Public Relations Excellence Recognized at Annual SCPRSA Mercury Awards Event
Staff Report From South Carolina CEO
Monday, April 15th, 2019
The South Carolina Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (SCPRSA) hosted its annual Mercury Awards celebration on Thursday, April 11 in Charleston. Communication professionals from across the state were recognized for their work, with more than 70 awards presented at the event.
The awards program includes three types of awards. Mercury Awards recognize public relations programs and campaigns, Silver Wing Awards recognize outstanding tactics used in public relations, and Individual Awards recognize the career accomplishments of individuals.
The overall Best in Show Mercury Award winner was Chernoff Newman for “Fresh on the Menu at SEWE,” a campaign for the South Carolina Department of Agriculture. The overall Best in Show Silver Wing Award winner was Flock and Rally for “Global Tech Giant Capgemini Expands South Carolina Office.”
Holly Overton, Ph.D., associate professor in the University of South Carolina School of Journalism and Mass Communications, received the chapter’s Educator of the Year Award.
Skylar Smith, a senior public relations major in the University of South Carolina School of Journalism and Mass Communications, received the Public Relations Student of the Year Award.
A complete list of winners by category follows.
~ MERCURY AWARD WINNERS ~
COMMUNITY RELATIONS
Award of Merit: WISE Launch, BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Foundation
CONTENT MARKETING
Award of Excellence: Give 4 Garnet Campaign 2018, Flock and Rally & University of South Carolina
Award of Merit: Running a New Race – Together, NP Strategy & Harvest Hope Food Bank
Award of Merit: What's It Like to be a College of HRSM Student? UofSC's College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management
CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS & ISSUES MANAGEMENT
Award of Excellence: Hurricane Florence Messaging, Crawford Strategy
EVENTS & OBSERVANCES (7 DAYS OR FEWER)
Award of Excellence: My Special Aflac Duck Launch at Palmetto Health Children's Hospital, Palmetto Health Foundation
Award of Excellence: Milliken Specialty Interiors Showroom Opening, BRIGHT+CO
Award of Excellence: Fresh on the Menu at SEWE, Chernoff Newman for South Carolina Department of Agriculture
Award of Excellence: Midlands Gives Campaign, LRADAC
Award of Excellence: Let's Talk Digital Event with Google, Infinity Marketing
Award of Merit: Tacos 'n Tequila Fiesta, Complete PR
Award of Merit: Artisphere, University of South Carolina
Award of Merit: Lowcountry Go - LowGoTober Commuter Challenge 2018, HDR, Inc. for Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments
EVENTS AND OBSERVANCES (MORE THAN 7 DAYS)
Award of Excellence: Remember Old Hickory, Complete PR
Award of Merit: Universal Employee Fund Campaign, Lexington Medical Center
INFLUENCER MARKETING
Award of Excellence: Za's on Devine Brunch Influencer Marketing Campaign, Flock and Rally
INTEGRATED COMMUNICATIONS
Award of Excellence: The Citadel Space Star Campaign, The Citadel
Award of Merit: Dedication to Education, Chernoff Newman for South Carolina Department of Education
INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS
Award of Excellence: The Huddle: Reimagining the Intranet, South Carolina Department of Revenue and Strategic Solutions
Award of Merit: Columbia Water: Social Media Playbook, Flock and Rally
MARKETING CONSUMER PRODUCTS
Award of Merit: Lowcountry Go - RideLowGo Mobile App, HDR, Inc. for Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments
Award of Merit: Fresh on the Menu, Chernoff Newman for the South Carolina Department of Agriculture
Award of Merit: Hay Now! Campaign, Crawford Strategy
CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Award of Excellence: Teens Prove Their #StreetTread, Michelin North America
PUBLIC SERVICE
Award of Merit: Report Underage Drinking, LRADAC
BRAND AND REPUTATION MANAGEMENT
Award of Excellence: The Bull Street District: Positive Communications Campaign, Flock and Rally
Award of Merit: Next Level Brand Elevation for UofSC's College of HRSM, UofSC's College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management
~ SILVER WING AWARD WINNERS ~
MOST EFFECTIVE INFLUENCER PROMOTION
Award of Excellence: Le Creuset 2018 Holiday Campaign, FerebeeLane
BEST SEARCH ENGINE MARKETING
Award of Merit: Your Seat is Waiting, Crawford Strategy for Southern Wesleyan University
MEDIA RELATIONS - ASSOCIATIONS, GOVERNMENT AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS
Award of Excellence: A Hero's Welcome, Patriot's Point Naval and Maritime Museum
