PRide Awards showcase South of England and Channel Islands PR

Around 200 public relations professionals gathered at the Marriot Hotel City Centre in Bristol last night for the region’s annual celebration of exceptional public relations practice.

The in-house team at South West Water were amongst the big winners on the night, claiming a hat-trick of Gold awards – including Regional Campaign of the Year - for their ‘Love Your Loo’ campaign.

The campaign sought to address the prevalence of sewage blockages in the region, which cost South West Water £4.5m a year in repairs. The in-house team devised a fully integrated campaign which successfully encouraged residents to be mindful of the types of waste they flush down the toilet. Judges praised the team for finding “a fun way to convey a serious message to the general public”.

Bristol-based Inside Media won four Gold Awards, including the revered Outstanding PR Consultancy Award. Other winners on the night included Midnight Communications’ Tommy Handley ACIPR, who was named Outstanding Young Communicator and Lindsey Collumbell Chart.PR MCIPR, Bojangle Communications who clinched the Outstanding Independent Practitioner title.

Adam Riddell Chart.PR MCIPR, Chair of CIPR Channel Islands, Julie Jupe MCIPR, Chair of CIPR South West and Natasha Tobin FCIPR, Chair of CIPR Wessex commented:

“The South of England and Channel Islands are leading centres for the practice of public relations. This includes the growing digital communications sector and innovation in PR practice led by market insight. The PRide Award entries this year included thought-provoking media content, great storytelling and engagement, as well as a real understanding of the communities these campaigns are designed to reach

“We'd like to congratulate all our PRide Award winners. We received some really powerful entries to the awards this year and everyone shortlisted for an award has produced outstanding work.”

Full Gold Award winners from the 2016 CIPR South of England and Channel Islands PRide Awards:

• Corporate and Business Communications Campaign – Jellybean, Wrap Smart
• Internal Communications Campaign - Good Energy, Green Gas rainforest launch
• Consumer Relations Campaign - Inside Media, Vision Zero: Phase One for Continental Tyres
• Public Sector Campaign - NHS Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group, ASAP Campaign
• Community Relations Campaign - South West Water, Love Your Loo
• Not-for-Profit Campaign - The Grand Appeal, Shaun in the City
• Integrated Campaign - South West Water, Love Your Loo
• Low Budget Campaign - Great Western Railway, Teddy Rescue
• STEM Campaign - Inside Media, Vision Zero: Phase One for Continental Tyres
• Arts, Culture or Sport Campaign - McCann Bristol, Creating a world-class event for Archery GB
• Education Communications Campaign - Livewire Public Relations, findaschool - free guide to school admissions
• Regional Campaign of the Year - South West Water, Love Your Loo
• Best Use of Media Relations - Media Safari, The world's most lifelike bionic hand
• Best Use of Social Media - Highlight PR, Pass Miffy On
• Best Publication - Fareham Borough Council and Briscoe French PR, Where Next for Housing in Fareham - Special Edition Fareham Today
• Best Event - Inside Media, Black Chili - getting to grips with a unique tyre technology
• Issues or Crisis Management - Sussex Police, Shoreham Air Crash
• Outstanding Young Communicator - Tommy Handley ACIPR, Midnight Communications
• Outstanding Independent Practitioner - Lindsey Collumbell Chart.PR, MCIPR, Bojangle Communications
• Public Sector Team of the Year - Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service
• Outstanding In-House Public Relations Team - Ordnance Survey
• Outstanding Small Public Relations Consultancy - KOR Communications
• Outstanding Public Relations Consultancy - Inside Media