PRoof Award Winners are Super Heroes of PR
West Michigan PRSA Announces Winners of the 23 rd Annual Awards
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., May 30, 2008 -The West Michigan Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (WMPRSA) is excited to announce the latest Super Heroes of PR. The 23 rd annual PRoof Awards ceremony was held Thursday, May 29 from 5:30 p.m.-9 p.m. at NAYA Bistro and Wine Bar in Grand Rapids . WZZM TV13 Health Reporter and Weekend Anchor Val Lego was the emcee for the evening ceremony.
WMPRSA would like to congratulate the following
2008 PRoof Award Winners:
Individual Award Winners
Journalist of the Year-Val Lego, WZZM TV13
Val Lego is the health reporter and weekend anchor for WZZM TV13. Val is an innovative, well-spoken and outgoing reporter. Val appreciated the growth of the life science and healthy science industry and worked hard with her team at WZZM for two years to launch a show focusing on these breakthroughs. In 2007, her persistence paid off with the launch of the show “Healthy You.” In the past year, the show has received top ratings, sponsorship requests, and several shots at prime time.
Communicator of the Year- Jim Dunlap, Group President of Huntington National Bank
PRSA recognizes a community leader for outstanding contributions to West Michigan that Exemplify the practice of good public relations. This year, the Communicator of the Year Award goes to Jim Dunlap, group president –Michigan and Northern Ohio of the Huntington National Bank. Jim Dunlap exemplifies the true meaning of the word “communicator.” He is a tireless promoter of the Grand Rapids community. He truly “walks the talk” of community involvement and service, both personally and professionally. He has been the Board Chair of the Heart of West Michigan United Way, the WMCA, The Helen DeVos Children's Hospital/Make-A-Wish Foundation Wizard's Ball, the American Cancer Society Cattle Baron's Ball, the Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame and is the incoming Chair-elect to The Right Place Board. His passion for community involvement and his drive for excellence are evident to all who meet him.
PR Practitioner of the Year-Brooke Vining, Seyferth Spaulding Tennyson, Inc. & WMPRSA Past President
Brooke is an APR accredited Vice President at Seyferth, Spaulding & Tennyson, Inc. She is WMPRSA past president and currently serves on the executive committee. Her enthusiasm for PRSA in the West Michigan community is contagious. A large measure of her ability to recruit and inspire volunteers comes from her willingness to invest her own time for the good of both the chapter and the profession. Whether encouraging young practitioners to aim toward acquiring their APR accreditations or recruiting new members to the chapter, Brooke's leadership and dedication have helped to move the chapter to a new level of professionalism.
She is a new mom who is working and volunteering while maintaining a commitment to her professional goals and the body of knowledge to which she is dedicated. She speaks to classes, donates a significant number of hours to the community for the Grand Rapids Art Museum, Kent County Parks Foundation and a number of smaller organizations that through her work, are able to more directly reach their targeted publics. Recently, Brooke's work was showcased through the opening of the Grand Rapids Art Museum. It was an incredible event under the stars for 800 guests in a white-tie celebration of the GRAM's opening.
Silver Campaign Award-Community Relations
Priority Health - Priority Health Cycling Team
Priority Health utilized its sponsorship of Michigan's only professional cycling team to reach out to the community with messages of health and wellness. This campaign increased the outreach of the organization's wellness expertise, increase exposure with target audiences and increase its brand awareness in the communities it serves.
Silver Campaign Award-Community Relations - Special Events or Observances
Seyferth Spaulding Tennyson, Inc.-the Grand Rapids Art Museum's Inaugural Ball
Before the new, 125,000-square-foot Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM) opened to the public, Seyferth Spaulding Tennyson, Inc. planned and managed GRAM's Inaugural Ball, a fundraising event on Saturday, September 29, 2007. More than 700 donors and GRAM supporters attended the reception, dinner and after-glow event that raised nearly $500,000 for future programs.
Grand Rapids Community Foundation - 85th Anniversary
Grand Rapids Community Foundation celebrated its 85th anniversary in 2007 with an observance that focused on a group 85 year old donors as well sponsorship of the Ken Burns War series on PBS, special lunches with the CEO and highly focused events for donors. Significant increases in Foundation gifts were noted.
Silver Campaign Award -Other Special Public Relations
Lambert Edwards & Associates- Encompass Lighting Groups 2007 media relations.
