AT&T, FleishmanHillard Earn PRSA's 'Best of Silver Anvil' Award

AT&T's It Can Wait Movement Celebrated as Year's Best Campaign; LGBT Campaign With AT&T Also Wins Anvil

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Jun 13, 2014, 09:18 ET

NEW YORK, June 13, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- AT&T and FleishmanHillard have received the Public Relations Society of America's (PRSA) Best of Silver Anvil Award. The award, given to AT&T's It Can Wait no-texting-while-driving program, celebrates the industry's top campaign of the year. The honor was announced at PRSA's annual Silver Anvil ceremony.

The It Can Wait program, which aims to eliminate texting while driving, also won the Silver Anvil in the Public Service–Business category. The Best of Silver Anvil recipient is selected from all Silver Anvil winners.

The It Can Wait movement has two main goals: 1) reduce the number of automobile crashes caused by texting while driving, and 2) spur advocacy to show that texting and driving is as dangerous as drinking and driving. AT&T, working with FleishmanHillard and additional supporting agencies, garnered the support from 1,500-plus organizations (up from 160 the previous year), enlisted celebrity help, created a moving documentary and engaged audiences via social media (#ItCanWait). And these efforts may be making an impact. A preliminary analysis of It Can Wait activities and accident reports in Texas, Illinois and Florida suggests a positive statistical correlation between people sharing It Can Wait messages and a projected reduction in crashes. Meanwhile, the program has achieved billions of earned and social media impressions and nearly 5 million pledges not to text while driving.

In addition to the Best of Silver Anvil Award, FleishmanHillard's work with AT&T received a Silver Anvil in the Multicultural PR—Business category for its "Reigniting AT&T's Engagement With the LGBT Community" program. Plus, the firm's work for clients Hallmark, The Mission Continues, Home Instead Senior Care and AT&T received Award of Excellence recognition.

"The Silver Anvils are the most established public relations awards in our industry, and many consider it the most prestigious," said Dave Senay, FleishmanHillard president and CEO. "So helping a client hoist the Best of Silver Anvil makes me so proud of what AT&T and the FleishmanHillard team have accomplished – teams from all across the country working together seamlessly on a program of such national significance. Our sights are always set on producing award-winning work, and these wins on behalf of AT&T are a testament to the great work I witness every day."

The annual Silver Anvils recognize the industry's exceptional campaigns across a wide range of categories and sectors.

About FleishmanHillard
FleishmanHillard is the world's most complete global communications firm, specializing in public relations, public affairs, marketing, paid media, and transmedia and social content. FleishmanHillard delivers on The Power of True, reflecting the firm's high values, and unique ability to guide clients through a world demanding unprecedented authenticity and transparency. FleishmanHillard was named PRWeek's 2014 Global Agency of the Year, "Standout Agency" on Advertising Age's 2013 A-List; NAFE's "Top 50 Companies for Executive Women" for 2010-2014; and among PRWeek's 2013 "Best Places to Work." The firm's award-winning work is widely heralded, including at the Cannes International Festival of Creativity. FleishmanHillard is part of the DAS Group of Companies, a division of Omnicom Group Inc., and has more than 85 offices in 30 countries, plus affiliates in 42 countries. Visit us at www.fleishmanhillard.com.

About The DAS Group of Companies
The DAS Group of Companies, a division of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) (www.omnicomgroup.com), is a global group of marketing services companies. DAS includes over 200 companies in the following marketing disciplines: specialty, PR, healthcare, CRM, events, promotional marketing, branding and research. Operating through a combination of networks and regional organizations, DAS serves international, regional, national and local clients through more than 700 offices in 71 countries.

SOURCE FleishmanHillard