PCI and several clients garnered seven award wins at the Publicity Club of Chicago 2023 Golden Trumpet Awards. From social media to media relations campaigns, our team members celebrated industry recognition for strategic communications programs that helped our clients achieve membership goals and improve communications and the quality of life for people (and chimpanzees!) Collectively, we won 3 Golden Trumpet Awards and 4 Silver Trumpet Awards.

Thank you to the Publicity Club of Chicago (PCC) and the awards committee for a great program.  Here is more about PCI’s award-winning programs:

PCI Client Winners of 2023 PCC Golden Trumpet Awards

Winner: Golden Trumpet (Marketing B2B & Business Services)

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) 

Reaching New Heights 

We partnered with AAOS to reinvigorate their annual meeting attendance and revenue adversely impacted by the challenges of COVID-19. Our joint strategy, rooted in thorough research, digital advertising, and creative messaging, was designed to maximize results within a well-defined budget.

Our journey began with extensive research conducted in December 2020, which paved the way for setting AAOS’s marketing priorities. With this valuable insight, we crafted a digital advertising strategy, featuring the captivating tagline “Reaching New Heights.” This slogan underscored the safety measures in place post-COVID-19 and emphasized the event’s significance in Chicago.

To implement this strategy effectively, we employed a range of techniques, including remarketing, job title targeting, and conversion tracking. The campaign underwent continuous optimization through keyword research, bid adjustments, and rigorous A/B testing.

Our meticulous approach resulted in improved click-through rates that not only met but exceeded our landing page view and registration targets. The success of the 2022 Annual Meeting campaign can be attributed to its extended duration, augmented budget, and precise audience segmentation. It now serves as a compelling model for future AAOS digital advertising endeavors as it underscores the transformative power of strategic digital advertising supported by research and precise audience targeting, showcasing its ability to drive substantial engagement and registrations for a major event.

Winner: Golden Trumpet (Marketing Healthcare/Medical) 

American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE)

Colorectal Cancer Screening Saves Lives

We worked with The American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE)  on a three-year public education initiative to raise awareness of the importance of colonoscopies in preventing colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. They employed digital advertising and organic social media to target high-risk individuals and individuals over 45 years old.

Research conducted in 2019 included interviews, surveys, and a roundtable involving primary care physicians, hospital marketers, and ASGE members. In November 2020, a digital advertising strategy titled “Value of Colonoscopy” was launched on various platforms, with subsequent campaign modifications in July 2021 and February 2022. The campaign aimed to meet specific advertising benchmarks and landing page metrics.

Creatively, the campaign highlighted the importance of colonoscopies, targeting both physicians and patients. It featured diverse visuals to resonate with different audiences. Techniques involved keyword research, targeted campaigns, and optimization to maximize reach and effectiveness. Measurable results showed significant improvements in click-through rates, landing page visits, and resource clicks or downloads, with a noticeable increase compared to 2021.

The success of the 2022 Value of Colonoscopy campaign was attributed to its extended duration, increased budget, and refined targeting. ASGE’s efforts in 2021 also led to a partnership with a pharmaceutical company in 2022 for a new campaign focused on tailoring colonoscopy screenings to patients based on their risk levels.

Winner: Golden Trumpet (Integrated Civic Communications)

North American Primate Sanctuary Alliance (NAPSA)

An Urgent Rescue Campaign 

In 2019, the closure of the Wildlife Waystation refuge near Los Angeles left over 480 wild animals stranded. The North American Primate Sanctuary Alliance (NAPSA) led efforts to rescue 40 remaining chimpanzees. PCI partnered with them in late 2020 to create a comprehensive public relations campaign. Together, with our campaign partners, we developed an integrated strategy that leveraged celebrity connections, combined fundraising, public relations, digital advertising, and social media to engage potential donors, animal welfare advocates, and Wildlife Waystation supporters. The campaign aimed to raise over $4 million to build habitats for the chimps at accredited sanctuaries so they could be rehomed. Our team created a compelling case statement, developed videos, created a website, launched a digital ad campaign and secured media coverage that attracted and engaged donors.

Despite challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic, NAPSA’s Chimpanzees in Need campaign raised the needed funds within 2 years, and all of the chimpanzees were safely rehomed by the end of 2022.

Winner: Silver Trumpet (Marketing Healthcare/Medical)

American Society of Retina Specialists 

See for A Lifetime

We worked with The American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS) to launch a two-year public outreach initiative to increase awareness about the role of retina specialists and encourage individuals with symptoms of retinal diseases to seek referrals. Research conducted by ASRS informed our campaign’s strategy, with a survey revealing the need for such an initiative. The campaign was initially planned for 2020 but was postponed due to COVID-19.

In August 2021, we updated the digital advertising strategy and launched the “See for a Lifetime” campaign in September 2021 on Google Search, Display, and Facebook channels. The campaign aimed to meet specific measurable objectives, including click-through rates and landing page metrics. It featured carefully crafted messaging and visuals that emphasized the importance of early treatment for retinal diseases and the role of retina specialists in patient healthcare.

