An innovative campaign designed for steel manufacturer Nucor by Eric Mower and Associates (EMA) literally stopped Washington, D.C., commuters in their tracks to avoid falling through what looked like a hole or tripping over what appeared to be a crushed car. The eye-catching graphics also caught the attention of BtoB magazine's editors, who named the campaign winner in the nontraditional creative marketing category in BtoB's “Best of 2009,” which highlights the best marketers and creative in business-to-business marketing.

EMA developed life-sized graphics that were placed on the floor of Metro stations in the nation's capital to grab the attention of key decision-makers. “Distinguished people of Washington, may we have the floor,” one read, before highlighting the need for more American exports, fewer outsourced jobs and Nucor's strong environmental record as the country's largest recycler.

This was the first time floor graphics in the Metro stations were designed with an irregular shape, which helped them stand out. One looked like a crushed car, symbolizing the 9 million vehicles Nucor recycles annually. Another made it look like there was a hole in the floor, exposing a steel beam and reminding people of the many uses of recycled steel and its importance in building, construction and infrastructure projects.

EMA was also named runner up in the integrated category for spread ads and a microsite it designed for Nucor's special bar quality (SBQ) steel. The judges said the site was “strong, with an emphasis on customer service” and praised the ads' “fine photography, bordering on art.” In one shot, for instance, a piece of heavy construction equipment that includes SBQ steel clawed at scrap metal beneath a blue sky and wispy clouds. “It's nice to know,” the ad's headline read, “that our recycled steel helps recycle steel.”