Ragan and PR Daily announce Media Relations Awards finalists
Winners will be announced Dec. 12 in a special awards luncheon in New York City.
Today’s media landscape is more challenging than ever. Breaking through the increasing noise to an ever-shrinking group of media is no mean feat. But the finalists for Ragan’s Media Relations Awards have found a way to stand out and share their message.
All the finalists will be celebrated and winners will be announced Dec. 12 during a special awards luncheon at the Yale Club in New York City.
Congratulations to all the finalists.
Grand Prizes
Grand Prize: Media Relations Campaign of the Year: Over $50,000
Diageo / CIROC Vodka: CÎROC Vodka Celebrates Black Excellence & Entrepreneurship Through #CIROCStands Platform
Endo International, plc: Launching the First and Only FDA-Approved Injectable for Cellulite
Intel Corporation: New CEO Hits the Ground Running with Turnaround Plan
Travel + Leisure Co.: Hallmark Channel’s Countdown to Christmas Holiday Suites by Club Wyndham
UPS: UPS Vaccine Communications Planning
Grand Prize: Media Relations Campaign of the Year: Under $50,000
BCENE PR: FOREO
Bospar: Bospar Delivers Stratospheric Coverage for Unistellar
Bospar: NEON: Making NFTs Accessible to the Common Consumer
Ernst & Young LLP: Emphasis on Empathy – EY 2021 Empathy in Business Survey
Herbalife Nutrition: Global Thought Leadership Strategy: Building Consumer and Investor Trust in Pandemic Times
Pugh & Tiller PR: Raising Awareness for ProNavigator, the Google for Insurance
The Home Depot: Exposing the Issue of Organized Retail Crime
Tic Tac and Golin: Tic Tac Launches into Space
Grand Prize: Media Relations Campaign of the Year: Under $10,000
Bospar: Bospar Messes With Texas
Gillian Small Public Relations: TWIX® Shakers Seasoning Blend Launches with Viral Chicken Wings Recipe
Hollywood Agency: Media Relations Campaign for ‘Bounty’
Identity: Hudsonville Ice Cream x Little Debbie: The Two Billion Impression Scoop
IMA Financial Group: Who will insure the metaverse? Campaign
Stuntman PR: Parmigiano Reggiano Day is born stateside
Grand Prize: Media Relations Professional of the Year
Marsha Archer: M-Squared Public Relations
Amanda Brooks: ESPN
Danny Chi: ESPN
Tommaso Di Giovanni: Philip Morris International
Ashley Goncena: Crafted Communications
Jennifer Non: The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
Liz Reilly: Next PR
Nidhi Sinha: Boston Consulting Group
Daniel Zielinski: Insured Retirement Institute
Campaigns
Brand Messaging or Positioning Campaign
Cerner Corporation: Cerner Government Services Brand Positioning Campaign
Intel Corporation: New CEO Hits the Ground Running with Turnaround Plan
Kellogg´s Latin America: World Food Day
Linhart PR: Building Chipotle Brand Love in NYC with Culturally Relevant Media Relations
McDonald’s: McDonald’s Opportunity Here Campaign
MGC: #LaUltimaBotelladeAgua by Wrangler
Techwave: Brand Refresh
The Fletcher Group: Driving brand awareness from startup to well-established Canadian fintech
UPS: UPS Peak Hiring Campaign – 2021
Cause Marketing Campaign
Diageo / CIROC Vodka: CÎROC Vodka Celebrates Black Excellence & Entrepreneurship Through #CIROCStands Platform
Peppercomm: Dole Malnutrition Labels
Porter Novelli in partnership with MusiCares: MusiCares Person of the Year
Prudential Financial: Prudential Financial and the New Jersey Devils Help Black Small Businesses Win – On and Off the Ice
THON and Four Diamonds: Penn State THON 2022
Tier One Partners: Ally Teach Kids Money Lessons in Minecraft
UScellular: Cause Marketing & Community Relations
Community Relations Campaign
ECMC Group: ECMC Group’s GO! Program: Connecting to employees and communities
ESPN: ESPN’s 15th Annual V Week for Cancer Research
MnFIRE/Bellmont Partners: Rallying Support for Our Hometown Heroes
Nickerson People Relations: Weston Community Relations Project
The Home Depot Foundation with Big Red Rooster: MSL and Sunshine Sachs, Operation Surprise 2021
UScellular: Cause Marketing Campaign & Community Relations Campaign
Violet PR: Revitalizing Newark Symphony Hall
Covid-19 Communications Campaign
Atrium Health: Atrium Health COVID-19 Mass Vaccinations
ChenMed: COVID-19 – #VaxTheNation Integrated Campaign
Children’s Health: Children’s Health Educates and Empowers Parents, Physicians with COVID-19 Media Relations Campaign
