MINTZ & HOKE COMMUNICATIONS AND FAMILY CENTERS WIN “BEST IN SHOW” AT 2010 PRSA MERCURY AWARDS
Regional agencies, corporations, and nonprofits take home Gold and Silver trophies in annual competition
NEW HAVEN, CT, June 11, 2010 — Mintz & Hoke Communications in Avon, Conn., and Family Centers in Greenwich, Conn., won “Best in Show” awards for Public Relations Campaign and Tactics, respectively, at the 2010 Mercury Awards event held last night in New Haven. The competition is hosted by the Southern Connecticut, Westchester/Fairfield and Connecticut Valley chapters of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA).
The awards were presented among a total of 36 trophies handed out by emcee Chris Velardi of News Channel 8. The Mercury Awards competition, now in its fifteenth year, recognizes outstanding work in the public relations, communications and marketing professions. Entries were judged by the New Mexico Chapter of the PRSA.
Mintz & Hoke Communications won in not-for-profit community relations for the “Up Your Flu IQ” campaign for the Connecticut Department of Health, cited by the judges as “comprehensive” and “well-executed” with “diverse tactics to spread the message.”
Family Centers won for its 2009 Annual Report, which the judges noted had “excellent execution and design, and its objective-driven results were outstanding.”
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 — they are 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) 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. The Southern Connecticut Chapter serves New Haven and New London counties, and the Westchester/Fairfield Chapter serves Fairfield County and New York’s Westchester County and Lower Hudson Valley region.
Complete listing of 2010 Mercury Award Winners
The following awards were presented in the STRATEGIC CAMPAIGNS CATEGORIES:
- Best in Show
Mintz & Hoke Communications Group (Avon, CT) — “Up Your Flu IQ” for the Connecticut Dept. of Health
- Community Relations (For Profit)
Gold: Co-Communications (Simsbury, CT) — Hartford Business Journal: Leveraging Events to Build a Community
Silver: Adams & Knight (Avon, CT) — KBE: Fifty Ways to Make a Difference
- Community Relations (Not-for-Profit)
Gold: Mintz & Hoke Communications Group (Avon, CT) — Connecticut Dept. of Public Health: Up Your Flu IQ
- Reputation/Brand Management (For-Profit)
Gold: Co-Communications (Simsbury, CT) — Doral Arrowwood: Leveraging Celebrity Status to Enhance a Brand
- Reputation/Brand Management (For-Profit)
Gold: Mason, Inc. (Bethany, CT) — Hospital for Special Care Brand Management Program
- Special Events and Observances 1 – 7 Days
Gold: Co-Communications (Simsbury, CT) — Aqua Dog Spa: Doggone Clean! Aqua Dog Spa Opens Its Doors
- Special Events and Observances More Than 7 Days
Silver: Adams & Knight (Avon, CT) — CHET Dream Big! Competition
- Public Affairs
Gold: Mintz & Hoke Communications Group (Avon, CT) — Communicating the Connect-Ability Message.
Silver: Precision Marketing (Windsor, CT) — Connecticut Farm Bureau 2009 Save Dairy Campaign
- Marketing Products and Services
Gold: Mason, Inc. (Bethany, CT) — The United Illuminating Company: Energy Efficiency
- Integrated Communications For-Profit Business
Gold: Mason, Inc. (Bethany, CT) — Connex Credit Union
The following awards were presented in the TACTICAL CATEGORIES:
- Best in Show
Family Centers (Greenwich, CT) — 2009 Family Centers Annual Report
- Media Relations (For-Profit)
Gold: The Kotchen Group (Farmington, CT) — Deval Products’ Simply Spray Fabric Paint
Silver: tie: Mason, Inc. (Bethany, CT) — The United Illuminating Company’s Home Energy Solutions
Silver: tie: Gaffney Bennett Public Relations (New Britain, CT) — Propark America: Neon Garage
- Media Relations (Not-for-Profit)
Gold: tie: The Kotchen Group (Farmington, CT) — The Hartford Marathon Foundation’s ING Hartford Marathon
Gold: tie: Precision Marketing (Windsor, CT) — Connecticut Farm Bureau Association’s 2009 Save Dairy Campaign
Silver: tie: Family Centers (Greenwich, CT) — 2009 Center for Hope Luncheon
Silver: tie: Stamford Hospital (Stamford, CT) — Mobile Wellness Center
- Newsletters
Gold: Mintz & Hoke Communications Group (Avon, CT) — Connect-Ability: Communicating the Connect-Ability Message
Silver: Connecticut Department of Insurance: Department DOIngs
- Magazines
Silver: Miss Porter’s School (Farmington, CT) — The Bulletin of Miss Porter’s School
- Annual Reports (Not-For-Profit)
Gold: Family Centers (Greenwich, CT) — Family Centers 2009 Annual Report
Silver: Connecticut Food Bank (New Haven, CT) — Hunger to Hope: 2008-2009 Connecticut Food Bank Annual Report
- Brochures
Gold: Miss Porter’s School (Farmington, CT) — Portrait of a Porter’s Girl
Silver: Miss Porter’s School (Farmington, CT) — Scholars, Artists, Athletes and Friends
- Special Purpose Publications
Silver: Yale-New Haven Hospital (New Haven, CT) — Nursing Update
- Direct Mail/Direct Response
Gold: Family Centers (Greenwich, CT) — University Invitation
Silver: Miss Porter’s School (Farmington, CT) — Are You Ready
- Video Programs
Gold: Mason, Inc. (Bethany, CT) — Hospital for Special Care Foundation DVD
Silver: Connecticut Deptartment of Motor Vehicles (Wethersfield, CT) — Safe Teen Driving (PROMise)
- Editorials/Op-Ed Columns
Silver: Adams & Knight (Avon, CT) — Blum Shapiro Survey of Connecticut Business
- Creative Tactics
Gold: The Kotchen Group (Farmington, CT) — The Must-Have Mom Manual
Silver: Community Renewal Team (Hartford, CT) — Healthy Teen Hartford Billboards
- Web Site Marketing/External Communications
Silver: Connecticut Economic Resource Center (Rocky Hill, CT) — CERC Web site
- Non-Traditional Communications
Gold: Adams & Knight (Avon, CT) — Council for Disability Awareness
Silver: Mason, Inc. (Bethany, CT) — Social Media Strategy Implementation
Inquiries
Please direct all questions to:Michelle Wade
President
Public Relations Society of America Southern Connecticut Chapter
michelle.wade@new-haven.k12.ct.us