Mercury Awards 2011
PRSA-WF Chapter President Ken Koprowski; Tom Appleby of News 12 presents Scott Orstad of Stamford Hospital and Viveca Woods of VMW Public Relations with their Gold Mercury Awards.
2011 Mercury Awards Update
PRSA-WF Chapter members Scott Orstad of Stamford Hospital and Viveca Woods of VMW Public Relations in Greenwich picked up Gold trophies at the June 23 Mercury Awards ceremony in North Haven. Scott won in the Media Relations/Not-for-Profit category and Viveca in Public Affairs. On hand to congratulate them was Ken Koprowski, WF President, who spoke at the event on behalf of the chapter.
Here's the full report and list of all the award winners:
STAMFORD HOSPITAL AND VMW PUBLIC RELATIONS
WIN GOLD AT THE 2011 PRSA MERCURY AWARDS
Westchester/Fairfield Chapter members take trophies in annual competition
NORTH HAVEN, CT, June 24, 2011. Scott Orstad of Stamford Hospital and Viveca Woods of VMW Public Relations in Greenwich each took home Gold awards at the sixteenth annual PRSA Mercury Awards ceremony, held in North Haven last night.
Orstad, Manager of Corporate Communications for Stamford Hospital, picked up the Gold in the Media Relations Not-for-Profit category for his work with media to tell the story of a life-saving operation performed by Michael Coady, M.D. shortly after he joined the hospital in 2010 as its new Chief of Cardiac Surgery.
Woods, Principal of VMW Public Relations in Greenwich, won Gold in the Public Affairs category for work supporting TicketNetwork's corporate expansion efforts.
The awards were among a total of 46 trophies handed out by emcee Tom Appleby of News 12 Connecticut.
Mason, Inc. of Bethany, CT won Best in Show in both the Tactics and Campaigns categories, the first for a research program for Connex Credit Union, and the second for an integrated "Vice President of Unbanking" campaign for Connex.
The 2011 Practitioner of the Year honor was awarded to Wilson Camelo, Principal and Vice President of Bauzá & Associates, a full-service Hispanic marketing agency in Hartford. The award, presented by Diane Dawson-Brown of All the Best People, honored Camelo for his volunteer leadership, including serving as Secretary of PRSA's Multicultural Communication Professional Interest Section and two terms as President of the PRSA Southern Connecticut Chapter.
(See below for the list of all winners.)
The Mercury awards were created in 1996 by the Connecticut Valley Chapter to recognize outstanding work in the public relations, communications and marketing disciplines. In 2004, all three Connecticut-based PRSA Chapters joined forces to make this a regional awards competition, reaching all of Connecticut, Western Massachusetts and Westchester County and the Lower Hudson Valley region in New York. Named for the Roman god of commerce and travelers - the messenger and guide of the gods - the competition is designed to honor creative and strategic excellence and encourage a higher level of performance. Information on the annual competition is available on the websites of the three PRSA chapters.
The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) (prsa.org) is an individual membership professional society of more than 20,000 public relations practitioners. The Connecticut Valley Chapter serves Central, Northern and Eastern Connecticut, as well as Western Massachusetts (prsa-cvc.org). The Southern Connecticut Chapter serves New Haven and New London counties (prsact.org), and the Westchester/Fairfield Chapter serves Fairfield County and New York's Westchester County and Lower Hudson Valley region (prsa-wf.org).
2011 MERCURY AWARD WINNERS:
The following awards were presented in the STRATEGIC CAMPAIGNS CATEGORIES:
Best in Show
Mason, Inc. (Bethany, CT): "Vice President of Unbanking" for Connex Credit Union.
Community Relations (For Profit)
Gold: Gaffney Bennett Public Relations (New Britain, CT): Costco Wholesale.
Community Relations (Not-For Profit)
Gold: Co-Communications (Simsbury, CT): 2-1-1 child Care: Free Resources for the Parent Community.
Silver: Mintz & Hoke Communications Group (Avon, CT): Connect-Ability: See the Ability. See How We Can Work Together.
Reputation/Brand Management (For-Profit)
Silver: Gaffney Bennett Public Relations (New Britain, CT): NBCUniversal's Stamford Media Center - 2010 Community Involvement.
Reputation/Brand Management (Not-For-Profit)
Gold: Co-Communications (Simsbury, CT): Highlighting the Relevance of History.
Silver: Westport Public Library: Integrated Re-branding Package for the Westport Public Library
Special Events and Observances 1 - 7 Days:
Gold: Mason, Inc. (Bethany, CT): The United Illuminating Company: Earth Day
Silver: Catalyst Marketing Communications (Stamford, CT): 2010 Hope in Motion Campaign
Special Events and Observances More Than 7 Days:
Gold: Adams & Knight (Avon, CT): CHET Dream Big! Competition Award Ceremony
Silver: Catalyst Marketing Communications (Stamford, CT): Paint the Town Pink Campaign
Public Affairs
Gold: VMW Public Relations (Greenwich, CT): Quest for Town Approval of Venue Leads to Extensive Corporate Opportunities.