Providence: Communicating the Pandemic: How Providence Handled the First U.S. Patient
Crisis or Reputation Management Campaign
Big Valley Marketing: Russia Cyber-Attack Against Ukraine
Identity: Guiding the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office During the Oxford High School Shooting Crisis Response
Lightspeed PR & M: Lightspeed PR/M – MacKeeper Reputation Reboot
Data-Driven Media Relations Campaign
Amendola Communications: Long-Covid Research Study raises Arcadia’s Profile
Cisco: The Quarterly Business Review and Outlook Model (QBRO)
Dittoe Public Relations: 2021 Recruiter Nation Report Launch
ECMC Group: ECMC Group Helps Teens Question The Quo in Education
Hotwire: Hotwire Decks the Halls with Record-Breaking Media Results
Ipsos Public Affairs North America: Ipsos LGBT+ Pride 2021 Global Survey
Navy Federal Credit Union: “Best Of” Campaign
Global Media Relations Campaign
Bohemian FC & Wise Up PR: Music Meets Sport: Immortalizing Bob Marley’s An Afternoon in the Park Gig On Bohemian FC’s Shirt
Carnival Cruise Line: Cruise Reboot: Carnival Cruise Line Resumes Cruising Operations for the First Time Since March 2020
PGIM: Weathering Climate Change
Proofpoint: CHASING CRISES: WARNING PEOPLE AGAINST THE TOUGHEST CYBERCRIMINALS AT TIMES OF GLOBAL UNCERTAINTY
SCHOTT AG: SCHOTT Xensation® α – A New Era of Smartphone Cover Glass
SlicedBrand: Generating Real-World Buzz for Metaverse Land Sales
UPS: Circle of Honor
Governmental or Public Affairs Media Relations Campaign
Adept: Stone Foltz Anti-Hazing
Children’s Hospital Colorado: Youth Mental Health State of Emergency: “Their Tanks are Empty”
Relevance International: Affirmation Tower: Building a Better Future From the Ground Up
TechNet: TechNet
The Home Depot: Exposing the Issue of Organized Retail Crime
The Silver State Health Insurance Exchange: Nevada Health Link Open Enrollment Campaign
Violet PR: Selling Pittsburgh International Airport’s Transformation
Integrated Marketing Communications Campaign
ChenMed: COVID-19 – #VaxTheNation Integrated Campaign
INK Communications Co.: One Million Acres Campaign
MGC: #Soapa$500 by Tenpo
OMNIVISION: The Big Reveal
Rachel Kay Public Relations: Bubbies Treat Wave Campaign
Purpose-Driven Campaign
Black Economic Alliance: Advancing the Mission of the Black Economic Alliance
Bospar: Bospar Messes With Texas
Children’s Health: Children’s Health Expands Diversity & Inclusion Program to Support and Empower Employees, Patients and Community Members
Hollywood Agency: Media Relations Campaign for ‘Bounty’
Landis Communications: Landis Communications – Fish Run Place
Mars Petcare US: Better Cities For Pets™ Adoption Weekend
MGC: #LaUltimaBotelladeAgua by Wrangler
NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund: Marshall-Motley Scholars Program
Social Media Campaign
Advantest: ESG Campaign
Almond Board of California: Almond Day 2021
Hollywood Agency: @SouthShoreBear joins Twitter
Thought Leadership Campaign
Amendola Communications: Amendola Helps HSBlox Educate the Market on Value Based Care
Apptio: CxO Campaign
Arketi Group: Arketi Group Helps NCR Corporation Share Its Story Running Restaurants & Stores
Asylum Public Relations: Global Warming Heats Up the Insurance Industry
Black Economic Alliance: Advancing the Mission of the Black Economic Alliance
Bospar: Bospar Messes With Texas
Hotwire: Hotwire Decks the Halls with Record-Breaking Media Results
Proofpoint: VOICE OF THE CISO 2021: THE AFTERMATH OF A YEAR LIKE NO OTHER FOR SECURITY PROFESSIONALS
Prudential Financial, Inc.: PULSE OF THE AMERICAN WORKER SURVEY
Snackbox: Shaping the Influence of the Convenience Store Industry
Events
New Product or Service Launch
Accela: SolarAPP+ – Helping Governments Make Solar Permitting Easier, Cheaper and Faster
American Airlines: Silver Spoon Desserts
Bospar: NEON: Making NFTs Accessible to the Common Consumer
Citi: Citi Custom Cash Card
Endo International, plc: Launching the First and Only FDA-Approved Injectable for Cellulite
Gillian Small Public Relations: TWIX® Shakers Seasoning Blend Launches with Viral Chicken Wings Recipe
Kaplow Communications: Stanley Turns #Hydration Into Quarantine’s Hottest Trend
The Langham, Boston: The Langham, Boston: A New American Classic
Press Event or Media Tour
Arkansas Symphony Orchestra: Arkansas Symphony Orchestra Community Music Center Announcement
Intel Corporation: “If we can drive here, we can drive anywhere.”
