Silver InSpire Awards Categories and Subcategories*

1. Community Relations

Includes programs that seek to win the support or cooperation of — or that aim to improve relations with — people or organizations in communities in which the sponsoring organization has an interest, need or opportunity. “Community” in this category refers to a specific geographic location or locations. (Campaigns designed to promote products should be entered in category 5.)

Subcategories

1A. Business – Products/Services

1B. Government/Associations/Nonprofit Organizations

  1. Reputation/Brand Management

Programs designed to enhance, promote or improve the reputation of an organization with its publics or key elements of its publics, either proactively or in response to an issue, event or market occurrence. (Campaigns designed to launch or promote a specific product or service launch or sales/marketing effort should be entered in category 5.)

Subcategories

2A. Business – Products/Services

2B. Government/Associations/Nonprofit Organizations

  1. Events and Observances

Includes programs or events scheduled for one or more days. Events may include commemorations, observances, openings, celebrations, year-long anniversary events or other special activities.

Subcategories

3A. Business – Products/Services

3B. Government/Associations/Nonprofit Organizations

  1. Public Affairs/Public Service

Includes programs specifically designed to influence public policy and/or affect legislation, regulations, political activities or candidacies — at the local, state or federal government levels — so that the entity funding the program benefits. An entry could also include programs that advance public understanding of societal issues, problems or concerns (public service). (Similar programs conducted principally to enhance an organization’s standing, or to otherwise serve its interests directly, will fall in category 2.)

Subcategories

4A. Business – Products/Services

4B. Government/Associations/Nonprofit Organizations

  1. Marketing — Consumer Products or Services, Business-to-Business

Includes programs designed to introduce new products or promote existing products or services to a consumer or business-to-business audience.

Subcategories

5A. Business – Products/Services

5B. Government/Associations/Nonprofit Organizations

  1. Global Communications

Includes any type of program, such as reputation/brand management, marketing or events and observances that demonstrates effective global communications implemented in more than one country.

Subcategories

6A. Business – Products/Services

6B. Government/Associations/Nonprofit Organizations

  1. Crisis Communications/Issues Management

Includes programs that deal with an unplanned event that requires immediate response. Could also include programs dealing with issues that could extraordinarily affect ongoing business strategy.

Subcategories

7A. Business – Products/Services

7B. Government/Associations/Nonprofit Organizations

  1. Internal/Employee Communications

Includes programs targeted specifically to special publics directly allied with the organization (e.g., employees, members, affiliated dealers or franchisees).

Subcategories

8A. Business – Products/Services

8B. Government/Associations/Nonprofit Organizations

  1. Investor Relations

Includes programs directed to shareowners, other investors and the investment community.

  1. Multicultural Public Relations

For any type of program (e.g., institutional, marketing, community relations) specifically targeted to a cultural group.

Subcategories

10A. Business – Products/Services

10B. Government/Associations/Nonprofit Organizations

  1. Integrated Communications

Includes any program that demonstrates leadership of public relations strategies and tactics in a creative and effective integrated campaign along with other marketing or communications. The program must demonstrate the clear leadership of public relations, along with its integration with other disciplines.  

Subcategories

11A. Business – Products/Services

11B. Government/Associations/Nonprofit Organizations

*Subcategory Definitions

Use the following definitions to help you decide the most appropriate subcategory based on your program’s objectives and audiences.

Business-Products and Business-Services

These subcategories include all profit-making entities.

Government

This subcategory includes all:

  • government bureaus
  • agencies
  • institutions or departments at the local, state and federal levels, including the armed forces, regulatory bodies, courts, public schools and state universities.

Association

This subcategory includes:

  • trade and industry groups
  • professional societies
  • chambers of commerce and similar organizations

Nonprofit

This subcategory is specifically intended for health and welfare organizations, as well as educational and cultural institutions not included in other subcategories. It is not intended for organizations that may have nonprofit status but are clearly business organizations. Programs receiving funding or support from private or government organizations should be entered in those respective subcategories.

NOTE: Judges will not move entries into other categories. Should we receive fewer than two entries per subcategory, NCPRSA reserves the right to have all entries judged under the respective category together.