Public relations excellence recognized at annual SCPRSA Mercury Awards event
May 5, 2017
The South Carolina Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (SCPRSA) hosted its annual Mercury Awards celebration on Thursday, May 4 in Columbia. Communication professionals from across the state were recognized for their work, with more than 100 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 Erwin Penland, for “Denny’s Makes America Flip Over Tastier, Fluffier, Better Pancakes,” a consumer products campaign for Denny’s. The overall Best in Show Silver Wing Award winner was Chernoff Newman for “Fresh on the Menu – Poke Plate,” a social media campaign for the South Carolina Department of Agriculture.
Jamie Prince of Flourish in Greenville was recognized as the W. Thomas Duke Distinguished Public Relations Practitioner of the Year, the chapter’s highest individual honor.
Lauren Shirley of the South Carolina Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics Foundation received the chapter’s Rookie of the Year Award, which recognizes a young practitioner with fewer than three years of experience in public relations.
Colonial Life received the George L. Johnson Community Spirit Award for the company’s extensive volunteer service and community partnerships.
Robyn Rudish-Laning of the South Carolina Council on Competitiveness in Columbia received the chapter’s first Volunteer Service Award, which recognizes her dedicated service as a committee and board member.
Tyson Blanton, a 2016 graduate of the University of South Carolina School of Journalism and Mass Communications, received the Public Relations Student of the Year Award. While she was a student, Blanton served as the president of the USC chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA), one of three student chapters that SCPRSA sponsors.
MERCURY AWARD WINNERS
COMMUNITY RELATIONS
Award of Merit
Mobile WIC
DHEC Communications and Public Affairs (Columbia)
Award of Merit
Boundary Street Update – Beaufort, SC
Williams Group PR, LLC (Beaufort)
BRAND & REPUTATION MANAGEMENT
Award of Excellence
Healthy People. Healthy Communities.
DHEC Communications and Public Affairs (Columbia)
Award of Excellence
Thrive Upstate
Crawford Strategy (Greenville)
EVENTS AND OBSERVANCES, SEVEN DAYS OR FEWER
Award of Excellence
Habitat Clemson Build
Complete Public Relations (Greenville)
Award of Excellence
Habitat Lowe’s Day
Complete Public Relations (Greenville)
Award of Excellence
High Country in the Queen City for Blue Ridge Mountain Club
Flourish (Greenville)
Award of Excellence
One-Stop Enrollment for Midlands Technical College
Chernoff Newman (Columbia)
Award of Merit
Famously Hot Pink Half Marathon Press Conference
Palmetto Health Foundation (Columbia)
EVENTS AND OBSERVANCES, MORE THAN SEVEN DAYS
Award of Excellence
Greenville Women Giving’s 10th Anniversary Season
Flourish (Greenville)
Award of Merit
Rock for Recovery 2016
LRADAC (Columbia)
PUBLIC SERVICE
Award of Excellence
RACE: Are We So Different?
South Carolina State Museum (Columbia)
Award of Excellence
Restoring Hope for United Way of the Midlands
Chernoff Newman (Columbia)
Award of Excellence
Rocky Shoals Spider Lily Program
City of Columbia Utilities and City of Columbia Parks (Columbia)
Award of Merit
Every Spill Matters
BRIGHT + CO Marketing (Greenville)
PUBLIC AFFAIRS
Award of Merit
Early Childhood Common Agenda
Children’s Trust of South Carolina (Columbia)
MARKETING CONSUMER PRODUCTS
Award of Excellence
Denny’s Makes America Flip Over Tastier, Fluffier, Better Pancakes for Denny’s
Erwin Penland (Greenville)
MARKETING CONSUMER SERVICES
Award of Excellence
SC Recovering Professional Program
LRADAC (Columbia)
Award of Merit
Two Hundred Moms
LRADAC (Columbia)
MARKETING BUSINESS TO BUSINESS
Award of Excellence
FUTERRA Product Launch
BRIGHT + CO Marketing (Greenville)
CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS & ISSUES MANAGEMENT
Award of Excellence
North Myrtle Beach: The Coast is Clear
Crawford Strategy (Greenville)
Award of Excellence
Patriots Point Attacks Hurricane Matthew
Patriots Point Communications Department (Charleston)
Award of Excellence
Working Together to Fight the Bite
DHEC Communications and Public Affairs (Columbia)
INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS
Award of Merit
United Community Bank – Uconnect
Crawford Strategy (Greenville)
STAKEHOLDER/INVESTOR RELATIONS
Award of Excellence
Portfolio: Gratitude Issue
Palmetto Health Foundation (Columbia)
INTEGRATED COMMUNICATIONS
Award of Excellence
Colonial Life Brand Journalism
Colonial Life (Columbia)
Award of Excellence
Famously Hot Pink Half Marathon First Place Medal
Palmetto Health Foundation (Columbia)
Award of Merit
Main Street District for City Center Partnership
Chernoff Newman (Columbia)
SILVER WING AWARD WINNERS
MEDIA RELATIONS – CONSUMER SERVICES
Award of Excellence
