The 2019 MN PRSA Classics Awards was a night of celebration, recognition and excitement. This year marked the 41st anniversary of the Classics, an event that allows PR professionals in the area a chance to be honored for the hard work they’ve achieved over the year, as well as an opportunity to network with their peers.
Members of the content marketing agency Brandpoint were excited to attend this year’s ceremony, as well as sponsor both the Classics and the Minnesota chapter of the PRSA. Brandpoint’s David Olson, Senior Vice President, and Annette Albrecht, Business Development Manager, were both in attendance and offered their takeaways from the event.
A Night of Celebration and Support
“It was really powerful to see the whole community come together,” said Albrecht. “It created such a fun atmosphere to hear the roar of cheers from the tables when someone won. Everyone was celebrating together, whether they were on the account or not.”
She went on to say she was excited to see how agencies would win a piece of business and create memorable campaigns, even if the topic was a difficult one. “It’s incredible to see how agencies use their creativity to generate national awareness for a brand,” Albrecht continued.
Companies like Weber Shandwick and Padilla were well-represented at the awards ceremony, as well as PR groups from Best Buy, Carmichael Lynch and the student-led CLAgency.
“The engagement level from both the attendees and the MN PRSA Board of Directors was incredibly high,” Olson said. He also added that it was great how the Board stayed until the very end to talk to people, some members even going out after the event to carry on the celebration beyond the ceremony.
A Chance to Network
The PR industry in the Minnesota area is like a tight-knit community. To encourage engagement between groups, the Board placed an emphasis on pre-show networking while organizing the event.
“Everyone knows everyone, so an event like the Classics is a great time to talk shop, learn about what’s going on with your peers and connect on potential projects,” Olson explained.
Olson also observed that there was a notable level of genuine engagement from all attendees.
“While not always the case in settings like this, it was easy to go up to someone and say hi,” he said. “You could really tell people wanted to be there and were having a great time. Everyone wanted to engage and chat.”
Albrecht noted that it added a level of excitement to the event to be able to celebrate and catch up with peers. “It’s such a good opportunity to go out and really mingle with people in your industry that you don’t get a chance to [see] on a regular basis,” she said.
Brandpoint and the MN PRSA
This is the first year that Brandpoint has been a sponsor of the Minnesota chapter of the Public Relations Society of America, and they have sponsored the Classic Awards for two years.
Additionally, this was the second year that Brandpoint offered their creative design services to the MN PRSA Classics. Graphic designer Janelle Van Bockel created the logo for the event, as well as the programs and other assets for the Classics.
Supporting the local PR and marketing community is incredibly important for Brandpoint as a company, and partnering with the MN PRSA gives them a chance to be involved with professionals and events in the communications industry.
About Brandpoint
Brandpoint is a full-service content marketing agency located in Hopkins, MN. Brandpoint acts as an extension of their clients’ team, providing content creation, strategy and distribution.