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Raleigh Public Relations Society

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Downtown Raleigh

August 11, 2022 By Raleigh PR Society

New Year Cocktail

Please join us for our first event of 2023 at Killjoy to enjoy an after-work cocktail or mocktail with industry friends! Your first beverage (beer, wine, cocktail, or mocktail) is on us and light bites will be provided. Now’s a great time to reconnect with professional contacts you’ve lost touch with or make some new ones, thanks to our classic icebreakers that make it easy to chat it up after you’ve logged off for the day. We look forward to seeing you there!

Tagged With: Downtown Raleigh, Killjoy

October 31, 2019 By VP@rprs.org

2019 Awards Banquet Recap & Photos

Many thanks to all of the guests who joined us at Transfer Co. on Tuesday, October 29, 2019, to celebrate the best in professional communications that Raleigh-area practitioners have to offer!

The food provided by many of the food hall vendors was delish, our local celebrity MC Hayes Permar brought lots of laughs and industry stories, and our 2019 President and Awards Chair Lindsay Priester and Carolin Lehmann handed out many, many awards to YOU, our submitting organizations.

The Winners

CAMPAIGNS

Crisis Communications
French|West|Vaughan – Wilmington and Island Beaches Invites Visitors to Comeback Post-Florence with Integrated Campaign – SILVER

Integrated Communications
Largemouth Communications – Ascom Breaks Through the Noise at HiMSS – SILVER

Media Events
Largemouth Communications – Stewart Takes The Dillon – SILVER
French|West|Vaughan – PSCU in NYC: The Launch of Inaugural Payments Research Study – SILVER
Clairemont Communications – Vita Vite Midtown Hosts a Toast-Worthy Preview – SILVER
French|West|Vaughan – Wrangler ICONS at the Austin Motel – GOLD

Organizational or Branding
Clairemont Communications – Who Says? Journelle Forces Lingerie Conversations into Limelight – Honorable Mention
Clairemont Communications – Western Governors University Builds a Brand in North Carolina – SILVER

Bang for the Buck
North Carolina Museum of Art – Cocktails for O’Keeffe – Honorable Mention

Sports Program
French|West|Vaughan – Moe’s Southwest Grill of the Triangle Shows its School Spirit – Honorable Mention
French|West|Vaughan – Certified Angus Beef Super Bowl LIII (53) Takeover – GOLD

Special Events
APCO Worldwide – How EPRI Electrified 2018 – Honorable Mention
French|West|Vaughan – PSCU Goes “Beyond Limits” During Member Forum 2019 – Silver
Tompkins International – Supply Chain Leadership Forum (SCLF) – Silver
Clairemont Communications – Theodore Alexander and Charles, 9th Earl Spencer Debut Royal Furniture Line – Silver
French|West|Vaughan – Certified Angus Beef Super Bowl LIII (53) Takeover – Gold

Sustainability / Corporate Social Responsibility
French|West|Vaughan – Wrangler’s Sustainability Goals are Rooted in Traceable Cotton – Silver

Social Media
French|West|Vaughan– Influencing Millennial Parents and Fitness Enthusiasts with Healthy Sweetpotato Recipes – Silver
Clairemont Communications – Reimagining Holiday Traditions with Riceland – Gold
French|West|Vaughan – The Super Bowl of Rodeo Right At Your Fingertips – Gold
Benecomms – Marketing On Pointe: Shining a Spotlight onOne Community’s Local Ballet – Gold
French|West|Vaughan – Influencing Holiday Comfort & Joy for Wrangler – Gold
French|West|Vaughan – Cowboy Up: Wrangler Launches Branded GIFs – Platinum

Cowboy Up: Wrangler Launches Branded GIFs
With innovation at the core of the brand’s business strategy, Wrangler introduced the first-of-its-kind branded GIFs during the Super Bowl of rodeo, the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. To align with the brand’s biggest event during the 10-day rodeo, French|West|Vaughan developed a video tutorial showcasing how Instagram users can share the GIFs, and distributed the tutorial to Western influencers, cowboys, and cowgirls ahead of Wrangler’s “Magic of Rodeo” party and the Wrangler NFR.

