The Jacksonville Port Authority (JAXPORT) has been honored with a Trailblazer Award by the Ohio-based Transportation Marketing & Sales Association (TMSA) for its Europe-focused marketing campaign in 2023. The campaign, which resulted in increased volumes for JAXPORT’s European trade lane, showcased the port’s innovative approach to marketing and its significant impact on global trade.
Each year, the TMSA Trailblazer Awards highlight the best marketing and sales efforts in the transportation and logistics industry. JAXPORT’s award-winning campaign, “X Marks the Spot for Your Europe Shipments,” promoted the new MSC ScanBaltic service, which offers direct cargo transport between Europe and the Southeastern United States. The campaign’s audience included cargo owners, freight forwarders, and customs brokers across the U.S. and Europe.
TMSA presented JAXPORT with the award during its 2024 ELEVATE Conference held in June. JAXPORT was the only port to receive a Trailblazer Award from TMSA this year, underscoring its leadership and influence in the industry.
The campaign featured an aligned effort among the port’s marketing, communications, and sales teams, including tactics across the customer journey from promotional content like press releases, email announcements, and social media content to follow-up by the port’s sales directors. In one example of innovation, the team used artificial intelligence (AI) to reach multilingual audiences across Europe. AI provided initial translations of ad copy in French, German, Polish, and Dutch. Then human translators refined the copy. This approach reduced campaign costs and ensured culturally appropriate messaging.
“These innovations were not just about using new tools but integrating them strategically to amplify our campaign’s reach and impact,” said Jeff Price, JAXPORT Marketing Director. “This recognition is a testament to our team’s dedication and creativity in setting new standards for future marketing initiatives.”
Within three months of the ScanBaltic launch, MSC increased service frequency from fortnightly to weekly due to rising demand. By the end of the nine-month campaign, JAXPORT had solidified its position as a critical player in transatlantic shipping.
