PR Awards 2019 shortlist: Which are the agencies leading the pack?

Being in the PR field is not easy. In fact, we dare say it is one of the hardest fields to work in and recruit for. Our journalists work with you guys day in and out, and we understand the pressures of the job. That is precisely why it is important for us on the Marketing magazine team to really celebrate those in the industry in a bid to promote more talent and retention in the field.

Our PR Awards for 2019 is back for the sixth year running and aims to recognise and reward the very best players in this highly competitive field. Staying true to the Marketing ethos of being the go-to publication dedicated to bringing only the latest news and profiling the most credible news-makers in the industry, the PR Awards 2019 is the definitive awards programme for all PR professionals. Our regional awards are judged by 23 senior client side industry experts from around the region, and to keep things fair, judges do not assess or even view entries from their own companies nor that of their competitors.

This year, the awards saw over  420 entries from 144 unique participating organisations from across the region. We had 73 unique participating agencies with the most contested category being "Best Launch/Re-Launch Campaign".

So which are the agencies that have made a cut and stand to take home the glorious PR Agency of the Year crown this year? Well, scroll to find out.

Best Corporate Affairs Strategy

• Energy for Everyone - BCPG Public Company
• National Engagement Strategy - Cisco
• Helping Drive US$1.3 Bn Investment Into Electrify.Asia’s Record Token Sale - PRecious Communications for Electrify
• #EndTheWait - JDVM Marketing Communications Inc for Grab Philippines
• The Hilton Effect in Asia Pacific - RICE Communications for Hilton International
• Advancing a Resilient and Innovative ASEAN: The Oracle Way - Oracle ASEAN
• Voyager Innovations Investment Round: affirming leadership & elevating the Philippine tech industry - Voyager Innovations, Inc.

Best Crisis Management Strategy

• Winning the hearts of customers from a crisis - PR Communications for ezbuy
• Ice Cream, Everybody Scream "Fat Shame" - Weber Shandwick Singapore for Fitness First Singapore
• GOJEK Sandwich Strategy - GOJEK Indonesia
• Crisis Communications Mitigation Efforts for GO-FOOD - GOJEK Indonesia
• #EndTheWait - JDVM Marketing Communications Inc for Grab Philippines
• Finding the Light in CityONE's Mall Explosion - Hashtagcity Malaysia for Kenbest

Best CSR Communications

• Healthy Lung Asia - MHP Communications UK for AstraZeneca
• The Juan Effect - Cebu Pacific Air
• Grab Malaysia #BreakTheSilence - Arcis Communications for Grab Malaysia
• HP Sustainability: Break Down the Beast - Wunderman-Bienalto, Traffik, Edelman for HP Inc.
• Sands for Singapore Charity Festival 2018 - Marina Bay Sands
• From Iron Deficient to Iron Sufficient - Golin Singapore for Nestlé Myanmar
• They Built This City: Revealing the Sacrifices by Migrant Workers in Singapore - FleishmanHillard Singapore for Paya Lebar Quarter by Lendlease
• CSR Day 2018: Share the infinIT gift - SPi Global
• Malaysian Invasion Spirit In Motion at The Jakarta Asian Para Games 2 - Tune Talk

Best Employee Engagement / Internal Communications

• Redefining Communications - Cisco
• Being the “D” in GANDALF - DBS Bank
• Cloud Flyer - Oracle
• Slack Transformation Journey - Oracle
• Work, and Smile - The Thinc Group - PERSOLKELLY
• Implementation & Integration of Workplace by Facebook - RHB Singapore
• SPi Technologies

Best Engagement for a Targeted Community

• World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth Singapore Launch - Asia PR Werkz for Blizzard Entertainment Singapore
• For Your Sweetheart Singapore - WE Communications for Boehringer Ingelheim Singapore
• GOJEK Swadaya - GOJEK Indonesia
• Flight of the Day - AKA Asia for Jetstar Asia
• Celebrating Singles Day with the Ladies - Mutant for Lazada Singapore
• Hear65 - National Arts Council
• They Built This City: Revealing the Sacrifices by Migrant Workers in Singapore - FleishmanHillard Singapore for Paya Lebar Quarter by Lendlease
• TOTAL DEFENCE - AREA 51o - S'PORE DISCOVERY CENTRE
• 20/20: THE TEMASEK SHORT FILM PROJECT - Weber Shandwick for Temasek
• Voices for Momos - RICE Communications for World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)

