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 number-one 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.
 
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.

Finalists

• American National Red Cross
• Deloitte LLP
• Jack Link's Beef Jerky
• McDonald's USA
• Roll International 

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.

Sponsor: 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.