Winner’s circle: Ragan’s Media Relations Awards
Finalists were honored at the Yale Club in New York City.
Grabbing the media’s attention — and by extension, your audience’s — is harder than ever. Traditional news outlets are shrinking and new media outlets are splintering, making capturing the right coverage an exercise in research, patience and .
The winners of PR Daily’s Media Relations Awards demonstrated skill in this challenging environment, making a big impact with the help of media partners.
“In an increasingly fractured media landscape, this year’s honorees showcased agility, creativity and innovation to tell their brand’s story,” says Diane Schwartz, CEO of Ragan Communications. “With these annual awards, PR Daily looks forward to amplifying the hard work of thousands of communicators worldwide.”
Dozens of finalists gathered at the Yale Club in New York City Monday to celebrate their hard work.
Ragan and PR Daily are pleased to recognize the success of these winners and honorable mentions:
Grand Prizes
Grand Prize: Media Relations Campaign of the Year: Over $50,000
Winner: UPS: UPS Vaccine Communications Planning
Honorable mentions:
- Diageo / CIROC Vodka: CÎROC Vodka Celebrates Black Excellence & Entrepreneurship Through #CIROCStands Platform
- Endo International, plc: Launching the First and Only FDA-Approved Injectable for Cellulite
- Intel Corporation: New CEO Hits the Ground Running with Turnaround Plan
- Travel + Leisure Co.: Hallmark Channel’s Countdown to Christmas Holiday Suites by Club Wyndham
Grand Prize: Media Relations Campaign of the Year: Under $50,000
Winner: Tic Tac and Golin: Tic Tac Launches into Space
Honorable mentions:
- Bospar: Bospar Delivers Stratospheric Coverage for Unistellar
- Bospar: NEON: Making NFTs Accessible to the Common Consumer
- Ernst & Young LLP and M Booth: Emphasis on Empathy – EY 2021 Empathy in Business Survey
- Herbalife Nutrition: Global Thought Leadership Strategy: Building Consumer and Investor Trust in Pandemic Times
- Pugh & Tiller PR: Raising Awareness for ProNavigator, the Google for Insurance
- The Home Depot: Exposing the Issue of Organized Retail Crime
Grand Prize: Media Relations Campaign of the Year: Under $10,000
Winner: Gillian Small Public Relations: TWIX® Shakers Seasoning Blend Launches with Viral Chicken Wings Recipe
Honorable mentions:
- Bospar: Bospar Messes With Texas
- Hollywood Agency: Media Relations Campaign for ‘Bounty’
- Identity: Hudsonville Ice Cream x Little Debbie: The Two Billion Impression Scoop
- IMA Financial Group: Who will insure the metaverse? Campaign
- Stuntman PR: Parmigiano Reggiano Day is born stateside
Grand Prize: Media Relations Professional of the Year
Winner: Danny Chi: ESPN
Honorable mentions:
- Marsha Archer: M-Squared Public Relations
- Amanda Brooks: ESPN
- Tommaso Di Giovanni: Philip Morris International
- Ashley Goncena: Crafted Communications
- Jennifer Non: The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association
- Liz Reilly: Next PR
- Nidhi Sinha: Boston Consulting Group
- Daniel Zielinski: Insured Retirement Institute
Campaigns
Brand Messaging or Positioning Campaign
Winner: UPS: UPS Peak Hiring Campaign – 2021
Honorable mentions:
- Cerner Corporation: Cerner Government Services Brand Positioning Campaign
- Intel Corporation: New CEO Hits the Ground Running with Turnaround Plan
- Kellogg´s Latin America: World Food Day
- Linhart PR: Building Chipotle Brand Love in NYC with Culturally Relevant Media Relations
- McDonald’s: McDonald’s Opportunity Here Campaign
- MGC: #LaUltimaBotelladeAgua by Wrangler
- Techwave: Brand Refresh
- The Fletcher Group: Driving brand awareness from startup to well-established Canadian fintech
Cause Marketing Campaign
Winner: Diageo / CIROC Vodka: CÎROC Vodka Celebrates Black Excellence & Entrepreneurship Through #CIROCStands Platform
Honorable mentions:
- Peppercomm: Dole Malnutrition Labels
- Porter Novelli in partnership with MusiCares: MusiCares Person of the Year
- Prudential Financial: Prudential Financial and the New Jersey Devils Help Black Small Businesses Win – On and Off the Ice
- THON and Four Diamonds: Penn State THON 2022
- Tier One Partners: Ally Teach Kids Money Lessons in Minecraft
- UScellular: Cause Marketing & Community Relations
Community Relations Campaign
Winner: The Home Depot Foundation with Big Red Rooster: MSL and Sunshine Sachs, Operation Surprise 2021
Honorable mentions:
- ECMC Group: ECMC Group’s GO! Program: Connecting to employees and communities
- ESPN: ESPN’s 15th Annual V Week for Cancer Research
- MnFIRE/Bellmont Partners: Rallying Support for Our Hometown Heroes
- Nickerson People Relations: Weston Community Relations Project
- UScellular: Cause Marketing Campaign & Community Relations Campaign
- Violet PR: Revitalizing Newark Symphony Hall
COVID-19 Communications Campaign
Winner: ChenMed: COVID-19 – #VaxTheNation Integrated Campaign
