THE KOTCHEN GROUP AND MASON ONOFRIO PUBLIC RELATIONS WIN “BEST IN SHOW” AT 2009 PRSA MERCURY AWARDS.

Alison Karam of First Experience Communications Named Best Practitioner of the Year

NEW HAVEN, CT, June 12, 2009 — Mason Onofrio Public Relations in Bethany, CT, and the Kotchen Group of West Hartford, CT, have earned “Best in Show” awards for Public Relations Campaign and Tactics, respectively, at the 2009 Mercury Awards, hosted by the Southern Connecticut, Westchester/Fairfield and Connecticut Valley chapters of the Public Relations Society of America.

The awards were presented June 11 at Anthony’s Ocean View in New Haven, among a total of 40 awards given at the fourteenth annual Mercury Awards, which recognizes outstanding work in the public relations, communications and marketing professions. Entries were judged by the Western Michigan Chapter of the PRSA. Desiree Fontaine and Gil Simmons News Channel 8 WTNH emceed the event.

Mason Onofrio Public Relations’s award was for its community relations “Street Smarts” pedestrian safety campaign for the City of New Haven, which was cited by the judges as a “an exceptional job” where “the thoroughness of the research was exceeded by the thoroughness of the planning. The plan was well executed, which the results clearly show.” The Kotchen Group won for media relations for the Hartford Marathon Foundation and its ING Hartford Marathon, which the judges praised for “excellent media results” and “objectives [that] were clearly stated and target audiences identified,” as well as creativity in providing runner narratives and tie-ins to childhood obesity and eco-friendly initiatives.

The individual award for outstanding practitioner of the year was given to Alison Karam, director of public relations, marketing and research for First Experience Communications in Glastonbury, CT. Karam, who is accredited by PRSA, was honored for her work in advancing the profession through significant achievements, involvement and reputation within the industry. The award was presented by Diane Dawson-Brown, president of All the Best People, who praised Smith for her professionalism, pro bono work within the community, and her volunteer leadership efforts.

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 Mercury Award Winners

The following awards were presented in the STRATEGIC CAMPAIGNS CATEGORIES:

The following awards were presented in the TACTICAL CATEGORIES:

 

Inquiries

Please direct all questions to:

Elaine Ficarra
President
Public Relations Society of America
Southern Connecticut Chapter
elaine.ficarra@bridgeportct.gov