The 2022 campaign, which exceeded the 2021 results, was attributed to its longer duration, increased budget, and refined targeting parameters. While it fell short of the landing page goals, it significantly increased awareness about retinal diseases and the importance of seeking treatment, as indicated by improved click-through rates and landing page metrics compared to 2021.

Winner: Silver Trumpet (Media Relations, Nonprofit)

Giving USA 

Giving USA Annual Report 

We have been supporting the Giving USA Foundation’s annual release of “Giving USA: The Annual Report on Philanthropy” since 2017. In 2022, we helped them achieve remarkable results by adapting their strategies.

Our previous approach involved releasing key takeaways from the report and hosting a news conference on the same day. However, declining media attendance at the news conference led us to suggest a change. In 2022, we organized a media roundtable held six weeks after the press release to create a more newsworthy event, enhance thought leadership recognition, and secure “second-day” coverage.

We conducted research into media coverage of philanthropic news and found key themes such as coverage of wealthy donors, the pandemic’s impact, and anticipated inflation effects. They adjusted their communication strategy to focus on concise pitches prioritizing these themes.

The campaign ran from February to September 2022, with a focus on facilitating quality media coverage of the Giving USA report release and elevating the profiles of Giving USA leaders as philanthropy sector experts.

Together, we achieved remarkable results with 758 total media placements and an audience reach of over 2.1 billion. This included coverage in prominent outlets like CNBC, ABC News, and Associated Press, exceeding their objectives. Furthermore, 44% of placements featured a Giving USA spokesperson, and 68% appeared in high-priority or priority outlets. PCI also secured media registrations from high-priority outlets for the media roundtable event.

Winner: Silver Trumpet (Media Relations, Nonprofit)

Alzheimer’s Association 

AAIC: Amplifying Science and Hope

We supported the Alzheimer’s Association in amplifying the visibility of Alzheimer’s and dementia news while emphasizing the Association’s leadership in global research during the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC). Our strategic media campaign aimed to expand both reach and engagement.

Our campaign was grounded in comprehensive research, including insights on journalist and media trends and demographic data reports on Alzheimer’s disease. We partnered with our Alzheimer’s Association colleagues in shaping the AAIC news program after evaluating more than 1,000 scientific abstracts based on specific news value criteria, considering study quality, relevance to audiences, novelty of findings, and alignment with Alzheimer’s Association priorities.

Our campaign targeted diverse audiences, including the general public, healthcare decision-makers, those impacted by Alzheimer’s, the research community, healthcare professionals, and policymakers. It pursued three main objectives: increasing media impressions over the previous year, gaining coverage in three new media outlets, and advancing the Association’s mission of promoting global research and raising awareness of Alzheimer’s and dementia.

The campaign exceeded expectations, achieving over 185 million impressions, a 43% increase from the prior year. It secured coverage in new high-visibility outlets such as VICE, The Grio, Yahoo Entertainment News, and USA Today’s Instagram account, while also establishing connections with reporters at The New York Times and NBC News. The campaign went viral with a “talker” story about the impact of ultra-processed foods on brain health went viral, receiving widespread attention in popular culture, including mention by Stephen Colbert on The Late Show and coverage by Yahoo Entertainment News.

Winner: Silver Trumpet (Social Media)

National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC)

Supporting Equity In Genetic Counseling

The National Society of Genetic Counselors (NSGC) collaborated with us to drive justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (J.E.D.I.) through social media, advocating for enhanced access to healthcare for diverse patients and providers. The effort extended to fostering meaningful online discussions, encouraging inclusivity, and discouraging harmful behaviors.

We conducted comprehensive research by analyzing social media metrics and external data to refine NSGC’s social media strategy. Our campaign aimed to engage diverse audiences, including genetic counselors, healthcare providers, consumers, and policymakers. Our objectives included increasing followership and engagement across various social media platforms and driving referrals to NSGC’s consumer website.

To achieve these goals, we developed a tailored social media strategy, including content buckets, tone of voice, and posting cadence. We helped expand NSGC’s reach by launching an Instagram account in April 2022. We collected videos, audio soundbites, and essays from genetic counselors representing marginalized communities, focusing on the role of J.E.D.I. in healthcare. Then, we created accessible content with alt text, video descriptions, and closed captions. Social media channels were closely monitored to ensure prompt responses to questions and to encourage respectful discussions.

Results showed significant progress, with a 71% achievement rate for social media benchmarks, exceeding objectives for followership and engagement. NSGC achieved a substantial increase in social referrals to its consumer website, reaching 1,768 referrals by the end of 2022. These efforts enabled NSGC to educate the public, expand its social media presence, and respond effectively to healthcare equity and policy changes in a dynamic online environment.

See the full winner list here.