Marketing Products and Services
Gold: Mason, Inc. (Bethany, CT): The United Illuminating Company: Energy Efficiency
Silver: Mintz & Hoke Communications Group (Avon, CT): Legrand/Wiremold Productivity Campaign
Crisis Communications:
Gold: Mason, Inc. (Bethany, CT): Agency on Aging of South Central Connecticut
Silver: Silver: Adams & Knight (Avon, CT): Shiloh Christian Church
Multicultural Public Relations: For-Profit
Gold: Bauzá & Associates (Hartford, CT): Puerto Rico Birth Certificates Awareness Campaign
Integrated Communications: For-Profit:
Gold: Mason, Inc. (Bethany, CT): Connex Credit Union: Vice President of Unbanking
Silver: Mintz & Hoke Communications Group (Avon, CT): ARMOR Rugged Tablet Product Launch
Integrated Communications: Not-For-Profit:
Gold: Adams & Knight (Avon, CT): CHET Marketing and Public Relations Campaign
The following awards were presented in the TACTICAL CATEGORIES:
Best in Show
Mason, Inc. (Bethany, CT):Connex Credit Union Research
Media Relations (For-Profit)
Gold: The Wakeman Agency (New York, NY): Gilles Montezin Tactical Plan
Silver: tie: Adams & Knight (Avon, CT): Sun & Ski Sports: Bike Samaritan
Silver: tie: Georgetta L ordi Morque: Stamford Health Associates: The SOAR Method for Perfect Posture
Media Relations (Not-for-Profit)
Gold: Stamford Hospital (Stamford, CT): New Chief of Cardiac Surgery
Newsletters
Silver: Mintz & Hoke Communications Group (Avon, CT): Pexco Employee Newsletter
Magazines
Gold: Cheney & Co. (New Haven, CT): Yale-New Haven Hospital Impact
Annual Reports:(Not-For-Profit
Gold: Connecticut Food Bank (New Haven, CT): Imagine: 2009-2010 Connecticut Food Bank Annual Report
Silver: Family & Children's Agency (Norwalk, CT): Family & Children's Agency 2009-2010 Annual Report
Brochures
Gold: Mason, Inc. (Bethany, CT): Smilow Cancer Hospital at Yale-New haven: Art to Healing
Silver: Adams & Knight (Avon, CT): Symmetry Partners Customizable Advisor Brochures
Special Purpose Publications
Gold: Connecticut Economic Research Center (Hartford, CT): CT Regional Institute Reports
Silver: Cheney & Co. (New Haven, CT): Flintridge Preparatory School Recruitment Package
Direct Mail/Direct Response
Gold: Adams & Knight (Avon, CT): Hartford Stage: Antony & Cleopatra
Silver: Cheney & Co. (New Haven, CT): Yale-New Haven Hospital Wish Book
Video Programs/Vodcasts
Silver: Adams & Knight (Avon, CT): Council for Disability Awareness (CDA) Webinar
By-Lined Features/Articles
Gold: Catalyst Marketing Communications (Stamford, CT): The Construction Specifier Cover Feature
Silver: Adams & Knight (Avon, CT): Survey Reveals Gaps and Opportunities in Educating Employees about Voluntary Benefits
Editorial/Op Eds
Gold: Mason, Inc. (Bethany, CT): The United Illuminating Co.: Energy Saving Light Bulbs Come of Age
Silver: Mason, Inc. (Bethany, CT): The United Illuminating Co.:How to Boost Your Bottom Line and Reputation through Energy Efficiency
Research and Evaluation
Gold: Mason, Inc. (Bethany, CT): Connex Credit Union Research
Silver: Adams & Knight (Avon, CT): Council for Disability Awareness Disability Divide Research
Creative Tactics
Gold: Mason, Inc. (Bethany, CT): Connex Credit Union: Vice President of Unbanking
Silver: Wire Association International (Guilford, CT): Interwire 2011 Marketing Poster
Websites
Gold: Mason, Inc. (Bethany, CT): Hospital for Special Care Website
Silver: Mintz & Hoke Communications Group (Avon, CT): Praxair Green Technologies Web Pages
Non-Traditional Communications
Gold: Mason, Inc. (Bethany, CT): Connex Credit Union: Holiday Social
Silver: Adams & Knight (Avon, CT): Hartford Stage
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For reference: 2011 Call for Entries.
If you'd like to see lists and photos of previous winners, please check out the historical Mercury Awards pages.
If you have any other questions, please contact:
Stephanie Harwood, APR
PRSA Westchester/Fairfield Mercury Liaison
info2@prsa-wf.org
(203) 972-7574
