| 2023 Blue Pencil and Gold Screen Award Winner |
 The Blue Pencil & Gold Screen Awards are an annual international awards program that recognizes superior government communication products and those who produce them. Submissions for the 2023 Awards were produced between July 1, 2021 and December 31, 2022. “The Blue Pencil & Gold Screen Awards not only honor the creative excellence of our team members, but demonstrate to our top executives that the work we do is high quality, effective and deserving of continued support.” – Sue Sims, External Affairs Group Manager, The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, Past BP&GS Awards Winner
Best-in-Show AwardA Best-in-Show Award was presented to the The Library of Congress for their entry in the Digital – Social Media Outreach (nonpaid) category, entitled “Lizzo Loves the Library of Congress.” The NAGC Board of Directors determines the Best-in-Show award each year from among all the first-place awards. "The Best-in-Show is truly the best of the best from the Blue Pencil & Gold Screen awards program. The winner is selected by the board of directors from among all of the first place. Congratulations to the The Library of Congress for earning the 2023 Blue Pencil & Gold Screen Best in Show Award!" – Tabitha Clark, NAGC President Audio - Commercial/PSA First Find Memorable Dining Experiences in Fairfax City City of Fairfax
The goal of the streaming radio ad was to remind Fairfax County residents (pop. 1.2M) to consider Fairfax City when thinking about where to dine out. The city is within a five-mile driving radius from most neighborhoods in the county. The spot was created to drive hungry people to the city to "find memorable dining experiences." The city's meals tax is an important source of revenue for the city. The spot ran on streaming platforms June 3-26, 2022. Second CDSE Certificates vs. Certifications Public Service Announcement Center for Development of Security Excellence The purpose of this short was to explain the difference between CDSE’s certificate and certification offerings for the education, training, and certification programs. Award of Excellence Back to School Radio Spot Palm Tran The purpose of this Back to School spot was to increase ridership and reduce traffic. The spot was designed to entice the community who may be listening to the radio to take transit, download the Palm Tran and Paradise Pass apps, as well as to communicate the messaging that there is an easy way to pay your bus fare to those who currently do not utilize public transportation. We needed to transition our population off of the roads and we wanted to appeal to potential new riders who may be willing to try transit.
Audio -Documentary Second As if by magic: Lanny Smoot United States Patent and Trademark Office This documentary was part of the USPTO’s Journeys of Innovation (JOI) series. The monthly series highlights the importance and impact of intellectual property, works to inspire the next generation of inventors and entrepreneurs, and encourages a more inclusive and balanced innovation landscape. Lanny Smoot, a Disney Research Fellow and Imagineer with over 100 patents, has an inspirational story and a continued drive to invent. We wanted to broadly share his story as a powerful example of how innovation is a lifelong process, the importance of helping others, and what can happen when you’re able to do something you love.
Audio -Podcast First Voices of Exchange U.S. Department of State - ECA We launched the Voices of Exchange podcast to reach new audiences and highlight the impact of people who participate in U.S. government educational and cultural exchange programs, also known as ExchangeAlumni, who are amplifying U.S. government policy priorities and making a difference in their communities and countries. In addition to releasing episodes on every major podcast platform, we highlighted it on Instagram to bring in a younger audience whom we hadn't reached before. There are over 1.8 million ExchangeAlumni around the world and Voices of Exchange shares a few of their stories of inspiration, adventure, confusion, and joy. Second Reynolds School District’s “¿Sabes Que? – Did You Know?” Bilingual Podcast Reynolds School District Reynolds School District (RSD) wanted to find a new effective and efficient way to engage with our families, staff, and community. Through our podcast, we hope to share relevant district information and showcase district programs and staff; English Language Development program, new School Resource Deputies, RSD’s commitment to student and staff mental and physical health, and more! By creating a bilingual podcast, we were hoping to make this engagement tool easily accessible to Spanish-speaking families, which make up 44% of our district. Reaching people where they are – in their cars, phones, and other devices – in their preferred language! Award of Excellence The Technologically Speaking Podcast Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate We set out to translate and humanize complex technical topics into relatable—and shareable—stories for new and existing audiences. Technologically Speaking is a space where subject matter experts can have casual, unscripted conversations about homeland security R&D. They share origin stories, offer compelling anecdotes about scientific breakthroughs and provide insights on end users who keep our nation safe. Most importantly, the podcast introduces S&T as a government agency through the voices of its dedicated and passionate people. Our Season One goal: release eight episodes and amass 5,000 listens to increase S&T’s overall brand recognition. We accomplished that and more. Digital- Electronic PublicationFirst Coastal and Marine Science of the U.S. Geological Survey in St. Petersburg, Florida U.S. Geological Survey St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center
Research at the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) St. Petersburg Coastal and Marine Science Center is focused on natural hazards, coastal resilience, and marine resource management, yet partners and communities are often unaware of this expertise. This publication aimed to increase public and stakeholder knowledge of our scientific capabilities and the resources we make available, showcase how our science can help address critical societal challenges in coastal and marine environments, and build relationships with partner organizations to spark future collaborations and increase the eminence and impact of our work. Second 2022 Sustainability Highlight Report Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission With a 30-year commitment to sustainable best practices, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) aims to become America’s first Sustainable Superhighway by 2040 by using innovative approaches to building and maintaining its roadways. To get there, the PTC is committed to following the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals, providing a shared blueprint for people and the planet by 2030. The 2022 Sustainability Highlight Report defines the next evolution in transportation sustainability, laying out the next two decades of innovation. It tells our story of how we will deliver on our promise of a regenerative future for our customers and communities. Award of Excellence Library Discovery Guide City of Olathe, Kansas The Library Discovery Guide is a publication released once per quarter. The guide lets the public know what is coming up in the next couple of months i.e. events, programs, etc. I wanted to be bolder with the publication this year, so we added fun geometric shapes, vibrant colors, and fun graphics. One of the goals was to bring more awareness to the upcoming grand opening of the new downtown library so I created a whimsical design for the cover and a more traditional ad on the back cover.
Digital - Mobile Application or Mobile Campaign First Florida Department of Veterans' Affairs Mobile Application Florida Department of Veterans' Affairs The FDVA Mobile App was launched as a vital tool to connect Veterans with centralized resources such as benefits, employment opportunities, health care, state veterans’ homes, education, crisis support, easy access to filing claims, and VA office locations and services. The app allows veterans to effortlessly connect to their earned benefits from their mobile devices or tablets. FDVA’s objective is to connect with veterans and make immediate access to their earned benefits and services as seamless as possible; by doing so, the organization has brought services directly to veterans whenever and wherever there are.
Second The Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration Miner Safety & Health application Department of Labor's Mine Safety and Health Administration The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) at the Department of Labor (DOL) created a mobile app to notify miners of essential information to support their daily work functions. MSHA’s primary mission is to ensure that miners return home to their families and communities each day, safe and healthy. The Miner Safety & Health app was launched because of a need to share information directly with America’s miners in a mobile format. It features key information on topics like safety, health, miner’s rights, how to fight workplace discrimination, resources for handling hazardous work conditions, and how to contact MSHA.
