Hispanic Public Relations Association expands PR Campaign of the Year Competition.

The Hispanic Public Relations Association (HPRA), the leading non-profit organization founded to advance the careers of Hispanics in the field of communications, is in search of the best public relations campaigns nationwide that target U.S. Hispanic audiences.

Entries are now being accepted through Friday, August 28 in ten categories across multiple industries that highlight public relations work. The HPRA Campaign of the Year categories include:

1. Technology – Programs designed to introduce new technology products/services or promote existing products/services to a Hispanic/Latino consumer audience.

2. Healthcare – programs designed to promote new or existing healthcare products, events, brands or issues to a Hispanic/Latino consumer audience.

3. Fashion & Beauty – Programs designed to introduce new or existing fashion and/or beauty products/services to a Hispanic/Latino consumer audience.

4. Food & Beverage – Programs designed to introduce new products/services or promote existing products/services, including alcoholic beverages, to a Hispanic/Latino consumer audience.

5. Non-profit – Programs undertaken by government agencies, nonprofits or other groups to educate the Hispanic/Latino public about an issue affecting the community.

6. Sports – Programs incorporating sports or athletes to promote new or existing products/services to a Hispanic/Latino consumer audience.

7. Crisis Management – Programs that helped manage an event that threatened an organization’s operations or existence.

8. Media Event – One-time program of limited duration developed to attract attention or promote communications to a Hispanic/Latino consumer audience. Includes product launches, openings, celebrations, premieres, anniversaries, kick-offs or other special observances. Entries will be judged on results directly tied to most effective use and return on budget.

9. Integrated Marketing Communications – Programs incorporating an integrated marketing mix including advertising, promotions, marketing, and public relations. Campaigns must have a public relations component and one or
more of the other tools.

10. Public Education – Programs conducted by government agencies, nonprofits, other groups or their agencies to educate the public about an issue affecting the community.

“While other organizations lump all multicultural categories into one award nomination, HPRA has ten categories specific to only Hispanic campaigns,” said HPRA President Ivette Zurita. “As the nation’s leading organization for Hispanic communicators, HPRA has the credibility and reputation to honor the best in the industry in each respective category.”

Who Can Enter

Award categories are open to all public relations and marketing practitioners who work on public relations/communications projects/campaigns that target Hispanic audiences throughout the United States. Work must have been conducted between June 1, 2008 and June 1, 2009. Award entry fees are $200 for members and $250 for non-members.

Entries can be part of a multicultural or general market campaign, but must have a Hispanic component and will be judged only on that component. The entries will be judged by an HPRA affiliated panel of communications experts, from academia to industry pioneers.

Announcement of Winners

This year’s winning campaigns will be announced at HPRA’s 25th Anniversary PRemio Awards & Scholarship Gala, to be held Thursday, October 8 at The Highlands Hollywood with catering by Wolfgang Puck.

As part of the program, HPRA presents scholarships to selected four-year university students pursuing a degree in public relations and related communications fields and honors individuals in four different categories: Journalism, Arts & Entertainment, Public Relations, and Corporation of the Year. Honorees are nominated, at no charge, by industry colleagues and judged by the HPRA executive board and advisory council. Nominations for honorees are now being accepted through Friday, August 7.

To download the honoree nomination form, campaigns of the year form or for PRemio Awards & Scholarship Gala event/sponsorship information, please visit http://www.hpra-usa.org> and go to PRemio Awards.