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.
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.
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.
Finalists
• Burson-Marsteller, NATIONAL PR, Finsbury Ltd., Brunswick, and Thomson Reuters: Thomson Reuters – Introducing Intelligent Information
• GolinHarris and McDonald's: McDonald's Global 2008 Beijing Olympic Games Sponsorship
• Ogilvy PR and FM Global: Helping Businesses Sidestep Disaster Worldwide
• Text 100 and Xerox: Xerox Sobers up a Print Industry Drunk on Hype
• Weber Shandwick and Honeywell International: Honeywell-Nobel Laureate Lecture Series – Inspiring the Next Generation of Scientists Today
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