Herndon and Varnum recognized with two Communicator Awards

The “Wines We Drink” podcast produced by Grady faculty Keith Herndon and Charlotte Varnum received two Awards of Distinction in the 32nd Annual Communicator Awards.

The podcast was recognized for its lifestyle content in the individual episode category, while Herndon and Varnum were cited in a category for Best Co-Hosts.

With thousands of entries received from across the United States and around the globe, the Academy of Interactive & Visual Arts (AIVA) said its Communicator Awards is one of the largest and most competitive programs honoring excellence in marketing, communications and creative work. The full list of winners can be explored in the winner’s gallery.

Herndon and Varnum were cited for work produced in the podcast’s fifth season. The show returned on June 3 for its sixth season with new episodes posting each Wednesday through August 19.

Herndon thanked AIVA for the awards and described them as “exciting news” for the independent podcast.

“We had no idea this show would last this long and receive the recognition it has, but we keep doing it because we have so much fun with it,” said Herndon, who is also a certified sommelier and certified wine educator.

Varnum said she appreciated the awards as recognition for the planning and production that goes into every episode.

“It is such an honor to receive this distinction for a series that we have poured into for the last five years,” Varnum said. “While we have a blast producing this show, the positive reception from the tens of thousands we have reached has made it that much more fulfilling.”

For 32 years, AIVA said the Communicator Awards provide an equal opportunity for companies, agencies, organizations and independent creators to be honored, regardless of team size or project budget.

The awards are reviewed by AIVA, an invitation-only body of over 1,100 industry leaders from top brands and agencies. This year’s jury included professionals from JPMorgan Chase & Co., FedEx, Netflix, National Geographic Society, NAACP, The Andy Warhol Museum and many more.

 “We are in an era of information and content overload. Breaking through requires the right message, medium, and moment,” AIVA General Manager Josh Campbell said in a release. “This season’s winners got it exactly right, across campaigns, video series, annual reports, podcasts, websites and apps, immersive experiences, brand style guides and beyond. We are deeply grateful to the AIVA jury for the expertise, curiosity and dedication they brought to recognizing this work.”

Editor: Sarah Freeman, freemans@uga.edu