This category recognises all forms of media relations programmes. Entries can reflect any/all forms of media, such as:
- Online
- Digital
- Broadcast.
Entries should demonstrate first-class strategic thinking and exceptional implementation (in line with the EFPIA and PAGB Codes of Practice).
Entries should fully demonstrate the quality of your strategic thinking and how media relations activities were conducted to an exceptional standard to achieve quality and in-depth coverage within the target media space through the selected channels (e.g. print, online, blog, Twitter, Facebook, webcast, YouTube).
Judges will want you to put your campaign into context at the outset, to clarify the rationale behind your strategy and tactics. They need to know what your ambitions were and how media was used to drive them. Please make it clear if your work was part of an overall strategy involving other factors (eg, policy change). Is it one programme within a longer-term strategy? If the campaign is part of a broader-reaching overall campaign, say so. Also, demonstrate you understand the pressures and working practices of media organisations and show that you flexed the offer to maximise outcomes for your clients (if appropriate).
Judges will want to know how you matched the key messages to your target audience. They will also want to see where your campaign resulted in a real-life behaviour change from a target audience, as a result of the media coverage (e.g. be that eg be that at an organisation/b2b level or public).
They will also be examining how you decided upon your measures for success, and then how you went on to measure activity and the impact your media relations programme had, paying special attention to outputs (eg, conversions/analytics or feedback from the end user) and what outcomes your programme achieved. All online media must be evaluated and benchmarked effectively. Feedback from professional organisations, opinion leaders and the end user is vital. Please note that, while OTS is an important metric and demonstrates the extent to which the specific target audience was reached, OTS alone may not be scored as an outcome.
It is essential that you specify which (if any) coverage was paid for and the budget allocated for the campaign or project by band. You must also clearly identify where supporting evidence can be found in support of any/all claims you make within the entry.
You should state whether your campaign was created globally, regionally or locally and how it was measured – globally, regionally or locally – and who achieved the coverage (i.e. the project owner, network partner or affiliated agency).
Work conducted during the 18-month period between July 2022 and December 2023 will be eligible. If the submission has been entered previously, the current entry must provide benchmarks to clearly demonstrate how the programme was evaluated and how it has developed over time.
Don’t forget:
- provide a copy of any previous submission for this work
- be open! Were there any other contributors to the programme?