By Jones T. Campos, APR
In the public relations (PR) function/profession, the Anvil Awards, known as “the Oscars” of Philippine PR, is considered one of the reliable measurements of an effective and successful PR program or tool.
It has become imperative that corporate communicators, be it relating to their publics or customers, have to validate the relevance of such programs and tools through the Anvil.
A corporation or a company, big o small, recognizes the fact that doing good in all areas of the business is a must. Having excellent products and services is the primary and absolute purpose of businesses. But, in a competitive world, the “X factor” and the “extra mile” are additionally asked of its human resources from its various business units or departments. Actually, doing good may not be good enough by the standards set, and so every member of the team is asked to be productive and creative by delivering or surpassing revenue targets.
Being the best in the market or in the business entails communication. This may be done through an expensive advertising campaign, or the more practical and cost-efficient PR exposure. The challenge is how to stand out, especially when competing companies have the same mindset. Finding one’s competitive advantage is crucial, especially if the company’s communication strategy is for the long-term. In the end, it is a sustainable bottom line that matters.
“Doing good and telling it well” is a PR mantra. From excellent delivery of products and services to delighting satisfied customer, here lies the prudent use of media channels or media relations. The other side of this PR strategy is corporate social responsibility and this is the area where the Anvil is most relevant. PR and the whole communication initiative of a company is undoubtedly a cost center, therefore, such activity must bring about positive results.
Philanthropy through financial donation, the traditional practice in PR, which was widely practiced before, is now a passé. Nowadays, corporate responsibility has a new face, channeling company resources to allied projects related to its business and encouraging volunteerism among company employees. This enhances teamwork, loyalty and commitment, especially in humanitarian projects. Programs related to education, care for the environment, and entrepreneurship are appealing as they contribute toward poverty alleviation and national development.
Since the times are now engulfed by the pervasiveness of the Internet, e-commerce, or digital marketing and communication, social media in its various platforms—like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, to name a few— have spurred online connections, and have, somehow, affected traditional channels. The additional challenge is being on vigilant on the influx of disinformation or misinformation by unethical trolls peddling fake news or content in cyber space.
Only the legitimate PR programs and tools will find their way to the Anvil Awards. The Public Relations Society of the Philippines is the vanguard of the PR profession and it implements the Anvil with utmost credibility, from screening of entries to judging by selected multisector jurors. No award is given unless the standards are met. Aside from a well-packaged entry, winning in the Anvil necessitates considering these criteria: result and social impact, sustainability and innovation. Result and social impact is having a wide geographical reach and generated the greatest degree of change, overcoming a considerable degree of difficulty, and solving an important and/or imminent business need or societal ill. Sustainability means a PR program can be replicated beyond the short term until the desired change is affected. It is having a track record of being an effective PR program or tool having won several awards through the years. A program is innovative if it is trailblazing, game-changing or transformative. These are what it takes to be a winner.
The ultimate moment comes at the Gabi ng Parangal where one brings along his/her bosses and receive the Anvil trophy as reward for a job well done. For the whole year it serves as a bragging right until the next submission of entries. And that can be the deeper meaning of the Anvil.