2006 Award Winner – Best PR Campaign

Fetzer Vineyards at Chelsea, Brown-Forman Wines

This year’s PR award goes to Brown-Forman Wines for its Fetzer Vineyards’ campaign. Following research showing that Fetzer’s target consumers were often keen gardeners, Brown-Forman decided that The Chelsea Flower Show was the perfect opportunity to showcase Fetzer’s organically grown grapes and sustainable viticultural practices. Fetzer complemented its show garden with a sales and tasting stand and distributed 14,000 specially produced 187ml bottles of Fetzer Syrah Rose – the perfect summer drink for enjoying in the garden – with stockist details to encourage future purchase. The campaign generated substantial coverage in the national, regional, consumer and trade press, with approximately £598 of coverage generated for every £1 spent on PR.

The Runner-up 2006

Grant’s Sport50, Touch PR
Sport and travel were the main themes in Touch PR’s Sport50 campaign
for Grant’s whisky.  The multi-media campaign sought to target 50+ ABC1 males by asking the public to vote for the 50 most inspiring and aspirational sporting events and destinations to see in a lifetime. To date, Grant’s Sport50 has generated 79 pieces of media coverage for the Grant’s brand.

The Shortlist 2006

Absolut Ice Bar launch, Maxxium PR
Maxxium PR organised the launch of the Absolut Ice Bar in a bid to raise awareness of the vodka brand.  The campaign,which cost £129,000, generated £657,000 of coverage in over 50 pieces of editorial.

Benedictine Liqueur, First Drinks Brands
From the Renaissance to the French Revolution, First Drinks Brands’ campaign reads like a French history lesson. The PR firm linked the history of the brand with the fascinating tale of the 11th Battalion of the East Lancashire Regiment, in an attempt to attract younger consumers from the area to the liqueur, and generated substantial local press coverage.

Coors Beer Naturally, R&R Teamwork Media Relations
The Coors Beer Naturally Campaign was created to improve the public’s perception of beer as a category. R&R Teamwork Media Relations sought to obtain positive media coverage by organising a range of beer tastings and dinners focusing on how natural beer is.

McWIilliams New Wor(l)d on Wine
E&J Gallo Winery Europe sought to demystify wine in its New Wor(l)d on Wine campaign, which included a consumer guide to understanding wine and on-air wine masterclasses run by McWilliam’s chief winemaker, Phyl Ryan.

Peroni, Emporio Peroni
Style was the key word in this campaign as Gabrielle Shaw Communications sought to reposition Peroni Nastro Azzuro by reflecting the effortless chic of the Italian lifestyle. The launch of the Emporio Peroni store on Sloane Street (complete with Italian security guard to watch over the single bottle of Peroni on display) generated over 150 pieces of coverage. Since the launch, Peroni has recorded a 35% increase in international sales and more than a 20% sales growth in the UK year-on-year.

© db May 2006