How to Prepare Your PACE Awards "Campaign" Entry

>Sample Winning Entry

>Online Entry Form

This year, the PACE Awards Entry Form has gone online. All entries must have an accompanying filled out electronic form. Once your entry form has been submitted online, it must be printed off and included with your hard copy. Any files submitted online but relevant to judging your entry must also be included with your hard copy entry as well.

Campaign entries must be limited to one hardcover, stiff-spine, three-ring binder no more than three inches thick. Pages should be no larger than 8-1/2 inches by 11 inches. The binder should be free of lettering, labels, drawings or other artwork. Entries will be penalized if the binders exceed this size or have ornamentation.

A concise summary no longer than two typewritten pages (10-point font or greater) must be included in the front of the binder. Each of the four criteria (research, planning, execution and evaluation) must be addressed.

Each of these four criteria must be supported with more detailed information in tabbed sections behind the two-page summary. The entry will be eliminated if a summary is not included or exceeds the maximum two-page length.

A CD/DVD no longer than five minutes may accompany your entry, along with the two-page summary and supporting documentation in the binder. This CD will be submitted to the judging chapter for their use in reviewing your overall entry. 

Your binder should include any supporting materials referred to in the two-page summary. For example, if you refer to a public relations planning document, a copy of the plan should be included in the binder. Other examples of supporting materials would be clippings, reports, letters, pictures and samples of tactical materials.

The online application form requires you to upload and submit a (100-word max) description of your campaign entry and a maximum of 2 electronic images (JPEG format less than 300K) such as your company logo or photos representing your submission. If the entry receives an award, these items will be used at the awards presentation. 

How To Prepare Your Two-page Campaign Summaries

The summary is perhaps the single most important component of the PACE Awards campaign entry. Judges will evaluate the program/tactic on the merit of four criteria: research, planning, execution and evaluation.

The summary should be typed using no smaller than a 10-point typeface and one-inch margins.

Research

Analyze or describe the situation on which the program is based. When addressing the actual research component, describe who specifically initiated the research. Was it in response to a problem or to examine a potential problem? Did research help to re-define the situation in any way? How was the research relevant to shaping the planning process? How did the research help define the audience(s) or the situation?

Planning

How do the plans correlate to the research findings? Who was involved in the planning? In general terms, what was the plan? For example, what were the specific objectives of the program? Who were the target audiences? What was the overall strategy employed? What materials were used? What was your budget?

Execution

How were the plans executed and what were the results? In general terms, how did the activities flow? Were there any difficulties encountered? If so, how were they handled? Were other organizations involved? Were other non-traditional public relations tactics (i.e., advertising) employed? Please note: unless you are entering this program under "Integrated Communications," advertising costs, under most circumstances, should not exceed one third of the budget.

Evaluation
What method(s) of evaluation were used? How are results related to research findings? How are results related to strategic objectives? (Note: Media circulation figures are not acceptable as the only means of quantitative measurement.)

How to Prepare Your PACE Awards "Tactic" Entry

>Sample Winning Entry

>Online Entry Form

This year, the PACE Awards Entry Form has gone online. All entries must have an accompanying filled out electronic form. Once your entry form has been submitted online, it must be printed off and included with your hard copy. Any files submitted online but relevant to judging your entry must also be included with your hard copy entry as well.

Projects produced at least in part between January 1, 2011 and December 31, 2011 are eligible.

Judging will be performed by teams of PRSA members and others with special expertise in the specific categories. Judging will be based on research/background, planning/content, creativity/quality, technical excellence, and results. Results should provide evidence of how the stated objectives were met and how the entry impacted the success of a broader or ongoing program. Evidence may be qualitative or quantitative, as appropriate for the scope and nature of the entry. See the judging section of this website for additional details.
 

• Develop a concise summary, no longer than a single page, which should include objectives, audiences, budget and, if applicable, results. Also, consider any specific information requested in the individual category. (For instance, unless indicated, results need not be provided.)

• Enclose a copy of the entry (tactic as requested in the individual category).

• If the entry is of an audio or visual nature (radio/TV PSAs, video programs, etc), please submit a CD/DVD of the entry. This will be sent to the judges for evaluation. 

The online application form requires you to upload and submit a (50-word max) description of your tactic entry and a maximum of 2 electronic images (JPEG format less than 300K) such as your company logo or photos representing your submission. If the entry receives an award, these items will be used at the awards presentation.