Bulldog Awards

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Award Categories

The Bulldog PR Awards are now a combination of Stars of PR Awards and PR Awards. This program recognizes the most outstanding PR and communications campaigns and extraordinary individual and agency contributions from 2024.

How it Works

We award a Gold, Silver, and Bronze prize in each category. Plus, there will be three Grand Prize winners: one for campaign categories (PR campaign, Industry and CSR/Non-profit), one for agency categories, and one for individual categories. To be considered for a Grand Prize, you must enter multiple categories and win Gold in at least two categories that are in the same group (campaign, agency or individual).

There are four new categories this year:

  • Best Use of User-Generated Content
  • Best Integration of PR and Marketing
  • Best Client Service/Client Relations
  • Best SEO-Focused Agency

Campaign Categories

The following categories honor excellence in public relations. Share your best campaign(s) from the last year and include your objectives, strategy, creative, and most of all measurable results to be considered for a Bulldog PR Award!

Recognizes the top campaign based on results achieved. You must win in at least two campaign categories to be considered for the grand prize.

PR Campaigns

User-generated content (UGC) is the most trusted kind of messaging of all because of its built-in authenticity—and “trust” is the core of PR’s wheelhouse. How did you incorporate UGC into a campaign to hammer home its credibility, and how did it boost media coverage?

As comms functions continue to overlap, a broader, more integrated PR approach is often necessary to optimize results for clients. Tell us how you combined what were traditionally marketing components into a specific campaign for a significantly better outcome.

This category seeks campaigns that showcase the ingenious application of generative AI in various PR aspects, including planning, content creation, media outreach, targeting, and campaign analysis. Share the strategies employed, the creative use of AI, and the measurable outcomes achieved.

Did you focus on B2C campaigns centered around December holidays (Christmas, Hanukkah, etc.)? This category seeks unique and impactful holiday-themed promotions or retail events. Share the creativity behind your campaign, its festive appeal, and the significant media coverage achieved.

This category recognizes campaigns with a focus on lead generation, utilizing techniques such as predictive analytics, AI-driven lead scoring, automated user personalization (e.g., AI chatbots), or dynamic landing page creation. Share your innovative approaches and showcase success in capturing quality leads.

Seeking examples of highly personalized pitching and campaigns, this category emphasizes efficient data leveraging, audience segmentation, and personalized messaging. Demonstrate a secure approach to protect target audiences’ personal data while achieving campaign success. Share insights into how you tailored messages to individual preferences and needs.

This category is for campaigns that focus on a specific local or hyperlocal area. How did you engage with the community and create a campaign that resonated with them? How did you use local media and influencers to reach your target audience? Share your strategy and the results of your campaign, including any impact it had on the local community. 

This category is for campaigns that focus on promoting a brand’s purpose or values. How did you effectively communicate your brand’s mission and values to your target audience? How did you use creative and innovative tactics to bring about your brand’s overall mission? Share your strategy, the results of your campaign, and any impact it had on building brand loyalty and trust. 

Did you build a new brand or just revamp an existing one? Show us how you created a new look and feel, the strategies used to make your brand stand out from the masses and the results of your efforts. If you rebranded or repositioned, show us some before and after examples and explain why you felt the change was necessary and the logic behind it.

Did you create and execute a campaign with minimal budget? What innovative techniques did you use to get your message out without spending a lot of money? Please include a budget or budget range for this campaign. Winners in this category are those who have done more with less.

Did your campaign use personal messaging to start a conversation on social media or elsewhere? This category recognizes campaigns that helped to initiate or spark a community in some specific way. Be sure to include details on how you tracked engagement.

This category recognizes the effective and creative use of sponsored content that supports a multimedia campaign. What type of content did you use and why? How did this content advance your campaign or company’s PR efforts? Be sure to include examples in your supported documents.

Explain the strategy behind the launch and the response of your customer. How did your competitor, the media, and any other audiences react to the launch? Tell us about your tactics and the strategy behind the exceptional results. Entries in this category can share PR efforts around the launch of a new product or service, in the business-to-consumer arena.

