Bromley/MS&L take home Silver Anvil Award of Excellence.

Bromley/MS&L is the recipient of the Silver Anvil Award of Excellence, sponsored by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). The Award of Excellence, which recognizes outstanding strategic public relations planning and implementation, was presented to Bromley/MS&L during the Silver Anvil Awards Evening held June 8 in New York City.

Bromley/MS&L received the 2006 Silver Anvil Award of Excellence for its Wonka Arte campaign in the Multicultural Public Relations category. Popular in the general market, the WONKA brand of candies was looking for a way to connect and build brand awareness with 8 – 14 year old Hispanics that represent one-third of the total U.S. Hispanic population. Through the culturally relevant and age-appropriate WONKA Arte program, the brand was able to directly reach more than 4,000 kids, generate 12 million media impressions and increase sales.

“Beyond the numbers, success was apparent by the community’s response,” stated Deborah Charnes Vallejo, VP and Managing Director of Bromley/MS&L. “Parents and kids alike unanimously said they’d like to participate in future Wonka Arte events. Others said they had the ‘time of their life,’ that it was great to see WONKA contributing to the community, and Wonka Arte helped to instill pride in culture and heritage.”

The Bromley team designed and developed the WONKA Arte program and executed two candy art contests aimed at Hispanic tweens: the Willy Wonka Sculpture Contest tied to the release of the Willy Wonka movie, and a Day of the Dead Altar Contest. Promotional support included postings on WONKA.com, event ads in local newspapers, online and TV community calendars, direct mail outreach and flyers within the community.

Winners of both contests, and their families, enjoyed VIP treatment at award presentations. To extend the reach of the winners’ artwork, the winning altar was showcased on 10,000 Day of the Dead book covers that were issued to all guests at a Day of the Dead community celebration, Mexican consulates, libraries, Boys & Girls Clubs, schools and Radio Disney remotes. Similarly, sculpture contest artwork was reproduced on billboards placed throughout the community.

“It is our privilege to present this award to Bromley/MS&L,” said David M. Imre, APR, 2006 PRSA Silver Anvil chair and president, Imre Communications, LLC. “We offer our congratulations to them for having demonstrated the highest standards of performance in the public relations profession.”

The Silver Anvil Awards has grown in scope and stature since its inception in 1946. The Silver Anvils are awarded to programs in 54 categories. In the 60 years since the inception of the program, more than 1,000 organizations have received Silver Anvils for excellence in strategic public relations planning and implementation.