Digital - Social Media Campaign (Paid) First Don't Ignore the Risk - Social Media Campaign Texas General Land Office The Texas GLO oversees federal disaster recovery programs for the state of Texas. Some of these programs assist residents in rebuilding homes damaged or destroyed by natural disasters. While government programs might be able to help families rebuild, only flood insurance can replace a home and belongings. The GLO's Disaster Recovery Communications Department developed a bilingual, multimedia social media campaign to educate Texans on the importance of purchasing flood Insurance. The campaign leverages the unique capabilities of social platforms to target a specific audience online and on mobile devices. Second DART is Hiring Dallas Area Rapid Transit Marketing & Communications DART launched a redesign of its bus system in January 2022, which included increased frequency on most bus routes. The agency needed more bus operators to maintain the new schedules. Shortly after the New Bus Network launch, the agency experienced an exodus of bus operators as they left for easier or higher paying jobs. The agency realized we did not have enough bus operators to staff the scheduled bus trips, and that an aggressive recruitment campaign was needed to hire more bus drivers so that DART could keep it’s promise of improved bus service to its riders. Award of Excellence Texas WIC Public Awareness and Digital Marketing Campaign Texas WIC Texas WIC aimed to increase participation rates for FY22 by showing the value of the program from pregnancy to a child’s age five. Goals included increasing online completed applications, building program awareness, and increasing the retention rates of existing WIC clients.
Digital- Social Media Outreach (Nonpaid) First Lizzo Loves the Library of Congress Library of Congress The Library of Congress holds vast and significant collections spanning the arts, history, culture and beyond. Raising awareness of these vast collections and connecting more Americans with their national library was the primary goal of this effort. The Library leveraged experience producing and promoting content featuring notable Library researchers and visitors to develop a strategic communications plan for Lizzo’s visit, and the results were astounding. Thanks to Lizzo’s popularity and the novelty of the experience, social media lit up with millions of people delighted to discover the treasures held by the Library of Congress. Second 2022 Staff Hub ATL National Conference of State Legislatures NCSL is the bipartisan organization whose members include the nation’s 7,386 legislators and more than 30,000 legislative staff. The purpose of Staff Hub ATL is to convene legislative staff members from across the country to connect and collaborate with each other though three days of professional development, knowledge building, and networking. The social media campaign for this event aims to build awareness and encourage attendance of the event in future years. Award of Excellence @SRQCountyGov - The calm before, during and after the storm Sarasota County Government When Hurricane Ian was projected to hit Southwest Florida as a Category 4 storm, Sarasota County pivoted our social media platforms to serve as an information hub for residents, visitors, and local and national media. As the storm barreled through the area, the focus of the content shifted from shelter openings, evacuations and real-time utility impacts to boil water notices and disaster recovery resources. The county’s social media platforms all shared a consistent message, providing that sense of reassurance as we persevered through the storm together as a community.
Website First census.gov Refresh Design U.S Census Bureau The census.gov refresh effort began in 2021 and was deployed in September 2022. The goal of the project was to modernize the look and feel of the U.S. Census Bureau's website, census.gov, to bring the site in line with current user expectations. Using a human-centered approach and driven by data, we applied findings from usability studies and analytics to enhance the digital customer experience. Second MOSERS Month 2022 Missouri State Employees’ Retirement System (MOSERS) MOSERS administers retirement, life insurance, and long-term disability insurance for most state employees. The primary goal of MOSERS Month is to raise awareness and knowledge levels among active state employee members about the value of their benefits. If members understand the value of their benefits, this helps the state with recruitment and retention. The more members know about their benefits; the better prepared they are to make decisions that will enhance their financial security. MOSERS Month is an opportunity for our communications team to present complicated and sometimes dry information in a fun and engaging way. Award of Excellence Simplifying Seattle's Complex Budget Process Seattle City Council The Seattle City Council’s budget process can be byzantine and inaccessible, even for seasoned journalists and especially so for the general public. This project aimed to turn that dynamic on its head - making the budget process understandable, accessible, engaging, and radically transparent in an unprecedented way. To that end, I created a series of interactive websites: one demystifying the Council’s budget process, another featuring a custom web application delineating all the budget amendments, and a webpage for the budget committee. I branded all three in a consistent way to orient people to the process and primary budget themes throughout.
Digital -E-Newsletter First Vienna Happenings Town of Vienna The purpose of the Vienna Happenings e-newsletter is to provide subscribers with a weekly update on local events, activities and public meetings in the Town of Vienna via the Emma electronic distribution platform. It is one of the communications tools used to encourage participation in Town activities and events. While the information has always been good, it was determined by new staff in early 2022 that a more engaging approach was needed to increase the open rate, which was an average of only 34%. Second Arkansas Wildlife Weekly Newsletter Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Arkansas Wildlife Weekly is a subscriber-based email newsletter that delivers timely and important information to Arkansas residents concerning conservation issues, upcoming events presented by the agency, wildlife regulations and inspiring stories about hunting and fishing. In addition to being published in the e-newsletter format, articles from Arkansas Wildlife Weekly are used as press releases and social media posts to broaden the audience and expand each topic's reach to a variety of users. Award of Excellence 2022 South Suburban Email and eNewsletter Campaigns South Suburban Park and Recreation District South Suburban has a robust email audience, with 220K+ readers receiving email updates from various programs and departments. In 2021, the communications department studied trends and learned readers were consistently opening emails, but click-rates showed room for improvement. Additionally, email privacy practices changed, creating a need for new ways to measure email marketing success. In 2022, the department completely redesigned an art-themed monthly e-newsletter to strengthen marketing efforts, implement new analytics tracking and improve communication. This project launched with three goals: 1. Increase engagement with email content 2. Expand reach by growing readership 3. Adapt to changing email privacy/tracking regulations. Educational or Promotional Campaign (greater than $100,000)First GoLink: Your Time, Your Place, Your DART Dallas Area Rapid Transit Marketing & Communications DART’s GoLink on-demand microtransit service has more than doubled because of the New Bus Network redesign – going from 13 zones to a total of 30 zones. Many of the new GoLink zones replaced inefficient fixed-route bus service. DART created a comprehensive campaign to educate riders that GoLink replaced their bus routes and on how to schedule and pay for GoLink service. Advertising included paid social; paid display; ads on DART assets; and paid advertising in various flights from January to August 2022. Paid advertising audiences included Uber and Lyft app users; bus and rail riders; and search retargeting. Second The Penny Surtax Referendum: Winning (BIG) with Both Hands Tied Behind Our Back Sarasota County Government Since 1989, Sarasota County has had a one-cent sales tax to invest in capital improvement projects for the county, school board and municipalities. “The penny” has been renewed twice, with a third renewal appearing on the November 2022 General Election ballot. Crucial infrastructure funding for public safety, the environment, water quality, libraries, parks, schools and roads was at stake. In preparation for the vote, the county Communications Department was charged with building support for the measure — and a supporting bond initiative — while overcoming strict new limitations on outreach imposed by the state of Florida through House Bill 921. Award of Excellence Home Renovations Made Possible Texas Veterans Land Board The Home Renovations Made Possible education campaign aimed to drive interest in the Veterans Land Board (VLB) home improvement loans among the Veteran and Military families in Texas. A 13-week, multi-platform initiative, the campaign used a strong call-to-action and repeat site visits for education and data collection to increase loan applications. Targeting high-opportunity geographics, the goal of the campaign was to drive contact through website or phone connection. The objective was to increase loan applications from the target audience and provide Veterans with an affordable home improvement loan.
