Neathawk Dubuque & Packett took home five awards from the Virginia Public Relations Awards. The advertising firm won two Capital Awards and three Commonwealth Awards.

Here is the press release from Neathawk Dubuque & Packett.

RICHMOND, Va., (May 21, 2013) – Neathawk Dubuque & Packett (ND&P) won five awards at the recent Virginia Public Relations Awards.

The statewide competition is sponsored by the Richmond chapter of the Public Relations Society of America.

ND&P won two Capital Awards of excellence for outstanding public relations programs in the direct mail and marketing consumer products categories. Both were for client AnMed Health to promote its cardiac program. Read more »

A Virginia Tech advertising campaign created by Access Advertising & Public Relations has won an award from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education. The “I Invent” campaign was recognized with a Special Merit Award in the category of communications and marketing branding and identity program or campaign. Awards were presented at a ceremony in Atlanta, Ga. in February.

Here is a press release from Access.

Roanoke, Va. (April 29, 2013)—Created by Access Advertising & Public Relations, the Virginia Tech ‘I Invent’ campaign has been recognized with a Special Merit Award in the category of Communications and Marketing Branding/Identity Program or Campaign by the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) District III 2012-2013 Advancement Awards program. The awards were presented in Feb. 2013 in Atlanta, Ga.

“Virginia Tech is an outstanding institution of higher learning with much to offer virtually any student,” said Todd Marcum, President of Access Advertising & Public Relations. “We feel fortunate to have the opportunity to help share the unique story to students from other states.” Read more »

ADDY Awards were presented by the American Advertising Federation Roanoke on Saturday in downtown Roanoke. The awards recognize advertising talent in Roanoke and the New River Valley. Greg Brock of Firefli Media was given the Advertising Person of the Year Award. Vendor of the Year was awarded to InnerWorkings. More winners are announced the press release below from the American Advertising Federation Roanoke.

Roanoke, VA, Feb. 25, 2013 — The American Advertising Federation Roanoke hosted the Western Virginia ADDY Awards on Saturday, February 23 at the Market Building’s Charter Hall in downtown Roanoke. The ceremony recognized and showcased the Roanoke and New River valley’s best advertising creative talent.  This year’s awards show was led by ADDY chair Kym Davis. Read more »

Freedom First Credit Union has launched a new rebranding effort to demonstrate the company’s commitment to communities. The “Where People Bank for Good” initiative includes a new logo and message showing that the bank is investing resources into programs and projects that benefit the community. As part of the new campaign, almost 2,000 envelopes containing various amounts of cash are being randomly sent to area business and street corners to show what the bank does on a small-scale every day.

Here is the press release from Freedom First Credit Union.

Roanoke, VA (February 18, 2012) — Freedom First is pleased to announce its “Where People Bank for Good” initiative—a comprehensive rebranding effort that exemplifies the growing company’s ongoing commitment to investing its resources in programs, projects, and partnerships that benefit the entire community. In addition to a new logo and message, nearly 2,000 blue Freedom First-branded envelopes containing varying amounts of cash will begin appearing randomly at area businesses and street corners throughout the region, changing hands from one person to another in a small-scale demonstration of what the Credit Union does behind the scenes every day. Read more »

A  public service announcement video for Help Save The Next Girl received a 2012 W3 Silver Award from the International Academy of the Visual Arts. The video was created by area public relations firm SAKinterMedia and advertising firm B2C Enterprises.

Help Save The Next Girl is a campaign started by Dan and Gil Harrington after their daughter was abducted and murdered after leaving a concert at John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville. This is the only campaign from western Virginia recognized in the competition.

The awards recognize creativity on the web, and the creative and marketing professionals who create award winning sites, programs and videos created for the web.

Here is the press release from B2C Enterprises and SAKinterMedia.

Roanoke, VA (January 2013) – The locally produced Help Save The Next Girl video PSA (HelpSaveTheNextGirl.com), created by SAKinterMedia and B2C Enterprises of Roanoke, VA gained international recognition last month when it received a 2012 W3 Silver Award from the International Academy of the Visual Arts (IAVA).  The W3 Awards honor creative excellence on the web, and recognizes the creative and marketing professionals behind award winning sites, marketing programs, and video work created for the web. In its seventh year, the W3 Awards received over 3,000 entries from ad agencies, public relations firms, Interactive agencies, web & graphic designers worldwide. Read more »

Two videos produced by a co op of creators were featured during the broadcast of the 12-12-12 Concert for Sandy Relief. Hired by anti-poverty organization, the  Robin Hood Foundation, The Farm created the videos that  showcase two ways  Robin Hood is helping Sandy victims.

Here is the press release from The Farm.

NEW YORK, NY, January 8, 2013 – The Farm produced two of the memorable videos that were broadcast as part of the historic 12-12-12 Concert for Sandy Relief, the largest musical event ever to hit the stage at Madison Square Garden.

The live event, featuring a wide variety of legendary acts including Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, the Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, Kanye West and Paul McCartney, was broadcast to over two billion households around the world through thirty-seven US networks and television feeds. To date, the benefit concert has raised over $50 million from ticket sales, sponsorships, telephone and web donations, and merchandise with additional money still coming in.

The Farm was hired by the Robin Hood Foundation, which is distributing the funds raised through 12-12-12 to hundreds of organizations throughout the tri-state area helping victims of Hurricane Sandy. The Farm videos showcased two examples of how Robin Hood is helping Sandy victims in the region.

The first video, “Still Serving”  highlighted the work of Team Rubicon, an organization of ex-veterans who drew upon their military experience to bring order to total chaos caused by Hurricane Sandy in Rockaway, Queens. The second video, “Red Hook Rising”  is about the terrible impact Sandy has had on the residents of Red Hook, Brooklyn, as well as the bravery they have shown, both during and after the storm.

