Close contest for PRISM entrants

This prominent award is presented to public relations and communication professionals who have effectively incorporated strategy, creativity and professionalism into public relations and communication programmes and campaigns.

Morné Ebersohn, chairman of the PRISA Public Relations Consultants Chapter (PRCC), says that entries to the previous year's award were disappointing, but that there has been a complete turnaround in the quality of work presented this time around.

He is pleased with the number of large and highly recognised consultancies that have taken this opportunity to showcase their work, and believes that this will go a long way towards further reinforcing the credibility of the award.

It will be a close contest for entrants in a number of categories, and for the first time in two years, three entrants are in contention for the PRISM's Gold Award for the best overall campaign of the year. The recipient of this honour will be eligible for the Institute of Public Relations in the United Kingdom's award, with the entry fee being funded by the PRCC as part of the accolade.

While Ebersohn concedes that in general scores were high and that the presentation of entries has improved, he says work still needs to be done on the research element of public relations programmes and campaigns.

Next year, the PRISM committee will be introducing client evaluations as part of the entry criteria, which will add notably to the strength of submissions. But in the meantime, an expert panel of judges - including some of the most respected names in the industry - is hard at work selecting the winners of the 2004 event.

Concerns that have entered their work into the various categories of the award are: Arcay Communications, Bristol-Meyers Squibb, Clover, Cycad Communications, Design and Media Planning, FHC Strategic Communications, Graphicor, Idea Engineers, InZalo Communications, KC Communications, Lange Public Relations, Magna Carta South Africa, Marcus Brewster Publicity, Matigari Integrated , Sabio Communications, SAEON, a research facility of the National Research Foundation, Text 100 Public Relations, Total Media and Versfeld & Associates.

The names of the winners will be announced at a cocktail function to be held at La Toscana, Monte Casino, on 17 March 2005 at 18h30. Contact PRISA's Susan Richardson at Tel: +27 +11 326 1259.