PRWeek Awards 2009 by Alexandra Bruell

New York City, March 5, 2009

PRWeek Awards 2009

Editor’s Message

Table of Contents

am honored to present to you this special book commemorating the PRWeek Awards 2009. Within, you will find in-depth descriptions of the award-winning campaigns, individuals, and companies that were chosen by their peers and honored at our annual awards dinner. The winning campaigns wisely deployed strategies that both played off timely elements in the economy and culture, as well as those that best utilized the available technologies driving media and information consumption today. All the finalists were able to tackle issues and address opportunities in a way that elevates the industry. Ketchum and IKEA’s campaign, “Man Lives in IKEA: Citizen Marketer Becomes IKEA Brand Evangelist,” demonstrated a good grasp of pop culture and online media trends, letting comedian Mark Malkoff live in the Paramus, NJ, IKEA for six days. Malkoff was allowed to conduct his own media outreach – in addition to the PR team’s extensive work – and his content was not previewed or censored. The effort won Campaign of the Year, Corporate Branding Campaign of the Year, and Best Use of Online Media. Judges loved that the results were achieved with a budget of $13,500. Edelman walked away with the Large PR Agency of the Year and the Agency of the Year titles, thanks to great growth, profit figures, and the retention of all of its top 50 clients. It is the second year in a row Edelman has taken home the Large PR Agency honor. Dig Communications, a 37-person firm founded in 2004, was named Small Agency of the Year and won an Honorable Mention in the Agency of the Year category. In this year’s debut categories, NYU’s MS Degree in Public Relations & Corporate Communication won PR Education Program of the Year, while LaunchSquad won the Boutique Agency of the Year, awarded to firms with revenues less than $5 million. Ogilvy continued its impressive showing in the personality categories, with longtime CEO Marcia Silverman winning the PR Professional of the Year honor. Judges cited her steady leadership, dedication to overseas markets, and industry and philanthropic work outside of the agency. These are just a few of the many great campaigns, professionals, and innovations celebrated this year. As the economy continues to present challenges, it is a testament to the creativity and ingenuity of the industry that such dramatic results can be achieved, even with the most limited of budgets. We thank all who entered the Awards, applaud those who were named as finalists, congratulate those who were Honorable Mentions, and laud those who took home a PRWeek Award in one of our 33 categories. Keith O’Brien Editor-in-Chief PRWeek

Winners’ winner PRWeek Campaign of the Year

General Consumer Awards Product Brand Development Consumer Launch Arts, Entertainment & Media

7 9 10

Industry Market Awards Business-to-Business Healthcare Technology

11 13 15

Targeted Audience Awards Employee Communications Multicultural Marketing Global Community Relations

17 19 21 22

Corporate Awards; Social Education & Philanthropy Awards Corporate Branding Public Affairs Investor/Financial Communications Public Sector Nonprofit Cause-Related Crisis or Issues Management

23 25 27 29 31 33 34

Technique Awards Best Use of Broadcast (TV and Radio) Best Use of Online Media Best Use of Research/Measurement PR Innovation Promotional Event

35 37 39 41 43

Personality Awards Student of the Year Young PR Professional PR Professional

45 47 49

Education Awards PR Education Program

Business Awards In-House PR Team Small PR Agency Boutique PR Agency Midsize PR Agency Large PR Agency PR Agency of the Year

53 55 56 57 59 61

Other Judges

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EDITORIAL: Editor-in-Chief Keith O’Brien Executive Editor Erica Iacono Senior Editor Gideon Fidelzeid News Editor Rose Gordon Reporters Alexandra Bruell, Tonya Garcia, Jaimy Lee, Kimberly Maul, Aarti Shah, Frank Washkuch, Nicole Zerillo Editorial Assistant Beth Krietsch Art & Production: Design Director Sandra DiPasqua Art Director Christopher Silva Copy Editor Ivey Overstreet Group Production Manager Shannan Miller Production Coordinator Krassi Varbanov Production Director Elizabeth Graham VP of Production and Manufacturing Louise Morrin Advertising: Advertisement Director Joanna Harp Advertising Manager Anne Donnelly CORPORATE: Publishing Director Julia Hood President Lisa Kirk Chairman/CEO William Pecover PRWeek® (ISSN 1524-1696) is published weekly, except the first week in January and the second week in July by PRWeek, 114 West 26th Street, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10001-6812. Periodicals Postage Rates paid at New York, NY and additional mailing offices. Annual subscription price: US – $198, Canada – $298, Rest of the World – $450. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Haymarket Media, Inc., PO Box 223, Congers, NY 10920-0223. Prepress by Strategic Content Imaging, Carlstadt, NJ 07072. Printed by RR Donnelley Mendota, 1501 Washington Road, Mendota, IL 61342-0954. PRWeek® is a trademark of Haymarket Media, Inc. Copyright 2009 Haymarket Media, Inc.

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We salute Ketchum and IKEA on “Man Lives in IKEA,” winner of the PRWeek Campaign of the Year

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ing Campaign of the Year and Best Use of On-line Media, Ketchum and IKEA also bring home the coveted Campaign of the Year honor for this brilliant, low-budget initiative to call attention to the Swedish home-furnishing company. Judges raved about how the effort played directly to the social media movement by giving control of its brand to comedian Mark Malkoff in early 2008, when he lived in the Paramus, NJ, store from January 7 to 12. Malkoff documented his

adventures and posted webisodes of his time in IKEA, offering a different perspective to the wellknown furniture retailer. After collaborating with Ketchum and weighing the pros and cons of relinquishing the brand’s messaging to a comedian, IKEA took the plunge. The campaign’s goals included increasing sales, boosting traffic to IKEA-USA.com, and promoting two key brand messages: “IKEA has everything you need to live and make a home” and “Home is the most im:fek`el\[ fe YXZb Zfm\i

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tinued strength in the areas of financial performance, innovation, and client relationships is what convinced this year’s judges that it should receive the very highest agency honor. Over the entry period, the firm grew 19% globally to $448 million and 16% in the US to $288 million, “amazing growth considering their already large base of revenue,” according to one judge. Nearly all of this growth was organic, and the agency exceeded its internal forecasts in every region and practice. Part of that organic growth is due to its long-term client relationships, which include Heinz, Wyeth, Butterball, ConAgra Foods,

Johnson & Johnson, Unilever, UPS, and Kraft. Even more impressive, the firm retained all of its top 50 clients, which now account for more than 50% of worldwide billings. But the agency also managed to add 279 new clients during the entry period. The largest wins included Teleflora, Pepsi, and Hewlett-Packard. Over the past four or five years, Edelman has become well known

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Winners Standings Every agency that has won an award during the 10 years of the PRWeek Awards is listed, with the number of awards won after its name. Our congratulations go out to all our winners, past and present.

Over 10 wins

Weber Shandwick* (23) *includes Shandwick Public Affairs and BSMG Worldwide Edelman* (22) *includes A&R Partners Ketchum (22) GolinHarris* (17) *includes Insidedge Fleishman-Hillard (16) Burson-Marsteller (11)

5-10 wins

Carmichael Lynch Spong (9) Hill & Knowlton (9) Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide (8) Cohn & Wolfe* (7) *includes GCI Group Porter Novelli (7) MWW Group (6) Manning Selvage & Lee* (5) *includes Hass MS&L

3-4 wins

Cone (4) OutCast Communications (4) APCO Worldwide (3) Euro RSCG Worldwide PR (3) Lippe Taylor Public Relations (3) rbb Public Relations (3) Ruder Finn (3) Waggener Edstrom Worldwide(3)

2 wins

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NEW YORK: Marcia Silverman

is a leader, an advocate, and a pioneer. Since she was named CEO of Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide in 2002, Silverman has pushed for growth at every level. Fittingly, during her 27 years at the agency, Ogilvy PR has more than tripled revenues and US staff. “When I joined Ogilvy, I did not think about whether this career path would be short on opportunities for women,” she noted in her entry. “I simply rolled up my sleeves and became immersed in a profession that still excites and challenges me.” In the past year, the firm has expanded the agency client base to include Nestlé, Unilever, the Children’s

Defense Fund, Nike, Virgin America, and Wyeth, all while retaining 90% of its current largest clients. What made this past year so significant for Silverman, however, is that her eye for a changing marketplace led to a doubled presence in Asia, as well as new offices in Buenos Aires, Kolkata, Karachi, Milan, and Tunis. Ogilvy PR now has 800 employees in the Asia region. As one judge noted, “This year caps a long-term stellar career.” As the Ogilvy map continues to unfold, Silverman has also focused her leadership on the US. The agency reports a staff retention rate of 84% and, at the suggestion of employees, globalized

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campaign

PRWeek Campaign of the Year 2009

Winner Ketchum and IKEA: Man Lives in IKEA: Citizen Marketer Becomes IKEA Brand Evangelist Winner of both the Corporate Branding Campaign of the Year and Best Use of Online Media, Ketchum and IKEA also bring home the coveted Campaign of the Year honor for this brilliant, low-budget initiative to call attention to the Swedish homefurnishing company. Judges raved about how the effort played directly to the social media movement by giving control of its brand to comedian Mark Malkoff in early 2008, when he lived in the Paramus, NJ, store from January 7 to 12. Malkoff documented his adventures and posted webisodes of his time in IKEA, offering a different perspective to the wellknown furniture retailer. After collaborating with Ketchum and weighing the pros and cons of relinquishing the brand’s messaging to a comedian, IKEA took the plunge. The campaign’s goals included increasing sales, boosting traffic to IKEA-USA.com, and promoting two key brand messages: “IKEA has everything you need to live and make a home” and “Home is the most important place in the world.” The latter was recently added as a brand message and supported by a multi-year campaign. Malkoff, a fan and customer of IKEA, was entrusted with spreading this message, but still retained creative control of his work.

The Award Of all the outstanding campaigns we are honoring this year, choosing one for this accolade was no easy task. This award goes to the campaign that not only epitomizes the very best in PR ethics and tactics, it also displays the power of PR to help overcome tremendous obstacles.

Finalists 2009

n Edelman and American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women Initiative: Go Red For Women 2007-08 Untold Stories Campaign n Fleishman-Hillard and Papa John’s International: Papa, What’s Next? Text! n Hill & Knowlton and Deloitte:

Working with a budget of $13,500, the campaign got “lots of bang for the buck,” one judge said. MarkLivesInIKEA.com received more than 15 million hits and home-related IKEA blog coverage rose 356% from January 2007 to January 2008. IKEA calculated that the effort generated more than 382 million positive media impressions. Coverage highlights included the AP, Today, Good Morning America, and CNN. Sales at the Paramus store were up 5.5% compared to January 2007, while traffic to the IKEA Web site was up 6.8%. The brand was smart to say yes to Malkoff, whose previous project saw him visit all 171

New York City Starbucks locations. He was someone who could handle media relations on his own, including the initial announcement of the plan. Meanwhile, Ketchum and IKEA secured interviews with store executives and planned the week’s schedule, which included a goodbye party featuring singer Lisa Loeb. Malkoff’s team documented his interactions, including those with security guards and customers relaxing in his “home,” and posted 25 videos during the week. In a field of great finalists, judges kept returning to Ketchum and IKEA’s ingenuity and budget-minded plan as the logical Campaign of the Year.

Deloitte Drives Health Care Debate: Transforms Perception as “Just an Accounting Firm” to Health Care’s #1 Consultancy

n Ketchum and Häagen-Dazs: Häagen-Dazs Loves Honey Bees: Let’s Lick This Problem n Ketchum and IKEA: Man Lives in IKEA: Citizen Marketer Becomes IKEA Brand Evangelist

Honorable Mention Ketchum and Häagen-Dazs: Häagen-Dazs Loves Honey Bees: Let’s Lick This Problem Häagen-Dazs (HD) was suffering from slow sales, low consumer interest, and a stuffy image. Ketchum helped the ice-cream company focus on its commitment to all-natural ingredients and devised a program that tied HD to an unknown issue threatening the existence of a large percentage of its ingredients – disappearing honey bees. “This was a fabulous entry into cause marketing for a new player,” said one judge. Ketchum suggested that HD donate $250,000 to Penn State University and the University of CaliforniaDavis for research. A bee advisory board comprising scientists and beekeepers was formed to ensure authentic, factual communication. A new flavor – Vanilla Honey Bee – and bee logo were created. HD created helpthehoneybees.com to educate the public. Sales in April – the month the campaign launched – rose 5.2%, the largest single-month spike in a year. More than 1.2 million seed packets were planted, which far surpassed community-involvement goals.

PRWeek

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They should have cut him off after four awards.

Congratulations to all overachievers. ÂŠ 2009 Carmichael Lynch Spong

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general consumer

Product Brand Development Campaign of the Year 2009 Sponsored by Carmichael Lynch Spong

Winner GolinHarris and Unilever: “What Would You Do for a Klondike Bar?” Goes Viral “What would you do for a Klondike bar?” The brand has succeeded by posing that question for more than a quarter-century. However, a much more pressing question has arisen of late: What would Klondike do to reignite recently sagging sales and awareness? The company sought to answer that query with the help of GolinHarris. The firm first recognized the need to tap into the long-term sales potential of 25 to 44 year olds. It decided to do so through social media and by tapping into this group’s pervading sense of humor, evidenced by its affinity for late-night talk shows, sketch comedy, and satirical TV. The team created an online video contest where members of the “YouTube generation” would send in videos to show just how far they would go for that Klondike. The campaign obviously needed a “face” to build buzz. Saturday Night Live’s Andy Samberg proved to be an obvious choice. He and two pals are well known for their Emmy-winning “D*** in a Box” video shorts, so their participation was sure to enhance viral appeal and provide the needed edgy attitude to woo this demographic. “This campaign perfectly appealed to its target audience,” noted one judge. In an unprecedented move, Klondike gave Samberg carte blanche to produce a video answering the iconic question any way he saw fit. The resulting bold – and

The Award Honoring outstanding success in the ongoing development, repositioning, reinvigoration, or relaunch of an established consumer brand (either a product or a service) through the use of PR.

Finalists 2009

n Coyne Public Relations and Humana: Share and Share-a-Bike: Humana Brings Bike-Sharing to the Masses n GolinHarris and Unilever: “What Would You Do for a Klondike Bar?” Goes Viral n Ketchum and Häagen-Dazs: Häagen-Dazs Loves Honey Bees: Let’s Lick This Problem n Text 100 Global Public Relations and Parrot, Inc.: Polly Want a Car Kit? California Drivers Go Hands-Free with Parrot n Weber Shandwick and Polaroid: Redefining Polaroid for the Digital Age

sometimes bleeped – three-part video saga drew thousands of visitors to KlondikeContest.com. The grand prize package of $100,000 and an opportunity for an in-person video consultation with Samberg and pals didn’t hurt, either. Throw in Golin’s staggered social and traditional media strategy to promote the Samberg video series – which included a Facebook page, Twitter account, and even an update of Klondike’s Wikipedia entry to highlight the Samberg partnership – and Klondike was well on its way to the broader attention it sought. More than 500 contest submissions poured in, each more zany than the last. The winner,

Joel Levinson, literally traveled to the Arctic to eat a Klondike bar with polar bears. As a result of the campaign, the brand experienced its first positive sales change in two years. From The New York Times to USA Today’s “Pop candy” blog to an organic bit about the brand on NBC’s Chuck, Golin’s efforts netted 710 media placements and 346 million impressions. Klondike also achieved a 1,326% increase in discussion volume, with Golin being credited for driving 35% of site traffic to KlondikeContest.com. “What a great example of relaunching a brand,” said one judge. “It’s fresh, innovative, and impactful.”

Honorable Mention Text 100 Global Public Relations and Parrot, Inc.: Polly Want a Car Kit? California Drivers Go Hands-Free with Parrot California’s new law mandating that all drivers use a hands-free device when on a mobile phone created the perfect platform for Parrot and its agency, Text 100, to tout the firm’s wireless hands-free car kit products. Motorola was already in the market, but Parrot and Text welcomed the David vs. Goliath challenge. Products were seeded with influencers like California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and comedian Jay Leno. Demos on broadcast outlets were coupled with targeted radio spots. Events were held in 24 Best Buy stores. A political satire on www.parrotnotquail.com asked Californians to “Vote Parrot for State Bird.” From February to August 2008, Parrot captured more than 152 million impressions and a 200% sales boost, including major California dailies and in three Chamber of Commerce newsletters. One judge credited the effort for “capitalizing on an issue and crossing between brand and public affairs to build awareness and boost sales.”

PRWeek

Carmichael Lynch Spong is one of the most decorated PR firms in the world. Headquartered in Minneapolis, it is the 2004 and 2005 recipient of “Midsize Agency of the Year” by national trade journals The Holmes Report and PRWeek, respectively. The full-service firm ignites and sustains momentum for a select portfolio of blue-chip clients.

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Cramer-Krasselt Public Relations congratulates all of the winners and entrants in the 2009 PRWeek Awards.

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general consumer

Consumer Launch Campaign of the Year 2009 Sponsored by CKPR

The Award Recognizing achievement in the launch of a new product or service and the ability to create buzz and brand recognition through the use of PR. Evidence of sales/usage was also strongly considered.

Winner Discovery Communications Planet Green: Planet Green Channel Launch In 2007, global media and entertainment company Discovery Communications announced its decision to launch a new cable channel, Planet Green, as the first 24-hour eco-lifestyle network on TV. With environmental awareness on the rise and no committed TV platform, Discovery sought to connect with potential viewers and build buzz for its new channel through a gradual surge strategy leading up to the June 2008 launch. Planet Green’s multiple platforms include online, VOD, mobile, and corporate initiatives. One judge commended the communications team for “leverag[ing its] assets like none other,” while another noted the “outstanding use of [these] assets.” Tactical goals incorporated the promotion of the new platform’s experts and programs, as well as directing attention to digital platforms TreeHugger.com, which it acquired in August 2007, and PlanetGreen.com. Before the major publicity push, which began in January 2008, these online venues served as a way to drive brand awareness. Bringing media coverage “from a whisper to a buzz to a scream,” the “closely guarded” programming specifics were unveiled in exclusives with The Wall Street Journal and USA Today. Other announcements leveraging media included Earth Day promotions with Planet Green’s partners, such as the Nature Conservancy, with whom the channel teamed to “Plant a Billion Trees,” and the Green Apple Festival, an Earth Day event across eight US cities.

Finalists 2009

n Discovery Communications Planet Green: Planet Green Channel Launch n Hanna Lee Communications and Imperial Brands: “Truth in Vodka” Campaign for Sobieski Vodka n M Booth & Associates and Tea Forté: Establishing a New Iced Tea Experience: Tea Forté Launches “Tea-Over-Ice” n Northlich and Totes-Isotoner: You Can Stand Under Our Umbrella ‘Ella, ‘Ella, ‘Ella n O’Malley Hansen Communications and Sara Lee Fresh Bakery: The Great Whole Grain Giveaway

Consumer-facing greening efforts included PlanetGreen.com’s “Detox Your Home” campaign and “random acts of greenness” giveaways in various venues, which were part of the channel’s targeted approach that one judge praised. Internally, buzz was generated among Discovery’s 4,000 employees with a campaign that included events introducing executive leadership, programming, and personalities. Executives and talent were also presented to media. In addition, global employees were provided with an opportunity to participate in the launch via Discovery’s intranet, the One Discovery Portal. In the final ramp-up before the launch, the communications team created a launch party at the Greek Theatre in

Los Angeles, along with placements of talent on national broadcast morning shows and other outreach initiatives. One notable placement was derived from a partnership with The New York Post for an Earth Day supplement showcasing the competitive reality show, Battleground Earth: Ludacris vs. Tommy Lee. Brian Stelter of The New York Times called the Planet Green launch, “the highest-profile cable channel introduction of the year.” The agency generated nearly 1 billion consumer impressions from January to August 2008. “Great blocking and tackling,” one judge said of the initiative, while another lauded “[its] tremendous results and use of vehicles [and] properties.”

Honorable Mention Hanna Lee Communications and Imperial Brands: “Truth in Vodka” Campaign for Sobieski Vodka Imperial Brands tasked Hanna Lee Communications with the US launch of its top-ranking international vodka brand, Sobieski. In its “Truth in Vodka” campaign for fall 2007, Hanna Lee distinguished Sobieski from the hype accompanying many vodkas by unveiling a back-to-basics PR plan showcasing the Polish brand’s authenticity, high quality, and affordability. A media launch was held at Rayuela Restaurant in New York City with top media attendance. Press outreach commenced with industry trades to assist with product distribution to retail outlets, followed by consumer and business press. More than 200 sample packages were distributed. Imperial Brands’ president and CEO Chester Brandes was utilized as spokesperson. With more than 150 placements, Sobieski sold 200,000 cases in its first year. It also signed on as the first official vodka of Madison Square Garden. One judge called the results “amazing” given the $250,000 budget and the competitive category.

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Cramer-Krasselt offers strategically innovative communications to national consumer and corporate companies. Ranked among the top independent PR firms in the country by PRWeek, the firm employs its “Strategy Amplified” process to leverage PR capabilities and complete in-house integrated resources, including brand planning, creative design, Web, and new media to build brands.

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general consumer

The Award Honoring success in the arts and entertainment, including films, magazines, television shows, books, newspapers, or Web sites.

