The Public Relations Society of America Maryland Chapter bestowed 47 Best in Maryland (BIM) awards in 26 categories, including a new COVID-19 category, as well as five professional awards during a virtual gala and awards, the show held on December 10, 2020.
For the second year in a row, the Best in Show award was presented to Sandy Hillman Communications, this year for “Apollo 11 50th Anniversary at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.”
Maryland Auto Insurance won the most BIM awards (seven), followed by Crosby Marketing Communications with six.
BIM 2020 award submissions were judged by the PRSA Hoosier Chapter. The event was emceed by Tia Malloy, following an introduction by outgoing chapter President Lisa Brusio Coster. Following is a list of all awardees:
Professional Awards
Lifetime Achievement (20+ years) – Kenneth R. Smith, APR
Paul E. Welsh (10+ years) – Courtney Benhoff, Erickson Living
Partner of Distinction – Beyond Definition
Educator of the Year – Melanie Formentin, Towson University
PR Team of the Year – Abel Communications
Kathleen Kelly Scholarship – Faith Schanck, Hofstra University
Best in Maryland Award Winners
Programs
COMMUNITY RELATIONS
Best in Maryland: HASA Partners with BOPA as “Access and Inclusion Partner” – Abel Communications
Award of Excellence: Community Comes First in West Baltimore Hospital Acquisition – LifeBridge Health
COVID-19 COMMUNICATIONS
Best in Maryland: Promoting COVID-19 Relief Fund to Support America’s Veterans – DAV and Crosby Marketing
Award of Excellence: Helping the Military Community Navigate the Impacts of COVID-19 – Military OneSource and Crosby Marketing
Award of Excellence: United Way of Central Maryland’s COVID-19 Communications – Sandy Hillman Communications
EVENTS AND OBSERVANCES < 7 DAYS
Best in Maryland / Best in Show: Apollo 11 50th Anniversary at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex – Sandy Hillman Communications
Award of Excellence: Project Sanctuary Comes to Maryland – Devaney & Associates, Inc.
Award of Excellence: St. John Properties $10M Bonus Announcement – Planit
EVENTS AND OBSERVANCES > 7 DAYS
Best in Maryland: Made Possible By Viewers Like You: Celebrating 50 Years of MPT – Maryland Public Television
Award of Excellence: Work Zone Safety – Maryland State Highway Administration
INTEGRATED COMMUNICATIONS
Best in Maryland: DAV Victories for Veterans PSA Campaign – Crosby Marketing and DAV
Award of Excellence: “Designed by Moms” Family Birthplace Campaign – Devaney & Associates, Inc.
INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS
Best in Maryland: I’m Dedicated to my C.R.A.F.T. – Chesapeake Employers’ Insurance Company
MARKETING
Best in Maryland: FineFix – Maryland Auto Insurance
Award of Excellence: BGE Fairy Tale Campaign – Baltimore Gas & Electric
Award of Excellence: Maryland 529 Marketing Campaign – The Hatcher Group
MULTICULTURAL PUBLIC RELATIONS
Best in Maryland: FineFix – Maryland Auto Insurance
PUBLIC SERVICE
Best in Maryland: #StopScammersSunday – BGE
Award of Excellence: Active Shooter Preparedness Seminars – Chesapeake Employers’ Insurance Company
Award of Excellence: MD Move Over Campaign – Chesapeake Employers’ Insurance Company
Components
ADVERTORIALS
Best in Maryland: FineFix – Maryland Auto Insurance
ANNUAL REPORTS
Best in Maryland: Tuerk House 2018-2019 Annual Report – Devaney & Associates, Inc.
BEST USE OF INFLUENCER COMMUNICATION
Best in Maryland: FineFix – Maryland Auto Insurance
BROCHURES – Print
Best in Maryland: E-ZPass Maryland: The Broulder – Van Eperen
Award of Excellence: MD Move Over Pamphlet – Chesapeake Employers’ Insurance Company
CREATIVE TACTICS – Assoc/Nonprofit/Govt
Best in Maryland: E-ZPass Maryland on Wheels – Van Eperen
Award of Excellence: Washington Dulles International Airport Takeover – Kaiser Permanente and Crosby Marketing
CREATIVE TACTICS – For Profit
Best in Maryland: Conrad Siegel’s “Investment Committee Meeting in a Box” – Abel Communications
EDITORIALS/OP-ED COLUMNS
Award of Excellence: State Highway Administrator Appeals to Drivers Approaching Work Zones – Maryland State Highway Administration
FEATURE STORIES
Best in Maryland: United Way of Central Maryland’s FISH Project – Sandy Hillman Communications
MAGAZINES/NEWSLETTERS – Digital
Best in Maryland: Photo Solutions – Coyle Studios
MEDIA RELATIONS – Assoc/Nonprofit/Govt
Best in Maryland: Reading Partners – Collins + Co.
Award of Excellence: Ingenuity Project Media Relations Campaign – Devaney & Associates, Inc.
Award of Excellence: NAA’s Rent Control & Housing Affordability Media Relations Campaign – Abel Communications
MEDIA RELATIONS – For Profit
Award of Excellence: Live! Casino & Hotel’s Chef Ed Competes on Chopped – Stanton Communications, and Live! Casino & Hotel
PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENTS (PSA)
Best in Maryland: DAV Victories for Veterans — Bobby & Carmen PSA – Crosby Marketing and DAV
Award of Excellence: The Good In You PSA – Crosby Marketing and HRSA
PUBLICATIONS
Best in Maryland: 2020 Scholarly Journals Catalog – Johns Hopkins University Press
RESEARCH/ EVALUATION
Best in Maryland: FineFix – Maryland Auto Insurance
SOCIAL MEDIA – Assoc/Nonprofit/Govt
Best in Maryland: FineFix – Maryland Auto Insurance
Award of Excellence: MilSpouse Appreciation Day – Crosby Marketing and Military OneSource
Award of Excellence: Move Over Law Safety Campaign – Maryland State Highway Administration
VIDEOS
Best in Maryland: Afya Video – The Hatcher Group
Award of Excellence: Virtual Ribbon Cutting for Watkins Mill Interchange – Maryland State Highway Administration
WEBSITES
Best in Maryland: Secom, LLC Website Redesign – IMPACT Marketing & Public Relations
Award of Excellence: FineFix – Maryland Auto Insurance
Award of Excellence: New Project Portal Explains Highway Construction – Maryland State Highway Administration
BIM 2020 sponsors included Abel Communications; Bay Media, Inc.; Pixilated; Researchscape; The Hatcher Group; HBP; and, Dr. David Marshall, APR, and PRSA-MD president-elect.
The Maryland Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America was established in 1961 to help public relations and communications professionals stay connected professionally and personally. As part of the nation’s largest organization of communication professionals, PRSA Maryland offers networking, training, resources and support to help members in their practice of public relations. For more information, visit www.prsamd.org.
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