PR News will celebrate the winners and honorable mentions of its 2017 Social Media Awards at its annual Social Media Awards luncheon at the Yale Club in New York City on May 2, 2017. The Social Media Awards showcase the top social media campaigns and honor the individuals behind them.
Dunkin' Brands CCO Karen Raskopf will deliver a keynote address on the technology trends poised to disrupt the social media world, and ways savvy PR professionals can use those trends to connect with consumers in fresh ways. She will also discuss how Dunkin' Brands uses a cross-functional team to build an engaged community through digital innovation and pursue new platform measurement opportunities.
The 2017 Social Media Award finalists are listed below. The winners will be announced at the May 2 luncheon in New York City.
Digital Leader of the Year
- Ryan Nawrocki, Maryland Transit Administration
- Sid Shuman, PlayStation
- Bex Young, World Wildlife Fund
Best Social Media Team
- BSN Sports
- Cisco Talent Brand Team - WeAreCisco
- CLS Strategies
- Coldwell Banker Real Estate
- Hawkins International Public Relations
- Klick Communications
- maurices Social Media + PR Team
- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
- PwC Social + PR Team
- Smarty Social Media
Best App
- Beekeeper Group - Lobby Day
- Kanyon - WeBubble
- Texas Mutual Insurance Company - Safety in a Box
Best Blog
- 451 Marketing - Ericsson Careers Blog
- Association for Library Service to Children - ALSC Blog
- BlueCross BlueShield of Michigan - Building Connections to the Brand Beyond the (Insurance) Card
- Citrix - Corporate Blog Overhaul
- DEVENEY Insights
- Fuze - Fuzing Together a Cohesive Brand Message: Voice, Video, and Messaging on Company Owned Blog
- Novartis Pharmaceuticals AG/Creation - MS: No Filter
- UCLA Health Digital Marketing - UCLA Health Connect
Best Infographic
- CompTIA - 7 Steps to Success with Server+
- CompTIA - 8 Skills You'll Master When You Earn Your A+ Exam
- FleishmanHillard on behalf of Northside Hospital - Zika Infographic
- Fuze - A Day in the Life of a Fuzer Infographic
- United Technologies Celebrates 20th Anniversary of the Employee Scholar Program
Use of Technology
- BodenPR - Escucha Digital Brand Newsroom
- CIG - CDOT Breathalyzer Program
- Maryland Transit Administration - Launch of WTTZ-FM 93.5
- United Technologies Celebrates 20th Anniversary of the Employee Scholar Program
Facebook | Best Facebook Live Campaign
- Blast Marketing & PR - The Great Chicago BBQ Tour
- CompTIA - #MakeTechHerStory Facebook Live Broadcast
- Dixon Schwabl - RBC Heritage Facebook Page Breaks the News that the Tournament is Staying on Hilton Head Island
- HomeAway.com - #EiffelTowerAllYours
- IBM - Live on Facebook
- Mohegan Sun - 20th Anniversary
- Outdoor Channel/Sportsman Channel/Outdoor Sportsman Group – Integrated Media - Facebook Live Interactive Roundtable Discussion: OUTDOORS ARMED TO VOTE presented by MyOutdoorTV.com
Facebook | Best Marketing Campaign
- Albertsons Companies - Stock Up Sale
- Gold PR + Social Media - Invisalign Confidence In Action
- Hawke Media - Smooth Tech
- Intuit - #QBTeamDream
- King Media - Tabor Hill USA Today 10Best Vote Campaign
- Newlink - MTV Super Shore
- O.PenVAPE - Keep It Curious
- Regence BlueCross BlueShield Health Plans - Fearless Nation Awareness Campaign for Pacific NW
- Schneider Electric - Electrical Contractors Campaign
- TLC Marketing - Lift Off With Lilly
- TopFire Media - i9 Sports Drives Franchise Growth through Facebook
Facebook | Best PR Campaign
- BodenPR - Más All Day Breakfast, Más Acceso
- Dignity Health - #TakeBackYourMorning: Challenging Americans to Start their Day in a New Way
- Gatesman, Inc. - StarKist #Charlie4prez
