Health & Welfare News South Africa

Countdown until 10th PRISA PRISM Awards

Now in its 10th year, the PRISM Awards have received various outstanding entries on par with and sometimes exceeding international standards, according to organisers Public Relations Institute of Southern Africa (PRISA). The awards ceremony will be held on 28 March 2007 at The Westcliff Hotel, Johannesburg.

“This year we received quite a few high profile campaigns that were very visible in the media and it was difficult for the judges to keep focused on the judging criteria. But the PRISM Awards is not just about these big brand campaigns, and we were really impressed with entries that covered the every-day PR programme,” says Bridget von Holdt, chairman of the PRISA Public Relations Consultants Chapter.

Says chief judge Peter van der Schyff, “It pleases me that PR campaigns have become so important in the life cycle of a company and a project. PR has taken up its rightful place in the communication platform. The PRISA PRISM Awards are an excellent opportunity for public relations and communications agencies to work closer with their clients, and vice versa.”

Once again, Marcus Brewster Publicity submitted the most entries on behalf of its clients, which include: Mango, FHM 100 Sexiest Women in the World, Emerald Spring Derby, the launch of Zoo Weekly, and Canderel for the FMCG category.

A great deal of thought, research, effort and professionalism have gone into entries from companies such as Black Khaki Wired: Clover 2006 Internal Communication and Big Blue Makhulu Polane 2006. Atmosphere Communication submitted well thought-out entries for the launch of Sable Square – Africa’s biggest outlet retail village and The Big Stationery Drive, a massive but budget-friendly project to bring stationery and funding to rural schools and education facilities, with well-deserved assistance and support from stakeholders such as Pick ‘n Pay, DStv and SMILE.

Information technology and other high-tech industries have not gone unnoticed, with entries received from Inzalo Communications for Digital Video Broadcast–Handheld Launch, and Atmosphere Communication for South Africa’s First Fashion Video Podcast.

The financial sector also features: the launch of Virgin Money South Africa, a campaign submitted by Tribeca Public Relations. In Community and Social Responsibility, Magna Carta launched a campaign highlighting the need to wipe out piracy in the music and film industries, highlighted by its Tsotsi Anti-Piracy Campaign, which won the support and encouragement of high profile figures in broadcasting such as 94.7 Highveld Stereo’s Jeremy Mansfield.

Other significant entries were submitted by Audiovoid, Southern Spoor Marketing, The Lime Envelope, Grapevine Communications and Britespark Communications, to mention a few.

Nambia’s Bank Windhoek Marketing Corporate Communication Services has submitted a CSI entry for the Cancer Apple Project.

For addition information on the event and ticket details, contact Annemarie at PRISA on +27 (0)11 326 1262.

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