2023 Blacksmith Awards Winners

The 2023 Blacksmith Awards were announced during the Cincinnati PRSA Chapter Banquet on Nov. 16, 2023 at The Phoenix. Thank you for your support to make the 2023 Blacksmiths a huge success, and to all the organizations that submitted entries.

Below is a list of all of the organizations and people that were recognized with Awards of Excellence or a Blacksmith during the event:

CAMPAIGNS

Community Relations

  • Blacksmith Award: Kenton County Public Library for “City of Covington
    Book Benches”

    • Awards of Excellence:
      • Kenton County Public Library for “Summer Reading Celebration – Read Your Way Every Day”
      • Rumpke Waste and Recycling for “Education Outreach”
      • Pomme Communications for “Don’t Trash the ‘Nati”

Events & Observances – More than 7 days

  • Blacksmith Award: Cincinnati Children’s for “Sharing Mental Health Resources with the Community and Employees”

Events & Observances - Less than 7 days

  • Blacksmith Award: Kenton County Public Library for “National Library
    Week Reveals Book Benches”

    • Awards of Excellence:

      • Cincinnati Children’s for “Cincinnati Children’s Announces Historic Number One Pediatric Hospital Designation”

      • Pomme Communications for “O’Piggyville”

      • Scooter Media for “Grand Opening of North by Hotel Covington”

Integrated Communications

  • Awards of Excellence:
    • Scooter Media for “Ovation Time Capsule Event and Pedestrian Bridge Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony”
    • Cincinnati Public Schools for “Be Present!”
    • Council on Aging and Vehr Communications for “Council on Aging AddnAide Campaign”
    • Cincinnati Children’s for “Cincinnati Children’s Melds Marketing and Communications to Announce Historic Number One Ranking”

Marketing

  • Blacksmith Award: Council on Aging and Vehr Communications for “Council on Aging AddnAide Campaign”

    • Award of Excellence:

      • Ohio Valley Goodwill Industries, Pigworks and the Hamilton County Developmental Disabilities Services for “Ready to Fly: Promoting PigAbilities and the Movement for Inclusion”

Most Effective Campaign on a Shoe-String Budget

  • Blacksmith Award: Kenton County Public Library for “Library Book Benches”

    • Award of Excellence:

      • Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati for “Welcome Home Program”

Reputation Management

  • Blacksmith Award: Cincinnati Children’s for “Cincinnati Children's Leverages Historic #1 Ranking to Further Reputation Nationally”

Best of Show – Campaigns

Cincinnati Children’s for the Reputation Management entry, “Cincinnati Children's Leverages Historic #1 Ranking to Further Reputation Nationally”

TACTICS

EARNED

Media and Publicity

  • Blacksmith Award: Scooter Media for “Ovation Time Capsule Event and Pedestrian Bridge Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony”

    • Awards of Excellence:

      • Cincinnati Children’s for “Cincinnati Children's Gets Creative to AnnounceHistoric #1 Ranking”

      • Hamilton County Developmental Disabilities Services for “Honoring an act of service for a kinder community”

      • Vehr Communications for “Joe Burrow Foundation Launch”

OWNED

New Digital Platform or Mobile App

  • Blacksmith Award: Children’s Hospitals’ Solutions for Patient Safety for “SPS LinkedIn Account Launch”

Websites

  • Blacksmith Award: Hamilton County Developmental Disabilities Services for “Life Stage Transition Guides”

Creative Tactics

  • Blacksmith Award: Pomme Communications for “O’Piggyville Surprise Rebranding”

    • Awards of Excellence:

      • St. Elizabeth Healthcare in collaboration with Slide Nine for “Reaching the Community by Increasing our Reach”

      • Kenton County Public Library for “Building Turned Billboard”

Best Tactical Pivot

  • Blacksmith Award: Cincinnati Children’s for “From Third to First - How Cincinnati Children's Scrapped Everything to Make a Historic Announcement”

    • Award of Excellence:

      • Metro and Vehr Communications for “State of Metro Tactical Pivot”

Printed Publications

  • Blacksmith Award: Pomme Communications for “Cincinnati Cancer Advisors Wellness Guide”

    • Awards of Excellence:

      • Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati for “Annual Report -- 90 Years of F-H-L-B.”

      • Metro for “Metro In Motion”

Videos

  • Blacksmith Award: Cincinnati Children’s for “Camp Joyful Hearts” 

    • Award of Excellence:

      • Cincinnati Public Schools for “Legacy Video Series”

Best Webcast or Podcast

  • Blacksmith Award: Cincinnati Children’s for “The Young and Healthy Podcast”

Best Use of Social Platforms

  • Blacksmith Award: Cincinnati Public Schools for “Parker’s Playground”

    • Awards of Excellence:

      • UC Health for “Damar Hamlin”

      • Rumpke Waste and Recycling for “Rumpke Illustrated Time Lapse Videos”

      • Cincinnati Children’s for “Mental Health Awareness Month”

      • Cincinnati Children’s for “Number One U.S. News & World Report Ranking Announcement”

Best in Show - Tactics

  • Pomme Communications for the Creative Tactic entry, “O'Piggyville Surprise Rebranding”

BEST IN SHOW - CAMPAIGNS

Cincinnati Children’s for the Reputation Management entry, “Cincinnati Children's Leverages Historic #1 Ranking to Further Reputation Nationally”

BEST IN SHOW - TACTICS

Pomme Communications for the Creative Tactic entry, “O'Piggyville Surprise Rebranding”

PROFESSIONAL & TEAM

  • CEO Communicator of the Year: Dave Schroeder, Executive Director for the Kenton County Public Library

  • PRSSA Student of the Year: Sarah Sheffer, University of Cincinnati

  • New PR Professional of the Year: Tareza Bosma, Scooter Media

  • PR Professional of the Year: Amber Potter, Scooter Media

  • Organizational Team of the Year: Cincinnati Children’s Marketing & Communications team

  • Small/Midsize Agency of the Year: Vehr Communications

  • Large Agency of the Year: Scooter Media

                     

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