Photo: SCPRSA President Kim Keelor, director of media relations for The Citadel, presents Col. John Dorrian, vice-president for communication and marketing at The Citadel with an award for the school’s 175 Year Anniversary.

The South Carolina Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (SCPRSA) hosted its annual Mercury Awards celebration on Thursday, April 11 in Charleston. Communication professionals from across the state were recognized for their work, with more than 70 awards presented at the event.

The awards program includes three types of awards. Mercury Awards recognize public relations programs and campaigns, Silver Wing Awards recognize outstanding tactics used in public relations, and Individual Awards recognize the career accomplishments of individuals.

The overall Best in Show Mercury Award winner was Chernoff Newman for “Fresh on the Menu at SEWE,” a campaign for the South Carolina Department of Agriculture. The overall Best in Show Silver Wing Award winner was Flock and Rally for “Global Tech Giant Capgemini Expands South Carolina Office.”

Holly Overton, Ph.D., associate professor in the University of South Carolina School of Journalism and Mass Communications, received the chapter’s Educator of the Year Award.

Skylar Smith, a senior public relations major in the University of South Carolina School of Journalism and Mass Communications, received the Public Relations Student of the Year Award.

~ MERCURY AWARD WINNERS ~

COMMUNITY RELATIONS

·        Award of Merit:  WISE Launch, BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Foundation

CONTENT MARKETING

·        Award of Excellence:  Give 4 Garnet Campaign 2018, Flock and Rally & University of South Carolina

·        Award of Merit:  Running a New Race – Together, NP Strategy & Harvest Hope Food Bank

·        Award of Merit:  What's It Like to be a College of HRSM Student? UofSC's College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management

CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS & ISSUES MANAGEMENT

·        Award of Excellence:  Hurricane Florence Messaging, Crawford Strategy

EVENTS & OBSERVANCES (7 DAYS OR FEWER)

·        Award of Excellence:  My Special Aflac Duck Launch at Palmetto Health Children's Hospital, Palmetto Health Foundation

·        Award of Excellence:  Milliken Specialty Interiors Showroom Opening, BRIGHT+CO

·        Award of Excellence:  Fresh on the Menu at SEWE, Chernoff Newman for South Carolina Department of Agriculture

·        Award of Excellence:  Midlands Gives Campaign, LRADAC

·        Award of Excellence:  Let's Talk Digital Event with Google, Infinity Marketing

·        Award of Merit:  Tacos 'n Tequila Fiesta, Complete PR

·        Award of Merit:  Artisphere, University of South Carolina

·        Award of Merit:  Lowcountry Go - LowGoTober Commuter Challenge 2018, HDR, Inc. for Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments

EVENTS AND OBSERVANCES (MORE THAN 7 DAYS)

·        Award of Excellence:  Remember Old Hickory, Complete PR

·        Award of Merit:  Universal Employee Fund Campaign, Lexington Medical Center

INFLUENCER MARKETING

·        Award of Excellence:  Za's on Devine Brunch Influencer Marketing Campaign, Flock and Rally

INTEGRATED COMMUNICATIONS

·        Award of Excellence:  The Citadel Space Star Campaign, The Citadel

·        Award of Merit:  Dedication to Education, Chernoff Newman for South Carolina Department of Education

INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS

·        Award of Excellence:  The Huddle: Reimagining the Intranet, South Carolina Department of Revenue and Strategic Solutions

·        Award of Merit:  Columbia Water: Social Media Playbook, Flock and Rally

MARKETING CONSUMER PRODUCTS

·        Award of Merit:  Lowcountry Go - RideLowGo Mobile App, HDR, Inc. for Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments

·        Award of Merit:  Fresh on the Menu, Chernoff Newman for the South Carolina Department of Agriculture

·        Award of Merit:  Hay Now! Campaign, Crawford Strategy

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

·        Award of Excellence:  Teens Prove Their #StreetTread, Michelin North America

PUBLIC SERVICE

·        Award of Merit:  Report Underage Drinking, LRADAC

BRAND AND REPUTATION MANAGEMENT

·        Award of Excellence:  The Bull Street District: Positive Communications Campaign, Flock and Rally

·        Award of Merit:  Next Level Brand Elevation for UofSC's College of HRSM, UofSC's College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management

~ SILVER WING AWARD WINNERS ~

MOST EFFECTIVE INFLUENCER PROMOTION

·        Award of Excellence:  Le Creuset 2018 Holiday Campaign, FerebeeLane

BEST SEARCH ENGINE MARKETING

·        Award of Merit:  Your Seat is Waiting, Crawford Strategy for Southern Wesleyan University

MEDIA RELATIONS - ASSOCIATIONS, GOVERNMENT AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS

·        Award of Excellence:  A Hero's Welcome, Patriot's Point Naval and Maritime Museum

·        Award of Excellence:  Midlands Gives Campaign 2018, Flock and Rally

·        Award of Excellence:  When Richland Library is the Headline, Richland Library's Community Relations Department

