Held at the Hotel Monaco, the Renaissance Awards were emceed by Leah Lizarondo, founder of Brazen Kitchen and cofounder of 412 Food Rescue. Mayor William Peduto was in attendance for his win as Renaissance Communicator of the Year, as were many of the region’s top public relations and communications professionals from leading agencies, corporations, non-profit organizations and educational institutions. Campaigns and tactics are honored in many categories, including media relations, marketing communications, community events/public service and special events.

“In this industry, we stand on the shoulders of giants. And each year, the PRSA Renaissance Awards give us an opportunity to not only recognize these giants, but to be inspired by them and to build on their successes. One of the things I like most about these awards is listening in on the conversations that take place at the tables. That’s where the seeds for next year’s winners tend to be planted,” said Steve Radick, President of PRSA Pittsburgh.

Entries were independently evaluated by a panel of judges from PRSA’s East Central District, comprised of chapters from Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, Western and Northwestern Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Kentucky. 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.

Complete list of winners:

CAMPAIGN AWARDS

Digital Social Media Campaign

Less than $25,000 – Awards of Merit

• Brunner: Jarden WeMo WeMoments Blogger Outreach Program
• Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania: #GasSmellfie Public Safety Social Media Contest
• Elias/Savion Advertising: AIRMALL USA: Fit2Fly Week AND Random Acts of Kindness Week
• Gatesman+Dave: S&T Bank’s Hunt for Holiday Hundreds
• The Motherhood: Influencer Driven Campaign Helps Deliver 126,000 Days of Clean Drinking Water to Children in Developing Countries

 

Less than $25,000 – Renaissance Award

• Gatesman+Dave: SHOP ‘n SAVE Surprise and Delight
• MarketSpace Communications: Children’s Community Pediatrics – CCP Wow Moments

 

More than $25,000 – Award of Merit

• Brunner: Musselman’s Apple Butter Blogger Outreach Program

 

More than $25,000 – Renaissance Awards

• The Motherhood: The Stork OTC Reach 57 Million with a new, at-home optionto those trying to conceive
• Gatesman+Dave: Camp Invention Paid Social Registration Campaign

 

Community Relations/Public Service

Less than $50,000 – Awards of Merit

• Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania: Santa’s Poison Prevention
• FISA Foundation: Pittsburgh-Allegheny County Observance of 25th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act
• Gatesman+Dave: 2015 Foodland Scholarship Program
• OPR Group.: Environmental Focus: PA’s Environmental Affairs Television Program
• Shift Collaborative: Taking the Stigma out of Afterschool Meals: Go Ahead, Get Your Grub On
• The Motherhood: Influencer Driven Campaign Helps Deliver 126,000 Days of Clean Drinking Water to Children in Developing Countries
• The Motherhood: The Motherhood and United Nations Foundation’s Shot @ Life Campaign

 

Less than $50,000 – Renaissance Award

• Gateman+Dave: Westmoreland County Airshow

 

More than $50,000 – Awards of Merit

• Allstate Insurance Company: Putting the Community in Good Hands
• Burson-Marsteller: Paralyzed Veterans of America #UNSTOPPABLE
• Shift Collaborative: Public Activations. A Huggable Robot. Playing the Horn for Healthcare

 

More than $50,000 – Renaissance Award

• Red House Communications: OpenStreetsPGH 2016

 

Individual Award: Not-for-Profit Communicator of the Year

• Patti Jo Lambert, Friends of the Bantam Jeep, Inc.

 

Special Event, Observances, Fundraisers

More than $35,000 – Award of Merit

• Giant Eagle: Giant Eagle Cookie Launch

 

Not-for-Profit, Less than $35,000 – Renaissance Awards

• Elias/Savion Public Relations: Father’s Day Pledge Public Signing Event
• Shift Collaborative: Messaging and Brand Experience for a New Pittsburgh Festival – Picklesburgh

 

Not-for-Profit, More than $35,000 – Awards of Merit

• Burson-Marsteller: Paralyzed Veterans of America #UNSTOPPABLE
• Pipitone Group: Campaign for the Church Alive

 

Not-for-Profit, More than $35,000 – Renaissance Awards

• Gatesman+Dave: National Inventors Hall of Fame Greatest Celebration of American Innovation Event
• Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh: Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh UPMC 125th Anniversary Campaign

 

Individual Award: Renaissance Communicator of the Year

• Mayor William Peduto

 

Media Relations

Less than $20,000 – Awards of Merit

• Chemistry Communications: WEFTEC Trade Show
• Elias/Savion Advertising: Center for Organ Recovery & Education

 

