Merritt Group Wins Coveted PRSA Bronze Anvil Award of Commendation
Earns National Recognition from Leading Public Relations Professional Organization for Successful Data Breach Survey Campaign
Merritt Group, a nationally-recognized communications firm that helps move markets for forward-thinking companies,, was recently awarded the coveted 2008 Bronze Anvil Award of Commendation from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) for "superior performance in the design and execution of an individual public relations tactic within a broader public relations campaign." Merritt Group received the Award of Commendation in the "Media Relations" category for its "PGP Corporation Educates on How to Avoid a Data Breach" campaign.
In November 2007, Merritt Group helped promote the findings of the Ponemon Institute's 2007 Cost of a Data Breach Study, which was co-sponsored by Merritt Group client, PGP Corporation. According to the survey, "As companies grapple with the challenge of protecting their customers' private data, the new research shows that the cost of failing to do so is on the rise. According to the study, data breach incidents cost companies $197 per compromised customer record in 2007, compared to $182 in 2006."
By using these and other key data points from the Report's findings in each unique pitch, as well as preparing the press through in-depth pre-briefings with Ponemon and PGP executives, outreach was tailored to build a level of interest around the research and position both organizations as thought leaders in the industry. As a result of Merritt Group's efforts, over 50 feature placements were garnered in top tier business and technology news outlets, around the time of the announcement and residual coverage has occurred over the course of 2008. Reporters and bloggers often use the study as a reference point when writing about data breaches.
"The Bronze Anvil Award of Commendation annually celebrates the growing scope, creativity and strategic importance of public relations tactics, and represents an extremely high level of tactical achievement in the public relations industry," said Arthur Yann, 2008 Bronze Anvil Award committee chair. "The outstanding work done by Merritt Group is a huge accomplishment that is truly deserving of this national recognition from its industry peers."
The Bronze Anvil Award of Commendation was created by PRSA in 1969 to recognize outstanding public relations tactics - the individual items or components that contribute to the success of an overall program or campaign. Awards of Commendation are possible in 63 categories and subcategories, including Media Relations, Newsletters, Web Sites, Feature Stories, Press/Media kits, Podcasts, Word-of-Mouth and Blogs.
Entries are judged by teams of PRSA members and others who have specific category expertise across the country. Up to two Bronze Anvil Awards of Commendation may be earned in each category or subcategory. No Award of Commendation is bestowed in those categories where the judges feel the entries do not rise to standards set forth for the award by PRSA.
About Merritt Group, Inc.
Since its founding in 1996, Merritt Group has helped companies drive awareness for their innovations. This includes a unique combination of market research, strategy, execution and measurement for established and emerging companies. Our expertise is focused in five practice areas - Enterprise Technology, Communications & Networking, Government IT, Security and Healthcare - each with a team dedicated to the issues, trends and influencers relevant to the industry segment. Merritt Group's offices are located in Reston, Virginia and San Francisco, California. For more information, please visit www.merrittgrp.com.
About the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)
The Public Relations Society of America, headquartered in New York City, is the world's largest organization for public relations professionals with nearly 32,000 professional and student members. PRSA is organized into 109 Chapters and 10 Districts nationwide, and 19 Professional Interest Sections and Affinity Groups, which represent business and industry, counseling firms, independent practitioners, military, government, associations, hospitals, schools, professional services firms and nonprofit organizations. The Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) has 296 Chapters at colleges and universities throughout the United States, and one Chapter in Argentina.