ENTRY CATEGORIES
Below are the Campaign and Components Categories. Please read the descriptions carefully. Also be sure to read the submission criteria closely when preparing your entries. Campaign Entries are automatically considered for Best In Show.
Note: A major part of the entry must have been produced in 2023 unless noted otherwise in the category description*.
CAMPAIGNS
COMMUNITY RELATIONS – Includes programs that aim to improve relations with, or seek to win the support or cooperation of, people or organizations in communities in which the sponsoring organization has an interest, need or opportunity. “Community” in this category refers to a specific geographic location or locations.
CONTENT MARKETING – Programs that effectively leverage articles, videos, infographics, and other types of relevant and valuable narrative content via online material to introduce and/or promote a brand or organization.
CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS – Includes programs undertaken to deal with an unplanned event that required an immediate response.
EVENTS AND OBSERVANCES – Includes programs or events, such as commemorations, observances, openings, yearlong anniversaries, celebrations, or other special activities. Events that took place for longer than a one-week period should be entered in “3B. More than Seven Days” and events occurring within a time span of one week should be entered in “3A. Seven or Fewer Days”
A. Seven or Fewer Days B. More than Seven Days
INTEGRATED COMMUNICATIONS – Includes any program that demonstrates leadership of public relations strategies and tactics in a creative and effective integrated campaign, along with other marketing or communications. The program must demonstrate the clear leadership of public relations, along with its integration with other disciplines.
INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS – Includes programs targeted specifically to special publics directly allied with an organization, such as employees, members, affiliated dealers, and franchisees.
INVESTOR RELATIONS – Includes programs directed to shareowners, other investors and the investment community.
ISSUES MANAGEMENT – For programs undertaken to deal with issues that could extraordinarily affect ongoing business strategy.
MARKETING – Includes programs designed to introduce new products/services or promote existing products/services to a particular audience.
MULTICULTURAL PUBLIC RELATIONS – For any type of program, such as institutional, marketing and community relations, specifically targeted to a cultural group.
PRO BONO – Programs of contributed services.
PUBLIC AFFAIRS – Includes programs specifically designed to influence public policy and/or affect legislation, regulations, political activities, or candidacies — at the local, state or federal government levels — so that the entity funding the program benefits.
PUBLIC SERVICE – Includes programs that advance public understanding of societal issues, problems or concerns.
REPUTATION/BRAND MANAGEMENT – Programs designed to enhance, promote or improve the reputation of an organization with its publics or key elements of its publics, either proactively or in response to an issue, event or market occurrence
COMPONENTS
ADVERTORIALS – Paid advertising written as editorial matter to gain support for a product, issue, program, or organization. Upload text of editorial matter and documentation of publication. Single ads or a series of ads addressing the same issue may be submitted as one entry, but copies of the actual print advertorials must be included in the entry. The summary should include target audience, measurable objectives and budget.
ANNUAL REPORTS – Publications that report on an organization’s annual performance. Upload a sample of one copy of the publication, along with a summary.
BEST USE OF INFLUENCER COMMUNICATION– Influencer communication focuses on an individual the audience sees as a trusted source of information and which can be differentiated far better than through advertising or content marketing. Demonstrate how you ensured maximization of your ROI with these highly targeted consumers. Explain how influencers helped increase awareness of an issue or cause and drive your brand’s message to the larger market.
BLOGS – Web-based journals, or blogs, that communicated either a corporate, public service or industry position. The summary should include rationale for blogging strategy, target audiences and statistics, or other means of quantifiable measurement to support stated objectives. Screen downloads of the blog being entered, as well as the actual site URL, must be submitted as part of the story.
BROCHURES – Pamphlets, booklets or other small publications designed to inform a target audience about an organization, product, service, or issue. Upload a sample of one copy of the publication, along with the summary.
A. Digital B. Print
CREATIVE TACTICS - Innovative, unconventional, creative tactics or approaches used as part of a public relations program. Documentation of how the tactic specifically contributed to the measurable results of the campaign should be included in the summary. (Photographic and/or video representation of any physical objects should be uploaded.)
A. Association/Nonprofit/Government B. For Profit
EDITORIALS/OP-ED COLUMNS – Opinion articles written as editorials, guest columns or letters to the editor. Submit text of article and documentation of publication. The summary should outline measurable objectives, audience, results, and budget.
FEATURE STORIES – Earned media placement that prominently features your client and meets a targeted goal, including desired message placement. Submit text of article and documentation of publication. The summary should outline measurable objectives, audience, results, and budget.
MAGAZINES/NEWSLETTERS – Publications designed to provide information and news about an organization or topic on a regular basis. Upload samples of three consecutive issues along with the summary.
A. Digital B. Print
MEDIA RELATIONS – Tactics, programs and events driven entirely by media relations. Submit press releases, media advisories, pitch letters, requests for coverage, etc., along with the summary that includes measurable objectives and results, such as evidence of the resulting media coverage. Upload or provide YouTube/Vimeo links to any television or radio coverage.
A. Association/Nonprofit/Government B. For Profit
PODCASTS – Digital audio series intended to support public relations strategy. The summary should include rationale for the podcast strategy, target audiences and statistics, or other means of quantifiable measurement to support stated objectives. A link to the actual podcasts (at least two in the series), as well as the podcast URL, must be submitted as part of the entry.
PRESS KITS/MEDIA KITS – News releases, photographs and other background information compiled for an organization, product or issue. Submit photographic and/or video representation of the press kit or media kit along with the summary.
PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS – Productions of one minute or less distributed as unpaid public service announcements. Single productions or a series addressing the same issue. Video, audio and print PSAs may be uploaded. For print PSAs, single ads or a series of ads addressing the same issue may be submitted but copies of the actual print PSA must be included in the entry. The summary should include documentation of results.
PUBLICATIONS – Single-issue publications designed for a special purpose. Books and other publications not eligible for consideration in other categories should be entered here. Upload a sample of one copy of the publication along with the summary.
RESEARCH/ EVALUATION – Research that provides a meaningful contribution or input to a public relations program, or an evaluation documenting the value or benefit of a public relations program or tactic. Sample of the methodology and findings of any research should be uploaded, along with your summary. Summaries for evaluations should detail how and why this method is unique and valuable.
SOCIAL MEDIA – Use of social media, including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, Pinterest, etc. as part of a public relations program. Include screen grabs or copies of key pages to support your summary. Additionally, include the website URL for external sites.
A. Association/Nonprofit/Government B. For Profit
VIDEOS – Pre-produced videos distributed online to inform target audiences of an event, product, service, issue, or organization. Entries may consist of an edited video and one of any sound bites. The summary should include usage statistics or other means of quantified measurement to support stated objectives.
WEBSITES – Use of a website as part of a public relations program. Include screen grabs or copies of key pages to support your summary. Additionally, include the website URL for external sites.
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