- Genentech & Weber Shandwick & FleishmanHillard - Genentech's Cancer Awareness Month Patient Photo Series
- Hiebing - Culver's #FarmingFridays
- Horizon Media - Mobile Hello
- Parallel Wireless - Telefonica Connecting the Unconnected Announcement
- PepsiCo - The Search for Hidden Figures
Facebook | Best Promoted Post
- Genentech & Weber Shandwick & FleishmanHillard - Genentech's Cancer Awareness Month Patient Photo Series
- Liquid Interactive - Mack Shop Holiday 2016
- Live Nation Entertainment - Guns N’ Roses Reunion Tour: Facebook Canvas Announce Campaign
- MAPR.agency - Shelby American Collection Video
- Monterey County Convention & Visitors Bureau - Hiking in Monterey County
- Schneider Electric - Pick Your Power Trip
- Silverton Casino Hotel - Poke Draft
Facebook | Campaign to Increase Followers
- PJ Lhuillier Group of Companies - Cebuana Lhuillier Road to 2 Million Facebook Page Likes
- USA Track & Field - USATF Grows Social Media Footprint At 2016 Olympic Games
Facebook | Community / Engagement
- DEVENEY - Meril Grand Opening
- Digital Air Strike - Brown Automotive Group Facebook Campaign
- Live Nation Entertainment - Demi Lovato & Nick Jonas Facebook Live Q&A
- MBB+ with the Chinet Brand - Social Media Playbook
- Playa Hotels & Resorts - Hyatt Zilara Cancun
- ROAR Groupe - Stop Selling, Start Engaging: The Story of Arby’s Social Marketing
- Society of Manufacturing Engineers - #MFG #LoveNotes
Facebook | Contests / Games
- HISTORY - Vikings 3D Prophecy
- Idea Grove - Zombie Dispatch
- Live Nation Entertainment - Game of Thrones: Live Concert Experience Sweepstakes
- United Heritage Credit Union - 2016 Austin City Limits Music Festival Giveaway
- Voto Latino and Fuse Media - Crash The Parties
Facebook | Social Good Campaign
- AARP - Take A Stand
- The Brandon Agency - Save Our Nurses
- CTisus - Making Radiology Education Accessible to World
- ForRent.com - #30DaysofGifting: Giving Back This Holiday Season
- Kaplan Test Prep - Kaplan Cares
- PepsiCo - The Search for Hidden Figures
- Philips Sleep and Respiratory Care - #BreatheBoldly
- Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa - Philanthropy Efforts
- TaskUs - #BeBetter Road Safety Tour
- United Network for Organ Sharing - Bucket List: UNOS Public Service Ad Campaign
Facebook | Use of Video
- C+C and BECU - Sue’s Surprise
- Global Visi Media - Unite
- Hennessy - Bottle Alchemy
- HISTORY - Vikings 3D Prophecy
- HSS | Hospital for Special Surgery - Gabrielle's Story
- IBM - 360-Degree Research Labs
- KCETLink Media Group - Ballot Brief: California Propositions in a Minute
- Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority - Vegas 360 Video
- National Association of Insurance Commissioners - “Bad Breaks” Social Media Campaign with Celebrity Spokesperson RJ Mitte
- Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation - NET Fusion
- Raytheon Company - Veterans Day Facebook Campaign
- Ruby Tuesday - Shy Girl Video
- Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts
- The Woodlands Convention and Visitors Bureau - The Woodlands in a Minute
- World Wildlife Fund - An Underwater Chorus of Wildlife
Twitter | Best Marketing Campaign
- A&E Telivision Networks - Critic's Choice Awards Social Suite
- Citrix - Synergy Submission
- Esurance - Pass It On
- Everywhere Agency - UP TV's #GilmoreTheMerrier Twitter Activation
- Marina Maher Communications - P&G Thank You, Mom Creating Virality to Dominate a Crowded Conversation
- Weber Shandwick & M&M’S - 2016 Flavor Vote
Twitter | Best PR Campaign
- CropLife America - #AgLoudAgProud
- CyrusOne - Bringing the Sky for the Cloud to Twitter
- iMiller Public Relations - iMPRR Gives Thanks - iMPR 30 Days of Gratitude
- Insightpool - UPS PR Identifies and Engages Hyper-Targeted Influencers Using Insightpool