What crisis did you or your client face this last year? Detail your plan to get the message out, how you were able to turn the crisis around to rebuild or strengthen your brand. Did you use social media and if so, how? Was one of the executives used as a spokesperson? Why did you choose this person and how did they perform under pressure? How did you confront a negative situation and make it a positive one?

This category honors the PR campaigns with the most effective positioning of Diversity & Inclusion initiatives. Share with us how your company or client’s DE&I was highlighted or (ideally) elevated in the campaign. We want to see the before-and-after diversity status and how PR helped to achieve the results.

This category recognizes the effective integration of traditional and social/digital media in a PR or comms campaign. Integrated campaigns call for a blend of consistent and complementary communications. Highlight your strategy, incredible content, over-the-top results, and any metrics/tools used.

We want to see how your annual report or investor relations package exhibits the best and most effective way to communicate your or your client’s, financial results and overall positioning. Our judges will look at the design, content, messages from the executive team and valuable presentation of company communications. We will require examples of the report or links to the latest edition.

This category is for outstanding PR and comms campaigns that were international in scope. Did you have to take any additional efforts to manage your demographically diverse audience? Make sure to highlight your out-of-this-world results.

Did your latest campaign garner a lot of positive media attention? What tactics did you use to reach out to the press and how were you able to get them engaged? Share all the components of your campaign including media outreach and events. We also want to look at all that great coverage you received!

Great newsjacking can propel a campaign like nothing else, but if it’s done poorly, the results can be disastrous. We want to see your clear example of newsjacking, the strategy behind your approach, and of course your great results in entries for this category.

This category recognizes the most informative and insightful industry podcasts that are produced regularly. The best entries will highlight their podcast’s reach and impact, offering PR pros practical and actionable tips and takeaways on effective results-driven approaches for campaigns, crisis management, branding, tools and other strategic and tactical methods for improving their team’s effectiveness.

How did you spread the word about your event to build both excitement and momentum? Explain the creativity behind the plan and what tools you used to get the word out. Did you use social media, influencers, traditional methods, or all three? Tell us all about the success of the event with tangible results.

This category recognizes campaigns designed to establish a company as a thought leader or an individual as one of the leading voices within the industry. Tell us how you narrowed in on your focus and be sure to share the campaign results.

How are you using a person or group that has the ability to influence the behaviour or opinions of others? How did you impress them and get them to share their experience with your brand on social media? How have these people helped share your story? Did they use contests/giveaways? Did you measure real-time engagement? We want to know.

How did you use a well-known name or face for your PR efforts? Even if that person is not familiar to the masses but is a celebrity in their field, how did using their face or voice extend your reach? How did you reach out to them, and how did you measure their success? What tactics did you use to best utilize this individual to share your message and what were the results?

This category recognizes the most creative and effective use of research data to develop a targeted campaign. We want to hear about your research/analysis process and see the effective outcomes that are a direct result of your research.

How did you use social media to connect people so they were an integral part of your PR efforts? We want to see how you used multiple social channels to execute a cohesive campaign. How did you encompass tools and practices that allow individuals and groups to collaborate and share knowledge and experiences online? Did you monitor and measure real-time engagement? Highlight your strategy, incredible content, over-the-top results, and any metrics/tools used.

This category honors the most creative and effective incorporation of video or multimedia content in a campaign. Quality of videos/multimedia is less important than meeting organizational goals with the content. Supporting details required: videos/other multimedia content used.

What have you done lately that people feel the need to share? Was it a funny video, a memorable short film, a relatable meme, or something else? Share the plan behind the campaign as well as the incredible results you achieved.

With most in-person events in 2020 being cancelled or reimagined, share with us how you found success with a virtual event instead. Detail how the event was promoted, explain how you delivered event content, how attendees were able to interact, and what practices/tools you used to get the event to run smoothly behind-the-scenes. Share tangible results from the event, including registrations, number of attendees, and other available metrics.

We’re looking for visuals that grab us and make us stop and think and feel something. Describe how you placed visual content at the center of your storytelling efforts. What was your organization’s method for sourcing photography or videography? How did your visual storytelling resonate with your stakeholders?

