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Mark Raper, CRT/tanaka Chairman and CEO, Receives PRSA Richmond’s Thomas Jefferson Award of Excellence in Public Relations
Agency Also Earns Eight Virginia Public Relations Awards
Richmond, Va. (June 14, 2007) – CRT/tanaka chairman and CEO Mark Raper has been honored with the 2007 Thomas Jefferson Award of Excellence in Public Relations, given by the Richmond Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), during its 60th annual Virginia’s Best Public Relations Awards ceremony held at Richmond’s historic Jefferson Hotel. The agency also earned eight Virginia Public Relations Awards, one Silver Medallion and two Silver Certificate of Merit awards given for complete PR campaigns, as well as one Bronze Medallion and four Bronze Certificate of Merit awards given for PR tactics.
The Thomas Jefferson Award – presented only 17 times since 1975 – recognizes extraordinary achievement by an individual working in public relations in the metropolitan Richmond area. Under Raper’s leadership as chairman and CEO, CRT/tanaka has become one of the largest and most decorated independent public relations firms in the country. The company has twice been named the “Best PR Agency to Work For in America” by The Holmes Report, a leading PR trade publication, and twice been a finalist for PRWeek magazine’s “Mid-Size Agency of the Year.” In 2006, the firm was selected by the principals of other PR firms in the U.S. as the third “Most Admired PR Agency in the Country.”
Prior to his work in the PR agency world, Raper served as director of marketing for Sentara Healthcare, where he was a member of the communications team for the birth of the first in-vitro baby born in the United States. He also previously served as manager of divisional public relations and advertising for Figgie International, a 35-division conglomerate with annual sales of $1.2 billion.
In 2004, he founded and still serves as chairman for the Lumin Collaborative, the PR industry’s first “think tank,” comprised of five of the country’s top mid-sized agencies. Mark also serves on the VCU School of Mass Communications Advisory Board, the Council of PR Firms planning committee and the Board of Directors of the Coalition for a Greater Richmond. He is past president of the Arts Council of Richmond and also served on the boards for Noah’s Children, Richmond Urban Partnership for Educational Success (RUPES), the Carpenter Center and the Ginter Park Recreational Association.
CRT/tanaka won Virginia’s Public Relations Awards in the following categories:
Silver Medallion Awards (Campaigns)
- Longwood University (Reputation/Brand Management) –Longwood University needed an image update to attract and engage current and prospective students, parents, alumni, faculty, staff, community leaders and government officials. Longwood chose CRT/tanaka to redefine and reposition its brand as well as build a public relations and marketing campaign. CRT/tanaka conducted extensive quantitative and qualitative research before developing a comprehensive plan, executing tactics such as the development of a new athletic logo, Web site and collateral pieces; advertising across several mediums, including radio and outdoor; and media outreach.
Bronze Medallion Awards (Tactics)
- Girls Scouts of the USA (Media Relations) – As part of a national reorganization, in 2005 Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) moved its Girl Scout Research Institute (GSRI) to Washington, D.C. and identified healthy living as one of five platforms from which to communicate its future brand. In January 2006, CRT/tanaka coordinated the release of a GSRI study on healthy living to launch GSUSA’s first new brand platform to the media and to key audiences in Washington, D.C. and beyond. To date, the study has generated more than 25 million measurable consumer impressions, created “buzz” among Washington, D.C. audiences for GSUSA’s work and generated awareness of GSUSA’s commitment to supporting healthy living in girls.
- Virginia Department of Social Services (Community Relations) – Research shows that children who enter kindergarten not ready to learn are at a higher risk of dropping out of school and engaging in negative activities. As a result, children, communities and businesses suffer. Strong education is important for a healthy, competitive workforce. The Virginia Department of Social Services (VDSS) teamed up with CRT/tanaka to execute a statewide marketing campaign to promote the importance of early childhood education and raise public/private support. The integrated campaign included the development of a brand identity known as Smart Beginnings, educational events, media relations, print and radio advertising and coalition building in key areas of the state. The campaign resulted in public and private monetary support and the creation of the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation.
