We are pleased to present the recipients of this year’s Edward L. Bernays Awards! This year’s theme was “Best of San Diego and Imperial,” an homage to the excellent work our local public relations community produces year after year in the San Diego and Imperial Counties.

The 2023 Edward L. Bernays Award entries were judged by the South Carolina Chapter and volunteers of PRSA. As usual, we award one Excellence Award and up to two Merit Awards in each category, unless there is a tie. The “Best of Show” award represents the entry, or entries in case of a tie, with the highest overall score of all Silver Bernays entries and all Bronze Bernays entries, respectively. The Special Awards honor individuals who have made significant contributions to the public relations profession in the San Diego and Imperial Counties.

Winners

Special Awards

• Diogenes: Christynne Lili Wrene Wood
• Eva Irving: William Lopez
• New Pro of the Year: Karlene Sanchez
• PR Pro of the Year: Sandy Young
• PR Team of the Year: Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego

Student Awards

• Excellence: Culture Shock® San Diego
• Merit: Glen M. Broom Center for Professional Development in Public Relations’ 6th Annual Center Lecture

Silver Awards

Silver Excellence Awards

• Best of Show: Dexcom Brings Trailblazing NIL Program to Life via Dexcom U—Allison and Dexcom
• Community Relations, Government: El Portal Pedestrian & Bike Undercrossing Project—City of Encinitas
• Crisis Communication: Solving the YMCA Crisis: Controversy and Transgender Rights—Intesa Communications Group and The YMCA of San Diego County
• Events and Observances Less than Seven Days, Business: Sempra Celebrates 25th Anniversary in New York City—Sempra Strategic Communications Team
• Events and Observances Less than Seven Days, Nonprofit/Government/Association: Organic Waste Recycling Youth Workshop—City of San Diego Environmental Services Department and Katz & Associates
• Integrated Communications: Sempra Elevates Awareness in Washington, D.C.—Sempra Strategic Communications Team
• Internal Communications: Crafting Consensus: 2023 SANDAG Board of Directors Retreat—Intesa Communications Group, Multimodal Solutions & SANDAG
• Marketing – Consumer Products and Services: Dexcom G7 Launch: Feels Like Magic—Allison and Dexcom
• Marketing – Content: Driving Awareness and Leads for Dexcom Through TikTok—Allison and Dexcom
• Marketing – Influencer: Dexcom Brings Trailblazing NIL Program to Life via Dexcom U—Allison and Dexcom
• Marketing – Influencer: WD-40 Brand Fiscal Year 2023 Influencer Program—Nuffer, Smith, Tucker and WD-40 Brand
• Public Affairs: OceanKAMP Rides the Wave to Unanimous Approvals—Intesa Communications Group
• Public Service: Safer Streets Together—City of Carlsbad
• Reputation/Brand Management: From Dull to Dazzling: Zevra Shows its True Stripes—Evoke Canale
• Social/Digital Media: Driving Awareness and Leads for Dexcom Through TikTok—Allison and Dexcom

Silver Merit Awards

• Community Relations, Government: Ag Vision for the Next Decade—Nuffer, Smith, Tucker
• Community Relations, Government: RVSD Long-Range Community Relations for Agency Turnaround—ARDURRA
• Community Relations, Nonprofit/Association: ECS Head Start Advertising Campaign Phase I—ECS Communications
• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Communications: Queer Identity Empowers UC San Diego Scientists—UC San Diego University Communications
• Events and Observances Less than Seven Days, Nonprofit/Government/Association: Crafting Consensus: 2023 SANDAG Board of Directors Retreat—Intesa Communications Group, Multimodal Solutions & SANDAG
• Events and Observances Less than Seven Days, Nonprofit/Government/Association: Poinsettia Dog Park Opening—City of Carlsbad
• Events and Observances Less than Seven Days, Business: Ribbon Cutting Marks a New Era for Xencor—Evoke Canale
• Events and Observances More Than Seven Days: Atmospheric Rivers Events—Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego
• Integrated Communications: Think Blue San Diego: Clean Water, Clean Beaches 2023—Katz & Associates
• Integrated Communications: Impact Like None Other—UC San Diego Communications and UC San Diego Advancement
• Internal Communications: City Manager’s Employee Update Video Series—City of Carlsbad
• Reputation/Brand Management: San Diego Foundation Launches a New Brand Identity—San Diego Foundation
• Reputation/Brand Management: Expanding Corporate Visibility for Cessation Therapeutics—Ford Hutman Media/Rachel Ford Hutman
• Social/Digital Media: Parks & Recreation Month Social Media Campaign—City of Carlsbad
• Social/Digital Media: Eradicating Congenital Syphilis from San Diego County—American Academy of Pediatrics, California Chapter 3