Before the rodeo began, the GIFs received 847K views – making it the most creative engagement and awareness tactic by the brand in years at their largest event.

Community Relations
Media Partners, Inc. (MPI) – RAYSAC “Be In The Picture” Campaign – Honorable Mention
Media Partners, Inc. (MPI) – Horizon Behavioral Health “Off-Opioids” Campaign – Honorable Mention
French|West|Vaughan – Teamwork, Timing and Rock: Roll Magic: Bringing the Teen Cancer America Story to Millions – Silver
Clairemont Communications – Lighting a Fire for Everyday Heroes – Platinum

Your house is on fire. You call 911. The bell rings at the closest station but no firefighters suit up and hop on the truck. It’s unimaginable yet, all too familiar in some NC communities due to the critical shortage of volunteer firefighters. The North Carolina Association of Fire Chiefs (NCAFC) and the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) tapped Clairemont Communications and The Felice Agency to launch a communications campaign in an effort to recruit volunteer firefighters across NC. Clairemont’s work resulted in 17 news stories, a surge in online traffic and an increase of approximately 170 new volunteers.

TACTICS

Magazines
Tompkins International – MonarchFx Ad – Honorable Mention

Media Kits
French|West|Vaughan – J. Peterman Media Kit – Gold

Videos – Long-Form Productions
Coastal Credit Union – Coffee with Chuck – Silver
North Carolina Museum of Art – “Art + Nature + People: Find Yourself at the NCMA” – Silver
APCO Worldwide – Bringing the GRE to Life – Silver
French|West|Vaughan – Wrangler Legends- Gold

Websites
Clairemont Communications – Your People Are Here – Briar Chapel’s Website Refresh – Silver
French|West|Vaughan – North Carolina SweetPotato Commission Gets a Sweet New Look – Gold

Social Media
APCO Worldwide – Elevating Patheon by Thermo Fisher Scientific at DCAT Week 2019 – Honorable Mention
French|West|Vaughan – Wilmington and Beaches Invites Visitors to Comeback Post-Florence Through Authentic Social Storytelling – Silver

Publication – External or Internal
Coastal Credit Union – Community & Member Impact Report – Honorable Mention

Multimedia – Streaming or Podcast
Largemouth Communications – Eaton Battle of the Holmes Livestream – Silver

Writing – Op/Ed
Clairemont Communications Writing – WGU North Carolina Takes Higher Education to Another Level – Silver

Writing – News Releases
Clairemont Communications – Transfer Co. Food Hall Hits the Downtown Scene – Gold

Writing – Blog or Feature
Largemouth Communications – Forbes Series: CloudFactory on “AI, Data and the Future of Work” – Silver
Clairemont Communications – Briar Chapel’s Four Great Gains of Going Green – Silver

Media Relations

French|West|Vaughan – Racing for the Future: ABB Helps Pave the Way for E-Mobility with Formula E Racing – Silver
French|West|Vaughan – Wilmington and Island Beaches Encourages Visitors to Comeback Post-Florence with Earned Media Campaign – Silver
Largemouth Communications – Fork & Salad Brings “Aloha Spirit” to the Mainland – Silver
Clairemont Communications – Royal Media Affairs with Lord Spencer and Theodore Alexander – Platinum

Imagine hanging out in Toronto, one of the greatest cities in the world, with Charles, 9th Earl Spencer, the brother of Princess Diana, just five days after Prince Harry’s royal wedding. This is exactly what Clairemont Communications got to do when hired to promote a furniture collection that Lord Spencer designed in partnership with North Carolina-based furniture manufacturer, Theodore Alexander. Clairemont’s noble efforts generated royal results, including a feature story on Canada’s most watched morning show, several lifestyle magazine articles and placements in The Toronto Star and The Globe and Mail.

