EXHIB-IT! Visual Concepts, a local agency which focuses on design, graphics, marketing and event displays, is bringing back its “Best Local Brand Award Contest” this year.

The contest is open to local businesses and will award a total of $9,000 in advertising to the top winner in both the commercial and nonprofit category to showcase the brand’s efforts and impact in New Mexico.

Entries are free and can be completed online until 4 p.m. March 17. The top three finalists in each category will be announced on March 27. Winners will be announced live at the Annual B2B Event. This is the first time the Best Local Brands Awards will be announced since 2020, when Keshet Center for the Arts won for best local nonprofit and Pizza won best commercial brand.

The first B2B Event took place in 2018 with more than 900 in attendance. It grew into New Mexico’s largest strategic networking event and business-to-business expo until the pandemic in 2020. This year the event returns from 1-8 p.m. April 18 at Isleta Resort.

“It has been way too long  since we have been able to host this large in person event and companies and nonprofits now, more than ever, need to showcase their businesses and nonprofit organizations and share how they use their brand and market their brand to the public,”  EXHIB-IT! CEO DJ Heckes said. “If you have a great brand, you should be sharing it.  This is a community service event contest that we host annually except through COVID timelines and a way to give back to the community.”