It feels like a weird time to “celebrate” anything. Yet we strive to do work that makes an impact and creates a more equitable society, and the validation of our peers and recognition within our industry really does mean something to us.
The Central Michigan Society of America’s PACE Awards are mid-Michigan’s highest honor in public relations activities and are awarded to public relations practitioners, teams and organizations who, in the judgment of their peers, have successfully addressed a contemporary issue with exemplary professional skill, creativity and resourcefulness. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s award ceremony was held virtually and livestreamed for the public, and the team coordinating it did an AMAZING job. Massive kudos to CMPRSA leadership, and specifically PACE Awards Chair Ally Caldwell. What a time to try to host an event for a group of Type A PR people who are all stressed, exhausted and dealing with COVID in the most intense sense on the daily. <infinite clapping hand emojis>
We were honored to have been awarded 10 total PACE awards including six Pinnacle awards, the highest level of honor, as well as Best of Show, the even higher-est level of honor. We always feel so effing weird bragging, but dammit, this means something to us. Best in Show is a title P&G (let’s be real, we love making an impact and doing good for the sake of bettering the world and all that, but we’re also competitive as hell) has been chasing us since our inception. And it felt DAMN GOOD to be recognized with six Pinnacles and that up-until-now-elusive Best in Show.
P&G was honored in the following categories:
Best in Show
Social Marketing: Growth: Merging Data and Science for Social Success, Michigan Apple Committee
This award marks the agency’s first-ever Best in Show honor. The campaign promoting the organization’s annual harvest dug into apple statistics with a focus on science, scientific data and education, highlighting the patterns in the apple industry while remaining entertaining and relevant, growing overall fans across each social platform and driving sales for Michigan apples.
Pinnacle Award
Social Marketing: Growth: Merging Data and Science for Social Success, Michigan Apple Committee
The campaign promoting the organization’s annual harvest dug into apple statistics with a focus on science, scientific data and education, highlighting the patterns in the apple industry while remaining entertaining and relevant, growing overall fans across each social platform and driving sales for Michigan apples.
Public Affairs: Developing policies to make Michigan the best place in the country to have and raise a child, Early Childhood Investment Corporation
For this campaign we developed key messaging, outreach materials and digital engagement tools as ECIC launched Action Teams and facilitated statewide conversations to shape policy solutions that will make Michigan the best place in the country to have and raise a child.
Brochures: Welcome to Clinton County: Growing Innovation, Growing Families, Clinton County
To help Clinton County build and grow a sustainable tax base, we partnered with Clinton County and the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce to develop an elegant, short printed brochure that is used to actively tell the county’s story and be engaging to visiting executives and recruits at area employers.
Research: Your story matters: Munson Healthcare's listening and learning experience, Munson Healthcare
Women’s stories matter. And when Munson Healthcare partnered with Piper & Gold Public Relations to truly listen, we had the opportunity to ensure women felt heard, respected and supported. More importantly, we crafted strategic recommendations to improve labor and delivery care and access for women throughout Northern Michigan.
Innovative Tactics: #ArtEL: A Downtown Takeover, Downtown East Lansing
In a university town that celebrates diversity and inclusion, we had an opportunity to use public art as a way to help empower business owners during a struggling time as a result of some extensive construction work. In partnership with the East Lansing
Shoestring Budget: #ArtEL: A Downtown Takeover, Downtown East Lansing
In a university town that celebrates diversity and inclusion, we had an opportunity to use public art as a way to help empower business owners during a struggling time as a result of some extensive construction work. In partnership with the East Lansing Downtown Business Association, we facilitated the creation and consumption of public art across nine art installations.
Award of Excellence
Annual Reports: Connected Together: Capital Area Michigan Works! 2019 Annual Report, Capital Area Michigan Works!
For CAMW!’s 2019 Annual Report, we dug deeper than statistics to discover experiences and achievements that validate the careful planning of programs, trainings and other ways CAMW! works to meet the needs of the community. Our annual report, Connected Together, showcases how interconnectivity supports success and achievements in the community.
Research: The PR Dream: Leveraging research for Barr Engineering Co.'s strategic communications, Barr Engineering Co.
Research is the foundation of strategic PR, but it can be challenging to convince others to invest time and money into understanding the whole picture before diving in. We were thrilled when Barr Engineering Co. asked to start with research to serve as the foundation for its first Michigan-based Communications Plan.
Award of Achievement
Special Events: A SMASHing Grand Opening at Impression 5 Science Center, Impression 5 Science Center
When Impression 5 Science Center opened its latest nuclear science-inspired interactive exhibit, Piper & Gold was engaged to not just produce the grand opening media, but to create an experience as unique as the exhibit itself for sponsors and visitors to the science center. SMASH: A Nuclear Adventure was designed to encourage hands-on exploration of children and families of the wonders of nuclear science, allowing them to discover the building blocks of the universe in meaningful, relevant ways, and break down barriers that exist in access to STEM education.
In addition to our awards for campaigns and tactics, Piper & Gold Assistant Strategist Hadley Kerr was recognized at the ceremony as the 2020 recipient of the George Brown Memorial Scholarship. This scholarship is awarded to an outstanding student practitioner from among the ranks of the Michigan State University Chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America.
Hadley is immensely deserving of this recognition. Whether she is visiting different public relations agencies around the world to expand her professional network, or working on a client’s social strategy, Hadley approaches each challenge within public relations with the same solutions-focused candor. She shows up ready to get to work, make it work and proves it works daily, and she does us all proud as a fellow PR practitioner. Hadley, thank you for all you do for P&G. We are so fucking proud of you.
This year it was particularly meaningful to be recognized for equity and social justice work amidst the local and national focus on coronavirus disparities and the Movement for Black Lives. Our team and clients are constantly striving to grow and do better, as we all should be. While the validation of our work is meaningful, there’s still much to be done and PR can play a significant role in that.
Awards are great. Action is greater, and we remain committed to action. Thank you for giving us the grace and space to take a small break and share our pride over what’s already been done.
