As part of our 25th anniversary content series, we looked back at some of our favorite award-winning campaigns. Since 1996, Linhart PR has been honored to receive four Silver Anvils, considered the top campaign award in public relations from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA); a Bronze Anvil Award of Commendation for outstanding tactical execution; five Grand Gold Pick Awards, the prize for the top-scoring campaign at the annual PRSA Colorado Gold Pick awards event; and 60+ additional awards from PR News, PRSA Colorado, the Business Marketing Association and the American Marketing Association.
Here are five campaigns we were proud to bring to life across a variety of industries and that leveraged a range of our capabilities and expertise.
Verlasso Harmoniously Raised Fish – Market Launch and Reputation Management:
Linhart PR brought home two PRSA Silver Anvils in 2014 for helping Verlasso successfully launch its sustainable farmed salmon while simultaneously working to overcome long-held farmed fish stereotypes to convince target audiences – chefs, distributors, retailers and consumers – that Verlasso is a healthy, sustainable and great-tasting choice.
A robust integrated marketing campaign – complete with an aggressive media response strategy to correct misinformation; speaking engagements; key opinion leader meetings; national earned media placements like this one in USA Today celebrating a coveted Seafood Watch ranking; and a powerful owned media approach that leveraged social media and email marketing – helped Verlasso and its leaders shine a light on, and get credit for, the brand’s sustainable farming methods while also opening the door to new retailer partnerships and sales.
Linhart Public Relations – Firm and Team Culture Matters:
While we regularly submit awards for the impactful campaigns we collaborate on with our clients, on occasion we also seek out recognition for the work we do to build our firm from the inside out. We pride ourselves – and focus intently on – being a place where people are motivated to do their career-best work and where achievements are recognized, celebrated and rewarded. As a result, culture really matters at Linhart PR.
We’ve won several awards for our special firm culture over the years, including two PRSA Silver Anvils and two PRSA Colorado Grand Gold Picks.
Black Hills Energy – Community Solar Gardens Clean Energy Celebration:
To showcase its growing renewable energy portfolio, Black Hills Energy and Linhart PR developed a multi-pronged community relations campaign to increase awareness of two new Southern Colorado community solar gardens, an innovative offering that makes solar power accessible to those who are unable to install a private rooftop solar array. By subscribing to a community solar garden, customers purchase facility or “garden” shares and benefit from the electricity produced by the larger system. This PRSA Colorado 2019 Grand Gold Pick campaign included a ribbon-cutting event at the Rocky Ford solar garden project site along with a Boys & Girls Clubs of Pueblo County solar-powered pumpkin carving party to teach kids about renewable energy.
Laura’s Lean – Social Channel Relaunch, Strategy and Management:
For the Laura’s Lean natural proteins brand, Linhart PR led a dramatic revamp of Facebook and Instagram. The relaunch resulted in off-the-charts growth in engagement and impressions. In 10 months, Linhart PR increased Laura’s Lean Facebook engagement by 75,391 percent and Instagram engagement by 1,095 percent. And, the content and ad strategy drove more than 13,000 consumers to the brand’s new e-commerce store, plus product purchases, in just four months. Our results outperformed several food & beverage industry social media benchmarks, earning a 2019 PRSA Bronze Anvil Award of Commendation and a PRSA Colorado Gold Pick.
Red Robin – The Next Gourmet Burger Kids’ Recipe Contest
Linhart PR led the team in the creation of this annual brand-building program that linked Red Robin’s core product – the gourmet burger – to its core users at the time – families. The kids’ recipe contest spanned 5 years; generated nearly 205 million media impressions, including multiple TODAY appearances with the kid chef winners; gathered 54,000+ burger recipe entries from kids; sold nearly 530,000 kid-created burgers; and donated more than $270,000 to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, the contest’s non-profit partner.
Over the course of the 5 contest years, the PR and marketing program earned a Holmes Group 2009 Silver SABRE and a PRSA Colorado Grand Gold Pick.
Are you looking to create an award-winning public relations campaign for your company or brand? Email me at kjanhunen@linhartpr.com.
