We have just been shortlisted for “best use of media in a PR campaign” in the CIPR PRide Awards. Great news for us and far greater for our client for whom we did the work. However, what is this really worth? Is back-slapping as important as bums on seat or units shifted? Do the column inches cover the time spent entering the award in the first place? As someone who bangs on about honest jobs and real returns being worth more to our clients than words and kudos, I was not so sure of my ground, so I grilled CG's founding partner, Gill Gould to discover her thoughts on the whole “awards business”.
EG: First off, congratulations on the nomination for the PR department. How does it make you feel?
GG: Really great! It's very exciting to have our work recognised like this. It has given us all a big boost and is an affirmation of our recent decision to staff our PR team with journalists as well as marketing and PR experts.
EG: So what other awards have you picked up?
GG: Over the years we have picked up a few here and there. However, it has never really been a focus of ours. This recent shortlisting really was a surprise and we are thrilled to bits but it's the work we actually put into the media relations campaign that we are really proud of. The nomination is the endorsement of that especially when we hear that there were 1,488 entries in total.
EG: So what is your recommendation to clients on awards? How does it fit into your communications strategy?
GG: Well, obviously, if we think that an award will help raise the profile and perception of an organisation, then of course, it has enormous value. It depends on the sector, the client, who is nominated and many other variables. We do factor awards into client PR and by getting them nominated, shortlisted and at best, winning, we are able to add that to the mix to develop their brand and to position them at the top.
EG: Can you give me an example?
GG: We worked closely with Stikatak for over 12 years. When we started with them, they were perceived to be a small company run by the "two Johns" a mid-player in the busy and competitive flooring accessories market. By working together on both the proposition and the brand, we agreed that repositioning their perception was key. They had it all but required recognition for the quality of the product and services. We delivered this through an integrated communications programme and part of this was consistently entering and winning trade awards.
EG: What other tactics did you employ?
GG: We worked closely with MD John Whiting top down, bottom up on everything from packing design to web design, PR to trade shows. We positioned Stikatak from the word go correctly as the number one brand in carpet accessories. There was nothing we didn't know about them, their industry and their customers.
EG: And what was the result of this long term work?
GG: As the company expanded year-on-year, we worked with Stikatak to win valuable distribution deals with B&Q, Allied Carpets and other major stockists. We worked hard with the all media to roll out product launches, features, interviews and news stories for both their trade and consumer customers. The result? Achieving the owners' objective and attracting the attention of a Pan-European company wishing to strengthen its own position as market leader in the flooring industry, by buying up brand leaders. The sale of Stikatak was achieved at the top of the market.
EG: So in essence, the use of awards is what helped the company on its journey to the top of the industry?
GG: Absolutely right. Awards are excellent for recognition and increasing a company or brand's profile. However, it is important to remember that awards are only part of the mix and if your marketing department or agency spends more time chasing awards than measuring the results from a campaign, then the balance is wrong.
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