2021 Bernays Mark of Excellence Awards Winners

The PRSA San Diego/Imperial Counties Chapter is pleased to announce the winners of the 2021 Edward L. Bernays Awards.

These efforts were reflected in the theme selected by this year’s Bernays Committee: “Bolder, Brighter, Better.” Bronze and Silver Best of Show and Special Award winners were announced at the in-person mixer on November 18. Merit and Excellence winners were announced virtually on the chapter’s Twitter channel, @PRSASanDiego.

The Special Awards honor individuals who have made significant contributions to the public relations profession in San Diego and Imperial Counties.

• Eva Irving Community Service Award: Jeanna Vazquez
• Otto Bos Award: Scott McGaugh
• Deborah Baker Award: Maren Dougherty
• PR Team of the Year: San Diego County Office of Education Communications Team
• New Pro: Mariah Hugo
• DEI PR Pro of Year: Carin Canale-Theakston

During the “virtual” event on November 18, the following awards in the Bronze, Silver and Best of Show Bernays categories were announced. The Bronze and Silver Bernays Awards recognize public relations tactics and programs incorporating research, planning, creativity, technical excellence, and evaluation.

• Bronze Bernays Merit Award in “Annual Reports” category: Southwest Strategies for East West Bank 2020 Annual Report
• Bronze Bernays Merit Award in “Collateral” category: City of Oceanside and NV5 for Food Scraps Recycling Program
• Bronze Bernays Award of Merit winner in “Editorials/Op-Ed Columns” category: Ford Hutman Media and Ascellus for Positioning Ascellus as Industry Leader Through Op-eds
• Bronze Bernays Award of Merit winner in “Editorials/Op-Ed Columns” category: Nuffer, Smith, Tucker and Guild Mortgage for Guild Leads Mortgage Industry in Push to Digital Mortgage
• Bronze Bernays Award of Excellence winner in “Editorial/Op-Ed Columns” category: East County Advanced Water Purification and NV5 for East County Advanced Water Purification
• Bronze Bernays Award of Merit winner in “Executive Communications” category: Intesa Communications Group for Intesa Raises The Profile Of SDPF’s First Executive Director
• Bronze Bernays Award of Merit winner in “Media Relations – Associations/Government” category: UC San Diego for Wildfire Media Roundtable: A Collaborative Approach
• Bronze Bernays Award of Excellence winner in “Media Relations – Associations/Government” category: City of Oceanside and NV5 for Pure Water Oceanside – U.S. EPA Loan Announcement
• Bronze Bernays Award of Merit winner in “Media Relations – COVID Response” category: San Diego County Regional Airport Authority for Let’s Go Safely Campaign – Keeping SAN’s Passengers Safe!
• Bronze Bernays Award of Merit winner in “Media Relations – Nonprofit” category: Intesa Communications Group for SBCS Reveals Their Experience Managing Child Migrant Shelter
• Bronze Bernays Award of Merit winner in “Media Relations – Press Conferences” category: UC San Diego Scripps Oceanography for DDT Press Conference and Briefing
• Bronze Bernays Award of Excellence winner in “Media Relations – Press Conferences” category: City of Oceanside and NV5 for Pure Water Oceanside – U.S. EPA Loan Announcement
• Bronze Bernays Award of Excellence winner in “New Digital Platform” category: EMWD & NV5 for “Landscapes for Living” Microsite/Contractor Training Portal
• Bronze Bernays Award of Merit winner in “New Digital Platform” category: San Diego County Regional Airport Authority for San Diego International Airport Leads in Sustainability
• Bronze Bernays Award of Merit winner in “New Digital Platform” category: The San Diego Union-Tribune for Social Justice Reporting Project
• Bronze Bernays Award of Merit winner in “Newsletters” category: American Academy of Pediatrics, California Chapter 3 for “ACEs At A Glance” Newsletter
• Bronze Bernays Award of Excellence in “Newsletters” category: City of Carlsbad for City Manager’s Update
• Bronze Bernays Award of Excellence winner in “Research/Evaluation” category: EMWD & NV5 for “Landscapes for Living” Quantitative Customer Survey
• Bronze Bernays Award of Excellence winner in “SEM” category: UC San Diego Health for COVID-19 Travel Testing Paid Search
• Bronze Bernays Award of Merit winner in “Social/Digital Media” category: Southwest Strategies for Enough is Enough – Southwest Strategies Protects STR Use
• Bronze Bernays Award of Excellence winner in “Social/Digital Media” category: American Academy of Pediatrics – California Chapter 3 for More Than A Score: Addressing ACEs in San Diego County
• Bronze Bernays Award of Merit winner in “Videos” category: UC San Diego Health for Celebrating Vaccine Super Station Milestones
• Bronze Bernays Award of Excellence winner in “Videos” category is: East County Advanced Water Purification for East County Advanced Water Purification – The Clear Solution
• Bronze Bernays Award of Merit winner in “Websites” category: EMWD & NV5 for “Landscapes for Living” Microsite/Contractor Training Portal
• Bronze Bernays Award of Merit winner in “Websites” category: San Diego County Water Authority for Water News Network
• Bronze Bernays Award of Excellence winner in “Websites” category: Southwest Strategies for Enough is Enough – Southwest Strategies Protects STR Use

