the New Movers Welcome Box - a 3D mixed-media kit designed to welcome families to the region - receiving a Special Judges' Award for its unique execution. The project also earned two Gold ADDYs in the Sales Kit and Direct Mail categories. Other stand out wins include three awards for work on Fort Worth's Lone Star Film Festival, an interactive campaign for nonprofit Center for Transforming Lives, as well as acknowledgement in social media for food and beverage clients BRIANNAS Fine Salad Dressing and Xochitl snacks. "The variety of work recognized this year is a testament to the trust our clients place in us to push them forward," said Carol Glover, chief creative officer. "Whether it's a comprehensive digital platform for Dairy MAX or a physical welcome experience for Cook Children's, our goal remains the same: help people fall in love with brands. These awards celebrate the collaborative spirit that makes that happen." The full list of winners for 2026 includes: * Best of Show - Dairy MAX, Better With Dairy * Best of Digital - Dairy MAX, Better With Dairy: Website * Special Judges' Award - Cook Children's Health Care System, New Movers Welcome Box * Gold ADDY - Cook Children's Health Care System, New Movers Welcome Box (Sales Kit) * Gold ADDY - Cook Children's Health Care System, New Movers Welcome Box (Direct Mail) * Gold ADDY - Dairy MAX, Better With Dairy: Website (Consumer Website) * Gold ADDY - Dairy MAX, Better With Dairy (Integrated Brand Identity Campaign) * Gold ADDY - Dairy MAX, Better With Dairy (Logo Design) * Gold ADDY - Dairy MAX, Better With Dairy (Illustration - Campaign) * Gold ADDY - Dairy MAX, Better With Dairy: Website (Interface & Navigation) * Silver ADDY - Center for Transforming Lives, Sometimes Wings Look Like (Public Service) * Silver ADDY - Dairy MAX, Better With Dairy: Social (Social Media - Campaign) * Silver ADDY - Dairy MAX, Better With Dairy (Illustration - Single) * Silver ADDY - Lone Star Film Festival, Festival Campaign (Integrated Advertising Campaign) * Silver ADDY - Lone Star Film Festival, Brand Identity Guidelines (Branded Content) * Crystal Award - BRIANNAS Fine Salad Dressing, The Perfect Bite: Photography (Photography - Campaign) * Crystal Award - BRIANNAS Fine Salad Dressing, The Perfect Bite: Social (Social Media - Campaign) * Crystal Award - Dairy MAX, Better With Dairy (Social Media - Single Execution) * Crystal Award - Dairy MAX, Better With Dairy (Illustration - Single) * Crystal Award - Lone Star Film Festival, Brand Identity Showcase (Brand Identity Campaign) * Crystal Award - Xochitl, Inc., Say Si to Spice (Social Media - Single Execution) As with all Gold and Silver winners at the local level, Balcom's top-scoring entries will now advance to the AAF District 10 competition, representing the best work from across Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana. ABOUT BALCOM AGENCY Founded in 1993, Balcom Agency is an independent, full-service marketing agency with a national footprint and offices in Fort Worth, Texas. Balcom provides the driving force that turns brands into icons, with experience in health care, food and beverage, retail, education and more, for clients including Cook Children's Health Care System, HF Sinclair, Kubota Tractor Corporation, Mrs. Renfro's salsa, the TCU Neeley School of Business and Xochitl Inc. snacks. At Balcom, "full service" means strategy, creative and media across countless platforms, for omnichannel marketing that works because it works together. Balcom is also a member of Tribe Global, a network of independent advertising and communication firms serving clients worldwide. See the work and meet the team at BalcomAgency.com. Tags: News

Single Stop + Dairy MAX: refining its nutrition access programs to build sustainable dairy demand. At Dairy MAX, Dairy MAX Inc. know that dairy farmers are the backbone of its communities, which is why Dairy MAX Inc. is excited to share a new program that will maintain and build dairy demand more efficiently, while ensuring its neighbors have the high-quality nutrition to thrive. Introducing Single Stop: an evolution to its food security work. Dairy MAX has launched a new tool through Single Stop to expand dairy access. Single Stop is a national nonprofit that uses artificial intelligence to connect community members to essential public benefits like SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) and WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children). These programs are critical pathways to nutritious food, including dairy foods and beverages. Yet, millions of eligible families remain unenrolled due to barriers like lack of awareness, complex application processes or stigma. Single Stop simplifies the SNAP and WIC application process by offering a centralized digital platform that screens users for more than 20 federal, state and local benefits in just minutes. Whether accessed from your phone at home, or in schools, food banks or retail settings, the tool provides a user-friendly experience that helps families discover what support they qualify for and how to claim it. Why Single Stop matters to dairy farmers. Its Single Stop program is focused on growing