Word of Mouth
French|West|Vaughan – Wrangler Claps Back – Lil Nas X Collection – Platinum

Wrangler Claps Back – Lil Nas X Collection
“Wrangler on my booty” captured the ears and hearts of millions and after rapper Lil Nas X launched his hit, “Old Town Road.” The single landed in the number one spot on Billboard Hot 100 for a record-breaking 14 weeks in a row (and counting), and the attention led Wrangler to capitalize on the famous lyrics and launch a limited-edition Lil Nas X-inspired capsule collection. Within a lightning short period of just 10 days, a fully integrated marketing campaign launched Wrangler into viral excitement resulting in 2B+ earned media impressions, 16.7M social impressions, 1.7M social mentions, 133K public content engagements and 11.3K new social media followers.

PR Professional of the Year

Kat Harding, NC Museum of Art

“Kat’s dedication to the Museum has brought international attention to the NCMA, front-page newspaper placements, trackable revenue through social media, and some of the largest increases in new social media followers since the Museum channels were started. In the last year, key achievements include seven front page and cover placements; viral marketing campaigns like the Art in Bloom trash cans and Georgia O’Keeffe-inspired cocktail program; announcement and coverage of the hiring of the Museum’s new director, Dr. Valerie Hillings; and promotion for special exhibition You Are Here and its featured new acquisition by art superstar Yayoi (YAH-yoy) Kusama, which became the fourth most-attended exhibition in Museum history.” – Karlie Marlowe, NC Museum of Art

PR Team of the Year

Clairemont Communications

Inside a historic home nestled in downtown Raleigh is an energetic, creative, passionate PR team: Clairemont Communications. When the Clairemont team members aren’t strategizing in the brightly appointed office, they are facilitating media interviews with Lord Spencer, the brother of Princess Diana, hosting a beloved chocolatier at Charleston Wine and Food Festival, conducting deskside briefings with the chancellor of WGU North Carolina or meeting with a fashion client in New York City. As Clairemont approaches its 10-year anniversary, founder Dana Phelps said, “I follow the advice of ‘hire people smarter than you,’ and it is my privilege to work each day with the smart, kind, caring and funny women who make Clairemont Communications what it is today.”

Watt Huntley Award for Lifetime Achievement

The Watt Huntley Award for Lifetime Achievement is presented to an individual who has made lasting and meaningful contributions to the field of public relations over the course of a career. It is given in memory of Watt Huntley, who served as public relations chief at Carolina Power & Light in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. Huntley also served as President of the Raleigh Public Relations Society, and so the organization’s highest honor bears his name.

This year we’re excited to honor Dana Phelps from Clairemont Communications.

The Pictures

Filed Under: Events, RPRS Awards Tagged With: Downtown Raleigh, Raleigh, Sir Walter Raleigh Awards for Excellence in Communication, Watt Huntley Award for Lifetime Achievement

October 28, 2019 By RPRS Membership Chair

RSVP: RPRS Holiday Networking Social

It’s time to RSVP for our annual holiday social! This year’s event will take place on Tuesday, December 10, 6-8 p.m. at the new Dram & Draught in Downtown Raleigh at 1 Glenwood Avenue. (Paid hourly parking is available in the forthcoming Origins Hotel parking deck across W. Morgan Street.)

The event is free to attend and a complimentary beer or wine drink ticket is up for grabs for the first 30 guests to RSVP. Light hors-d’oeuvres and raffles are also in store for attendees!

Filed Under: Events Tagged With: Downtown Raleigh, Holiday Social, Networking, Raleigh

July 26, 2018 By VP@rprs.org

Summer Unconference: Thank You & Shared Resources

Thanks so much to each and every one of you that attended our July Unconference event! We had some great lightning speakers and inspired conversations – not to mention the delicious food and beverages (Thanks Mulino!).