Finalists 2009

n Coyne Public Relations and Harlem

Globetrotters: Harlem Globetrotters: “Magic as Ever” 2007-2008 Tour n GolinHarris and Nintendo of America: Wii Fit Gets America Moving n Ketchum and Nokia: Nokia Productions:

Engaging Consumers to Create the First Socially Collaborative Film

n Ruder Finn and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater – Celebrating the Spirit n Weber Shandwick and MilkPEP: Taking the Milk Mustache Digital to Break Through With Teens

Arts, Entertainment & Media Campaign of the Year 2009

Winner GolinHarris and Nintendo of America: Wii Fit Gets America Moving Nintendo faced a major challenge in building buzz for a video game that looked like a bathroom scale. But when the Wii Fit debuted at E3 in 2007 to a lukewarm response, the challenge became even greater. Working with GolinHarris, Nintendo used PR as a major part of a pre-launch campaign, educating consumers and media, while pushing the game as a second act to Wii. The launch campaign focused on reaching parents over the age of 35, health-conscious consumers, and both casual and core gamers. Nintendo hoped to secure hits in outlets like The New York Times, USA Today, and on the big three network morning shows. The strategy for the campaign included stressing the fun and fitness that Wii Fit can provide. It hoped to establish credibility by partnering with a health organization to offer consumers free tryouts, which research showed would boost sales. Leading up to the game’s release, Wii Fit creator Shigeru Miyamoto was made available for media interviews. The company also released a special series of interviews with Nintendo president Satoru Iwata online. Personal trainers delivered the Wii Fit to several key media outlets, which resulted in coverage in publications including People and Vanity Fair. The big three morning shows – Today, Good Morning America, and The Early Show – and The Ellen DeGe-

neres Show had on-air demos of the game, while Saturday Night Live parodied Wii Fit, which helped it enter into the pop culture dialogue. Overall, nearly 2,000 publications featured the Wii Fit, with impressions reaching more than 2 billion. The media results that came from the PR explained how to use the product, showed people having fun, and turned the Wii Fit into a must-have game. GolinHarris and Nintendo had a “superb media program that secured coverage in a number of non-tech media outlets, showing that the campaign proactively sought coverage in almost every lifestyle periodical,” noted one judge.

A well-received launch event took place in New York’s Central Park, where $5 was donated to the American Heart Association for every person who “got on board.” More than 290 million impressions resulted from the event, including the AP, CNBC, and Fitness. Consumers formed lines to buy the Wii Fit and the product sold out at the Nintendo World store on launch day. Nintendo reported that the introduction of Wii Fit was among the most successful launches in company history. “[The campaign] turned the product into a phenomenon, a sensation, and it achieved broad ubiquity,” said one judge.

Honorable Mention Ruder Finn and Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater: Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater – Celebrating the Spirit The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater marked its 50th anniversary in 2008 and hired Ruder Finn to help it bring dance to the people, celebrate modern dance, and honor its AfricanAmerican roots. For greater visibility, it placed dancers on Dancing with the Stars and So You Think You Can Dance. Ruder Finn pitched media with story ideas from race to style, and helped the company on a campaign that, as one judge stated, “successfully rode a milestone to achieve its objectives.” The anniversary was covered in The Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, and Essence. The New York Times also featured artistic director Judith Jamison, who retired during the celebration. Regular season sales were up 50% during the first week of sales in September, and crowds lined up at 5am for oneday discounted tickets.

AWARDS 2009 • www.prweekus.com

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industry market

Business-to-Business Campaign of the Year 2009

Winner Ketchum and Navistar International Corp.: LoneStar: Shining the Light on a New Trucking Star Navistar created a new crossover truck to appeal to the changing requirements and preferences of today’s truck drivers. The company hoped the launch of its International LoneStar would give truckers new options. Previously, the marketplace offered choices of either a “classic” truck that offered great “looks” but little fuelefficiency or an “aerodynamic” truck that had great fuel-efficiency – a feature of growing concern to truckers – but lacked a design that could appeal to the “heart” of a trucker. The team found through extensive research, including investigation of market data and interviews with hundreds of truckers, that the drivers were easily spending $1,000 to fill their tanks at the pump. It also discovered that most long-haul drivers were putting in an average of more than 100,000 miles a year, meaning their trucks were more than a vehicle; they served more as a “mobile apartment.” Secondary research also indicated that truckers are heavy Internet users who regularly frequent trucker blogs and message boards. The launch of the truck was given a $200,000 budget with the objective to not only secure 25 million media impressions, but also to drive 100 “imme-

The Award Recognizing campaigns within a niche business sector or the business community at large.

Finalists 2009

n Ketchum and IKEA: Small Businesses, Big Dreams: Furnished by IKEA n Ketchum and Navistar International Corp.: LoneStar: Shining the Light on a New Trucking Star n Ketchum and Toshiba America Medical Systems: Revolutionizing Healthcare in a Single Rotation – Toshiba’s Aquilion ONE Launch n Volume Public Relations: From Zero to 270 Million

n Weber Shandwick and Siemens: New Broom at Siemens Cleans Up

diate orders” and “create jealousy” among other truck manufacturers. The team drummed up buzz by launching the LoneStar truck at the Chicago Auto Show – not the usual place for a semi, big-rig unveiling – which got people talking. It pitched top national media with previews, and then hosted more than 200 press entities, including auto publications, men’s journals, as well as general-interest outlets, for a press conference at the show. The second launch took place six weeks later at the Mid-America Truck Show to ensure that both the trade media and drivers got to see it firsthand.

The PR strategy was deemed “smart” and “sharp” by one judge, while another noted it was a “flawless execution of b-to-b strategy, demonstrating bottom-line results.” In fact, the sales orders exceeded the goal of 100, plus the campaign captured five magazine covers and 73 million media impressions. Exclusives were secured in USA Today and the Chicago Tribune. Word of mouth had also been a goal of the campaign. After a photo of the truck was leaked online, the group counted nearly 100 message-board and blog posts about it. “Outstanding program,” said a judge. “Research on the target was high value... nontraditional venues worked very well.”

Honorable Mention Ketchum and Toshiba America Medical Systems: Revolutionizing Healthcare in a Single Rotation – Toshiba’s Aquilion ONE Launch Toshiba America Medical Systems was debuting a new, game-changing CT (computed tomography) technology, but it faced a community of skeptical radiologists. It also needed to explain the new technology to reporters, some of whom had used inaccurate terms to describe CT imaging. To launch the new Aquilion ONE, which had a record 320 detector rows, it worked with Ketchum to develop a b-to-b launch strategy, targeting media and radiologists at the Radiological Society of North America trade show. With a total budget of $180,000, it offered sneak peaks to “influencer” radiologists. It also called a press conference in which it surprised reporters who were simply expecting an upgrade to old tech with the new innovation, garnering great buzz. The campaign created significant word of mouth within its target group, but also secured 299 sales leads weeks into the launch, which was well over the goal of 150. One judge lauded the effort for its “expert execution” that made “great use of research.” Another said it was an “excellent program distinguished by in-depth knowledge of the target and how information flows.”

PRWeek

www.prweekus.com • AWARDS 2009

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Healthcare Campaign of the Year 2009 Sponsored by MultiVu

Winner Hill & Knowlton and Deloitte: Deloitte Drives Health Care Debate: Transforms Perception as “Just an Accounting Firm” to Health Care’s #1 Consultancy When storied accounting firm Deloitte & Touche decided it was time to raise the profile of its life sciences and healthcare consulting practice, it turned to Hill & Knowlton to develop a $500,000 campaign that would help propel Deloitte into a position as a recognized healthcare leader. It launched several surveys that touched on major trends in healthcare to generate media attention among targeted top-tier publications and outlets. The first survey, based on consumers, was reported on the front page of The New York Times. Members of the practice’s management team were offered as sources who could comment on trends like the presidential election and healthcare reform, further positioning Deloitte as a healthcare expert among mainstream media such as CNN, Fox Business, the Associated Press, and The Wall Street Journal. What made the campaign so unique and successful, however, was its reliance on research to create its PR strategy. And because Deloitte does not advertise, the success of the b-to-b campaign relied entirely on a strategic PR effort. Prior to the launch of the surveys, the PR team worked with Cision to develop two main strategies. First, it sought to identify the right platforms for Deloitte’s healthcare

The Award This award focuses on products, services, and organizations, from pharmaceutical to biotech, managed care to hospitals.

Finalists 2009

n Coyne PR and Humana: Share and

Share-a-Bike: Humana Brings Bike- Sharing to the Masses

n Edelman and American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women Initiative: Go Red For Women 2007-08 Untold Stories Campaign n Hill & Knowlton and Deloitte:

Deloitte Drives Health Care Debate: Transforms Perception as “Just an Accounting Firm” to Health Care’s #1 Consultancy

n Ketchum and Boehringer

Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals: Follow the Leader: Boehringer Ingelheim Takes Extraordinary Steps to Support the Parkinson’s Unity Walk

n Ogilvy PR Worldwide and The National

Women’s Health Research Center: What’s Going on Down There?

practice. Second, it looked for tactics that would result in the greatest media reach, whether it was a top-tier journalist, a wire service, or a syndicated columnist. “The business-to-business campaign brought a consumer-oriented angle using research as its foundation,” commented one judge. “[It was a] very impressive and aggressive campaign, backed by valuable new research,” added another. After researching the firm’s media coverage since 2005, the PR team discovered how inconsistent coverage had been and developed a strategy to target top-tier media outlets with more frequency.

A specific PR strategy was developed for each of the practice’s sectors, including health plans, providers, and life sciences. The team then developed a program to “coat-tail” major industry trends with Deloitte experts. The campaign was “a smart healthcare program” and “positioned [Deloitte] as a leader in healthcare,” said a judge. Using Cision data, it was reported that Deloitte moved from a number-five ranking among consulting competitors in 2005 to the top spot in 2008, which led to Modern Healthcare ranking Deloitte as the numberone healthcare consultancy.

Honorable Mention Edelman and American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women Initiative: Go Red For Women 2007-08 Untold Stories Campaign The annual “Go Red For Women” campaign chose to focus on the fact that many women do not realize that heart disease can be a personal risk. Raising awareness that heart disease is the number one killer of women was the campaign’s main goal, but it also sought to raise the profile of goredforwomen.org and register 2 million women by 2010. Focusing on untold stories – women with heart disease who had not understood or personalized the risk – created a platform. A documentary developed with NBC invited women with similar stories to take part. “A superb effort to raise awareness,” said one judge. An American Heart Association study showed that 65% of women are now aware that heart disease is the number-one killer of women, compared with 57% in 2006. More than 220,000 women joined the Web site and there were 700 submissions for the documentary. It is “a dynamic long-term campaign that continues to stretch in different directions,” noted another judge.

PRWeek

MultiVu, a PR Newswire company, provides unsurpassed broadcast television, radio, and multimedia production and global distribution services to organizations that want to reach the media, financial community, general public, and other key audiences with their visual and audio messages.

www.prweekus.com • AWARDS 2009

Deloitte congratulates the winners of the PRWeek Awards. This news won’t exactly stop the presses, but to win these awards requires not only the best talent in the profession, but a determination to break barriers and take risks. And that requires organizations that fully appreciate the widest range of diversity in their people. At Deloitte, we are committed to a workforce that’s diverse in all forms of the word, and we reward the talents of our people through innovative work/life balance programs and support their career growth through continuous education. And that’s news we don’t embargo.

www.deloitte.com As used in this document, “Deloitte” means Deloitte LLP and its subsidiaries. Please see www.deloitte.com/us/about for a detailed description of the legal structure of Deloitte LLP and its subsidiaries. Copyright © 2009 Deloitte Development LLC. All rights reserved. Member of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu

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Technology Campaign of the Year 2009 Sponsored by Deloitte

Winner Fleishman-Hillard and Papa John’s Intl.: Papa, What’s Next? Text! Pizza delivery has been a reality since the late 1960s, but Papa John’s has long believed in evolving this service with technology. In 2001, the company started online ordering. In November 2007, it led the industry in introducing text-message ordering. The innovation, however, was faced with questions, the most pressing being: Is text messaging as quick and effective as phone ordering? Fleishman-Hillard stepped in with a threepart strategy to answer such doubts. The firm enlisted the Guinness Book of World Records’ fastest talker and fastest texter and pitted them against each other in a pizzaordering challenge at the Mall of America in Minneapolis. “Clever use of fast talker linked to fast texter,” noted one judge. “Great use of the mall [added] fun to the campaign.” The third-largest pizza chain catapulted to a spot as the industry’s tech leader when it introduced a four-step process for textmessage delivery. Customers registered on www.papajohns.com to save their favorite orders, payment, and delivery information. Then they could text FAV1, FAV2, or others to 4PAPA. Then Papa John’s confirms the order and processes it. Fleishman wanted to convey the ease of the transaction to consumers. Working with Papa John’s, it nabbed an exclusive with The Wall Street Journal to unveil the story. The

The Award Recognizing the best tech campaign – which may include product launches or innovations, uses and applications of technology, or tech issues and advancements – in a category that is open to both business-to-business and consumer campaigns.

Finalists 2009

n CRT/tanaka and Martin Aircraft: It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane... No, It’s the Martin Jetpack n Fleishman-Hillard and Papa John’s Intl.: Papa, What’s Next? Text! n GolinHarris and Nintendo of America: Wii Fit Gets America Moving n Raytheon Company: The Raytheon You Don’t Know: Channeling ‘Iron Man’ n Red Consultancy and Eye-Fi Inc.: Picture Perfect: From Start-up to Stand-out

piece was followed by stories in the AP and picked up by many other print outlets. Fleishman also conducted extensive online editorial outreach to the US’ most popular and influential bloggers. In addition, it also identified savvy “early adopters” of such technology to unveil a flash demo on Papa John’s Web site that offered a step-by-step tutorial on how to text-message order. “Highly creative campaign and wellplanned strategy,” noted another judge. “Great sequencing and communications mix. Overall outstanding campaign.” The effort yielded 629 media placements and 53 million impressions, in addition to

making a mark on TV and radio. Following the campaign, the event’s YouTube video collected more than 75,000 views and its online buzz gave the campaign a second wave of coverage weeks after the initial launch. More than 114,000 registered their mobile numbers with Papa John’s following the effort and more than 6,100 watched the demo. This was more than a 2000% increase from the 300 people who viewed the written tutorial. “The campaign bridged old and new media,” a judge noted. “It demonstrated a clear link among research, strategy, and tactics. Excellent result.”

Honorable Mention Raytheon Company: The Raytheon You Don’t Know: Channeling ‘Iron Man’ The aerospace and defense industry is facing a recruiting challenge. To solve this, Raytheon developed a PR solution to reach three targets: the mainstream media, potential recruits, and recent hires. The company started with a general “Raytheon You Don’t Know” campaign, but honed the effort by tying it to the release of Paramount Pictures’ Iron Man last spring. The team knew the focal point of its robotics story would be Raytheon’s exoskeleton robotic suit, but it recognized that its suit bore an uncanny resemblance to the film character’s alter ego. So, Raytheon then decided to tie any mainstream media outreach to the film’s release. The company also eschewed the typical corporate executive speech and dispatched the company’s robotic inventor and team to the media. Even Robert Downey Jr. got into the act. The star of Iron Man talked about Raytheon in interviews promoting the film. Ultimately, it added up to 20 million-plus media impressions, Web traffic, and an increased number of potential recruits. “Clever, memorable campaign,” said one judge.

PRWeek

Deloitte LLP is the US member firm of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu. Its subsidiaries provide audit, tax, consulting, and financial advisory services through nearly 45,000 people in the US. Known as an employer of choice for innovative human resources programs, it is dedicated to helping its clients and people excel.

www.prweekus.com • AWARDS 2009

PRWeek Award Finalists, we salute you. We understand the importance of keeping lines of communication open. Efficient corporations depend upon it. FedEx is proud to sponsor the Employee Communications Campaign of the Year award and we congratulate all the finalists on their exemplary work.

fedex.com ÂŠ 2009 FedEx

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Targeted Audience

Employee Communications Campaign of the Year 2009 Sponsored by FedEx

Winner Weber Shandwick and American Airlines: Just the fAActs; Spreading The Word About American’s Labor Negotiations American Airlines (AA) enlisted Weber Shandwick to help manage communications while it was approaching another round of labor negotiations with its three unions. It hoped to move beyond the airline’s previous traditional tactics, such as newsletters and other printed materials. AA wanted a communications strategy that would not only provide frequent updates on the situation to numerous stakeholders, but also help shape the negotiation conversation. To accomplish these goals, the agency helped the airline launch its first Web site dedicated to labor negotiations: AANegotiations.com. The site’s primary audience was unionized employees that would be voting on their future contracts. It was designed to help explain the company’s competitive position, as well as serve as a clearinghouse for information on the process both for employees and the media. AA hoped it would also increase transparency of the negotiations and influence attitudes and perceptions. Planning included reviewing the sites of other large companies that had sought to communicate with employees during labor negotiations, as well as in-depth talks with senior communications pros about what had, and had not, worked for them. A focus group was assembled, and after weeks of testing

The Award Recognizing skill in communicating a merger or acquisition, change in management, rebranding, restructuring, layoffs, or other issue/problem of an internal communications nature.

Finalists 2009

n AECOM Technology Corp.: “The New AECOM” – 41,000 Employees Driving Success in 125 Countries n Burson-Marsteller and Thomson Reuters: Launching Thomson Reuters to Employees: Creating a Foundation for Success n GolinHarris and Piedmont Hospital:

This is the Place. Now is the Time

n MS&L and Philips North America: Simplicity Rewards n Weber Shandwick and American Airlines: Just the fAActs; Spreading The Word About American’s Labor Negotiations

the site with them, AANegotiations.com launched a few months after the airline’s negotiations with the pilot’s labor union began. Employees could sign up for e-mail alerts on the site and also access information from third-party sources, such as the media, that might influence opinion. The e-mail alerts allowed the PR team to push through updates at a moment’s notice, even if employees weren’t accessing the site regularly. The program was a “great way to empower employees,” said one judge. To create a trustworthy resource, the team realized it had to include hard facts and figures, be 100% accurate, and present it in a straightforward manner. To do so, the

team got all data for the site from verifiable sources, such as the Airport Transport Association and the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Other items on the Web site included Op-Eds by executives and links to news articles on the airline industry. One judge called the effort an “innovative, effective program that brings an unprecedented level of transparency to labor negotiation.” The PR team said AA executives noted how the site decreased unsubstantiated rhetoric coming from labor leaders. The site is also regularly quoted in mainstream media, as well as aviation blogs. It was completed with a $200,000 budget and remains active.

Honorable Mention MS&L and Philips North America: Simplicity Rewards Philips Electronics sought a consistent way to engage and communicate its brand message of “sense and simplicity” to more than 19,000 employees in North America. To do so, the PR team and MS&L created “Simplicity Rewards,” a customized loyalty program, in August 2007. Employees visit microsite www. philips.com/simplicityrewards to learn about its latest products, record new customer leads, and test their understanding of brands and other topics. As they succeed and take part, employees gain points, which can be cashed in for products, travel, luxury goods, or household services. Participation after the first week was at 32%. By September 2008, it was at 69%. Philips added new elements like Simplicity Rewards Recognition cards that allowed managers to recognize staff in various ways. One judge lauded the effort as a “creative application of a consumer tactic in an employee program.”

PRWeek

FedEx provides customers and businesses worldwide with transportation, e-commerce, and business services. Consistently ranked among the world’s most admired and trusted employers, FedEx inspires its more than 290,000 employees and contractors to remain “absolutely, positively” focused on safety, the highest ethical and professional standards, and the needs of their customers and communities. For more, visit news.fedex.com.

www.prweekus.com • AWARDS 2009

These people at GolinHarris got consumers buzzing about what they would do for a Klondike bar. The viral video and social media campaign earned 400 million impressions and contributed to a dramatic increase in sales. Can you blame them for spreading the word?

www.golinharris.com

real people. real stories.

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Targeted Audience

Multicultural Marketing Campaign of the Year 2009 Sponsored by GolinHarris

Winner Hill & Knowlton and World Sport Chicago: AIBA World Boxing Championships Chicago 2007 Chicago is aiming to become the host of the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games, so when it was awarded the honor of hosting the AIBA World Boxing Championships (AWBC) – with only 145 days to prepare for the event, instead of the traditional two years – it sought to prove that it would be a capable and ready host for the Games. World Sport Chicago (WSC) turned to Hill & Knowlton to develop and execute a campaign with the focus on the ethnic neighborhoods surrounding Chicago and the local consulates for countries represented in the Championships. H&K’s main goal was to garner attention for and fill the seats at the event, but Chicago isn’t known for having a large amateur boxing fan base. The team focused on getting the city’s many communities to come support the boxers of their native countries, such as Mexico, Greece, Poland, and Italy. It wanted to reach the 30 ethnic communities that encompass Chicago and ensure maximum attention for the 11-day competition. In addition to media outreach, the team planned various events around Chicago, including an opening ceremony that began with a procession of athletes walking down a main street in Chicago and ending with a guest appearance by Muhammad Ali. H&K also garnered attention by staging a press conference to unveil the new logo

The Award This category is open to campaigns or components of campaigns that are specifically aimed at multicultural groups, particularly in terms of ethnic origin, or sexual or religious preference.

Finalists 2009

n Cone and The American Heart Association for Cone: The American Heart Association’s Power To End Stroke Movement n Edelman and Microsoft Zune: Zune Wisin y Yandel n Hill & Knowlton and World Sport Chicago: AIBA World Boxing Championships Chicago 2007 n MS&L and Procter & Gamble’s TAG brand: TAG Experiences the ‘Clean Smell’ of Success with the Launch of TAG Records n VPE Public Relations and McDonald’s: McDonald’s Education Campaign to Support RMHC/HACER Empowers Hispanic Communities

with the mayor and kids from the Chicago Park District’s boxing program. Additionally, the team obtained coverage by putting two US boxers, Christopher Downs and Rau’Shee Warren, in a ring aboard a barge floating down the Chicago River and contacted media the day of that event. It also planned low-profile events in the ethnic communities to generate excitement. H&K’s work paid off by making the event the largest in AWBC’s history. Throughout the 11 days of the competition, enthusiastic crowds impressed athletes, media, and, most importantly, members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which selects the host cities for the Olympics. Additionally, fans from numerous countries, includ-

ing Mongolia, Poland, and Hungary, attended the event and waved their flags proudly. A number of distinguished guests attended the event, such as boxer Evander Holyfield and IOC president Jacques Rogge. ChingKuo Wu, an IOC member from Taiwan and president of the International Boxing Association called the event “the best ever.” The event garnered more than 800 international articles during a three-month period, and Chicago remains on the IOC’s shortlist of cities to host the 2016 Games. One judge commented that the campaign was “very creative, highly global, and had excellent community engagement,” while another said that it “succeeded on every level and set the bar for the competition.”

