2018 Renaissance Award Winners: The Complete List

On Thursday, Jan. 25, Pittsburgh’s most talented communicators gathered together at the Senator John Heinz History Center to honor the best public relations campaigns, tactics and individual practitioners as part of PRSA Pittsburgh’s 2018 Renaissance Awards. Jeff Barton and Sam Panico, co-founders of Jam X Creative, served as the masters of ceremonies.

Entries were independently evaluated by a panel of judges from PRSA’s Dallas Chapter. The top scored entries received the ‘Renaissance Award’ distinction and the runner-ups received the ‘Award of Merit.’ Several categories had multiple winners depending on the numeric score of the judges.

The Renaissance Awards handed out more than 50 honors in total to companies ranging from agencies and corporations to professional sports teams and nonprofits, including Havas PR, Burson-Marsteller, BRUNNER, UPMC Health Plan, and the Pittsburgh Steelers, among others.

See the complete list of winners below:

CAMPAIGNS

B2B Campaign

Renaissance Awards

• Top Hat, Will Work for Beer
• Burson-Marsteller, Bank of America: Research, Relationships and Resources for Small Businesses
• Pipitone Group, Guttman Energy Fleet Card Awareness Campaign

Award of Merit

• Havas PR, Transitions Change Agents: Appealing to Younger Eyes

Digital Campaign

Renaissance Award

• MarketSpace Communications, Pittsburgh International Airport: “We’ll get you there”
• Top Hat, Will Work for Beer

Influencer Relations

Renaissance Award

• Gatesman, Inc., Candace Cameron Bure / StarKist Influencer Program

Integrated Marketing Campaign

Renaissance Awards

• BRUNNER, Make 90 Seconds Last a Month: The Story of the 84 Lumber Super Bowl Ad
• Gatesman, Inc., Duquesne Light Company’s #PowerItForward Campaign

Awards of Merit

• UPMC Health Plan, FY16-17 Individual Open Enrollment Integrated Marketing Campaign

Media Relations

Renaissance Awards

• Havas PR, Curiosity Cube Sparks Scientific Curiosity Across the United States
• Michael Baker International, Michael Baker International Media Relations Program
• Havas PR, Survey Says: Parents View Kids’ Play Differently Among Generations
• Havas PR, RESPECTAgZone: Protecting Indiana Township’s Thriving, Green Land
• Top Hat, Will Work for Beer
• WordWrite Communications, Steel City Rehab Debuts on HGTV
• Burson-Marsteller, The Future is On: Leviton’s Tech Innovation Rebirth through Media Relations

Award of Merit

• Burson-Marsteller, Fueling Education: CITGO Inspires Children to Become Lifelong Readers

New Products & Services Communications

Renaissance Awards

• Top Hat, Will Work for Beer
• Burson-Marsteller, Leviton Decora Smart: Making Every Home a Smart Home

Award of Merit

• Garrison Hughes, Heinz History Center – WWII Campaign

Reputation Management

Renaissance Awards

• Havas PR, Curiosity Cube Sparks Scientific Curiosity Across the United States
• Top Hat, Will Work for Beer
• Havas PR, Changing Perceptions: How National Vision is Encouraging Optometrists to Give Corporate Optometry a Second Chance
• South Fayette Township, 175^th Anniversary of South Fayette Township
• BRUNNER, Make 90 Seconds Last a Month: The Story of the 84 Lumber Super Bowl Ad

Social Media Campaign

Renaissance Awards

• Gatesman, Inc., #Charlie4Prez

Awards of Merit

• Gatesman, Inc., S&T Bank Celebrates 115 Years of Relationship Banking
• MarketSpace Communications, Children’s Community Pediatrics – “We like you, like us back”
• UPMC Health Plan, This is What a Runner Looks Like
• DDI | Development Dimensions International, DDI Social Media

TACTICS

Written Content

Renaissance Award

• Michael Baker International, Michael Baker International Signature Magazine
• Michael Baker International, Michael Baker International Social Media Management
• BRUNNER, Innovation Labs
• Havas PR, Sparking Online Conversation around Quality of Life

Awards of Merit

• BRUNNER, Home Marketing Article Series
• DDI | Development Dimensions International, It’s Not About Men vs. Women in the Workplace
• Havas PR, Highlighting a YOUniverse of Bayer Innovation

Multimedia Content

Renaissance Awards

• UPMC Health Plan, Screening with Meaning

Awards of Merit

• BRUNNER, Lucky Leaf Recipe Videos
• 321Blink, Zachary’s Mission – Sharing Heart Award
• Havas PR, Clean Shades on National Sunglasses Day: Using Video Content to Educate and Entertain
• Pittsburgh International Airport, Ready for Takeoff

Promotional Content

Award of Merit

• BRUNNER, Atlanta Business Chronicle Promotional Content

Annual Report

Renaissance Award

• MarketSpace Communications, Allegheny County Airport Authority – “Momentum” 2017 Annual Report

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS

PRSA Rising Star Award

• Breanna Stephens, Havas PR

PR Entrepreneur of the Year

• Ben Butler, APR, Top Hat

PR Disruption Award

• 84 Lumber

PRSA Member of the Year

• Jordan Mitrik, BRUNNER

Communicator of the Year

• Burt Lauten, Pittsburgh Steelers

Bob O’Gara Student Scholar

• Maura Fenske, Waynesburg University

PRSSA Chapter of the Year

• Waynesburg University PRSSA

Hall of Fame Award

• Kelly Kimberland, APR, UPMC Health Plan

PR Team of the Year

• BRUNNER PR Team

Best in Show

• Top Hat, Will Work for Beer