• Silver Bernays Award of Merit winner in “Campaigns: Community Relations – Government” category: City of Oceanside and NV5 for Food Scraps Recycling Program
• Silver Bernays Award of Merit winner in “Campaigns: Community Relations – Government” category: Civilian for Black Legacy Now Campaign
• Silver Bernays Award of Excellence winner in “Campaigns: Community Relations – Government” category: City of Carlsbad for Sew2Care – Giving back and protecting others during COVID-19
• Silver Bernays Award of Excellence winner in “Campaigns: Community Relations – Nonprofit/Association” category: American Academy of Pediatrics – California Chapter 3 for More Than A Score: Addressing ACEs in San Diego County
• Silver Bernays Award of Excellence winner in “Campaigns: Crisis Communication” category: Intesa Communications Group for SBCS Creates National Model for Child Migrant Shelter
• Silver Bernays Award of Excellence winner in “Campaigns: Corporate Social Responsibility” category: Nuffer, Smith,Tucker and Southern California McDonald’s for McDonald’s COVID-19 Vaccine Clinics  Support Community
• Silver Bernays Award of Merit winner in “Campaigns: Events and Observances – Less than Seven Days, Nonprofit/Government/Association” category: SANDAG and Southwest Strategies for Otay Mesa East Port of Entry Memorandum of Understanding
• Silver Bernays Award of Merit winner in “Campaigns: Events and Observances – More than Seven Days, Nonprofit/Government/Association” category: UC San Diego Health for UC San Diego Health Mass Vaccination Events
• Silver Bernays Award of Merit winner in “Campaigns: Integrated Communications” category: City of Oceanside and NV5 for Pure Water Oceanside
• Silver Bernays Award of Merit winner in “Campaigns: Integrated Communications” category: Southwest Strategies for Southwest Strategies Secures Future for Short-Term Rentals
• Silver Bernays Award of Excellence winner in “Campaigns: Integrated Communications” category: NST and the Citrus Pest & Disease Prevention Program for NST Urges Resident Caution with Don’t Move Citrus Campaign
• Silver Bernays Award of Excellence winner in “Campaigns: Marketing – Content” category: American Academy of Pediatrics – California Chapter 3 for More Than A Score: Addressing ACEs in San Diego County
• Silver Bernays Award of Merit winner in “Campaigns: Public Service” category: Civilian for Black Legacy Now Campaign
• Silver Bernays Award of Excellence winner in “Campaigns: Public Service” category: City of Carlsbad and NV5 for Carlsbad Sustainable Mobility Plan Outreach
• Silver Bernays Award of Merit winner in “Campaigns: Reputation/Brand Management” category: FALCK and Southwest Strategies for Falck Unseats 23 Year Emergency Medical Services Incumbent
• Silver Bernays Award of Merit winner in “Campaigns: Social/Digital Media” category: FALCK and Southwest Strategies for Falck Ambulance Digital Campaign Overcomes Political Ban
• Silver Bernays Award of Excellence winner in “Campaigns: Social/Digital Media” category: American Academy of Pediatrics – California Chapter 3 for More Than A Score: Addressing ACEs in San Diego County

Best of show

The Best of Show Awards are presented to the entries with the highest total overall scores in the Bronze Bernays and Silver Bernays, respectively.

• Best in Show Bronze Bernays Award: American Academy of Pediatrics – California Chapter 3 for More Than A Score: Addressing ACEs in San Diego County
• Best in Show Silver Bernays Award: NST and the Citrus Pest & Disease Prevention Program for NST Urges Resident Caution with Don’t Move Citrus Campaign

Student Awards

• Student Bernays Merit Award: Broom Center 4th Annual Center Lecture, Spring 2021 SDSU JMS Capstone for the campaign “Use Your Voice”
• Student Bernays Merit Award: (X), Spring 2021 SDSU JMS Capstone for the campaign ” Pivot with (X)”

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