We are proud to announce that Primera was selected as the First Place and “Best in Show” winner in the Excellence in Marketing Awards (EMA) program from the Society for Marketing Professional Services (SMPS) Chicago chapter. The EMAs recognize outstanding achievement in marketing communications by professional service firms in the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry. Our Marketing + Communications team was honored for their work on the launch of our new intranet site, internally known as “Alma.”

Primera partnered with Knowledge Architecture (KA), a San Francisco-based software firm that specializes in the AEC market, to develop a new intranet that would revolutionize the way our employees access information. Senior Vice President of Marketing + Communications, Matt Dvorak, and Director of Operations, Nick Sternowski, led the implementation charge and successfully launched Alma in under six months. In addition to content population, a critical component of the internal communications project was an effective launch campaign to get employees excited about the new site.

“It was important to us that we get employee adoption for the new site early on. We worked hard to engage people and create excitement so they would be prepared for the transition,” said Matt Dvorak. “What’s most important is that we remained consistent and authentic to our firm and our brand, not only in the creation of Alma, but in all our communications,” he continued.

Primera’s Marketing + Communications team worked on a well-organized launch campaign that was administered over four months. A significant milestone included developing a name and logo early on so additional campaign components could follow at planned intervals. The internal campaign consisted of short video teasers featuring bright and curious visuals, a launch party with branded treats and signage, and a beta testing program to build anticipation in advance of the launch date. The final video invited employees to start experiencing Alma for themselves, where it was revealed as an easily accessible and invaluable tool.

SMPS Chicago is the local chapter of the national organization of the Society for Marketing Professional Services. SMPS is the only marketing organization dedicated to providing education, team building and networking opportunities for developing business opportunities in the AEC industry. SMPS represents a dynamic network of 6,500 marketing, business development, and technical professionals, from 57 chapters throughout the United States and Canada, responsible for marketing and building relationships for their companies. As one the largest chapters in SMPS, the Chicago Chapter has over 200 members representing the top contractors, architects, engineers, and specialty consulting firms in the Midwest.