51st Bell Ringer Awards – Winners List

The PR Club’s Bell Ringer Awards have been a symbol of outstanding achievement for New England public relations and marketing professionals for half of a century. This year marked our 51st annual awards – and while the profession looks differently than it did years ago, the awards continue to celebrate and honor the teams who raise the standards of creativity and craftsmanship in our industry. Congratulations to this year’s winners!

PROFESSIONAL AWARDS

Striker Award for industry newcomer of the year
Benjamin Paulin, John Guilfoil Public Relations

Ringer Award for mid-level practitioner of the year
Sheila Hughes, 360PR+

John J. Molloy Crystal Bell lifetime achievement award
Maura FitzGerald, Version 2.0 Communications

Platinum Super Bell
Duffy & Shanley: Dunkin’ – Dunkin’ Iced Coffee Day, Featuring Good Night Lights – Cause Marketing Campaign

PRODUCT/SERVICE LAUNCH CAMPAIGNS

Business-to-Business
  • Silver – Hill+Knowlton Strategies, “Business Chemistry: Practical Magic For Crafting Powerful Work Relationships” Book Launch and Media Campaign

Consumer

  • Gold – 360PR+, The Great Backseat Adventure with Maxi-Cosi Magellan
  • Silver – Wayfair, Wayfair Wows Customers on Way Day
  • Bronze – 360PR+, Harpoon Dunkin’ Coffee Porter Launch
  • Merit – MSL, Coravin Breaks Through the Noise at CES

Healthcare

  • Silver – Rasky Partners, Mass Eye and Ear Performs First Ever FDA-Approved Gene Therapy Procedure
  • Bronze – FleishmanHillard, Can Lightning Strike Twice? No Rest for Philips SRC at CES 2019

High Tech

  • Bronze – Racepoint Global, MediaTek/Racepoint Global: Helio P60 Launch @ Mobile World Congress 2018
  • Merit – Wayfair, Wayfair Spaces Leaps into Tech Spotlight

Hospitality, Travel, Entertainment

  • Gold – Adam Ritchie Brand Direction, Mix It Up: PR Invents Menu Items through the Power of Influencer Storytelling – Super Bell Finalist

PRODUCT/SERVICE PUBLICITY CAMPAIGNS

Business-to-Business

  • Silver – SHIFT Communications, Closing the Gap: Revealing Employee Pay Gaps and Its Impact on Workplace Culture 
  • Bronze – BackBay Communications, BackBay Introduces the US to Capco 
  • Merit – March Communications, Paving the Way for Affectiva’s Entry into the Auto Industry 

Consumer

  • Bronze – Matter Communications, Matter with Nature Nate’s

Healthcare

  • Gold – Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, Improving Quality of Life by Spotlighting Innovative Med-tech – Super Bell Finalist
  • Silver – SHIFT Communications, Doximity on the Coming Crisis of Women’s Health
  • Merit – RDW Group, Flu Vaccination

High Tech

  • Gold – Highwire Public Relations, Meet Akamai, a Security Company. Yes, a Security Company. – Super Bell Finalist
  • Silver – SHIFT Communications, Disrupting Player One – Creating Controlled Controversy to Engage Gaming Influencers and Prospects
  • Bronze – Version 2.0 Communications, UiPath: An RPA Unicorn is Born
  • Merit – Tier One Partners, From Unknown to Unicorn: Tier One Partners Builds Industry Thought Leadership for Collibra

Hospitality, Travel, Entertainment

  • Bronze – 360PR+, VRBO Win the Mountain Sweepstakes

COMMUNICATIONS CAMPAIGNS

Brand Building or Re-Branding

  • Silver – Creative Work Systems, Maine Woodworks: A Social Enterprise
  • Merit – Solomon McCown & Company, Inc., #PIERLife

Cause Marketing

  • Gold – Duffy & Shanley, Dunkin’ Iced Coffee Day, featuring Good Night Lights – Super Bell Finalist
  • Silver – Wayfair, Wayfair Reaches Customers with Veteran Cause
  • Bronze – 360PR+, Divorce Stories 

Community/Consumer Affairs

  • Bronze – John Guilfoil Public Relations, Town of Andover Supports its Community Following Disaster

