At the May 2 Social Media Awards Luncheon at the Yale Club in New York City, PR News celebrated the most innovative social media campaigns and the individuals behind them. Attendees heard an insightful keynote address from Karen Raskopf, chief communications officer at Dunkin' Brands on the future of social media and how to create relevant social experiences. Raskopf also gave an inside look at how Dunkin' Brands leverages digital innovation to build an engaged community and ways your brand can do this too. PR News salutes this year's winners and honorable mentions.
2017 Social Media Awards Winners and Honorable Mentions
Digital Leader of the Year
Honorable Mentions
- Sid Shuman, Playstation
- Ryan Nawrocki, Maryland Transit Administration
Best Social Media Team
Winner
Winner
Honorable Mentions
- maurices Social Media + PR Team
- Hawkins International Public Relations
- BSN SPORTS
- Smarty Social Media
- People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals
- Klick Communications
- Coldwell Banker Real Estate
- CLS Strategies
- Cisco Talent Brand Team – WeAreCisco
Best App
Winner
Winner
Honorable Mentions
- Kanyon – WeBubble
- Texas Mutual Insurance Company – Safety in a Box
Best Blog
Honorable Mentions
- Association for Library Service to Children – ALSC Blog
- UCLA Health Digital Marketing – UCLA Health Connect
- Fuze & PAN Communications – Fuzing Together a Cohesive Brand Message: Voice, Video, and Messaging on Company Owned Blog
- DEVENEY Insights
- Citrix – Corporate Blog Overhaul
- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan – Building Connections to the Brand Beyond the (Insurance) Card
- 451 Marketing – Ericsson Careers Blog
Best Infographic
Honorable Mentions
- United Technologies Celebrates 20th Anniversary of the Employee Scholar Program
- Fuze & PAN Communications – A Day in the Life of a Fuzer Infographic
- FleishmanHillard on behalf of Northside Hospital – Zika Infographic
- CompTIA – 7 Steps to Success with Server+
Best Use of Technology
Honorable Mentions
- United Technologies Celebrates 20th Anniversary of the Employee Scholar Program
- Maryland Transit Administration – Launch of WTTZ-FM 93.5
- CIG – CDOT Breathalyzer Program
Facebook | Best Facebook Live Campaign
Winner
Winner
Honorable Mentions
- 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
- HomeAway.com – #EiffelTowerAllYours
- Dixon Schwabl – RBC Heritage Facebook Page Breaks the News that the Tournament is Staying on Hilton Head Island
- CompTIA – #MakeTechHerStory Facebook Live Broadcast
- Blast Marketing & PR – The Great Chicago BBQ Tour
Facebook | Best Marketing Campaign
Honorable Mentions
- TopFire Media – i9 Sports Drives Franchise Growth through Facebook
- TLC Marketing – Lift Off With Lilly
- OpenVAPE – Keep it Curious
- Albertsons Companies – Stock Up Sale
- Schneider Electric – Electrical Contractors Campaign
- Regence BlueCross BlueShield Health Plans – Fearless Nation Awareness Campaign for Pacific NW
- Newlink – MTV Super Shore
- King Media – Tabor Hill USA Today 10Best Vote Campaign
- Intuit – #QBTeamDream
- Hawke Media – Smooth Tech
Facebook | Best PR Campaign
Honorable Mentions
- PepsiCo – The Search for Hidden Figures
- Parallel Wireless – Telefonica Connecting the Unconnected Announcement
- Horizon Media – Mobile Hello
- Hiebing – Culver’s #FarmingFridays
- Genentech & Weber Shandwick & FleishmanHillard – Genentech’s Cancer Awareness Month Patient Photo Series
- Dignity Health – #TakeBackYourMorning: Challenging Americans to Start their Day in a New Way
Facebook | Best Promoted Post
Honorable Mentions
- Silverton Casino Hotel – Poke Draft
- Schneider Electric – Pick Your Power Trip
- Monterey County Convention & Visitors Bureau – Hiking in Monterey County
- MAPR.agency – Shelby American Collection Video
- Live Nation Entertainment – Guns N’ Roses Reunion Tour: Facebook Canvas Announce Campaign
- Liquid Interactive – Mack Shop Holiday 2016
Facebook | Campaign to Increase Followers
Honorable Mentions
- PJ Lhuillier Group of Companies – Cebuana Lhuillier Road to 2 Million Facebook Page Likes
Facebook | Community / Engagement
Honorable Mentions
- Society of Manufacturing Engineers – #MFG #LoveNotes
- Playa Hotels & Resorts – Hyatt Zilara Cancun
- MBB+ with the Chinet Brand – Social Media Playbook
- Live Nation Entertainment – Demi Lovato & Nick Jonas Facebook Live Q&A
- Digital Air Strike – Brown Automotive Group Facebook Campaign
- DEVENEY – Meril Grand Opening
Facebook | Contests / Games
Honorable Mentions
- United Heritage Credit Union – 2016 Austin City Limits Music Festival Giveaway
- Live Nation Entertainment – Game of Thrones: Live Concert Experience Sweepstakes
- Idea Grove – Zombie Dispatch
- HISTORY – Vikings 3D Prophecy
Facebook | Social Good Campaign
Winner
Winner
Honorable Mentions
- United Network for Organ Sharing – Bucket List: UNOS Public Service Ad Campaign
- TaskUs – #BeBetter Road Safety Tour
- Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa – Philanthropy Efforts
- Philips Sleep and Respiratory Care – #BreatheBoldly
