Awards Timeline
Entry Deadline:
March 4, 2016
Extended Deadline:
March 18, 2016
Awards Luncheon:
Fall 2016
The finalists have been announced for this program! View the complete list online here.
One of the most important—if not the most important—signifiers of the success of a PR agency is a client saying, “Thanks for the great work, let’s do it again next year and here’s an increase in your budget.” That’s great news for you and your team members, but what you really need to spread the news is amplification and peer validation.
That’s where PR News’ Agency Elite Awards come in. We are going to showcase the top PR agencies by practice area at an awards luncheon event in fall 2016, and now is the time to secure a place for your agency on the Agency Elite List. The winners of the PR News Agency Elite Awards will be setting benchmarks of excellence in client PR efforts. Please share with us your client success stories and tell us why—through clear explanations of objectives and measures of success—your agency belongs on the Agency Elite List.
- Categories
- How to Enter
- Agency People "Awe" Awards
- Deadlines
- Eligibility Requirements
- FAQ's
- Questions / Sponsorship
- Past Winners
Categories
Client Campaigns by Practice Area:
- Advocacy
- Branding
- Business to Business
- Cause/CSR
- Community Relations
- Consumer Marketing
- Content Marketing
- Crisis Management
- Digital/Social Media
- Financial Communications
- Integrated Communications
- Marketing Communications
- Marketing to Youth
- Marketing to Women
- Measurement/Evaluation
- Media Relations
- Media Training
- Multicultural Marketing
- Nonprofit/Association
- Public Affairs
- Product Launch
- Publicity
- Reputation Management
- Search Engine Optimization
- Word of Mouth/Viral
- Writing/Editing
PR Agency Internal and Promotional Categories:
These categories are for programs, initiatives and products that promote the business growth of an agency and advancement of its employees, community involvement and proprietary products. These categories do not encompass work done for clients.
- Best Training/Education Program
- Community Relations/Volunteer Programs
- Diversity Initiatives
- Internal Communications
- Proprietary Software/Client Solutions
- Promotion of Firm (marketing, advertising, PR)
- Web site
Agency "Awe" Professional Award:
Nominate an individual that has raised the bar on creativity, strategy and execution for his or her agency, or how this person has gone above and beyond for their agency or for clients. Self-nominations are accepted.
New Category for 2016! Agency Team of the Year Awards:
Share with us what makes your agency team shine. Please provide five examples of outstanding initiatives that moved the needle for your agency, both internally and externally with clients.
How To Enter
Enter Online: To complete an entry, all materials (including supporting materials) must be submitted online. The online entry portal will walk you through the registration process, and then the nomination process. You may upload a word document or PDF that includes your full synopsis or entry, but please be sure to only upload it once. In the text boxes, please write "See synopsis attached."If you enter online, you do not need to send any materials via mail. You'll upload your supporting materials etc. to your online entry form(s).
Mail In Form: For all mailed entries, please provide three (3) copies of all materials including your synopsis.
At the beginning of your two-page synopsis, the following information must be listed:
- Category entered
- Name of agency being entered in the PR News Agency Elite Awards (as it would appear on your award), or name, title and company of person being entered for Agency “Awe” Professional award
- Key contact for entry
- Organization submitting entry
- Entrant organization type
- Team members that contributed to the campaign
- Budget information for campaigns highlighted (All budget information is strictly confidential and will not be published w/o expressed permission. Including budget information is not a requirement to enter the awards).
Your Synopsis-
In your two-page synopsis for your PR News Agency Elite entry, include the following, using these sub-headings:
- Campaign summaries: A summary of successfully executed PR campaigns within the past year, clearly detailing campaign objectives, strategy/tactics and measures of success
- Unique best practices applied to all agency work on behalf of clients
- Client testimonials
- Budget (this information will be kept confidential)
Please attach any supporting materials that would show evidence of the success of your agency’s campaigns. This can be any of the following: sales figures, media coverage, clippings, photos, research documents and client testimonials.