Bronze Awards

Bronze Excellence Awards

• Best of Show: NST Helps EoS Fitness Flex its Media Relations Muscles — Nuffer, Smith, Tucker & EoS Fitness
• Collateral: El Portal Bike and Pedestrian Safety Handbook—City of Encinitas
• Creative Tactics: Sempra Rings the NYSE Opening Bell—Sempra Strategic Communications Team
• Editorials/Op-Ed Columns: Carlsbad Magazine City Matters Column—City of Carlsbad
• Media Relations, Associations/Government: City of San Diego Huanglongbing Media Relations Efforts—Nuffer, Smith, Tucker
• Media Relations, Business to Business: BNever Again – Changing the Tide of the Opioid Epidemic—Ford Hutman Media/ Rachel Ford Hutman
• Media Relations, Consumer Products and Services: NST Helps EoS Fitness Flex its Media Relations Muscles—Nuffer, Smith, Tucker & EoS Fitness
• Media Relations, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI): EVMWD Septic to Sewer Conversion Project – Phase 1—Kleinfelder Construction Services
• Media Relations, Nonprofit: Senior Center of the Future’ Opens in Rancho Bernardo—Scatena Daniels Communications
• Media Relations, Press Conferences: Kicking Off the Summer Season & Celebrating Local Tourism—San Diego Tourism Authority and Intesa Communications Group
• Newsletters: City Manager’s Update E-newsletter—City of Carlsbad
• Social/Digital Media: Dynamic Storytelling for a Growing Audience via Social Media—Evoke Canale
• Videos: InService to San Diego County—County of San Diego
• Websites: Microsite: Impact Like None Other—UC San Diego University Communications and UC San Diego Advancement
• Word-of-Mouth: When MSCHF Called, WD-40 Brand Answered—Nuffer, Smith, Tucker and WD-40 Brand

Bronze Merit Awards

• Annual Reports: Connect with Us: County of San Diego Annual Report—County of San Diego
• Creative Tactics: Shoestring Budget: Boosting Voter Outreach for $350—County of San Diego
• Editorials/Op-Ed Columns: Donate Life Editorials—UC San Diego Health and Lifesharing San Diego
• Editorials/Op-Ed Columns: Gender-Affirming Care is Healthcare—American Academy of Pediatrics, California Chapter 3
• Magazines: UC San Diego Magazine: Non-Conventional from the Start—UC San Diego University Communications
• Media Relations – Associations/Government: Kicking Off the Summer Season & Celebrating Local Tourism—San Diego Tourism Authority and Intesa Communications Group
• Media Relations – Associations/Government: PINC 2023: Scientists are Dying the Ocean Pink—Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego
• Media Relations, Business to Business: Unveiling a Masterpiece: Found Lofts Open to Rave Reviews—Intesa Communications Group
• Media Relations, Business to Business: Sempra Launches Port Arthur LNG—Sempra Strategic Communications Team
• Media Relations, Business to Business: Clearpoint Expands Awareness of OptionMetrics in US, Abroad—Clearpoint Agency
• Media Relations, Nonprofit: 100 Years in Bloom: Coronado Flower Show Springs Into Action—Scatena Daniels Communications
• Media Relations, Nonprofit: Elevating San Diego Rescue Mission Goal to End Homelessness—San Diego Rescue Mission and Intesa Communications Group
• Media Relations, Nonprofit: San Diego Blood Bank Precision Blood Expansion—Scatena Daniels Communications
• Media Relations, Press Conferences: Project Feat Brings Secretary Pete—SANDAG, Caltrans and Southwest Strategies
• Media Relations, Press Conferences: West Health Announces Senior-Friendly ERs around San Diego—Scatena Daniels Communications
• Social/Digital Media: Eradicating Congenital Syphilis from San Diego County—American Academy of Pediatrics, California Chapter 3
• Videos: State of the City Video—City of Carlsbad
• Videos: Video: Impact Like None Other—UC San Diego University Communications and UC San Diego Advancement
• Websites: UC San Diego Today—UC San Diego University Communications
• Websites: San Diego Foundation’s Revamped Website—San Diego Foundation

Special thanks to our sponsors!

Platinum Sponsors

Southwest Strategies, UC San Diego

Diamond Sponsor

Sempra

Bronze Sponsor
Ardurra

Chapter & Program Sponsors
Alternative Strategies, J/PR, Reliance Public Relations, Scatena Daniels, Wright On Communications, Intensa

Website Sponsor

Mile3 Web Development

Photography & Program Design
Vanner

Event Sponsor

F&L Media, Green Fresh Florals