Macon-Bibb County: AMPhitheater Rocks Groundbreaking
Mohegan Gaming and Entertainment: Sun Wine Food Fest 2022
The Home Depot with MSL and Hartmann Studios: How to Sleigh the Holidays: The Home Depot Halloween & Holiday Program 2021
UPS: UPS Vaccine Communications Planning
Stunt or Special Event
Convoy: Co-Founder Ride Along to 50th Anniversary of the Mid-Atlantic Trucking Show in Louisville, Kentucky
Gillian Small PR: Green Giant® Partners with PEEPS® to Pull The Ultimate April Fool’s Day Prank: Green Giant® Cauliflower-Flavored PEEPS®
Intel Corporation: “If we can drive here, we can drive anywhere.”
Jackson Spalding: TK Elevator Grand Opening
Planit Advertising: Glen-Gery Global Flagship Brickworks Design Studio Opening
Tier One Partners: Ally Has NYC #TotallyCovered
Virtual Event
BetterUp: Inner Work Day
The Home Depot with MSL and Hartmann Studios: SkeleTON of Fun: Halloween and Holiday Virtual Media Showcase 2021 by The Home Depot
Media Relations Strategy
Exclusive Content Strategy
Cone Health: 50-Year-Old, First-Time Mom
Intel Corporation: New CEO Hits the Ground Running with Turnaround Plan
Ipsos Public Affairs North America: Ipsos LGBT+ Pride 2021 Global Survey
Jackpocket: Jackpocket
Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System: Strategic Media Relations
SlicedBrand: Assembling a successful outreach campaign for IOTA
Innovation in Media Relations
5WPR: Sinclair Broadcast Group
Bospar: NEON: Making NFTs Accessible to the Common Consumer
Experience Columbus: Holiday Gift Box
Media Relations Video
Intel Corporation: New CEO Hits the Ground Running with Turnaround Plan
McDonald’s: McDonald’s Opportunity Starts Here Video
Newsjacking
Hollywood Agency: @SouthShoreBear joins Twitter
M:7 Agency: AERAS Bridge Collapse
Pure Storage: Pure Storage’s Newsjacking Campaign: Meta’s AI Research SuperCluster
Spool Marketing and Communications: Airheads Candy Chicken Sandy
The Fletcher Group: How America Gives Gifts: Helping Retailers Prepare for Holiday 2021
Tic Tac and Golin: Tic Tac Launches into Space
Touchdown PR: Rapid Response
Pitch
American Airlines: Silver Spoon Desserts
Bospar: Bospar Messes With Texas
Bospar: NEON: Making NFTs Accessible to the Common Consumer
Hotwire: Hotwire Decks the Halls with Record-Breaking Media Results
Intel Corporation: New CEO Hits the Ground Running with Turnaround Plan
Intel: EyeQ Ultra is not your everyday AV chip
The Fletcher Group: How America Gives Gifts: Helping Retailers Prepare for Holiday 2021
Research
Bospar: Bospar Delivers Stratospheric Coverage for Unistellar
Ernst & Young LLP: Emphasis on Empathy – EY 2021 Empathy in Business Survey
Navy Federal Credit Union: “Best Of” Campaign
Traditional and New Media Integration
5WPR: Samsung SmartThings
Dropp: Kite Hill PR for Dropp
HUNTER: Honey Bunches of Oats “Makes a Bunch Happen”
UPS: UPS Vaccine Communications Planning
Use of a Celebrity or Personality
5WPR: Mandy Moore x Lansinoh
INFINITI: INFINITI QX60 Launch
Use of Measurement
ADP: Leveraging Data-Driven Pitches to Increase Share of Voice
ECMC Group: ECMC Group Helps Teens Question The Quo in Education
Here comes the money! The media landscape today is not only more challenging that ever but more rewarding.
Managements may retain PR people and firms twice as much for media relations success as for financial, counsel, staying out of trouble or anything else except perhaps newsletters. To hire PR people who are the BEST at media relations, managements are gladly paying more and more, sometimes breathtaking money, and checking lists of finalists like this to see who should be invited to pitch.
I hate people who say something is “only” money. Only? Money is excellent and finalists in contests like these are rewarded, deservedly, with a LOT of it.
Whatever the Yale Club lunch costs, these finalists can easily afford it. Money cometh to those who goeth.