Honorable Mention MS&L and Procter & Gamble’s TAG brand: TAG Experiences the ‘Clean Smell’ of Success with the Launch of TAG Records Consumers still use hip-hop for self-expression, but TAG noticed a falloff for the musical genre as an advocate of positive social change. To tout this idea, and to differentiate itself, the firm sought to identify with the urban community and put the brand at the center of the music. TAG hired MS&L and formed a joint venture with P&G, Island Def Jam, and hip-hop mogul Jermaine Dupri to reach this market and create TAG Records. The team secured partnerships, broke the label’s first artist on BET, enlisted influencers to spread TAG messaging, and hosted aspiring MCs in a battle for a demo deal with Dupri during an 11-market tour. MS&L teamed with Russell Simmons’ Hip-Hop Summit Action Network to award grants to students for their community efforts. Sales grew more than 50% across three key retailers. It also sparked more than 200 blog posts about the TAG Records launch and received more than 88% positive coverage. One judge said the effort had “excellent creativity to engage a youth market.”

PRWeek

For more than 50 years, GolinHarris has provided unequalled expertise and resources to every client, creating programs to increase awareness of their missions, appreciation for their brands, enthusiasm for their products, and trust in their reputations. We are proud of the commitment and passion our people have to deliver results.

www.prweekus.com • AWARDS 2009

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Targeted Audience

Global Campaign of the Year 2009 Sponsored by PR Newswire

The Award Entries can relate to any market sector (crisis, healthcare, consumer, internal communications, etc.), but work had to be executed outside the US in two or more regions by a US-based office or department.

Winner Weber Shandwick and Honeywell Intl.: Honeywell-Nobel Laureate Lecture Series – Inspiring the Next Generation of Scientists Today The ongoing need for qualified recruits and a commitment to the promotion of math and science education inspired Honeywell and its PR firm, Weber Shandwick, to launch the Honeywell Nobel Laureate Lecture Series. Honeywell partnered with 18 universities across the US, Mexico, the Czech Republic, China, and India to host six events from October 2007 to October 2008 that would bring Nobel Laureates in physics and chemistry to college campuses. The events targeted students and professors in engineering, science, and technology in order to raise awareness of the Honeywell brand and position it as a good place to work. The series also sought to leverage online initiatives to create a global network of recruits and engage with them after the events took place. The challenge of hosting an event series that spanned the globe was consistency – creating a lecture series that would provide a uniform experience regardless of boundary, yet would respect the unique culture and nuance of each location. The PR team researched and developed an event-management toolkit that provided items like budget trackers and templates for collateral materials and online promotions, such as e-mail messages. The guidelines also contained best practices for live Web streaming, video, and photography.

Finalists 2009

n Burson-Marsteller, NATIONAL PR Finsbury Ltd., Brunswick, and Thomson Reuters: Thomson Reuters – Introducing Intelligent Information n GolinHarris and McDonald’s: McDonald’s Global 2008 Beijing Olympic Games Sponsorship n Ogilvy PR and FM Global: Helping Businesses Sidestep Disaster Worldwide n Text 100 and Xerox: Xerox Sobers up a Print Industry Drunk on Hype

Honeywell and WS leveraged the events as an opportunity to educate local communities about Honeywell’s commitment to math and science education through media placements, to drive Honeywell recruiting, and to spur online engagement. Planning for the lecture series reached across 12 time zones and took into account every detail – from securing Nobel Laureate participation, to booking venues and catering. The PR team also organized media outreach, creating talking points for Honeywell executives, developing appropriate branding materials for each country, and targeting the social networks and blogs that students frequent, like Facebook and YouTube. One judge called the effort a “bull’s-eye!” Another said the effort was an “excellent corroboration of clear objective, creative

strategy, practical and global execution, and detailed, relevant measures of success.” More than 6,000 students participated in the on-campus events. More than 3,000 attended the Honeywell Traveling Technology Experience, an accompanying event that featured discussion groups and presentations from Honeywell executives, and 1,500-plus students visited on-campus career fairs hosted by Honeywell. The company gathered a database of 3,450 qualified recruits and more than 87,000 social media group members were contacted via outreach efforts. According to surveys completed during the events, 90.5% of student respondents would consider employment with Honeywell because of their involvement with the lecture series.

n Weber Shandwick and Honeywell Intl.: Honeywell-Nobel Laureate Lecture Series – Inspiring the Next Generation of Scientists Today

Honorable Mention Text 100 and Xerox: Xerox Sobers up a Print Industry Drunk on Hype The print world gathered in Dusseldorf, Germany, for Drupa, a trade show where printing technology is introduced and purchased. The 2008 expo, dubbed the “Inkjet Drupa,” drew 390,000 visitors and 3,000 international journalists. Drupa was expected to be dominated by high-speed inkjet printing technology, but Xerox seized upon a three-pronged focus: innovation, environmental sustainability, and industry leadership. A year in advance, Xerox and its PR firm, Text 100, researched the global press for inkjet stories. In October 2007, Xerox launched a new printing press, an inkjet alternative, with international media outreach. During Drupa, more than 100 journalists attended a prebriefing where Xerox tested messaging. Days later, it launched the Xerox iGen4 Press, months earlier than planned. “[The] message was clear and [the] campaign was executed well against desired themes; great media coverage,” said a judge. The effort garnered more than 870 international articles, and millions in new revenue.

PRWeek

PR Newswire Association (prnewswire. com) provides electronic distribution, targeting, measurement, and broadcast services on behalf of tens of thousands of corporate, government, association, labor, nonprofit, and other customers worldwide. Using PR Newswire, these organizations reach a variety of critical audiences including the news media, the investment community, government decision-makers, and the general public with up-to-the-minute, full-text news developments.

www.prweekus.com • AWARDS 2009

Targeted Audience

The Award Recognizing outstanding achievement in local projects or ongoing local community programs in areas such as the environment, education, enterprise, health, the arts, law and order, and equal opportunity.

Community Relations Campaign of the Year 2009

Winner Finalists 2009

n Fleishman-Hillard and AT&T: Rocking the Vote: Engaging Youth in the Election Process n GolinHarris and International Kids Fund: A New Face for Lai n Oasis and Honeywell: FMA Live! n Porter Novelli and Seeds of Compassion: A Five-Day Gathering with the Dalai Lama in Seattle n Weber Shandwick and US Army: Army Grassroots Initiative

GolinHarris and International Kids Fund: A New Face for Lai The International Kids Fund (IKF), a Miamibased nonprofit that relies solely on community donations and is dedicated to helping children overcome serious illnesses, hired GolinHarris to build awareness of Lai Thi Dao, a Vietnamese teenager living with a schwannoma tumor that covered most of her face. Golin was tasked with creating an effort to raise money for Lai’s medical costs (about $107,000), to increase awareness of IKF in South Florida, and to engage the general market media – something that IKF had never been able to do. The team sought to target both South Florida residents and potential new donors throughout the nation with national media relations efforts. Through research, Golin found that IKF didn’t have a presence in South Florida’s English-language outlets. With this, it identified the opportunity to leverage existing loyal media outlets and introduce others to IKF’s work. The team worked with the nonprofit to learn more about Lai and her journey to IKF. It also conducted pre-interviews with her family and doctors. Through those conversations, the team learned that Lai’s doctors did not know how to help her and that a missionary in Lai’s village contacted her brother in the US to get in touch with various organizations that might want to help. She was denied assistance because of the complexity of her surgery, but IKF eagerly took on the challenge of helping Lai get back to a healthy life.

Golin utilized this information to leverage Lai’s story as an example of IKF’s work around the world and position it as an organization dedicated to saving children who suffer from life-threatening conditions. The team organized and implemented a fundraising effort that launched with a press conference. It then contacted several media contacts, like the AP and every daily and TV broadcast station in the market. The first conference landed IKF coverage in English- and Spanish-language networks across the US, one of the IKF’s major goals. Golin hosted two additional press conferences – one just days after Lai’s surgery, the other months later to unveil her new face.

Golin’s strategy proved successful, as IKF raised more than $500,000 – four times what was needed to pay for Lai’s first procedure and any subsequent medical operations. IKF also reported a record 4,383 new donors. More than a dozen media outlets attended each press conference and a new CBS show called The Doctors took interest and documented Lai’s journey during and after surgery. The judges admired this campaign for its amazing results and how it was executed. “The campaign retained Lai’s dignity and didn’t make her a character,” noted one judge. Another called it “a textbook example of how to use PR to champion change.”

Honorable Mention Fleishman-Hillard and AT&T: Rocking the Vote: Engaging Youth in the Election Process AT&T and Rock the Vote (RTV) capitalized on the 2008 election, and its importance for youth, by hiring Fleishman-Hillard to create a series of online, grassroots, and interactive mobile campaigns to urge youth to use their wireless phones. AT&T set a goal of registering 2 million young people to vote, so Fleishman created a program for customers of any carrier, not just AT&T. They built a text alert system that sent surveys, convention updates, and reminders via text message. It also enlisted teens to blog and vlog from the campaign trail and to report from the national conventions using AT&T handsets. That content was later posted on RTV’s Web site. AT&T also sponsored a concert to note RTV’s Democratic National Convention presence, where attendees could text their thoughts and stream them in-venue. RTV registered 2.3 million voters. A judge called it a “tremendous use of digital media.”

AWARDS 2009 • www.prweekus.com

PRWeek

Corporate

Corporate Branding Campaign of the Year 2009

Winner Ketchum and IKEA: Man Lives in IKEA: Citizen Marketer Becomes IKEA Brand Evangelist IKEA gave control of its brand to a comedian for a week in early 2008, when he lived in the Paramus, NJ, store from January 7 to 12. Mark Malkoff documented his adventures and posted webisodes of his time in IKEA, offering a different perspective to the wellknown furniture retailer. After collaborating with Ketchum and weighing the pros and cons of relinquishing the brand’s messaging to a comedian, IKEA decided to take the plunge and work with Malkoff. The campaign’s goals included increasing sales, boosting traffic to IKEA-USA.com, and promoting two key brand messages: “IKEA has everything you need to live and make a home” and “Home is the most important place in the world.” The latter was recently added as a brand message and supported by a multi-year campaign. Malkoff, a fan and customer of IKEA, was entrusted with spreading this message, but still retained creative control of his work. His videos would not be produced or screened by IKEA. He would also be allowed to do media outreach on his own. IKEA hoped the viral nature of the videos would attract a key audience of potential younger, tech-savvy customers, and the constant filming would demonstrate and display IKEA’s products and its unique instore shopping experience.

The Award Honors the most outstanding use of PR in the launch of a new company or in a corporate rebranding initiative. The chosen entries demonstrate effective results beyond mere brand-name recognition to show an appreciation and understanding of key message points among the target audience.

Finalists 2009

n Burson-Marsteller and Hormel Foods Corporation: Hormel Foods Corporate Communications Program n Burson-Marsteller and Thomson Reuters: Introducing Intelligent Information n Coyne Public Relations and Medco

Health Solutions: A Prescription for Leadership: Medco Forges a Path to Transforming Pharmacy Care in America

n Fleishman-Hillard and AmerenUE: AmerenUE Connecting Missouri

Malkoff, who did a similar project when he visited all 171 Starbucks locations in New York City, handled some media on his own, including the initial announcement of the plan. Meanwhile, Ketchum and IKEA secured interviews with store executives and planned the week’s schedule, which included a goodbye party featuring singer Lisa Loeb. Malkoff and his team documented Malkoff’s interactions, including those with security guards and customers relaxing in his “home,” and posted 25 videos throughout the week. Working with a budget of $13,500, the campaign got “lots of bang for the buck,” one judge said. MarkLivesInIKEA.com re-

ceived more than 15 million hits and homerelated IKEA blog coverage rose 356% from January 2007 to January 2008. IKEA calculated that the effort generated more than 382 million positive media impressions. Coverage highlights included the Associated Press, Today, Good Morning America, CNN, and ABC World News. Sales at the Paramus store were up 5.5% compared to January 2007, while traffic to the IKEA Web site was up 6.8%. By allowing Malkoff to live and document his time in the store, IKEA was able to offer a third-party perspective of the retailer, which one judge described as a “very clever approach to corporate branding.”

n Ketchum and IKEA: Man Lives in IKEA: Citizen Marketer Becomes IKEA Brand Evangelist

Honorable Mention Burson-Marsteller and Hormel Foods Corporation: Hormel Foods Corporate Communications Program Best known as the maker of SPAM, Hormel Foods found its reputation to be an obstacle to broadening its corporate image. In hiring Burson-Marsteller, Hormel sought to focus on its strengths, tout the company’s portfolio, and rally employees around one mission. The team reached out to media, analysts, employees, and consumers, focusing on corporate enhancement, brand support, digital overhaul, and internal communications. Hormel and Burson set up speaking dates for the company’s C-suite, developed a Hunger Summit cause-related program, and released a CSR report. Hormel launched a new brand mark and a mobile tour targeting Hispanics. Burson launched several Web sites, including HormelFoodsRecipes.com. An internal program called “Our Way” helped align the company around one mission. Post-campaign research found that consumers and media gained better knowledge of Hormel, while employees’ understanding of the company’s vision also improved.

PRWeek

www.prweekus.com • AWARDS 2009

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Corporate

Public Affairs Campaign of the Year 2009 Sponsored by Qorvis Communications

The Award Recognizing the most effective use of public affairs to change/enlist political and/or public opinion. Specific focus was placed on execution of research, media relations, grassroots community activity, and lobbying.

Winner Fleishman-Hillard and Rockies Express Pipeline, LLC: Building the King of Pipelines Rockies Express Pipeline (REP), a unit of Kinder Morgan Energy, hired FleishmanHillard in 2005 for government and community relations and public affairs for the planning, building, and implementation of a three-phase natural gas pipeline. Fortuitously, the announcement came at a time when politicians and energy experts across the US were demanding an increased focus on domestic sources of clean and reliable energy. The energy company and Fleishman aimed to create a campaign that showed communities the need for the pipeline, set to run nearly 1,700 miles from Colorado to Ohio, as well as the benefits that it would bring to the local and regional markets involved. “[This was] a multi-state challenge that overcame potential [not in my backyard (NIMBY)] concerns and legislative opposition,” noted one judge of the effort, which is headed to completion in 2009. Indeed, the NIMBY effect meant that the PR team needed to provide government relations and community support to help with the regulatory and legislative affairs for project development, as well as help the project remain on schedule. The campaign reached out to community organizers in each state who, in turn, identified key stakeholders. The PR team also

Finalists 2009

n Crosby-Volmer International

Communications and National Association of Broadcasters: DTV Transition Consumer Awareness Campaign

n Edelman and API: Drilling Deeper – Energizing an Industry in the Crosshairs n Fleishman-Hillard and Rockies Express Pipeline, LLC: Building the King of Pipelines n Porter Novelli and San Diego

created handouts and presentation materials to educate landowners about the regulatory and construction process. Campaign organizers represented the company at public meetings and open houses, and helped with presentations to elected officials. Fleishman organized a series of media tours to provide updates about the status of the project. “[This was] a great campaign overall, [with a] solid use of multiple channels and strategies,” said one judge. REP has gotten good feedback from nearly all the communities through which it plans to

pass, garnering hundreds of positive media stories. More importantly, the effort also led to support of the project from federal, state, and local officials, after they were briefed on the positive influences the pipeline would have on their communities. In addition, the initiative had a significant online component, with the development of a project Web site used to provide information and updates. “This was a specific campaign that mobilized many ‘voices’ to accomplish success,” said one judge, adding that it was “an uphill battle won by a methodical approach.”

County Regional Airport Authority: Public Affairs Program for San Diego County Regional Airport Authority’s Master Plan Environmental Impact Report

n Porter Novelli Sacramento and California Optometric Assoc.: A New Vision for Optometry in California

Honorable Mention Crosby-Volmer International Communications and National Association of Broadcasters: DTV Transition Consumer Awareness Campaign As the transition date to DTV quickly neared (the original date was February 17, 2009, but President Obama signed a bill to delay it to June 12, 2009), the National Association of Broadcasters sought to make the entire US aware of the switch, and how to make it. The campaign developed and utilized a targeted communityand media-relations effort, focusing on those groups most affected. Crosby-Volmer created a DTV Speakers Bureau, comprised of 1,100plus broadcasters nationwide who gave nearly 7,500 talks on the subject. The DTV Road Show spread the word by bringing two giant TVs to more than 600 stops at festivals, malls, and sporting events. Toolkits were given to members of Congress, and various media were used to generate more than 11,000 print, online, and broadcast media hits in English and Spanish. “[This was a] creative campaign that utilized appropriate communication channels to make an impact,” noted one judge, while another deemed it “a very solid effort overall, focused on informing an extremely large group of stakeholders.”

PRWeek

Qorvis Communications is one of the nation’s largest independent communications firms. Formed in August 2000, Qorvis provides in-house expertise in the areas of advertising, public and media relations, public affairs, marketing communications, Internet campaigns and interactive design, social media strategies, grassroots programs, investor and financial communications, and research and opinion surveys.

www.prweekus.com • AWARDS 2009

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Corporate

Investor/Financial Comms Campaign of the Year 2009 Sponsored by Text 100

Winner Weber Shandwick and MasterCard Worldwide: MasterCard: Leading the Way and Changing the Game MasterCard went public on May 25, 2006, and found quick success on the New York Stock Exchange. By 2008, global market volatility and a sagging US economy had investors questioning whether it was enjoying success at the detriment of customers. MasterCard worked with Weber Shandwick, its longtime agency partner, on an investor education campaign that sought to communicate its business model, which had undergone a dramatic change since the IPO. The company hoped to position itself as a “top-of-market” investment, help its corporate model stand out, and emphasize MasterCard’s global footprint. The financial communications program targeted the investors; shareholders; current and potential customers; key business leaders; and the business and financial press. MasterCard and WS conducted an in-depth analysis showing that financial stocks insulated by consumer credit interest were of importance to investors and analysts; stock performance was increasingly being determined by metrics based on innovation and growth potential in emerging markets; and MasterCard’s global reach extended beyond that of its competitors. The team focused efforts on MasterCard’s “firsts,” including its “first-to-IPO” status, and its international nature, including its “glocal” post-IPO restructuring, which placed a president in every region. In addition, this

The Award Recognizing work that is primarily targeted at investors/stakeholders or other financial audiences.

Finalists 2009

n Brandtectonics, a Chandler Chicco

company, and Verenium: Not all Ethanol is Created Equal: Driving Investment in Verenium Corp. in an Emerging, Misunderstood Industry

n CJP Communications and FairPoint

Communications: FairPoint: One Message, Nine Audiences

n Edelman and Claymore Securities: Powering the Market: Letting the Sun Shine on the First Solar ETF n FD and Lumber Liquidators: A Hard Sell for Hardwood Flooring: Lumber Liquidators Nails It n Weber Shandwick and MasterCard

Worldwide: MasterCard: Leading the Way and Changing the Game

campaign would be executed in the wake of the Visa IPO on March 19, 2008. The team briefed the media prior to Visa’s IPO, with a profile of MasterCard CEO Bob Selander appearing in Institutional Investor on March 18, 2008. A key part of the outreach effort also included the second annual MasterCard Worldwide Centers of Commerce Index, a ranking of the contribution of the world’s cities to the global economy. One judge called it a “very comprehensive program [that] showed the benefit of clear

messages to create a differentiated investment story backed by facts and results.” Following Visa’s IPO, MasterCard’s stock reached a 52-week high of $320.30. More than 300 unique media placements were achieved in the campaign’s first week and economic trend pieces were generated. Outlets that covered MasterCard as a result of the effort included BusinessWeek, The Wall Street Journal, and the Financial Times. And the company is poised to generate more than 50% of its revenue from outside the US.

Honorable Mention CJP Communications and FairPoint Communications: FairPoint: One Message, Nine Audiences In January 2007, FairPoint Communications, a provider of communications services with operations in 18 US states, decided to acquire Verizon Communication’s wireline in Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont, a deal valued at $2.7 billion that would quintuple FairPoint’s total access line equivalents. This news upset multiple parties, from unions to presidential candidates. CJP, which had already been working on Fairpoint’s IR, started leading corporate communications in May 2007, filling the role through the close in March 2008. The firm set out to explain the transaction’s positive potential, including bringing broadband to underserved areas, and stress the success of FairPoint’s previous transactions. CJP led three regional PR firms, and both a local and national ad agency, in crafting new messaging. The firm’s efforts helped swing sentiment in favor of the transaction, with support from state legislatures, shareholders, and business leaders. One judge lauded CJP for handling “a tricky campaign with aplomb.”

PRWeek

Text 100’s consultants offer global industry expertise and specialized local knowledge across 31 offices in 21 countries. Its practices span every technology sector and key disciplines such as Clean Technology, Corporate Social Responsibility, and Peer Media. Text 100 represents innovative leaders including Cisco, eBay, Fujifilm, IBM, Lenovo, MTV, and Xerox.

www.prweekus.com • AWARDS 2009

Selected as PRWeek Editor’s Choice for 2009

GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD LUCK. – EDWARD R. MURROW

We couldn’t have said it better. Congratulations to all of tonight’s nominees from your colleagues and friends at Ogilvy PR. At Ogilvy PR, we are committed to collaborating with our clients to ﬁnd solutions to effective, integrated communications campaigns. See how by visiting www.ogilvypr.com or contacting Rachel Foltz at 202-729-4208 or Rachel.Foltz@ogilvypr.com. www.ogilvypr.com

Awards_Ogilvy.indd OPR_Corporate_Ad_F.indd 11

2/10/09 11:57:09 AM 2/6/09 11:38:45 AM

Social education & philanthropy

Public Sector Campaign of the Year 2009 Sponsored by Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide

Winner Weber Shandwick and Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.: FDIC: Celebrating 75 Years, Not a Penny Lost The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) hired Weber Shandwick in January 2008 to organize a campaign stressing the importance of deposit insurance to the US public, as well as the role the FDIC plays in guaranteeing bank deposits. Three-quarters of a century after the FDIC’s founding, many Americans were confused about deposit insurance levels and the FDIC’s role in keeping their money safe. As the economy weakened throughout 2008, informing citizens about deposits and the potential for bank failures became central to the campaign. Through a benchmark survey of 2,500 self-reported household financial decisionmakers, the PR team learned that awareness of the FDIC itself was high. Yet specific knowledge of FDIC deposit insurance was low, even among respondents who had more than $100,000 in their bank accounts. Strategically speaking, the campaign was designed to deliver a consistent and easy-tounderstand message about deposit insurance limits, while highlighting the FDIC as one of the bedrock institutions of the financial system. The effort also sought to engage members of the financial services community in a broad discussion about the FDIC to promote the role it plays in the lives of everyday Americans. The campaign also looked to drive consumers to the group’s Web site and its toll-free phone number.