demand for dairy in a sustainable, impactful way while helping its neighbors when they need it most. In the Dairy MAX region alone, a 1% increase in SNAP/WIC participation could generate up to $141 million in additional dairy sales annually. That means this tool is dual purpose: a direct, trackable impact for dairy farm families like you, and a meaningful boost for the communities you call home. By connecting more families to nutrition assistance, Dairy MAX Inc. is ensuring that dairy remains a staple in their diets and grocery carts, like the milk in their morning cereal, the cheese in their favorite dinner and that healthful bowl of yogurt as a snack. This initiative aligns perfectly with its mission to bring the joy and power of dairy to everyone to create a stronger, healthier tomorrow. Further, the Single Stop tool is a great example of how the Dairy MAX team looks for ways to make your dollars go further. Its past nutrition access initiatives tended to be more labor-intensive with limited results. This evolution allows technology and its partners to do the heavy lifting for Dairy MAX Inc., ensuring Dairy MAX Inc. improve its impact for dairy farm families like you. How it works: simple, smart & scalable. The Single Stop platform is designed for ease and flexibility with a do-it-yourself interface. Individuals enter their own information in a quick and confidential online screener, with support available if needed. All it takes is a scan of a QR code, which Dairy MAX provides to schools, retailers and nonprofits. From there, users enter basic information like household size, income and ZIP code. The platform then generates a comprehensive overview of all the benefits they may qualify for, complete with estimated monthly values. This one-stop-shop approach removes barriers and empowers families to sign up for programs like SNAP and WIC. And for its partners, it offers useful reporting, demographic insights and outcome tracking, making it easy to measure impact and streamline outreach to those who may be eligible for assistance. Real impact, real stories. In 2024 along, Single Stop connected more than 80,000 individuals to $658 million in benefits nationwide. Dairy MAX's newly-launched program landing page will benefit from that momentum while offering more opportunities to showcase the benefits of dairy in a credible and authentic way. That won't just mean numbers, it'll be families who now have access to the high-quality nutrition of dairy to support their growth, health and well-being. In schools, the tool is helping identify students whose families qualify for assistance but haven't enrolled. In retail settings, it's being used to engage shoppers and drive redemption of the dairy-inclusive benefits already in place with programs like SNAP. And in food banks, its helping volunteers guide clients toward long-term support rather than just short-term relief. A strategic use of checkoff dollars. At Dairy MAX, Dairy MAX Inc. is constantly evaluating current programs and new opportunities to determine what will have the biggest impact on dairy demand and your bottom line, and that's why Single Stop is the future of its nutrition access initiatives. Here's what makes the Single Stop a standout example of strategic spending: * It drives demand: By increasing participation in SNAP and WIC, Dairy MAX Inc. is boosting dairy sales through public nutrition programs that serve one in eight people within the U.S. * It supports equity: Families in underserved communities gain access to the nutrition they need and deserve, including dairy foods and beverages that provide high-quality protein and 13 essential nutrients. * It builds trust: Dairy MAX Inc. is showing its neighbors that dairy farm families and the rest of the dairy community care about their well-being and that Dairy MAX Inc. is part of the solution. * It delivers measurable results: With built-in analytics and reporting, Dairy MAX Inc. can track outcomes and refine its approach. How you can help. Here's how you can amplify its efforts in the SNAP and WIC space while helping your local community: * Share the QR code: If you have local connections with schools, retailers or nonprofits, encourage them to use the tool. Dairy MAX can provide materials and support to help you share this new program in your community. * Spread the word: Talk to your community organizations about how dairy foods and beverages are part of the solution to food insecurity in your area. Looking ahead: innovation with purpose. The Single Stop tool is just one example of how Dairy MAX is implementing new and innovative initiatives to serve both its farmers and its communities. It reflects its core values and its commitment to building a future where dairy is the choice that nourishes every life. As Dairy MAX Inc. continue to invest in programs that grow demand, build trust and improve access, you can feel confident that your checkoff dollars are making a difference in both sales and quality of life in your community.

Dairy MAX is proud to announce the launch of MILK: Maximizing Impact, Leadership and Knowledge, a new program designed to empower the next generation of dairy leaders.