NEED TO KNOW FOR 2019
EARLY BIRD DEADLINE
Friday, February 15th February 22nd, 2019 at 11:59 pm EST |
PRSA-NY Members |
Non-members |
Enter in 1 Category |
$300 |
$350 |
Enter in 2 Categories |
$525 |
$625 |
Enter in 3 Categories |
$750 |
$900 |
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REGULAR DEADLINE
Friday, March 8th Monday, March 18th, 2019 at 11:59 pm EST |
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Enter in 1 Category |
$400 |
$450 |
Enter in 2 Categories |
$725 |
$825 |
Enter in 3 Categories |
$1,050 |
$1,200 |
Entrants may submit a unique campaign in up to three applicable categories; discounts apply for multiple-entry submissions of the same campaign. Contact the PRSA-NY office at 212.228.7228 with any questions regarding payment and discounts.
Entrants may submit a stand-alone item or part(s) of a larger campaign as a Spotlight Award entry.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Entrants are encouraged to keep a copy of any and all system-generated online payment confirmations. Duplicate receipts may only include total fees paid rather than a detailed line-by-line description of each entry submission. This is a technical issue that PRSA-NY staff is continuing to explore with the online system vendor.
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AWARD CATEGORIES
The scopes of our 100+ award categories were all carefully reviewed, defined, and expanded to better represent the work of communications professionals across the Tri-State region.
View a complete list of the 2019 Big Apple Award Categories and Subcategories
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JUDGING
The judging panel is comprised of dozens of experienced, senior-level PR professionals representing a wide range of disciplines and expertise. Groups of senior professionals judge every Big Apple Award entry objectively. Special care is taken to assure that all judges remain impartial and are not assigned to review nomination(s) that create a conflict of interest. PRSA-NY provides the judges with a consistent set of criteria and score sheets, along with training on our standards and best practices. If appropriate, the judging groups will name multiple nominees in categories where multiple entrants meet their high standards. We will notify those nominees in advance of the Big Apple Awards Gala, and we will announce the winner of the categories with multiple nominees during the Gala. Last year, 128 entries were named nominees, with 78 of those nominees' entries being named as the eventual winner.
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PRSA-NY reserves the right to exclude any entry for any reason. Refunds will not be given should an entry be reviewed and subsequently rejected.
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Judges reserve the right to move entries to alternative categories they believe to be more appropriate.
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The decision of the judges is final.
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The judges' online score sheets are the property of PRSA-NY; these score sheets will NOT be shared with entrants.
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NOTIFICATION TIMELINE
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Nominees will be notified mid-April.
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All Big Apple Award nominees should send at least one representative to the 2019 Big Apple Awards Gala to accept the award, should that entrant be named as winner.
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Ticket sales will launch in mid-March on the PRSA-NY website.
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ELIGIBILITY
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Each entry must have been produced with at least the majority of the public relations campaign and its results having occurred in 2018.
Multi-year campaigns may be entered in successive years only if the elements submitted for consideration meet the above criteria.
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Each entry must have had a geographic relationship to the New York metropolitan area (either development or implementation). Entries may be submitted by communications and public relations professionals in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut for programs created in 2018 and implemented anywhere in the world. Most or all of the strategic work on the programs should have been performed by professionals in this tri-state area. Professionals outside the tri-state area are eligible to submit programs if, and only if, their program was implemented primarily in New York, New Jersey and/or Connecticut.
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CONFIDENTIALITY & BUDGET DATA PRIVACY
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Once submitted, entries become the property of PRSA-NY.
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Entries are not confidential. However, during the submission process only, entrants may request that access to budget information be restricted to Big Apple judges.
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With the exception of the budget exclusion option noted above, PRSA-NY reserves the right to use entries or a reproduction of entries in part or in full. This may include posting on the PRSA-NY and/or Institute for Public Relations (IPR) websites, use at the PRSA-NY Big Apple Gala, promotion of future Big Apple Awards, and/or to provide a resource of successful programs for educational purposes.
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PRSA-NY recommends that submitters secure approval from clients and/or employers prior to submitting an entry. PRSA-NY accepts all award entries with the understanding this permission has been granted. Disputes involving clients, employers and submitters must be addressed by the parties involved. PRSA-NY will not mediate.
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A complaint that an entry was submitted without authorization may cause an entry to be disqualified; consideration will be given on a case-by-case basis.
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No refunds will be given to entries that have been submitted and subsequently withdrawn or disqualified.
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TIPS FOR HOW TO WIN A BIG APPLE AWARD
LEARN FROM THE JUDGES
We asked industry experts, former judges, and recent award winners to share their tips for writing an award-winning entry (and mistakes to avoid along the way). Emmanuel Tchividjian, PRSA-NY’s chief ethics officer compiled the guidance we received into a great “How To” presentation that will help entrants communicate program goals, describe tactics, highlight measureable results and maximize your chances of winning one of the most prestigious awards in the communications industry.
LEARN FROM THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY WON
Take a quick look at the top award-winning entries from 2018 and pick up a few insights from their presentations:
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Please contact BigAppleAwards@prsany.org with suggested additions or updates to this page.
Who can enter?