The Award Open to government departments and public-sector agencies (e.g., federal, state, military, municipal, local, or public health authorities), this award recognizes effectiveness in communicating and addressing issues related to a single public-interest topic (e.g., health, crime, defense, etc.).

Finalists 2009

n Capstrat and North Carolina Health and Wellness Trust Fund: Tobacco. Reality. Unfiltered. Media Campaign n Edelman and State of California Dept. of Alcohol and Drug Programs: Encouraging Behavior Change Through Public Education n Fleishman-Hillard and Office of National Drug Control Policy: Teens and Rx Abuse Awareness Campaign n Ogilvy PR Worldwide and Federal Emergency Management Agency: Making America FloodSmart: Reducing the Risk and Impact of Floods

The FDIC and WS launched the campaign with a standing-room-only event at the National Press Club in Washington on the 75th anniversary of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s signing of the legislation creating the FDIC. In conjunction with advertising in weekly magazines, the effort leveraged the participation of financial leaders and prominent journalists in road-show events advocating personal financial education. “The campaign was poised to maximize opportunities and it used effective media tools to accomplish its objectives,” commented one judge.

The PR team gained extensive media coverage throughout the campaign, with TV and print media placements totaling 857 and more than 402 million impressions. The FDIC anniversary Web site also received substantial traffic throughout the length of the campaign, receiving 16,000 unique visitors and 50,000 page views. In addition, the FDIC credited the campaign with improving media coverage of recent bank closures and reducing consumer anxiety and fear. “[This] well-timed campaign was well positioned for when the financial crisis hit,” said one judge.

n Weber Shandwick and Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.: FDIC: Celebrating 75 Years, Not a Penny Lost

Honorable Mention Edelman and State of California Dept. of Alcohol and Drug Programs: Encouraging Behavior Change Through Public Education The California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs often hears: “I lost everything to meth.” To help state residents avoid the results of harmful drug use, the state and Edelman launched the campaign to educate the public. The PR team sought to drive Californians to the campaign Web site, establish key relationships with stakeholder groups, and reach audiences with specific anti-drug messages. Learning of local meth task forces and coalitions who met individually, the team sought to create a centralized point for collaboration. The firm worked with community groups to have them contact the media directly to note the real impact meth has at the local level. The team launched a bilingual Web site for those wishing to share video stories and access treatment sources. One judge lauded the campaign for its “good research, diverse messaging to many groups, [and] nice use of communications tools.” Another said it was a “good, creative campaign reaching a targeted audience.”

PRWeek

Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide is a full-service agency operating in more than 60 markets worldwide. The firm provides corporations, government agencies, trade associations, and nonprofits with strategic planning and implementation across an array of disciplines, including PR, digital communications, influencer management, and more.

www.prweekus.com • AWARDS 2009

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Social education & philanthropy

Nonprofit Campaign of the Year 2009 Sponsored by TV Access

Winner Edelman and American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women Initiative: Go Red For Women 2007-08 Untold Stories Campaign Edelman and the American Heart Association had the story of Patricia Henderson in mind with the Go Red for Women 2007-08 Untold Stories Campaign. Henderson, 44 at the time, had an active lifestyle and never dealt with anything more serious than a sinus infection when she suffered a heart attack. Although heart disease claims almost one woman’s life per minute, only one in every five women surveyed by the campaign in 2006 said they viewed it as a significant health threat. The PR team also found that even women who thought of heart disease as a threat failed to personalize it. Therefore, the PR team aimed to generate awareness that heart disease is the number-one killer of women by driving females to GoRedForWomen.org. The effort also sought to accelerate fundraising for education, scientific outreach, and media outreach, with a goal of raising from $180 million to $200 million by 2010. One judge said the effort was a “terrific campaign that utilized all forms of the media to impact diverse audiences.”

research showed that women are most likely to believe and act on information that is delivered by their peers. Therefore, the PR team sought to create forums, both offline and online, where women could share their stories of heart disease to motivate others into action. The initiative did generate awareness that heart disease is a top killer of women, as 65% of women said they were now aware of that fact, up from 57% in 2006. In addition, the use of Marie Osmond, whose mother and grandmother both died of heart disease, as the celebrity spokesperson helped in this regard. The initiative also drove women to GoRedForWomen.org to join and take heart check-ups. The Web site saw 75,000 additional unique visitors per month, while more than 220,000 new women signed up and more than 700 sent in casting call submissions. The campaign also accelerated Go Red For Women fundraising for education, scientific outreach, and medical research, attaining 70% of its fundraising goals – due, in part, to increased excitement created by the campaign. One judge called the effort “an effective integrated campaign that raised awareness,” while another commended it for being “amazingly creative and [having a] high impact.”

Another judge added the initiative was “a solid, integrated campaign” and “noncontroversial, with a health awareness message to increase future participation across the various participant [groups].” To personalize the effort, the PR team showed examples of “women like me” who were affected by heart disease because

The Award Recognizing the most effective work by a nonprofit organization for fundraising, or in changing or enlisting political, public, or corporate opinion. The cost-effectiveness of the campaign and, in the case of fundraising activities, the amount of money raised, was also strongly considered.

Finalists 2009

n Carmichael Lynch Spong and TransFair USA: Taking Fair Trade Further n Edelman and American Heart Association’s Go Red For Women Initiative: Go Red For Women 2007-08 Untold Stories Campaign n Fleishman-Hillard St. Louis and National Fire Protection Assoc.: Safe at Home – Preventing Fires in Mississippi n Powell Tate and The Corporation for Public Broadcasting: My Source, a Public Awareness Initiative n WeissComm Partners and Anxiety Disorders Association of America: Treat It, Don’t Repeat It: Break Free from OCD

Honorable Mention Powell Tate and The Corporation for Public Broadcasting: My Source, a Public Awareness Initiative Public broadcasting stations are respected institutions with solid audience bases. Yet in an effort to increase that audience, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and Powell Tate launched a joint public awareness initiative, aimed at joining PBS and NPR in one effort. The key strategic decision was to enlist the public broadcasting system’s loyal audience members as advocates and ambassadors. So, Powell Tate developed the My Source platform, which grew to 180 stations in nearly 50 states. From celebrities to the general public, viewer/listeners offered essays on how public broadcasting impacted their lives. One judge called it an “effective campaign that put life and energy into a tough market.” The effort featured “solid strategy and execution,” noted a second judge, while a third said it was a “great public issue and a very integrated campaign.”

PRWeek

TV Access was created to increase the well-being of the general public through effective public service communications.

www.prweekus.com • AWARDS 2009

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Social education & philanthropy

Cause-Related Campaign of the Year 2009 Sponsored by Georgetown University

Winner Ketchum and Häagen-Dazs: Häagen-Dazs Loves Honey Bees: Let’s Lick This Problem Häagen-Dazs (HD) was suffering from slow sales, low consumer interest, and a stuffy reputation. With Ketchum’s help, the ice-cream company focused on its commitment to using all-natural ingredients and devised a program that linked HD to an unknown issue which threatened the existence of a large percentage of its ingredients – disappearing honey bees. The team sought to create a real connection between consumers and the brand. It knew that an engaging cause was vital. And while the plight of honey bees seemed too obscure to have much impact, thorough research showed that bees played a pivotal role in pollinating ingredients in more than 40% of HD’s flavors and, moreover, one-third of all foods are pollinated by honey bees. The team had found its cause to champion. “This was a fabulous entry into cause marketing for a new player,” said one judge. HD would be the first company to “own” this issue. At every turn, the cause would be linked back to the brand’s “all-natural” essence. And Ketchum carefully chose as its target 35- to 54-year-olds with kids, which has always been a key HD demographic. It’s also a group that cares a great deal about what they eat and where their food comes from. To ensure relevance, Ketchum orchestrated a broad, wide-reaching plan. It suggested that HD donate $250,000 to Penn State University and the University of California-Davis for research. A bee advisory board compris-

The Award Honoring a campaign or ongoing project that utilizes or integrates a social cause to promote or enhance corporate image or specific products/services.

Finalists 2009

n Fleishman-Hillard, AT&T, and Cell Phones for Soldiers: Operation: Military Connections n Ketchum and Häagen-Dazs: Häagen-Dazs Loves Honey Bees: Let’s Lick This Problem n Linhart Public Relations and Crocs: Launching a First-Of-Its Kind Recycled Shoe Donation Program for Crocs n MS&L and Procter & Gamble – Always and Tampax: Protecting Futures n PainePR and Pampers: Pampers/ UNICEF “One Pack = One Vaccine”

ing scientists and beekeepers was formed to ensure authentic, factual communication. A new flavor – Vanilla Honey Bee – and bee logo were created. The honey bee message opened the door for targeting media that traditionally wouldn’t cover HD, such as gardening and environmental outlets. HD created helpthehoneybees.com to educate the public on the issue. CNNMoney. com was chosen to break the story because it directly feeds hundreds of other outlets. The team created the Million Seeds Challenge to reach out to bee supporters using Craigslist and MeetUp.com, as well as to

spur the public to plant 1 million seeds to create bee-friendly habitats. Results exceeded expectations. Sales in April – the month the campaign launched – rose 5.2%, the largest single-month spike in a year. Media impressions surpassed 273 million, with placements including CNN, The Wall Street Journal, and Everyday with Rachael Ray. Moreover, more than 1.2 million seed packets were planted, which far surpassed community-involvement goals. “This campaign was surprising and refreshing,” noted one judge. “An unusual insight [that was] very thoroughly executed.”

Honorable Mention PainePR and Pampers: Pampers/UNICEF “One Pack = One Vaccine” In 2006, Pampers launched an effort in Western Europe for UNICEF, “One Pack = One Vaccine,” to wipe out neonatal tetanus in developing countries via a vaccine that is taken for granted in the US. In 2008, Pampers sought to bring the effort to North America. The right spokesperson was key to reach the target audience of mothers of young babies, retailers, and Hispanic families. Through a PainePR-led effort, popular actress and new mom Salma Hayek was secured. The program kicked off on Oprah, where more than 9 million viewers, along with 2 million-plus visitors to Oprah.com, saw Pampers donate 1 million vaccines in Oprah Winfrey’s name. In all, 530 million media impressions were garnered in outlets coast to coast. Wal-Mart even awarded Pampers its coveted VPI (Volume Producing Item) status. “The gold standard in cause-related marketing,” noted one judge.

PRWeek

Georgetown University’s Master of Professional Studies in Public Relations and Corporate Communications. Communicators have great power and great responsibility. Whether your interest is corporate or cause-related, we prepare you to use your talents to make a difference in the world through ethical and responsible communications. Be inspired by industry leaders and a curriculum that focuses on strategy, digital, and integration, all with a global perspective.

www.prweekus.com • AWARDS 2009

Corporate

Recognizing the most effective crisis- or issues-management work by an agency, corporate PR team, or a combination of both.

Finalists 2009

n Edelman and Imperial Sugar:

Crystallizing a Community Response to a Corporate Crisis n Fleishman-Hillard and Bumble Bee Foods: Castleberry’s National Food Recall – Public Health & Safety from Botulism Risk n French | West | Vaughan and GeneralSports Venue: Lead Chromate Controversy n MS&L and CIT Group: CIT: Navigating the Credit Crunch n Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide and American Chemistry Council: From Toxic to Truthful: Turning the Tide on Phthalates

Crisis or Issues Management Campaign of the Year 2009

Winner Fleishman-Hillard and Bumble Bee Foods: Castleberry’s National Food Recall – Public Health & Safety from Botulism Risk On July 18, 2007, the FDA alerted Castleberry’s Food Company, a manufacturer of canned beef products, that there was a possible botulism outbreak linked to its hot dog chili sauce. The company and Fleishman-Hillard, AOR for parent company Bumble Bee, immediately went to work to issue a national product recall. Three days later, the recall was voluntarily expanded to include all products from the company’s Augusta, GA, plant, leading to the site’s closure while the botulism source was found and eradicated. However, the companies faced a huge communications challenge in executing the recall. Neither Castleberry’s nor Bumble Bee had a crisis plan; Castleberry’s lacked communications resources; and Fleishman had not worked with Castleberry’s previously, but had to ramp up quickly and work in real-time on this issue. The agency and client had three objectives for dealing with the recall. First, they wanted to ensure awareness of the recall to maximize consumer health and safety. Second, they sought to protect the company and its brands. Third, they hoped to restore Castleberry’s reputation as a reliable operation with various stakeholders.

Newscom

The Award

Fleishman assembled a team from various offices to tap into each one’s strengths, such as San Diego, where Bumble Bee is based; Miami for Spanish-language efforts; Washington for regulatory purposes; and Hong Kong for 24-hour media monitoring. To start, the firm created a list of action items to be executed in the first hours of the recall. A toll-free number was established to answer consumer questions. A Q&A and one-on-one interviews were developed to manage cases. Updates were also maintained on the Web. When the recall was expanded, the team held a national press conference call and Fleishman launched a Hispanic campaign that included Spanish press releases, in-language call center operators, and ANRs. Updates were filtered continuously both

internally to employees and externally to customers and shareholders. The effort continued through July, August, and September. One judge said the campaign was “an excellent example of working effectively to paint the ship while sailing.” Analysis of the media coverage in print, online, and broadcast showed that of 5,773 stories produced between July 19 and August 8, 65% featured more intended than nonintended messages. During the week of July 21, the highest point of the recall, 95% of the coverage included the intended message. In September 2007, operations resumed and Castleberry’s launched a new product. Bumble Bee’s president and CEO was also invited to speak to Congress about the recall for public health and safety policy purposes.

Honorable Mention Edelman and Imperial Sugar: Crystallizing a Community Response to a Corporate Crisis Nine days after John Sheptor became CEO of Imperial Sugar, an explosion ripped through the company’s refinery in Port Wentworth, GA. Imperial turned to Edelman to gain public support for rebuilding in the community, which was both dependent on the company and fearful after the incident. Imperial and Edelman relied on the company’s roots in the town to engage residents, and used local media outreach to demonstrate the community’s support for Imperial. Daily meetings were held with employees, and local media outreach was conducted for weeks after the explosion. Imperial acted to help the community and asked the public to participate. A memorial service – which attracted more than 2,000 people, including US senators, congressmen, and local officials – showcased local contributions and heroes. The company visited with residents to underscore the importance of the refinery to the community and to identify community needs. “The campaign showed genuine empathy while achieving the business objectives,” said one judge. Relief efforts raised $10,000 in material and financial support per employee and 2,700 units of blood. Due to community support, the board voted in favor of rebuilding.

AWARDS 2009 • www.prweekus.com

PRWeek

technique

Best Use of Broadcast (TV and Radio) 2009

The Award Recognizing the combination of creativity, cost effectiveness, and overall impact of a VNR, ANR, or SMT.

Finalists 2009

n Coyne Public Relations and Crayola: 50th Birthday of the Crayola 64 Box/“Kids’ Choice Color” Campaign n Coyne Public Relations and The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.: Goodyear ‘Get There’ Awards

Winner Coyne Public Relations and The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.: Goodyear ‘Get There’ Awards The 2008 Summer Olympics were set to be the year’s most high-profile broadcast property. With an unprecedented 3,600 hours of Olympic television coverage planned, NBC tapped The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company to provide the aerial coverage of Beijing that TV viewers in the US would experience. Goodyear planned to leverage its involvement as the official aerial coverage provider of the Games to generate brand awareness as it headed into the key fall/winter selling season. Goodyear turned to Coyne PR to help find a creative way to further reinforce in consumers minds’ the connection between Goodyear and the Olympics. Together, the team set out to capture share

of voice in national and local market Olympic media coverage. Coyne sought to identify 28 people to be honored for their dedication to helping shape American athletes’ lives in a positive way. “Exceedingly professional campaign,” said one judge. “The messaging was clear and consistent.” Dan O’Brien, three-time world champion and a gold medal decathlete, was tapped to be the spokesperson. The team decided to air the awards program when there were no scheduled major news events and within close proximity to the opening ceremonies so Olympic buzz would be at its peak. It worked in conjunction with each national governing body to recognize the one individual who had done the most to help an athlete from each of the 28 sports played during the Games. “Strong tie-in to the brand,” said one judge. “Good use of celebrity.”

A Goodyear panel selected three winners from among the 28 nominees to receive a Goodyear ‘Get There’ Gold Medal. Coyne PR executed a campaign that centered on a launch-day New York City broadcast tour and a national SMT on July 28 and 29. The announcement of the ‘Get There’ Awards generated more than 2,000 broadcast segments, along with an additional 60-plus b-roll hits online for a total of more than 50.1 million media impressions. National broadcast highlights included Fox Business’ Money for Breakfast, ESPN2’s Cold Pizza, Sporting News Radio, ABC Sports Radio, and an entire half-hour devoted to O’Brien and the ‘Get There’ Awards on Bloomberg TV’s Night Talk. “Fantastic leverage of ‘Get There’ theme to tie strong human interest stories in support of the Goodyear brand promise,” noted another judge.

n Kaplow and Spin Master: Bringing a Product to Life, Literally, for a National Television Home Run n Red Consultancy and McAfee: How Do You Get a News Anchor to Say Brad Pitt and McAfee in the Same Sentence? n Weber Shandwick and US Army: US Army All-American Bowl

Honorable Mention Red Consultancy and McAfee: How Do You Get a News Anchor to Say Brad Pitt and McAfee in the Same Sentence? McAfee sought to expand awareness beyond traditional tech titles and into mainstream lifestyle media. To accomplish this, Red Consultancy created a campaign that appealed to broadcasters’ insatiable appetite for celebrity news while educating consumers about online dangers – which McAfee’s SiteAdvisor product could help combat. Using McAfee’s research, Red revealed how cybercriminals use celebrity A-listers, like Beyonce and Brad Pitt, to lure Internet users to fake Web sites that look legitimate, but which contain embedded malware. Outreach was met with enthusiasm from journalists, entertainment hosts, and radio talk shows, generating more than 700 pieces of branded coverage on national and local TV and radio. “Excellent borrowed interest transcended the tech and security subject matter,” noted one judge. “[They] used cultural relevance to reach the mass market.”

PRWeek

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Congratulations to all the

PRWeek Award

Winners

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Best Use of Online Media 2009 Sponsored by Cohn & Wolfe

Winner Ketchum and IKEA: Man Lives in IKEA: Citizen Marketer Becomes IKEA Brand Evangelist When online personality Mark Malkoff approached IKEA to ask if he could live in a store for a week, document his adventures, and post humorous webisodes about his experience, Ketchum, IKEA’s AOR, weighed the risks of ceding control of the brand. IKEA wanted to communicate its new brand message – home is the most important place in the world – in a breakthrough and honest way. It also sought to increase brand awareness and traffic among potential customers: Web-savvy guys and girls, age 18 to 35, and IKEA loyalists, typically moms 23 to 37 years old. The firm determined the endeavor would be positive and an authentic way to accomplish the brand goals. Malkoff had produced 171 Starbucks webisodes for which he visited all New York City locations in one day and generated positive online traffic and media coverage. He was also motivated to get himself known and he did own a lot of IKEA furniture. To leverage Malkoff’s experience and entertainment value, IKEA gave him

Prior to moving into the store in Paramus, NJ, from January 7-12, 2008, Malkoff announced his plan to the media. The PR team helped to coordinate interviews and lay out the week’s schedule. Malkoff’s production team documented his experience, including interaction with the night security guard and housewarming parties for customers. At the end of the week, singer Lisa Loeb stopped by to help get Malkoff back in good graces with his wife, which was a running joke on the webisodes. His team edited 25 short videos and put several up each day on MarkLivesinIKEA.com and YouTube.com. The Loeb webisode was one of the featured videos on YouTube’s homepage. During Malkoff’s stay, Paramus store sales rose 5.5%; traffic to the IKEA Web site increased by 6.8%, compared with January 2007; and MarkLivesinIKEA.com generated 15 million hits. Webisodes were viewed nearly 1.5 million times on YouTube, tripling expectations, and more than 2,000 consumer posts on YouTube and social media sites were positive comments about Malkoff and IKEA. Media impressions in the US totaled 382 million. “[It produced] outstanding results tracking to in-store sales,” noted one judge. “It worked off-line and online.” Another judge said, “It was hands-down a winner.”

24-hour access to the store and employees and permission to film at all times. The team would refrain from pre-reviewing his media outreach, giving him messages to deliver or offering products to highlight.

The Award Recognizing the most effective or creative use of the Web to execute or support a PR campaign.