Raleigh PR Society Summer Unconference at Mulino Italian Kitchen and Bar in Downtown Raleigh
Raleigh PR Society Summer Unconference at Mulino Italian Kitchen and Bar in Downtown Raleigh
Raleigh PR Society Summer Unconference at Mulino Italian Kitchen and Bar in Downtown Raleigh
Raleigh PR Society Summer Unconference at Mulino Italian Kitchen and Bar in Downtown Raleigh
Raleigh PR Society Summer Unconference at Mulino Italian Kitchen and Bar in Downtown Raleigh
Raleigh PR Society Summer Unconference at Mulino Italian Kitchen and Bar in Downtown Raleigh
Raleigh PR Society Summer Unconference at Mulino Italian Kitchen and Bar in Downtown Raleigh
Raleigh PR Society Summer Unconference at Mulino Italian Kitchen and Bar in Downtown Raleigh
Raleigh PR Society Summer Unconference at Mulino Italian Kitchen and Bar in Downtown Raleigh
Raleigh PR Society Summer Unconference at Mulino Italian Kitchen and Bar in Downtown Raleigh

For our new guests who attended, we look forward to welcoming you as a member of the Raleigh Public Relations Society soon! You can find more details on pricing and benefits here.

If you weren’t able to make it, we recorded a few of the inspiring and informational speaker presentations so you can catch up without too much FOMO. ?

“Smash and Mash” in Your Career – Eva Hornak, APR

The Power of Transferable Skills – Stephanie Llorente, APR

Introducing Raleigh Influencers – Chris Alupului

Pictures from the Event

A big thank you to Chris Alupului of Raleigh Influencers for capturing these great event pics!

Raleigh PR Society Summer Unconference at Mulino Italian Kitchen and Bar in Downtown Raleigh
Raleigh PR Society Summer Unconference at Mulino Italian Kitchen and Bar in Downtown Raleigh
Raleigh PR Society Summer Unconference at Mulino Italian Kitchen and Bar in Downtown Raleigh
Raleigh PR Society Summer Unconference at Mulino Italian Kitchen and Bar in Downtown Raleigh
Raleigh PR Society Summer Unconference at Mulino Italian Kitchen and Bar in Downtown Raleigh
Raleigh PR Society Summer Unconference at Mulino Italian Kitchen and Bar in Downtown Raleigh
Raleigh PR Society Summer Unconference at Mulino Italian Kitchen and Bar in Downtown Raleigh
Raleigh PR Society Summer Unconference at Mulino Italian Kitchen and Bar in Downtown Raleigh
Raleigh PR Society Summer Unconference at Mulino Italian Kitchen and Bar in Downtown Raleigh
Raleigh PR Society Summer Unconference at Mulino Italian Kitchen and Bar in Downtown Raleigh
Raleigh PR Society Summer Unconference at Mulino Italian Kitchen and Bar in Downtown Raleigh
Raleigh PR Society Summer Unconference at Mulino Italian Kitchen and Bar in Downtown Raleigh
Raleigh PR Society Summer Unconference at Mulino Italian Kitchen and Bar in Downtown Raleigh
Raleigh PR Society Summer Unconference at Mulino Italian Kitchen and Bar in Downtown Raleigh
Raleigh PR Society Summer Unconference at Mulino Italian Kitchen and Bar in Downtown Raleigh
Raleigh PR Society Summer Unconference at Mulino Italian Kitchen and Bar in Downtown Raleigh
Raleigh PR Society Summer Unconference at Mulino Italian Kitchen and Bar in Downtown Raleigh
Raleigh PR Society Summer Unconference at Mulino Italian Kitchen and Bar in Downtown Raleigh

The Apps I Shared

During my lightning talk, I shared some of my favorite digital assets for marcom pros. It’s easy to think that we all have the same “toolkit” at our disposal, but I’m always amazed at the power of sharing tech tools with industry friends who have yet to tap into some of them!