Encompass Lighting Group, one of North America's premier lighting manufacturers retained Lambert Edwards and Associates (LE&A) to increase media coverage of the company and its products. LE&A implemented a media relations program that resulted in more than 29 million media impressions across a variety of consumer and trade media outlets across the county.
Grand Rapids Community Foundation - Youth Grant Committee Peer Survey Results
Through its biennial survey process, Grand Rapids Community Foundation's Youth Grant Committee identified pressure to succeed as the top issue impacting teens. The Committee implemented a community awareness campaign to educate parents, school leaders and the community about teen pressure. They also requested grant proposals from nonprofits offering programs to help teens manage pressure.
Silver Single Project Award-Annual Report
Grand Rapids Community Foundation – “What 85 Looks Like”
Each year the Grand Rapids Community Foundation presents an annual report to donors and community leaders. In celebration of its 85th anniversary, the Foundation featured stories and images of 85 year old donors to show how lively and vibrant 85 really can be.
Silver Single Project Award-External Communications Newsletter
Priority Health – HealthJournal
In an effort to draw existing members to its Medicare Advantage product, Priority Health segmented its existing member newsletter, HealthJournal , to target members age 62 and over. With just two issues published in its first year, HealthJournal 62+ resulted in 173 sales leads for PriorityMedicare.
Grand Valley State University- Grand Valley Magazine
Grand Valley Magazine is a general interest magazine for the Grand Valley State University community. It's produced quarterly by the GVSU News and Information Services Office. The university's success stories come to life through quality feature or news writing, event and studio photography and design. Production of a high-quality magazine helps promote a spirit of informed goodwill among Grand Valley constituents.
Silver Single Project Award-Video
Grand Valley State University – “All Four Won-Won For All” DVD
“All Four Won-Won For All” is a DVD compilation featuring highlights of the 2006 Grand Valley State University football season which culminated in an unbeaten campaign and Division II national championship. Executive producer of the DVD was Mary Eileen Lyon, producer was Bill Cuppy, and the DVD was written and narrated by west Michigan sports broadcaster Tom Cleary.
Grand Valley State University – “Study Abroad” DVD
The video showcases GVSU's study abroad program and the scholarships that support it. It was written and produced in-house by Mary Eilleen Lyon with production support provided by Bill Cuppy. Grand Valley sends more than 600 students to study abroad each year and most need financial aid or scholarships to do so. University leaders, at Grand Valley and in higher education in general, believe studying abroad is a key to liberal education and to many careers in a global economy.
Silver Single Project Award-Other Special Public Relations
Grand Rapids Community Foundation – “Elements of Planned Giving”
The Elements of Planned Giving was a six piece direct mail series created by the Grand Rapids Community Foundation. In addition to educating recipients about different types of planned gifts, the series also reinforced the key features of the Community Foundation's brand in a simple and eye catching way using a periodic table of elements theme.
Gold Campaign Award- Reputation/ Image Building
Seyferth Spaulding Tennyson, Inc.-McDonald's of Outstate Michigan: Healthy Moms and Kids Forum
Inviting moms into McDonald's restaurants in order to chat about healthy food choices and life balance was a new concept for McDonald's. By providing a well-known parenting expert and samples of healthy menu choices, SST helped to create beneficial events for nearly 60 Michigan moms and earned positive media coverage.
Gold Campaign Award- Special Events and Observances
Carmichael Lynch Spong -Whirlpool (Maytag Brand)-“Washing Away Confusion by Celebrating 100 Years”
In 2007, Maytag celebrated 100 years of manufacturing reliable and dependable products, a milestone few companies enjoy. Maytag also became part of another piece of history when Whirlpool Corporation purchased it to become the largest appliance manufacturer in the world. To confirm that the beloved Maytag brand was very much part of the thriving brand portfolio at Whirlpool Corporation, Maytag brand created a multi-faceted campaign to celebrate Maytag's 100th birthday.
Sabo Public Relations and Metro Health - the Metro Health Hospital Move
In September 2007, Metro Health Hospital closed its longtime Grand Rapids location and moved 12 miles to a new, state-of-the-art hospital built to be LEED®-certified in the suburbs. The move was a transformational event for the organization – and for the community. Sabo Public Relations and The Image Group partnered with Metro Health to develop and implement a communications effort that include advertising (print, broadcast and outdoor), public relations, Internet marketing, direct marketing, employee communications and special events for a broad range of audiences.
