We’re thrilled to share that Alderwood Creative has been named the winner of the Better Marketing for a Better World Award at the 2025 Marketing & Sales Innovation Conference, hosted by the University of Tennessee’s Haslam College of Business. The conference took place at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in downtown Knoxville, bringing together innovators and changemakers from across the region.
This award recognizes companies that are using marketing as a force for good, and for us, that mission is at the core of everything we do. As a woman-owned marketing agency serving small businesses and nonprofits, we’ve spent the past six years building a business that prioritizes people, purpose, and accessibility.
“We built Alderwood Creative to remove the barriers that keep too many small businesses and nonprofits from accessing quality marketing,” said Mal Alder, Founder + Lead Growth Strategist. “Our work is rooted in the belief that marketing should be inclusive, ethical, and community-focused. Receiving this award is a powerful reminder that leading with heart makes an impact.”
Through flexible service models, ranging from full campaign management to monthly consulting, we give our clients the tools and strategy they need to grow sustainably. But our mission doesn’t stop there. Each year, we partner with nonprofits we believe in to donate pro bono marketing services that help them expand their reach and amplify their message.
Some of the organizations we’ve been honored to support include:
- SoKno Pride (2022 & 2023): Branding, website, social media, email strategy, and event planning.
- The TKJ Foundation: Led by VFL Todd Kelly Jr., this organization focuses on mentoring and empowering underserved youth in Knoxville.
- Knoxville Black Maternal Health Conference: We provided website development services to support their mission of building advocacy and community for Black maternal health in East Tennessee.
- YWCA Knoxville & the Tennessee Valley, Women’s Fund of East Tennessee, and Let Her Speak: Ongoing marketing support for organizations leading systemic change in our region.
As part of our commitment to ethical marketing practices, we also advocate for accessible website design—offering every client, regardless of industry or budget, enhancements that support users with visual impairments, seizure sensitivity, screen readers, and more.
Winning this award is a milestone for our team, but more importantly, it’s a celebration of the clients and causes we stand beside every day. We’re grateful for the recognition and more inspired than ever to keep pushing marketing forward—for a better world, and for the communities that make it so.
Learn more about Alderwood Creative and our services for small businesses and nonprofits by booking a discovery session today!