Finalists 2009

n Flashpoint PR and LEGO Systems: Go Miniman Go: Tapping Nostalgia to Bolster Adult Affinity for LEGO Brand n Ketchum and IKEA: Man Lives in IKEA: Citizen Marketer Becomes IKEA Brand Evangelist n Ogilvy PR Worldwide and Lenovo: Lenovo: Powering the World’s Biggest Idea n Ruder Finn and TiVo: Beyond the

Usual Suspects: How TiVo Leveraged a YouTube Launch with Equal Parts Frugality, Street Cred, and MindNumbing Speed

n Weber Shandwick and MilkPEP: Taking The Milk Mustache Digital to Break Through With Teens

Honorable Mention Weber Shandwick and MilkPEP: Taking The Milk Mustache Digital to Break Through With Teens MilkPEP wanted to take its Milk Mustache campaign beyond traditional advertising to deliver its health message to teens and increase traffic to bodybymilk.com. Weber Shandwick tapped teen star Miley Cyrus for an online Milk Mustache ad to reach teens in social media spaces. The site provided users with the tools to share content about their favorite Milk Mustache celebrity. The team sent an e-newsletter about the “firstever online Milk Mustache ad launch” to Cyrus’ 1 million fan club members; placed an ad on Cyrus’ official fan site with links to bodybymilk. com; and created a widget featuring Cyrus’ ad shoot that teens could post on social network profiles. The site urged fans to send a healthful “Miley wake-up call” to friends’ cell phones. “[An] excellent overall media mix, [with] excellent audience engagement [and] good targeting,” said one judge. Site traffic rose by 58% over the preceding six-week average. The campaign generated more than 500,000 widget views, 22,000 downloads of the ad, and 12,000 wake-up calls.

PRWeek

Cohn & Wolfe is a strategic PR agency dedicated to creating, building, and protecting the world’s most admired brands. With offices around the world, the agency is committed to breaking new ground in the delivery of cross-channel media strategies, creative programming, and practice area excellence.

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ADVOCACY STARTS HERE. AND LEADS HERE: Large PR Agency of the Year Arts, Entertainment & Media Campaign of the Year– MilkPEP: “Taking the Milk Mustache Digital to Break Through With Teens” Product Brand Development Campaign of the Year – Polaroid: “Redefining Polaroid for the Digital Age” Investor/Financial Communications Campaign of the Year – MasterCard Worldwide: “MasterCard: Leading the Way and Changing the Game” Public Sector Campaign of the Year – Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.: “FDIC: Celebrating 75 years, Not a Penny Lost” Business to Business Campaign of the Year – Siemens: “New Broom at Siemens Cleans Up” Employee Communications Campaign of the Year – American Airlines: “Just the fAActs; Spreading the Word About American’s Labor Negotiations”

Congratulations to all of tonight’s nominees

Community Relations Campaign of the Year – U.S. Army: “Army Grassroots Initiative”

from your friends and colleagues at Global Campaign of the Year – Honeywell International: “Honeywell-Nobel Laureate Lecture Series – Inspiring the Next Generation of Scientists Today” Nonprofit Campaign of the Year – The Corporation for Public Broadcasting: “My Source, a Public Awareness Initiative” Best Use of Online Media – MilkPEP: “Taking the Milk Mustache Digital to Break Through With Teens” Best Use of Broadcast – U.S. Army: “U.S. Army All-American Band” PR Innovation of the Year – WeberWorks: “Supercharge Your PR Program: WeberWorks” Promotional Event of the Year – KFC: “Shh…The Secret’s Out. KFC Relocates Colonel’s Original Recipe” Advocacy starts here. webershandwick.com

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Best Use of Research/Measurement 2009 Sponsored by Weber Shandwick

Winner Carmichael Lynch Spong and Trane: Bringing the Value of Clean, “Green” Indoor Air into Focus with Trane Like many other sectors, the HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) business has been impacted by the poor economy. However, it had other unique obstacles to overcome. Homeowners rarely think about their HVAC system until it breaks down, and fewer still consider indoor air quality. To combat this, Trane, a leader in the HVAC category, along with Carmichael Lynch Spong (CLS), developed a multifaceted educational push based on solid research and measurement. Trane understood that most consumers in the market for an HVAC system do extensive research before purchasing, relying heavily on third-party experts. As such, Trane needed to provide credible third-party proof to support its products. Healthcare pros, indoor air-quality experts, retailers, and media outlets ranging from scientific journals to bloggers were also targeted in outreach. Trane commissioned Harvard professors working at Environmental Health & Engineering, an independent research facility, to test its products. A competitive analysis was also conducted by CLS to help differentiate Trane’s positioning within its competitive

of Medicine, as its media spokesperson and key influencer. She played a key role at a trio of carefully selected healthcare conferences at which Trane exhibited to educate attendees on its products. Trane and CLS also developed and distributed 12 months of weekly issues of People with a Trane CleanEffects cover wrap featuring quotes from Dr. Busse, as well as research findings. Trane’s effort impressed one judge with its “good use of research to generate relationships with the medical community.” The company also conducted dealer Webinar meetings to unveil new research, and provided a flu virus study tool kit for dealers to use for in-home selling opportunities with interested consumers. The campaign generated 110 million gross media impressions in outlets including Better Homes & Gardens, Cooking Light, and TheDailyGreen.com. Trane CleanEffects claimed a 46% earned media share-ofvoice in the HVAC category. It also secured four research paper placements, including in journals of both BioMed Central and the Air and Waste Management Association. Moreover, 82% of the physicians who read the People cover wrap have recommended Trane CleanEffects to their patients to help manage allergies and/or asthma. “This was a very smart use of research to fuel a beautifully integrated campaign with rigorous metrics,” noted one judge.

market. In addition, a study highlighting the “Preferences of Green Home Buyers” from the National Association of Home Builders and McGraw-Hill Construction was conducted to bolster Trane’s energy efficiency and economic messages. Trane then engaged Dr. Paula Busse, assistant professor of medicine, division of clinical immunology, Mount Sinai School

The Award Recognizing the most effective use of research and evaluation in both setting goals and measuring success for a campaign. Along with effective media evaluation, judges sought evidence of how research among target audiences was used to help set the objectives and strategy, and how it was used to measure the effectiveness of the campaign against those goals.

Finalists 2009

n Carmichael Lynch Spong and Trane: Bringing the Value of Clean, “Green” Indoor Air into Focus with Trane n CKPR and Meredith Corp.: The Gamma Factor: How a Publishing House Tapped Into Their Core Audience – Empowered Women n Gagen MacDonald and McDonald’s: Leadership Communications Effective- ness 360: Driving leadership behaviors that accelerate execution of Plan to Win n KDPaine & Partners and Georgia Institute of Technology: Establishing Benchmarks and Best Practices for Social Media at Georgia Tech n TMG PR and Apartment Finder: From Underdog to Leader: TMG Moves Apartment Finder into the Spotlight

Honorable Mention CKPR and Meredith Corp.: The Gamma Factor: How a Publishing House Tapped Into Their Core Audience – Empowered Women Financials from 2007 showed that although Meredith Corp.’s 200-plus titles were reaching 35 million women, it had lost advertisers’ interest. Meredith hired women’s marketing expert Lisa Johnson to conduct two studies for the company in 2008 – the Gamma Factor and the “What Do Women Want Report” (WDWW). Her research found a new category of women based on key psychographics: the Gamma Woman, a leader who lives above the influence of the traditionally targeted consumer. CKPR touted Gammas as the new “influentials,” and that Meredith’s properties reach more of them than other publishers. In six weeks, 2 millionplus media impressions were generated. The research served to reinforce this message to advertisers: “Gammas buy your products! Gammas read our publications!” CKPR also had to define who the Gamma Woman was. Within 90 days of the Gamma report’s release, 1,000plus people requested it. A later poll of agency media buyers showed that Meredith is now more seriously considered in media-spend decisions. “This was good use of research to generate sales calls and interest,” noted one judge.

PRWeek

Weber Shandwick is a leading global PR agency with a commitment to client service, creativity, collaboration, and harnessing the power of Advocates. It provides strategic execution in consumer marketing, healthcare, technology, public affairs, corporate/financial, and crisis management. Specialized services include social media, advertising, market research, and corporate responsibility.

www.prweekus.com • AWARDS 2009

STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS

Burson-Marsteller is the proud sponsor of PRWeek’s “Innovation of The Year” Award

Congratulations to the 2009 PRWeek Award Winners

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PR Innovation of the Year 2009 Sponsored by Burson-Marsteller

Winner Porter Novelli: Jack + Bill Agencies’ bread and butter is coming up with fresh ways to market their clients, but Porter Novelli used this innovative spirit to create a PR-firm first. During the summer of 2008, eight 20-something staffers set their sights on a whole new generation of up-and-coming brands and created a first-ofits-kind pop-up agency, Jack + Bill, inspired by PN founders Jack Porter and Bill Novelli. This entrepreneurial youth translated the successful pop-up store concept, with all its buzz-building power, to build an entity that redefines “business as usual” within the agency and for the industry at large. “I loved this,” gushed one judge. “[It’s a] great idea to empower younger employees to showcase their talent and teach the [senior] folks some new tricks.” The concept truly came into focus when the youthful octet sought to design something fresh to launch emerging fashion trends leading up to New York Fashion Week last September. With no traditional path to follow, no client to report to, and senior staff only serving in an advisory role, the team turned the process into an opportunity to spread its entrepreneurial wings. Staying true to its Millennial roots, the team created a blog, Twittered, and posted on Facebook throughout the process. Jack + Bill was brought to clients at no charge. Young designers who rarely have access to major agencies were targeted. Shunning the traditional client pitch, a “casting call” was created to allow fashion brands to compete to win free services. Casting call applicants totaled 150. The Jack + Bill team took photos on their iPhones and sent them directly to a realtime Flickr feed; live blogged; and posted

The Award Open to agencies, service companies, corporate teams, nonprofits, and other organizations, this award recognizes the best technology-based solution or new service launched during the 12-month eligibility period that shows a lasting impact on the practice of PR.

Finalists 2009

n Chandler Chicco Agency and Novartis Pharmaceuticals: “Becoming Christopher” Play and Film n Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide: IQ Mapping: Bringing Structure and Measurement to Influencer Outreach n Porter Novelli: Jack + Bill n Sabre Holdings / cubeless: Cubeless Connects Co-Workers n Weber Shandwick: Supercharge Your PR Program: WeberWorks

videos of the applicants on YouTube. Each step of the way, the team’s efforts further cemented PN’s position as an innovator, particularly in the social media realm. The media took notice. Profiles of Jack + Bill appeared in The New York Times and on Fox News. Web sites ranging from The Huffington Post to People.com presented similar coverage. Clients of the pop-up agency have been featured in US Weekly and InStyle.com. The Jack + Bill blog has

garnered 6,000-plus views and the YouTube videos also were viewed 6,000-plus times. Agency staffers have been inspired and empowered, while PN clients, such as HP and Absolut, have shared their support for Jack + Bill. This has prompted new business queries from prospective clients ranging from financial services to menswear. One judge said it’s “a great innovation with lots of positive residuals for the staff, clients, and the agency.”

Honorable Mention Chandler Chicco Agency and Novartis Pharmaceuticals: “Becoming Christopher” Play and Film In 2006, Novartis acquired Chiron and its cystic fibrosis (CF) treatment, Tobramycin Inhalation Solution. It wanted to prove to the 34,000 Americans who have CF and their loved ones that it understands them. Enter Chandler Chicco and its proprietary arts-based learning initiative, Stage Right. CCA produced a play, Becoming Christopher, which premiered to more than 600 healthcare pros at the 2007 North American Cystic Fibrosis Conference. Lauded by a judge as “a bright approach with excellent execution,” it depicts the struggles of a 22-year-old college grad with CF. The play’s response prompted a film version in April 2008, allowing for further discussion. Nearly 1,200 CF health pros and 125 CF centers requested DVDs. The CF community rated the film highly, giving it a 4.5 out of 5 for its portrayal of the challenges encountered by those with CF. One CF center head noted, “It should be watched and discussed by everyone [whose life is] touched by CF.”

PRWeek

Founded in 1953, Burson-Marsteller is a leading global PR and communications firm whose knowledge, insights, and innovative programs help drive strong corporate and brand reputations for its clients. We provide our clients with strategic thinking and program execution across a complete range of public relations, public affairs, advertising, and other communications services.

www.prweekus.com • AWARDS 2009

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Promotional Event of the Year 2009 Sponsored by Coyne Public Relations

Winner Fleishman-Hillard and Papa John’s International: Papa John’s Unveils “A Pie in the Sky” In May 2008, Papa John’s enjoyed good sales when it debuted its whole-wheat crust pizza. That immediate bump was short-lived, however, so Papa John’s sought a big idea to reignite sales and reinforce the “better for you” message of this latest item, the only such product offered by a national pizza chain. The company turned to Fleishman-Hillard to cook up an appropriate effort. The agency thought “big” – several acres big, in fact. With the help of ConAgra, Papa John’s’ wheat supplier, Fleishman set out to create a six-acre crop field in the middle of a Denver wheat patch. The location and timing were well thought out. The city is where Papa John’s harvests most of its wheat. Moreover, Denver was just weeks away from hosting the Democratic National Convention. The field’s presence, one mile away from the airport that 35,000 people were about to fly into over the course of a week, assured a large audience. What those people would see from the air was a crop circle created by famed “earthgrains” artist Stan Herd that depicted a large whole-wheat pizza under the words “America’s Choice.” Those two words were a nod to both the upcoming election, as well as the chain’s recognition from the American Customer Satisfaction Index as the preferred pizza brand.

The Award Recognizing the most effective, attention-grabbing promotional event of the year.

Finalists 2009

n Fleishman-Hillard and Papa John’s International: Papa John’s Unveils “A Pie in the Sky” n GolinHarris and Nestlé USA/ Butterfinger: Launching “The Finger” n Kaplow and Target Stores: Target Takes Manhattan with 4 Designer Pop-Up Stores n Middlebury College: Spring Break Quidditch Tour n Weber Shandwick and KFC: Shh ... The Secret’s Out. KFC Relocates Colonel’s Original Recipe

The agency conducted a series of deskside briefings with local media, while also working with the Colorado Wheat Commission to plan the unveiling. The visual impact was certain to be a draw, which, in turn, would give Papa John’s a good forum to tout its offering. “[This was an] extraordinarily efficient means of making a product truly larger than life,” noted one judge. On August 7, the crop circle was officially unveiled. A “lift truck” provided aerial views at upwards of 90 feet. “Pizza drops” were also conducted to all local broadcast networks. Event photos were turned into

a b-roll that was distributed to other markets, and posted on Papa John’s Web site, which received 10,000-plus hits within two days. Gross media impressions exceeded 65 million, and the event was covered in 314 media outlets, including The New York Times and CNN. Moreover, whole-wheat crust pizza orders accounted for 20% of online sales during the promotional push and the offering is now a permanent menu fixture. “This creative campaign was the perfect recipe of a highly visible event that tied directly back to the brand values,” affirmed one judge.

Honorable Mention Middlebury College: Spring Break Quidditch Tour The Harry Potter books introduced the world to quidditch, a rough, semi-contact team sport. Some clever kids at Middlebury (VT) College sought to introduce a nation of university students to the earthbound version of the game, which had been thriving at the school for two years. Targeting schools that would draw maximum media attention, as well as ones that were not on Spring Break at the time, the team conceived an eight-day road trip to eight colleges. Tour details were mapped out on a special Facebook page. Extensive e-mail networking also played a role. The tour offered some excellent visuals – including players in full costumes with customized brooms. Numerous press outlets certainly had fun with it. CBS’ The Early Show devoted a 13.5-minute segment, including live cut-ins to a match between Middlebury and Princeton. ESPN, MTV, The Boston Globe, and Gawker, among many outlets, all covered the tour. True victory, however, was achieved when the 60 teams registered before the tour nearly tripled to 179 following it. One judge lauded the effort’s “brilliance in leveraging mainstream media from an unexpected source.”

PRWeek

Coyne Public Relations has been shortlisted for PRWeek’s Agency of the Year for five of the last seven years for its outstanding consumer and business-to-business creative approach to communications. The firm continues to grow in double digits, while maintaining itself as one of the best agencies to work for in America, boasting a 97% employee retention rate.

www.prweekus.com • AWARDS 2009

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PERSONALITY

Student of the Year 2009 Sponsored by Hill & Knowlton

Winner Natasha Ratliff University of Southern California Natasha Ratliff put her campaign head and shoulders above the other Student of the Year candidates with a plan that was heavy on research. Judges were greatly impressed that Ratliff did real field studies, interviewing actual USC student-athletes, and surveying college and high school students. This gave her some great, realworld baselines, such as 64% of consumers surveyed were “not attuned to adidas’ relationship with the NBA” and that strong brand attributes for adidas were “sporty” and “quality,” but not “basketball” or “leader.” She broke down the audience into four psychographic groups. To place adidas top of mind for consumers attending NBA All-Star weekend, Ratliff presented a multifaceted campaign that started months before the game, with a back-to-school sweepstakes. Other elements included a basketball-themed event for fans called the adidas experience, where professional athletes and brand representatives would help young athletes develop and hone their skills; a concert featuring bands and artists popular with the target audience; a youth skills competition held before the weekend in 12 cities; and the establishment of multiple blogs and other social media tools to reach the audience beyond those in attendance. The judges really enjoyed Ratliff’s suggestion that adidas create a Making the Band spoof called “Making the Team,” whereby basketball-enthused celebrities like Will Ferrell and Jackie Chan tried to make a fictional team. Adidas-sponsored athletes would also make an appearance, while a famous coach would serve as a judge.

The Award Open to all students enrolled in a US college or university between December 14, 2007, and December 14, 2008. Category entrants were presented with a true test of their PR acumen, devising a plan to create a PR campaign for sports apparel company adidas to increase its exposure to the target demographic – 14- to 24-year-olds – through the leveraging of its sponsorship of NBA All-Star Weekend. The five finalists presented their ideas to a panel of judges in New York on February 3. The students were also asked to pitch an adidas-based story to Matthew Boyle, an editor at BusinessWeek, and respond to a crisis situation, whereby the most prominent adidas spokesperson was recorded on cell-phone video disparaging the brand and lauding a competitor on the eve of All-Star Weekend.

Finalists 2009

n Hannah Higerd California State University, Fullerton n Emily Motley University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill n Natasha Ratliff University of Southern California n Douglas Rusinek SUNY-Oswego n Meagan Wheeler Oklahoma State University

Ratliff also drew high marks for her crisis communications plan. Students were asked to react to news that a fictional spokesperson for adidas – who was to serve as the linchpin of an All-Star Weekend campaign – was caught in a cell-phone video disparaging the company and lauding a competitive brand. Ratliff suggested that while the brand was determining the veracity of the video, it should create strategies for either scenario – where the video was real or it was fake. Her suggestion, should the video be legitimate, would be to downplay that star’s

involvement and place higher prominence on another adidas spokesperson. The journalist serving as a judge felt Ratliff had a solid pitch for his business magazine, and she wisely asked what sort of prominence the story would get if she went to his publication, instead of a competitor. She was also very prepared and able to answer most questions about the adidas brand that the reporter posed. With a combination of research, poise, and smarts, Ratliff was an easy choice for the 2009 Student of the Year Award.

Honorable Mention Meagan Wheeler Oklahoma State University Judges were impressed with Meagan Wheeler’s ideas for building buzz in the ramp-up to All-Star Weekend, especially her “Sea to Shining Sea” slam-dunk competition that would begin two weeks prior to the festivities. She also received plaudits for separating the target audience (those ages 14 to 24) into two sectors: 14 to 17 and 18 to 24. She did this to reach out to those unique groups in different ways. Knowing the interests of the demographic, she also wisely worked in a video-game component, trying to partner with EA Sports and have adidas’ gear showcased in NBA Live 2009. Judges found her presentation to be very focused, and noted her ability to speak very well extemporaneously. Her crisis communications plan also drew high marks, as she took immediate action in terminating the relationship with the athlete – based on the severity of the offense – and tailored all communications to that fact. The journalist judge commended Wheeler on a good pitch and having compelling facts and figures, both making the story an easier sell to his editor.

PRWeek

Hill & Knowlton is a leading, global, multi-specialist communications consultancy. We combine experience from all sectors and services to face the toughest communications challenges head on and to bring world-class counsel to local opportunities. We work with ease and impact at the intersection of business, policy, and communications.

www.prweekus.com • AWARDS 2009

Congratulations to our clients and colleagues on being named finalists in the 2009 PRWeek Awards American Heart Association/Go Red for Women: Untold Stories of the Heart Healthcare Campaign of the Year Nonprofit Campaign of the Year API: Drilling Deeper, Energizing an Industry in the Crosshairs Public Affairs Campaign of the Year Claymore Securities: Powering the Market. Letting the Sun Shine on the First Solar ETF Investor/Financial Campaign of the Year Imperial Sugar: Crystallizing a Community Response to a Corporate Crisis Crisis or Issues Management Campaign of the Year Microsoft Zune/Wisin y Yandel Multicultural Marketing Campaign of the Year State of California, Department of Alcohol & Drug Programs: Encouraging Behavior Change Through Behavior Modification (Me not Meth) Public Sector Campaign of the Year

Matthew J. Harrington PR Professional of the Year Edelman Large Agency of the Year

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PERSONALITY

Young PR Professional of the Year 2009 Sponsored by Edelman

Winner Shannon Riggs, Lane PR Before Shannon Riggs had graduated from college, she had acted as a national spokesperson for the American Legacy Foundation (ALF) and cofounded a social marketing consulting firm. “Shannon showed tremendous promise back in high school,” noted one judge. “It has clearly carried through to her PR career.” Today, much of her work at Lane PR focuses on Integra Telecom. In the past year, Riggs led the company’s communications during an acquisition that doubled its revenue to $700 million, which led to a forbearance petition being filed by Qwest. Not only did she obtain 100 stories in outlets like The Oregonian, TheDeal.com, and the Denver Post, Riggs initiated a letter-writing campaign and coordinated meetings with congressional members, which led to the FCC denial of the petition in July 2008. A judge commended Riggs for her “great grasp of the value and power of PR.” In the same year, Riggs worked with Umpqua Bank and created “Lemonaire,” a lemonade-stand campaign, to counter a lack of business deposits for the bank. The effort told the bank’s story through lemonade stands and the development of how-to guides, branded cups, and Popsicle stick media mailers. Results from the six-week effort included stories in The New York Times and the Associated Press, as well as 2,331 new accounts and $113 million worth of total new deposits for Umpqua.

