General Consumer Awards
1 Arts, Entertainment & Media Campaign of the Year
Sponsored by IBM
This award honors success in the arts and entertainment, including films, magazines, TV shows, books, newspapers, or Web sites. Entries for outstanding work in promoting individual celebrities are also welcome.
2 Product Brand Development Campaign of the Year
Sponsored by Carmichael Lynch Spong
This award recognizes 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.
3 Consumer Launch Campaign of the Year
Sponsored by PepsiCo
This award is for the launch of a new product or service through the use of PR. The ability to create buzz and brand recognition, as well as evidence of sales/usage, are all essential factors in determining the winner.
Industry Market Awards
4 Healthcare Campaign of the Year
From pharmaceuticals to biotech, managed care to hospitals, the focus of this category is on products/services/organizations. Educational and promotional campaigns are eligible. A campaign on behalf of a health-related cause (for example, set by a government agency), however, should enter the Public Sector Campaign of the Year.
5 Technology Campaign of the Year
Sponsored by Airfoil
Both business-to-business and consumer campaigns are eligible, provided they are focused in the area of technology. These may include, but are not limited to, product launches or innovations, uses and applications of technology, or technological issues and advancements.
6 Business-to-Business Campaign of the Year
The target audience might be a niche business sector or the business community at large. However, entries that involve switching to the consumer market should be entered in either the Consumer Launch Campaign of the Year or the Product Brand Development Campaign of the Year category.
Targeted Audience Awards
7 Employee Communications Campaign of the Year
Sponsored by Fed Ex
An award recognizing skill in communicating a merger or acquisition, change in management, rebranding, restructuring, layoffs, or other issue/problem of an internal communications nature.
8 Community Relations Campaign of the Year
Sponsored by Padilla Speer Beardsley
Entries should relate to local projects or ongoing local community programs in such areas as the environment, education, enterprise, health, the arts, law and order, and equal opportunity.
9 Multicultural Marketing Campaign of the Year
Sponsored by Golin Harris
Eligible to campaigns or components of campaigns that are specifically aimed at multicultural groups, particularly in terms of ethnic origin, or sexual or religious preference.
10 Global Campaign of the Year
Sponsored by PR Newswire
Entries can relate to any market sector (crisis, healthcare, consumer, internal communications, etc.), but must be for work executed outside the US in two or more regions by a US-based office or department.
Corporate Awards
11 Corporate Branding Campaign of the Year
Sponsored by Emanate PR
Honors the most outstanding use of PR in the launch of a new company or in a corporate rebranding initiative. The winner will demonstrate effective results beyond mere brand-name recognition to show an appreciation and understanding of key message points among the target audience.
12 Public Affairs Campaign of the Year
Sponsored by Ford
Entries should relate to the most effective use of public affairs to change/enlist political and/or public opinion. Although advertising materials will be considered, the judges also will be looking for evidence of work in research, media relations, grassroots community activity, and lobbying.
13 Investor/Financial Communications Campaign of the Year
This category covers work that is primarily targeted at investors/stakeholders or other financial audiences. Because of the sensitive nature of some financial PR work, entrants may mark parts of their submission strictly confidential and not for publication.
14 Crisis or Issues Management Campaign of the Year
Sponsored by Weber Shandwick
This award will be given for the most effective crisis- or issues-management work by an agency or corporate PR team, or a combination of both. Because of the sensitive nature of crisis- or issues-management work, entrants may mark parts of their submission as strictly confidential and not for publication.
Social Education & Philanthropy Awards
15 Public Sector Campaign of the Year
Sponsored by Ogilvy
Open to government departments and public-sector agencies (e.g., federal, state, military, municipal, local, or public health authorities). Judges will look for the most effective campaign or communication program on a single topic (e.g., health, crime, defense, etc.)
16 Nonprofit Campaign of the Year
Sponsored by TV Access
This category will recognize the most effective work by a nonprofit organization for fundraising, or in changing or enlisting political, public, or corporate opinion. As well as results, the judges will consider the cost-effectiveness of the campaign and, in the case of fundraising activities, the amount of money raised.
17 Cause-Related Campaign of the Year
This award recognizes a campaign or ongoing project that utilizes or integrates a social cause to promote or enhance corporate image or specific products/services.
