JACKSON – The Daily Leader took home 27 awards, including first place for advertising excellence in its category for the seventh year in a row, during the Mississippi Press Association’s Better Newspaper Contest – Advertising competition Saturday.

     The awards were handed out at MPA’s Mid-Winter Conference in Jackson. The Daily Leader competed in the Daily Division C category, for newspapers with circulation under 9,000, although some awards were bestowed for all daily newspapers. Entries were published from fall 2011 to fall 2012.

     “I congratulate The Daily leader staff on these awards and appreciate the quality work they produce for our advertising customers,” said Rick Reynolds, publisher/president.

     Awards won by the newspaper include:

     – Series of Ads: First place, Carol Teasley and Jason Reeves, with an ad for Check Exchange of Mississippi Inc.; second place, Sherri Mathis and Michael Granger, J. Allan’s Bridal Registry; third place, Zane Brown and Reeves, Lucky’s.

     – Political Advertisement, Black and White: First place, Mathis and Reeves, for an ad for Dustin Bairfield’s campaign.

     – Political Advertisement, Color: First place, Mathis and the graphics staff with an ad for Tillmon Bishop’s campaign.

     – Service Advertisement, Black and White: First place, Mathis and Rick East, Brookhaven, OB-GYN; second place, Brown and Jocelyn Jackson Robinson, King’s Daughters Medical Center.

     – Service Advertisement, Color: First place, Matthis and Granger, Bank of Franklin; second place, Mathis and Reeves, Hospice Compassus.

     – Small Space Advertisement, Color: First place, Mathis and Robinson, for Roxy Magnolia, and third place, Mathis and Reeves, for Plunkett’s Greenhouse.

     – Institutional Advertisement, Black and White: First place, Tammie Brewer and Robinson, Berean Children’s Home; third place, Granger, Wesson Haunted House.

     – Magazine Advertisement: First place, Teasley and Reeves, Farmbelt; third place, Brown and Granger, Bank of Brookhaven.

     – Auto Advertisement, Black and White: First place, Brown and Reeves, Stan King GM Superstore.

     – Classified Display Ad, First place for all dailies, Rachel Eide and East for a ad promoting online submissions of classifieds; third place, Eide and Reeves, for a Christmas classified ad promotional ad.

     – Silver Dollar Idea: Second place for all dailies, The Daily Leader, for its Girl’s Night Out advertising package.

     – House Ad, Editorial: Second place for all dailies, Eide and East for a “Win Cash” promotional ad for the Cashword Puzzle.

     – Classified Page or Section: Second place, Anna Montgomery.

     – Grocery or Restaurant Ad, Color: second place, Brown and Granger, It’s Serendipity.

     – Magazine Periodical: Third place, Focus.

     – Editorial Special Section, Glossy: Third place among all dailies, Tom Goetz and East, Gridiron.

     – Circulation House Ad: Third place, Reeves and Bill Jacobs, for a newspaper carrier appreciation ad.

     – Auto Ad, Color: Third place: Brown and Reeves, Stan King GM Superstore.