Educational or Promotional Campaign (less than $100,000) First City of Hyattsville Love Local Campaign City of Hyattsville The City of Hyattsville's Love Local Campaign celebrates all there is to love in Hyattsville! Planned around the holiday season, the campaign provides incentives and messaging across a variety of platforms encouraging community members to support shop, eat, and play locally. Hyattsville is home to over 250 small businesses. The project was first launched in 2021 in response to concerns from the business community that pandemic-related restrictions made it more attractive to shop online versus brick-and-mortar retail. After a successful launch, the City grew the campaign in 2022 with a goal of reaching more businesses and residents. Second Olmsted County & City of Rochester - Are you ready to vote? Olmsted County and City of Rochester Olmsted County and the City of Rochester partnered to encourage residents to make a plan to vote in the 2022 general election. The goal of the campaign was to encourage people register to vote, review their sample ballot, vote in-person or absentee, and help them better understand the elections process. Our hope was to empower residents to make their voices heard and have trust in how Olmsted County and the City of Rochester administer elections. Award of Excellence Flow it Forward – 2022 City of Englewood The goal is to communicate Englewood’s plan for water, sewer, stormwater and infrastructure. Critical updates were ignored for decades. Now our infrastructure components must be improved to ensure the city’s sewer, water and storm runoff systems are properly functioning to serve our community and keep residents safe. Many elements of our systems are more than 70 years old, well beyond their lifespan, and are in urgent need of replacement. Englewood has 300 miles of water, sewer or stormwater pipes, many of which must be repaired or replaced over the next 15 years. And both treatment plants require significant mechanical improvements. Event- Community Engagement ForumFirst USDA’s Salmonella Framework Food Safety and Inspection Service Salmonella is the leading cause of foodborne illness in humans. In 2022, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced it was taking a series of actions to reduce Salmonella illnesses. FSIS publicized it would declare Salmonella an adulterant in breaded and stuffed chicken products and followed the announcement with a proposed framework to significantly reduce Salmonella in poultry overall. FSIS developed and executed a multi-pronged, strategic stakeholder engagement campaign, culminating in a public event that promoted discussion between government, industry, academia, and consumer advocates that focused on a shared goal: reducing Salmonella in poultry products. Second Texas Broadband Development Office Community Engagement Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts The Texas Comptroller was tasked to create the Broadband Development Office (BDO), intended to expand access to broadband to underserved areas. Outreach efforts include: Award of Excellence Tribal and Stakeholder Community Engagement Forum on Food Safety Regulations for Bison USDA - Food Safety and Inspection Service The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is responsible for ensuring that meat, poultry, and egg products are safe, wholesome, and properly labeled. Under the Federal Meat Inspection Act (FMIA), FSIS inspects cattle, sheep, swine, and goat (known as amenable species) intended for human food. Congress directed FSIS to hold a listening session with bison producers and related stakeholder groups, including tribes, to explore interest in adding bison as an amenable species under the FMIA. FSIS sought to provide all stakeholders groups with ample and equitable opportunities to provide feedback on this issue.
Event- Special Event or Conference First Ceremonial Moment of Silence and Splash Honoring Civil Rights Activist Joan Means Khabele City of Austin, Parks and Recreation Department The event invited the public to come to Barton Springs Pool to honor Civil Rights Activist Joan Means Khabele. As a senior in high school, her courageous act of swimming in Barton Springs to protest segregation at the pool sparked 1960 civil rights era swim-ins that eventually led to the desegregation of Barton Springs Pool. There is no way to undo the pain and horror of segregation and institutional racism, but this event demonstrated that we can acknowledge past wrongs, honor the heroes that fought for change, and come together to find a way forward in unity. Second UOG 70th Anniversary Museum Exhibit University of Guam Major milestones are an ideal time to take a walk down memory lane, but for its 70th Anniversary Platinum Jubilee, the University of Guam took it a step further and brought memory lane to life. Seventy years of history became tangible in an interactive 3,000-square-foot museum exhibit in the island's capital. In creating the exhibit, UOG aimed to celebrate the university's broad accomplishments and engage people's senses and emotions to more fully realize the impact of the university's work and, in doing so, inspire continued excitement and support for the university's future in teaching, research, and service to the community. Award of Excellence Completing a major habitat restoration, flood reduction project King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks We wanted to show the public how our staff successfully completed a major floodplain restoration project to improve salmon habitat and protect homes, farms, and roads from flooding and erosion. The complicated project – which took 15 years to complete – occurred in a remote section of the Green River where the public could not see progress or results. We wanted to publicly recognize outstanding work by our staff and show how the project will produce lasting results for people, fish, and wildlife, restoring a critical section of a river that has been important to indigenous peoples since time immemorial. Graphic ArtsFirst Logo Redesign – Horizon Colorado Office of the State Auditor The purpose of this project was to design and implement a new logo for the OSA that would replace the legacy logo that we developed and started using about 12 years ago. There were no specific problems or concerns with the legacy logo that we were trying to fix. Rather, we wanted to take advantage of an expected change in the OSA’s senior leadership (a newly appointed State Auditor officially took office in July 2021) to revisit our logo and provide the OSA with a fresh, updated look that continued to align with our mission and core values. Second 12th Annual Festival at the Switchyard City of Carrollton Goals: -Create an affordable piece in-house, instantly recognizable to the city event's existing audience base while enticing approximately 30,000 to attend the event -Utilize the art as a starting point for all advertising elements to create a consistent style/brand awareness The poster needed to be recognizable as the annual Festival at the Switchyard in Carrollton, incorporating appropriate branding. The design emphasized a train atop a Downtown Carrollton trestle formed by the neck of a guitar, blowing smoke and musical notes from the headlining bands' songs. The City's recognizable historic grain silos in the background added a sense of recognizable place. Second Don't Ignore the Risk - Social Graphics Texas General Land Office The Don't Ignore the Risk campaign was a critical effort by the GLO to educate Texans on the importance of flood insurance. The multi-platform campaign included elements such as social media, digital ads, and broadcast buys, targeting flood-prone areas with the least percentage of insured homes. Our in-house media specialist played a key role in creating consistent and impactful graphics for the campaign, to help drive interest and engagement. By monitoring results and adjusting graphic content as needed, we were able to maximize the impact of the campaign and better educate Texans on the importance of flood insurance.
Award of Excellence City of Temple - Draughon Miller Central Texas Regional Airport Logo Redesign City of Temple The Draughon-Miller Central Texas Regional Airport logo was redesigned to elevate the airport brand to a modern, professional standard. This redesign gives the airport greater recognizability and a refreshed aesthetic. As the City of Temple expands, the airport is a valuable resource for economic growth. Temple is an aviation hub for business owners and enthusiasts alike because of our central location. By creating a polished, identifiable logo, we aim to make Temple a preferred location for business and pleasure.
Graphics- Brand Identity First American-Made Program Branding Evolution NREL Goal: Refreshed brand--bright, exciting, inclusive. Fresh logic and taxonomy to define a complex and rapidly expanding program. As America's fast track to the clean energy revolution, the American-Made program needed a brand as big as its vision. Aiming to capture the imaginations of people everywhere and harness creative, diverse innovators and entrepreneurs from every background to solve our greatest challenges, we aspired to something iconic that would lend itself to growth and mainstream recognition. We leveraged four years of name/brand equity, shed the restrictions of our previous palette--making our visual design more expansive and inclusive--and positioned ourselves for new horizons. Second FCPA Logo Bike Rack Fairfax County Park Authority With more than 427 parks and over 334 miles of trails, the Fairfax County Park Authority felt the need to promote where the community could find bike racks to enhance its ongoing efforts to be a bike-friendly community and promote biking as a safe and reliable transportation choice for recreational destinations. Additionally, unique branding was needed to provide the pubic with an understanding of the park system network. A unique bike rack was developed in the shape of the FCPA logo to not only provide safe storage for bikes but to also serve as branded identity for FCPA parks.
