Winner
Coyne Public Relations

Coyne's success over the past decade – and resonance with this year's judges – is due in large part to the culture it has worked to build and maintain. Boasting an impressive 93% employee retention rate, Coyne is serious about being the best place to work – in the PR field and beyond. Judges were impressed with the firm's “strong culture” and support video, featuring various employees talking about their favorite things about the agency.
 
In addition to offering outstanding benefits, the firm takes employee training and collaboration very seriously, addressing them in the following ways: Coyne University, where employees spend more than 75 hours in training each year, including seminars and workshops on key issues that are internally created; Coyne Toss, a monthly newsletter to highlight employees' personal and professional accomplishments and tips on best practices; and Coyne Cuisine, a weekly lunch for both locations (Parsippany, NJ, and Manhattan) that encourages employee interaction.
 
At the heart of that dedication to its employees is a larger goal: great client work. That commitment is evident in many of the agency's long-term client relationships, including Kraft, General Mills, The Campbell Soup Company, Medco Health Solutions, Hard Rock International, and Casio. In addition, during the entry period, Coyne added several new clients, including Hasbro, Crayola, and Babies “R” Us.
 
Such growth was evident in the firm's numbers. During the entry period, Coyne grew 29% and increased profitability to 17%. The agency's growth is also seen in its capabilities. During the past year, it developed Coyne Digital Studio, hiring multiple Flash “rock stars” and video specialists. That team has led efforts for clients from Disney Parks to Shell in the creation of Web sites, feature videos, and custom Flash elements. It has also developed a new blogger engagement process called “Forty-five 2 One,” built on the rationale that each blog requires no less than 45 minutes of research before engagement occurs.
 
The firm's culture also includes giving back to the community and to causes that are important to employees. The agency encourages staffers to work on various charitable efforts that Coyne PR chooses to do pro bono, such as The Valerie Fund, New Jersey Food Bank, and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

“Coyne is clearly a great place to work,” remarked one judge, “and that growth rate reflects this.”

Honorable Mention
WeissComm Partners

WeissComm Partners' remarkable financial growth – 52% in the entry period – thoroughly impressed the judges. Its client wins for the year, including Amgen, Ardea Biosciences, Boston Scientific, Cyclacel, and Fisher Biopharma, emphasize its goal to grow its business, aided by its long-term relationships with such clients as Affymax, Anesiva, Arena Pharmaceuticals, and Pfizer. As an independent healthcare firm, WeissComm has taken steps to create an agency culture that is inspiring for its employees. Its Culture Committee raises money and donations for charities, brings staff together for team-building events, and handles the Culture awards. The agency's annual off-site “boot camp” provides employees with PR and business training on such topics as writing winning PR material, product communications, drug development process, biotech company funding, crossing the divide between biotech and Big Pharma, executive coaching, and Web 2.0 for healthcare PR. “WeissComm has a nice focus on both its employees and its communities, without losing focus on its business,” remarked one judge.

Finalists

• Coyne Public Relations
• Padilla Speer Beardsley
• Qorvis Communications
• Text 100 Global Public Relations
• WeissComm Partners