Technique Awards
18 Best Use of Social Media/Digital
Sponsored by Kwittken
Judges will be looking for the most effective or creative use of digital or social media channels to support or execute a PR campaign. These may include use of blogs, Twitter, Facebook, mobile applications, or other emerging channels that are products of digital technology. Other traditional digital platforms may also be included, such as Web sites, intranets, and microsites.
19 Best Use of Audio/Video
A combination of creativity, cost effectiveness, and overall impact will be considered. A copy of the VNR, ANR, SMT, or b-roll footage must be included with entries, as well as background information on the strategy behind the broadcast and evidence to support its success. Cost breakdown and use of outside vendors/contractors also must be included.
20 Best Use of Research/Measurement
Sponsored by Pfizer
This award will go to the campaign, project, or program that demonstrates the most effective use of research and evaluation in both setting goals and measuring success. As well as effective media evaluation, the judges will expect to see 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 objectives.
21 PR Innovation of the Year
Sponsored by Hewlett Packard
For this award, judges will look to find the best tools and applications designed for the use of the PR community. This category is open to agencies, service companies, corporate teams, nonprofits, and other organizations. It could be a technology-based solution or a new service, and the product must have been launched in the past 12 months (the eligibility period), but above all, the product must show a lasting impact on the practice of PR.
22 Promotional Event of the Year
For the most effective, attention-grabbing promotional event of the year. Please include information on the goal, cost breakdown, use of outside vendors/contractors, size of the event/activity, and whether it stood alone or was part of a larger campaign.
Personality of the Year Awards
23 PR Student of the Year
Sponsored by Hill & Knowlton (Click here to download the entry kit for full details)
This award is for an undergraduate student who shows outstanding ability in a range of core PR skills, and it is designed to attract, encourage, and reward future talent. Finalists will be asked to make a live presentation to a panel of judges. The winning student will receive a $5,000 cash prize. Entry details will be issued upon request.
24 Young PR Professional of the Year
Sponsored by Edelman
Open to PR professionals who have been in the industry for less than three years (since October 5, 2006). Nominations must come from employers, who should include details of the nominee's career history and professional qualifications. Judges will look for evidence of 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.
25 PR Professional of the Year
Sponsored by Zeno Group
Individuals may enter themselves or be nominated by others. The judges will look for evidence of an outstanding personal achievement within the PR industry in the period covered by this year's Awards, as well as career achievements to date.
Education Awards
26 PR Education Program of the Year
Sponsored by Waggener Edstrom
Open to any PR undergraduate or graduate curriculum taught in the fall 2008 or spring 2009 semester. This award recognizes achievement in lesson plans that educate the next crop of PR professionals. Entries will be 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.
Business Awards - In-House
27 In-house PR Team of the Year
Sponsored by Ketchum
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.
Business Awards - Agency
28 Boutique PR Agency of the Year
Sponsored by Chandler Chicco
The CEO of the firm is required to certify in writing that the firm has a current annual PR income (consisting of fees plus mark-up for disbursements) of less than $5 million, as well as date of incorporation and number of employees.
29 Small PR Agency of the Year
Sponsored by Fleishman-Hillard
The CEO of the firm is required to certify in writing that the firm has a current annual PR income (consisting of fees plus mark-up for disbursements) from $5 million to $10 million, as well as date of incorporation and number of employees.
30 Midsize PR Agency of the Year
Sponsored by Deloitte
The CEO of the firm is required to certify in writing that the firm has a current annual PR income (consisting of fees plus mark-up for disbursements) from $10 million to $65 million, as well as date of incorporation and number of employees.
31 Large PR Agency of the Year
Sponsored by WCG
The CEO of the firm is required to certify in writing that the firm has a current annual PR income (consisting of fees plus mark-up for disbursements) of $65 million or higher, as well as date of incorporation and number of employees.
32 PR Agency of the Year
Sponsored by NYU
Selecting the finest agency from all those entered for the Boutique, Small, Midsize, and Large Agency awards, this accolade is determined by comparing the winners of those three categories. Judges will look for evidence of financial growth, profit margins, client roster growth, client retention, client satisfaction, good HR practices, innovation, and creativity. All of these achievements will be considered relative to the agency's size and previous standing.