The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Phoenix chapter presented 52 awards during its annual Copper Anvil Awards, a program that recognizes outstanding public relations tactics and campaigns, reflecting the highest standards of performance. During the event on Sept. 10, additional awards of recognition and two student scholarships were presented.
The PRSA Phoenix chapter awarded Christie Silverstein, vice president of public engagement for Expect More Arizona, with the Percy Award. The award honors a professional who has demonstrated excellence in the practice of public relations, is an active supporter of PRSA Phoenix, and has made positive contributions to the Phoenix community. Since 1960, this prestigious award has been awarded to 40 Valley public relations practitioners.
Cassidy Landaker, junior account executive at Serendipit Consulting, was awarded the annual Up and Comer award. Tiffany Ellington, student at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University, and Jasmine Black, student at Northern Arizona University, each received the chapter’s annual PRSSA student scholarships.
The Town of Queen Creek earned the Communications Team of the Year and Serendipit Consulting earned Agency of the Year.
Of all the awards given, 24 were Copper Anvil Awards and 22 were Award of Merits. While both awards recognize excellence in public relations, the Copper Anvil Award is the highest honor bestowed by PRSA Phoenix, followed by the Award of Merit. Finalists and award type were determined by the final point score given by the judging chapter.
“The Copper Anvil awards is a night dedicated to celebrating the incredible work the talented PR professionals are doing in the Phoenix community,” said Rachel Brockway, president of the Phoenix chapter of the Public Relations Society of America.
2019 Copper Anvil Award winners:
• Community Relations: Blue Cross Blue Shield – MobilizeAZ; Turning the Tide on Arizona’s Opioid Epidemic
• Digital/Social Media: OH Partners – Arizona Lottery Virtual Holiday Party Giveaway
• Digital/Social Media: Venezia’s Pizza and PRFC partnership, Zion & Zion
• External Communications: Arizona Department of Transportation – Drive Aware Get There
• External Communications: Allstate – Drivewise Campaign
• External Communications: Allison and Partners – GPEC Capitalizes on ‘Seattle Head Tax’
• External Communications: Serendipit Consulting – Modern Acupuncture PR Campaign
• External Communications: Serendipit Consulting – Optima Kierland PR Campaign
• External Communications: Serendipit Consulting – Roadmaster Group PR Campaign
• External Communications: Serendipit Consulting – Robbins Brothers Proposal Ambassador Campaign
• Integrated Communications: Allstate Insurance – Southwest Allstate Life Retirement Q3-4 Communications Plan
• Internal Communications: Allstate Insurance – Southwest Allstate Life Retirement Q3-4 Communications Plan
• Public Affairs: Zion and Zion – 38 Seconds PSAs
• Public Affairs: Resolute Consulting – 6-2 Says It All
• Publications: Annual Report: Gilbert, Arizona Office of Economic Development – Annual Report Fiscal Year 2018
• Publicity/Promotion: HMA Public Relations – News Release Quarles and Brady announces Leadership Transition
• Publicity/Promotion: Zion and Zion – Feature story Venezia’s Pizza Breaking Bad
• Publicity/Promotion: HMA Public Relations – Media Relations for Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino Grand Opening and 25th Anniversary Celebration
• Publicity/Promotion: HMA Public Relations – Profile Blaze of Glory
• Special Events or Observances: One to Seven Days: Serendipit Consulting – Drybar Gilbert Grand Opening
• Special Events or Observances: One to Seven Days: PRSA Western District Conference Committee – 2019 PRSA Western District Conference, The Five Cs of Public Relations
• Special Events or Observances: More Than Seven Days: Expect More Arizona – Teaching in Arizona Documentary Film Screenings and Community Conversations
• Special Events or Observances: More Than Seven Days: HMA Public Relations and Girl-Scouts – Arizona Cactus-Pine Council – 2019 Girl Scout Cookie Dessert Challenge
2019 Award of Merit winners:
• Community Relations: 10 to 1 – 2018 Year-Round Community Relations Campaign fir Forrest Anderson
• Digital/Social Media: OH Partners – Arizona Coyotes 2018-2019 Influencer Campaign
• Digital/Social Media: Zion and Zion – Pita Jungle Video Series
• Digital/Social Media: The James Agency – Colleens Dream Foundation
• Digital/Social Media: Zion and Zion – Barro’s Dad Jokes
• External Communications: HMA Public Relations – Violins of Hope
• External Communications: AZ Humane Society – Don’t Kitnap Kittens
• External Communications: Serendipit Consulting – FastMed Urgent Care PR Campaign
• External Communications: 10 to 1 – Cereset National Launch and Multi-Market Expansion campaign
• Integrated Communications: 48 West Agency – N1 Fly Smarter/Ultimate Lift Campaign
• Integrated Communications: Allstate – Allstate Insurance Drive Wise Campaign
• Integrated Communications: Arizona Diamondbacks – Dbacks OnTrac Bullpen Cart
• Integrated Communications: Avent – Enabling the Deaf to Experience Music in a New Way
• Multicultural Communications: Arizona Diamondbacks – D-Backs Multicultural Communications
• Public Affairs: Zion and Zion – Love Your Limbs Campaign
• Publications: Annual Report: Phoenix Public Transit – Transportation 2050 Annual Progress Report Fiscal Year 2018
• Publications: Brochures: Town of Queen Creek – Infrastructure Improvement Plan
• Publications: Newsletters or Magazines, print: the City of Mesa Transportation Department – Spokelife Magazine, Fall 2018 Issue
• Publications: Newsletter or Magazines, electronic: HMA Public Relations – The Arizona 100
• Publicity/Promotion: HMA Public Relations – Op-ed Quality of Life: Mission Critical to Community Success
• Special Events: Zion and Zion – Grand opening of Casino Del Sol
• Special Events or Observances: More Than Seven Days: Arizona Diamondbacks – 20th Anniversary Season
The Phoenix Chapter also recognized Allison and Partners, with the coveted Judges’ Award, which is presented to the campaign or tactic that the reciprocating judging chapter felt best-defined public relations excellence.
Annual chapter sponsor, APS, in addition to event sponsors Arizona Advertising Guild (AZAG), City of Mesa, Clique Photo Station, Serendipit Consulting and Fingerpaint, made the event possible.
