Winner: The American Heart Association and Cone LLC
Campaign: American Heart Association's Go Red for Women Campaign
Heart disease is the single largest killer of American women, yet it is still viewed as an "older man's" concern. By the end of 2005, the American Heart Association's cause
campaign, "Go Red for Women," had enrolled more than 300,000 women, raised $45 million and garnered more than 2.3 billion media impressions.
Women who enroll in the "Go Red for Women" program receive a red dress pin to show they are part of the movement, a monthly e-newsletter with heart-healthy tips, events and
programs, news, recipes and promotions, access to Go Red merchandise, discounts from sponsor Macy's and more.
Cone LLC planned the campaign to infuse the AHA brand with more relevance and emotional appeal, raise awareness of heart disease as the top killer of women, and position "Go
Red" as the voice of the movement. It also hoped to increase and diversify overall corporate support for the initiative, and leverage the AHA's credibility as a scientific
organization.
Cone hired Toni Braxton, a singer within the target demographic of women 35 to 55, to participate in interviews and events, including a "Roll Out the Red Carpet" media event at
Radio City Music Hall and an Empire State Building Lighting Ceremony. For National Wear Red Day, February 4, 2005, participating companies received kits to encourage employees to
donate $5 and wear red to support the cause. Twenty affiliates forged corporate partnerships and held "Cities Go Red" events in local markets. Such landmarks as Niagara Falls and
the Empire State Building were tapped to "Go Red" on National Wear Red Day, and red dress statues were modeled after celebrities.
The campaign, which was launched in 2004, raised women's awareness of heart disease as the No. 1 killer from 34 percent in 2000 to 55 percent in 2005. In addition, 2.3 billion
media impressions were garnered in 2005, with coverage of the campaign efforts in February and May appearing on "Today," the "Early Show," "NBC Nightly News" and "Good Morning
America," and in USA Today, the Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and The Washington Post.
Corporate support also rose noticeably. Macy's and Pfizer were national sponsors, with three-year commitments. Macy's renewed its sponsorship recently to run through 2010.
PacifiCare and Bayer gave three-year commitments for secondary-level support, and more than 8,600 companies participated in National Wear Red Day, up from 800 in 2004.
Winner: American Medical Association
Campaign: Keep Medicare's Promise: Physician Cuts Hurt Seniors
When Medicare announced that it planned to cut its payments to physicians, the American Medical Association came out swinging, with input from its political and grassroots
department and state medical societies. The AMA waged a nationwide media campaign using media tours, op-eds, news releases in targeted congressional districts and doctor surveys
to spread the word that the cuts would prevent seniors from obtaining adequate health care.
In addition to media coverage, the AMA generated more than 530,000 contacts to Congress by both patients and physicians. Every interview, press conference and press release
encouraged seniors to contact Congress, and the AMA's toll-free telephone number and Web site with electronic contact form were widely distributed at press events.
As a result, four bipartisan bills were introduced in Congress (three in the House of Representatives, and one in the Senate) to stop the payment cuts. The House bills were
sponsored by 202 Representatives - both Democrats and Republicans - as well as 26 Senators
Media tours with the AMA's "National House Call" program in target cities featured press conferences, desk-side briefings with health and government reporters, editorial board
meetings and interviews with local TV and radio stations. Nine independent editorials called for Congress to intervene. A launch event in Washington, D.C., released an AMA survey
on physician reactions to the payment cuts. The physician survey was a key element of the campaign, and results were spread through a media campaign to drive home the critical
message that the cuts would curtail seniors' access to adequate health care.
The events were planned to issue a call to action for seniors and lawmakers to call their Representatives to push the issue. Through the AMA's efforts, 45 million people
learned about the impending cuts through news articles, television segments, AMA op-eds and independent editorials. The campaign was so successful that Congress did, in fact, vote
to stop the 2006 payment cut.
Honorable Mentions
System in Crisis: TSG Consulting On behalf of the state of West Virginia, TSG Consulting launched a PR campaign to increase state government funding levels for behavioral
healthcare. The agency reached out to business leaders, warning them of the economic impact that a lack of funding would have on the state's economy, as well as the general
public, highlighting the stories of people affected by mental health issues. As a result of the campaign, West Virginia saw a $20 million increase in funding for behavioral
healthcare.
Be Ready. Make a Plan.: Burson-Marsteller Washington, D.C. and 11 nearby counties joined to use DHS Urban Security Initiative funds to increase emergency preparedness among
citizens. The personal preparedness planner, community partnership programs with local businesses, a media relations effort, grassroots training initiatives, paid media campaign
and interactive elements scored big: nearly 1.5 million plans were distributed, close to 40,000 unique visitors logged on to http://www.makeaplan.org, and more than 9.5 million media impressions were made in one month.
Tech Valley High School: Sawchuk, Brown Associates To open, the Tech Valley
High School in upstate New York needed special enabling legislation from New
York State; it also had to mobilize the support of influential leaders. A campaign
tapped media relations, a business alliance, special coalitions, tours of the
region's technology advancements, meetings with the New York Senate, community
outreach and advocacy advertising to push through the legislation. The New Technologies
Foundation also committed to provide funding and professional support.