Paragon Awards - Call for
Entry
2010 PARAGON COMMUNICATIONS AWARDS
THE PRSA – SOUTHEASTERN WISCONSIN CHAPTER’S ANNUAL PARAGON AWARDS
RECOGNIZE OUTSTANDING WORK, HONOR CREATIVE AND STRATEGIC EXCELLENCE,
AND ENCOURAGE A HIGHER LEVEL OF PERFORMANCE AMONG PUBLIC RELATIONS
PRACTITIONERS.
GENERAL INFORMATION
Who is Eligible?
Entries may be submitted by PRSA Southeastern Wisconsin Chapter
members or non-members. The work must be conducted by a
Wisconsin-based organization developed and implemented between Jan.
1 and Dec. 31, 2010.
Questions
Questions regarding the entry process or entry categories may be
directed to Paragon Co-Chairs: Marianne Dale at 262-780-0841 ext.
140,
marianne@emeraldislepr.com or Laura Stanelle at 262-780-0841
ext. 160,
laura@emeraldislepr.com.
Cost per entry is $55 for PRSA – Southeastern Wisconsin Chapter
members, and $95 for non-chapter members.
Deadline for Entries
Entries and entry fees must be received before 4 p.m. on Mon.,
March 21. Entries received after this deadline will not be
considered.
Presentation of Awards
Awards will be presented at the Paragon Awards
Banquet on May
19, 2011.
ENTRY PREPARATION
All entries must be submitted in a two-inch-thick black, 8.5” x
11” three-ring binder with a pocket inside the front cover.
The completed entry form must
be mounted on the outside front cover. Include a label for category
number and entry title on spine.
Important: Entry binders more than two inches thick will be disqualified from
judging. Any entry components that do not fit properly within
the binder boundaries will not be judged. The Paragon Awards
Committee reserves the right to disqualify any award that does not
meet entry guidelines. A typewritten entry summary
consisting of no more than two pages should be the first item in the
binder. The entrant’s name, entry title and category number must
appear in the upper-right-hand corner of each page of the entry.
Entry summaries must include the following:
-
Objective: Describe the entry’s purpose and goal. Identification of the
target audience(s) should occur here.
-
Research/planning: Summarize the primary and secondary research used to identify
the problem or opportunity. Outline the plan. Describe the
budget and its application to the program or project. (Entries
are not judged on budget size, but on the best use of available
budget.)
-
Execution:
For complete programs, describe the elements or components, the
techniques used and the strategies or tactics undertaken. For
individual projects or tactics, describe how the project was
executed and how it meets the objectives and addresses the
audience(s).
-
Evaluation/results:
Demonstrate how the program met or exceeded its original
measurement methods when available and appropriate to the entry.
Media impression figures are not recommended as the sole
quantitative measurement.
Entry Fee: Enclose check payment for entry, payable to “PRSA –
Southeastern Wisconsin Chapter.” Entry fees are $55 for chapter
members and $95 for non-chapter members. Please enclose the check in
an envelope and place in the binder’s inside pocket. Submit entries
with payment to:
Emerald Isle Marketing PR Attn: Laura Stanelle 17035 W.
Greenfield Ave. New Berlin, WI 53151
Entries and entry fees must be received before 4 p.m. on
Mon., March 21. Entries received after this deadline will not be
considered.
JUDGING CRITERIA
Each entry will be evaluated using
the criteria that are the prime tenets of public relations:
research, analysis and planning, communication action,
implementation and evaluation.
Purpose and objectives clearly stated. Target audience(s)
clearly identified.
Research:
Thorough advance research or analysis, including determination
of issues and needs.
Planning:
Complete and comprehensive planning. Appropriate use of
available budget.
Creativity:
Creative approach/appropriateness of the communications methods
and/or medium.
Quality:
Overall image and professional appearance, including design,
photography, electronic production, paper selection, typography
and audiovisual production. Quality of writing.
Evaluation/results:
How well the entry addresses the target audience and meets the
stated objectives. How well results correlate to research
findings and strategic objectives.
Note: For complete programs, circulation figures
are not an acceptable means of quantitative measurement.
Awards will be given for Excellence and Merit in
each category. The best overall entry will be named “Best of Show.”
The judges have the right to withhold an award in any category if
the entry does not, in their opinion, warrant recognition. Entries
may be moved to the appropriate category or division at the judge’s
discretion. Entries will be disqualified if submission guidelines
are not followed. PRSA – Southeastern Wisconsin Chapter cannot be responsible for
original or one-of-a-kind samples. Please submit color photocopies
if a project’s return is critical.
Notification of Winners and Return of Entries
All winning entrants will be notified prior to the Paragon
Communications Awards banquet in May. All entrants who wish to
retain their entries must pick them up at the awards banquet. No
entries will be shipped, mailed or held for return at a later date.
Judges’ comments will be included with each returned entry.
