Articles

2021 Worthy Award Winners

Best of Show

The S&G Group, TXT 4 Tarrant Cares

Sandra Brodnicki, APR, Gigi Westerman, APR, Fellow PRSA 

Three community partners (Mental Health Connection of Tarrant County, Cook Children’s Health Care System and the Office of Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley) were preparing to unveil a first-of-its-kind texting service meant to address the impact of adverse childhood experience by helping families locate community support.

But the texting service had no name, no communications plan, and a 10-digit phone number.

The S&G Group expertly executed a strategic communications plan to brand and launch this initiative, and created a one-year strategy for partners.

The S&G Group garnered widespread media coverage with their launch, and rolled out a full marketing strategy from Spotify ads to door hangers. But most importantly – hundred of people have benefited from the service.

Professional Awards – Programs

Community Relations

• Award of Excellence: PAVLOV Agency, Lena Pope’s 90 for 90 Campaign (Claire Armstrong, Allan Cardozo)
• Award of Excellence: J.O. Agency, Near Southside Arts Cultural District Application (Jennifer Henderson, Christina Vela, Dana Fairbanks, Kenneth Failes)

Crisis Communications/Issues Management

• Award of Excellence: Ronald McDonald House of Fort Worth, Moving the Mission Forward: A COVID-19 Communications Program (Beth Lamb, APR, Caroline Watts, Jennifer Johns, Lauri Adams)
• Award of Excellence: University of North Texas, Division of University Brand Strategy, UNT COVID-19 Crisis Response (Julie Payne)

Integrated Communications

• Worthy Award: Thrive PR, Vote for Better Transit (Kelly Kirkendoll, Margaret Puissant)
• Award of Excellence: Visit Fort Worth & City of Fort Worth, NFR: Bigger in Texas (Visit Fort Worth and City of Fort Worth Communication Teams)
• Award of Excellence: Blue Zones Project, Blue Zones Project TransFORTmation Campaign (Carol Murray, The S&G Group, Make Something Beautiful)

Internal Communications

• Worthy Award: Cook Children’s, Cook Children’s Internal Communications Response to COVID-19 (Cook Children’s Corporate Communications and Public Relations Team)

Marketing Communications

• Award of Achievement: J.O. Agency, Trinity Metro ZIPZONE in Near Southside (Jennifer Henderson, Christina Vela, Dana Fairbanks, Kenneth Failes)

Pro Bono Public Relations

• Award of Achievement: J.O. Agency, Hold Down the Fort (Jennifer Henderson, Christina Vela, Kenneth Failes)

Public Service

• Worthy Award: Cook Children’s Health Care System, Joy Campaign (Cook Children’s Corporate Communications and Public Relations Team)
• Award of Excellence: The S&G Group, Recognize & Rise Trauma Campaign (Sandra Brodnicki, APR, Gigi Westerman, APR, Fellow PRSA)
• Award of Excellence: Tarrant County 9-1-1, 9-1-1 Education with Abigail (Abigail Dudek)
• Award of Achievement: HOLLAND. Collective, The Silent Pandemic of Gender-Based Violence Exposed by COVID-19 (Holland Sanders, Ivy Lopez)

Reputation/Brand Management

• Award of Achievement: Balcom Agency, Dairy Up Close: Video Series (Balcom Agency Team)

Social Media/Digital Communications

• Award of Excellence: Balcom Agency, Dairy MAX Passion for Pints Social Media Campaign (Balcom Agency Team)
• Award of Excellence: Balcom Agency, Mrs. Renfro’s Second Generation Dads Videos Series (Balcom Agency Team)
• Award of Excellence: Balcom Agency, Presbyterian Night Shelter Campaign (Balcom Agency Team)

Special Event/Observance

• Award of Achievement: Balcom Agency, AAF-FW ADDY Awards Gala 2021: Bad year. Great work. (Balcom Agency Team)

Special Public Relations Program

• Worthy Award: The S&G Group, TXT 4 Tarrant Cares (Sandra Brodnicki, APR, Gigi Westerman, APR, Fellow PRSA)
• Award of Excellence: PAVLOV Agency, Buxton – Thought Leadership in Healthcare (PAVLOV Agency)