Grammarly (Like built-in spell check, only BETTER! The weekly progress reports via email are totally geeky fun, too.)
CapitalizeMyTitle.com (When you just can’t remeber what to capitalize and when.)
Animoto (For creating quick storyboard videos from photos and licensed music.)
Dark Sky (Insanely accurate local weather conditions for your events.)
Cluster (Private photo sharing app with easy printed book production.)
Yammer (Team messaging app.)
Proposa (Locally-based proposal software from an experienced agency founder.)
Google Photos (Never worry about losing your phone, and your photos, again!)
And of course… the newly revamped RPRS Awards platform!

See You Again Soon!

We had a great time hosting this event and making lots of new connections as well as enjoying some OOO (out of office) time with old pals. We look forward to seeing you at our next event. As always, you can find our line-up of events here!

Filed Under: Events, Meeting Recaps Tagged With: APR, Chris Alupului, Downtown Raleigh, Eva Hornak, Free Events, Mulino Italian Kitchen & Bar, Networking, networking events, Raleigh Influencers, Stephanie Llorente

October 24, 2017 By Raleigh PR Society

RPRS Honors Communications Professionals in the Triangle, Names Lifetime Achievement and Inaugural PR Pro of the Year Recipients

Congratulations to all of our Sir Walter Raleigh Awards for Excellent in Communications winners!
We had a fantastic time celebrating all of your hard work represented amongst the 68 entries into this year’s award program. The awards banquet was held on Tuesday, October 17, 2017, at The Cannon Room, a new Downtown Raleigh event space operated as part of the HQ Raleigh program. What a breathtaking sunset we all were able to experience during the cocktail hour as we were perched high atop town on the 12th floor.

A very special note of congratulations to Susan Friday Lamb who was named our 2017 Watt Huntley Award for Lifetime Achievement winner – her gracious and supportive family joined us to accept on her behalf.

Raleigh Public Relations Society Watt Huntley Award 2017

Our official post-event press release follows:

RPRS Honors Communications Professionals in the Triangle, Names Lifetime Achievement and Inaugural PR Pro of the Year Recipients

Annual Sir Walter Raleigh Awards for Excellence in Communication awards banquet recognizes PR practitioners for successful campaigns and tactics

Raleigh, N.C. – October 20, 2017 – The Raleigh Public Relations Society recognized local public relations and communications professionals during its 2017 Sir Walter Raleigh Awards for Excellence in Communication ceremony. The awards banquet, held on October 17 at The Cannon Room in downtown Raleigh, was emceed by Seth Crossno, the blogger behind William Needham Finley IV™ of ITB Insider™.

“We received a wide range of categorical Sir Walter Raleigh Award entries from an array of organizations and professionals this year,” said Kelly Propst, president, RPRS. “This is a great testament that Raleigh-Durham is an area acknowledged for high levels of creativity, diversity and strategy-driven public relations agencies and practitioners.”

The Sir Walter Raleigh Awards competition is a showcase of exemplary work by PR and communication professionals throughout North Carolina. The competition is held annually and recognizes projects that have achieved excellence in a variety of categories, as judged by an independent panel of judges. This year’s awards were judged by members of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Memphis Chapter.

RPRS also recognized Susan Friday Lamb with the 2017 Watt Huntley Award for Lifetime Achievement. This award is given annually to an individual who has made meaningful contributions to the field of public relations over the course of a career.

 

Lamb served as the public information officer for the North Carolina Museum of History for more than 20 years. In a time with limited state-allocated funds for museums and state historic sites, she found numerous ways to highlight and promote these state treasures. Her dedication, professionalism, and mentorship towards other state agency public information officers and communications individuals are evidence of her service to the state of North Carolina.