Honorable mentions:
- Atrium Health: Atrium Health COVID-19 Mass Vaccinations
- Children’s Health: Children’s Health Educates and Empowers Parents, Physicians with COVID-19 Media Relations Campaign
- Providence: Communicating the Pandemic: How Providence Handled the First U.S. Patient
Crisis or Reputation Management Campaign
Winner: Identity: Guiding the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office During the Oxford High School Shooting Crisis Response
Honorable mentions:
- Big Valley Marketing: Russia Cyber-Attack Against Ukraine
- Lightspeed PR & M: Lightspeed PR/M – MacKeeper Reputation Reboot
Data-Driven Media Relations Campaign
Winner: Cisco: The Quarterly Business Review and Outlook Model (QBRO)
Honorable mentions:
- Amendola Communications: Long-Covid Research Study raises Arcadia’s Profile
- Dittoe Public Relations: 2021 Recruiter Nation Report Launch
- ECMC Group: ECMC Group Helps Teens Question The Quo in Education
- Hotwire: Hotwire Decks the Halls with Record-Breaking Media Results
- Ipsos Public Affairs North America: Ipsos LGBT+ Pride 2021 Global Survey
- Navy Federal Credit Union: “Best Of” Campaign
Global Media Relations Campaign
Winner: Carnival Cruise Line: Cruise Reboot: Carnival Cruise Line Resumes Cruising Operations for the First Time Since March 2020
Honorable mentions:
- Bohemian FC & Wise Up PR: Music Meets Sport: Immortalizing Bob Marley’s An Afternoon in the Park Gig On Bohemian FC’s Shirt
- PGIM: Weathering Climate Change
- Proofpoint: CHASING CRISES: WARNING PEOPLE AGAINST THE TOUGHEST CYBERCRIMINALS AT TIMES OF GLOBAL UNCERTAINTY
- SCHOTT AG: SCHOTT Xensation® α – A New Era of Smartphone Cover Glass
- SlicedBrand: Generating Real-World Buzz for Metaverse Land Sales
- UPS: Circle of Honor
Governmental or Public Affairs Media Relations Campaign
Winner: Children’s Hospital Colorado: Youth Mental Health State of Emergency: “Their Tanks are Empty”
Honorable mentions:
- Adept: Stone Foltz Anti-Hazing
- Relevance International: Affirmation Tower: Building a Better Future From the Ground Up
- TechNet: TechNet
- The Home Depot: Exposing the Issue of Organized Retail Crime
- The Silver State Health Insurance Exchange: Nevada Health Link Open Enrollment Campaign
- Violet PR: Selling Pittsburgh International Airport’s Transformation
Integrated Marketing Communications Campaign
Winner: ChenMed: COVID-19 – #VaxTheNation Integrated Campaign
Honorable mentions:
- INK Communications Co.: One Million Acres Campaign
- MGC: #Soapa$500 by Tenpo
- OMNIVISION: The Big Reveal
- Rachel Kay Public Relations: Bubbies Treat Wave Campaign
Purpose-Driven Campaign
Winner: Mars Petcare US: Better Cities For Pets™ Adoption Weekend
Honorable mentions:
- Black Economic Alliance: Advancing the Mission of the Black Economic Alliance
- Bospar: Bospar Messes With Texas
- Children’s Health: Children’s Health Expands Diversity & Inclusion Program to Support and Empower Employees, Patients and Community Members
- Hollywood Agency: Media Relations Campaign for ‘Bounty’
- Landis Communications: Landis Communications – Fish Run Place
- MGC: #LaUltimaBotelladeAgua by Wrangler
- NAACP Legal Defense & Educational Fund: Marshall-Motley Scholars Program
Social Media Campaign
Winner: Almond Board of California: Almond Day 2021
Honorable mentions:
- Advantest: ESG Campaign
- Hollywood Agency: @SouthShoreBear joins Twitter
Thought Leadership Campaign
Winner: Black Economic Alliance: Advancing the Mission of the Black Economic Alliance
Honorable mentions:
- Amendola Communications: Amendola Helps HSBlox Educate the Market on Value Based Care
- Apptio: CxO Campaign
- Arketi Group: Arketi Group Helps NCR Corporation Share Its Story Running Restaurants & Stores
- Asylum Public Relations: Global Warming Heats Up the Insurance Industry
- Bospar: Bospar Messes With Texas
- Hotwire: Hotwire Decks the Halls with Record-Breaking Media Results
- Proofpoint: VOICE OF THE CISO 2021: THE AFTERMATH OF A YEAR LIKE NO OTHER FOR SECURITY PROFESSIONALS
- Prudential Financial, Inc.: PULSE OF THE AMERICAN WORKER SURVEY
- Snackbox: Shaping the Influence of the Convenience Store Industry
Events
New Product or Service Launch
Winners: Citi: Citi Custom Cash Card, Kaplow Communications: Stanley Turns #Hydration Into Quarantine’s Hottest Trend
Honorable mentions:
- Accela: SolarAPP+ – Helping Governments Make Solar Permitting Easier, Cheaper and Faster
- American Airlines: Silver Spoon Desserts
- Bospar: NEON: Making NFTs Accessible to the Common Consumer
- Endo International, plc: Launching the First and Only FDA-Approved Injectable for Cellulite
- Gillian Small Public Relations: TWIX® Shakers Seasoning Blend Launches with Viral Chicken Wings Recipe
- The Langham, Boston: The Langham, Boston: A New American Classic
Press Event or Media Tour
Winner: Intel Corporation: “If we can drive here, we can drive anywhere.”