Best Event-led PR Campaign

• Singapore International Cyber Week 2018 - Hill + Knowlton Strategies for CSA and Image Engine
• Dyson Airwrap Styler Launch - Adhesive for Dyson
• Fuji Island - Picture Perfect Paradise - CampaignLab for FUJIFILM
• UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour presented by Heineken® 2018 - MAD HAT PR PLT for Heineken Malaysia
• Petron Triaction Run Regional Roadblock - The Huddle Room for Petron Corporation
• TOTAL DEFENCE - AREA 51o - S'PORE DISCOVERY CENTRE
• We Are Extraordinary - IN.FOM for UnionPay International South East Asia
• Disney Tsum Tsum Mid-Autumn Celebration of Love - VivoCity Singapore & The Walt Disney Company Southeast Asia

Best Insights-Driven PR

• adidas: Sport18 - Creation Singapore for adidas Singapore
• Secruity Above Everything - Cisco
• FOX+ Showdown - McCann for FOX Networks Group
• Hilangkan Batasan - GOJEK Indonesia
• Flight of the Day - AKA Asia for Jetstar Asia
• #IMadeTheSwitch - Mutant for Monster.com
• Beyond The Label - Ogilvy Singapore for National Council of Social Service (NCSS)
• Prego Buddies Campaign - Impact Communications for Prego
• Ready for 100 - Preparing for Longevity in Singapore - Prudential Singapore
• Porichchonno Bangladesh (Promoting Cleanliness in Bangladesh) - Concito PR for Reckitt Benckiser Bangladesh
  

Best Launch/Re-Launch Campaign

• AIA Singapore’s Vow: Not only to good health, but with you through the bad - Ogilvy Singapore for AIA Singapore
• Energy for Everyone - BCPG Public Company
• Cerecin Rebrand - Spurwing Communications for Cerecin
• #growingprogress – Corteva APAC brand launch - Spurwing Communications for Corteva Agriscience
• Dyson Airwrap Styler Launch - Adhesive for Dyson
• UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour presented by Heineken® 2018 - MAD HAT PR PLT for Heineken Malaysia
• Holey Moley Golf Club Launch - Mutant for Holey Moley Golf Club
• Launch of JadeScape by Qingjian Realty - Asia PR Werkz for Qingjian Realty
• Dove 1 Minute - Bridges@Com, Inc. for Unilever
• #TakePleasureSeriously with the Magnum Chocolate & Hazelnut Praliné - Golin Singapore for Unilever Singapore

Best Media Relations Strategy

• #growingprogress – Corteva APAC brand launch by Spurwing Communications for Corteva Agriscience
• The Year of the Foodie - AKA Asia for Deliveroo Singapore
• GuocoLand - Asia PR Werkz for GuocoLand
• Launch of habitat by honestbee - Asia PR Werkz for habitat by honestbee
• UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour presented by Heineken® 2018 - MAD HAT PR PLT for Heineken Malaysia
• Madame Fan Launches at Singapore's Iconic NCO Club - FleishmanHillard Singapore for JW Marriott Singapore South Beach
• Beyond The Label - Ogilvy Singapore for National Council of Social Service (NCSS)
• Royal Philips raises the alarm on sleep disorders and respiratory health - FleishmanHillard Singaporefor Philips ASEAN Pacific
• Ready for 100 - Preparing for Longevity in Singapore - Prudential Singapore
• THE ICONIC Swim Show '18 - Adhesive & EGPR for THE ICONIC
• The Workforce of the Future - MHP Communications for Workday

Best PR by an In-house Communications Team

• Future Ready: A New Era of Digitalization in #AirLiquideisTransforming - Air Liquide Southeast Asia
• #BeyondLowFares - AirAsia
• Anthonius Gunawan Agung, Indonesian Aviation Hero - AirNav Indonesia
• Energy for Everyone - BCPG Public Company
• More Than Just An Airport - Changi Airport Group
• Becoming The Best Bank In The World - DBS Bank
• Ready for 100 - Preparing for Longevity in Singapore - Prudential Singapore
• Mr Lim's Reunion Dinner - Singtel
• TOTAL DEFENCE - AREA 51o - S'PORE DISCOVERY CENTRE
• Ivory Lane Singapore - WWF-Singapore

Best PR Campaign: B2B

• Energy for Everyone - BCPG Public Company
• HP GSB for Marketers: Unleashing the Power of Print - Edelman for HP Inc.
• Meltwater Driving Leads from the Ecommerce Wave - Mutant for Meltwater
• Bringing together decision makers and innovators from SE Asia’s speciality food & drinks industries- Mango PR for Montgomery Asia
• Soaring to the Cloud: Our Cloud Customers Storytelling - Oracle ASEAN
• The Data Literacy Project - Text100 for Qlik
• SAP Consumer Propensity Report 2018 - FleishmanHillard Singapore for SAP
• Building the deep tech ecosystem, from Singapore for the world - IN.FOM for SGInnovate
• The Workforce of the Future - MHP Communications for Workday

