The U.S. Chamber has been recognized for its online grassroots advocacy work in 2006 with two Pollie Awards-earning a Silver recognition for an e-mail/viral marketing campaign and an honorable mention in the persuasion online advertisement category. The Pollie Awards are given annually by the American Association of Political Consultants.

"This recognition is an enormous source of pride for the Chamber and our members because it shows that our messages help mobilize our business community members in a constantly changing political climate," says Chamber Senior Vice President Bill Miller.

The Chamber earned the Silver award for its state-specific viral campaigns leading up to the midterm elections. Working with the public affairs firm The Adfero Group, the Chamber created targeted e-mail lists and sent more than 12 million educational e-mails to individuals in eight states. Also, the Chamber and Adfero received an honorable mention for their online advertisements promoting new early voting rules.

Last year marked the Chamber's most aggressive effort yet. The Chamber invested tens of millions of dollars in a comprehensive grassroots, media, and get-out-the-vote effort. Through its VoteForBusiness grassroots program, it helped create some 800 customized employer and local chamber Web sites to provide information about voter registration, early voting, and other resources.

The Pollie Awards are the national showcase for political and public affairs excellence. The focus of the Pollies rotates each year between the political and public affairs fields, with this year's Pollies recognizing achievements in the political arena. The awards were handed out in February at the bipartisan association's 16th annual conference in Miami. For more information, download the PDF.