“The Farm responded immediately to get to Red Hook and Far Rockaway, working with our Robin Hood team, to find these remarkable stories about New Yorkers who rise up in the face of adversity,” said Bill Oberlander, managing director of Robin Hood. “We are grateful for their incredible efforts”.

“Still Serving” and “Red Hook Rising” were directed and produced by Jack Anderson of The Farm. Noah Hutton of The Farm was co-Director and Director of Photography for both videos, as well as Music Composer for “Red Hook Rising.” Peter Fish of The Farm was Musical Composer for “Still Serving.”

“Everyone at the Farm who worked on the 12-12-12 Concert for Sandy Relief are extremely honored to have been part of this monumental event,” according to

Anderson. “We are proud to have helped tell the stories of a few of the heroes who are helping Sandy victims get back on their feet.”

For more information, contact Jack Anderson janderson@thefarm.com or call 212-982-8500.

Entries are now being accepted for the 2012-13 American Advertising Federation of Southwest Virginia ADDY Awards Competition. The competition recognizes creative talent in advertising in southwest Virginia. Entries must be received at Wild Flour Bakery in Abingdon by 8 p.m. Jan. 9. Entry fees are $95 for members of AAF SWVA and $100 for nonmembers through Friday. Fees will increase after this date. Student entry fee is $25.

For more information, contact Elana Todt, the ADDY Awards competition chair at (423) 742-2545 or elana.todt@aafswva.com or visit http://aafswva.com/addys.

Here is the press release from The American Advertising Federation of Southwest Virginia.

DECEMBER 9, 2012, ABINGDON, VIRGINIA — The American Advertising Federation of Southwest Virginia has issued its Call-for-Entries for the 2012-2013 AAF SWVA ADDY® Awards Competition. Read more »

Members of the Blue Ridge Chapter of the Public Relations Society of Ameirca were honored at the BRPRSA’s annual Summit Awards Gala held on Friday. The gala recognizes the best in public relations and communication among professional public relations practitioners in southwest Virginia. A list of this year’s winners can be found below.

Here is the press release from the Blue Ridge Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America.

ROANOKE, VIRGINIA, November 5, 2012 – The Blue Ridge Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) held its 10th annual Summit Awards Gala on Friday, November 2, 2012 at the Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center. The Summit Awards are an annual recognition of the best in public relations and communications efforts by professional public relations practitioners in Southwest Virginia. Read more »

Virginia Western Community College swept up the most awards at the 2012 Virginia Community College Association Excellence in Communications Competition. Out of 17 schools and agencies, VWCC received 10 awards throughout seven categories. VWCC took home awards in the following categories: annual reports, presidents reports and viewbooks; signage and display boards; broadcast promotion; catalogs and schedules; nifty and thrifty; and print advertising.

Here is the press release from Virginia Western Community College.

Roanoke—Virginia Western Community College received the most awards out of 17 schools and agencies at the 2012 Virginia Community College Association (VCCA) Excellence in Communications Competition. The College received 10 awards in seven categories at the VCCA convention on Oct. 4 at the Homestead in Hot Springs, Va.

Virginia Western received the following awards:
•    First place & third place in the Annual Reports/Presidents Reports/Viewbooks category
•    First place in the Billboards, Signage & Display Boards category (Billboard designed by Access Advertising & Public Relations.)
•    First place & second place in the Broadcast Promotion category (Broadcast promotions produced by Access Advertising & Public Relations.)
•    Third place in the Catalogs/Schedules category
•    Second place in the Flyers & Posters category
•    First place & third place in the Nifty & Thrifty category
•    Second place in the Print Advertising category

“We are very excited and honored to be recognized by the VCCA for our work over the past year, especially when we see the amazing pieces being created throughout the Virginia Community College System,” said Josh Meyer, Virginia Western’s Coordinator of Marketing and Strategic Communications. “The College earned these awards through the creativity and commitment of College staff including Joe Collins, Tara Nepper and Ruth Cassell as well as the dedicated staff at Access Advertising & Public Relations.”

This year’s VCCA Excellence in Communications competition was comprised of 14 categories, with the top three entries in each category receiving awards.

The VCCA is an organization of like-minded individuals who believe in the value of higher education and the value that an educated populace brings to the colleges, communities, and to the state as a whole. The VCCA is the only organization within the System that is open to anyone who shares in the commitment to the community colleges, be they administrators, faculty, adjunct faculty, classified staff, part-time employees, students, or just friends of Virginia’s community colleges. For more information, visit, www.vccaedu.org.

For more information on Virginia Western, visit www.virginiawestern.edu.

ABOUT VIRGINIA WESTERN COMMUNITY COLLEGE
With nearly 13,000 students on the college’s main campus in Southwest Roanoke City, to our satellite locations at the Roanoke Higher Education Center in Downtown Roanoke, Greenfield Education & Training Center in Daleville, and the Franklin Center in Rocky Mount, Virginia Western Community College is committed to providing affordable, accessible, and quality educational opportunities and workforce training to meet individual, community, and global needs. To learn more, visit www.virginiawestern.edu.

Firefli Media will hold a grand opening and ribbon cutting celebration tomorrow from 4 to 7 p.m. at its offices in Grandin Village. As part of the celebration, attendees will be asked to nominate a non profit organization to be entered into a drawing for free complimentary digital consulting through Firefli Media.

Here is the press release from Firefli Media.

ROANOKE, Virginia (October 9, 2012) – Firefli Media, Roanoke’s first digital agency, will hold its official Grand Opening celebration on Thursday, Oct. 11, from 4-7 p.m. The event will take place at the agency’s offices, located in the heart of the historic Grandin Village, at 1327 Grandin Rd. Read more »