PR News celebrated the winners and honorable mentions of its 2013 Digital PR Awards at the Grand Hyatt in New York City on Nov. 5, 2013. The Digital PR Awards salute the year’s most outstanding digital communications campaigns and the teams behind them.
2013 Digital PR Awards –
Winners and Honorable Mentions
Blog
Winner: Edelman Digital - Why VW: Volkswagen's Storytelling Platform
Honorable Mentions:
- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan - “An Apple a Day” in a Digital World: Michigan Blues Builds Healthy Relationships With Consumers Through AHealthierMichigan.org
- Cone Communications - Prove Your Purpose Raises the Bar in CSR Thought Leadership
- Esurance - The Esurance Blog: Insurance Tips, Tricks, & Insights
- General Electric - Txchnologist
- Klick Health and Millennium: The Takeda Oncology Company - OncologyVoice
- Shift Communications
- USANA Health Sciences - What’s Up USANA?
Cause Marketing/CSR
Winner: Havas PR - Ford Warriors in Pink: Fighting Breast Cancer with the Power of Digital Storytelling
Honorable Mentions:
- Cone Communications - Unstoppable Happiness: Northwestern Mutual’s Fight Against Childhood Cancer
- Kaiser Permanente - Weight of the Nation
- Lippe Taylor and Elizabeth Arden - Revolutionizing Social Good: #PinItToGiveit
- Weber Shandwick - Right To Play Canada and the Level the Field Campaign
- Telemundo Local - Vive, Ama, y Lucha! (Live, love, and fight)
Contest/Game
Winner: AT&T with FleishmanHillard - the It Can Wait No Texting While Driving Movement
Honorable Mentions:
- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan - “Make the Play” for a Healthier Future: Encouraging Healthy Habits in Michigan Children
- CertainTeed Corporation - 2012 $75,000 Exterior Living Spaces Home Makeover Facebook Contest
- Ignite Social Media - FIAT Score a Scorpion Sweepstakes
- RF|Binder - Spreading Talenti Cheer! Contest
- Toshiba America Business Solutions - Toshiba Helps Nation's Helpers
- Weber Shandwick - POND'S Luminous Effect Photo Sweepstakes
Crisis Management
Winner: Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. - Fire onboard Grandeur of the Seas
Honorable Mentions:
- Airlines for America - Don’t Ground America
- Edelman - Huggies Turns the Conversation Around: From “Boycott Huggies” to “Huggies Hears Us” in 24 hours
- Edison Electric Institute - Electric Power Industry Response to Superstorm Sandy
- Havas PR - Making a Difference for a Newtown Family
- Pepco Holdings - Using Digital Communications to Help Turn Around the “Most Hated Company in America”
Digital Communicator of the Year
Winner: Richard Licata - NBC Entertainment
Honorable Mentions:
- Corrine Kovalsky - Raytheon
- Jean Medina - Airlines for America
- Jennifer Stalzer - Mastercard
Digital Marketing Campaign
Winner: Major League Baseball - MLB Fan Cave
Honorable Mentions:
- California Earthquake Authority - Increasing Awareness of the Benefits of Earthquake Insurance
- Child's Play Communications - GUND is Top Dog
- The Clorox Company - Green Works Launch
- Hilton Worldwide - DoubleTree by Hilton Little Things Project
- Eastern Virginia Medical School - My Story Project
- Halo, Purely for Pets - Freekibble, Ellen & Halo Feed Shelter Pets, Change Lives
- Mullen and Century 21 Real Estate Moves into SimCity Social
- Pipitone Group - PPG Glass
- Seattle's Best Coffee - Black Friday Coffee Break
Digital PR Campaign - $100K and under
Winner: Pizza Hut Searches for Manager of Digital Greatness
Honorable Mentions:
- AMD - Social Media Launch of AMD’s ‘Never Settle: Reloaded’
- Lockheed Martin Corporation - Journey to Excellence
- Rx Mosaic Health - Educational Gout Awareness Video: A Candid Discussion with Jim Belushi and Others Affected by Gout
- Weber Shandwick China - Big Data Gets China Hungry for McDonald’s
- YMCA of Greater New York’s 160th Anniversary Story-Sharing Campaign
Digital PR Campaign - $100-$200K
Winner: Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority - Prince Harry
Honorable Mentions:
- Cohn & Wolfe for U.S. Olympic Committee - The Team Behind the Team: Inspiring Americans to Help 'Raise Our Flag'
- ECU Communications - U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Self Check Launch
- Griffin Strategies - LBJ Express
- General Electric – Txchnologist
Digital PR Campaign - $200-$500K
Winner: Cone Communications - National Parks Go Digital: Cone Communications launch of Nature Valley Trail View
Honorable Mentions:
- Puget Sound Energy with Colehour + Cohen - Re-Energized by Design
- Vanderbilt University - Vital Stats: Vanderbilt University Statewide Economic Impact
- Weber Shandwick - MilkPEP "REFUEL | got chocolate milk?"