We’re looking for creative and effective media relations campaigns that did something different. What tactics did you use to reach out to the press and how were you able to get them engaged? Share all the components of your campaign including media outreach and events. We also want to look at all that great coverage you received!

Industry campaign

How did you generate buzz around an artistic or entertainment endeavor, event, or program? Did you utilise social media in an interesting or creative way? How were photos, videos, or other multimedia content used in the process?

For companies that sell to other businesses, highlight your PR or communications campaigns that generated awareness, new business or other measurable objectives for the organization. Share how you targeted businesses that could benefit from your product or service, and how you helped generate awareness or other organizational objectives. Don’t forget to include examples and results!

For companies selling directly to consumers, highlight your PR or communications campaigns that generated awareness, new business or other measurable objectives. How did you build engaging, creative customer-focused campaigns and drive results tied to bottom-line business goals and objectives?

We want to know how you built awareness or promoted a new or established beauty, lifestyle, or fashion brand. How did you identify and target your audience? How did your audience react? Did you use trusted influencers or leverage social media platforms in an innovative way? We want to know all about your vision and the results achieved.

We want to hear about campaigns you’ve run for the financial services industry. What did you do to promote your company, products/ services or win new clients? Tell us about how you designed a campaign to stand out from the rest. Make sure you focus on results and how you measured success.

We want to hear about your fresh, new campaigns in the food and beverage industry. Are you promoting a new health food or an established, beloved brand? Tell us about how you designed a campaign to stand out from the rest. We’re hungry for your results.

How did you design a campaign around promoting tools, resources, and products that not only make consumers lives easier, but also educate them on living a healthier, more fulfilling life? We’re looking for a series of communications activities in the health, healthcare and fitness/wellness arena that relate to a specific goal.

Whether your software or technology has just hit the market, or is a household name – we want to hear about it. Describe the PR campaign you’ve created to spread the word and attract new users, quality media coverage, influencers, and/or social media followers.

CSR/Non-profit campaign

How have you built a relationship within your community? We want to hear about how you took a community service initiative from idea to reality. Tell us how you considered your end goal along the way, and don’t forget to share the results.

Have you designed a campaign to help spread meaningful ideas and causes that can improve the world we live in? How are your PR efforts making a difference in the world or your community? We’re looking for a series of communications activities that are both successful and aspirational.

We’re looking for campaigns, programs, and strategies specific to government organizations at the municipal, state, provincial, regional, federal, national or international level. This can include internal or external communications programs. How did you effectively communicate with your audience(s)? Share your results.

How did you encourage positive actions while building awareness? Did you relate your PR/communications activities to a specific goal? How did you help your clients help the environment? Explain those and share your substantial results.

Have you planned and designed a series of communications activities in the non-profit arena that relate to a specific goal? How did you plan online content to connect with the right audiences? Explain your vision, and how you overcame any obstacles along the way.

This category encompasses a wide range of campaigns influencing or educating the public about social, economic, governmental and other issues. How have you planned and designed a series of communications activities in the public affairs arena that relate to a specific goal? Share your process from start-to-finish.

Agency Categories

The categories listed below are specific to agency or corporate communications. Share the successes you’ve celebrated over the last year including firm positioning, account retention rates, work environment, growth and new business development, how you may have improved society and the results you’ve achieved for your clients.

Recognizes the top PR agency based on results achieved for clients. You must win in at least two agency categories to be considered for the grand prize.

Great client service goes beyond meeting or exceeding campaign goals (although it certainly helps). How did you go the extra mile to earn or maintain a client’s trust and confidence? What does your clientele say are the most out-of-the-box qualities that continue to earn their loyalty?

Is your firm an SEO specialist? Tell us how you’ve generated next-level search results for your clients. What outcomes did your clients garner as a result of a well-executed SEO boost? Tell us about those amazing search results your efforts produced.

