2011 Nonprofit PR Awards: Media Relations

The Siemens Competition in Math, Science and Technology (STEM) inspires high schools students to become the scientists and engineers of tomorrow by providing them an opportunity to present original research to the most prestigious universities and an opportunity to win scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $100,000.

To promote the competition, the team reached out to the media in every university market and student hometowns, and prepped students for media interviews. “The team focused on making difficult scientific concepts accessible to general audiences without compromising accuracy or misrepresenting students’ work,” says Jim Miller, senior VP and managing director, Dentsu Communications. Press releases announcing the competition finalists were tailored to each media market. The campaign generated 292 stories reaching more than 310 million people, including coverage in The Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post. 

Alliance for Consumer Education – Super Heroes Team Up to Fight Germs: To educate the public on how to stay germ free, the Alliance set up a Times Square event that educated passers-by on proper hand-washing techniques, providing free soap and distributing book covers. 

Legacy – truth Orange Summer and Fall Tours 2010: Legacy’s PR team provided content to local media as the tour crossed the country. The campaign generated more than 35 million media impressions, including coverage in the Chicago Tribune.  

Weber Shandwick for American Airlines – All Aboard the Snowball Express: To raise awareness of the American Airlines/Snowball Express initiative to send families of fallen soldiers on all-expenses-paid trips, Weber Shandwick arranged media interviews with families and American employees, and posted messages on Facebook and Twitter.