The Award Open to PR pros who entered the industry no earlier than October 5, 2005, nominees are judged based on outstanding achievement in handling clients or senior-level staff, development of PR strategy, business savvy, creativity, knowledge of PR tactics, and contributions to business objectives.

Finalists 2009

n Janice Edman Burson-Marsteller

n Jillian Froehlich Carmichael Lynch Spong n Allison Greco Coyne Public Relations n Shannon Riggs Lane PR n Julia Zamorska iolo Technologies

“Shannon’s innate passion will serve her well in PR for many years,” said one judge. “To me, the art of effective PR is laced with delicate variables of personalities, business strategies, and an endless curiosity to learn how media and public perception work,” Riggs noted in her entry. “I strive to live with passion. That goal doesn’t start or end at 5pm.” Because of her work with the ALF as a youth, Riggs continues to act as an advo-

cate. She is a member of the American Lung Association (ALA) and is a former member of the National Center for TobaccoFree Kids and the National Conference on Tobacco or Health. As a recent presenter at the ALA’s strategic conference, Riggs led seven hours of interactive media training with activists and CEOs. “She has been standing out from a very young age,” noted one judge. “She’s earned this award.”

Honorable Mention Julia Zamorska, iolo Technologies In just three years in PR, Julia Zamorska has already ascended to the role of PR director for iolo Technologies, a consumer software company with 21 million customers. At iolo, she has developed a strategic PR plan, established a mediamonitoring program, booked press tours, and placed stories on CNET and in the Los Angeles Business Journal. “Julia understands how to sell,” said a judge. “She appears very focused on doing what she needs to accomplish her goals.” The Poland native and Oxford graduate became interested in PR while she was a visiting scholar at UC-Berkeley. She recalled being very excited about “a discipline that was foreign to a person who grew up in a former Communist country.” With iolo, she has launched two campaigns – one that capitalized on breaking news, the other a $100 million funding initiative. While one judge commended her “fearless confidence,” another said her work was “outstanding.”

PRWeek

Edelman is the world’s largest independent public relations firm, with 3,200 employees in 54 offices worldwide. Edelman was named “Large Agency of the Year” in 2008 and 2006 by PRWeek and was the only PR firm in Advertising Age’s “2007 Agency A-List.” CEO Richard Edelman was honored as “2007 Agency Executive of the Year” by Advertising Age. For more information, visit www.edelman.com.

www.prweekus.com • AWARDS 2009

E C N E G I INTELL Y T I V I T A CRE N O I S S A P S N O I T C CONNE TA L E N T

When A PR Agency Possesses These Attributes in Perfect Balance Amazing Things Happen Winner, Best New PR Agency of the Year 2006 The Holmes Report

Honorable Mention, Best Small PR Agency of the Year 2007 PRWeek Awards

Finalist, Boutique PR Agency of the Year 2009 PRWeek Awards

C OMPANY

the intelligent communications agency

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PERSONALITY

PR Professional of the Year 2009 Sponsored by Kwittken & Company

Winner Marcia Silverman Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide Marcia Silverman is a leader, an advocate, and a pioneer. Since she was named CEO of Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide in 2002, Silverman has pushed for growth at every level. Fittingly, during her 27 years at the agency, Ogilvy PR has more than tripled revenues and US staff. “When I joined Ogilvy, I did not think about whether this career path would be short on opportunities for women,” she noted in her entry. “I simply rolled up my sleeves and became immersed in a profession that still excites and challenges me.” In the past year, the firm has expanded the agency client base to include Nestlé, Unilever, the Children’s Defense Fund, Nike, Virgin America, and Wyeth, all while retaining 90% of its current largest clients. What made this past year so significant for Silverman, however, is that her eye for a changing marketplace led to a doubled presence in Asia, as well as new offices in Buenos Aires, Kolkata, Karachi, Milan, and Tunis. Ogilvy PR now has 800 employees in the Asia region. As one judge noted, “This year caps a longterm stellar career.” As the Ogilvy map continues to unfold, Silverman has also focused her leadership on the US. The agency reports a staff retention rate of 84% and, at the suggestion of employees, globalized the firm’s digital practice, 360 Digital Influence.

The Award Recognizing outstanding personal achievement within the PR industry in the period covered by this year’s Awards, as well as career achievements to date.

Finalists 2009

n Christine Barney rbb Public Relations

n Matthew Harrington Edelman n Keith Lindenburg Deloitte LLP n Marcia Silverman Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide n Doug Spong Carmichael Lynch Spong

This year, the Washington Business Journal named her a “Woman Who Means Business.” In the past, she has been president of the Council of Public Relations Firms, a member of the Arthur Page Society, and a speaker for organizations like the University of Pennsylvania, Harvard University, and Howard University. Last year, Pink magazine named Ogilvy as one of its Top Companies for Women. Silverman is one of the industry’s first female CEOs and presidents. In addition, 50% of the firm’s current MDs are women, who are leading the consumer

marketing, corporate, healthcare, and research practices. “Marcia broke new ground in the industry,” another judge said, “and demonstrated leadership that led to impressive results.” According to Silverman, the integration of account teams with Ogilvy’s digital practice met a need that “is breaking new ground in the fundamental practice of PR.” In the past year, she has traveled to 40 global offices. It has been an “outstanding career,” said a third judge, but Ogilvy’s recent successes have made this past year a particularly “productive” one for Silverman.

Honorable Mention Matthew Harrington, Edelman An Edelman veteran, Matthew Harrington took the helm of the agency’s US operations in July 2008 when he was named president and CEO. He leads 1,700 employees in the US at 13 offices. Under Harrington’s leadership, the firm reported a business win rate of 66%, as opposed to 55% the year before. It also showed a revenue increase of 18%. In addition, he introduced a number of programs for employees, including a best practice education program, an ethics code, and a “Dayto-Day Situation Guide.” “His emphasis on creating work/life balance has set a new standard and a great example,” noted one judge. Outside of the office, Harrington is a board member with the Classic Stage Company; the co-chair of the Public Relations Society of America’s Business School/ MBA Program Initiative; and a former president of the Denison Alumni Society. Harrington “is one of the true leaders in our profession,” said another judge. “He’s helped Edelman advance its position as a top firm.”

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Kwittken & Company is an elite communications agency that provides its clients with results that extend far beyond traditional PR. We work with brands in the media/publishing, travel, luxury, fashion/retail, design, healthcare, financial services, technology, and b-to-b sectors to help them realize their business goals through intelligently designed, results-oriented campaigns.

www.prweekus.com • AWARDS 2009

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Education

PR Education Program of the Year 2009 Sponsored by Padilla Speer Beardsley

Winner New York University, MS Degree In Public Relations & Corporate Communication New York University had lofty goals for its MS Degree program in PR and Corporate Communications. It sought to become the top graduate program in PR, have the best faculty, and elevate the practice of PR as a social science. With rigorous courses, practical experience, and 29 PR pros involved in the program, NYU is well on its way. The accredited program features faculty that have written books including The Practice of Public Relations (Fraser Seitel), How to Manage Your Global Reputation (Michael Morley), and Reputation Management (John Doorley and Helio Fred Garcia). Its academically rigorous coursework includes core classes on writing, history, and media relations; more in-depth concentration courses for the specific PR and corporate communications tracks; studies on law and ethics; and a Capstone program where students prepare a researched report on an issue in PR and communications. The program stresses a practitioner-oriented curriculum and ethical behavior, working with students so they can gain a solid grasp of the key elements of the PR industry and, once professionally involved, work to elevate the ethical and professional standards of PR. Twice a year, the program organizes and hosts the Public Relations Master Practitioner Series where professionals speak on

PRWeek

The Award Open to any PR undergraduate or graduate curriculum taught in the fall 2007 or spring 2008 semester. This award recognizes achievement in lesson plans that educate the next crop of PR professionals. Entries were judged based on the ability for professors to use both real-world case studies and instructive scenarios to educate students about new media, media relations, crisis communications, and other tactics.

Finalists 2009

n Georgetown University Masters of Professional Studies in Public Relations and Corporate Communications n James Madison University n New York University, MS Degree In Public Relations & Corporate Communication n University of Alabama PR Program, Spring 2008

key issues facing the industry. Past topics include “The Golden Age of PR: Effective Use of Public Relations” and “The Growing Role of Social Media in Elections.” “Awards, work, faculty, [and] practical experience make this a winner,” said one judge. Students work in teams to meet real challenges from clients. NYU’s location comes into play as the school engages such local clients as the American Ballet Theatre, UN Global Compact, NBC Universal, Kiehl’s, and the Tribeca Film Festival. Outside pros are also involved with NYU’s program, adding another level of support from the industry. MS&L annually donates $2,500 for professional development activi-

ties to the program’s student organization, PR League. Representatives from companies including Ketchum, Edelman, Johnson & Johnson, Food Lion, and Publicis PR Group all serve as faculty members. The students lend NYU’s PR and corporate communications program a certain appeal as well, with a Fulbright Scholar, a Phi Beta Kappa, and five Lagrant Scholars all part of the program. During their time at NYU, students are encouraged to contribute to PR research and work on PR and corporate communications challenges. “The program is a key link to the PR industry,” said one judge, while another called it “an example for others to follow.”

Honorable Mention

James Madison University An international reach and a focus on real-world campaigns are two ways James Madison University (JMU) provides a solid liberal arts education and practical PR base to its School of Communications. Nine faculty members conduct courses devoted primarily to PR, and students can earn up to six hours of credit for internships. Current PR majors have fulfilled these credits at companies including Burson-Marsteller, NFL Films, and J. Walter Thompson. JMU’s program also incorporates case studies into its curriculum and offers ways for students to get hands-on experience with new technologies, such as Qualtrics and WebSurveyor. The program introduced several international-focused PR courses in the past year, including the Global PR Project, in which students collaborate with their peers from countries including Germany, India, Portugal, and South Africa. The James Madison Middle East-Europe Study Abroad program also helps students increase their global knowledge, with briefings from international PR pros. In 2008, more than 40 such briefings took place. “Study abroad, real-world campaigns, and focus on writing make this stand out,” said one judge.

Univ. of Alabama PR Program, Spring 2008 Established in 1974, the University of Alabama’s PR program works with faculty, professionals, and alumni to provide students with analytical and critical-thinking skills, professional skills, and hands-on experience. The PR faculty includes seven tenured and tenure-track professors, publishing 13 peer-reviewed journal articles, two academic books, and two scholarly book chapters in the 2007-08 academic year. Alumni and other pros also attend PR Day each year, where students can hear presentations and have their résumés and portfolios critiqued. A Capstone Campaign course, praised by the judges, is required so all PR students will work with real clients to develop, present, and carry out campaigns. In the spring 2008 semester, clients included the Alabama Rural Health Program and the West Alabama Chamber of Commerce. Students in PR writing classes also provide support to real clients, including the Humane Society of West Alabama, Habitat for Humanity, and the Ovarian Cancer National Alliance. The school’s program is “the best kept secret,” said one judge. “[It’s] a solid program with good industry support,” said another.

n University of Southern California,

Annenberg School for Communication, Public Relations Studies Program

Padilla Speer Beardsley is a fullservice communications firm with headquarters in Minneapolis and an office in New York. Our 110 employeeowners offer expertise in marketing communications, investor and corporate relations, employee communications, crisis management, new media, market and opinion research, and interactive and graphic design. The firm is a founding partner of the Worldcom Public Relations Group. Online at www.psbpr.com.

www.prweekus.com • AWARDS 2009

To all of tonight’s nominees:

Congratulations. And to our outstanding clients and colleagues who made Ketchum’s 10 nominations possible:

Thank you. Tonight is your night. BOEHRINGER INGELHEIM

NAVISTAR INTERNATIONAL CORP.

Healthcare Campaign of the Year “Follow the Leader: Boehringer Ingelheim Takes Extraordinary Steps to Support the Parkinson’s Unity Walk”

Business-to-Business Campaign of the Year “LoneStar: Shining the Light on a New Trucking Star” NOKIA

HÄAGEN-DAZS Product Brand Development Campaign of the Year “Häagen-Dazs Loves Honey Bees: Let’s Lick This Problem” Cause-Related Campaign of the Year “Häagen-Dazs Loves Honey Bees: Let’s Lick This Problem”

Arts, Entertainment & Media Campaign of the Year “Nokia Productions: Engaging Consumers to Create the First Socially Collaborative Film” TOSHIBA AMERICA MEDICAL SYSTEMS

IKEA

Business-to-Business Campaign of the Year “Revolutionizing Healthcare in a Single Rotation – Toshiba’s Aquilion ONE Launch”

Business-to Business Campaign of the Year “Small Business, Big Dreams: Furnished by IKEA”

KETCHUM

Best Use of Online Media “Man Lives in IKEA: Citizen Marketer Becomes IKEA Brand Evangelist”

Large PR Agency of the Year

Corporate Branding Campaign of the Year “Man Lives in IKEA: Citizen Marketer Becomes IKEA Brand Evangelist”

www.ketchum.com

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Business – In-house

In-House PR Team of the Year 2009 Sponsored by Ketchum

Winner Roll International When a three-person in-house staff can put a category on the map, as Roll International’s internal PR team did with the pomegranate juice sector and POM Wonderful, it sets a high bar for all future endeavors. Half a decade later, having quadrupled in size, the team at the eclectic brand holding company has become an awareness-building powerhouse for a variety of brands that are exported to 42 countries. Prior to 2005, Teleflora had minimal consumer notoriety. Today, it is the numberone floral wire service in the US. Since Roll’s acquisition of FIJI in 2004, the PR team has played a key role in the business’ more than 300% growth into the top imported water brand in the world. Paramount Farms has become the world’s largest vertically integrated grower, processor, and marketer of almonds and pistachios. “Strong results managing a robust set of brands with a fairly small staff,” noted one judge. “What they’ve done with POM is truly spectacular.” Over a recent 52-week period, the corporate communications team garnered 2,611 placements. Beyond that, the staff secured a significant presence at events including meetings of both the American Dietetic and Heart Associations, as well as both US political parties’ national conventions. In the team’s ongoing campaign to create a global presence, it launched PR initiatives in China, India, Mexico, Australia, Japan, the UK, and Spain, with efforts being prepared for several other European nations.

The Award Open to any in-house nonprofit, government, or corporate PR team, this award recognizes success in addressing the spectrum of management issues and objectives, and in handling corporate communications, campaigns, and programs, including crisis situations. Judges considered communications management achievements, such as cost-effective use of in-house and external resources, department restructuring programs, and success in integrating other communications functions – including advertising, event management, and Web development – into the PR function.

Finalists 2009

n American National Red Cross n Deloitte LLP n Jack Link’s Beef Jerky n McDonald’s USA n Roll International

On the social media front, the team created blogs, targeted bloggers as a key element of media outreach, boosted its reliance on YouTube and MySpace to help extend its message, and unveiled Web sites like pistachiohealth.com and FijiGreen.com. Teamwork has also become a staple of PR efforts. Effective use of outside agencies has helped projects flourish. On an internal basis, the in-house communicators work with a multitude of departments in innovative ways. For example, as health is such a vital element in many of Roll’s efforts, the PR team works closely with the director of medical research to determine

meaningful, relevant research projects that will help grow all brands. Joint efforts with the HR department (to develop recruiting materials and other employee initiatives) and the company’s owner (to design and launch a corporate Web site) round out the broad reach the in-house PR team has within the company. One judge cited the team’s “thorough approach to all its brands,” while another complimented its particular efforts for POM, saying, “The Roll [team] has done an impressive job putting pomegranates and their nutritional and culinary value on the map.”

Honorable Mention McDonald’s USA In its ongoing mission to differentiate the McDonald’s restaurant brand, the 26-person in-house team is charged with developing new initiatives as part of the company’s “Plan to Win” – a message of “being better, not just bigger.” The team’s 2008 focus was to leverage new technology and third-party relationships to engage key audiences with the brand, while building credibility, support, and trust for the quality of McDonald’s existing choices – negatively perceived by some – and its new menu offerings. When its Southern Style Chicken Biscuit and Sandwich debuted, the team utilized consumer engagement to position the chain as a destination site. It increased consumer trust by providing comprehensive nutrition information on all menu choices. Specific programs targeting the Hispanic community and mothers enabled the team to highlight the company’s commitment to multicultural outreach and transparency. One impressed judge noted how the in-house team “spread its wings to get a consistent message through at such a large organization.”

PRWeek

One of the world’s leading full-service, global PR agencies, Ketchum delivers innovations that help clients across all industries quickly realize their communications goals. As a sponsor of the PRWeek Awards, we congratulate all the finalists.

www.prweekus.com • AWARDS 2009

Congratulations to all of this yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s PRWeek award recipients. Winning awards is gratifying. But, for our teams around the world, the true prize is delivering winning outcomes for our clients.

Impact. Outcomes. Results.

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Business – agency

Small PR Agency of the Year 2009 Sponsored by Fleishman-Hillard

Winner Dig Communications An agency that was founded in 2004 with one client and $850,000 in revenue, Dig Communications has grown into a $6.2 million firm with high-profile clients such as MillerCoors, The Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company, and Solo. Dig’s “strong financials” were part of what impressed the judges and earned it this honor. The 37-person firm, headquartered in Chicago, with additional offices in San Francisco and New York, increased revenue by 23% in the past year, surpassing its goal of 20%, something it attributes to strong organic growth with core clients. The agency also added 15 new clients over the past year, including Bally Total Fitness, Elations, Peroni, Dress Barn, and Verve Wireless. Dig’s main philosophy is to put its clients first. This is certainly not a unique sentiment, but it is something made quite apparent by the involvement of Dig’s employees in the organizations that matter most to its clients. For example, Dig employees are involved in the Beer Institute and National Beer Wholesalers Association, the National Confectioners Association, and the Renewable Fuels Association. That synergy with client goals also extends to charitable efforts. The agency contributes most of its time and resources to its clients’ charities, including Prevent Child Abuse America for Wrigley; Susan G. Komen’s Race for the Cure with CouponCabin; and

The Award Open to any firm whose current annual PR income (consisting of fees plus mark-up for disbursements) is from $5 million to $10 million. The CEOs of each firm were required to certify in writing that the agency’s annual PR income met those qualifications, as well as date of incorporation and number of employees. This award recognizes financial and client-list growth, client retention, and PR creativity and innovation.

Finalists 2009 n Airfoil Public Relations n Dig Communications n Merritt Group n Singer Associates n The Jeffrey Group

multiple charitable initiatives with MillerCoors. Dig also provides pro bono services to nonprofits such as the Chicago Children’s Museum, Girls on the Run, Chicago Professionals for Youth, Common Threads, and the Make-a-Wish Foundation. Some of the main goals for Dig have been to diversify its business beyond the original core of consumer marketing and also expand its reach across the US. Both of those objectives were met in 2008, as evidenced by various events. Dig established a New York office. It launched an Hispanic

practice to help clients reach this influential market. The firm expanded its corporate capability by adding former Weber Shandwick EVP Bryan Specht to its senior leadership team. Dig grew its San Francisco office revenues by 9%. The agency expanded its social media capability through staff training and executing programs such as “Elf Yourself” for OfficeMax. As one judge remarked, “Dig has demonstrated some remarkable work with a true understanding of the social media environment in a way that sets them apart.”

Honorable Mention Singer Associates Although small, Singer boasts impressive results. For the entry period, the agency’s revenues were nearly $6 million, a 30% jump from the prior year, with profitability at 20%. Founded in San Francisco in 2000 with a staff of four, the firm has solidified its reputation as a leader in crisis communications, reputation and issue management, public affairs, litigation support, community affairs, and political campaigns. It has a number of long-term clients, including Chevron, Olympic Club, and Norcal Waste Systems. In an industry of constant change, Singer has had the forethought to develop partnerships with advertising creative directors to aid clients on ad/ marketing campaigns. The value Singer places on its employees is commendable – picking up 100% of healthcare costs, providing mobile phones for all employees, and encouraging and paying for professional development. The firm also encourages employees to join its pro bono community efforts, as it’s donated time and money worth nearly $425,000 to various charities and community programs.

PRWeek

Fleishman-Hillard started in a tiny office upstairs from a dime store. We know firsthand the challenges of successfully operating a small agency. No matter how large we’ve grown, we’re still committed to the principles that sustained us in the beginning. Respect the individual. Passion for client service. Uncompromising standards of integrity and quality. Thoughtful, creative work that makes a real difference. Congratulations to the Small Agency of the Year finalists.

www.prweekus.com • AWARDS 2009

Business – agency

The Award Open to any firm whose current annual PR income (consisting of fees plus mark-up for disbursements) is less than $5 million. The CEOs of each firm were required to certify in writing that the agency’s annual PR income met those qualifications, as well as date of incorporation and number of employees. This award recognizes financial and client-list growth, client retention, and PR creativity and innovation.

Finalists 2009 n Kwittken & Company n LaunchSquad n Linhart Public Relations n The Red Consultancy USA

Boutique PR Agency of the Year 2009

Winner LaunchSquad With clients like BarelyPolitical.com, the masterminds behind the Internet sensation Obama Girl, LaunchSquad has definitely held true to its mission of working on emerging/growth companies. Those clients are typically early- to mid-stage technology, software, and social media companies, all of which benefit from the firm’s self-described approach of “handcrafted PR,” which helps companies create stories, strategies, and communications programs that get results. Those results have helped in the financial success of the firm as well. During the eligibility period, LaunchSquad grew its revenue to $4.28 million; added 10 employees; brought in 17 new clients; and expanded its New York office to five employees and five clients. It was that entrepreneurial attitude that impressed the judges and earned the agency this honor. In keeping with its tech-heavy client roster, the agency is also greatly invested in innovation and technology – often using its clients’ products themselves – so that when promoting those clients, the team can speak from actual experience. It uses SuccessFactors to manage employee performance; TimeBridge to schedule meetings; Evernote as a reminder service; TurnHere to produce client videos; and Awareness to power its intranet. LaunchSquad has also taken steps to be a digital, paperless firm by switching to Google for all work applications, including e-mail, documents, spreadsheets, and collaboration. In addition to its client work, judges

remarked on the supportive and “nurturing” environment the agency provides for employees. For example, in addition to its fully paid health, dental, and vision insurance, the firm provides biweekly sessions on a number of topics, ranging from “Blogging/ Tweeting for Clients” to “What You Need to Know about SEO.” Each Monday, the firm holds a lunch for all employees that serves as the main communication and motivation gathering for the LaunchSquad team. During that meeting, employees discuss ongoing company and

client news, share best practices and ideas, and talk about the big events of the week. That meeting also includes an “acknowledgement” section, where employees can highlight each other’s outstanding work. Because of the firm’s size, there aren’t many formal staff programs, but LaunchSquad promotes its team-based, no bureaucracy environment, one that is bolstered by a total absence of private offices in the firm. “This agency is an up-and-comer,” remarked one judge. “We’ll see them in a different category next year.”