ENTRY CATEGORIES
Entry summaries are limited to two pages that should describe the
project or program, including the objectives, research/planning,
execution, budget and evaluation (for additional rules, see
Preparing Your Entry section). The summary should include a
discussion of how the results supported the project’s or program’s
objectives. Also include any specific information requested under
individual categories. Limit of one entry per program or tactic.
Tactics that are also nominated as part of a larger program will be
disqualified. Judges reserve the right to move an entry to another
category if it is deemed a more appropriate fit.
PR PROGRAMS
PR Programs: Media Relations (revised)
1. A comprehensive, stand-alone media relations program (not part
of an integrated campaign) to promote awareness or understanding of
an issue, product or service. a. Business/Industry b.
Government/Nonprofit
2. Social Media Campaign – Ongoing (revised) Use of at least two
social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc. as
part of a public relations program designed to achieve specific
public relations and/or business goals and reach targeted audiences.
Social media campaign must be at least three months old. Submission
may include images such as screenshots, metrics, and/or copies of
key pages to support results.
3 Community Relations Programs that seek to win
the support of, cooperation of, or aim to improve relations with
people or organizations in communities where the sponsoring
organization has an interest, need or opportunity. (“Community”
refers to a specific geographic location.)
4 Public Affairs (revised) Programs designed to influence public
policy and/or affect legislation, regulations, political activities
or candidates – at the local, state or federal government levels.
a. Issues Management (NEW) Programs that promote a cause or
social issue. i. Business/Industry ii.
Government/Nonprofit
5 Marketing Business-to-Business Campaigns that promote
products or services to a business audience.
6
Crisis Communications (revised) Programs under
taking to prepare for or deal with an event that has the potential
for or had an extraordinary impact. a. Planning/Strategy (new)
b. Implementation
7 Integrated Communications (revised) Programs
that exemplify creative and ef fective integration of public
relations tactics with at least one other marketing communications
tool, such as advertising. Evidence of integration of strategies,
budget and evaluation should be provided. Advertising costs should
not exceed one-third of budget. a. Business/Industry b.
Government/Nonprofit
8 Marketing Consumer Products/Services Campaigns
that promote products or services to a consumer audience.
9 Marketing Business to Business Campaigns that
promote products or services to a business audience
10 Grassroots Marketing Program Programs that
connect with existing and prospective customers through
non-mainstream media methods such as word of mouth, field marketing,
brand ambassadors, buzz marketing, crowdsourcing, etc.
11
IInternal Communications Programs targeted
specifically to special public allied with an organization (members,
employees, affiliated dealers or franchises).
12 Investor Relations Programs directed to shareholders,
other investors and the investment community .
PR TACTICS
1 PR Tactic: Media Relations (revised) A singular media
relations tactic, such as a news release, press kit, media pitch or
resulting media placement, which helped to promote an issue, product
or service. a. Press Kit News releases, photographs or other
background information compiled into one packet to promote an
organization, product or issue. Submit one copy of kit.
i. Product ii. Services/Events/Other
b. Release/Other Tactic
2
Poster (new) Best use of a poster to communicate with and
influence target audiences.
3
Direct Mail Mailed communications designed to solicit a specific
immediate response by the target audience. Can be a single
communication or a series. Quantifiable, specific actions by the
target audience resulting solely from the sponsor’s communication
should be detailed in the summary.
4
Multimedia (new) Includes video, b-roll footage, audio or
public ser vice announcements directed at internal or external
audiences. Submit no more than 10 minutes of a video on CD. Summary
should include documented results.
5 Newsletters
Publications designed, written and published periodically to provide
brief and timely infor mation to audiences while supporting an
organization’s overall objectives.
6
Special Events May be commemorations, obser vances, openings,
celebrations or special activities. .
7 Annual Report May be commemorations, obser vances,
openings, celebrations or special activities. a. Publications
which report on an organization’s annual performance. b.
Financial shareholder annual reports of publicly held companies.
8
Brochure (revised) Pamphlets, booklets or other small
publications designed to infor m a target audience about an
organization, product(s), service(s) or issue(s). Submit one copy.
9
Social Media Tactic (revised) One tactic designed to engage
audiences through peer-to-peer communications tools, such as social
networking sites, blogs, blogger outreach, social media events or
content creation. Entries with online components should include the
site’s complete URL. Entries should indicate results/metrics.
10
Online (revised) a. Website (internal or
external) External or internal website. Include screen grabs or
copies of key pages to support your summary. Include the website
address for external sites. Note: Traffic should be measured in
unique visits. b. E-News Information designed, written and
delivered via email periodically to provide information to target
audiences while supporting an organization’s overall goals. Include
visitors, open and click-through data if applicable. c. Mobile
Use of mobile technology to generate awareness, influence behavior,
and allow individuals and groups to collaborate and share knowledge
and experiences online. d. Webcast/Webinar Use of the web to
communicate information via seminar, live press conference, etc.
11
Miscellaneous Any public relations project that does not fit into
one of the previous categories (speeches, ghost-written articles,
pitch letters, etc.)
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