COVID-19 Public Relations Initiative

• Worthy Award: HOLLAND. Collective, Essential Challenges for Essential Businesses Operating in the Face of COVID-19 (Holland Sanders, Ivy Lopez, Shasta Haubrich)
• Award of Excellence: Master Plan Communications, Inc., Igloo Coolers CDC Donation Campaign (Master Plan Communications, Inc.)
• Award of Excellence: TCU and UNT Health Science School of Medicine, FWMD Live COVID-19 Public Relations Initiative (Juan Cabrera, Maricar Estrella, Prescotte Stokes III)
• Award of Excellence: University of North Texas, Division of University Brand Strategy and Communications, UNT’s COVID-19 Campus Signage Campaign (Julie Payne)
• Award of Excellence: J.O. Agency, Trinity Metro Delivering You Safely (Jennifer Henderson, Christina Vela, Dana Fairbanks, Kenneth Failes)

Professional Awards – Tactics

Annual Report

• Award of Excellence: Goodwill North Central Texas, 2020 A Playback of Our Year (Shay Dial Johnson, Liz Confiliano, Courtney Reece, Bobby Cook)
• Award of Excellence: The S&G Group, Leadership Academy Network Annual Report (Sandra Brodnicki, APR, Gigi Westerman, APR, Fellow PRSA)

External Video

• Worthy Award: Cook Children’s, Dancing Dad (Cook Children’s Corporate Communications and Public Relations Team)
• Award of Excellence: J.O. Agency, Trinity Metro Delivering You Safely Videos (Jennifer Henderson, Christina Vela, Dana Fairbanks, Kenneth Failes)
• Award of Excellence: Tarrant Regional Water District, Painting the River: A Trinity Trails Mural Art Gallery (Mark Olson, Tina Nikolic)
• Award of Excellence: Balcom Agency, Mrs. Renfro’s History | As Told by the Renfro Brothers (Balcom Agency Team)
• Award of Excellence: The S&G Group, Recognize & Rise: The Healing Journey (Sandra Brodnicki, APR, Gigi Westerman, APR, Fellow PRSA)
• Award of Excellence: Balcom Agency, Cavender’s This Is How We Live (Balcom Agency Team)
• Award of Excellence: Goodwill North Central Texas, Thank You Goodwill: Sean Shea (Liz Confiliano, Shay Dial Johnson, Chris Clark)
• Award of Excellence: Goodwill North Central Texas, Thank You Goodwill: Charlie Rutherford (Liz Confiliano, Shay Dial Johnson, Chris Clark)

Feature Story/Brand Journalism

• Worthy Award: Cook Children’s, Christmas in the COVID Units: A Rare Glimpse Inside a Children’s Hospital During the Pandemic (Cook Children’s Corporate Communications and Public Relations Team)
• Award of Excellence: Master Plan Communications, Inc., Igloo- Forbes (Master Plan Communications, Inc.)

Internal Video

• Award of Excellence: TCU and UNT Health Science Center School of Medicine, The 12 LCME Standards (Juan Cabrera, Maricar Estrella)

Marketing/Sales Communication

• Award of Excellence: J.O. Agency, Tarrant County College Foundation COVID Donation Campaign (Jennifer Henderson, Dana Fairbanks)

Media Relations/Event

• Worthy Award: PAVLOV Agency, Waco Family Medicine Brand Launch Event (Claire Armstrong, Scott Kirk, Khris Kesling)

Media Relations/News Release

• Award of Excellence: PAVLOV Agency, Lang Partners’ The Cooper Grand Opening (Claire Armstrong)
• Award of Achievement: Goodwill North Central Texas, Goodwill Scores Big with Atari Game (Liz Confiliano, Shay Dial Johnson, Justan Martinez)

Newsletter

• Award of Achievement: TCU and UNT Health Science Center School of Medicine, Round-Up Newsletter (Maricar Estrella, Amy Estes)

Special Event

• Award of Excellence: J.O. Agency, It Happens: Balloon Release (Jennifer Henderson, Dana Fairbanks, Christina Vela, Kenneth Failes)