- PepsiCo – The Search for Hidden Figures
- Kaplan Test Prep – Kaplan Cares
- ForRent.com – #30DaysofGifting: Giving Back This Holiday Season
- CTisus – Making Radiology Education Accessible to World
- The Brandon Agency – Save Our Nurses
Facebook | Use of Video
Honorable Mentions
- Ruby Tuesday – Shy Girl Video
- Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority – Vegas 360 Video
- HSS I Hospital for Special Surgery – Gabrielle’s Story
- Houston Community College – Game of Tuition: A Song of Education and Learning, Episode 1
- World Wildlife Fund – An Underwater Chorus of Wildlife
- The Woodlands Convention and Visitors Bureau – The Woodlands in a Minute
- Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts
- Raytheon Company – Veterans Day Facebook Campaign
- Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation – NET Fusion
- National Association of Insurance Commissioners – “Bad Breaks” Social Media Campaign with Celebrity Spokesperson RJ Mitte
- IBM – 360-Degree Research Labs
- HISTORY – Vikings 3D Prophecy
- Hennessy – Bottle Alchemy
- Global Visi Media – Unity
- C+C and BECU – Sue’s Surprise
Twitter | Best Marketing Campaign
Honorable Mentions
- A&E Television Networks – Critics’ Choice Awards Social Suite
- Weber Shandwick & M&M’S – 2016 Flavor Vote
- Marina Maher Communications – P&G Thank You, Mom Creating Virality to Dominate a Crowded Conversation
- Esurance – Pass It On
- Citrix – Synergy Submission
Twitter | Best PR Campaign
Honorable Mentions
- iMiller Public Relations – iMPR Gives Thanks: iMPR 30 Days of Gratitude
- CropLife America – #AgLoudAgProud
- MassMedia Corporate Communications – McDonald’s Eggs for Education
- UN Foundation – Earth To Marrakech
- Takeda Oncology – #3PointsforPatients
- SSPR Public Relations – Twitter Central to ATS DRIVE Awareness Success
- Level 3 Communications – DDoS and Cyberattacks Explained
- Insightpool – UPS PR Identifies and Engages Hyper-Targeted Influencers Using Insightpool
- CyrusOne – Bringing the Sky for the Cloud to Twitter
Twitter | Best Tweet Content
Honorable Mentions
- Takeda Oncology – #3PointsforPatients
- State Street Corporation – Emoji This: Financial Regulations for the Rest of Us
- DigitalGlobe – Indy 500 Anniversary
Twitter | Best Use of Hashtags
Honorable Mentions
- Weber Shandwick & M&M’S – #MakeMLaugh For Red Nose Day
- UN Foundation – #GiveAGIF
- Hofstra University – #HofDebate16
- gyro – #SecureMyUpgrade
- Center for Audit Quality – #AuditorProud
Twitter | Campaign to Increase Followers
Honorable Mentions
- Loyola Marymount University – Talkin’ Twitter with @LMUSnyder
Twitter | Most Engaged Followers
Honorable Mentions
- Palo Alto Networks – Navigating the Digital Age: The Definitive Cybersecurity Guide for Directors and Officers
Twitter | Promoted Tweet Campaign
Honorable Mentions
- U.S. Travel Association – Election 2016 Industry Positioning: “Travel. More Than Fun. Serious Business.”
- Preferred Connect Insurance Center – California Breweries
Twitter | Social Good Campaign
Honorable Mentions
- Weber Shandwick & M&M’S – #MakeMLaugh For Red Nose Day
- PepsiCo – The Search for Hidden Figures
- Kronos Inc. – Get Social, Give Back: Paws for Veterans
Instagram | Best Contest
Honorable Mentions
- United Heritage Credit Union – 2016 Austin City Limits Music Festival Giveaway
- Southeast Toyota Distributors – #TriPrius Campaign
- Ruder Finn on Behalf of NBC – Cleveland Hustles #PitchLeBronContest
Instagram | Best Marketing Campaign
Honorable Mentions
- UCLA Health Digital Marketing – People of UCLA Health
- Sparkloft Media – Alaska Airlines “Weekend Wanderer” Campaign
Instagram | Best PR Campaign
Honorable Mentions
- Playa Hotels & Resorts – Turquoize Experience at Hyatt Ziva Cancun
- PepsiCo – The Search for Hidden Figures
- Veuve Clicquot x LaForce – Veuve Clicquot Journey 2016
- Fairfield University – Welcome to the #Stags20 Class
- Diamond Public Relations – Kidfluencers in Cancun
Snapchat | Best Snapchat Campaign
Winner
Winner
Honorable Mentions
- Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa – Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Filter
- Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority – DJ Khaled Launches Vegas Snapchat
- Live Nation Entertainment – Florida Georgia Line Snapchat Takeover
- Live Nation Entertainment – Ariana Grande Snapchat Tour Campaign
- Everywhere Agency – #CoxSmartHome Snapchat Activation
- Cisco Talent Brand Team – WeAreCisco
YouTube | Best PR Campaign
Honorable Mentions
- Weber Shandwick with the Milk Processor Education Program – BUILT WITH CHOCOLATE MILK: Chocolate Milk Makes a Splash with USA Swimming Partnership
- Sparkloft Media – #MeetSouthAfrica
- Rinck Advertising – Colman’s Mustard Hannah Hart Influencer Campaign
YouTube | Individual Video
Honorable Mentions
- Ruby Tuesday – Shy Girl Video
- Nexon America and Wonacott Communications – LawBreakers: Between Our Guns Trailer
- Maryland Transit Administration – Express BusLink Launch
- Coyote Logistics – Who is Coyote?