Agency earns recognition from the NC PRSA, taking home the most awards from the ceremony
RALEIGH, N.C. (May 7, 2010) – French/West/Vaughan (FWV), one of the nation’s largest independent public relations, public affairs and brand communications agencies, today announced that it has recently been recognized with numerous awards for outstanding public relations work on behalf of multiple clients.
At Wednesday night’s InSpire Awards Banquet and Reception, FWV was honored with 11 awards for work on programs as the North Carolina Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (NC PRSA) celebrated the region’s outstanding public relations and communications efforts. FWV collected the most awards of the evening, with one Best of Show award in addition to three programs recognized as Bronze InSpire category winners. Bronze InSpire Awards honored specific tactics or components of programs or campaigns.
One program, conducted by FWV on behalf of client Riders® by Lee®, received a perfect score from the judges, not only winning its category and an Award of Excellence, but also receiving one of only three Best of Show awards. FWV developed a yoga-themed New York City editorial event, including invitations printed on full-size yoga mats, to show national women’s magazine editors that the Riders® by Lee® line of affordable jeans with new premium stretch denim is as good for your body as yoga – and all without stretching your budget. The event generated nearly 80 million media impressions, $4.8 million in PR value and an 866:1 return on the client’s investment.
Two additional programs conducted by FWV were named Bronze InSpire Category Winners:
- Satellite Media Tours: Development and execution of an innovative satellite media tour (SMT) to generate earned media coverage to heighten mainstream awareness of the film “Running the Sahara,” a feature documentary directed and produced by Academy Award™ winner James Moll and narrated and executive produced by Academy Award™ winner Matt Damon. The SMT, conducted on behalf of FWV client NEHST Studios, generated 30 media placements with more than 10.6 million impressions and an estimated PR value of more than $1.2 million.
- Feature Stories: FWV secured placement of a feature bylined article for Saft, a leading designer and manufacturer of high-tech batteries for industrial markets, in target industry trade magazine Electronic Products, and drafted the article in its entirety. The one-and-a-half-page article ran in the magazine’s Annual Power Supplement, including several key messages about Saft’s lithium-ion batteries. The placement earned 308,108 media impressions, translating into $53,000 in PR value for the client.
In addition to the Riders® by Lee® yoga event, FWV received five more Bronze InSpire Awards of Excellence in the following categories:
- Social Media: Development and execution of a strategic digital marketing campaign on behalf of Wrangler, leveraging the brand’s sponsorship of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo and launching the brand’s Facebook page. The Wrangler “Race to the Rodeo” promotion offered the grand prize winner a trip for two to the final performance of the 2009 Wrangler NFR in Las Vegas, securing 13,548 distinct entries, an increase in the brand’s Social Media Index by 57 percent and generating 26,103 Facebook fans in 31 days (an average of one fan every 90 seconds).
- Media Relations:
- Development and execution of a national public relations campaign promoting Structure House and Founder Dr. Musante as a world-renowned expert on obesity. FWV produced more than 55.5 million earned media impressions, starting with a high-profile placement in Health magazine naming Structure House as America’s healthiest diet program. An online version ran on Health.com and was picked up by CNN.com, leading to a huge jump in unique visits to the Structure House website. Inquiries into the program increased by 18 percent.
- Working in cooperation with Campbell University's School of Law, FWV increased the overall visibility, positive awareness and reputation of Campbell Law across multiple key audiences, with specific emphasis placed on the school's August 2009 move from rural Buies Creek, N.C. to Raleigh - previously the largest state capital without a law school.
- On behalf of the Free Enterprise Nation (FEN), FWV created a series of timely and engaging story pitches designed to launch the political movement by capturing the media’s attention and generating placements. From FEN’s launch on September 22, 2009 to the end of the year, FWV generated 23.6 million media impressions, resulting in an estimated $2.26 million in publicity value and top-tier media placements in outlets including The Financial Times, NewYorkTimes.com, MSNBC.com, FOX and CNBC.
- FWV spearheaded a successful strategy and provided counsel on behalf of the Bridgewater Community Association in Florida to increase community camaraderie, drive undesirable activities out of the neighborhood, and position Bridgewater as a community leading the way out of the soft housing market by taking proactive measures to improve real estate value.
Additionally, the agency’s coordination and management of a newsletter on behalf of Structure House was recognized with an honorable mention in the Newsletters category. FWV spearheaded all planning, research, writing and editing of Enlighten, the official Structure House newsletter, which is distributed three times per year.
About French/West/Vaughan
French/West/Vaughan (FWV) is the Southeast’s largest independent public relations, public affairs and brand communications agency. FWV has received numerous industry awards and accolades, and was named a 2006 finalist for PR Week magazine’s “Midsize PR Agency of the Year” award. National and international clients represented by the agency include the Coca-Cola Company, Wrangler, the Justin Boot Company, 1800Hotels.com, the International Gemological Institute, Divi Resorts, Blinds To Go, The Free Enterprise Nation and OTB Records. The agency’s creative department provides award-winning advertising, graphic design and media planning and placement services for a wide range of clients. FWV is headquartered in Raleigh and has offices in New York City and Tampa. For more information, please visit www.fwv-us.com.
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