Internal CommunicationsFirst MOSERS Month 2022 Missouri State Employees’ Retirement System (MOSERS) MOSERS administers retirement, life insurance, and long-term disability insurance for most state employees. The primary goal of MOSERS Month is to raise awareness and knowledge levels among active state employee members about the value of their benefits. If members understand the value of their benefits, this helps the state with recruitment and retention. The more members know about their benefits; the better prepared they are to make decisions that will enhance their financial security. MOSERS month is an opportunity for our communications team to present complicated and sometimes dry information in a fun and engaging way. Second Video for Redesigned USPTO Intranet United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) A team at the USPTO worked for months to thoughtfully redesign the Agency’s outdated intranet landing page. The intranet (called PTOWeb) serves 13,000+ employees as an informational hub. Drastically modernizing this widely-used system presented an obvious change management challenge. To overcome it, we crafted a light-hearted, humorous video to disarm employee apprehensions. The video featured members of the development team reading unvarnished user feedback about the decades-old legacy page. It served as the leading edge of coordinated messaging and outreach efforts— which also included informational articles and instructional webinars—and was our key to providing a smooth user transition. Award of Excellence ADEQ Public Notice Toolkit Arizona Department of Environmental Quality ADEQ's Public Notice Toolkit is the result of a cross-divisional problem-solving project to standardize and improve the process for issuing a public notice. Because processes were developed in program silos, notices were issued inconsistently, internal delays piled up and our legal compliance with public notification law was uncertain. Our goal was to create a common digital space where staff from all three divisions could work to issue notices using the same steps, tools and templates. We measure success by internal process time reduction and increased public participation in agency decisions.
K-12 Educational Program First Go For Real TV Series United States Patent and Trademark Office “Go For Real” TV was created to raise awareness about the prevalence and dangers of counterfeit goods and to provide education to young consumers on how to avoid being “duped” by fake products. Each episode addresses a fun and engaging new topic where tweens and teens encounter counterfeit products and learn the consequences of purchasing these illicit goods. Whether featuring subject matter experts to uncover the truth about fakes in their respective industries or real teens competing for the title of “Ulti-Mutt Dupe Detective”, “Go For Real” TV presents youth with an exciting challenge at every turn. Second U.S. Naval Test Pilot School's downlink with NASA astronauts aboard the ISS Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division Award of Excellence Nutritious, Delicious, Wisconsin Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction Other- Grassroots Marketing CampaignFirst MoveOutATX 2022 Marketing Campaign City of Austin, Austin Resource Recovery Austin Resource Recovery (ARR) launched the MoveOutATX 2022 campaign to encourage college students to donate unwanted items instead of throwing them away. Each July, during off-campus move-out around the University of Texas at Austin (UT), curbs and dumpsters overflow with things students no longer want, and many items in good condition go to the landfill unnecessarily. This disposal pattern causes health and safety concerns and headaches for students, parents, residents, property owners and the City. This campaign aimed to increase donations, including through the first Free Furniture Market (FFM), and to provide economic development opportunities for local reuse organizations. Second Peoria County Flag Contest Peoria County In July 2022, Peoria County Board Members were approached by a teenage resident, requesting that we design a flag to represent our County. We have an official seal, but not a specifically designed flag. The Chairperson took his interest to heart and asked that we come up with a plan. Our original goal was to adopt a flag submitted by, and voted on, by our residents, plus to have the entire contest completed before the current board left office in November. This timeline was later moved to October, to have the unveiling at our County-owned museum for its 10-year celebration. Award of Excellence #AroundTownThursday Radnor Township #AroundTownThursday is a targeted social media campaign designed to directly communicate with Radnor Township stakeholders: the residents, business owners/employees, and academic institutions. Every Thursday, the PIO promotes hot topics in 60 second videos to stakeholders via Township social media pages (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn) and the local government channel. Hot topics vary weekly and may include infrastructure/ project updates, recreational activities/programs, events, safety/ seasonal information, and the like. And, as the campaign has grown, the content has expanded to include community partner events and programming (American Red Cross, Wayne Business Association, Willows Park Preserve Educational Programs, etc.).
Special Purpose Product First UOG 70th Anniversary Museum Exhibit University of Guam Major milestones are an ideal time to take a walk down memory lane, but for its 70th Anniversary Platinum Jubilee, the University of Guam took it a step further and brought memory lane to life. Seventy years of history became tangible in an interactive 3,000-square-foot museum exhibit in the island's capital. In creating the exhibit, UOG aimed to celebrate the university's broad accomplishments and engage people's senses and emotions to more fully realize the impact of the university's work and, in doing so, inspire continued excitement and support for the university's future in teaching, research, and service to the community. Second Liberty Minutes Town of Vienna The purpose of the Liberty Minutes videos was to provide a local historical/educational component to the Town’s 2nd annual Liberty Amendments Month (LAM) celebration. The event’s purpose is rooted in Town Manager Mercury Payton’s desire to bring Vienna residents together to foster mutual respect and understanding in the wake of racial strife that plagued the nation in summer 2020. Payton wanted to create a month-long event that devoted one week to each of the four Amendments that granted liberties to people who were previously excluded from the U.S. Constitution. These videos have some connection to the Liberty Amendments. Award of Excellence Join the Westminster, Colorado Police Department – Video City of Westminster With the City of Westminster’s Police Department facing unprecedented staffing challenges, the City communications team set out to create a unique video recruitment tool to aid in the filling of available positions. With direction from WPD we sought to create a new and refreshed video with a narrative approach and pertinent information. Through voice over narration, we hoped to exemplify the desires of prospective officers and we focused on ideas of mutual appreciation and gratefulness between the community as a whole and the officers within. Photographer's PortfolioSecond Place Arkansas Wildlife Arkansas Game and Fish Commission My portfolio photo entries were all published on the cover of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission’s Arkansas Wildlife magazine. The purpose of my photos in the magazine is to showcase Arkansas wildlife so we can heighten our readers’ awareness of the tremendous variety of wildlife, outdoor landscapes and activities available in Arkansas. The cover photo is also tied to a story in that issue. Second Place DART2Vote Dallas Area Rapid Transit DART offered voters free rides to the polls on Nov. 8 for the general election. The photo series promoted riding DART to vote, in Dallas and the other cities that DART serves. The photos also showcased our new bus stop signs and bus route numbers on the vehicle destination signs. In January 2022, DART completely transformed its entire bus system with the most extensive service change in agency history. Every single bus route in the DART System changed, so we needed to take new photos that reflected the new bus routes serving voting locations.
Award of Excellence Sarasota County Photographer Steve Dawson Sarasota County Government The Sarasota County Communications staff photographer documents official functions, day-to-day county operations, the natural beauty of Sarasota County and even disasters. These photos are used by the county’s in-house creative services team to support print materials, social media posts, website content, digital newsletters, employee profiles and decorative wall art. All assets are uploaded to a searchable online archive, and high-resolution versions are available to local business, media partners and the general public. The photography program is an essential part of telling the county’s story and capturing life and times in Sarasota County for the generations to come. Photojournalist’s Portfolio First Place A Year in Saco City of Saco We use photography as one tool to communicate with Saco residents about a range of issues, exemplified by this portfolio. From the annual tulip bloom at a local cemetery, to a last goodbye for a retired K9, municipal government is deeply connected to the life, culture, and events that take place in this community. All year long we aim to effectively tell stories in the way they might best connect with our residents – and often, that is through still photography. Second Place Palm Tran Helps Elderly and Special Needs during Hurricane Nicole Palm Tran Public Transportation Palm Beach County was under a hurricane warning and two zones under mandatory evacuation which included mobile homes, barrier islands and low-lying areas as Tropical Storm Nicole formed into a hurricane with a predicted landfall on Thursday, November 10, 2022. Playing a key role at the Emergency Operations Center, Palm Tran Connection paratransit service for the disabled sprang into action, organizing and scheduling elderly and special needs pickups. Transportations and evacuations took place and were completed by noon Wednesday, November 9, 2022. Palm Tran’s PR staff was there to capture it in photos.