Lambert Edwards & Associates - Spartan Motors: 2007 Investors Conference
Spartan Motors, Inc. a leading manufacturer of specialty vehicles wanted to raise awareness of several new products and the company's new military contracts. LE&A created a one-of-a-kind event in New York that allowed the company to showcase the new products and talk directly with potential investors and current shareholders.
Gold Campaign Award- Marketing Communications
Carmichael Lynch Spong –“The next Maytag Repairman: Could It Be You?”
Whirlpool Corp. acquired Maytag in 2006 with the goal of revitalizing the brand that boasted a 100-year heritage. In 2007, the team created an integrated, open-to-the-public, nationwide search for the next Maytag Repairman. The campaign generated 700+ media hits in less than 10 weeks, the campaign's Web site received 50,000+ hits in nine weeks; and the online advertising drove 4,000+ clicks in just 12 days.
Lambert Edwards & Associates - Zondervan: “Inspired By … The Bible Experience™: The Complete Bible” Launch
The PR campaign for Zondervan's “Inspired By … The Bible Experience™: The Complete Bible” aligned traditional marketing, media relations, events, targeted promotions and new media outreach to produce more than 45 million unique media impressions, nearly 110,000 unit sales to date and a second, consecutive Audiobook of the Year nomination.
Gold Campaign Award- Investor Relations
Lambert Edwards & Associates- Lambert Edwards and Associates SMID – West Stock Conference
Lambert, Edwards & Associates' (LE&A) SMID-West Stock Conference is an annual investor conference created to introduce Midwest-based members of the investment community to the management teams of top-performing small- and mid-cap (SMID) companies. LE&A hosted the third annual event in December 2007 at The Hilton Hotel in downtown Chicago.
Gold Campaign Award -Other Special Public Relations Category
Helen DeVos Children's Hospital-Shaken Baby Radio Roadblock
Helen DeVos Children's Hospital partnered with 19 radio stations in a significant public service effort to raise awareness and reduce the number of children injured by being shaken. An estimated 86,000 listeners heard a radio PSA in mid-2007 and a decrease in hospital admissions as a result of being shaken followed.
Gold Single Project Award- Internal Communications
Grand Rapids Community Foundation- Current.
Current is the quarterly journal of the Grand Rapids Community Foundation. It is mailed to more than 11,000 people in Kent County and features stories and photographs about Foundation donors, grants and community philanthropy.
Gold Single Project Award- External Communications
Lambert Edwards & Associates- “Inspired By … The Bible Experience™: The Complete Bible” Electronic Press Kit
The Electronic Press Kit for Zondervan's “Inspired By … The Bible Experience™: The Complete Bible” efficiently delivered rich media to journalists, TV and radio producers, bloggers and key influencers, who used the content alongside written features. It helped build awareness in more than 45 million impressions and contributed to nearly 110,000 unit sales.
Gold Single Project Award -Other Special Public Relations
Carmichael Lynch Spong -Bylined Article puts “Great PR” at the Center of Integrated Marketing
Many companies claim they practice “integrated marketing communications,” but Whirlpool was willing to talk about its methods. CLS interviewed Whirlpool's executive Jeffery Davidoff and crafted a bylined article for Advertising Age. It ran Aug. 13, 2007 to nearly a half million print and online readers. Feedback was immediate and positive.
Best of Show
Carmichael Lynch Spong-“The Next Maytag Repairman: Could It Be You?”
Whirlpool Corp. acquired Maytag in 2006 with the goal of revitalizing the brand that boasted a 100-year heritage. In 2007, the team created an integrated, open-to-the-public, nationwide search for the next Maytag Repairman. The campaign generated 700+ media hits in less than 10 weeks, the campaign's Web site received 50,000+ hits in nine weeks; and the online advertising drove 4,000+ clicks in just 12 days.
Special Thanks to the 2008 WMPRSA PRoof Awards Sponsors: DVS, D&D Printing, Bluewater Technologies and Studio Ink.
About WMPRSA
The West Michigan Chapter is comprised of more than 100 PRSA members living within the western half of the lower peninsula of Michigan, from Benton Harbor to Traverse City. Its mission is to help public relations professionals develop and sustain the essential knowledge, skills and standards that will reinforce their integral role in the effective management of organizations. Learn more by contacting WMPRSA at (616) 308-5433 or by visiting www.wmprsa.org . |
