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PROFILE
Zweig Group’s Jeremy Clarke and Ying Liu announcing winners of the Marketing Excellence Awards last year at the 2024 ElevateAEC Awards Gala.
Marketing that works The top 2025 Marketing Excellence Award winners share how strategy, authenticity, and collaboration drive real AEC marketing impact.
By SARA PARKMAN Senior Editor
W hat does successful AEC marketing look like in 2025? For the top winners of Zweig Group’s Marketing Excellence Awards, it’s not just about polished proposals or social media metrics – it’s about connection. Whether through bold campaigns, smart investments, or cross-functional collaboration, this year’s No. 1 winners show that effective marketing starts with understanding who you are, what your audience values, and how to bring those two things together. Their insights reveal what’s working right now – and how AEC firms can better leverage marketing to build trust, drive growth, and inspire loyalty. MARKETING WITH HEART AND HUMANITY. Great marketing doesn’t just promote – it connects. That connection begins by telling a firm’s story in a way that reflects its values and the people behind the work. At Gilbert Architects, that meant building a brand rooted in authenticity and shared purpose. “We’ve worked to create a cohesive brand experience across every touchpoint,” says Sara Wolf, director of communication and marketing. “What began as a few small steps has evolved into an energetic, engaging presence that invites connection, fosters collaboration, and reflects the heart of who we are.” Jason Roberts, marketing manager at Wood Rodgers,
describes a similar shift: “We prioritized authenticity using social media to highlight the stories of the people, values, and culture that make Wood Rodgers unique. Our social media feels less like a feed and more like a backstage pass into the everyday moments that connect us.” That focus on internal storytelling and cross-office visibility has helped create a sense of unity across locations while supporting the firm’s growth. At the core of both approaches is a shared belief: people want to do business with firms that feel human, relatable, and real. STRATEGIC INVESTMENTS DRIVE IMPACT. Several winning firms attribute their marketing success to more than good storytelling – they’ve also rethought how marketing is resourced and structured. “We’ve continued our commitment to strategically invest in marketing, scaling our team into a robust group that operates as an in-house agency,” says Abby Gram, vice president of marketing at ISG. “In an industry where overhead is often seen as nonessential, we prioritize specialized marketers over marketing generalists to support growth.” That structure, she adds, delivers autonomy, creates opportunity, and positions ISG as a high-performing national firm. “It supports technical teams and clients – keeping operations running and delivering ROI that sets ISG apart.”
See MARKETING THAT WORKS , page 8
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THE ZWEIG LETTER JUNE 23, 2025, ISSUE 1591
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