Best PR Campaign: Consumer Products

• Durex World Cup 2018 - Social Campaign - MSL Vietnam for Durex Vietnam
• FOX+ Showdown - McCann for FOX Networks Group
• Fuji Island - Picture Perfect Paradise - CampaignLab for FUJIFILM
• PR Launch Campaign for GoPro HERO7 in SEA - FleishmanHillard Singapore for GoPro
• UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour presented by Heineken® 2018 - MAD HAT PR PLT for Heineken Malaysia
• Lenovo Legion Refresh, Asia Pacific Campaign - WE Communications APAC for Lenovo Asia Pacific
• Cadbury Dairy Milk Celebrates Malaysia - MAD HAT PR PLT for Mondelēz Malaysia
• From Iron Deficient to Iron Sufficient - Golin Singapore for Nestlé Myanmar
• Bali Bundle - CampaignLab for OPPO
• #TakePleasureSeriously with the Magnum Chocolate & Hazelnut Praliné - Golin Singapore for Unilever Singapore

Best PR Campaign: Entertainment

• BBC Player Expansion - Truth Communications by BBC Studios
• FOX+ Showdown - McCann for FOX Networks Group
• Global Crypto Offering Exchange (GCOX) Global PR Campaign - Flame Communications for Global Crypto Offering Exchange (GCOX)
• Netflix Bingeing in Public - Arcis Communications for Netflix Malaysia
• Netflix Hari Raya Lessons - Arcis Communications for Netflix Malaysia
• ONE : HEART OF THE LION - ONE CHAMPIONSHIP
• ‘So Here I Am’ by Joanna Dong - Asia PR Werkz for Red Roof Records
• SM Little Stars - SM Supermalls
• 16 Baris X Tune Talk - Tune Talk

Best PR Campaign: Government/Public Services

• AIA Singapore’s Vow: Not only to good health, but with you through the bad - Ogilvy Singapore for AIA Singapore
• 21st Century Learning (PAK21) - Education Performance and Delivery Unit (PADU)
• #JelajahIndonesiaLebihDekat (#ExploreIndonesiaCloser) - Grab
• The Power of a Wish - FleishmanHillard Singapore for Make-A-Wish Singapore
• Hear65 - National Arts Council
• SHARE as One - Xodbox for National Council Of Social Service - Community Chest
• Beyond The Label - Ogilvy Singapore for National Council of Social Service (NCSS)
• Empowering the Nation with Library 4.0 - Hill + Knowlton Strategies for National Library Board (NLB)
• Total Defence - Asia PR Werkz for Nexus, MINDEF
• #Connect2Earth - Villains for WWF International

Best PR Campaign: Luxury

• Fusions by Club Med - Club Med
• THE MURAKA Residence Launch - Conrad Maldives Rangali Island
• Dyson Airwrap Styler Launch - Adhesive for Dyson
• #ATasteofParis: Limited Edition Fetive Collection by Nespresso - Golin Singapore for Nestle Nespresso S.A.
• Shiseido Makeup Big Bang - SHISEIDO SINGAPORE
• #TakePleasureSeriously with the Magnum Chocolate & Hazelnut Praliné - Golin Singapore for Unilever Singapore
  

Best PR Campaign: Real Estate

• Wallich Residence - Asia PR Werkz for GuocoLand
• Tanjong Pagar Centre - Asia PR Werkz for GuocoLand
• They Built This City: Revealing the Sacrifices by Migrant Workers in Singapore - FleishmanHillard Singapore for Paya Lebar Quarter by Lendlease
• Launch of JadeScape by Qingjian Realty - Asia PR Werkz for Qingjian Realty
• Narrow House Competition - Rumah123.com

Best PR Campaign: Services

• THE MURAKA Residence Launch - Conrad Maldives Rangali Island
• Leading the Sustainability Change - W for foodpanda
• Launch of habitat by honestbee - Asia PR Werkz for habitat by honestbee
• Flight of the Day - AKA Asia for Jetstar Asia
• Madame Fan Launches at Singapore's Iconic NCO Club - FleishmanHillard Singapore for JW Marriott Singapore South Beach
• Celebrating Singles Day with the Ladies - Mutant for Lazada Singapore
• Journey Well with Oasia - Uniform for Oasia Hotels & Residences by Far East Hospitality
• Accelerating Digital Payments Adoption through PayMaya’s Cashless Communities Campaign - Voyager Innovations, Inc.