The Chicago Tribune
TK PR (Greenville)
Award of Merit
Art Cellar Grand Opening
Complete Public Relations (Greenville)
Award of Merit
Embassy Suites Media Tour
Crawford Strategy (Greenville)
MEDIA RELATIONS – BUSINESS TO BUSINESS
Award of Merit
South Carolina Aerospace Conference and Expo 2016 for the SC Council on Competitiveness
Davis Public Relations (Columbia)
MEDIA RELATIONS – ASSOCIATIONS, GOVERNMENT AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS
Award of Excellence
Artfields
Chernoff Newman (Columbia)
Award of Excellence
B106.7FM Radiothon Media
Palmetto Health Foundation (Columbia)
Award of Merit
Ten at the Top’s Upstate Regional Summit
Flourish (Greenville)
NEWSLETTERS – PRINT
Award of Excellence
The LRADAC Loop
LRADAC (Columbia)
Award of Merit
Greenville Country Club’s “The River & Rooster”
Flourish (Greenville)
Award of Merit
O’Neal – The Apostrophe
Crawford Strategy (Greenville)
NEWSLETTERS – DIGITAL
Award of Excellence
Prospective Student Newsletter
SC Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics Foundation (Columbia)
Award of Merit
From the Dome to Your Home
Municipal Association of South Carolina (Columbia)
Award of Merit
MUSC News Newsletter
MUSC News (Charleston)
MAGAZINES – INTERNAL AUDIENCES PRIMARILY
Award of Merit
Portfolio Magazine
Palmetto Health Foundation (Columbia)
MAGAZINES – EXTERNAL AUDIENCES PRIMARILY
Award of Merit
GSSM Alumni Magazine
SC Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics Foundation (Columbia)
ANNUAL REPORTS – NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS
Award of Merit
Pathways to a Brighter Future
LRADAC (Columbia)
Award of Merit
SC Ports Authority
Chernoff Newman (Columbia)
BROCHURES – PRINT
Award of Excellence
GSSM View Book 2016
SC Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics Foundation (Columbia)
Award of Merit
SC Recovering Professional Program Brochure
LRADAC (Columbia)
PUBLICATIONS – SINGLE ISSUE
Award of Merit
Maternal Outreach Management Services
LRADAC (Columbia)
Award of Merit
Risk Management Services Annual Training Calendar
Municipal Association of South Carolina (Columbia)
Award of Merit
Nachman Norwood & Parrott Perspectives
Crawford Strategy (Greenville)
PRESS KITS/MEDIA KITS – DIGITAL
Award of Merit
South Carolina Aerospace Conference and Expo for SC Council on Competitiveness
Davis Public Relations (Columbia)
DIRECT MAIL/DIRECT RESPONSE
Award of Merit
Kappa Delta Letter Campaign
Children’s Trust of South Carolina (Columbia)
AUDIO/VISUAL PROGRAMS
Award of Excellence
Achievement Awards
Municipal Association of South Carolina (Columbia)
SOCIAL MEDIA
Award of Excellence
Colonial Life Brand Advocacy
Colonial Life (Columbia)
Award of Excellence
Fresh on the Menu – Poke Plate for SC Department of Agriculture
Chernoff Newman (Columbia)
Award of Excellence
#GSSM12Days
SC Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics Foundation (Columbia)
Award of Excellence
Palmetto Series Social Media for the South Carolina Department of Agriculture, Clemson and USC
Chernoff Newman (Columbia)
Award of Excellence
Rock for Recovery Online
LRADAC (Columbia)
Award of Merit
Giving Tuesday
Children’s Trust of South Carolina (Columbia)
BLOGS
Award of Excellence
City Connect and City Quick Connect Podcast
Municipal Association of South Carolina (Columbia)
CREATIVE TACTICS
Award of Excellence
Famously Hot Pink Half Marathon Finisher’s Medal Reveal Video
Palmetto Health Foundation (Columbia)
Award of Excellence
Rock for Recovery on Main Street
LRADAC (Columbia)
Award of Merit
Fresh is Best Living Wall for SC Department of Agriculture
Chernoff Newman (Columbia)
Award of Merit
Ice on Main Thermometer
Crawford Strategy (Greenville)
FEATURE WRITING
Award of Merit
From GED to MD
Dawn Brazell (Charleston)
ADVERTORIAL
Award of Merit
Cities Mean Business Magazine
Municipal Association of South Carolina (Columbia)
WEBSITES – EXTERNAL
Award of Excellence
SCGSSM.org
SC Governor’s School for Science and Mathematics Foundation (Columbia)
Award of Merit
LRADAC.org
LRADAC (Columbia)
Award of Merit
Municipal Association of South Carolina (Columbia)
Award of Merit
SCRPP.org
LRADAC (Columbia)
MULTIMEDIA: EXTERNAL PROGRAMS/PRESENTATIONS
Award of Excellence
Thrive Upstate Video
Crawford Strategy (Greenville)
STUDENT AWARD WINNERS
Mercury Award of Merit for Integrated Communications
Naturally Carolina
The Carolina Agency
University of South Carolina
Silver Wing Award of Excellence for Creative Tactics
Naturally Carolina
The Carolina Agency
University of South Carolina
South Carolina PRSA is one of more than 100 chapters of the Public Relations Society of America, the world’s largest professional association for public relations practitioners. Established in 1967, SCPRSA has more than 200 members across South Carolina representing public relations agencies, corporations, nonprofit organizations and institutions of higher education.