The 2019 Big Apple Awards competition is open to all public relations professionals in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut for programs created in 2018 and implemented anywhere in the world. Most or all of the strategic work on the programs should have been performed by professionals in this tri-state area. Professionals outside the tri-state area are eligible to submit programs if, and only if, their program was implemented primarily in New York, New Jersey and/or Connecticut. Certification of the geographic area of focus for your campaign will be required during the entry process.
Where can I find the entry forms?
The entry process is 100% online. The entry form can be found on the ADD ENTRY page of this website. Draft entries can be updated before submittal using the toolbar on the MANAGE ENTRIES page.
What does it cost to enter and when are entries due?
Deadlines and rates for the 2019 Big Apple Awards can be found above on this NEED TO KNOW FOR 2019 page.
Why is there an Early Bird and Final Entry Deadline?
We want to give you every opportunity to prepare your entry in a way that meets your high standards. We also want to give you the opportunity to save money on entry fees if you get your entry in early. Either way, the online submission process lets you focus on creating the best possible content rather than worrying about copying, collating, packing, shipping and mailing (or hand-delivering!) your entry.
How can I pay for my award entries?
Payments are made online via a secure server. We accept Visa, MasterCard and American Express. Click the Pay Online button above the toolbar on the MANAGE ENTRIES page.
How do I pick the proper category?
With nearly 100 categories to choose from there may be multiple areas of interest. A Campaign may be submitted in up to three applicable categories; a Spotlight Award can be submitted once. Entrants are responsible for reviewing the descriptions and picking the category/ies that are most appropriate. Judges may (but are not required to) move an entry to another category they believe is more appropriate. A full list of categories is available on the ABOUT page.
Do I need permission from my client or employer to submit an entry?
PRSA-NY strongly recommends that you secure approval from your client and/or employer prior to submitting an entry. PRSA-NY accepts all award entries as if permission has been granted. An entry MAY be disqualified if there is a complaint that it was submitted without authorization, but no refunds will be given. Disputes involving clients, employers and submitters must be addressed by the parties. PRSA-NY will not mediate.
Does submitting an entry guarantee an award win?
No. Entries are judged on the basis of research, planning, execution and results. Consideration is also given to the creative use of limited funds and to entries that have impressive media results and clearly articulate direct business or other campaign outcomes. The judges may award multiple winners as they see fit. However, they will not designate a winner in a category they feel contains no entries of award-winning caliber.
When will winners be notified?
Nominees in each category will be notified following the judging of the Big Apple entries (expected in mid-April). From these nominees, the Big Apple Award winners and runners-up (if selected) will be announced at the 2019 Big Apple Awards Gala on June 24th at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel.
What is the prize?
All nominees will be presented with an award at the 2019 Big Apple Awards Gala. Winners will receive a crystal award, Honorable Mention winners will receive a plaque, and remaining nominees will receive a certificate. A Big Apple Award is recognized as one of the highest honors in public relations.
What information is required to enter?
Each campaign and single item entry must include a 100 Word Synopsis and two-page summary document detailing key public relations objectives, tactics and results. This includes: Research/Situation Analysis, Planning, Execution, and Results/Evaluation. This information - along with additional information about budget (see below for related info) shall be repeated in the corresponding "Pillar" fields of the online form; space is available for supplemental information and additional supporting materials you think could give your entry a competitive edge when being reviewed by the judges.
What are the qualifications of the judges?
The judging panel is comprised of dozens of experienced, senior-level PR professionals representing a wide range of disciplines and expertise. Special care is taken to assure that all judges remain impartial and are not assigned to review the nomination(s) of a competitor. PRSA-NY provides judges with criteria and score sheets, along with training on our standards and best practices.
What if the entry must remain confidential?
The nature of the Big Apple Award process cannot preserve confidentiality. If you have confidential work that cannot be shared, it should not be submitted. Entries become the property of PRSA-NY. The organization reserves the right to use entries or a reproduction of entries in part or in full. This may include posting on the PRSA-NY and/or IPR websites, use at the PRSA-NY Big Apple Gala, to promote future Big Apple Awards and/or to provide a resource of successful programs for educational purposes.
Entrants in Category 13 (Crisis Communications) and Category 14 (Issues Management) may request that sensitive information be kept private for access by judges only; these requests will be handled on a case-by-case basis (contact BigAppleAwards@prsany.org for more information).
Entrants in all categories have the opportunity during the entry submission process to indicate whether budget figures are to be kept private for access only by our judges.
Does PRSA-NY release program budgets?
Budget figures are requested for all entries; failure to include budget information may result in lower scoring. If the campaign or single item budget can’t be disclosed due to confidentiality, entrants may indicate that the budget is to be kept private among our judges.
Will entrants receive the judges' score sheets?
No. The judges' online score sheets are the property of PRSA-NY.
Is there a dispute process?
No. PRSA-NY and its Big Apple Awards program is a volunteer-driven program. Judging is based on criteria set out on the various pages of this website. All scores and decisions are final.
How can I become involved in the Big Apple planning process?
PRSA-NY encourages members who are interested in volunteering to participate in the Big Apple Awards. If you are interested in volunteering on the awards committee, which manages the entry and judging process, or on the Big Apple Awards Gala planning committee, contact the PRSA-NY office at BigAppleAwards@prsany.org or call 212-228-7228.
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