Versailles Restaurant & República wins Silver Anvil Award of Excellence.

Versailles Restaurant, owned and operated by the Valls Group, and República, announced that they have been awarded a PRSA Silver Anvil Award of Excellence presented by the Public Relations Society of America. The campaign, “Celebrando 40 Years of True Miami Sabor y Cultura,” celebrated the legendary restaurant’s 40th anniversary. The award was bestowed at a ceremony held in New York City on June 7.

República executed a bilingual 360-campaign that tapped each of the agency’s myriad of disciplines including advertising, public relations and social media. The effort involved a daylong block party where the entire South Florida community was invited to enjoy menu items priced at original 1971 prices. The event also served as the perfect occasion to unveil renderings of Versailles’ upcoming renovations. The campaign also launched the restaurant’s new web portal and social media efforts.

For 40 years, Versailles has been a landmark in the Miami community, and its flagship location in the heart of Little Havana has become Miami’s unofficial town center and one of the most popular tourist attractions in the city. The restaurant is famous not only for its delicious Cuban food, but also for the important clientele that visits while in the area from U.S. Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush to major celebrities and movie stars, the famous have always made Versailles a must-stop in Miami.

“We are proud to share this prestigious award with our agency, República, as they executed the vision we had for this special milestone and brought to life in a very special way,” said Nicole Valls, vice president of Valls Group. “It’s humbling for our family to witness what started as a small restaurant, gain global praise and a solid reputation as “The World’s Most Famous Cuban Restaurant.™”

“At República, we have set a high standard for delivering world-class campaigns that drive results for our clients every day,” said Luis Casamayor, president and chief creative officer. “Versailles is truly one-of-a-kind and we are thrilled to be the agency of record for this iconic Miami brand; not too many restaurants could generate over 300 million media impressions for an anniversary celebration.”

The Silver Anvil Awards, considered the Oscars® of the public relations industry, are given annually to organizations and agencies that address an issue of contemporary relevance not only with professionalism but also with skill, creativity, and resourcefulness. Winners are judged on four essential criteria – research, planning, execution and evaluation. This year, PRSA selected 143 finalists from more than 900 entries.