Content Marketing

  • Silver – 360PR+, TIAA Divorce Stories 
  • Bronze – Adam Ritchie Brand Direction, The M.O.M. Squad: PR Equips Diverse Supermoms with a Powerful Product Line 
  • Merit – 360PR+, Wellness Natural Pet Food Take Your Dog to Work Day Takeover

Crisis Communications

  • Gold – ML Strategies, LLC, University of Maryland: Two-Week Turnaround to Months-Long Football Crisis
  • Silver – John Guilfoil Public Relations, Town of Andover Responds to Merrimack Valley Gas Disaster

Employee Communications

  • Silver – Adams & Knight, Inc., Everyone’s a Caregiver

Executive Thought Leadership

  • Gold – 360PR+, Avis Budget Group CIO Rollout
  • Silver – March Communications, Shining a Light on AI’s Brightest Star
  • Bronze – Solomon McCown & Company, Inc., Shining a Light on the Design Expertise of CBT
  • Merit – LaVoieHealthScience, Building Corporate & Executive Brand Through Thought Leadership Programming

Influencer Campaign

  • Silver- 360PR+, Travelpro’s Platinum Elite Collection Takes Flight
  • Bronze- Hollywood Agency, Picture This: A Celebrity Campaign to Remember
  • Merit- Brodeur Partners, Hankook Tire: What Drives You?

Investor Relations

  • Gold- Duffy & Shanley, Duffy & Shanley for College Ave Student Loans-Making the Grade in Student Loans
  • Bronze- LaVoieHealthScience, Newron Pharmaceuticals 2018 R&D Day

Integrated Marketing Communications

  • Gold – PAN Communications, Phononic: Store of the Future – Super Bell Finalist
  • Silver – RDW Group, The Ripple Effect
  • Bronze – Adam Ritchie Brand Direction, The M.O.M. Squad: PR Transforms Diverse Pregnant Women into the World’s First Team of Pregnant Comic Book Superheroes
  • Merit – Solomon McCown & Company, Inc., Changing the Conversation on Congestion

Micro Influencer Campaign

  • Bronze- Adam Ritchie Brand Direction, Mix It Up: PR Transforms Diverse Micro-Influencers into Inspired Menu Items
  • Merit- 360PR+, Peapod and 360PR+ Engage Micro-Influencers to Score Big for Super Bowl

Nonprofit Communications

  • Silver- SHIFT Communications, Cultivating an Important Conversation: Destigmatizing Mental Health with The Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds at MGH
  • Bronze- Solomon McCown & Company, Inc. for Children’s Friend
  • Merit- Creative Work Systems, Maine Woodworks: Employing Adults with Disabilities

On-a-Shoestring

  • Bronze- Hollywood Agency, Moms Know Best
  • Merit- Boston University PRLab, PRLab Amplifies Partners for Youth with Disabilities’ Fund Development Efforts

Public Affairs

  • Silver- Solomon McCown & Company, Inc. for Vote No on Question 1
  • Bronze- WGBH Educational Foundation, WGBH Educational Foundation Media Relations Team Promotes Civic Engagement During Primary and General Massachusetts Elections Season

Social Media

  • Silver – SHIFT Communications, Competing in Real-Time: Citrix Redirects the Spotlight During Conference Season
  • Bronze – RDW Group, Cornell Engineering: Organic Social Media Campaign Builds Engagement, Encouragement for Women in STEM

Superior Research & Planning

  • Gold – SHIFT Communications, The No Vacation Nation
  • Silver – 360PR+, 360PR+ and Liberty Mutual Insurance “Driving Safety Program”
  • Bronze – Tier One Partners, Facing the “Someday Scaries”

MEDIA PLACEMENTS – SINGLE ITEMS 

Bylined Article

  • Silver- SHIFT Communications, Solace Gets Technical About Pollution: Why Putting More Plastic in Our Oceans Could Save Them 

Corporate or Agency Podcast

  • Silver- March Communications, March Communications Helps Elevate Emergn Clout’s Ahead of a Major Industry Event 

Digital/Print – Trade

  • Merit -sharyn frankel public relations, Melding Tradition and Trends for Harbar’s Tortilla Success in Food Business News