Honorable Mention The Red Consultancy USA Touting big-name clients like Microsoft, Chevron, and McAfee, The Red Consultancy impressed judges by not just winning that business, but retaining it over the years. The agency’s “impressive track record of winning accounts against some of the industry heavyweights” was cited by judges as a reason for its success, which has been financial as well. The firm experienced year-to-year growth of 30%, with five major client wins totaling more than $500,000 in revenues. An aspect of Red that garnered praise from judges is its approach to HR and staff development. Senior managers attend the “Foundations of Leadership” class at the Center for Creative Leadership – used by GE and GM to train leaders. The firm’s programs are tailored to meet employees’ needs, using regular “brown bag” best-practice sessions, talks by top journalists, and PRSA-run training modules. Red’s US employees spend a week at Red London in the UK within their first year to become immersed in the agency’s culture. “Solid work by inspired staff and leadership” earned Red this honor.

AWARDS 2009 • www.prweekus.com

PRWeek

Business – agency

Midsize PR Agency of the Year 2009

Winner Coyne Public Relations Coyne’s success over the past decade – and resonance with this year’s judges – is due in large part to the culture it has worked to build and maintain. Boasting an impressive 93% employee retention rate, Coyne is serious about being the best place to work – in the PR field and beyond. Judges were impressed with the firm’s “strong culture” and support video, featuring various employees talking about their favorite things about the agency. In addition to offering outstanding benefits, the firm takes employee training and collaboration very seriously, addressing them in the following ways: Coyne University, where employees spend more than 75 hours in training each year, including seminars and workshops on key issues that are internally created; Coyne Toss, a monthly newsletter to highlight employees’ personal and professional accomplishments and tips on best practices; and Coyne Cuisine, a weekly lunch for both locations (Parsippany, NJ, and Manhattan) that encourages employee interaction. At the heart of that dedication to its employees is a larger goal: great client work. That commitment is evident in many of the agency’s long-term client relationships, including Kraft, General Mills, The Campbell Soup Company, Medco Health Solutions, Hard Rock Interna-

The Award Open to any firm whose current annual PR income (consisting of fees plus mark-up for disbursements) is from $10 million to $65 million. The CEOs of each firm were required to certify in writing that the agency’s annual PR income met those qualifications, as well as date of incorporation and number of employees. This award recognizes financial and client-list growth, client retention, and PR creativity and innovation.

Finalists 2009 n Coyne Public Relations

n Padilla Speer Beardsley n Qorvis Communications n Text 100 Global Public Relations n WeissComm Partners

tional, and Casio. In addition, during the entry period, Coyne added several new clients, including Hasbro, Crayola, and Babies “R” Us. Such growth was evident in the firm’s numbers. During the entry period, Coyne grew 29% and increased profitability to 17%. The agency’s growth is also seen in its capabilities. During the past year, it developed Coyne Digital Studio, hiring multiple Flash “rock stars” and video specialists. That team has led efforts for clients from Disney Parks to Shell in the creation of Web sites, feature videos, and custom Flash elements. It has also developed a new blog-

ger engagement process called “Forty-five 2 One,” built on the rationale that each blog requires no less than 45 minutes of research before engagement occurs. The firm’s culture also includes giving back to the community and to causes that are important to employees. The agency encourages staffers to work on various charitable efforts that Coyne PR chooses to do pro bono, such as The Valerie Fund, New Jersey Food Bank, and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. “Coyne is clearly a great place to work,” remarked one judge, “and that growth rate reflects this.”

Honorable Mention WeissComm Partners WeissComm Partners’ remarkable financial growth – 52% in the entry period – thoroughly impressed the judges. Its client wins for the year, including Amgen, Ardea Biosciences, Boston Scientific, Cyclacel, and Fisher Biopharma, emphasize its goal to grow its business, aided by its long-term relationships with such clients as Affymax, Anesiva, Arena Pharmaceuticals, and Pfizer. As an independent healthcare firm, WeissComm has taken steps to create an agency culture that is inspiring for its employees. Its Culture Committee raises money and donations for charities, brings staff together for team-building events, and handles the Culture awards. The agency’s annual off-site “boot camp” provides employees with PR and business training on such topics as writing winning PR material, product communications, drug development process, biotech company funding, crossing the divide between biotech and Big Pharma, executive coaching, and Web 2.0 for healthcare PR. “WeissComm has a nice focus on both its employees and its communities, without losing focus on its business,” remarked one judge.

PRWeek

www.prweekus.com • AWARDS 2009

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Business – agency

Large PR Agency of the Year 2009 Sponsored by Euro RSCG Worldwide PR

Winner Edelman Edelman is no stranger to this honor, having won Large Agency of the Year in 2008. And its continued strength in the areas of financial performance, innovation, and client relationships convinced this year’s judges that, once again, it should be this category’s top choice. Over the entry period, the agency grew 19% globally to $448 million and 16% in the US to $288 million, “amazing growth considering their already large base of revenue,” according to one judge. Nearly all of this growth was organic, and the agency exceeded its internal forecasts in every region and practice. Part of that organic growth is due to its long-term client relationships, which include Heinz, Wyeth, Butterball, ConAgra Foods, Johnson & Johnson, Unilever, UPS, and Kraft. Even more impressive, the firm retained all of its top 50 clients, which now account for more than 50% of worldwide billings. But the agency also managed to add 279 new clients during the entry period. The largest wins included Teleflora, Pepsi, and Hewlett-Packard. Although much of Edelman’s innovation over the past four or five years has been in the digital space, it has branched out in the past year. In 2008, it launched Edelman Studios, a virtual studio designed to pair emerging talent and established storytellers with brands and companies that are looking

The Award Open to any firm whose current annual PR income (consisting of fees plus mark-up for disbursements) is $65 million or higher. The CEOs of each firm were required to certify in writing that the agency’s annual PR income met those qualifications, as well as date of incorporation and number of employees. This award recognizes financial and client-list growth, client retention, and PR creativity and innovation.

Finalists 2009 n Edelman

n GolinHarris n Ketchum n Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide n Weber Shandwick

to connect with consumers in new ways. It also created the Boomer Insights Generation Group, a virtual practice to support clients that market to baby boomers. Because talent is at the heart of any agency’s success, Edelman took steps to improve its employee retention and training. It reduced US voluntary turnover by 8%. In addition, the agency enhanced Edelman University, its in-house education program, offering 80,000 hours of instruction, a 125% increase from 2007. It also established a new mentorship program which pairs 80 VPs and SVPs with GMs. Continuing a long-

standing tradition of pro bono support, in 2008 Edelman made a $350,000 commitment for staff to contribute time and skills to youth education around the world. Arguably, Edelman’s position of thought leadership in the industry is unrivaled. CEO Richard Edelman is a highly visible figure within the industry and a member of the Arthur W. Page Society. In addition, members of the firm’s management hold active memberships in organizations ranging from the World Wildlife Fund to the Prince of Wales Foundation. As one judge put it, “Edelman continues to evolve and lead.”

Honorable Mention Ketchum Though competition for new business was fierce over the past year, Ketchum, led by CEO Ray Kotcher (pictured right) and president Rob Flaherty (left), won more than 190 new clients across several industries, including AMD, Bayer Healthcare, California Milk Advisory Board, DuPont, FCC, and Stand Up to Cancer. Recognizing the unique business climate, the firm concentrated its efforts on innovation – for both clients and the agency itself. Appointing Karen Strauss as chief innovation officer, it reaffirmed its commitment to identifying new products and services for client needs. Part of Strauss’ work included the creation and dissemination of “The Innovation Chronicles of Kaptain Clairvoyant,” a bimonthly animated webisode where employees can experience real client examples of innovation. The firm also began an “Innovation Idol” competition, where employees could show off innovative approaches to reach target audiences. That concept of innovation continued in other HR initiatives. “Ketchum’s focus on innovation for themselves and their clients is distinctive,” remarked one judge. “They do everything... well.”

PRWeek

Euro RSCG Worldwide PR is a preferred destination for clients looking for fresh, considered communications that deliver a measurable difference and help them achieve their defined business targets. The ERWWPR offering includes strategic and practical services in the arenas of consumer and word of mouth marketing, health and well being, business-to-business communications, technology, multicultural and corporate communications.

www.prweekus.com • AWARDS 2009

s. o r t e ns inn o i t sw a l t u ard a r ng k Aw o C ee W R eP

NYU’S SCHOOL OF CONTINUING AND PROFESSIONAL STUDIES

You speak for your clients. A Master’s from NYU speaks for itself. MASTER’S IN PUBLIC RELATIONS AND CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS 2009 PR Education Program of the Year ﬁnalist Projected to be among the ten fastest-growing professions over the next decade, PR and corporate communications have become key elements in every organization’s business strategy. NYU’s Master’s in Public Relations and Corporate Communications addresses the critical and expanding role played by communications strategists. The Master of Science in Public Relations and Corporate Communications provides you with a unique opportunity to take advantage of New York City’s unparalleled resources as the business, media, and communications center of the U.S. The curriculum is a thorough combination of theory and practice, and our renowned faculty, some of today’s most talented PR and corporate communications professionals, bring real-world insight to the classroom.

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Business – agency

PR Agency of the Year 2009 Sponsored by NYU School of Continuing Professional Studies

Winner Edelman Edelman’s continued strength in the areas of financial performance, innovation, and client relationships is what convinced this year’s judges that it should receive the very highest agency honor. Over the entry period, the firm grew 19% globally to $448 million and 16% in the US to $288 million, “amazing growth considering their already large base of revenue,” according to one judge. Nearly all of this growth was organic, and the agency exceeded its internal forecasts in every region and practice. Part of that organic growth is due to its long-term client relationships, which include Heinz, Wyeth, Butterball, ConAgra Foods, Johnson & Johnson, Unilever, UPS, and Kraft. Even more impressive, the firm retained all of its top 50 clients, which now account for more than 50% of worldwide billings. But the agency also managed to add 279 new clients during the entry period. The largest wins included Teleflora, Pepsi, and Hewlett-Packard. Over the past four or five years, Edelman has become well known for its innovation in the digital space. Over the past year, it added to that reputation. In 2008, the firm launched Edelman Studios, a virtual studio designed to pair emerging talent and established storytellers with brands and companies that are looking to connect with consumers in new ways. It also created

The Award This award was judged by comparing the winners of the Boutique, Small, Midsize, and Large PR Agency of the Year categories. Judges looked for evidence of financial growth, profit margins, client roster growth, client retention, client satisfaction, good HR practices, innovation, and creativity. All of these achievements were considered relative to the agency’s size and previous standing.

Finalists 2009 n Coyne Public Relations n Dig Communications n Edelman n LaunchSquad

the Boomer Insights Generation Group, a virtual practice to support clients that market to baby boomers. In addition, Edelman took steps to improve its employee retention and training. It reduced US voluntary turnover by 8%. In addition, the agency enhanced Edelman University, its in-house education program, offering 80,000 hours of instruction, a 125% increase from 2007. It also established a new mentorship program which pairs 80 VPs and SVPs with GMs. Continuing a long-standing tradition of pro bono support, in 2008 Edelman made a

$350,000 commitment for staff to contribute time and skills to youth education around the world. Edelman’s position of thought leadership in the industry is arguably unrivaled by any other agency of any other size. CEO Richard Edelman is a highly visible figure within the sector and a member of the Arthur W. Page Society. In addition, every member of the firm’s management has active membership in organizations from the World Wildlife Fund to the Prince of Wales Foundation. As one judge put it, “Edelman continues to evolve and lead.”

Honorable Mention Dig Communications An agency that was founded in 2004 with one client and $850,000 in revenue, Dig Communications has grown into a $6.2 million firm with impressive clients such as MillerCoors and The Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company. Dig’s “strong financials” were part of what impressed the judges and earned the firm this honor. The 37-person agency increased revenue by 23% in the past year, surpassing its goal of 20%, something it attributes to strong organic growth with core clients. Dig also added 15 new clients over the past year, including Bally Total Fitness, Dress Barn, and Verve Wireless. Some of the main goals for Dig have been to diversify its business beyond the original core of consumer marketing and also expand its reach across the US. Both of those objectives were met in 2008, as Dig established a New York office; launched an Hispanic practice; expanded its corporate capability by adding to its senior leadership team; grew the San Francisco office revenues by 9%; and expanded the agency’s social media capability through staff training and executing programs such as “Elf Yourself” for OfficeMax.

PRWeek

NYU School of Continuing Professional Studies offers a Master of Science in Public Relations and Corporate Communications. This advanced degree provides a curriculum that is a thorough, leading-edge combination of theory and practice immediately applicable to your work environment. The faculty comprises industry professionals who bring unparalleled insight and understanding to their classrooms.

www.prweekus.com • AWARDS 2009

judges

Judges

Edward Adler

David Armon

EVP of corporate comms, Time Warner A member of the senior management team, Adler heads up global communications strategy and positioning. He began his career at Time Inc. while still in college, and worked as a reporter at Time, a programming executive at HBO, and a news editor in Time Inc.’s magazine development area. He is also on the board of directors at The City Parks Foundation and the Big Apple Circus, among other organizations.

President, PR Newswire Armon marks his 20th anniversary with PRN in 2009. He managed Cleveland and Chicago operations before moving to New York and becoming president. Armon was instrumental in expanding the PRN product portfolio beyond text distribution of press releases to a wide range of marketing services. An active internal blogger for many years, he has just launched PounceNow.com to chronicle his adventures after he leaves PRN later this year.

Allison Barber

Shannelle Armstrong

Kim Avdek

Armstrong leads efforts for Kmart and Sears. Previously, she was manager of US comms at McDonald’s USA, where she served as a corporate spokesperson and was responsible for product launches, beverages, Arch Cards, and tech initiatives. She was also a press advance/aide with the 2000 Gore/Lieberman campaign.

VP of internal comms, office of chairman and CEO, Hill & Knowlton Her many responsibilities include writing and editing communications for the chairman, CMO, and other H&K departments worldwide. Avdek is the copywriter for PiranhaKid and is a WPP liaison for special projects. She also edits and tracks case studies and produces the firm’s Master’s Series program, among other projects. She began at H&K in 1983 in LA and moved to New York in 1986.

David Barnes

Thomas Becktold

Bruce Berger

President, Sodenta Barber currently runs her own strategic communication business in the DC area. She has been involved in various categories over the past 15 years: Nonprofit work for the American Red Cross; integrated advertising for the PlowShare Group; new business development for Hill & Knowlton; internal communications for the Defense Dept.; global comms for the White House; and new media and stakeholder engagement for the military.

Public affairs liaison, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Admin. (TIGTA) Barnes educates the press, tax community, and taxpayers about TIGTA’s criminal investigations and audits of the IRS, which his agency oversees. Before joining TIGTA in 2008, he was public affairs director for the US Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General. He is also an award-winning journalist for national business magazines and regional newspapers.

SVP of marketing, Business Wire In addition to leading BW’s US marketing efforts, Becktold was instrumental in establishing successful programs as the company expanded globally, including in Canada, the UK, Germany, France, and Japan. A 20-plus-year BW veteran, he oversees its successful trade show and events division. Becktold, who assumed his current post in December 2006, joined BW in 1988 as a news editor in the Los Angeles bureau.

Professor and chairman, Advertising & PR Dept., College of Communication, University of Alabama In addition to his school role, Berger is a board member of the Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations. In 2006, he was named PRSA Educator of the Year. Previously, he was corporate VP of PR at Whirlpool Corp. and president of the Whirlpool Foundation. Prior, he was director of worldwide human health PR at The Upjohn Company.

Paul Bergevin

Judy Blatman

Matthew Boyle

Fred Bratman

VP of sales and marketing group; GM, global communications group, Intel Bergevin leads communications strategies at Intel, including all product and corporate comms worldwide. He has 20plus years of experience in tech PR and marketing, having served in corporate and agency environments. Before Intel, Bergevin was president and CEO of Citigate Cunningham, a tech PR specialist firm, and earlier launched the global tech practice of Edelman.

SVP of comms, Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) Blatman has 25 years of experience in the communications world. She is responsible for overseeing the development and execution of CRN’s overall strategic comms efforts, including the consumer wellness PR campaign “Life...supplemented.” Previously, she managed communications and public affairs at the Distilled Spirits Council and led PR efforts for luxury resort company Princess Hotels.

Editor, BusinessWeek Boyle is an editor for the Corporations section of the title. Recent stories include “Risky Loans: Harley Hits the Slick” and “Cruel Christmas: How Many Will Fall?” Prior to joining BusinessWeek last August, he was a writer at Fortune, where he covered retail, consumer products, and management topics for eight years. Before that, he was a reporter and editor at PRWeek. Boyle has a BA in history and American Studies from Princeton.

VP of corporate comms and IR, United Rentals Before heading up communications efforts for the NYSElisted company, Bratman was president of Hyde Park Financial Communications. He has also served as a VP at Sard Verbinnen. During his time at Hyde Park, Bratman penned a regular column for PRWeek on financial communications. Bratman started his career in journalism as a reporter and editor at Dow Jones and McGraw-Hill.

Director of PR and cause marketing, Sears Holdings Management Corp.

Message from the chairman

Greetings and welcome! This year we have watched history rapidly unfold and we’ve been humbled by its reach and impact. Our public is changing in profound ways that might cast a shadow over a generation of consumer and business attitudes, behaviors, and values. It is through this unique perspective that we can also see the singular power of PR. No other communications discipline except PR has the central role or responsibility in shaping opinion, informing action, and helping us to understand, plan, and move forward. While there is an ever-expanding number of screens and touchpoints, the PR discipline is unique in its potential to guide the public conversation with trust and permission. Each one of this year’s 909 submissions bears this out. The innovation, passion, and impact of all the winning entries serve as testaments to the PR discipline’s ever-rising impact, as well as its penchant for improvement through the adoption of new ideas and tools. We are truly grateful to all those who entered for an award. I also wish to thank the 77 esteemed judges who, despite their full calendars, took the time to thoroughly study and debate the merits of the submissions. As you’ll note from the content on these pages, these individuals represent the finest in our industry. The insight, professionalism, and objectivity they brought to this process merit the highest appreciation. It has been a true honor to chair this year’s proceedings. I have been greatly impressed and inspired by the strategic thinking that frames the terrific, creative, and well-planned campaigns we honor tonight. I hope you will share my enthusiasm for this distinguished body of work. I believe this year’s winners will inspire you and your teams to create the next level of excellence in the coming year. Mark Addicks Chief marketing officer General mills

AWARDS 2009 • www.prweekus.com

PRWeek

judges

Judges

Michael Brewer

Craig Buchholz

Wayne Bullock

Blake Cahill

Cathy Calhoun

Emily Callahan

EVP, consumer group, Brodeur Brewer, with nearly 25 years of consumer marketing experience, is founder and head of Brodeur’s consumer practice. He also founded the firm’s mobility practice and is working with clients to innovate in the PR industry using the mobile platform for managing relationships with client constituents. Brewer has been with Brodeur for 15-plus years and is a member of the agency’s executive team.

Executive director, Merck Research Laboratories (MRL) Global Comms, Merck & Co. Buchholz has led comms at MRL in his present role since January 2005. His main focus is to communicate transformational change for the research organization, which has a presence in 50 countries. He is a member of the Merck Global Communications Leadership team. Prior to Merck, he held top comms posts at J&J, Pharmacia, and Dorland Sweeney Jones Health Communications.

SVP of analysis, Cision Bullock has devised and managed communications measurement programs for many of the world’s largest companies. His work on behalf of Cision clients has been recognized with various industry awards, including a CIPRA Award and a PRSA Bronze Anvil Award of Commendation. Bullock is a frequent speaker on the topics of media measurement and corporate reputation at national and local conferences and workshops.

SVP of marketing, Visible Technologies Cahill is responsible for executing marketing strategies, driving thought leadership, and engaging media and industry analysts to increase market and customer awareness for the company’s continued revenue growth. He has developed invaluable insights about how the intersection of customer experience, social media, brands, and technology can allow businesses to execute and leverage the “voice of their customers.”

President, Weber Shandwick North America Calhoun, who has been with WS for 17 years, oversees operations for 20 offices across the US and Canada. She also leads several of the firm’s major client relationships. Her vast experience in branding and category marketing have helped her lead efforts for companies like Unilever and Mars. Prior to WS, she was marcomms director at Wilson Sporting Goods. The PRSA named her Chicago’s PR Pro of the Year in 2008.

Managing director of marcomms, Susan G. Komen for the Cure In her role at the world’s largest breast cancer organization, Callahan is responsible for leveraging marcomms efforts to engage diverse audiences in its global movement to find and deliver breast cancer cures. She oversees Komen’s marcomms, interactive media, and event functions. Callahan is also on the board of Girls in Motion and works with Dallasarea youth.

Steve Cody

Jennifer Cohan

Stephen Cohen

Tom Coyne

Kathy Cripps

Mike Cummins

Managing partner and cofounder, Peppercom Cody oversees overall agency direction and management, new business and new product development, and agency marketing at the firm he founded in 1995. Along with strategic consultant Dr. Richard Harte, he has written a book on painbased selling, What’s Keeping Your Customers Up at Night? Prior to Peppercom, he was president of Brouillard Communications and an EVP and GM of Earle Palmer Brown.

