MADISON, Wis. — The Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin marketing team took home two gold Eddie awards at the 2020 Eddie & Ozzie Awards on Monday. The Summer 2020 issue of Grate.Pair.Share., an online cooking and entertaining magazine from Wisconsin Cheese, was recognized amongst the best publishers in the nation. The magazine took the top spot in the Consumer – Epicurean and Consumer – Agriculture/ Farming categories, plus honorable mentions in three other categories.
For more than 25 years, the Eddie & Ozzie Awards have recognized excellence in engaging content and gorgeous design across all sectors of the publishing industry. The competition honored other top-notch magazines such as Food & Wine, Variety, Southern Living, Wine Enthusiast and more, plus features, websites, online communities, blogs, podcasts, videos and investigative journalism.
“The Eddie & Ozzie Awards recognize some of the nation’s most trusted consumer publications and we are honored to be in their company and accept this award on behalf of Wisconsin’s dairy farm families,” said Chad Vincent, Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin / Wisconsin Cheese CEO. “While the COVID-19 pandemic has put an enormous strain on the dairy industry and entire food chain, our marketing team never slowed down. This award is even more special as the issue was put together during the earliest, most uncertain weeks of the pandemic while the entire editorial team was working from home, which is a tremendous feat on its own.”
Grate.Pair.Share. readers love cheese of all types, but especially specialty cheese. The digital magazine connects premium customers with Wisconsin cheese brands in an approachable, usable way, while creating awareness and affinity for the 600 types, styles and varieties of cheese made in Wisconsin, the State of Cheese®. The magazine launched an in-store edition in 2018, which is available at some of the nation’s biggest retailers to inspire shoppers and provide easy meal solutions while grocery shopping.
“Sharing insider cheese education tips and information engages our audience by filling their quest for foodie-cheese knowledge,” says Suzanne Fanning, Chief Marketing Officer for Wisconsin Cheese and Grate.Pair.Share. Editor in Chief. “Now more than ever, people are looking for new recipes to cook and entertain from home. Our readers can learn how cheese is a part of every occasion – and everything that we do in our state.”
“In addition to highlighting award-winning cheeses in delicious dishes, the magazine has evolved over recent years to include more travel and lifestyle content so customers can see themselves visiting or creating their own destination, all the while tasting world-class cheese throughout the journey,” says Amy Thieding, Culinary Manager at Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin and Managing Editor of Grate.Pair.Share. “We inspire by sharing user-generated content, including photos and favorite cheese brands from passionate Wisconsin Cheese lovers across the country called Cheeselandians. We use these elements within the magazine to share our brand story – and wrap each issue into a charming, delectable Wisconsin package.
Grate.Pair.Share. is published five times each year, including Harvest, Holiday, Winter, Spring and Summer issues – reaching a total of 25-30 million viewers annually and averaging a read time of 2-3 minutes. All recipes including seasonal fall recipes from the new Harvest issue can be found on WisconsinCheese.com.
Editorial partners on this project were Stephen & Brady, Inc and Radlund Photography.
About Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin: Funded by Wisconsin dairy farmers, Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin is a non-profit organization that focuses on marketing and promoting Wisconsin’s world-class dairy products. For more information, visit our website at wisconsindairy.org.
About Wisconsin Cheese: The tradition of cheesemaking excellence began more than 175 years ago, before Wisconsin was recognized as a state. Wisconsin’s 1,200 cheesemakers, many of whom are third- and fourth-generation, continue to pass on old-world traditions while adopting modern innovations in cheesemaking craftsmanship. For more information, visit WisconsinCheese.com or connect on Facebook.