Award of Excellence Park City Swears In First Female Mayor Park City Municipal Corporation The purpose of this gallery is to showcase documentation of Park City's first ever female Mayor being sworn in during a ceremony on the steps of City Hall in January 2022. Our goal was to document the occasion not only for historic purposes, but to offer them to our community to celebrate and congratulate our new Mayor and Council members that were sworn in that day. Print - Booklet or Brochure
First 2022 South Suburban Activity Catalog Redesign South Suburban Park and Recreation District For the past seven years, South Suburban has mailed a 65+-page printed quarterly activity catalog to every District household. It provided a description, date and time for every single class or program. In 2022, South Suburban redesigned the catalog to accomplish three goals: Second NARCAN® Wallet Card Wisconsin Department of Health Services Despite a variety of awareness efforts focused on the dangers of opioids and ways to stay safe, Wisconsin's opioid epidemic has continued to worsen. Focus groups of drug users, their families and friends, and non-drug users provided insights that there was a lack of understanding of the signs of an overdose and a tool that can save lives, naloxone (NARCAN). Naloxone is the opioid overdose reversal medication. This product was designed to give drug users, their family and friends, and the general public an easy reference guide to identify an overdose and save a life. Award of Excellence 2022 Temple Public Library Summer Reading Program Booklet City of Temple To engage more patrons in the Temple Public Library Summer Reading Program, the Communications & Marketing department designed a fun and engaging Summer Reading Guide - Booklet. This project aimed to increase participation, specifically in school-aged and teen programming and adult reading log submissions. The Summer Reading Guide - Booklet allowed the library to condense the amount of papers patrons would receive when they expressed interest in attending programs or participating in reading challenges. Patrons would have a single tangible source to view all relevant program information and potentially continue utilizing Library resources after the summer break.
Print - Calendar First Arkansas Wildlife Calendar Arkansas Game and Fish Commission The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission has produced a calendar for readers of its magazine for more than 40 years. Because the calendar will be displayed in homes and businesses, it should be attractive. It also should be informative, which is why the calendar includes lunar phases, sunrise and sunset times, hunting seasons and many other facts that are helpful to hunters, anglers and others who enjoy the outdoors. Calendars are by definition locked into a particular format, although designers and editors have found ways to make them interesting over the years. Second 2023 Historic Manatee County Then & Now Calendar Manatee County Government Our interactive calendar’s main purpose is to educate Manatee County residents, and its visitors, of the rich history that this area holds. This project allowed our Information Outreach team to prompt residents and visitors of annual events, as well as provide them with pertinent reminders from other departments and organizations. Our calendar is highly anticipated by our residents and frequent visitors every year. We hope that this calendar will educate, remind, and inform our visitors and residents of how far our county has progressed throughout the years. Award of Excellence 2023 Town Calendar l FY2022 Annual Report Town of Ashland, Virginia The objective of the 2023 Town Calendar / FY2022 Annual Report was to deliver key data and financial information on Town services and the budget in an engaging and beautiful format that would possibly live beyond an initial read-through and take up residence in homes or offices throughout the community. By providing highlights in the forefront of the document and key dates of public meetings month-to-month, our hope is the calendar serves as a resource for information and a reminder to get involved in your local government all year long.
Print- Display First Capitol Square Construction Posters Virginia Department of General Services In January 2022, the Virginia Department of General Services was preparing Capitol Square for the 2022 Inauguration. With thousands of people descending on Capitol Square on Jan. 15, DGS wanted the grounds to look immaculate; however, a number of buildings on Capitol Square were undergoing DGS construction projects at the time. DGS designed a series of poster banners highlighting Capitol Square, the Executive Mansion and buildings and projects under construction on Capitol Square. The banners hung on the construction fencing to both hide the mess of construction sites and the construction fencing and to inform visitors of DGS' projects underway. Second UOG 70th Anniversary Museum Exhibit University of Guam Major milestones are an ideal time to take a walk down memory lane, but for its 70th Anniversary Platinum Jubilee, the University of Guam took it a step further and brought memory lane to life. Seventy years of history became tangible in an interactive 3,000-square-foot museum exhibit in the island's capital. In creating the exhibit, UOG aimed to celebrate the university's broad accomplishments and engage people's senses and emotions to more fully realize the impact of the university's work and, in doing so, inspire continued excitement and support for the university's future in teaching, research, and service to the community. Award of Excellence Lake Ouachita Water Trail Signs Arkansas Game and Fish Commission Lake Ouachita offers 700 miles of shoreline and over 66,324 acres of water. It is completely surrounded by the Ouachita National Forest. With its more than 100 islands it is not only a treasure trove of adventure to recreational paddlers, but it is also sometimes difficult to navigate. These signs offer a map of the the trails on this small portion of the lake featuring camping areas along the trails as well as QR codes for geo-referenced maps for smartphones to download. These signs are deigned to help paddlers along their journey on this portion of this massive lake.
Print- Magazine First TN Magazine Texas Department of Transportation TN, an internal newsletter that has been in production in some form since the 1940s, covers a broad spectrum of news, activities and personalities with the goals of: • Keeping employees informed about the agency • Building unity • Emphasizing employee worth The newsletter contains a mixture of news, articles, profiles, columns and recurring features that focus on important developments in the department and employee activities. The magazine has an engaging and easy-to-read design and plenty of photos Second Sunny Isles Beach Live & Play magazine City of Sunny Isles Beach The Sunny Isles Beach Live & Play magazine is a quarterly publication that was developed to provide residents and visitors a comprehensive guide of all the activities, programs, and events taking place in Sunny Isles Beach. While other city publications focus on what residents need to know, this publication was positioned to focus on what residents want to know. The goal was to keep residents informed, engaged, and create a sense of community. Live & Play is a one stop connection for everything the community wants to know about upcoming programs, events, and recreation amenities in Sunny Isles Beach.
Award of Excellence Parktakes Fairfax County Park Authority Parktakes is a quarterly magazine available in print and online. Circulation is subscription based and the magazine is also available at Fairfax County Park Authority locations with an average press run of around 95,000 copies per quarter. Parktakes is the main marketing tool for the Park Authority to publicize all classes, programs, and events being offered each quarter. Parktakes is designed by a small staff in the Creative Services department with input from around 40 other staff members planning programming.
Print- Poster First Moments in Patent and Trademark History United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) With the USPTO’s campus reopening to on-site work in May 2022, the communications office wanted to provide some new on-site exhibits for employees to help them connect to the mission and history of the agency. Our historian and brand manager worked together to research, write, and design a series of 24 posters highlighting key stories from the USPTO’s 200+ year history. This exhibit helps employees understand how the work we do and have done at the USPTO is of national historical significance, with foundations in the U.S. Constitution. Second 12th Annual Festival at the Switchyard City of Carrollton Goals: -Create an affordable piece in-house, instantly recognizable to the city event's existing audience base while enticing approximately 30,000 to attend the event -Utilize the art as a starting point for all advertising elements to create a consistent style/brand awareness The poster needed to be recognizable as the annual Festival at the Switchyard in Carrollton, incorporating appropriate branding. The design emphasized a train atop a Downtown Carrollton trestle formed by the neck of a guitar, blowing smoke and musical notes from the headlining bands' songs. The City's recognizable historic grain silos in the background added a sense of recognizable place. Award of Excellence Durham Employee Census Poster The Regional Municipality of Durham Durham Region embarked on conducting an internal Employee Census, to help us understand the diversity of our workforce and allow us to improve programs, policies and practices that support an inclusive organization. A poster was one tactic within our comprehensive communications plan, which focused on consistent hits of communications across various channels–email, print, posters, digital screens, and more–throughout the entire Census period. Ultimately, our success indicator was for 80% of Durham Region employees complete the census.