 

“Susan is a veritable treasure!” said Betty McCain, North Carolina Museum of History Foundation Board member, as part of Lamb’s nomination. “Susan has made colleagues of many members of the media and they help tell our story through pages of the free press. She enjoys a real gift of descriptive and tantalizing stories that make North Carolinians proud of and interested in attending lectures, visiting the numerous sites and the wonderful museum of history. She works tirelessly to engage citizens of North Carolina in their own state history and all it has to offer.”

 

“Susan sparked my passion for public relations,” said Mary Withers, a previous North Carolina Museum of History intern. “…Without Susan’s mentorship, I never would have worked for a PR firm in Raleigh, and I would never be in my current position.”

In addition, Joe Mecca of Coastal Federal Credit Union is the first to receive the 2017 PR Professional of the Year title. In his role as Assistant Vice President Communication, Mecca serves as company spokesman, and is integral to the credit union’s public relations, corporate communication and political affairs functions. When he’s not working to build up Coastal’s public profile, Joe’s focus is on ensuring that employees and members are kept well-informed. He also lends his talent to several key committees at Coastal and is on the board of the credit union’s charitable foundation.

 

“Over the past year alone, Joe has strategically planned and communicated a number of major milestones for Coastal, all done with excellence and precision,” said Propst. “Coastal is embraced by its membership and well-recognized for its efforts in the community, all stories that Joe has helped to tell. We are thrilled to honor him with the inaugural RPRS PR Professional of the Year Award.”

This year, in an effort led by RPRS Awards Chair David Dean of the Hillsborough Street Community Service Corporation, the RPRS board revised the Sir Walter Raleigh Awards for Excellence in Communication categories and structure to better reflect the current strategies and tactics communications professionals are implementing in the field. For example, this was the first year to have categories for Blog, Live Streaming, and Corporate Social Responsibility. The updated categories led to a 52 percent increase in award submissions over 2016. In addition, category winners are named based on Platinum, Gold and Silver level award recognitions. Platinum winners must have an average score of 95 or above, with the highest average score per category taking the top recognition. Gold winners are any entry with an average score of 90 and above, except for the Platinum winner. Silver winners are any entry with an average score of 80 – 89.

 

Special thanks to RPRS Banquet Chair Lisa Jeffries of Raleighwood Media Group + Raleighwood Event Group for planning and coordinating this year’s awards banquet. For more information about the Sir Walter Raleigh Awards for Excellence in Communication, visit www.rprs.org/awards.

 

The Sir Walter Raleigh Awards for Excellence in Communication recognized the following 2017 winners:

 

CATEGORY – Campaigns: Bang for the Buck

 

Platinum Winner

FleishmanHillard with St. Baldrick’s Foundation Bang for the Buck

 

FleishmanHillard has partnered with the St. Baldrick’s Foundation to raise awareness for childhood cancer research through a comprehensive media relations program for 10 years. In 2016, FH was tasked with further educating the public about the impact of dollars raised for the Foundation, while also sharing the critical need for more childhood cancer research funding to new audiences. FH successfully secured national media placements of a story that did just that in Inside Edition and Martha Stewart Magazine, strategically building momentum that launched a viral reaction, resulting in more than 350 million media impressions.

 

Gold Winners

FWV with Rodeo Right at your Fingertips

FWV with Nathan Beats the Heat with Focused Media Relations

FWV with Media Relations Campaign Puts Heads in Beds During the Off-Season in Wilmington, NC’s Island Beach

S&A Communications with Chad Michael McIntyre Louisiana Flood Relief Effort

 

Silver Winners

FWV with Restoring the Luster of a Legendary Personal Brand

FWV with Introducing CRISPR-Cas3

 

CATEGORY – Campaigns: Branding (Community or Product)

 

Platinum Winner

FWV with French/West/Vaughan Drives Visitation to Family-Friendly Dude Ranches Across the Country

 

Few things evoke feelings of All-American nostalgia like the Wild West. While many people may dream of being a cowboy or cowgirl at some point, more well-known destinations usually win out when it comes time to plan a family vacation. The Dude Ranchers’ Association – a nonprofit organization representing more than 100 dude ranches across North America – needed to increase awareness of its association and member ranches among mainstream consumer audiences through a strategic media relations campaign in 2016/2017. Media features in respected top-tier travel and consumer outlets resulted in a 33:1 ROI on the client’s PR investment, surpassing all campaign goals.

