Category: Awards

Clairemont Video Nabs Best in Division

Cherith AndesAwards, Blog, Raleigh PR Agency, , , ,

Puppy celebrities, barn quilts and sweet corn gelato: our 2015 agency diary brims with fun campaigns for our wonderful clients.

On October 11, 2016, the Raleigh Public Relations Society (RPRS) honored Clairemont Communications at the annual Sir Walter Raleigh Awards Banquet with accolades recognizing outstanding public relations campaigns. Clairemont was honored for client work in promotional campaigns, event planning, marketing strategies, industry writing and digital communications.

Our favorite, however, harkened back to a chilly but cheerful January where we spent hours traversing the Triangle to dance with clients, families and friends. Clairemont’s sixth year celebration video, “Good to Be Alive,” nabbed the Best in Division for Digital Communications.

Clairemont’s Sir Walter Raleigh awards included:

– Best in Division in Digital Communications for “Clairemont Communications Celebrates Six Years with Good to Be Alive Video”
– Gold Excellence in Public Relations Writing for: “Growers Reinvent Farming Practice with New Technologies”
– Gold Excellence in Total Campaign for: “The Lincoln Apartments Ribbon Cutting”
– Gold Excellence in Total Campaign for: “Raising the Barn: Wendell Falls Grand Opening”
– Gold Excellence in Digital Communications for: “Clairemont Communications Celebrates Six Years with Good to Be Alive Video”
– Silver Excellence in Total Campaign for: “Unveiling New Digs: Il Palio Revamps and Renews”
– Honorable Mention in Total Campaign for: “Briar Chapel Adds Heat to the 8th Annual Pepper Festival”
– Honorable Mention in Total Campaign for: “Papa Spuds Delivers Farm Fresh Food to Your Doorstep”

We’re grinning. We’re giddy. But above all, we’re grateful. Thank you to our clients and partners who allow us to embark on such fun ventures and undertake such wonderful work with you!

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The Meaning of a PR Award

Cherith AndesAwards, Blog, Raleigh PR Agency, The Clairemont Team, , , ,

In 2014, the Clairemont team punched French fries, flapped the chicken dance in the middle of a grocery store and raced mint green bicycles around a hotel lobby. We also crafted and executed a full slate of client projects that increased sales, secured customers, boosted revenue and expanded market share —all for our beloved clients.

On September 23, 2015, Clairemont had the opportunity to celebrate our 2014 campaigns at the annual Sir Walter Raleigh Awards Banquet hosted by the Raleigh Public Relations Society (RPRS). Behind the sheen of a PR accolade lies countless hours of creative brainstorming and meticulous research backed by an unstoppable commitment to flawless execution. And at Clairemont, our work is also our joy; so an award carries heaps of excitement for our team as we celebrate the success that ultimately belongs to our clients. Last year was a thrilling ride, and we are delighted and privileged to have been in the driver’s seat.

This year, we had the honor of receiving the following awards from the RPRS:

  • Best in Division in Total Campaign for: “LEKKER Bikes U.S. Rolls into America”
  • Best in Division in Public Relations Writing: “LEKKER Bikes U.S. Rolls into America”
  • Best in Division in Digital Communications: “PDQ Invites Mom Bloggers to Experience Fresh Concept”
  • Gold Excellence in Total Campaign for a Promotional Campaign: “LEKKER Bikes U.S. Rolls into America”
  • Gold Excellence in Total Campaign for Misc. Special Events: “Briar Chapel Spices Up 7th Annual Pepper Festival”
  • Gold Excellence in Total Campaign for Misc. Special Events: “LEKKER Bikes U.S. Rolls into America”
  • Gold Excellence in Publications for a Media Kit: “Pepper Festival Media Kit”
  • Gold Excellence in Public Relations Writing for a News Release: “LEKKER Bikes U.S. Rolls into America”
  • Gold Excellence in Digital Communications for Social Media: “PDQ Invites Mom Bloggers to Experience Fresh Concept”
  • Silver Excellence in Total Campaign for Organizational Identity: “T.MAC Expands to the Triangle”
  • Silver Excellence in Total Campaign for Organizational Identity: “Lowes Foods Reinvents Grocery Shopping”
  • Honorable Mention in Total Campaign for a Promotional Campaign: “PDQ Builds a Brand in the Triangle”

Hats off to you, clients, and thank you for providing us with the opportunity to help you achieve your goals!

