“Should we enter into the annual PRSA public relations awards?” — the debate that divides our typically united office every year. We all love to review the work we’ve done over the past year (and to win at any opportunity, duh), but the process is certainly time intensive. And wouldn’t we rather spend the time doing strong work for our clients and celebrating their successes?
Not only did we win PR Team of the Year, but we also won eight more. Here’s how we did, broken down by the clients that make it all possible:
Habitat for Humanity OC: Social Media Campaign: 1 Mark of Merit
Our Real Leaders Wear Hard Hats campaign was based on a creative and strategic plan that helped showcase the annual Leaders Build Challenge to the Orange County community and business leaders on social media – because who doesn’t like to see a hard hat juxtaposed with a business suit? The fruits of our efforts resulted in the most unique fundraising effort of the year, as well as a shiny new award.
Welcome the Stranger: Creative Tactics and Press Conferences: 1 Mark of Merit, 1 Excellence Award
When we were tasked with garnering media attention around a monument that didn’t exist yet, but something that would be deemed “A Beacon of Welcome for Immigrants,” we got our creative juices flowing. How could you not when this project is comparable to the West Coast Statue of Liberty, illuminated in our border city? We dug into the history books and built a “Fence of Honor,” with community members sharing their personal immigration stories. The crowdfunding campaign went off without a hitch and resulted in local and national media attention. We stand with these advocates.
San Diego Leaders: Multicultural PR and Diversity, Public Service, Press Conference and Media Relations Nonprofit: 2 Marks of Merit, 2 Excellence Awards
We won four awards with this project, and they were all for different campaigns, which points to the tangible impact their call for diverse representation is. When we united with San Diego Grantmakers and their coalition of social justice leaders, we educated the region on the importance of diverse representation on boards and commissions. The process to evolve systems of power has begun, but it won’t stop until all people in San Diego have an opportunity to direct our community’s future.
Museum of Photographic Arts: Events Less than 7 days: 1 Excellence Award, 1 Best in Show
This museum is unlike any others you’ve visited – we can promise you that. For one, they know how to welcome people into a party and to celebrate a monument. So do we, so we made for a perfect pairing during its 30th anniversary Push Pin Party. We invited everyone to become an exhibiting artist and deck out the walls in their best creation, which pays homage to how the museum began. It went off without a hitch, and attendance was through the roof.
How does this propel us forward?
Not too shabby, huh?
Our boss lady founded Mixte Communications on values that we all hold near and dear to our hearts, and we don’t sacrifice those to make money. The work we do is inherently rewarding as a result. But it’s also difficult in that we are working alongside organizations changing age-old systems, which takes time and devotion.
These marks of success allow us to lift up our clients and the work they’ve tirelessly done to make our communities a better place for all people. And although we thrive in doing that for other people, we also recognize it’s important for us to have that same celebration. It gives us a pause to admire the ways our world around us is changing thanks to the partnerships we have with the region’s and nation’s nonprofit and small business leaders. Our tanks are properly fueled for continued journeys in communications.
What did we learn from this?
Through the process, we’ve answered the question, “Is there enough pizza and wine to help us push through the long hours we put in to finish these submissions?” (It’s a “yes”, by the way.)
We also learned that when you put your all into your work and believe in the causes you promote, good things happen. People see that and want to be part of it. This then causes the best kind of snowball effect – our band of social justice organizations grow stronger and larger every year while inspiring others to do community-based work.
After all, we’ve got to celebrate our collective successes along the way – just as we encourage our clients and colleagues too. A win for us is a win for our clients that make it all possible. Cheers.
