We are pleased to present the recipients of this year’s Edward L. Bernays Awards! This year’s theme was “World Design Capital” after the prestigious designation given to our region this year.
The 2024 Edward L. Bernays Award entries were judged by the Utah Chapter. 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
- Otto Bos Hall of Fame, Lifetime Achievement Award: David Glanzer
- Eva Irving Community Service Award: Denise Scatena
- PR Pro of the Year: Arika Daniels
- PR Team of the Year: (W)right On Communications
Student Awards
Excellence: Modern Military Association of America – Serve with Pride, students from the Journalism and Media Studies School at San Diego State University.
- Saraí Solorzano, Team Lead
- Luke Dane, HR Manager
- Amy Nguyen, Research Captain
- Riley Schueber, Logistics Captain
- Lauren Wright, Media Relations Captain
- Ariana Carvajal, Social and Graphics Captain
- Kelly Cutler, Campaign Coordinator
- Gianna Morrone, Campaign Coordinator
- Vianey Sanchez Cuevas, Campaign Coordinator
Silver Awards
Silver Excellence Awards
- Best in Show: WD-40 Precision Pen Launch Campaign – Nuffer, Smith, Tucker
- Community Relations: Government: Robertson Ranch Park Public Involvement Program – City of Carlsbad
- Corporate Social Responsibility: Summer of Economic Power: Celebrating Local Tourism – Intesa Communications Group
- Events and Observances: Less than Seven Days, Business: 2024 WD-40 Brand x Throtl Cars & Coffee – Nuffer, Smith, Tucker
- Events and Observances: Less than Seven Days, Nonprofit/Government/Association: Rolling into Summer 2024: A Celebration of Local Tourism – Intesa Communications Group
- Integrated Communications: $5.5B Payment Card Settlement: Legit, Big and Easy to Claim – (W)right On Communications
- Internal Communications: City Manager’s Employee Update Videos – City of Carlsbad
- Marketing: Consumer Products and Services: WD-40 Precision Pen Launch Campaign – Nuffer, Smith, Tucker
- Public Service: Border Wall Fall Injuries – UC San Diego
- Reputation/Brand Management: Intesa Spotlights SDRM’s Efforts to End Homelessness – Intesa Communications Group
Silver Merit Awards
- Community Relations: Government: Making “Cents” of San Diego County’s Billion Dollar Budget – County of San Diego
- Community Relations: Government: Portside Community Academy – PRM Consulting Inc.
- Community Relations: Nonprofit/Association: 2024 SDCVA Economic Impact of San Diego Wineries Report – Clearpoint Agency
- Events and Observances: Less than Seven Days, Nonprofit/Government/Association: Grow with Us at East Campus Medical Center – UC San Diego
- Integrated Communications: CDFA Invasive Fruit Fly Integrated Outreach Campaign – Nuffer, Smith, Tucker
- Integrated Communications: Welcoming East Campus Medical Center to UC San Diego Health- UC San Diego
Bronze Awards
Bronze Excellence Awards
- Best in Show: San Diego’s Ronald McDonald House Red Shoe Day Fundraiser – Nuffer, Smith, Tucker
- Annual Reports: Better Together: County of San Diego 2022-23 Annual Report – County of San Diego
- Editorials/Op-Ed Columns: ECO at UCSD DES Binational Learning + Preparation OpEd Trio – Scatena Daniels Communications
- Executive Communications: Elevating Donnie Dee’s Mission to end Homelessness in SD – Intesa Communications Group
- Media Relations: Business to Business: Clearpoint Expands Awareness of OptionMetrics – Clearpoint
- Media Relations: Consumer Products and Services: Petco Holiday PR Campaign 2024 – Petco
- Media Relations: Nonprofit: San Diego’s Ronald McDonald House Red Shoe Day Fundraiser – Nuffer, Smith, Tucker
- Media Relations: Press Conferences: Cathedral Plaza Grand Reopening Press Conference & Publicity – Intesa Communications Group
- Media Relations: Shoestring Budget: San Diego Rotary Celebrates Peter Seidler as Mr. San Diego – Scatena Daniels Communications
- Newsletters: City Manager’s Update E-newsletter – City of Carlsbad
- Social/Digital Media: Nurse Uses Power of Music to Heal – UC San Diego
- Videos: City Manager’s Employee Update Videos – City of Carlsbad
Bronze Merit Awards
- Annual Reports: DEI with AEG Worldwide: A Stage for All – (W)right On Communications Inc.
- Creative Tactics: Overcoming Skepticism for the $5.5B Payment Card Settlement – (W)right On Communications Inc.
- Editorials/Op-Ed Columns: Carlsbad Magazine City Matters Column – City of Carlsbad
- Editorials/Op-Ed Columns: Monarch School: Social-Emotional Learning for Unhoused Youth – J. Walcher Communications
- Media Relations: Consumer Products and Services: WD-40 Precision Pen Media Relations Campaign – Nuffer, Smith, Tucker
- Media Relations: Nonprofit: GI Film Festival San Diego Presents Untold Military Stories – Scatena Daniels Communications
- Media Relations: Nonprofit: Epilepsy Clinical Trial News Release and Media Relations – UC San Diego
- Media Relations: Press Conferences: Rolling into Summer 2024: A Celebration of Local Tourism – Intesa Communications Group
- Podcasts: At the Edge of It All – A University of San Diego Podcast – University of San Diego
- Videos: Living Liver Transplant Video Campaign – UC San Diego
- Videos: Pathway to Possibility: Domanick’s Scholarship Story – San Diego Foundation
Special thanks to our sponsors!
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