Celebrating the best of PR across Northern Ireland

Around 250 PR professionals gathered at the Culloden Estate & Spa in Belfast last Friday for the 2017 CIPR Northern Ireland PRide Awards - the nation’s annual celebration of outstanding public relations practice.

The evening proved unforgettable for Smarts Communicate - the Holywood-based agency scooped seven prestigious Gold Awards, including the coveted Outstanding Public Relations Consultancy Award. Smarts Communicate’s Seona McGrath MCIPR capped a memorable night by claiming the nation’s Outstanding Young Communicator title.

Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council were named Public Sector Team of the Year and Outstanding In-House Public Relations Team. Judges applauded the Council for their “outcome focused” approach and for “using video content to effectively increase participation in vital council consultations.”

JComms and Navigator Blue both took home two awards, with the latter recognised for a creative campaign highlighting the links between stress and strokes.

Sinead Doyle MCIPR, Chair of CIPR Northern Ireland, commented:

"For a region of its size, Northern Ireland punches well above its weight. Talented individuals, teams and organisations are driving forward best practice through first-class creativity, insight, strategic thinking and delivery. The CIPR NI PRide Awards celebrate the outstanding professionalism and excellence that puts the Northern Ireland PR industry on the map.”

Gold Winners from the 2017 CIPR Northern Ireland PRide Awards:

• Corporate and Business Communications Campaign – JComms, Novosco Cloud Camp
• Internal Communications Campaign - Invest NI, Inside Invest digital magazine launch and roll out
• Consumer Relations Campaign – JComms, All Aboard the Pizza Express!
• Public Sector Campaign - Translink, Get Behind the Hub Campaign
• Community Relations Campaign - Smarts Communicate and Lidl, Giving a 'Lidl' Back to Our Local Communities
• Public Affairs Campaign – Aiken, McDonald's in the Community
• Not-for-Profit Campaign - Massive PR, Northern Ireland says ‘Bula’ to Bula Batiki
• Healthcare Campaign - Navigator Blue, NICHS - Give Stress A Rest• Integrated Campaign - LK Communications, #FindYourBelfast
• Low Budget Campaign - Health and Social Care Board, Medicine Waste Campaign
• Arts, Culture or Sport Campaign - ASG & Partners, Belfast International Arts Festival
• Construction, Property or Infrastructure Campaign - Lanyon Communications and Belfast City Council, Belfast at MIPIM 2017
• Education Communications Campaign - North West Regional College, Start Here Go Anywhere...
• Best Use of Media Relations - Smarts Communicate and Harp, Pure Here Mural
• Best Use of Digital - Smarts Communicate and Diageo Bar Academy, Diageo Bar Academy
• Best Use of Social Media - Navigator Blue, Live Here Love Here: It's Not Rocket Surgery
• Best Use of Photography or Design - Smarts Communicate and Johnnie Walker, Ode to Lesvos
• Best Publication - Northern Ireland Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Achieving Ambition
• Best Event - Smarts Communicate and Diageo Reserve World Class, World Class 'Bartender of the Year' Global Final
• Outstanding Young Communicator - Seona McGrath MCIPR, Smarts Communicate
• Outstanding Independent Practitioner - Maurica Mackle Chart.PR, FCIPR, Mackle Communications
• Public Sector Team of the Year - Antrim and Newtownabbey, Borough Council
• Outstanding In-House Public Relations Team - Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council
• Outstanding Public Relations Consultancy - Smarts Communicate