Nation’s Restaurant News this week was named a finalist for three 2024 Jesse H. Neal Awards: Best Use of Social Media, Best Art Direction for a Cover, and Best New Product.
The Neal Awards, presented annually and owned by the Software & Information Industry Association, recognize excellence in business-to-business journalism.
“We’re honored to once agin be a finalist for the Neal Awards, and I’m particularly proud of the categories in which Nation’s Restaurant News is a finalist,” said editorial director Sam Oches. “We are committed to constant evolution and enhancement of our content strategy so that we’re meeting the needs of our audience, and the products that were nominated — our social media, print graphic design, and data intelligence — have been especially important to that process.”
NRN’s entry for Best Use of Social Media was its Unboxing series, launched on Instagram and TikTok in 2023 to showcase innovative menu items from restaurant chains, from Cold Stone’s Halloween Boo Batter to IHOP’s Wonka-themed menu. In 2023, that series, executed by digital editor Nora Rugovac, garnered more than 27 million views across the two platforms. Follow Nation’s Restaurant News on Instagram here and on TikTok here.
For Best Art Direction for a Cover, NRN entered its 2023 Brand Icon cover, featuring Taco Bell and designed by art director Sue Pearsall. NRN’s annual Brand Icon award honors major restaurant companies that live at the intersection of legacy and innovation, recognizing their past while also maintaining relevance among modern-day consumers. The 2022 Brand Icon report, featuring White Castle, won a Neal Award for Best Multimedia Profile last year.
The Nation’s Restaurant News November 2023 magazine cover
For Best New Product, NRN is being honored for its Intelligence Market Leader reports. For these reports, such as The Data-Driven Restaurant, comprehensive market research is coupled with analysis from subject matter experts around an industry hot button issue to help readers understand the forces at play and gain intelligent insights for smart decision making.
“Nation’s Restaurant News is committed to advancing the industry with in-depth explorations of the biggest issues facing restaurants today,” said Christi Ravneberg, senior director of media intelligence and custom content for NRN. “Our new line of Market Leader reports use original survey data, expert insights, and multimedia storytelling to quantify the complex challenges restaurants face — including technology, data usage, artificial intelligence, and customer loyalty — as well as potential areas of opportunity. We are thrilled by this recognition and have big plans for NRN Intelligence products in the future.”
An NRN Intelligence Market Leader report
The 2024 Neal Award winners will be announced and honored at a New York City luncheon on April 26.