Bader Rutter of Brookfield received the Best of Show Award at the Public Relations Society of America Southeastern Wisconsin Chapter Paragon Awards ceremony Thursday.
The awards program for high-level work in public relations was held at the Potawatomi Hotel & Casino in Milwaukee.
Bader Rutter was honored for its work with Zoetis on the Hoof-Tec New Product Introduction. The creative “Too Much Metal” campaign introduced a new footbath product to dairy farmers and veterinarians used for bathing cow hooves. Results included an increased awareness of 50 percent in just nine months after the campaign and increased product sales. Print and online placements attracted nearly 1.5 million impressions. The launch news release received 447,848 impressions, and it was the most-clicked story of the March Inside Dairy Wellness e-newsletter.
Other Best of Show finalists included Bader Rutter for its work for Sauder, BVK for its work with Weddings by Funjet and Hawai’i Health Connector, and Celtic Inc. for its work with Edvest.
This year’s entries were judged by the Greater Kansas PRSA Chapter and were evaluated based on five criteria: objectives, research and planning, execution, budgets and results.
“It’s wonderful to see the volume of great public relations work produced right here in Southeastern Wisconsin,” said Bill Bussler, Wisconsin Chapter president. “Our members are creative, resourceful and savvy. The work featured at the Paragon Awards gets better each year, and we look forward to continuing to see the outstanding work our members produce.”
The events also recognized two established professionals for their work in the local community. The Communicator of the Year Award was presented to Stephanie Klett, secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Tourism. Under her leadership, the Department of Tourism has earned an unprecedented 65 regional, national and international awards. The Dorothy Thomas Black Award was presented to Carol Seeger Weber, APR, director of communications and marketing at the Wisconsin Dental Association.
Other Paragon Award winners included:
- Merit Awards for Ongoing Social Media Campaigns: BVK – Alex Boeder and Lauren Wagner for Guitars for Vets’ Social Media Campaign; BVK – Alex Boeder and Jackie Hribar for Foresters’ Tech Timeout Challenge Social Media Campaign; BVK – Lisa Lach and AJ Trela for The Funjet Insider Social Media Campaign; and BVK – Rob Ebert for Mystik Lubricants’ Lubrication Domination Social Media Campaign.
- Awards of Excellence for Social Media Campaigns: Bader Rutter – Liesel Olson, Megan Price, Katie Shafer and Olivia Johnson for Sauder’s Social Media Campaign; BVK – Bruce Dierbeck and Alex Boeder for the Hawai’i Health Connector Social Media Campaign; BVK – Lisa Lach and AJ Trela for the Weddings by Funjet Launch Social Media Campaign; and BVK – Rob Ebert and AJ Trela for the CITGO Fueling Good Road Trip Social Media Campaign.
- Merit Award for Community Relations Programs: State Farm – Kelly Savage for Neighborhood Assist Community Relations Program.
- Merit Award for Public Service Program: State Farm – Kelly Savage for Celebrate My Drive Public Service Program.
- Merit Awards for Integrated Communications Programs – Business or Industry: Wisconsin Dental Association and Group One Marketing for the “Own Your Smile” Oral Health Literacy, Public Awareness Campaign; and American Transmission Co. – Anne Spaltholz and Alissa Braatz for the American Transmission Co. Helps Landowners to Grow Smart Campaign.
- Award of Excellence for Integrated Communications Programs – Business or Industry: Bader Rutter – Cheryl O’Brien for the 2014 Honoring Caregivers Program; Celtic Inc. for Edvest’s Big Apple Giveaway; Bader Rutter – Kristina Hopkins, Mandy Witt and Jared Bramer for the Hoof-Tec New Product Introduction.
- Merit Award for Integrated Communications Programs – Government or Nonprofit: Lisa Todd of Laughlin Constable and Lisa Marshall of the Wisconsin Department of Tourism for the 2014 Wisconsin Department of Tourism Campaign.
- Award of Excellence for Integrated Communications Programs – Government or Nonprofit: Bethesda for the Peoria Community Engagement Campaign.
- Award of Excellence for PR Tactics: Media Relations Tactic – Press Kit, Product: Cramer-Krasselt – John Mose, Heather Gaedtke and Tanya Pinsoneault for the Alpha Free Multimedia News Release.
- Merit Award for PR Tactics: Media Relations Tactic – Press Kit, Services/Events/Other: Lisa Todd from Laughlin Constable and Danielle Johns from the Wisconsin Department of Tourism for the Wisconsin Tourism 2014 Press Kit.
- Merit Awards Media Relations Tactic – Press Release or Other Tactic: Brian Knox and the Laughlin Constable team for the School Nurses Vaccination Effort – “No Shots, No School!”; and Bader Rutter – Bruce Herz, Claire Haupt and Nina Lewis for the Case IH Media Event and Farm Progress Show.
- Award of Excellence for Media Relations Tactic – Press Release or Other Tactic: Kohler Engines – Anne Smith and Bill Bussler for Kohler Engines’ Trade Editors’ Conference.
- Merit Award for Posters: Cramer-Krasselt – John Mose, Julie Ferris, Dave Racine, JC Maldonado, Tim Halverson and Heather Gaedtke for The Power to Choose Evinrude.
- Merit Award for Special Events: Cramer-Krasselt – John Mose, Julie Ferris, Dave Racine, JC Maldonado, Tim Halverson and Heather Gaedtke for Club Evinrude.
- Award of Excellence for Brochures: Carroll University for its Admission General Brochure.
- Merit Award for Social Media Tactic: Cramer-Krasselt – Marlaina Quintana and Maureen Falkner for their TIKI Brand Outdoor Entertaining Blogger Program.
- Award of Excellence for Online Tactics – Website: Bader Rutter for the National Pork Board and National Pork Producers Council’s PorkCares.org.
- Award of Excellence for Online Tactics – E-Newsletters: Brenna Sadler and the Laughlin Constable team for the Spreading the Word: Wisconsin Industrial Sand Association’s E-Newsletter.