Digital PR Campaign - $500K+
Winner: Purple Door Communications - Fresh Step Presents the Catdance Film Festival: A High Meow Approach to Cat Videos
Honorable Mentions:
- The Clorox Company - Clorox’s Bleachable Moments Gets a Younger Generation Buzzing About Bleach
- FleishmanHillard - A Revolutionary Campaign to Rally Advocates for a Blank Slate
- Global Strategy Group - The Digital Campaign to Help Re-Elect President Obama
Digital PR Team of the Year

Co-Winner: Cisco Systems - Cisco Systems Leads Innovation in Digital PR
Co-Winner: MWW
Honorable Mentions:
- Finn Partners
- Idea Grove
- Makovsky Integrated Communications
- Shift Communications
- Waggener Edstrom Worldwide
Email Newsletter
Winner: Hunter Public Relations - Hunter PR’s The 511 e-Newsletter
Honorable Mentions:
- Allstate Insurance Company - Building Connections, Strengthening Relationships
- American Institute of CPAs - AICPA News Update: Revamp
- National Kidney Foundation - Love Your Kidneys
- Weber Shandwick - Simple Skincare: Driving awareness & cultivating a community through VIP, an interactive newsletter
Employee Communications Online
Winner: Intuit Inc. - Gamification: Speedboats and Battleships
Honorable Mentions:
- Allstate Insurance Company - Building Connections, Strengthening Relationships
- Eczacibasi Group - Be Green
- Lehigh Valley Health Network - Mission Central
- United States Postal Service - USPS News Link Digital EmployeeCommunications
Facebook Communications
Winner: RF|Binder - Building the Talenti Gelato & Sorbetto Facebook Community
Honorable Mentions:
- Cone Communications - Delivering Snuggly Softness on Facebook
- Hunter Public Relations - Golden Crisp’s Sugar Bear Sweetens Pop Culture
- Marina Maher Communications - No Woman Should Die While Giving Life
- RF|Binder - Ranbaxy Gets Social on Facebook with LAC-HYDRIN FIVE
- Weber Shandwick - Right To Play Canada and the Level the Field Campaign
- Social Fulcrum - DiabetesWellBeing.com Community Generation
Influencer Communications
Winner: The Clorox Company - Clorox Launches Ick-tionary with the Help of Online Influencers & Ick-sperts
Honorable Mentions:
- Catalyst, an IMG Consulting Company - Timex Sports Ironman World Championship Ambassador Program
- Ernst & Young with Weber Shandwick - Money Goes Mobile: How EY harnessed the power of mobile banking leaders to drive advocacy
- General Motors - 2013 North American International Auto Show GM Influencer Program
- Porter Novelli and Bupa Australia - Bupa Health Influencer Awards
- RF|Binder - McGraw-Hill Education: Reaching and Engaging Educational Influencers Online to Enhance Brand Perception
- Rose Communications - Reaching a New Audience, A Blogger Campaign for Crescent OddJob
Intranet
Winner: AT&T Employee Communications - Insider Mobile: AT&T's First-ever mobile Intranet
Honorable Mentions:
- American Airlines with Weber Shandwick - Helping American Airlines People Connect, Communicate and Collaborate with new Jetnet
- Weber Shandwick - Social on the Inside: Launch of MyWeberShandwick
Listening Campaign
Winner: MasterCard Worldwide - From Transactions to Transformation: Bringing MasterCard to the Conversation
Honorable Mentions:
- blueocean market intelligence - Comprehensive Social Media Listening for Greater Consumer Understanding
Media Relations Campaign
Winner: MWW - McDonald’s New York Metro Nutrition Network
Honorable Mentions:
- GolinHarris - McDonald's Takes Bold Action to Launch Calorie Menu Boards Nationwide
- The Nature Conservancy - A Tsunami of Suds
- Weber Shandwick - MilkPEP "REFUEL | got chocolate milk?"