Now, let’s celebrate with a chicken dance.

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Clairemont: 106 Awards in Five Years

Cherith AndesAwards, Blog, Public Relations, , , , , , , , 1 Comment on Clairemont: 106 Awards in Five Years

This year marks a dual milestone for Clairemont as the agency celebrates its fifth anniversary and the winning of a total of 106 public relations industry awards.

On May 12, 2015, the North Carolina Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (NCPRSA) honored Clairemont at the annual InSpire Awards Ceremony with 17 accolades that recognize outstanding public relations campaigns, adding to the agency’s previous 89 awards. Including four Best in Category awards, Clairemont was honored for client work in media relations, event planning, creative tactics, marketing strategies and social media campaigns.

Clairemont’s 2015 InSpire awards include:

  • Best in Category for “Media Relations: LEKKER Bikes US Rolls into America”
  • Best in Category for “Creative Tactics: LEKKER Bikes US Rolls into America”
  • Best in Category for “Events and Observances: LEKKER Bikes’ First 24 Hours in America”
  • Best in Category for “Marketing: T.MAC Expands to the Triangle”
  • Award of Excellence for “Media Relations: LEKKER Bikes US Rolls into America”
  • Award of Excellence for “Media Relations: Briar Chapel Spices Up 7th Annual Pepper Festival”
  • Award of Excellence for “Media Relations: The Design Network Lands Channel on Time Warner Cable”
  • Award of Excellence for “Media Relations: PDQ (People Dedicated to Quality)”
  • Award of Excellence for “Social Media: PDQ Mom Blogger Campaign”
  • Award of Excellence for “Creative Tactics: Clairemont Shakes It Up for PDQ”
  • Award of Excellence for “Creative Tactics: LEKKER Bikes US Rolls into America”
  • Award of Excellence for “Events and Observances: LEKKER Bikes’ First 24 Hours in America”
  • Award of Excellence for “Events and Observances: Briar Chapel Spices Up the 7th Annual Pepper Festival”
  • Award of Excellence for “Marketing: T.MAC Expands to the Triangle”
  • Award of Excellence for “Marketing: LEKKER Bikes US Rolls into America”
  • Award of Excellence for “Integrated Communications: Lowes Foods Reinvents Grocery Shopping”
  • Honorable Mention for “Events and Observances: PDQ Invites Moms to Experience ‘Fresh’ Concept”

Clairemont Team We get excited–giddy, really!–at the daily opportunity we have to make a difference for our beloved clients. Our hats are off to you for trusting us to create fresh, vibrant campaigns to showcase dynamic brands, programs and products. We’re thrilled to continue to do work we love for people we love throughout 2015 and into the future!

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InSpire to Go Digital in 2015

Sarah HattmanAwards, Blog, Professional Development, Trends, , , , ,

We live in a digital world. The movies we watch, the music we listen to and the pictures and videos we take are all in digital form. For some of us, even the books we read are digital. As of 2015, I am happy to say that the the NCPRSA InSpire Awards are also digital.

Looking back, especially after writing the above paragraph, it’s hard to believe the decision was a tough one for me as the awards chair. I kept asking myself, “Will people accept or reject the format change? Is this really the year to make the switch?” But perhaps the biggest question I had was, “What about the thud factor?”

That’s right the thud factor. Having been involved in PRSA awards for several years – writing, submitting and judging entries – I know that there’s something impressive about flipping though an award binder that is stacked full of evidence of the entrant’s hard work and dedication. These binders make a loud thud when dropped on a table.

However, knowing that many other awards submissions are strictly online and the fact that the transition to digital was inevitable, I simply could not justify putting off the switch another year. Aside from just making the decision to make the switch to a digital format, I promised myself that I was going to stick to it. There would be no regrets, no matter what happened. And just think about all the paper we would save!

We are now a third of the way through the process and I’m excited to say that it has been smooth and easy – so far. Sure, I fielded many, many questions about the format and offered my advice on best practices when solicited. On the day of the final deadline, I thought my phone might never stop ringing as the calls came in back-to-back as the clock inched closer to the cutoff time for submissions. But, much to my surprise, no one challenged the format or the submission process.