Print- Public Affairs Print Piece or Collection First Confronting the Wildfire Crisis USDA Forest Service Our objective was to clearly communicate our agency’s strategy to confront the wildfire crisis impacting our Nation and encourage engagement. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service is the lead Federal agency in managing national forests and grasslands and wildfire response. To keep wildfires from continuing to destroy communities, infrastructure, and natural resources, our strategy includes community and partner support to increase forest health treatments. Our collection of print pieces described those issues with clear, concise language, vivid images, and clear steps toward remedies. We effectively outlined the call to action and next steps and built support. Second Denver Department of Public Health & Environment (DDPHE) Mental Health Stigma Reduction Campaign Denver Department of Public Health & Environment (DDPHE) The primary goal of the campaign was to reduce the stigma associated with serious mental health conditions, with a more long-term goal of increasing the likelihood of community members seeking out mental health services. By encouraging more supportive language in everyday conversations, the campaign aimed to change the attitude around serious mental health topics. By addressing the six sources of stigma identified in a phase 1 formative assessment, the ads and print pieces showcased that sometimes stigma is exhibited by those in closest proximity to us who may not intend harm with their words. Award of Excellence
Douglas County, Nebraska Douglas County Impact is the first-ever annual report for Nebraska’s largest county. It aims to educate the public and highlight the county’s integral role in improving the lives of residents. It focuses on Douglas County’s perseverance over two years through the COVID-19 pandemic, shining a light on the public servants who worked diligently on the front lines to ensure critical services to residents never stopped. In addition, the report raised public awareness and understanding of the various county services provided to residents, showcasing how department directors and elected officials could pivot and be innovative during historically challenging times.
Print - Soft or Hard Cover Book First Arkansas Turkey Hunting Guidebook Arkansas Game and Fish Commission This is to inform Arkansas turkey hunters of the regulations for public and private land. The goal is to translate legal jargon from the codebook into terms every hunter can understand. The “New This Year” section points out regulation that changed from the previous year, then directs the reader to the pages that that gives details. Hunters refer to this for season dates; these differ depending on zone as well as each Wildlife Management Area, so it's confusing without a guide. Permits and licenses are also explained here. The book is also available online and is reading impaired compatible. Second Arkansas Hunting Guidebook Arkansas Game and Fish Commission This is to inform hunters of the regulations for public and private land. The goal is to translate legal jargon from the codebook into terms every hunter can understand. The “New This Year” section points out regulation that changed from the previous year, then directs the reader to the pages that that gives details. Hunters refer to this for season dates; these differ depending on zone as well as each Wildlife Management Area, so it's confusing without a guide. Permits and licenses are also explained here. The book is also available online and is reading impaired compatible. Award of Excellence Arkansas Waterfowl Guidebook Arkansas Game and Fish Commission This is to inform Arkansas waterfowl hunters of the regulations for public and private land. The goal is to translate legal jargon from the codebook into terms every hunter can understand. The “New This Year” section points out regulation that changed from the previous year, then directs the reader to the pages that that gives details. Hunters refer to this for season dates; these differ depending on zone as well as each Wildlife Management Area, so it's confusing without a guide. Permits and licenses are also explained here. The book is also available online and is reading impaired compatible. Public Affairs- News ReleaseFirst Building public support for a revenue increase that will rapidly accelerate land conservation King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks Our objective was to build public support for the King County Executive’s proposal for a property tax increase to accelerate open space preservation, including forests, trails, river corridors, farmland, and urban greenspace. We announced the proposal just as global inflation began to surge, making a difficult assignment even harder. State law prohibits us from using public resources to advocate for a revenue increase. But we still needed to show the public what we would achieve if voters approved the increase, mobilize our allies, and position the independent campaign for success. Voters overwhelmingly approved the ballot measure in November 2022. Second Shelter Grand Opening Celebrated with Giant Dog Treat Breaking Cook County Government Cook County awarded South Suburban Humane Society $7 million as part of Housing Cook County’s Animals grant program to assist with costs associated with building their new facility. To celebrate the grand opening, the County organized a press conference complete with a giant dog treat that was broken (instead of a ribbon cutting) and given to pups looking for their forever homes. Following the event, the County sent out a press release that included additional details regarding the facility which included a link to broll of the event and facility shot by the County. Award of Excellence Durham Region Top 7 Intelligent Community News Release The Regional Municipality of Durham Durham Region, Ontario, Canada—a municipality just east of Toronto—was named one of the Top 7 Intelligent Communities in the world by the Intelligent Community Forum Institute. We are proud to be recognized on a world stage; and saw the opportunity to share this story not just with our own community, but across Canada and internationally—helping the world see why Durham Region is the best place to work, live, and invest. Through compelling copy and strategic distribution, Durham Region aimed to reach the identified media audience via a traditional press release, aiming for more than 100 media pickups.
Public Affairs - Outreach Campaign First HOW TO HAVE UNHAPPY HOLIDAYS United States Postal Inspection Service The holiday mailing season is the busiest time of the year for USPS. More mail being delivered means more opportunities for mail theft, mail fraud, and other mail related crimes. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigates all of these crimes, but we also educate consumers to prevent crimes. Our 2022 holiday campaign was designed to educate the American public on how to protect their mail from theft and prevent becoming a victim of mail fraud scams around the holidays. In addition to the call to action to be alert and be involved, the campaign encourages customers to report crime. Second Pollinator Protection Week 2022 Environmental Protection Agency - Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Every year, EPA marks National Pollinator Week to promote pollinator protection and highlight contributions of pollinators to ecosystems and food systems. Because EPA expanded efforts to protect endangered species from pesticides in 2022, EPA developed a robust campaign to reach a wide range of stakeholders and advocacy groups. Beyond EPA’s traditional audiences, we used creative communication tools to expand our reach to empower young students and teachers to take action to protect pollinators. By showcasing fun, simple pollinator protection messaging and activities, more of the public could participate in improving local ecosystems and combating pollinator declines in their communities. Award of Excellence 2022 Elections Outreach National Conference of State Legislatures On Nov. 8, voters in 46 states voted on 6,279 state legislators and 36 governors and 133 ballot measures. The partisan control of many states legislative chambers was up for grabs in November as more than 6,000 out of 7,383 state legislative seats were decided. NCSL launched its 2022 State Elections communications plan in July aimed at bringing together in one place a wide range of state election topics, resources and analysis, as well as interactive maps showing legislative and state partisan control. Legislators, legislative staff, media, and others rely on NCSL for its bipartisan information and analysis.
Public Affairs – Working Without a Net First On-the-water livestream and media briefing with scientists studying ways to protect Puget Sound orcas King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks The goal of this buoy deployment livestream was highlighting for media and the public the contribution King County makes to scientific research to help ensure the survival of Puget Sound orcas. COVID-19 and capacity restrictions onboard the vessel limited in-person participation. To ensure equitable access to media, we livestreamed the complicated buoy deployment from a vessel floating in Puget Sound using Wi-Fi, laptops, and cell phones. We hosted a live media Q&A with scientists and provided then with extensive b-roll for complete storytelling. People from around the world also joined the livestream to watch DNRP’s work in action in real-time. Reports - Annual Report
First CDSE 2021 Year End Report The purpose of the annual report is to inform our stakeholders of the work that is being done for the security workforce’s benefit. Second 2023 Town Calendar l FY2022 Annual Report Town of Ashland, Virginia The objective of the 2023 Town Calendar / FY2022 Annual Report was to deliver key data and financial information on Town services and the budget in an engaging and beautiful format that would possibly live beyond an initial read-through and take up residence in homes or offices throughout the community. By providing highlights in the forefront of the document and key dates of public meetings month-to-month, our hope is the calendar serves as a resource for information and a reminder to get involved in your local government all year long. Award of Excellence Kane County ROE Annual Report Kane County Regional Office of Education The annual report is an overview of all the services and collaborative partnerships the Regional Office of Education provides as an educational leader for the benefit of the schools and community members of Kane County, IL. The report highlights information from end-of-year reports of ROE programs and services and from end-of-year school reports from the Illinois State Board of Education. The annual report is designed in part to meet the provisions of Chapter 105, Article 3, Sections 5/3-5, 5/3-6 and 5/3-15.8 of the School Code of Illinois.