- Level 3 Communications - DDoS and Cyberattacks Explained
- MassMedia Corporate Communications - McDonald's Eggs for Education
- PepsiCo - The Search for Hidden Figures
- SSPR Public Relations - Twitter Central to ATS DRIVE Awareness Success
- Takeda Oncology - #3PointsforPatients
- UN Foundation - Earth To Marrakech
Twitter | Best Tweet Content
- DigitalGlobe - Indy 500 Anniversary
- Edelman on Behalf of Activision - Modern Warfare Remastered Reveal ("Poop Emoji")
- State Street Corporation - Emoji This: Financial Regulations for the Rest of Us
- Takeda Oncology - #3PointsforPatients
Twitter | Best Use of Hashtags
- Center for Audit Quality - #AuditorProud
- gyro - #SecureMyUpgrade
- Hofstra University - #HofDebate16
- Syracuse City School District - #SCSDFirstDay
- UN Foundation - #GiveAGIF
- Weber Shandwick & M&M'S - #MakeMLaugh For Red Nose Day
Twitter | Campaign to Increase Followers
- Loyola Marymount University - Talkin' Twitter with @LMUSnyder
- Nexon America and Wonacott Communications - Putting Community at the Forefront, an Icon Looks to Redefine A Competitive Videogame Genre & the Way We Market Games
Twitter | Most Engaged Followers
- HGTV - Fixer Upper Season 3 Social Media Campaign
- Palo Alto Networks - Navigating the Digital Age: The Definitive Cybersecurity Guide for Directors and Officers
Twitter | Promoted Tweet Campaign
- Marina Maher Communications - P&G Thank You, Mom Creating Virality to Dominate a Crowded Conversation
- Preferred Connect Insurance Center - California Breweries
- U.S. Travel Association - Election 2016 Industry Positioning: "Travel. More Than Fun. Serious Business."
Twitter | Social Good Campaign
- Kronos Inc. - Get Social, Give Back: Paws for Veterans
- PepsiCo - The Search for Hidden Figures
- Takeda Oncology - #3PointsforPatients
- Weber Shandwick & M&M'S - #MakeMLaugh For Red Nose Day
Instagram | Best Contest
- DEVENEY - #ChampionsofChildrens
- Ruder Finn on Behalf of NBC - Cleveland Hustles #PitchLeBronContest
- Southeast Toyota Distributors - #TriPrius Campaign
- United Heritage Credit Union - 2016 Austin City Limits Music Festival Giveaway
Instagram | Best Marketing Campaign
- Cisco Talent Brand Team - WeAreCisco
- Sparkloft Media - Alaska Airlines "Weekend Wanderer" Campaign
- UCLA Health Digital Marketing - People of UCLA Health
Instagram | Best PR Campaign
- Diamond Public Relations - Kidfluencers in Cancun
- Fairfield University - Welcome to the #Stags20 Class
- PepsiCo - The Search for Hidden Figures
- Playa Hotels & Resorts - Turquoize Experience at Hyatt Ziva Cancun
- Veuve Clicquot x LaForce - Veuve Clicquot Journey 2016
- Weber Shandwick & Mars Petcare - Mix Mania
Snapchat | Best Snapchat Campaign
- Cisco Talent Brand Team - WeAreCisco
- Everywhere Agency - #CoxSmartHome Snapchat Activation
- IBM on Snapchat
- Live Nation Entertainment - Ariana Grande Snapchat Tour Campaign
- Live Nation Entertainment - Florida Georgia Line Snapchat Takeover
- R&R Partners - DJ Khaled Launches Vegas Snapchat
- Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa - Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Filter
YouTube | Best PR Campaign
- Porter Novelli - Live from drupa 2016: Reinvent Your Possibilities
- Rinck Advertising - Colman's Mustard Hannah Hart Influencer Campaign
- Sparkloft Media - #MeetSouthAfrica
- Weber Shandwick with the Milk Processor Education Program - BUILT WITH CHOCOLATE MILK: Chocolate Milk Makes a Splash with USA Swimming Partnership
YouTube | Individual Video
- Coyote Logistics - Who is Coyote?
- Maryland Transit Administration - Express BusLink Launch
- Nexon America and Wonacott Communications – LawBreakers: Between Our Guns Trailer
- Ruby Tuesday - Shy Girl Video
- Weber Shandwick & M&M'S - 75th Anniversary: #CelebratewithM