College public relations programs recognized
FPRA President Karen Smittle with FPRA secretary, Sarah Carey, and Mary Beth Head of Two Head Video. Carey received the Grand Image in the audio visual category -- best overall entry -- for a video produced with Two Head as a promotional tool for the vet school's new Small Animal Hospital. Awards were given March 19 at FPRA's annual Image Awards luncheon. |
Several of the UF College of Veterinary Medicine’s public relations tools have been recognized recently in two separate award competitions, the university’s 2004 Golden Gator Awards and the Florida Public Relations Association’s local Image Awards.
A promotional video, titled “Best Friends,” created to promote the college’s need for a new small animal hospital, took the lion’s share of awards in both contests. The video won a Golden Gator “best overall” award in the video category. Winners were announced at a banquet held at UF’s Reitz Union Feb. 19. Judges included past winners and community public relations professionals active in the Florida Public Relations Association.
The Golden Gator awards were established four years ago by the University of Florida’s Office of News and Public Affairs to honor UF’s best public relations efforts. Categories include magazines, newsletters, news releases, speeches, campaigns, creativity and video, among others.
“This year’s event featured 250 entries from all 17 colleges and was the most competitive yet,” said Dr. Kerry Crooks, assistant vice president for public relations.
Created locally by Two Head Productions, the “Best Friends” video sets forth the reasons why a new hospital is needed and features local animal and human talent, including many faculty, staff and students from the college and their pets.
The video highlights the human-animal bond and was presented for the first time during the “Get On Board the Ark” fundraiser in November 2002. The event raised $450,000 toward the $4.4 million needed in private donations to make the new hospital possible.
Also receiving an award in the Golden Gator competition was Florida Veterinarian, the college’s external newsletter.
The newsletter has traditionally been published twice a year but this year there will be a third issue. Florida Veterinarian was selected best one-to-two color newsletter in the newsletter subcategory of the printed tools category. The newsletter is sent to alumni, donors, science writers and other members of the media. It features news from the college as well as profiles of alumni and updates on important college programs.
In the Image Awards, sponsored by FPRA’s Gainesville Chapter, the video took a first-place Image Award in the video category and a Grand Image award for best public relations tool in the audio/visual category.
Also receiving an Image Award was a news release titled “Mending a Broken Heart,” the story of how a dog owned by a local cardiologist received a unique procedure to repair a heart problem, thanks to collaboration by UF veterinary and human cardiologists.
Criteria for winning in the Image Awards include the ability to document an entry’s effectiveness in meeting targeted goals and experiencing meaningful results.
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