This this category looks for evidence of ethical and responsible AI use, staff well-versed in AI applications, and regular incorporation of AI in day-to-day processes. Demonstrate your commitment to AI readiness through guidelines, training programs, and tangible improvements in productivity. Showcase your agency’s preparedness for the AI-driven future.

What made your agency stand out from (and above) the crowd in 2022? For this category, we want to see how your team generated terrific success for multiple clients, the strategy behind how you did it, and how a real team effort carried the day.

For agencies with 1-5 employees.

For agencies with 6- 50 employees.

For agencies with 51+ employees.

For agencies that go beyond AVEs and use advanced measurement approaches or PR analytic tools to measure the impact of campaigns on organizational objectives (eg. revenue, new business) or to figure out what’s driving results and to fine tune strategies.

For smaller agencies that focus on specialized work for a limited client list.

For agencies focused on B2B clients who are driving measurable results tied to business goals and objectives.

For agencies who build engaging, creative customer-focused campaigns and drive measurable results tied to business goals and objectives.

For agencies that primarily serve an industry-focused market.

If you’re an agency that has launched within the last 5 years, this is the category for you.

Are you using new amplification techniques, leveraging PR tools or mobile/social technology or simply approaching public or media relations in a creative way?

Individual or team categories

Candidates may be nominated by colleagues or may enter themselves. Judges will look for leadership, integrity and extraordinary achievement—displays of breakthrough thinking, initiative, advancement, results and qualities that reflect positively on the PR profession. These qualities and accomplishments may be from the past year or cumulative over a career.

Recognizes an individual who has achieved outstanding results for their clients or their organization. This individual can work in any genre (media relations, investor relations, internal communications) and must win in at least one individual category to be considered for this grand prize.

Did your in-house team carry your organization to repeated success in 2022? Tell us how your company’s team generated terrific success throughout the year, the strategy behind how you did it, and how a real team effort made the difference.

Nominate a colleague (or yourself) for exceptional contribution to the PR field. This award is your opportunity to highlight innovators and passionate professionals who excel in crafting a compelling story, working with influencers or the media and delivering measurable results for their organization.

Nominate a colleague (or yourself) for exceptional contribution to the media relations field. This award is your opportunity to highlight innovators and passionate professionals who excel in crafting a compelling story, working with influencers or the media and delivering measurable results for their organization.

Nominate yourself or a colleague who is under 40 and has a track record of achieving outstanding results for clients and/or your organization. This individual should have risen within the ranks of the organization and should be broadly seen as a potential future leader within the organization.

This category is for someone at the executive level within a medium to large agency who displays strong leadership qualities, clearly communicates vision and inspires everyone who works for, and with them, to deliver exceptional service to clients and build the business.

Nominate yourself or a colleague who is making the world a better place through their pro-bono efforts, volunteering or mentoring of the next generation of PR professionals.

Nominate a junior PR or communications employee (in an agency or PR department) who has worked in the industry less than 2 years and shows real promise. Recognize individuals who go above and beyond, have a can-do attitude and consistently deliver results. There is no entry fee for this category.

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What Our Winners Are Saying

We are simply elated, and will use the award to boost our image and to get more donations to further our important work!

Spencer Dusebout, Co-founder, H4O

We are proud and honored to have received this recognition and without a doubt will be using this in our marketing and business development efforts.

Greg Mondshein, Managing Partner, SourceCode Communications

Earning this honor sets a new standard of excellence. After winning one, you want to create an environment that consistently produces work that measures up.

Ernie Grigg, Managing Director, The Carolina Agency

The Bulldog PR Awards have emerged as an important credential in the public relations and public affairs fields. For Clyde Group, our winning entry helped acknowledge the work we have done in establishing a best-in-class agency focused on measurable outcomes for our clients.

Alex Slater, Managing Director, Clyde Group

When I initially heard that I had been given the highest honor, I was speechless! Having the seal of approval from your peers, as well as from respected award-winning journalists can't be matched.

Rhonda Rees, Principal, Rhonda Rees Public Relations Company

Although we are a small, well respected firm, this win validates us as an agency and will assist us in building the credibility and awareness we need in the US.

Randolph Pitzer, General Manager (Americas), SE10