Award of Excellence: Midlands Gives Campaign 2018, Flock and Rally
Award of Excellence: When Richland Library is the Headline, Richland Library's Community Relations Department
Award of Excellence: Drawing Visitors to Beaufort, SC, FerebeeLane
Award of Merit: My Special Aflac Duck Launch at Palmetto Health Children's Hospital, Palmetto Health Foundation
Award of Merit: The Post & Courier Earned Media Partnership Celebrating 175 Years of Leadership, The Citadel
Award of Merit: Charlie Engle Runs for Healing Transitions, Laura Blank, Keylight Communications
MEDIA RELATIONS - BUSINESS TO BUSINESS
Award of Excellence: Global Tech Giant Capgemini Expands S.C. Office, Flock and Rally
Award of Merit: Combatting Trademark Fraud for Microban, FerebeeLane
EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS
Award of Merit: Promotion of Lynn Harton to CEO of United Community Banks, Inc., Crawford Strategy
BEST USE OF SOCIAL STORIES
Award of Excellence: BCSD Back-to-School Campaign, Beaufort County School District
Award of Excellence: Christmas in Charleston Instagram Stories, Explore Charleston
TWITTER ENGAGEMENT
Award of Merit: States Battle for Peach Supremacy #PeachOff, Chernoff Newman for SC Department of Agriculture
FACEBOOK ENGAGEMENT
Award of Excellence: LRADAC Stories for Midlands Gives, LRADAC
Award of Excellence: #SummerGoals Facebook Engagement, UofSC's College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management
Award of Excellence: Colonial Life Challenge for Charity, Colonial Life
Award of Merit: "Fix My Frightful Flooring" Social Media Sweepstakes, Infinity Marketing
INSTAGRAM COMMUNICATIONS
Award of Excellence: 'Gramming to Great Heights #iflyCHS, Chernoff Newman for Charleston International Airport
WEBSITES
Award of Excellence: SCAPA's "Asphalt Works!" Campaign Website, Flock and Rally
Award of Excellence: Tindall Corporation Website, Infinity Marketing
CREATIVE TACTICS
Award of Excellence: "Electric" Vibe for the 28th Walk for Life and Famously Hot Pink Half Marathon, 5K + 10K, Palmetto Health Foundation
Award of Excellence: Bernstein MASS Tactics, University of South Carolina
Award of Excellence: Just Plain Killers, Chernoff Newman for SC Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services
Award of Excellence: Position Statements for Marijuana Use, LRADAC
ANNUAL REPORTS
Award of Excellence: Portfolio: Gratitude Issue, Palmetto Health Foundation
Award of Excellence: 2018 Annual Report, Municipal Association of South Carolina
Award of Excellence: The Journey: LRADAC FY18 Annual Report, LRADAC
Award of Excellence: South Carolina State Health Assessment, SC Department of Health and Environmental Control, Population Health Data
NEWSLETTERS - DIGITAL
Award of Excellence: From the Dome to Your Home, Municipal Association of South Carolina
Award of Excellence: ePRESS: Marijuana Edition, LRADAC
Award of Merit: Email Newsletter, UofSC's College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management
PUBLICATIONS - SINGLE ISSUE NEWSLETTERS OR BOOKLETS
Award of Excellence: 2018 Greer Station Gift Guide, Greer Development Corporation
Award of Merit: Hello, Big World!, K. Hope Creative
Award of Merit: Admissions Viewbook, University of South Carolina
Award of Merit: Risk Management Services Annual Training Calendar, Municipal Association of South Carolina
ONLINE VIDEOS
Award of Excellence: Introducing "Flip and Give," NP Strategy and The Moore Company
Award of Excellence: "What It Takes," Crawford Strategy for Sumter Police Department
Award of Merit: Frankenstein Web Video, University of South Carolina
Award of Merit: The ABCs of Safe Sleep, Every Sleep - Working Together to Reduce the Risk of Sleep-Related Injuries and Deaths, SC Department of Health and Environmental Control Communications Team
ONLINE NEWSROOMS
Award of Merit: Dorchester County Online Newsroom, Dorchester County Government
BEST USE OF BRANDED CONTENT
Award of Merit: "Materials Matter" Position Paper, BRIGHT+CO for Milliken Specialty Interiors
WEBCASTS
Award of Excellence: 2018 Gathering of Nations Pow Wow Webcast, Paul Gowder, PowWows.com
MAGAZINES
Award of Excellence: Portfolio, Palmetto Health Foundation
Award of Excellence: Cities Mean Business Magazine, Municipal Association of South Carolina
Award of Excellence: BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Giving Magazine, BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Community Relations
~ STUDENT AWARD WINNERS ~
Student Mercury Award of Merit for Public Service: Shine With Purpose, University of South Carolina Bateman Team
Student Silver Wing Award of Excellence for Online Videos: Be a Voice for the Voiceless, University of South Carolina Bateman Team