This year, the Prism Awards celebrate their 20th year of recognising Africa’s most successful public relations campaigns. The recipients of the 2017 awards will be announced on May 6 at The Park in Hyde Park Corner shopping centre, Johannesburg.
Prism Award judges are looking for the “wow factor” in the campaigns that are submitted, says awards convenor Bridget von Holdt. “We’re not looking for business as usual. The campaigns that really stand out for the Prism judges are the ones that go further than merely achieving the objectives. They need to have some really special elements if they’re to be awarded.”
According to Von Holdt, entries are often lacking in the area of research. She says PR practitioners tend not to put enough effort into researching a campaign – whether it is desktop research, or investigating the environment, target audience or competitors.
“Research is worth 15 points out of 100, which means it’s a key factor in the awards, and yet it’s the area where most companies fall down,” she says. She believes this is because once agencies have thought of their big idea, they all too often rush to put it into action, missing the all-important research step. And, while she is quick to point out that she dislikes drawing comparisons between advertising and PR, she believes PR needs to understand the importance of research before launching a campaign, particularly as the industry is doing away with the measure of advertising value equivalent (how much an advert would cost if it were in the space taken up by an unpaid publicity item).
Implementation and impact are also important factors for the judges. Ultimately, says Von Holdt, PR is about storytelling, and this year’s judges are hoping to be inspired by the stories they hear.
Four new categories will be added to the awards this year, all of which fall into the digital space. Nominations for the lifetime achievement award have been requested.
For the first time, Prism will include young judges. “We’ve invited interns and new entrants to the profession to step forward and receive mentoring from our judges, learn how the campaigns are judged and, of course, provide us with their input,” says Von Holdt.
Speaking more broadly, Von Holdt says the PR industry continues to evolve, giving new meaning to the term “through the line”.
“There’s more integration of disciplines than ever before, as well as greater collaboration – not only between specialist agencies on one client, but also in terms of activations and media partnerships.”
The use of video releases, she says, one of the most significant movements in the industry, has changed the way in which people consume news. “In the early days of PR I used to say that one had to try at least seven times before communication could influence or change behaviour. Today, we have so many more tools at our disposal and with integration at every touchpoint, communication becomes that much more effective.”
The big take-out: Prism Award winners will be announced in May.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.