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2021 LANTERN AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED
The Southern Public Relations Federation recognized outstanding work in the field of Public Relations during the 2021 Annual Conference held in Panama City Beach, Florida.
Members from the Public Relations Council of Alabama (PRCA), the Public Relations Association of Louisiana (PRAL), and the Public Relations Association of Mississippi (PRAM) received 90 awards for their work in the categories of Long Term Programs, Short Term Programs, and Tactical Materials.
Once again, Mississippians took home the top three awards. Checky Herrington, a member of PRAM, took the William A. Taylor Best of Show Award with his winning entry “30 Seconds Can Save a Lifetime” in the category Short-Term Strategic Programs//Community Relations and Public Service. The Best of Tier One: Long-Term Strategic Programs went to a fellow member of PRAM, the Mississippi Department of Education for their Mississippi Connects Communication Campaign. And the Best of Tier Three: Tactical Materials/Projects went to MSU PRISM Department of Communications for Social Media Management entry, “Mercedes-Benz of Tuscaloosa: The MBT Experience”.
Twenty-five entries earned a Lantern Award, the highest honor. From Alabama, Lanterns went to Big Communications (PRCA Birmingham) and Auburn University Samuel Ginn College of Engineering (PRCA East Alabama). PRCA members also achieved ten Awards of Excellence and 11 Awards of Merit.
In Louisiana, Woman’s Hospital (PRAL Baton Rouge), Southern Heritage Bank, Crest Industries, (both of PRAL Central), and the University of Louisiana Monroe (PRAL Northwest) brought home a total of seven Lanterns between them. PRAL members also received ten Awards of Excellence and six Awards of Merit.
Mississippi members of PRAM brought home 17 Lantern Awards among Mississippi Department of Education and Entergy (PRAM Central), Narrative12 and Mississippi State University (PRAM MSU/Starkville), and Tupelo Convention & Visitors Bureau (PRAM Northeast). PRAM Members also came home with 20 Awards of Excellence and six Awards of Merit.
In the Student Categories, Sarah C. LaBorde from Louisiana State University achieved the Student Best in Show Award for entry The Geaux Summit in Special Events category. One award of Excellence and one Award of Merit were also awarded.
Entries were judged on their individual merit by PR practitioners from outside the area of competition. Award-winning entries are recognized with Awards of Merit, Awards of Excellence, and Lantern Awards. A Best of Tier award winner is selected from the highest scored Lantern winners in each tier, with the Best of Show award selected from the three Best of Tier honorees.
A full list of award winners is included here.
If you have questions, contact 2021 Lantern Awards Chair Cindy Webster at [email protected].
THE INSPIRATION FOR THE NEW TROPHIES
SPRF’s representative states all border the Gulf of Mexico looking over its rich waters. The Gulf is a key resource and unique to the identity of this region. Introduced in 2019, the new family of Lantern trophies is designed to represent an angular silhouette of a lighthouse with a beacon of light shining out to illuminate its surroundings, informing and alerting all those within its influence.
Exemplary public relations product operates in much the same way – standing as a guide, communicating to vast and distant publics, serving as a constant and reliable guide when others require assistance and to help them steer clear of rough waters. A Lantern winner is a beacon of public relations excellence. The Best of Show and Best of Tier trophies are mounted on LED bases to amplify the "lighthouse" effect.
