Howard, Merrell & Partners received two Awards of Excellence from the Silver InSpire Awards hosted by the North Carolina Public Relations Society of America (NCPRSA). Project Gecko presented by ZillaTM won in the Events and Observances category while the CORDURA® Baselayer brand t-shirt launch won in the Integrated Communications category.

The NCPRSA Silver InSpire Awards annually recognize public relations projects that have met the highest standards of performance in the profession. Entries are required to prove that a campaign addresses a contemporary issue with skill, creativity and resourcefulness. The HM&P projects, Zilla’s Project Gecko and CORDURA® Baselayer brand t-shirt launch, met these requirements – and more.

“We have great clients who allow the agency to create unique projects, and this award is proof of that. Our clients are pleased with the strategic and creative approaches we’ve taken and the results we garnered. And, we are thrilled to be acknowledged and awarded by our industry peers,” said Howard, Merrell & Partners Senior Vice President of Public Relations Stephanie Styons.

ZillaTM challenged Howard, Merrell & Partners with the task of developing a program to increase awareness about reptile keeping and the Zilla brand. Thus, Project Gecko was born – a nationwide, educational contest in which students in the 4th, 5th and 6th grades were given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to name a new species of gecko. Project Gecko involved the development of teacher activity packets containing educational tools, media outreach, public relations support and event management.
CORDURA® brand looked to Howard, Merrell & Partners to develop and execute an integrated communications launch for the CORDURA® Baselayer brand t-shirt. The shirt’s primary benefit lies in its next-to-skin performance properties when exposed to heat in flash fire situations such as improvised explosive devices – making the CORDURA® Baselayer a true innovation for today’s warfighter. The launch engaged parties such as Ranger Joe’s, a store that is a military icon in the Fort Benning community, and The Wounded Warrior Project, a program that provides services to severely injured service members between active duty and transitioning to civilian life. The integrated campaign included media relations coordination, public relations support, event management, an award-winning microsite (www.defendyourbase.com), hang tags, point-of-purchase display racks and in-store banners.