Strut your best campaigns with a La Plata Award!

Entry Deadline: 5:00 p.m., Thursday, February 16, 2012.
Download La Plata Entry Packet (pdf version of this page)
Download Sample La Plata Judging Questions (pdf)
Download entry form (pdf or doc)
(Members $55; Nonmembers $65) Online payment will be available soon.

About La Plata Awards
La Plata (Silver) Awards recognize achievement in public relations campaigns. Entries may be submitted in the following categories.

· Community Relations (B1): Programs that seek to win the support or cooperation of, or that aim to improve relations with, people or organizations in communities in which the sponsoring organization has an interest, need or opportunity. “Community” in this category refers to a specific geographic location or locations. (Campaigns designed to promote products should be entered in Marketing Consumer Products or Services.)

· Special Events and Observances - 14 or fewer days (B2): Events may be commemorations, observances, openings, celebrations or other special activities.

· Public Service/Public Affairs (B3): Programs that advance public understanding of a societal issue, problem or concern or that are specifically designed to influence public policy and/or affect legislation, regulations, political activities or candidacies – at the local, state or federal government levels – so that the entity funding the program benefits.

· Marketing Consumer Products, Services or Business to Business (B4): Programs designed to introduce new or promote existing products or services to a consumer audience or business audience.

· Crisis Communications (B5): Programs undertaken to deal with an event that has had or may have an extraordinary impact.

· Internal Communications (B6): Programs targeted specifically to special publics directly allied with an organization (for example, employees, members, affiliated dealers or franchisees).

· Media Relations (B7): Programs designed to publicize and promote products, services or ideas and/or develop relationships with the media and/or other publics. Entries may include media relations, media tours, trade shows, pitching, etc.

· Investor Relations (B8): Programs aimed at developing, maintaining and improving relationships with potential investors, shareholders and/or others in the financial community.

· Multicultural Communications (B9): Programs targeting a particular cultural group.

· International Communications (B10): Programs performed outside the United States and targeting a particular audience outside the United States.

· Social Media Campaigns (B11): Communications targeting a designated audience and executed over one or more social media platforms. This category can include smart phone campaigns.

La Plata Entry Guidelines
· PRSA members and nonmembers are eligible to submit as many entries as they wish in any category.

· Entrants must work primarily in the San Antonio market or in a nearby market if their market does not have a PRSA chapter.

· Work entered in this contest must have been substantially completed during the 2011 calendar year.

· Each entry must be submitted in a hardcover, three-ring view binder (labeled videotapes may be separate from the binder). Judges will not consider the exterior of the binder in judging the entry. One copy of the entry form must be inserted in the clear front cover of the binder.

· Each entry must be accompanied by the following:

• A summary on single-sided letter-size paper with one-inch margins and in no smaller than 10-point type. The summary should include a brief situation analysis for your program and separate sections detailing each of the four judging criteria: research, planning, implementation and evaluation. The summary cannot exceed two pages. It should address the following.
• Explain the need for this project. What goals and objectives did you intend to accomplish?
• What did your client/employer want to say? What was your message?
• Who was the audience you intended to reach?
• Describe your project or tactic.
• How did you measure your project’s effectiveness?

• Three copies of the completed entry form (see below): one inserted in the front cover and two enclosed in the front binder.
• A 100-word description of your entry to be read aloud by the emcee if your entry wins an award. Please include a print copy as well as an electronic copy on a marked CD.
• A graphic (logo, publication cover, screenshot, etc.) that is represents your entry. If your entry receives an award, your graphic will be displayed on the screen during the awards presentation. Include your graphic on the same disc as your 100-word description.
• Support materials: Samples, news clippings, photos, publications and copies of materials used in the planning and execution of the program should be enclosed in the binder. Materials larger than the binder format must be folded or reduced to fit the binder.

· Payment of the La Plata entry fee must accompany each entry. Fees are $55 for PRSA members and $65 for nonmembers. “Member” is defined as holding a current, paid membership with PRSA San Antonio as of February 1, 2012.

• Preferred payment is by check. A single check covering all entry fees from a single organization or entrant is acceptable, provided multiple entries are delivered simultaneously and a copy of each entry form covered by the check is attached to it. Checks should be made payable to “PRSA.”
• Payment by credit card is also available online through Cvent at www.prsanantonio.com. For those with multiple entries, please make a separate credit card payment for each entry. Include a paid receipt from Cvent with each entry.

· El Bronce entries must be received no later than 5 p.m. on Thursday, February 16, 2012. Mail or deliver your entry (along with proof of Cvent payment or check to PRSA) to Stephanie Finleon, PRSA Treasurer, at the Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas, 811 N. Coker Loop, San Antonio, Texas 78216.
 

· The summary is the single-most important component of the La Plata entry. Judges will use the summary to evaluate your program on the merits of the four criteria: research, planning, implementation and evaluation.

· See the sample La Plata judging form on the San Antonio Chapter web site. It includes the questions that judges will consider when evaluating your project on the merits of the four criteria.

Please direct questions regarding your entry to Del Oro Judging Committee Chair Christi Fish at 210-458-5141 or christi.fish@utsa.edu.