Winner: American Veterinary Medical Association
Campaign: "After the Storm: Hurricane Katrina"
Katrina's devastating impact on the lives of people in the Gulf Coast region was common knowledge within hours after the storm made landfall. However, the toll the hurricane
took on the lives of animals wasn't noted until much later. The American Veterinary Medical Association's PR professionals were quick to take action in defense of these voiceless
victims.
Veterinary medical assistance teams were organized by the American Veterinary Medical Association to rescue animals and help people who wouldn't evacuate because of their pets.
The first and most important step was drawing attention to the crisis and publicizing the American Veterinary Medical Association's relief efforts so others could follow their
lead.
The team decided that leading by example was the best way to motivate others to act, so the Association made a one-time $500,000 donation to encourage matching donors to
contribute to the relief efforts. Once news of this donation (and the cause for which it was made) spread - thanks to the media outreach efforts of Association executives -
support came rolling in. The American Veterinary Medical Association was able to mitigate the crisis and help restore the region's veterinary infrastructure.
The campaign was an exercise in quick thinking and fast acting. The shortest turn-around time was a mere two hours, when NBC's "Today Show" contacted the organization at 3 p.m.
for a proposal to join as a partner in rebuilding the Gulf Coast. The only catch was that the proposal was due by 5 p.m. the same day, leaving little room for error.
Overcoming all the obstacles, the American Veterinary Medical Association experienced all-around success, from the $1 million in received donations to its subsequent
partnership with NBC and Habitat for Humanity to help rebuild the Gulf Coast - not to mention, of course, the animals that were saved from the aftermath of the storm.
Honorable Mentions
Porter Novelli Folgers - A Response in the Wake of Hurricane Katrina: When Hurricane Katrina swept through the Gulf Coast region, Procter & Gamble suffered damages to its
largest Folgers coffee roasting plant. Plant production was halted, and 550 employees were displaced. P&G, with the help of Porter Novelli, set out to reinforce its business
continuity, explain the temporary removal of the product from store shelves and establish its commitment to rebuilding the devastated area. Tactics included coordinated donations
with the American Red Cross for relief efforts, press conferences to communicate plant damages, a hotline to locate displaced employees and internal communications network between
P&G and Porter Novelli staff. The efforts paid off, generating 384 million media impressions, and within three months of the disaster, market share was back up to pre-
hurricane levels.
Hurricane Wilma Response: Comcast South Florida In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, most businesses in the Southeast United States had their hands full. When Wilma rounded out
the active hurricane season, Comcast Cable's South Florida branch was knee-deep in water - and outages. The PR team sent daily update reports to local media, ran an ad campaign
about restoration efforts, maintained a Web site and sent customers affected by the outages apology and thank you cards with coupons for a Cold Stone Creamery ice cream cone.
Believe in ALEVE: Bayer Healthcare, Consumer Care Division & HealthSTAR Public Relations Against the backdrop of crises surrounding arthritis treatments like Vioxx, Bextra
and Celebrex, non-prescription anti-inflammatory ALEVE faced questions about its own health risks. Then, on December 20, 2004, another blow came in the form of a safety profile
that claimed ALEVE posed increased cardiovascular risk in patients with Alzheimer's disease. Given this double trouble, ALEVE execs turned to HealthSTAR's PR team to restore
confidence in the drug. Surveys quantifying confusion among consumers and physicians, coupled with an advisory committee, became fodder for ALEVE's "Good News" campaign. And it
was good news, indeed. In the period immediately following the campaign, sales saw a dramatic 36 percent rebound - a healthy start on the road to brand recovery.