Honorable mentions:
- Arkansas Symphony Orchestra: Arkansas Symphony Orchestra Community Music Center Announcement
- Macon-Bibb County: AMPhitheater Rocks Groundbreaking
- Mohegan Gaming and Entertainment: Sun Wine Food Fest 2022
- The Home Depot with MSL and Hartmann Studios: How to Sleigh the Holidays: The Home Depot Halloween & Holiday Program 2021
- UPS: UPS Vaccine Communications Planning
Stunt or Special Event
Winner: Tier One Partners: Ally Has NYC #TotallyCovered
Honorable mentions:
- Convoy: Co-Founder Ride Along to 50th Anniversary of the Mid-Atlantic Trucking Show in Louisville, Kentucky
- Gillian Small PR: Green Giant® Partners with PEEPS® to Pull The Ultimate April Fool’s Day Prank: Green Giant® Cauliflower-Flavored PEEPS®
- Intel Corporation: “If we can drive here, we can drive anywhere.”
- Jackson Spalding: TK Elevator Grand Opening
- Planit Advertising: Glen-Gery Global Flagship Brickworks Design Studio Opening
Virtual Event
Winner: BetterUp: Inner Work Day
Honorable mention:
- The Home Depot with MSL and Hartmann Studios: SkeleTON of Fun: Halloween and Holiday Virtual Media Showcase 2021 by The Home Depot
Media Relations Strategy
Exclusive Content Strategy
Winner: Jackpocket: Jackpocket
Honorable mentions:
- Cone Health: 50-Year-Old, First-Time Mom
- Intel Corporation: New CEO Hits the Ground Running with Turnaround Plan
- Ipsos Public Affairs North America: Ipsos LGBT+ Pride 2021 Global Survey
- Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System: Strategic Media Relations
- SlicedBrand: Assembling a successful outreach campaign for IOTA
Innovation in Media Relations
Winner: Bospar: NEON: Making NFTs Accessible to the Common Consumer
Honorable mentions:
- 5WPR: Sinclair Broadcast Group
- Experience Columbus: Holiday Gift Box
Media Relations Video
Winner: McDonald’s: McDonald’s Opportunity Starts Here Video
Honorable mention:
- Intel Corporation: New CEO Hits the Ground Running with Turnaround Plan
Newsjacking
Winner: Tic Tac and Golin: Tic Tac Launches into Space
Honorable mentions
- Hollywood Agency: @SouthShoreBear joins Twitter
- M:7 Agency: AERAS Bridge Collapse
- Pure Storage: Pure Storage’s Newsjacking Campaign: Meta’s AI Research SuperCluster
- Spool Marketing and Communications: Airheads Candy Chicken Sandy
- The Fletcher Group: How America Gives Gifts: Helping Retailers Prepare for Holiday 2021
- Touchdown PR: Rapid Response
Pitch
Winner: Intel Corporation: New CEO Hits the Ground Running with Turnaround Plan
Honorable mentions:
- American Airlines: Silver Spoon Desserts
- Bospar: Bospar Messes With Texas
- Bospar: NEON: Making NFTs Accessible to the Common Consumer
- Hotwire: Hotwire Decks the Halls with Record-Breaking Media Results
- Intel: EyeQ Ultra is not your everyday AV chip
- The Fletcher Group: How America Gives Gifts: Helping Retailers Prepare for Holiday 2021
Research
Winner: Ernst & Young LLP and M Booth: Emphasis on Empathy – EY 2021 Empathy in Business Survey
Honorable mentions:
- Bospar: Bospar Delivers Stratospheric Coverage for Unistellar
- Navy Federal Credit Union: “Best Of” Campaign
Traditional and New Media Integration
Winner: UPS: UPS Vaccine Communications Planning
Honorable mentions:
- 5WPR: Samsung SmartThings
- Dropp: Kite Hill PR for Dropp
- HUNTER: Honey Bunches of Oats “Makes a Bunch Happen”
Use of a Celebrity or Personality
Winner: INFINITI: INFINITI QX60 Launch
Honorable mention:
- 5WPR: Mandy Moore x Lansinoh
Use of Measurement
Winner:
ADP: Leveraging Data-Driven Pitches to Increase Share of Voice
Honorable mention:
- ECMC Group: ECMC Group Helps Teens Question The Quo in Education
