Winners of PR Awards 2020 announced

The effectiveness of telling stories and communicating brand values means that the importance of public relations cannot be denied.

Although practitioners of the PR industry are capable of telling compelling stories, they are not magicians. Public relations is about creating narratives behind brands with deeper emotional connections, convincing reporters or editors to write a positive story about their clients.

This year's nominated campaigns have demonstrated that a creative yet engaging approach can generate good results, while the judges weighed up some of the most exciting campaigns and communication initiatives in the region. They put every entry under the microscope to find out the best and brightest examples of PR.

Taking home the coveted title Best of Show – Brand was FWD Insurance. The company won a total of four gold awards in the categories of Best PR Campaign – Lifestyle and Entertainment, Best Integrated Communications, and Best PR Campaign – Partnership/Sponsorship, in which the company successfully won double gold awards.

At the same time, FWD Insurance also won four silver awards in the categories of Best Use of Social Media, Best Influencers Strategy, Best Storytelling Strategy, and Campaign of the Year, along with three bronze awards in Best PR Campaign – Finance and Insurance, Best PR Campaign – Public Awareness, and Best Engagement – Mass Community categories. 

One of the company’s campaign highlights was "FWD x The World of Studio Ghibli’s Animation". Aiming at introducing the excitement, happiness and positivity of the ever popular classics of Studio Ghibli from Japan, and echoing this spirit of the brand mission "Celebrate Living’’, the campaign generated awareness around the unique experience at House 1881.

Before the launch of the event, there were a variety of efforts both online and offline, including a press conference to announce the experiential zone and exhibitions with key stakeholders from Studio Ghibli and FWD Insurance, complete with media tour interviews.

Apart from the media preview sessions, to engage a wider audience, FWD Insurance created content across all of its social platforms, and collaborated
with an a cappella group singing Ghibli songs on site. The company also offered a toy capsule vending machine for visitors as part of its activations, as well as a hashtag strategy to drive more traffic to House 1881.

To further enhance awareness of the exhibition, FWD Insurance worked with Hong Kong-based artist SurrealHK to create a series of social media content with the theme of Studio Ghibli’s arrival in Tsim Sha Tsui and connecting Ghibli characters to House 1881.

In other categories, Above The Line won the prestigious title of Best of Show – Agency. It won a total of four gold awards in the categories of Best PR Campaign – Loyalty, Best Innovative Campaign, Best PR Event, and Best Use of Technology.

It also won seven silvers in Best PR Campaign – Lifestyle and Entertainment, Best PR Campaign – Public Awareness, Best Innovative Campaign, Best Promotional Campaign, Best Reputation/Brand Management Campaign, Best Use of Content, and Best Use of Technology categories.

The agency also won seven bronzes in Best PR Campaign – Digital Communication, Best Experiential Campaign, Best Innovative Campaign, Best Promotional Campaign, Best Engagement – Targeted Community, Best PR Event, and Best PR Event categories.

One of three most successful campaigns from Above The Line was "Think Like Leonardo da Vinci 500th Anniversary Exhibition" at Olympian City. Featuring 15 sets of da Vinci’s machines and relevant multi-sensory interactive devices, the exhibition also included musical instruments and artworks conceived by da Vinci, along with interactive experiences to pay homage to the Italian Renaissance genius.

Please check the full list of the winners here. 

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