 

Gold Winners

Clairemont Communications – Il Palio Dishes Up Something New

FleishmanHillard – Rise Against Hunger Rebrand Launch

Tompkins International – Tompkins International Branding

 

CATEGORY – Campaigns: Community Relations

 

Platinum Winner

FWV with Fleet Feet Runs Wild with runMoji™

 

The interest and hobby of running was grossly under-represented in the emoji world, with just one emoji depicting the activity. FWV saw the opportunity for Fleet Feet Sports to create an emoji keyboard showcasing experiences of this broad audience and enabling the brand to be a constant presence in everyday conversations within the running community. This would not only keep the brand top of mind but further strengthen runners’ connection to the community and help solidify Fleet Feet’s status as an ambassador of the sport.

 

Gold Winner

S&A Communications with SAS Championship Community Relations

 

Silver Winner

FWV with Wrangler Honors Greensboro’s Textile History

 

CATEGORY – Campaigns: Organizational Identity/Promotion

 

Platinum Winner

Clairemont Communications with Wendell Falls Busts Real Estate Myths

 

Wendell Falls, one of the largest master-planned communities in the Triangle, opened in 2015 and faced the ongoing perception that it was remotely located, inaccessible and lacking vital resources. Developer Newland Communities turned to Clairemont Communications to bust the myths shrouding this new community. Clairemont crafted and implemented a strategic campaign leveraging creative tactics from school partnerships and themed open houses to media dance competitions and video challenges; their efforts ultimately increased home sales by 250 percent in one year and earned Wendell Falls the title as Best Master Planned Community in East Wake County by The News & Observer.

 

Gold Winners

French/West/Vaughan – Fleet Feet Runs Wild with runMoji™

Clairemont Communications – Briar Chapel Back on the Map

 

Silver Winners

Rountree Communications – 2017 Spring Edition of the Southern Ideal Home Show Promotional Campaign Entry

French/West/Vaughan – IGI Breaks Through to Millennials

French/West/Vaughan – Operation POTUS

FleishmanHillard – Lowe’s Arms Employees with Robotics

 

CATEGORY – Campaigns: Special Events

 

Gold Winner

Clairemont Communications with Fire It Up! Briar Chapel’s 9th Annual Pepper Festival

 

Silver Winners

FleishmanHillard with March of Dimes Marches for Babies One Step at a Time

French/West/Vaughan with Strait to Texas

North Carolina Biotechnology Center with VaccinatioNCelebration

 

CATEGORY – Campaigns: Word of Mouth/Viral

 

Platinum Winner

FWV with The Daredevils of Saint-Tite Quebec

 

Since its inception, the Wrangler Network has grown far beyond its original intended purpose. What began as a digital platform designed to allow rodeo fans access to the live rodeo competition coverage they were denied, has evolved into a comprehensive online environment that serves relevant video content to diverse audiences while benefiting the Wrangler brand as a unique content generator. In 2016, The Wrangler Network received 17M+ total content views, resulting in a 280 percent year-over year increase. The Wrangler Network is averaging 1M+ content views per month, and has an external revenue of up to $600K in advertising sales.

