KOA Anvil Awards
The Koa Anvil recognizes outstanding achievement in an entire public relations program. Entries should include more than one communications tool, program or component. News releases, fact sheets, letters, etc., and proof of publication or broadcast should be submitted as support. Each entrant must designate on the entry form the category and subcategory that is most appropriate for the entrant’s program and the organization that funded it.
1. COMMUNITY RELATIONS
a. Business – Products
b. Business – Services
c. Government
d. Associations/Nonprofit Organizations
e. Travel and Tourism/Hospitality
_____________________
Includes programs that seek to win the support or cooperation of – or that aim to improve relations with -people or organizations in communities in which the sponsoring organization has an interest, need or opportunity. “Community” in this category refers to a specific geographic location or locations. (Campaigns designed to promote products should be entered in Marketing Consumer Products or Services.)
2. REPUTATION/ BRAND MANAGEMENT
a. Business – Companies with Sales up to $10 million
b. Business – Companies with Sales more than $10 Million
c. Government
d. Associations/Non-profit Organizations
e. Travel and Tourism/Hospitality
_____________________
Includes programs designed to enhance, promote or improve the reputation of an organization with its publics or key elements of its publics, either proactively or in response to an issue, event or market occurrence. (Campaigns designed to launch or promote a specific product or service’s launch or sales/marketing effort should not be entered in this category. Instead, refer to Category 7, 8 or 9).
3. EVENTS AND OBSERVANCES (SEVEN DAYS OR FEWER)
a. Business – Products
b. Business – Services
c. Government
d. Associations/Nonprofit Organizations
e. Travel and Tourism/Hospitality
_____________________
Includes programs or events scheduled for one to seven consecutive days (not including planning and preparation). Events may be commemorations, observances, openings, celebrations or other special activities, and must occur within a time span of one week.
4. EVENTS AND OBSERVANCES (MORE THAN SEVEN DAYS)
a. Business – Products
b. Business – Services
c. Government
d. Associations/Nonprofit Organizations
e. Travel and Tourism/Hospitality
_____________________
Includes programs or events that take place for longer than a one-week period, such as a year-long anniversary, or activities (commemorations, observances, celebrations, etc.).
5. PUBLIC SERVICE
a. Business
b. Government
c. Associations/Nonprofit Organizations
d. Partnerships (funded jointly by businesses and other organizations including nonprofit and government)
e. Travel and Tourism/Hospitality
_____________________
Includes programs that advance public understanding of societal issues, problems or concerns. (Similar programs conducted principally to enhance an organization’s standing, or to otherwise serve its interests directly, will fall in Category 2: Reputation Programs.)
6. PUBLIC AFFAIRS
a. Business
b. Associations/Nonprofit Organizations
c. Government
d. Travel and Tourism/Hospitality
_____________________
Includes programs specifically designed to influence public policy and/or affect legislation, regulations, political activities or candidacies – at the local, state or federal government levels.
7. MARKETING CONSUMER PRODUCTS
a. Healthcare
b. Technology
c. Food & Beverages/Restaurants
d. Packaged Goods
e. Non-Packaged Goods
f. Other (categories not elsewhere defined)
_____________________
Includes programs designed to introduce new products or promote existing products to a consumer audience.
8. MARKETING CONSUMER SERVICES
a. Travel and Tourism/Hospitality
b. Healthcare Services
c. Technology
d. Financial Services
e. Other (categories not elsewhere defined)
_____________________
Includes programs designed to introduce new services or promote existing services to a consumer audience.
9. MARKETING BUSINESS TO BUSINESS
a. Professional and/or Financial Services
b. Products
c. Other (categories not elsewhere defined)
_____________________
Includes programs designed to introduce new products or promote existing products or services to a business audience.
10. GLOBAL COMMUNICATIONS
Includes any type of program (i.e., institutional, marketing, events) sponsored by a U.S. company or a company with a U.S. presence. The program must demonstrate effective global communications implemented in at least two countries, one of which may be the United States itself.
11. CRISIS COMMUNICATIONS
a. Business
b. Government
c. Associations/Nonprofit Organizations
d. Travel and Tourism/Hospitality
_____________________
Includes programs undertaken to deal with an unplanned event requiring immediate response.
12. ISSUES MANAGEMENT
a. Business
b. Government
c. Associations/Nonprofit Organizations
d. Travel and Tourism/Hospitality
_____________________
Includes programs undertaken to deal with issues that could extraordinarily affect ongoing business strategy.
13. INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS
a. Business (up to 250 employees)
b. Business (more than 250 employees)
c. Associations/Government/Nonprofit Organizations
_________________
Includes programs targeted specifically to special publics directly allied with an organization (i.e., employees, members, affiliated dealers or franchisees).
14. INVESTOR RELATIONS
a. Companies with Sales up to $10 Million
b. Companies with Sales more than $10 Million
_________________
Includes programs directed to shareowners, other investors and the investment community.
15. MULTICULTURAL PUBLIC RELATIONS
a. Business
b. Associations/Government/Nonprofit Organizations
_________________
For any type of program (i.e., institutional, marketing, community relations) specifically targeted to a cultural group.
16. INTEGRATED COMMUNICATIONS
a. Consumer Products
b. Consumer Services
c. Business to Business
d. Associations/Government/Nonprofit Organizations
_________________
Includes any program that demonstrates leadership of public relations strategies and tactics in a creative and effective integrated campaign along with other marketing or communications. The program must demonstrate the clear leadership of public relations, along with its integration with other disciplines.
Provide a concise two-page PDF summary describing the following entry criteria:
- Research — Analyze or describe the situation on which the program is based. Summarize the primary or secondary research used to identify problems or opportunities addressed by the public relations plan.
- Planning — Outline the public relations plan. Show how the plan correlates to the research findings and specify the plan’s objectives, target audiences, strategy, creativity and budget.
- Execution — Describe how the plan was executed including techniques used, tactics undertaken and difficulties encountered. Participating or cooperating organizations should be identified along with their roles.
- Evaluation — Demonstrate how the program met or exceeded its original objectives through quantifiable measurement methods.
- Entries will be disqualified if a summary is not included or exceeds two pages. Summaries should be no smaller than 10-pt font and one-inch margins.
For more information on submission requirements, categories, criteria and other details, please download the 2023 Call for Entries.
To get started on your entry for the Koa Anvil Awards, please click here.