News

GOLD COAST PR COUNCIL Announces Winners of 2023 Bernays Awards, Honoring Excellence by Local Public Relations & Marketing Professionals

President’s Award Winner is Palm Beach Media Group; Communications Team Behind FAU Owls is Named PR Star

Sandy Collier, president of the Gold Coast PR Council (GCPRC), South Florida’s largest independent association of public relations, communications, and marketing professionals, today announced this year’s Bernays Award winners. GCPRC has given out these awards since 2005 honoring excellence in local public relations campaigns, marketing programs, and media coverage.

The honors were presented on July 18 at GCPRC’s 18^th annual Bernays Awards at the Hilton Palm Beach Airport with nearly 100 attendees. Honors were presented in 10 competitive categories, plus four special awards selected by the nonprofit organization’s board of directors, and two Judges’ Awards.

Only one award winner is announced in advance, GCPRC’s prestigious Presidents Award, which is given to a person or organization for truly outstanding performance. This year’s recipient is Palm Beach Media Group, a proven leader in publishing excellence that produces such top-quality, high-demographic magazines as Palm Beach Illustrated and sister publications in Fort Lauderdale, Jupiter, Stuart, Naples, and Aventura, as well as the internationally renowned Florida Design, Palm Beach Charity Register, and more.

“Palm Beach Media Group continues to grow and glow… by offering outstanding editorial accompanied by dazzling photography,” hailed Collier before presenting the crystal trophy to Editor-in-Chief Daphne Nikolopoulos and members of her team.

The PR Team for the FAU Owls (Lisa Metcalf, Katrina McCormack, and Evan Shomo), received this year’s PR Star award for generating more than $1.9 billion in positive media coverage during the game-winning run of Florida Atlantic University’s men’s basketball team, including four different segments on NBC’s Today Show including three broadcasts live from the campus. The 2023 PR Star Award was presented by last year’s recipient Claudia Shea.

The Founders’ Award went to GCPRC’s longtime board member and two-term president Melissa Perlman and was presented by last year’s recipient Anne Dichele.

GCPRC’s second annual Tim Byrd Award—which goes to a local media personality who always “goes an extra mile” to help PR professionals—was given to Kari Barnett, Community Editor for the Sun Sentinel by last year’s inaugural recipient T.A. Walker.

This year’s distinguished Judges Award recipients were Discover the Palm Beaches and the Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller, Palm Beach County. The two awards were presented by Bernays judges Niles Fortner and Stephanie Immelman.

The winners of the 10 competitive Bernays Award categories are:

Nonprofit Project or Campaign – Small

Palm Beach Civic Association, Hurricane Heroes

Nonprofit Project or Campaign – Large

BlueIvy Communications, The Opening of the Toby & Leon Copperman Therapy & Family Resource Center

Social Media Campaign – Nonprofit

Boardroom PR, JAGCO Social

Social Media Campaign – For Profit

Christina Nicholson, Become a Media Maven Podcast

PR Campaign by a Small Company or Firm

Lisa Metcalf, Florida Atlantic University, Hot Chicks, Cool Dudes: The Impact of Climate Change on Sea Turtle Sex Ratios

PR Campaign by a Large Company or Firm

The Buzz Agency, Marriott International New Global Headquarters

Crisis Communications 

The Buzz Agency on behalf of The Family Law Section of The Florida Bar, Veto SB1796 / HB1395 – Alimony Reform

Marketing Material – Digital/Video

Palm Tran Public Transportation, Change the Way You Pay PSA

Marketing Material – Print

Anne M. Gannon, Constitutional Tax Collector Serving Palm Beach County, 2022 Tax Planner & Services Guide

Special Event

Palm Tran Public Transportation, 2022 Palm Beach Pride Parade

The next monthly Zoom meeting of the Gold Coast PR Council will be held on September 19 at 4 pm. For more information about GCPRC, please visit www.goldcoastpr.council.com.