Silver Certificate of Merit Awards (Campaigns)
- Performance Food Group (Events- Seven Days or Less) – In June 2006, Performance Food Group (PFG) and CRT/tanaka developed Together, We Can Fight Hunger – an event held to bring attention to National Hunger Awareness Day, celebrated on June 6. PFG issued a challenge to its hometown city of Richmond, Virginia to fill a PFG truck with protein and other food items. If the goal was met, our partner, Tyson Foods, would donate a truckload of chicken – approximately 10 tons – to the local food bank. At the same time, we equipped our 29 operating companies located across the country with a toolkit that included materials and ideas to conduct their own programs to support the food banks within their communities. The drive was a tremendous success. Here in Richmond, we collected enough food donations to fill nearly two PFG trucks – 23,155 pounds, along with $668.87 in monetary donations from donors. With the matching contribution from Tyson and an additional 10,000 pounds of chicken cutlets from Perdue, the total contribution in Richmond was 61,697 pounds of food. Our operating companies collected more than 67,000 pounds of food, along with cash contributions of $3,500. Together, We Can Fight Hunger not only helped thousands of hungry Americans, but helped unite PFG associates in working toward a common cause.
Bronze Certificate of Merit Awards (Tactics)
- Chadwick’s (Media Relations) – Launched nearly 25 years ago, Chadwick’s was one of the largest home shopping destinations for women’s apparel and accessories. But in recent years, the company experienced a decrease in customers and sales, as well as a weaker media presence. Looking to revitalize Chadwick’s image, CRT/tanaka developed and executed a media relations campaign to change negative perceptions within the editorial community and secure national magazine placements by promoting Chadwick’s new fashion-focused looks in the fall 2006 line. CRT/tanaka decided to “reintroduce” the Chadwick’s brand to the top women’s service and fashion magazines through a series of targeted, relationship building initiatives. These included one-on-one editorial presentations that showcased the on-trend collection in a popular, modern setting and monthly pitches to more than 50 editors highlighting seasonal trends. As a result, CRT/tanaka secured 12 media placements showcasing the fall collection in top women’s magazines. These generated more than 65 million media impressions and $1.24 million in PR value for Chadwick’s.
- Cocktails by Jenn (Media Relations) – Inspired by fashion, Cocktails by Jenn are ready-to-drink, naturally flavored premium vodka martinis sold in fun, colorful “totes” designed to look like handbags. No longer a new product and with no plan to introduce a new flavor, CRT/tanaka conceived of and implemented a media-genic consumer promotion to increase Cocktails by Jenn Web site traffic, strengthen retailer relationships and further promote the brand’s ideology that girlfriend relationships bring fulfillment to women’s lives. Knowing that sales promotions are not regularly covered by the media, the agency developed a contest that would be an irresistible story for media. Cocktails by Jenn’s “Handbags are a Girl’s Best Friend” leveraged the brand’s positioning and played on the fashion passions of its target female consumers. Entrants were asked to submit the best words of wisdom ever given to or received from a girlfriend and the grand prize winner and her best friend would win 52 designer handbags each, one for every week of the year. As a result, placements generated more than 12 million media impressions and Cocktails by Jenn received thousands of entries.
- Longwood University (Brochures) – In a college-bound high school student’s extensive collection of higher education recruitment materials, Longwood’s tabletop brochures were designed to stand out. A complement to a redesigned college fair display, the three-brochure set combined bold colors with unexpected shapes and an unusual construction. These brochures made an impression with students and a significant contribution to the overall marketing campaign that continues to wield impressive results.
- Longwood University (Direct Mail) – The vibrant colors set the tone for this direct mail series, which attracted the attention of prospective students – and their parents – in major ways. The bold, tongue-in-cheek messages of the postcards added youthful appeal while communicating Longwood’s key messages and attributes. These postcards made a significant contribution to the overall marketing campaign, for which the results to date are impressive and consistent with planned objectives.