Social Media

• Worthy Award: Thrive PR, Vote for Better Transit (Kelly Kirkendoll, Margaret Puissant)

Website

• Worthy Award: Balcom Agency, Mrs. Renfro’s Website (Balcom Agency Team)
• Award of Excellence: J.O. Agency, Recognize & Rise Website (Jennifer Henderson, Dana Fairbanks, Chris Green)
• Award of Achievement: Balcom Agency, DairyDiscoveryZone.com Relaunch (Balcom Agency Team)

Special Tactic

• Worthy Award: JPS Health Network, The JPS Podcast Seasons 1-3 (JPS Health Network Communications Team)
• Award of Excellence: Balcom Agency, Fort Worth Food + Wine Festival Pandemic Pivot (Balcom Agency Team)
• Award of Excellence: Goodwill North Central Texas, Goodwill NCT Rebrand (Shay Dial Johnson, Liz Confiliano, Justan Martinez, Veronica Sanchez)
• Award of Excellence: J.O Agency, Diversity Photoshoot (Jennifer Henderson, Christina Vela, Dana Fairbanks, Kenneth Failes)

Congratulations to all of our 2021 Worthy Award Winners!

The PR campaign that help sink a war hero’s presidential ambitions

Written by: Jeff Rodriguez, Historian

People often discuss politics using military terms. We refer to “campaigns” and “war chests,” or lament, “But we can’t count on the French.”

Coincidentally, one of the more memorable recent political PR campaigns involved military service—particularly, that of John Kerry, the Democratic presidential candidate in 2004. While serving in Vietnam, Kerry had earned three Purple Heart medals, as well as the Bronze and Silver medals.

Kerry’s military record appeared to be an impregnable front line. But a group called the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth (SBVT) thought otherwise, and set out to prove it. In a press conference, they announced that their mission was to “accurately portray” Kerry’s service in Vietnam, and they presented a statement that was signed by a regiment of veterans. Or maybe it was a battalion—in any case, it was a lot.

In August 2004, they launched, if you will, an all-out assault on Kerry’s record. Two members of the group published a book about Kerry titled, “Unfit for Command.” They also created a website and a series of well-crafted commercials featuring comments from several concerned vets, who questioned Kerry’s honesty, character, courage, and woefully unassertive eyebrows.

Kerry’s campaign responded, noting that two of the vets appearing in the commercials had previously supported him, and one of the retired officers attacking him had previously written commendations.

Other questions popped up. Some of the interviewees said their comments had been edited in a misleading fashion, the military doctor who accused Kerry of lying about his wounds had no record of having ever treated him, and one “witness” later admitted he had no firsthand knowledge of the events.

Republican Sen. John McCain, himself a Vietnam vet, condemned the ads, saying they were “dishonest and dishonorable.” And as I’m sure you all remember, the group’s initial statement was signed by some suspicious Navy vets, including Popeye, Gilligan and Capt. Jack Sparrow.

The strong resistance did not deter the SBVT troops, who ran four commercials and did numerous interviews. At the end of the month, they called on Kerry to release all his military and medical records, and released an open letter stating, “Tell the Truth and We’ll Stop the Ads.” To which the Kerry campaign reportedly responded, “You can’t make me, you can’t make me.”

In a matter of weeks, the SWBT campaign had changed the arc of the contest. But did it also tip the election? Many of George W. Bush’s supporters thought so; one conservative columnist wrote that the SWBT’s efforts “gave Bush a chance,” and another wrote, “There is not a doubt in my mind this was the difference in the race.” Kerry himself later wrote, “If I were a citizen watching that ad … I wouldn’t vote for me.” (Nor would Ralph Nader.)

For a while, “swift boating” became a noun referring to the act of making exaggerated or unsubstantiated allegations to damage someone’s credibility. Today of course, we just call it Tweeting.

PR pros may not agree on whether the SWBT campaign is something to be celebrated or shunned. But there’s little doubt it’s a clear example of the critical role PR can have in a presidential election.

And look, here comes one now.