Best PR-led Integrated Communications

• AIA Singapore’s Vow: Not only to good health, but with you through the bad - Ogilvy Singapore for AIA Singapore
• A Wizarding World Holiday at Changi - Changi Airport Group
• #WhyChipsVirat - GOLINOPINION, A DIVISION OF MULLENLOWE LINTAS GROUP, INDIA for Guiltfree Industries, RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group
• UEFA Champions League Trophy Tour presented by Heineken® 2018 - MAD HAT PR PLT for Heineken Malaysia
• From Iron Deficient to Iron Sufficient - Golin Singapore for Nestlé Myanmar
• Bali Bundle - CampaignLab for OPPO
• Ready for 100 - Preparing for Longevity in Singapore for Prudential Singapore
• We Are Extraordinary - IN.FOM for UnionPay International Southeast Asia

Best Regional PR

• Healthy Lung Asia - MHP Communications UK for AstraZeneca
• PR Launch Campaign for GoPro HERO7 in SEA - FleishmanHillard Singapore for GoPro
• Safer Everyday - Teneo for Grab
• Lime Nation - KDPR for Lime
• RedDoorz Regional Expansion (Southeast Asia) - Asia PR Werkz for RedDoorz
• Seagate's Data Pulse: Maximising the Potential of AI - Creation Singapore for Seagate Technology
• Make the Future Singapore 2018 - Shell Companies in Singapore
• Fullerton Concours d'Elegance - Creation Singapore for The Fullerton Heritage

Best Use of Content

• Love at First Flight - Changi Airport Group (Singapore)
• The Craft Festival - Asia PR Werkz for DFS Venture Singapore
• FOX+ Showdown - McCann for FOX Networks Group
• Extraordinary Everyday - Spurwing Communications for Golden Agri-Resources
• Cadbury Dairy Milk Celebrates Malaysia - MAD HAT PR PLT for Mondelēz Malaysia
• Gear Up to Fight Cancer - essence Burson-Marsteller for Prudential Assurance Malaysia
• #WheresMike - Asia PR Werkz for Qantas Airways and Tourism & Events Queensland
• Connecting Communities Since 1858 | Celebrating 160 Years of Singapore’s Postal Service - Singapore Post
• Mr Lim's Reunion Dinner - Singtel
• 20/20: The Temasek Short Film Project - Weber Shandwick for Temasek

Best Use of Influencers

• adidas: Sport18 - Creation Singapore for adidas Singapore
• Travel Leaders Programme - Ketchum Singapore for Cebu Pacific Air
• THE MURAKA Residence Launch - Conrad Maldives Rangali Island
• The Craft Festival - Asia PR Werkz for DFS Venture Singapore
• The Secrets of Okinawa - AKA Asia for Jetstar Asia
• Cervical Cancer Awareness Campaign (#PreventCervicalCancer) - GOLIN Jakarta for Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD)
• #TakePleasureSeriously with the Magnum Chocolate & Hazelnut Praliné - Golin Singapore for Unilever Singapore
• Zespri Bearing Fruits with Influencers - Hashtagcity Malaysia for Zespri Group

Best Use of Social Media

• Kado Umroh Allianz - StratX Kompas Gramedia for Allianz Indonesia
• Lean & Fancy - DBS Bank
• Durex World Cup 2018 - Social Campaign - MSL Vietnam for Durex Vietnam
• Cervical Cancer Awareness Campaign (#PreventCervicalCancer) - GOLIN Jakarta for Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD)
• Total Defence - Asia PR Werkz for Nexus, MINDEF
• Through My Eyes - FleishmanHillard Singapore and BlueCurrent Hong Kong for Pfizer
• #WheresMike - Asia PR Werkz for Qantas Airways and Tourism & Events Queensland

Best Use of Technology

• FOX+ Showdown - McCann for FOX Networks Group
• Virtually Versailles - Lumina Live! for Palace of Versailles & ESSEC Business School
• Hello World, A.I. You Ready? - AKA Asia for Science Centre Singapore
• 16 Baris X Tune Talk - Tune Talk
• Ben & Jerry's Pint Slices - Golin Singapore for Unilever Singapore

Most Creative PR Stunt

• Nas Daily at Changi Airport - Changi Airport Group (Singapore)
• Finnair Flies Santa Claus to Singapore - Mango PR for Finnair
• Fuji Island - Picture Perfect Paradise - CampaignLab for FUJIFILM
• Anak Bangsa Bisa - GOJEK Indonesia
• #WhyChipsVirat - GOLINOPNION, A DIVISION OF MULLENLOWE LINTAS GROUP, INDIA for Guiltfree Industries, RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group
• Flight of the Day - AKA Asia for Jetstar Asia
• Cadbury Dairy Milk Lickables - Castro and Associates Public Relations for Mondelez PH
• The World’s First UnionPay Card Flip - IN.FOM for UnionPay International South East Asia