Managing director, GolinHarris’ New York office Cohan leads client service, talent development, and innovation initiatives at Golin’s New York office. She serves as active senior counsel to several consumer and corporate brands. Passionate about word of mouth marketing and digitally enabled communities that build allegiance and enhance reputation, Cohan has done extensive work in consumer and corporate communications both in New York and London.

SVP in Citigroup’s Institutional Clients Group Cohen helps lead global communications for the company’s capital markets businesses. He joined Citi in March 2007 after two-and-a-half years as a PR director at HSBC. Prior to that, he was a financial reporter, specializing in the banking and securities industries, at Bloomberg News. He has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University.

President and CEO, Coyne PR Coyne continues to work on all aspects of the business – from brainstorms and client contact to business development and agency administration. His firm boasts a staff retention rate exceeding 90% and continues to add Fortune 500 companies to its growing client list, which already includes The Walt Disney Company, Goodyear, General Mills, and Hard Rock International, among others. Last year, Coyne was honored as one of PRWeek’s 40 Under 40.

President, Council of Public Relations Firms Cripps has been president of the Council for seven years following a successful career in healthcare PR with Hill & Knowlton, Burson-Marsteller, and as owner of her own firm. The Council of PR Firms, the US trade association for PR agencies, celebrated its 10th anniversary in October. Cripps looks forward to the next decade of growth for the Council and the PR industry.

Corporate comms director, Sara Lee. Corp. Cummins heads all corporate comms, including overall strategy, external agency management, media relations, the corporate Web site, and speaking opportunities. Before joining Sara Lee in 2006, he was an SVP at DomeHK, leading the tech and b-to-b practices. Past stints include PR director at integrated marketing firm Buzz Devine, marketing manager at Towers Perrin, and account supervisor at GolinHarris.

Jenny Dervin

Carl Folta

Rochelle Ford

Rick French

Amy Fuller

Andy Getsey

Corporate comms director, JetBlue Airways Dervin has been with JetBlue since July 2005. She is responsible for the low-fare airline’s media relations and internal communications functions. Before joining JetBlue, she held a variety of posts at Delta Air Lines, including speechwriter to the president and communications program director for the operations work groups. Dervin graduated from Columbia College Chicago with a degree in journalism.

EVP of corporate comms, Viacom Folta serves as chief comms strategist and spokesperson for the company. He oversees all corporate and financial communications and leads media relations activities for industry, legal, and legislative issues. He also coordinates comms at Viacom’s operations, including MTV and BET Networks, as well as Paramount Pictures. Folta oversees philanthropic and CSR programs for Viacom, which he joined in 1994.

Associate dean, research and academic affairs, Howard Univ., John H. Johnson School of Communications The Howard alum’s academic career began in 1995 with her teaching PR at the University of Tennessee-Martin. She then opened her own DC-based consultancy before returning to Howard in 1998, where she is still coordinating its ad and PR sequence. Ford, who assumed her current role in 2007, was awarded the PRSA’s 2008 D. Parke Gibson Pioneer Award.

President and CEO, French/West/Vaughan French founded FWV 10 years ago and it now ranks among the US’ 20 largest independently owned PR firms, with offices in Raleigh, NC; Tampa, FL; and New York. Its clients include Wrangler, the Coca-Cola Company, and Speedo, among many others. French has won more than 150 PR and advertising awards for his efforts in consumer marketing, crisis management, and corporate branding.

Group executive, Americas marketing, MasterCard Worldwide Fuller, who assumed her role in late 2004, manages the brand marketing programs in the US, Canada, and Latin America and Caribbean. This includes directing the brand’s “Priceless” campaign. Previous stints include roles at Y&R, Ogilvy and Mather, and Lord Geller Federico Einstein. She also chairs the Integrated Marketing Committee for the Association of National Advertisers.

Cofounder and CEO, Atomic Public Relations Getsey has collaborated with CEOs and senior executives of high-profile tech companies for more than 15 years. He is the original architect of ComContext, a media and blog analytics application for research, planning, and PR program measurement, and is proud to be an accomplice to the 60 or so eccentric people who work at his agency.

PRWeek

www.prweekus.com • AWARDS 2009

judges

Judges

Julian Green

Lisa Halliday

Lynn Hanessian

Matthew Harrington Louise Harris

David Hessekiel

Director of media relations, MillerCoors Green currently serves as chief spokesperson for the company’s operations in the US and Puerto Rico. He also directs MillerCoors’ external communications activities, including corporate and financial communications, CSR, and the corporate Web site. Green has more than 10 years of PR and marcomms experience, including a stint as press secretary to then-Senator Barack Obama.

SVP of comms, CCO, Harpo For nine years, Halliday has led communications for all Harpo business units, including Harpo Productions, Harpo Development, Harpo Films, Print, Radio, Oprah.com, Retail, Philanthropy, and the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls. The 25-year PR veteran spent 10-plus years at The Walt Disney Co., where she served as VP of national publicity for Buena Vista Pictures. She also held posts at Tri-Star, 20th Century Fox, and Columbia Pictures.

CEO, Zeno Group Hanessian brings more than 20 years of experience to the independent firm. Her two decades have been spent developing programs for a wide range of companies, professional associations, and nonprofit groups. Her experience includes market development initiatives, science communications, product launches, marketing and brandbuilding campaigns, corporate positioning, regulatory affairs and issues management, and advocacy relations.

US president and CEO, Edelman A 19-year veteran of Edelman, Harrington was formerly president of its Eastern and Western regions before taking his current post last year. He led Edelman’s firm-wide initiative to introduce a Code of Conduct, a first among PR agencies. He is a specialist in corporate positioning and reputation management. Harrington is also a board member of the New York Harbor Conservancy and the Classic Stage Company.

President, international; senior counsel, global strategy, Ruder Finn Harris has 20-plus years of experience in corporate and marketing communications and reputation management. In her current New York-based post, she is responsible for growing RF’s global operations. Prior to moving to New York, Harris spent eight years in Asia leading RF’s offices in China, Singapore, and Hong Kong. For the prior 14 years, she was with Burson-Marsteller in London and Singapore.

President, Cause Marketing Forum Since founding Cause Marketing Forum seven years ago, Hessekiel has emerged as a leading commentator on doing well by doing good. The CMF conference, Web site, teleconference series, newsletters, and awards program give executives access to actionable information, valuable contacts, and recognition for strong work. His office is overflowing with “causeabilia” – from “Matzoh with a Mitzvah” to pink ribbon tennis balls.

Bill Heyman

Paul Hicks

Elizabeth Hillman

Curtis Hougland

Bill Hughes

Kim Hunter

Founder, president, and CEO, Heyman Associates Heyman manages searches for corporations, nonprofits, and universities. An Institute for PR trustee, he is a PRWeek 2007 and 2008 PR Power List Supporting Power Player and member of the Arthur W. Page Society. Heyman is on the advisory board for the Univ. of Alabama’s Plank Center for Leadership in Public Relations and a board member of The Lagrant Foundation, which awards minority PR student scholarships.

Regional CEO, Ogilvy Public Relations Worldwide Hicks oversees the firm’s regional network in North and South America. Prior to taking his current post in August 2002, he served as MD of Ogilvy PR/ New York. Hicks has extensive crisis communications and cause-related marketing experience. He has designed and executed award-winning corporate communications programs for major and start-up corporations, trade associations, and philanthropic organizations.

SVP of communications, Discovery Channel In overseeing all network communications strategies and media outreach, Hillman has led campaigns for some of the network’s most successful shows, including Planet Earth, Deadliest Catch, Dirty Jobs, and Mythbusters. Her 14-year career in PR includes time at LA-based Hallmark Channel, where she oversaw corporate communications and the creation of the network’s first education program for schools across the US.

Founder, Attention PR Before his current role heading up the social media marketing and communications agency, he opened one of the first new media agencies in 1993, and then created two successful practices for Ruder Finn and Middleberg & Associates (sold to Euro RSCG in 2000). In addition, Hougland founded Film Movement (which was sold to Blockbuster in 2006), the first company to release films simultaneously in theater and on DVD.

SVP of global comms, CA Hughes oversees CA’s communications with employees, media, and industry analysts. He also leads CA’s corporate brand team and philanthropy organizations. He has 20-plus years of experience in pharma, tech, banking, consumer, and corporate PR and marketing. Prior to joining CA in 2006, he was SVP for global comms and public affairs at IMS Health. He also spent eight years at IBM, holding a number of leadership positions.

President and CEO, Lagrant Communications With more than 25 years of corporate and agency experience in advertising, marketing, and PR, Hunter leads an 18-year-old award-winning, multicultural integrated marcomms agency. Clients include American Airlines, Bahamas Ministry of Tourism and Aviation, and HarleyDavidson. The firm’s CSR initiatives are education, healthcare, and arts and culture. Hunter is also founder and chairman of The Lagrant Foundation.

Aedhmar Hynes

Brian Kenny

Corinne Kovalsky

Keith Lindenburg

Judi Frost Mackey

Stephanie Marchesi

CEO, Text 100 Public Relations Hynes has been with Text 100 for nearly two decades, rising to the top post in 2000. She began her stint at the agency as a PR consultant in London and helped build the firm’s network across mainland Europe. She moved to San Francisco in 1997 to set up North American operations. Currently based in New York, she oversees Text’s 31 global offices and is a driving force in its leadership in social media.

Chief marcomms officer, Harvard Business School As the first chief marcomms officer for Harvard Business School (HBS), Kenny develops plans for positioning the school as a global leader in management education. He oversees alignment of all branding, marketing, and PR efforts across the publishing and teaching enterprise. Over his 20 years in PR, he has held senior marcomms posts in several global institutions in higher education, tech, and professional services.

PR director, Raytheon In 2005, Kovalsky accepted a newly created post at Raytheon Canada that eventually led to her current role, based at Raytheon’s global headquarters in suburban Boston. She spent five years as a senior political producer covering Parliament and national affairs for Canada’s CTV Network. She moved into public/media relations in 1998, working first for the national association representing Canada’s private broadcasters.

Director of natl. PR, Deloitte Lindenburg heads up external communications efforts in the US, including media relations, crisis comms, and executive eminence. He brings 25 years of experience in developing strategies for some of the most recognized brands in the world. Lindenburg joined Deloitte in 2005 from Waggener Edstrom, where he was EVP and GM of the Eastern Region. Prior to that, he held the same post at Weber Shandwick and was VP of corporate comms at IBM.

SVP and global comms director, Lazard Mackey has worked at Lazard, the premier financial advisory and asset management firm, since 2006. Formerly, she led the US corporate and financial practices at Hill & Knowlton and Burson-Marsteller. Mackey spent 14-plus years at Edelman, where she was global reputation management leader and head of its New York international corporate affairs area, among other roles. Prior to her 20-plus years in PR, Mackey was a musician.

President, New York, Cohn & Wolfe Marchesi has 23-plus years of industry experience and now leads Cohn & Wolfe’s New York office. Previously, she was president of GCI New York and helped lead it through the 2008 merger of GCI and C&W. Prior, she spent nine years at MS&L, serving as the director of business and strategy development for North America, executive director of the Northeast region, and co-director of the US healthcare practice.

AWARDS 2009 • www.prweekus.com

PRWeek

judges

Judges

Rob Merritt

Claudine Moore

Eric Mower

Torod Neptune

Robert Noltenmeier Larry Parnell

SVP and director, CramerKrasselt Public Relations Merritt has more than 20 years of integrated agency experience, including serving in management posts with nationally recognized firms in the Eastern and Midwestern US. He has experience in a broad range of industries, including restaurants, retail, telecommunications, pro sports, utilities, healthcare, and financial services, having worked for major companies ranging from Sealy to the Kansas City Royals.

US director of marketing and business development, Hill & Knowlton Moore joined H&K in February 2007. Her expertise in corporate communications, strategic positioning, marketing, and branding are leveraged for both US and global initiatives. Previous experience includes leading corporate communications at G2 Branding and Design. Moore has also worked on brands such as Ralph Lauren Fragrances, Bank of America, Coca-Cola, and AstraZeneca.

Chairman and CEO, Eric Mower & Associates During the past 40 years, Mower has guided his privately held agency from its original staff of four to some 270 full-time pros in seven offices. He currently serves as chair of the National Advertising Review Council. Mower is on the board of directors of the American Association of Advertising Agencies and chairs its government relations committee. He is also on the board of The Business Council of New York State.

SVP and global public affairs practice leader, Waggener Edstrom Worldwide With 15-plus years of experience at the intersection of global business strategy and societal change, Neptune has directed complex public policy, regulatory, and crisis comms efforts for multiple industries, NGOs, issue coalitions, and foreign governments. He was formerly SVP of corporate communications for Bank of America, as well as director of strategic and crisis comms for the US Congress.

Clinical assistant professor, Master of Science in Public Relations and Corporate Communication Program, New York University In addition to his role at NYU, Noltenmeier is a consultant to Quadrant Communications Co., a Manhattan-based integrated marcomms firm that counsels top financial, retail, and nonprofit clients. He has held senior PR posts with ExxonMobil, Hoechst-Celanese, and Unisys. For 2009, he is president of the IABC’s New York chapter.

Director, Master’s in Strategic PR program, The George Washington University Prior to coming to GW, Parnell held senior communications posts in the agency, corporate, and political segments. In 2003, while serving as director of global PR at Ernst & Young, he won a PRWeek Award as PR Professional of the Year. Parnell holds an MBA from the University of New Haven and a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Boston University.

Eleanor Petigrow

Jörg Pierach

John Puccio

Gene Reineke

Director of new business development, Chandler Chicco Companies For 20-plus years, Petigrow has been immersed in marcomms, corporate positioning, and issues programs for pharma and consumer products companies. At Chandler Chicco, she drives new business development and provides creative and strategic direction across the company’s seven operating units. Petigrow also regularly facilitates corporate vision, mission development, and ideation sessions.

President, Fast Horse Pierach heads up the Minneapolis-based creative boutique agency that blends traditional and emerging consumer marketing disciplines. His agency serves clients such as The Coca-Cola Company and Nationwide Insurance. Fast Horse has won several national awards, including PRWeek’s Community Relations Campaign of the Year and an Effie. Prior to founding Fast Horse, Pierach led Weber Shandwick’s consumer marketing practice.

Director of corporate comms, New York Life Investment Management (NYLIM) Puccio is executive-in-charge of media relations, internal communications, content development, and event services for NYLIM. Among many efforts, he headed the 130/30 product launch and education initiative, which was named PRWeek’s 2008 Financial/Investor Communications Campaign of the Year. His 15-year career includes stints at Ruder Finn, Hill & Knowlton, and Cohn & Wolfe.

Shoba Purushothaman

Cathy McElrath Renna

Maria Russell

MaryLee Sachs

Johanna Schneider

Lisa Sepulveda

Bethany Sherman

Stephanie Smirnov

Professor of PR; director, Executive Education, Newhouse School of Public Communications, Syracuse University Russell joined the faculty of Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications in 1986 after more than 16 years of professional PR practice. Her accomplishments in PR have earned her national communications awards and recognition from the PRSA, the United Way, and the US Chamber of Commerce.

Chairman, Hill & Knowlton USA; director, worldwide marcomms practice Sachs has more than 25 years of experience in the industry, with 17 spent in Europe. She was named US chairman in 2005, and has been worldwide consumer head since 1998, advising clients like Procter & Gamble, adidas, Beiersdorf brands, American Express, and Motorola. Her passion is the colliding worlds of brand image and brand reputation brought about by the effect of social media.

Executive director of external relations, Business Roundtable Schneider directs all external comms for this organization of top CEOs of global companies. Its members are at the forefront of public policy, advocating for a vigorous, dynamic global economy. Past stints include senior media relations adviser to the director of the National Institutes of Health and deputy assistant secretary for public affairs to Labor Secretaries Elizabeth Dole and Lynn Martin.

CEO, North America, Euro RSCG Worldwide PR Sepulveda manages the firm’s US staff and operations and leads integrated and global teams across practices. She acts as senior marketing counsel to key clients, including SanofiAventis and Sears. A consumer marketing specialist, Sepulveda spearheaded many successful efforts while at Edelman, including the award-winning Dove Campaign for Real Beauty. She also established Edelman’s consumer health practice in 1997.

SVP of corporate comms, The NASDAQ OMX Group Sherman joined NASDAQ in 2002, where she heads up the global communications program with team members in 10 countries. Sherman joined her present company from Middleberg Euro RSCG, where she was a principal and chief client services officer. Prior to Middleberg, she worked with a Connecticut marketing firm. Sherman holds a degree in English from Boston College.

President, DeVries Public Relations An eight-year veteran at the firm, Smirnov shepherds overall thought leadership and new business development, as well as oversight of its strategic and creative services function. With two decades of consumer PR experience, she has particular expertise in beauty, woman-towoman communications, and cause marketing. Prior to DeVries, she held top posts on the client side in the L’Oreal Paris division of L’Oreal USA.

PRWeek

Cofounder and CEO, The NewsMarket With 20-plus years of global operating experience in the news and PR industries, Purushothaman runs The NewsMarket, a global digital-video platform that enables the marketing and distribution of video content to consumers and the media. She began her career as a business journalist and worked with the Dow Jones Newswires and The Wall Street Journal.

COO/USA, Hill & Knowlton Based in the Chicago office, Reineke is the firm’s chief operating officer. Prior to joining Hill & Knowlton, he served for nearly 20 years in the public policy arena, specializing in crisis management and legislative and regulatory affairs, as well as economic development and media relations. Reineke was chief of staff to the governor of Illinois, and is a recipient of Crain’s Chicago Business “Forty Under 40” award.

Managing partner, Renna Communications A recognized media relations expert and LGBT community leader, Renna, who opened her own shop in 2005, was a major force at the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), where she worked for 14 years. Since leaving, she has worked with clients such as 2004 Nobel Peace Prize recipient Wangari Maathai and the Matthew Shepard Foundation.

www.prweekus.com • AWARDS 2009

judges

Judges

Mike Soltys

Kirk Stewart

Gary Stockman

Karen Strauss

Patrice Tanaka

Tony Telloni

VP of US network comms, ESPN Soltys, who was ESPN’s firstever intern in 1980, leads strategic planning for publicity for ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Classic, ESPNEWS, ESPNU, and ESPN on ABC. He also has oversight of PR for ESPN Regional TV, ESPN Radio, and the communications department listings, viewer response, photography, and new media areas. Soltys is also on the board of directors of the Southington Chamber of Commerce.

EVP, APCO Worldwide Stewart, who has more than 30 years of experience in PR and public affairs, has held his current post, based in New York, for the past two-anda-half years. Prior to APCO, he served as global VP of corporate communications at Nike. He joined Nike in 1997 after a 16-year career at MS&L, the final four as its chairman and CEO.

CEO, Porter Novelli With some 25 years of communications experience, Stockman serves as a strategic counselor to clients, with a particular interest in companies focused on establishing new markets and growing product categories. He joined PN through its acquisition of Copithorne & Bellows (C&B), a leading tech agency. His clients have included Hewlett-Packard and Qualcomm. After the 2000 C&B-PN merger, Stockman held the posts of COO and CEO, Americas.

Partner, chief innovation officer, Ketchum Strauss’ job is to bring new PR products and services to market, from search marketing and meme tracking to media planning and sustainability storytelling. She also leads initiatives to fuel an innovation culture at the firm. Previously its director of strategic and creative services, Strauss led development of the Ketchum Planning Process, which set a standard for delivering comms programs with measurable impact.

Co-chair, chief creative officer, CRT/tanaka Tanaka’s role is to help the firm, its clients, and the community-at-large envision and develop a plan to manifest a better future. Whatcanbe is the firm’s brand essence, cultural ethos, and approach to business. Tanaka has been honored by many PR, marketing, business, and civic groups, including the PRSA, The Holmes Group, and New York Women in Communications.

Managing director, New York market leader, Burson-Marsteller Telloni has served in his present role for the past two years. He is responsible for oversight of Burson’s headquarters, as well as management of a number of accounts, including Applica Consumer Products, Century 21 Real Estate, and Sony Ericsson. Much of his 20 years in the industry have been spent creating integrated marketing programs for consumer brands and lifestyle products.

Matthew Traub

Jim Tsokanos

Peter Verrengia

Jim Weiss

Greg Zimprich

Managing director and chief of staff, DKC Traub is a member of DKC’s executive team and supervises several divisions. He is a key player in its media business and crisis management areas, and has represented a diverse group of corporations and led media strategy for an array of complex cases involving civil and criminal litigation. He joined DKC after nearly a decade on Capitol Hill, most recently as chief of staff and press secretary to Rep. Nita Lowey (D-NY).

President, North America, MD, MS&L New York Tsokanos drives the agency’s growth strategy in North America, including business planning and management. A deep believer in research, creativity, and breakthrough thinking, he helps clients develop innovative comms solutions and measurable outcomes for complex business challenges. Prior to joining the New York office in July 2005, he headed MS&L Atlanta, where he doubled the size of the office in three years.

President and senior partner, Communications Consulting Worldwide (CCW), Fleishman-Hillard Verrengia has been with Fleishman for 20 of his 30 years in the industry. He heads a global business unit of the firm, working with many clients in Asia, Europe, and North America. He helps CCW clients measure, manage, increase, and protect the business value of their reputations and align communications activities with business strategy.

Chairman and CEO, WeissComm Partners Weiss is a 20-year communications veteran who built WeissComm Partners into one of the US’ largest independent PR firms focused exclusively on healthcare. Before starting the agency in 2001, he led communications at Heartport, a medical device company bought by Johnson & Johnson; RPR, now Aventis, a global pharma company; and Genentech, the world’s largest biotech company.

Director of brand PR, General Mills Zimprich, who has been at General Mills for nearly 16 years, is responsible for all PR activities for the company’s 100plus brands. He most recently led all PR activities for the company’s Big G Cereals division, where he managed nationally recognized PR programs for brands like Wheaties, Cheerios, and Total. He also has written for the Milwaukee Journal, the Winona Daily News, and the Faribault Daily News.

AWARDS 2009 • www.prweekus.com

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