Reports - Technical or Statistical Report First Rocky Mountain Region Science Exchange 2020—EarthMAP and the Colorado River Basin U.S. Geological Survey U.S. Geological Survey's EarthMAP (Earth Monitoring, Analysis, and Prediction) is an effort to deliver actionable information needed to inform decisions through application of integrated science, advanced technologies, and predictive models built upon USGS and stakeholder datasets. A few of the objectives were to share vision, purpose, and need for EarthMAP and to help Science Centers explore possibilities of incorporating EarthMAP into their project planning, to bring together USGS scientists working in the Colorado River Basin to share work that they are doing and how those projects could relate to EarthMAP, and to promote scientific collaboration among Science Centers. Second Data-Driven Strategy Communications: How the U.S. Air Force assured NATO Baltic Allies after Russia's unjustified and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine U.S. Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces in Africa Assuring the Eastern Flank governments and populations of NATO’s intentions, formerly part of the oppressive Soviet Union, is a constant imperative. Public Affairs (Relations) professionals executed a brilliant and creative strategic communications campaign, demonstrating to key publics the U.S. Air Force’s unique ability to employ Airpower anytime, anywhere. In brief, on 16 June 2022 USAFE communications professionals directed pilots and operators to fly F-35 fighter jets and a KC-135 Stratotanker over landmarks in the Baltics; then used earned, owned, and social media to strategically communicate the activity and assure Baltic publics of U.S. and NATO commitment to the region. Award of Excellence Investigative Report of the Office of the Attorney General North Dakota State Auditor’s Office Almost $2 million was overspent by the North Dakota Attorney General’s Office when they signed a new lease agreement, and the owner of the building had direct ties to the Attorney General. Speculation was swirling, and citizens deserve answers. The answers looked like hundreds of pieces of thread. Our goal was to tie those threads together to create a tapestry that people could understand. We researched vital details and supplemental information, discovered emails essential to the narrative, and designed a report that gained national attention and prompted an investigation from the Montana Attorney General’s Office.
Video - Television programs/EntertainmentSecond Public Works Adopts New Technology for Asset Management City of Fairfax, Va. The goal of this short program was to educate city residents and business owners about how Public Works uses new technologies to manage stormwater and wastewater assets. The city recently replaced a $0.03 stormwater tax with a Stormwater Utility fee. The video highlights how funds are used to improve water quality and reduce flooding threats. The difference between wastewater and stormwater is explained without technical jargon. The men and women in Public Works work hard to protect the city's health by ensuring infrastructure is reliable. Using tablets and software to inspect/document infrastructure is new and different compared to surrounding jurisdictions.
Award of Excellence Around Town with Jim: Jackass Hill City of Littleton The purpose of this project was to educate not only our citizens but our host Jim, who recently became the city manager for the City of Littleton. This episode concentrates on Jackass Hill, a location within our city that has a unique name, and an incredible view.
Video - Documentary (10 minutes or more) First What's Your Story - The Gravy Lady Town of Vienna The purpose of the new “What’s Your Story” video series is to present engaging human interest stories that aim to make members of our small town of 16,473 residents more connected to their neighbors, business owners and community leaders. From the gregarious Greek restaurant owner who says with a Greek accent “I’m from New Jersey,” to the cancer-surviving police officer who boxes to raise money for a cancer charity, everyone has a story from which we all can learn. Our series began with “The Gravy Lady,” a 97-year-old Vienna native who became a Town treasure after this story was shared. Second NHSC 50th Anniversary Commemorative Video Health Resources & Services Administration The Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA), Bureau of Health Workforce (BHW) leveraged the 50th anniversary of the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) to educate Americans about the NHSC’s history of providing quality health care to patients across the country who have limited access to primary care clinicians. The video aimed to illustrate how essential the NHSC has been the past 50 years for patients and health care clinicians. Without the program, many Americans would not have access to preventive care or wellness visits, and many clinicians would not be able to pursue their dreams of service. Award of Excellence Namesake City of Hyattsville The City of Hyattsville's Namesake video was conceived after a discovery that the original 1927 deed for the City's largest park included racist and exclusionary language. The park was named after the original landowner, so the City undertook a yearlong community engagement campaign to rename the park and ensure all current and future residents feel welcome there. Our goal with the video project was to document the process and tell the honest story of a community addressing a past wrong, as well as highlighting the significance of the park's new namesake.
Video - Educational/Instructional First Watch NOAA's Hurricane Hunters Fly Into the Eye of a Monster NOAA Ocean Today Our objective was to create a video that would highlight the brave and important work of NOAA's hurricane hunters, taking the viewer along for a ride into a hurricane. The video serves both to showcase career opportunities in science and aviation, particularly at NOAA, and also to showcase the amazing airplanes and instruments that NOAA uses to gain a better understanding of each hurricane. Second Saco Maine Phishing City of Saco This is a training video developed by Saco's Communications team and IT department to educate city employees to recognize the red flags associated with phishing scams. Having the ability to identify fraudulent emails can greatly lower the risk of being a victim of scammers. Saco's IT department has also implemented a "Phish Alert" system, which allows employees to report emails they deem suspicious. "Saco Maine Phishing" not only teaches employees how to identify phishing emails, but also how to report them to the IT department to investigate further. Award of Excellence #TuesdayTechTip Kane County Regional Office of Education The bi-weekly #TuesdayTechTip videos began as a way to reach out to the ROE online audience during the pandemic and has grown into a way the ROE helps keep viewers up to date on the increased use of technology, especially in the education arena. These videos are designed to help navigate through the technology world and everyday tech issues in a quick and user-friendly way.
Video - News First On the Front Line: The Marshall Fire West Metro Fire Rescue This video was produced to show what firefighters saw and experienced during the Marshall Fire in Boulder County and the strategy they used to save lives and property. West Metro was one of dozens of agencies that sent crews to assist on the fire. It was a life-changing incident. Local media focused more on what was lost and did not include much from firefighters until this video was posted on social media. Utilizing interviews with three West Metro firefighters, and firefighter-generated video and images, this piece gives an intimate look at what it was like for crews in one neighborhood. Second Preparing King County for Extreme Heat and Climate Change Impacts King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks The Pacific Northwest is known for rain. Flooding is typically our severe weather concern. That changed in summer 2021 during a deadly heat wave. We knew media would turn to us on the anniversary, so with partner agencies we pre-emptively prepared a comprehensive video, news release, online media briefing, and social media campaign. Our video set the tone for news coverage, explaining in a clear way the health and environmental impacts from climate change, and how King County is leveraging lessons learned during the heat disaster to formulate our first Extreme Heat Mitigation Strategy to prepare our region moving forward. Award of Excellence Three Characteristics of Supply Chains Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts “Three Characteristics of Supply Chains” is part of our It’s simple. Kind of ... explainer video series, providing economic information in clear, jargon-free language and with a little bit of humor. This episode was created in response to building supply chain shortages. We focused on three key factors that are a normal part of supply chains but, in the unusual pandemic environment, were also contributing to shortages. We hoped the general public and policy makers would gain a better understanding of the supply chain issues impacting our economy, helping them to make informed decisions. Award of Excellence Sex, Meth and HIV National Institute on Drug Abuse “At the Intersection: Stories of Research, Compassion, and HIV Services for People Who Use Drugs,” is an HHS-NIDA collaboration web series that illuminates the intertwined, often-stigmatized worlds of HIV and substance use each World AIDS Day. In this installment, NIDA and HIV.gov examine the NIDA-supported research around a sobering statistic: According to a 2020 study, as many as 1 in 3 new HIV transmissions among sexual and gender minorities involve people who regularly use methamphetamine. Through personal stories, statistics, and expert commentary, this video takes a person-centered and science-based approach to educate the public on an emerging public health challenge.
