PR not just for corporates, says PRINZ winner

Public relations is for more than just corporates, says PRINZ winner Louis Brown of the Student Volunteer Army campaign.

The Christchurch-based Social Innovation agency was a joint-supreme winner at the Public Relations Institute (PRINZ) awards at the weekend.

The other joint supreme winner was the WilliamsWarn, “best beer porn you’ll see all day campaign” from agency Porter Novelli, which led to the home-brew devices to attract massive sales and more than 200 offers to distribute it globally.

See: http://socialmedianz.com/opinion2/2012/04/26/the-best-beer-porn-you-will-see-all-day/

Both supreme winners also featured a strong social media focus in their campaigns.

Social Innovation CEO Louis Brown, who worked with Daniel O’Regan of Convergence to deliver the campaign, said the win was testimony to student Sam Johnson, who captured New Zealand hearts with his Student Volunteer Army.

The army attracted thousands of volunteers who help with the clean-up of Christchurch after the second earthquake last February.

“There was quite a complex blueprint of using all communication methods to get our hands on the greatest number of Christchurch residents, to deliver the greatest amount of help,” he told NBR ONLINE.

The campaign used a mix of traditional and social media, such as media releases, tweets and Facebook messages.

Mr Brown said the success of the campaign was confirmed by the nationwide coverage of the army’s efforts and the Student Volunteer Army becoming a household name.

“It’s pretty clear that Sam and his idea captured the world’s heart,” he said. “Public relations is no longer the fodder of big companies.”

Porter Novelli’s launch of the WilliamsWarn personal brewing system beat off stiff competition for its "beer porn campaign , which again used social media to deliver its message.

Implemented by Alexandra Speedy and Bill Rundle of Porter Novelli, the campaign featured an instructional video containing cheesy narration and plenty of innuendo.

“The way it was shot had close ups of beer glasses frothing over. There was warnings of a climax, lots of head,” Mr Rundle told NBR.

The video was sent to social media sites. “It struck a chord with the online audience and it just went nuts,” he said.

The impact was 370,000 hits on the WilliamsWarn website and the first batch of 60 brewing devices selling out at $5600 each.

“The company also attracted 200 offers of distribution from 50 countries, with further investment in the comapny from an Asia-Pacific brewery.

“The key thing for WilliamsWarn was clearly the sales and the offers of distribution,” Mr Rundle said.

Overall, the awards attracted 60 entries with 17 awarded finalist status, judged by around 30 PRINZ fellows.

The full list of winners:

Paul Dryden Tertiary Award

Scott McKee, Jo Greggains, Randy Manickavasagar, Emma Bryant and Adam Winship from AUT – Outside the Square, for The Oldest Catwalk Models in the World

Government or Quasi Government Public Relations
Helen Cook from NZ Transport Agency for the project, Victoria Park Tunnel: how we turned complainants into champions

Not for Profit Public Relations

Jacquie Walters, Jeanette Colman, John MacDonald & Stacey Doornenbal from the University of Canterbury for University of Canterbury Quake Response 2011

Sustained Public Relations
Fleur Postill from Haystac for, SEEK New Zealand

Special Event or Project – joint winners

Bill Rundle & Alexandra Speedy from Porter Novelli for the project, WilliamsWarn – The best beer-porn you’ll see all day
AND
Daniel O’Regan from Convergence & Louis Brown from Social Innovation for the project, Student Volunteer Army

Marketing Public Relations – joint winners
Angela Spain & Kimberly Kastelan from DraftFCB for Launch of Electricity Authority “What’s My Number” campaign
AND
Tiana Lyes, Jane Gilkison & Kathy Gieck from Acumen Republic & Luke Schepen from Countdown for Countdown Food Rescue – establishing an ongoing programme of charitable giving
 

Highly commended: 

Corporate Public Relations
Peter Heath from TextWrite for ‘Good Guys or the Grinch? for TopEnergy

Government or Quasi Government Public Relations

Jan McCarthy, Michael Flatman & Ray Tye from Christchurch City Council for ‘Central City Plan - Share an Idea’

Not for Profit Public Relations
Ann-Marie Johnson from Tourism Industry Association NZ for ‘Tourism Future 2011-14 - The Visitor Economy: Creating Wealth’

Special Event/Project
Christl McMillan, Margaret Horner & Simone Walker from Scion for ‘Science in the Park 2011’
AND
Kate McEnaney, Matthew Vogts & Sue Hamilton from Spark PR & Activate for ‘The Libra Design Project’

Marketing Public Relations
Kate McEnaney, Matthew Vogts & Sue Hamilton from Spark PR & Activate for ‘The Libra Design Project’

Internal Communications
Adrienne Schwartfeger & Katherine Trought from Environment Canterbury for ‘2011: New Faces New Spaces’

Limited Budget Public Relations
Clare England, Megan Green & Jess Miller from Network Communication for ‘ChildFund New Zealand Father’s Day – Family Ties’

# The Sally Logan-Milne Young Practitioner Highly Commended recipient was Frances Wills from Spark PR & Activate