Microsite/ Custom Site
Winner: Scholastic - Read Every Day. Lead a Better Life
Honorable Mentions:
- ECU Communications - Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, E-Verify Employee Rights Toolkit Microsite
- Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland - The Federal Reserve: Adapting, Evolving, Learning | 2012 Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland Annual Report
- Fireman’s Fund Insurance Company - Fireman's Fund 150th Timeline
- National Retail Federation - This is Retail: Careers, Community & Innovation
- RF|Binder - Talenti “Share & Reveal” Microsite Launches New Branding and Flavors
- Novartis and Ruder Finn - Turbo and Scott, TSC eBook
- Seven Twenty Strategies - Southwest Airlines: Red, White & HOU
Mobile

Co-Winner: 360i & National Car Rental - "Go Like a Pro" with National Car Rental + Foursquare
Co-Winner: Peter Mayer - Go NOLA
Honorable Mentions:
- Accenture Outlook journal and iPad App
- Miles - Colorado State Vacation Guide iPad App
- USANA Health Sciences - USANA True Health Assessment
- Vladimir Jones/Centura Health - Movementum
Most Engaged Brand
Winner: Catalyst, an IMG Consulting Company - DICK’S Sporting Goods
Honorable Mentions:
- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan - "An Apple a Day" in a Digital World: Michigan Blues Build Healthy Relationships with Consumers Through AHealthierMichigan.org
- Cone Communications - Reinventing the Oil Change - Jiffy Lube International
- Hunter Public Relations - Golden Crisp's Sugar Bear Sweetens Pop Culture
- Makovsky - MediScripts
New Digital Product/Service
Winner: Weber Shandwick: GoLive
Honorable Mentions:
- a2z - ChirpE Photo Booth
- GolinHarris - Cisco Live Social Media Command Center
- SevenTwenty Strategies - RESOLVE's "Fertility Five" Campaign
- Vodafone - Women First: Empowering Turkey's Women through Technology
New Site
Winner: HGExpo - New Online Home & Garden Show
Honorable Mentions:
- Catholic Charities Brooklyn and Queens - Volunteer Website
- National Multi Housing Council and National Apartment Association - Apartments. We Live Here.
- National Retail Federation - This is Retail: Careers, Community & Innovation
- RF|Binder and Loews Corp. - The New Loews.com: A Fresh Approach Telling the Value Investing Story
Online Community
Winner: Weber Shandwick for Unilever N. America - CLEAR SCALP & HAIR BEAUTY THERAPY
Honorable Mentions:
- Elsevier - Elsevier Connect
- Idea Grove - Service Virtualization
- The Partnership at Drugfree.org - The Hope Share
- Weber Shandwick - Pure Michigan Travel Introducing the Beauty of Pure Michigan through Instagram
Online Newsroom
Winner: Weber Shandwick - Verizon Wireless News Center: Dynamic Content Through Disciplined Storytelling
Honorable Mentions:
- Genentech - Beyond Resources: The Editorial Newsroom
- Wieck - Re-Launch of NissanNews.com/InfinitiNews.com
Podcast/ Videocast
Winner: Cisco Systems - My Networked Life: True Stories from a Connected World
Honorable Mentions:
- JCPR - Altegris Edutainment Series
Public Affairs Campaign
Winner: Airlines for America - Don't Ground America
Honorable Mentions:
- APCO Worldwide - Business Roundtable: The Home Court Advantage Campaign
- Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan - "Make the Play" for a Healthier Future: Encouraging Healthy Habits in Michigan
- National Multi Housing Council and National Apartment Association - Apartments. We Live Here.