Video - Promotional/Informational (Length > 3 minutes) First Olmsted County "A place to call home" video Olmsted County The goal of this video was to highlight success stories of Olmsted County’s housing department and how Olmsted County departments collaborate to benefit our clients and help them become self-sufficient. This video helped educate the public on specific county programs that assist pregnant teens and those in need of housing who otherwise could not receive housing on their own. Second Welcome to Kindergarten Bend La-Pine Schools Like many districts in our state, our schools had lost enrollment during the pandemic. Media around public schools included divisive comments about masks, vaccines and political opinions. We needed to send a strong, clear message to families with incoming kindergartners about what they could expect in our schools, especially because in early 2022, public access to schools was limited. This video offers a peek inside a kindergarten classroom and the warmth, learning and engagement found there. This was part of a larger campaign to drive enrollment and help families feel comfortable and excited to enroll kindergartners in our schools. Award of Excellence Hurricane Ian Response Manatee County Government It’s easy to say, “We’re all in this together”; it’s another thing to show it. This video highlights and humanizes Manatee County’s response to Hurricane Ian. From the commissioners who declared a state of emergency, to the employees who left their families in the face of the unknown, to the organizations and volunteers who showed up for relief efforts, even before they knew whether they had a home to go back to. This video is a testament of all those who had a hand in working through one of the worst disasters of our time. Thank god you were here.
Video - Public Service Announcement Short (PSA) (up to 3 minutes) First “Notifications: Spaghetti” Texas Department of Transportation In 2021, nearly one in five crashes in Texas was caused by a distracted driver; 431 people were killed and 2,934 others severely injured. With the goal of saving lives and reducing crashes, the Texas Department of Transportation’s Talk. Text. Crash. campaign educates Texans on the dangers and risks of distracted driving by discouraging it in all forms. Working with TxDOT, we developed “Notifications: Spaghetti” to demonstrate just how distracting text messages can be for a driver. By bringing those texts to life in a vehicle, the PSA illustrates why it’s important to give driving your full attention. Second Change the Way You Pay Palm Tran Public Transportation Palm Tran’s contactless way to pay bus fare, the Paradise Pass, was launched a few months prior to the creation of this PSA. To increase the number of passengers using the Paradise Pass card and app, this PSA was developed. The objective was to encourage riders to move away from using cash and change through a humorous commercial titled: “Change the way you pay.” The goal was twofold: to have more riders convert to the tap-and-go Paradise Pass and to make this simple system of using the public transit system known to the general public and existing riders. Award of Excellence Get out and see Manatee Manatee County Government Citizen perception of public transit has always been a challenge. With this video, we wanted to show taxpayers the features and vibrant places that are within reach via our public bus system. More importantly, we wanted to illustrate that safety, convenience and accessibility were paramount, while giving public transit a more approachable sensibility. While these issues were at the back our minds when creating this piece, bolstering overall ridership and relieving traffic congestion were the ultimate goals. Award of Excellence “Notifications: Grocery List” Texas Department of Transportation In 2021, nearly one in five crashes in Texas was caused by a distracted driver; 431 people were killed and 2,934 others were severely injured. With the goal of saving lives and reducing crashes, the Texas Department of Transportation’s Talk. Text. Crash. campaign educates Texans on the dangers and risks of distracted driving by discouraging it in all forms. Working with TxDOT, we developed “Notifications: Grocery List” to demonstrate just how distracting text messages can be for a driver. By bringing those texts to life in a vehicle, the PSA illustrates why it’s important to give driving your full attention. Award of Excellence What You Might Lose City of Saco In the beginning of 2022, Saco Police Department saw a sharp increase in OUI stops. Chief of Saco Police Department, Jack Clements, approached the Saco Communications department with the goal of creating a PSA to spread awareness of the costly effects of impaired driving. The communications team crafted a script with the intention of highlighting the unforeseen consequences associated with impaired driving. This messaging was meant to dig underneath the surface of what's typically addressed in OUI PSAs (legal consequences, property damage, psychical harm). Saco hoped to tackle their own challenge with a broad awareness campaign. Written- Single Written PiecsFirst Law Enforcement Basic Training Graduation Speech on Purpose Kentucky Department of Criminal Justice Training As a state law enforcement training organization, we host graduation for police recruits regularly. This is a speech written for the head of our agency (our commissioner) to deliver at graduation. These recruits have completed their training and are headed out into their new careers. The goal was to inspire them to think about their individual purpose, and how that reflects upon the communities they will serve. I hoped this speech would be memorable in their decision-making and choices about how to live a life of balance and purpose in law enforcement. Second Growing Diversity in Florida Transportation Leadership Palm Tran Public Transportation Palm Tran Executive Director Clinton B. Forbes noticed an increase in diverse leadership throughout transportation agencies in Florida. Through data, research, and interviews, Palm Tran discovered the largest agencies in Florida are led by women and minorities including Latinos and African Americans. Executives shared their experiences and how they are paving the way for others to follow, promoting equity in transportation leadership. The objective was at least four media placements. It was published in: The Palm Beach Post and industry publications such as Passenger Transport, the Florida Public Transportation Association (FPTA) newsletter, the Community of Minority Transportation Officials (COMTO) website. Award of Excellence Go Glades App story Palm Tran Public Transportation Palm Tran’s dial-a-ride service, Go Glades, is one of the most successful Palm Tran services at the agency, particularly as the only Palm Tran service to experience an increase in ridership during the pandemic. To give passengers and those who had yet to try the system an easier and more convenient way to use the service, Palm Tran launched an app. Rides can also book rides by calling. A creative story was written to spark interest in the service, explain how it works, and promote the new app. The plan was to target it to the residents of the region. Award of Excellence Second act United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) The goal of this piece was to demystify the path taken by individual inventors to secure their intellectual property with the support of pro se and pro bono services. Tanya Bryant—who showed unrelenting resilience, persistence, and commitment when met with multiple rejections throughout the process—was the perfect subject to tell this story. It was part of the USPTO’s Journeys of Innovation (JOI) series, which aims to inspire future innovators by sharing the journeys of successful American inventors and entrepreneurs who have made a positive difference in the world.
Writer's Portfolio First Writer's Portfolio--Angelica Aboulhosn National Endowment for the Humanities Angelica Aboulhosn writes about artists, art exhibits, and art history to shed light on humanities projects funded by NEH. Her goal is to convey sometimes complicated material in the clearest way possible. It can be said of Aboulhosn's writing that she writes not only with directness but with great sympathy for the goals of the artist and the meaning of their art. She goes out of her way to bring in needed historical and cultural context but then works to ensure that such material does not interfere with the story of artistic creation. Second Neighborhood Spotlight Series - South Fayette Connect South Fayette Township South Fayette Township's manager and five-member Board of Commissioners asked Andrea Iglar, Director of Communications and Community Development, to enhance relationships w/homeowner associations (HOAs) and update HOA contacts to better connect with these residents. South Fayette, one of the fastest growing communities around Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has 40+ planned housing developments whose 5,000+ homes (out of 6,400+ households) accommodate 78% of the population. The Neighborhood Spotlight series, published in each quarterly issue of township magazine South Fayette Connect, highlights these residents and their neighborhoods' unique features, providing opportunities for the departmental director/author to build relationships, update contact information and educate/entertain readers. Award of Excellence Participatory Budgeting Process King County Local Services Purpose: Encourage people to submit ideas and vote in King County’s first Participatory Budgeting effort, capture the process’ historical significance. In 2022, King County Local Services held a first-of-its-kind vote for community projects in five of its historically underserved urban areas. Centered in racial equity, the effort was the culmination of 1 ½ years of work with the community, including soliciting project ideas from the public. It culminated in a weeklong community vote in which residents chose how to spend a total of $10 million in their neighborhoods. The writer helped this outreach effort with news releases and blog posts. |