More than $20,000 – Awards of Merit

• Allstate Insurance Company: Bringing Safety to the Steel City
• Burson-Marsteller: Opternative Launch Media Relations Campaign
• The PNC Financial Services Group: The Tower at PNC Plaza Opening

 

More than $20,000 – Renaissance Awards

• Havas PR: Drug resistant epilepsy – The AspireSR generator launch
• Burson-Marsteller: Defining a Digital Leader

 

Internal Communications

Awards of Merit

• HM Insurance Group: HM Values Matter Program
• Stern Public Relations: Take Your Parents to Work Day

 

Renaissance Award

• Havas PR: Seeing What Sets National Vision, Inc. Apart

 

Individual Award: Renaissance Rising Star Award

• Meredith Klein, Senior Account Executive at Gatesman+Dave
• Jessica Franklin, External Communications & Community Affairs Representative at U.S. Steel

 

Marketing Communications

B2B, Less than $50,000 – Award of Merit

• HM Insurance Group: HM Content Marketing – Specialty Pharmaceuticals

 

B2B, Less than $50,000 – Renaissance Award

• Garrison Hughes: First National Bank – Business Banking

 

B2C, Less than $50,000 – Awards of Merit

• Garrison Hughes: UPMC Medical Mondays
• Mindful Creative/Downing Communications: Mainstay Life Services IMC Campaign

 

B2C, Less than $50,000 – Renaissance Award

• Stern Public Relations: John Cisna’s Brand Ambassador Tour

 

B2B, More than $50,000 – Award of Merit

• Pipitone Group: Guttman Energy Fuels Division – Marketing Communications Campaign

 

B2B, More than $50,000 – Renaissance Awards

• Gatesman+Dave: Del Monte Fruit Burst Trade Campaign
• Pipitone Group: Solarban 50th Anniversary Campaign

 

B2C, More than $50,000 – Awards of Merit

• Gatesman+Dave: S&T Bank “&” Campaign
• Giant Eagle: Giant Eagle Cookie Launch

 

B2C, More than $50,000 – Renaissance Awards

• Burson-Marsteller: Defining a Digital Leader – Elevating Bank of America’s Industry Leadership
• Chemistry: UPMC Health Plan Individual Exchange Campaign
• Havas PR: Giving America Something to Smile About – Rickey Smiley Eyewear
• Smith Brothers Agency: Snack Mob Sampling Tour

 

Bob O’Gara Student Scholarship Award

• Rachel Willis, Duquesne University

 

TACTICS

Online/Social

Blogger Outreach – Award of Merit

• Elias/Savion Advertising: Pittsburgh Irish Festival Blogger Outreach

 

Blogger Outreach – Renaissance Award

• The Motherhood: Brain Chase – Bring Online Summer Adventure Learning to Kids

 

Online Publication – Renaissance Award

• Bravo Group: The Stream

 

Internal Website – Award of Merit

• Chemistry Communications: H&R Block Intranet Redesign Brand Platform

 

External Website – Awards of Merit

• Chemistry Communications: Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation: 125th Anniversary Campaign Microsite
• Gatesman+Dave: StarKist Website Redesign

 

Other – Award of Merit

• Smith Brothers Agency: Nestle Drumstick #FirstDayofSummer Periscope Takeover

 

Individual Award: Agency of the Year

• The Motherhood

 

Creative Tactics

Other – Awards of Merit 

• Chemistry Communications: Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation: 125th Anniversary Celebrity Video AND 125TH Anniversary Giving Booth
• Garrison Hughes: Calgon Carbon Interactive Kiosk

 

Internal/External Publications, three or more colors – Renaissance Award

• University of Pittsburgh: Pitt Magazine

 

Annual Report and Capabilities Brochure, Less than $20,000 – Awards of Merit

• Garrison Hughes: Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation Community Report
• HM Insurance Group: HM Workers’ Compensation Advantages – Digital Brochure

 

Annual Report and Capabilities Brochure, Less than $20,000 – Renaissance Award

• Mindful Kreative/Downing Communications: ‘The Keys to Success’ Capabilities Piece

 

Annual Report and Capabilities Brochure, More than $20,000 – Renaissance Awards

• Garrison Hughes: 2015 UPMC Cancer Center Report
• MarketSpace Communications: Children’s Pediatrics – Pinterest Annual Report

 

Individual Award: Renaissance Hall of Fame

• Bob Oltmanns

 

BEST OF SHOW

• The Motherhood: The Stork OTC Reach 57 Million with a New, At-Home Option to Those Trying to Conceive. It was the only entry out of all 87 to receive perfect score from all judges.