Two Hermes Creative Awards Received
Howard, Merrell & Partners received two platinum Hermes Creative Awards. The agency’s management of Project Gecko presented by ZillaTM won in the Special Events category while the execution of the CORDURA® Baselayer brand T-shirt launch won in the Integrated Marketing Campaign category.
The Hermes Creative Awards is an international competition for creative professionals involved in the concept, writing and design of traditional materials and programs as well as emerging technologies. Entries are judged and awards administered by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals. This international organization consists of marketing, communication, advertising, public relations, media production, web and freelance practitioners. The association oversees awards and recognition programs as well as sets standards for excellence.
“We are very excited to receive this honor from the Hermes Creative Awards,” said Howard, Merrell & Partners Senior Vice President of Public Relations Stephanie Styons. “In addition to the traditional use of communications tools such as project management, strategic counsel, writing and media relations – it’s great to be recognized for the creative work we provide our clients.”
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.
INVISTA’s CORDURA® brand team 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 t-shirt 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.