·        Award of Excellence:  Drawing Visitors to Beaufort, SC, FerebeeLane

·        Award of Merit:  My Special Aflac Duck Launch at Palmetto Health Children's Hospital, Palmetto Health Foundation

·        Award of Merit:  The Post & Courier Earned Media Partnership Celebrating 175 Years of Leadership, The Citadel

·        Award of Merit:  Charlie Engle Runs for Healing Transitions, Laura Blank, Keylight Communications

MEDIA RELATIONS - BUSINESS TO BUSINESS

·        Award of Excellence:  Global Tech Giant Capgemini Expands S.C. Office, Flock and Rally

·        Award of Merit:  Combatting Trademark Fraud for Microban, FerebeeLane

EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS

·        Award of Merit:  Promotion of Lynn Harton to CEO of United Community Banks, Inc., Crawford Strategy

BEST USE OF SOCIAL STORIES

·        Award of Excellence:  BCSD Back-to-School Campaign, Beaufort County School District

·        Award of Excellence:  Christmas in Charleston Instagram Stories, Explore Charleston

TWITTER ENGAGEMENT

·        Award of Merit:  States Battle for Peach Supremacy #PeachOff, Chernoff Newman for SC Department of Agriculture

FACEBOOK ENGAGEMENT

·        Award of Excellence:  LRADAC Stories for Midlands Gives, LRADAC

·        Award of Excellence:  #SummerGoals Facebook Engagement, UofSC's College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management

·        Award of Excellence:  Colonial Life Challenge for Charity, Colonial Life

·        Award of Merit:  "Fix My Frightful Flooring" Social Media Sweepstakes, Infinity Marketing

INSTAGRAM COMMUNICATIONS

·        Award of Excellence:  'Gramming to Great Heights #iflyCHS, Chernoff Newman for Charleston International Airport

WEBSITES

·        Award of Excellence:  SCAPA's "Asphalt Works!" Campaign Website, Flock and Rally

·        Award of Excellence:  Tindall Corporation Website, Infinity Marketing

CREATIVE TACTICS

·        Award of Excellence:  "Electric" Vibe for the 28th Walk for Life and Famously Hot Pink Half Marathon, 5K + 10K, Palmetto Health Foundation

·        Award of Excellence:  Bernstein MASS Tactics, University of South Carolina

·        Award of Excellence:  Just Plain Killers, Chernoff Newman for SC Department of Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Services

·        Award of Excellence:  Position Statements for Marijuana Use, LRADAC

ANNUAL REPORTS

·        Award of Excellence:  Portfolio: Gratitude Issue, Palmetto Health Foundation

·        Award of Excellence:  2018 Annual Report, Municipal Association of South Carolina

·        Award of Excellence:  The Journey: LRADAC FY18 Annual Report, LRADAC

·        Award of Excellence:  South Carolina State Health Assessment, SC Department of Health and Environmental Control, Population Health Data

NEWSLETTERS - DIGITAL

·        Award of Excellence:  From the Dome to Your Home, Municipal Association of South Carolina

·        Award of Excellence:  ePRESS: Marijuana Edition, LRADAC

·        Award of Merit:  Email Newsletter, UofSC's College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management

PUBLICATIONS - SINGLE ISSUE NEWSLETTERS OR BOOKLETS

·        Award of Excellence:  2018 Greer Station Gift Guide, Greer Development Corporation

·        Award of Merit:  Hello, Big World!, K. Hope Creative

·        Award of Merit:  Admissions Viewbook, University of South Carolina

·        Award of Merit:  Risk Management Services Annual Training Calendar, Municipal Association of South Carolina

ONLINE VIDEOS

·        Award of Excellence:  Introducing "Flip and Give," NP Strategy and The Moore Company

·        Award of Excellence:  "What It Takes," Crawford Strategy for Sumter Police Department

·        Award of Merit:  Frankenstein Web Video, University of South Carolina

·        Award of Merit:  The ABCs of Safe Sleep, Every Sleep - Working Together to Reduce the Risk of Sleep-Related Injuries and Deaths, SC Department of Health and Environmental Control Communications Team

ONLINE NEWSROOMS

·        Award of Merit:  Dorchester County Online Newsroom, Dorchester County Government

BEST USE OF BRANDED CONTENT

·        Award of Merit:  "Materials Matter" Position Paper, BRIGHT+CO for Milliken Specialty Interiors

WEBCASTS

·        Award of Excellence:  2018 Gathering of Nations Pow Wow Webcast, Paul Gowder, PowWows.com

MAGAZINES

·        Award of Excellence:  Portfolio, Palmetto Health Foundation

·        Award of Excellence:  Cities Mean Business Magazine, Municipal Association of South Carolina

·        Award of Excellence:  BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Giving Magazine, BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina Community Relations

~ STUDENT AWARD WINNERS ~

Student Mercury Award of Merit for Public Service:  Shine With Purpose, University of South Carolina Bateman Team

Student Silver Wing Award of Excellence for Online Videos:  Be a Voice for the Voiceless, University of South Carolina Bateman Team