Then it came time to sort through all 86 entries, organize them by category and enter them into a spreadsheet for the judging chapter. I found this step to be the most challenging, and ironically it had nothing to do with the digital format. In terms of format, it made the process of sending the entries to the PRSA Sierra Nevada Chapter for judging much easier. I did not have the challenge of boxing up all the entries or  lugging them the post office for shipping. There is also the fact that it was more cost effective to share a link with the judges as opposed to ship them.

It might be too soon to say with 100 percent certainty, but I think the digital switch has been a success. I invite you to attend this year’s banquet on May 12 and ask me after the awards are handed out to the winners!

 

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What Does a PR Agency Do? Tiger Eye Security Sensor

Clairemont InternAwards, Blog, Case Studies, Raleigh PR Agency, , ,

Client: 10 for Humanity

Situation Analysis: 10 for Humanity is a for-profit company with a goal to develop 10 innovative technology-based products and mobile applications to reduce acts of violence globally by 10 percent in the next decade. The company’s first product was a revolutionary, hands-free device called the Tiger Eye Security Sensor (TESS), a piece of wearable technology designed to sense high stress in a wearer’s voice when activated by words such as “help,” “stop,” or “no.” The piece has the capability to instantly dispatch police based on the wearer’s GPS location and to video and audio record to aid in the identification and prosecution of criminals. With the Tiger Eye Security Sensor expected to enter the market in spring 2014, 10 for Humanity turned to Clairemont Communications to assist in building awareness of the company and its first product, TESS.

Objectives: Agreeing upon a media relations campaign within the client’s strict two-month deadline, we established the objectives as:

  1. Drive awareness of 10 for Humanity and TESS through media relations, securing a minimum of one print news story and one TV media placement.
  2. Increase awareness of the Indiegogo campaign benefiting TESS, securing mention of the campaign in at least one news story.

Execution:

Media Materials — With the introduction of any new technology comes the potential for technical details to overwhelm those who are unfamiliar. To avoid this issue when working with media, Clairemont first created a message board with clear points outlining TESS and its functional components, which guided media materials and pitch development. Clairemont also drafted a carefully written news release announcing TESS and its Indiegogo campaign. Additional materials included an oversized diagram of the TESS product and USB media kits promoting the Indiegogo campaign as well as photos and background information on the company, TESS and the company’s CEO, CJ Scarlet.

Telling a Story — Clairemont’s mission was to tell the story of CJ Scarlet – the inventor of TESS and CEO of 10 for Humanity – to convey the importance of this revolutionary product. Scarlet, a survivor of sexual assault and a well-respected victim’s advocate, believes deeply in TESS and its potential to change lives by reducing interpersonal violence. Clairemont secured key media interviews, allowing her to tell her personal story. In one interview, the reporter was so compelled by Scarlet’s story, she felt comfortable sharing her own story of sexual assault. Additionally, we leveraged Scarlet’s past as a U.S. marine to connect with military-beat media, resulting in coverage.

Tapping into Influencers —To garner both media and community attention, Clairemont coordinated an evening cocktail event themed “Raise Your Glass (and Voice) Against Violence,” with the goal of bringing together influential women within the greater Raleigh, N.C. community to raise awareness of TESS. Nearly 40 guests attended, including the North Carolina secretary of state. Target media were also invited, allowing Clairemont to facilitate multiple media attendees and resulting in an on-site interview with Scarlet and a local TV anchor.

Results/Evaluation:

  1. Drive awareness of 10 for Humanity and TESS through media relations, securing a minimum of one print news story and one TV media placement.
  • We secured seven media placements in a variety of news outlets including print, TV, and online. With two TV stories – including coverage on the DMA’s most watched television news station – Clairemont also surpassed its goal of securing one TV story.
  1. Increase awareness of the Indiegogo campaign benefiting TESS, securing mention of the campaign in at least one news story.
  • Successful media pitching ensured mention of the Indiegogo campaign benefiting TESS in five of the seven articles, helping drive awareness of the product and its upcoming launch.

What did you think of this public relations case study? Was it helpful? We’re here to answer any questions you may have!

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