The Public Relations Institute of Australia (PRIA) has today announced the finalists of the 40th Annual Golden Target Awards in New South Wales.

The Golden Target Awards (GTA) have recognised excellence in public relations and communication for 40 years. The awards celebrate the achievements of industry, identify innovative and exciting public relations and communication programs.

Awards are given to the best across content marketing, digital and social media, and integrated marketing campaigns as selected by a panel of public relations leaders and industry sector experts who rigorously assess entries in each category, selecting the winners, commended, and highly commended entrants.

A nomination is the highest achievement for PR and Communication professionals.  It signifies the quality of the campaign and indeed the skill of the person(s) involved in being able to innovate in an industry which is growing in complexity and continuously challenging conventional thinking.

Nominees and finalists of the National GTA’s will be celebrated at a Gala Dinner on the evening of Monday 14 November, in conjunction with the PRIA National Conference in Sydney.

The full list of categories and finalists in the NSW State awards is listed below. Winners will be awarded on the evening of 6 October at Doltone House, Hyde Park Sydney. Register to attend here.

Government Sponsored Campaigns

• Raising the profile of TAFE Western Sydney – TAFE Western Sydney/Sefiani

Community Relations

• XXXX Island Turns Back into a Pumpkin – Lion – XXXX, Res Publica
• Waughs Championing Cause Close to Heart Stroke Prevention – VIVA! Communications, Kirsten Bruce, John Wanna, Elise Turner, Ruby

Internal/Change Management Communications

• a-FUSION: humanising a massive IT system change – Ogilvy Impact and Canon Australia, Megan Caulfield and Kylie Church

Sustainability/Corporate Social Responsibility

• Re-Pie-Cling – Red Agency, James Wright

Health Organisations 

• Gaucher Disease: telling the patients story through data visualisation- Weber Shandwick, Kate Fouracre
• Don’t be bone idle – ‘Know Your Bones’ to help curb bone fractures – VIVA! Communications, Kirsten Bruce
• ADHD: It’s About Time – seeing the impact of ADHD through the eyes of parents and carers – Weber Shandwick, with Shire Australia
• Primary IVF: Increasing access to high quality, affordable IVF – N2N & Primary IVF, Samara Kitchener & Lewis Shields

Small budget/Pro Bono

• “Where’s William? Campaign” – Insight Communications, Alice Collins & Clare Collins
• Steve Waugh Foundation – Red Agency, James Wright

Comprehensive/Major Campaign  

• Vivid Sydney – Red Agency & Destination NSW , Allison Lee
• Western Sydney University: Unlimited – Red Agency, James Wright

Content Marketing

• Headband for Good – Haystac, Tim Broxup

Digital and Social

• Headband for Good – Haystac, Tim Broxup
• Primary IVF: Increasing access to high quality, affordable IVF – N2N & Primary IVF, Samara Kitchener & Lewis Shields

Startup (Launched in 2015/2016 Financial Year)

• Mighty oaks from little Acorns grow – Howorth

Experiential

• EBAY Innovation Lab – Pulse, Richard Brett
• Brisbane Winter 2015 Campaign – Haystac

Integrated Marketing and Communication Campaign Strategy

• Dr. Oetker’s Scuro Ristorante – Haystac
• Western Sydney University: Unlimited – Red Agency, James Wright
• 2015/16 Yellow Pages and White Pages covers program launch – Haystac

Consumer Marketing

• Comvita Australia: Promoting Olive Leaf Extract for Heart Health – Palin Communications, Martin Palin
• Driving world’s biggest gamblers and ecstasy users to Thailand for offshore rehab – VIVA! Communications, Kirsten Bruce

Business-to-Business Marketing

• The SAP Australian Digital Experience Report – Howorth Communications, in collaboration with AMR Research & The Factuary, Graham White

Micro Consultancy Of The Year

• LBPR, Lisa Burling
• Lynsey Reilly Communications

Medium Consultancy of the Year

• Sauce Communications: a rural success story
• History Will Be Kind, Emma-Jane (EJ) Granleese

Large Consultancy Of The Year

• The Mint Partners, Brett Galvin
• Weber Shandwick, Ava Lawler
• Red Agency, James Wright
• N2N Communications, Vanessa Liell

In-house PR Team Of The Year

• Opening Doors Across Australia & New Zealand – Airbnb, Dylan Smith
• ING DIRECT, David Breen

Top sPRinter (Individuals with 2-5 years experience)

• Ariana Shutte – Sauce Communications
• Charmaine Tanti – Red Agency