NEED TO KNOW FOR 2018

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 CATEGORY UPDATES

The scopes of our 100+ award categories were all carefully reviewed, more carefully defined, and in many cases expanded to better represent the work of communications professionals across the Tri-State region. 
 

View a complete list of the 2018 Big Apple Award Categories and Subcategories 
 

New awards have been introduced and updated for 2018.

The new CAMPAIGN AWARD categories are:

18. Legal Marketing & Communications [New Category]
Programs that promote and publicize legal products and services.
 

21. Targeted Marketing to Millennials [Updated Name – formally Youth]
Programs that publicize and promote new or existing products or services specifically directed to millennials.

a. general entries

b. Campaigns with budgets of $150,000 or less
 

22. Targeted Marketing to Baby Boomers
Programs that publicize and promote new or existing products or services specifically directed to baby boomers.

a. general entries

b. Campaigns with budgets of $150,000 or less
 

IN-HOUSE COMMUNICATIONS GROUP [all free entry]
A highlight of this year’s Big Apple program is a new series of awards designed to reward in-house communications teams for the great work they do as well as how they collaborate with senior agency leaders. Because the Big Apple Awards Mean Business one of our goals is to bring agencies and in-house teams closer together. These awards will accomplish this and to encourage a large group of nominees, we are making it free to enter.

Visit www.prsany.org/BAInHouse18 to enter the Big Apple In-House Communications Group Awards.

41. Best In-House team [New]
Awarded to in house teams that consistently generate results, surpass goals & objectives and promote diversity & inclusion among team members.

a. Health (Including Medical, Pharma, Wellness, etc)

b. Consumer (Including CPG, Technology, Travel, Food & Bev, etc)

c. Services (Legal, Finance, Insurance, etc)

d. Government, Associations and Non-Profit Organizations       

e. other
 

42. BEST PARTNERSHIP [NEW]
Celebrating the best relationship between senior leaders at an agency and end client partner.

MEDIA GROUP [all free entry]
The PRSA-NY Chapter believes we have the best public relations practitioners in the world. One reason for that is we also offer the best in media, trade press and industry bloggers. While the media is under siege from multiple directions, we feel it is time to recognize the great work that they do and honor them for the first time as part of the Big Apple Awards. Entry is free and you can enter the media group awards at www.prsany.org/BAMedia18.
 

43. Best coverage of the New York PR Community by a Trade
Local or national PR trade publication covering the New York PR Community
 

44. Best coverage of the New York PR Community by a Blog
Local or National PR Blog covering the New York PR Community
 

45. Best coverage of the New York PR Community working for a trade
Local or national reporter for PR trade publication covering the New York PR Community
 

46. Best coverage of the New York metropolitan area by a print, broadcast or online media outlet
Print, broadcast or online reporting of the New York metropolitan area
 

47. Best coverage of the New York metropolitan area by a reporter/producer for a print, broadcast or online media outlet
Print, broadcast or online reporting of the New York metropolitan area by a reporter or producer
 

48. Best coverage of the New York metropolitan area by a print, broadcast or online media outlet for a business story
Print, broadcast or online business reporting of the New York metropolitan area
 

49. Best coverage of the New York metropolitan area by a reporter/producer for a print, broadcast or online media outlet for a business story
Print, broadcast or online business reporting of the New York metropolitan area by a reporter or producer

a. General entries

b. Campaigns with budgets of $150,000 or less
 

39. Spotlight: Analytics [New]
Using data & insights to shape the success of a program and improve outcomes.

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JUDGING

• 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.
• Judges reserve the right to move entries to alternative categories they believe to be more appropriate.  
• The decision of the judges is final.
• 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

• Finalists will be notified mid-April.
• Every campaign or single item entry selected as a Big Apple Award finalist must be represented by either the nominator or his/her designee during the awards presentation ceremony, which will be held in the spring – details to follow!
• Ticket sales will launch in mid-March on the PRSA-NY website.

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ELIGIBILITY

• Each entry must have been produced with at least the majority of the public relations campaign and its results having occurred in 2017.
  Multi-year campaigns may be entered in successive years only if the elements submitted for consideration meet the above criteria.
• Each entry must have been 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 2017 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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• Once submitted, entries become the property of PRSA-NY. 
• Entries are not confidential. However, during the submission process only, entrants may request that access to budget information be restricted to Big Apple judges.
• 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) web sites, use at the PRSA-NY Big Apple Event, promotion of future Awards, and/or to provide a resource of successful programs for educational purposes.
• 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.
• 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.  
• 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 and a SVP at Ruder Finn 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. 

• View the “How to Win a Big Apple Award” presentation (updated for 2018)

LEARN FROM THOSE WHO HAVE ALREADY WON
Take a quick look at the top award-winning entries from 2017 and pick up a few insights from their presentations:

• 2017 BEST OF THE BEST
  Padilla and Niagara Conservation for #What the Flush: Disrupting the Water Conservation Conversation
• 2017 BEST BUSINESS/CAMPAIGN OUTCOMES
  The TASC Group and Life Sci Advisors for Not an Exact Science: Advancing Gender Diversity in Biotech
• 2017 BEST USE OF RESEARCH, MEASUREMENT AND EVALUATION (sponsored by the Institute for Public Relations)
  
  Burson-Marsteller and Bank of America for Bank of America: Research, Relationships and Resources for Small Businesses
  
  The New York Institute of Technology for NYIT: The Future Is Ours

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Please contact BigAppleAwards@prsany.org with suggested additions or updates to this page.

Who can enter?
The 2018 Big Apple Awards competition is open to all public relations professionals in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut for programs created in 2017 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 2018 Big Apple Awards can be found above on this NEED TO KNOW FOR 2018 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 possibly 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 80 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 review 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?
Finalists in each category will be notified following the judging of the Big Apple entries (expected during the week of April 9^th, 2018). From these finalists, the Big Apple Award winners and runners-up (if selected) will be announced on Monday, June 11th at the 2017 Big Apple Awards Gala at the Mandarin Hotel.

What is the prize?
All finalists will be presented with an award at the 2018 Big Apple Awards gala.  Winners will receive a crystal award; Honorable Mention winners will receive a plaque.  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 correspoding "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?
Judges are selected by the PRSA-NY Board. The judging panel comprises dozens of experienced, senior-level PR professions 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 web sites, use at the PRSA-NY Big Apple Event, to promote future 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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