Digital/Print – National

  • Silver- SHIFT Communications, “Holy Grail” Media Placement Brings TripAdvisor CSR Campaign Widespread Attention
  • Bronze- 360PR+, Pete and Gerry’s Organic Eggs and 360PR+ Help Settle the Great Egg Debate
  • Merit- 360PR+, Putting a New Twist on the Iconic Rubik’s Cube

Digital/Print – Regional or Local

  • Gold- Highwire Public Relations, America Did Make the 2018 World Cup; Without A Cambridge Company Millions Would Have Missed Out
  • Silver- MassHousing, New MassHousing Loan Program Requires No Down Payment
  • Bronze- Creative Work Systems, Maine Woodworks
  • Merit- Cone, PMC Founder Billy Starr Shows No Sign of Slowing Down

Digital/Print – Series

  • Gold- 360PR+, Pete and Gerry’s Organic Eggs and 360PR+ Unscramble the Truth About Eggs: #EggsAreHealthy 
  • Silver- Hollywood Agency, Let’s get Loud(er): Vesper Amps Up Visibility After Series B 
  • Bronze- 360PR+, Liberty Mutual Insurance Dwellbeing
  • Merit -SHIFT Communications, Brilliant Earth Coverage Shines Bright

Response to Breaking News

  • Silver- John Guilfoil Public Relations, Town of Andover Responds to Merrimack Valley Gas Disaster
  • Bronze- SHIFT Communications, Thanksgiving Eve – The Ultimate Data Breach News Dump
  • Merit- Duffy & Shanley, Navigant Credit Union Rolls Out Federal Shutdown Policy

Television – Local/Regional

  • Gold- 360PR+, Wellness Natural Pet Food Take Your Dog to Work Day Takeover
  • Silver- John Guilfoil Public Relations, Rockland Boy Hailed as Hero After Calling 911 to Help Save Sister’s Life
  • Bronze- John Guilfoil Public Relations, Brand-New Text-to-911 Program Helps Randolph Police Save Man’s Life
  • Merit- 360PR+, Horizons: Teacher Degree Program

Television – National

  • Gold – 451 Agency, First Check TV News Placement
  • Silver – 360PR+, Summer Family Fashion with Sperry and Merrell
  • Merit – John Guilfoil Public Relations, Massachusetts Woman Bravely Speaks Out Following Attempted Abduction While Jogging

CONTENT MARKETING – SINGLE ITEMS

Digital/Printed Collateral

  • Bronze- MassHousing, MassHousing 2018 Annual Report
  • Merit- Perkins School for the Blind, Defining Success: 2018 Annual Report

Digital Video                       

  • Gold- 360PR+, Divorce Stories
  • Silver- RDW Group, Hope Point Tower
  • Bronze- Duffy & Shanley, Dunkin’ Iced Coffee Day, featuring Good Night Lights
  • Merit -Matter Communications, Matter with Best Aquaculture Practices

Owned Media

  • Gold- 360PR+, Divorce Stories
  • Silver- Solomon McCown & Company, Inc. for Recycle Smart MA
  • Bronze- Creative Work Systems, Maine Woodworks Website
  • Merit -MassHousing, Home Buying Tips From MassHousing

PR Agency Citizenship/Pro Bono

  • Silver- Boston University PRLab, PRoBono 2018
  • Bronze- John Guilfoil Public Relations, Supporting Firefighters and Communities in Mourning
  • Merit- Matter Communications, Matter’s Helping Hands Volunteer Initiative

EVENTS

Media Event

  • Gold- March Communications, Conquering a New Growth Market with Affectiva’s Experiential Emotion AI Summit
  • Bronze- Matter Communications, Matter with JBL

One-Time Special Event

  • Silver- March Communications, Conquering a New Growth Market with Affectiva’s Experiential Emotion AI Summit
  • Bronze- Duffy & Shanley, Espresso Launch- Dolce Dunkin’ – Duffy & Shanley for Dunkin’
  • Merit- Duffy & Shanley, Dunkin’ Iced Coffee Day, featuring Good Night Lights

Special Event – Series

  • Silver- Duffy & Shanley, Dunkin’ Iced Coffee Day, featuring Good Night Light – Duffy & Shanley for Dunkin’