The Institute for Public Relations and its Commission on Public Relations Measurement and Evaluation today announced that MetLife and Echo Research will receive the 2009 Jack Felton Golden Ruler Award for excellence in public relations measurement and evaluation.
The winning entry is titled “Media Reality Check: A New Approach to Content Analysis.” The research identified and implemented a new approach to content analysis by analyzing past articles to determine how future messages should change. MetLife examined media reporting on financial services products and then developed a media relations strategy that provided critical information to the public while helping to increase the overall accuracy of reporting on these products.
The primary objective of the award is to identify superb examples of research and measurement integrated into public relations practice, and to publish these as case studies on the Institute’s website (instituteforpr.org).
The award is named for Jack Felton, who served as President and CEO of the Institute and was instrumental in founding the Commission on Public Relations Measurement and Evaluation. It is sanctioned and judged by leaders in public relations measurement from corporations, nonprofits, public relations agencies, academic and research organizations. The judging panel was chaired by David Kistle, a leader in communication research and measurement, public opinion, strategic planning and organizational development.
The Institute for Public Relations and its Commission will present the award at the Institute’s 7th Summit on Measurement, October 14-16 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The Summit is an annual event for experts in communications and PR measurement and evaluation and for PR practitioners who want a more focused research strategy. Additional information and registration are available online at instituteforpr.org.
American Express earned a Certificate of Merit for its work on “Ed’s B:log: Measuring Dialogue in Employee Communications.” The program measured the effectiveness of a non-traditional communications platform designed to increase the frequency and quality of employee dialogue with American Express Vice Chairman Ed Gilligan.
The U.S. Department of Defense and Fleishman-Hillard earned a Certificate of Merit for “Don’t Be That Guy!” – a program that addresses the rising rate of binge drinking among junior enlisted military personnel. Fleishman-Hillard measured attitude shift toward excessive drinking before and after the campaign, which was designed to raise awareness for the issue.
The winning cases will be available free on the Institute’s website after the Summit on Measurement. Entries for past years’ winners also are posted there.
Royal Dutch/Shell Group has taken a leadership role in sponsoring the 2009 Summit on Measurement. RF/Binder is sponsoring the awards luncheon and TNS Global is sponsoring the event’s opening reception. PR News is the media sponsor. Other sponsors include Echo Research, General Motors, KDPaine and Partners, Southwest Airlines and VMS.
The Commission on Public Relations Measurement and Evaluation exists to establish standards and methods for public relations research and measurement and to issue authoritative white papers on research and best practices.
The Institute for Public Relations is an independent non-profit headquartered at the University of Florida. It bridges the academic and professional fields, supporting public relations research and mainstreaming this knowledge into practice.
# # #