Agency "Awe" Professional Award
If you are entering someone for the Agency “Awe” Professional award, please write a one- to two-page synopsis explaining how this person has raised the bar on creativity, strategy and execution for his or her agency, or how this person has gone above and beyond for their agency or for clients. Agency professionals of all titles can apply.
Agency Team of the Year Awards:
Share with us what makes your agency team shine. In your one- to two- page synopsis, please provide five examples of outstanding initiatives that moved the needle for your agency, both internally and externally with clients.
PR Agency Internal and Promotional Categories
In your two-page synopsis for the Agency Internal and Promotional categories, include the following, using these sub-headings:
- Program objectives
- Program strategy
- Research
- Execution
- Evaluation of success
- Budget (will be kept confidential)
Who Should Enter?
The PR News Agency Elite Awards are open to all PR agencies around the world. They honor the top agencies based on overall performance/outcomes and top campaigns. Below are the types of agencies that are eligible to enter:
- Sole practitioner
- Boutique (annual PR revenues under $5 million)
- Small (annual PR revenues between $5 million and $10 million)
- Midsize (annual PR revenues between $10 million and $60 million)
- Large (annual PR revenues above $60 million)
Eligibility Requirements-
To be eligible, the campaigns or PR initiatives you are highlighting must have taken place (either in part or in full) between January 1, 2015, and March 18, 2016. Some of the work must have occurred during this time, but it's not necessary for it to be completed during the eligibility period.
Deadlines/Entry Fees
Entry Deadline: Friday, March 4, 2016
Late Entry Deadline: Friday, March 11, 2016
Extended Deadline: Friday, March 18, 2016
All entries must be submitted by Friday, March 18, 2016 to be considered.
For entries submitted between March 5 and March 18, 2016, please add a $275 late fee per entry. Finalists will be notified in summer 2016 and honored in October 2016.
Entry Fees
The price of each primary entry is $399. If you submit the same entry into multiple categories, the additional fee is $275 per category. Late entry surcharge of $275 per entry will be added for each entry submitted after March 4, 2016. Payment in full must accompany the entry.
All entries are non-returnable and non-refundable.
FAQs
Are the awards open to entries outside the United States?
Yes, international entries are accepted for all PR News Awards Programs.
When will the winners be announced?
Winners of the Agency Elite Awards will be announced at an awards luncheon in fall 2016.
How are the entries judged?
Entries are judged by a blue chip panel of corporate, agency and academic executives as well as by the staff of PR News. We evaluate your entry based on creativity, innovation, sound planning, implementation and outcomes. The most important criterion is proven success in aligning your strategic objectives with your end goals.
How do I know you've received my entry?
Once you have submitted payment for the entry, you will receive an email with a receipt, confirming that we've received payment. You will not receive an email confirming whether your information is complete. Once your payment has been processed and your entry is complete, the message 'Entry Complete' will appear below the section 'Status' in the online entry form.
When will I be notified about the status of my entry?
You will be contacted by PR News staff regarding your entry only if you are named a finalist in the award program. Finalists will be notified in early Summer 2016 and announced in PR News and on www.prnewsonline.com.
Can I enter my campaign in more than one category?
Yes. Please include separate written entries for each category. Also, there is no limit to number of campaigns you can enter.
How do I increase my chances of winning an award?
Emphasize the goals of your campaign as well as your campaign’s achievements in your introduction. Provide as many concrete and specific examples of success as possible, and explain clearly and succinctly your research, planning, implementation and measurement of the campaign or ongoing initiative.
Must we include our campaign budget?
It’s not a requirement, but it helps the judges to better compare your campaign against other entries. Include at least a reasonable budget range. The judges always take into account the campaign budget relative to the goals and outcome. All information is confidential and will not be published.
What is your Federal tax ID number?
52-2270063
Questions & Sponsorship Information:
For general questions regarding the PR Agency Elite Awards, please contact Rachel Scharmann at [email protected]; 301-354-1713.
For sponsorship of the PR News PR Agency Elite Awards, please contact Lindsay Silverberg at [email protected].