 

CATEGORY – Digital Communications: Live Streaming

 

Gold Winner

FWV with Strait to Texas

 

Silver Winner

Largemouth Communications with Mike Holmes Chats Electrical Safety

 

CATEGORY – Digital Communications: Social Media Campaign

 

Platinum

Clairemont Communications with A Taste of Italy at Il Palio

 

Il Palio, Chapel Hill’s AAA-rated Four Diamond Italian restaurant, launched a $1 million renovation and revamped menu crafted by its new chef. The restaurant turned to Clairemont Communications to promote these improvements and boost acclaim. Clairemont crafted a creative social media strategy targeting food bloggers and culinary influencers through personalized, VIP experiences. This “Taste of Italy” campaign secured vibrant coverage, engaged new guests and ultimately helped to position Il Palio as a desirable, modern dining hotspot for all ages, earning the restaurant a Gold Medal from food critics as a “2016 Best Restaurant in the Triangle.”

 

Gold Winners

French/West/Vaughan with Fleet Feet Runs Wild with runMoji™

Largemouth Communications with Kyle Petty Charity Ride Across America

 

Silver Winners

French/West/Vaughan with Wrangler (Basket)Ball Talk

Raleigh Parks, Recreation and Cultural Resources Department with Your Parks. Your Stories.

 

CATEGORY – Digital Communications: Video/Podcast/Videocast Program

 

Platinum Winner

FWV with Launching Directors’ Reserve

 

When the Directors’ Reserve product launched in 2016, there was no better way to tell the story behind its inception than through carefully crafted video. With a small budget and limited opportunities to drive awareness and demand, this video was at the core of the Directors’ Reserve launch strategy, designed to celebrate Pendleton Whisky’s pride in rodeo heritage, but also drive product sell-through among core consumer audiences. It is now the most asked about product on brand owned communication channels.

 

Gold Winners

Clairemont Communications with Our Coffee Cares Video
mpiTOO with WakeUP Wake County Better Transit PSA

 

Silver Winner

mpiTOO with Clarksville Players, Support the Dream Video

 

CATEGORY – General: Event Marketing

 

Silver Winners

French/West/Vaughan with No Place Like Home, Wrangler Jeansboro Day

FleishmanHillard with Scott Safety Scott Sight FDIC 2016

Clairemont Communications with Vita Vite Creates “Raleigh’s Sunday Spot”

 

CATEGORY – General: Media Event

 

Platinum Winner

FWV with Bounce Back Bash

 

The premier female fashion brand, Riders by Lee, hosted an influencer event in New York City to raise awareness around their newest product launch, Bounce Back Denim. As a way to bring consumers closer to brand representatives, develop relationships and celebrate the new launch, the Riders by Lee team invited fashion, lifestyle, mom and plus-size influencers to sample and interact with the brand for an exclusive, experiential night out. Through onsite activation and proactive follow up, the influencer party garnered more than 2M media impressions and reached close to 850K targeted women on social media.

 

Silver Winners

Clairemont Communications with Hoedown Showdown at Wendell Falls

French/West/Vaughan with Operation POTUS

 

CATEGORY – Publication & PR Writing: Opinion/Feature

 

Silver Winners

S&A Communications with Ethics Article in Public Relations Tactics

Largemouth Communications with Pokémon GO and the Future of Fluid Power

 

CATEGORY – Publication & PR Writing: Press Release

 

Silver Winner

Clairemont Communications with DQ’s Miracle Treat Day Benefits Duke Children’s Hospital

 

About RPRS
For more than 50 years, the Raleigh Public Relations Society (RPRS) has advanced the art and science of public relations and strengthened communication, understanding and cooperation among diverse individuals, organizations and institutions throughout the Triangle. The organization regularly hosts professional development opportunities, including monthly meetings, networking socials and the annual Sir Walter Raleigh Awards for Excellence in Communication banquet, which recognizes the best public relations projects and professionals in North Carolina. For more information, visit www.rprs.org.

 

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Filed Under: Events, RPRS Awards Tagged With: Downtown Raleigh, Sir Walter Raleigh Awards for Excellence in Communication, Watt Huntley Award for Lifetime Achievement

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