- Stratacomm - MyWireless.org: America's Wireless Voice
Redesign/ Relaunch of Site
Winner: The Coca-Cola Company - Coca-Cola Journey
Honorable Mentions:
- Carmichael Lynch Spong - Powerful Ideas That Ignite Momentum: New Website Shows Creative Firepower
- Cone Communications - Cone Website
- Edelman Indonesia - Nutricia Indonesia Corporate Site Redesign
- iAcquire - iAcquire 3.0: Brand and Website Redesign
- Kia Motors America - Relaunch of Kia Media Press Room
- The U.S. Army with Weber Shandwick - Sharing the Army Strong Story
SEO
Winner: Florida Sweet Corn - Sunshine Sweet Corn
Honorable Mentions:
- American Institute of CPAs - AICPA Insights: CPA Exam
- SJ Public Relations - Illinois Office of Tourism Increases Online Visibility among Spanish-preferred Consumers
Social Networking Campaign
Winner: Ogilvy & Mather Hong Kong - Chengdu Pambassador
Honorable Mentions:
- ABC Family - Ravenswood Series Announcement
- Beaman Incorporated and Super Genius for Nielsen's Pair2Share
- Gregory White PR - Beachhouse Wines: Summer in Every Sip
- MGSCOMM/SWAY Public Relations - got milk? Bigote de Leche Blogger Spotlight Series
- Nordic Naturals - Recycled Art Project
- RF|Binder - Talenti: “Share & Reveal” Campaign launches new branding and Flavors
- Weber Shandwick - Right To Play Canada and the Level the Field Campaign
Twitter Communications
Winner: Quaker & Huge - @RealCapnCrunch Sets Sail for Twitter
Honorable Mentions:
- Alembic Health Communications and The National Meningitis Association - Taking Flight on Twitter to Increase Meningitis Awareness and Engage Stakeholders in Prevention
- AT&T’s Twitter Tribe Program: Turning employees into brand ambassadors, one tweet at a time
- Habitat for Humanity’s National Women Build Week 2013 Twitter Party
- RF|Binder - McGraw-Hill Education: Getting Chatty on Twitter
- RF|Binder - Building the Talenti Gelato & Sorbetto Twitter Community
Use of Facebook
Winner: Weber Shandwick - Ameren Missouri Powers Change
Honorable Mentions:
- Gregory FCA - Friendly Planet Travel’s Win the World Facebook Sweepstakes
- Hunter Public Relations - Cans Get You Cooking ‘Cantry Makeover’ Sweepstakes
- Ignite Social Media and Radisson Hotels - 50 Years/50 Days/50 Rooms
- Red Agency - Thermoskin Community Sports Fund
- Weber Shandwick - POND'S Luminous Effect Photo Sweepstakes
Video
Winner: Purple Door Communications - Fresh Step Presents the Catdance Film Festival: A High Meow Approach to Cat Videos
Honorable Mentions:
- Accenture - Accenture Online Video Re-launch.
- APCO Worldwide - TV9: The Free Press Georgia Movement
- DAVIES - Rosemont Copper: Cyanide Beach
- Kaplow Communications - Skype brings reading to life by connecting classrooms with authors through group video calling
- Sony Computer Entertainment America - Playstation4 Sizzle Reel
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs - Veterans Crisis Line: Common Journey PSA
- Weber Shandwick - Hellmann’s FOOD & WINE Classic in Aspen
Viral Campaign

Co-Winner: AMD - AMD Radeon HD 7990 eBay Stunt
Co-Winner: Channel Factory - Nestle Hot Pockets “Pocket Like It’s Hot”
Honorable Mentions:
- Harbinger Communications - Petcurean Pet Nutrition’s first consumer marketing campaign: launch of new brand positioning, Savour Every Moment
- Ignite Social Media - Jeep Arctic Yeti Dig
- Sony Computer Entertainment America - PlayStation 4 Sizzle Reel
WOW! Campaign
Winner: Quaker & HUGE - Cap’n Crunch Earns His PR Stripes With Viral Uniform Controversy
Honorable Mentions:
- AMD - AMD Radeon HD 7990 eBay Publicity Stunt
- GolinHarris - Cisco Live Social Media Command Center
- Major League Baseball - MLB Fan Cave
- MWW - Zumba Nightclub Series ft. Lil Jon & Gina Grant