Last year’s “PR Impact Awards” winners share their formula for success: the most important thing is that the results make the creators themselves happy

This year’s “PR Impact Awards” will announce the winners of 60 prizes. Representatives of “Fabula Rud Pedersen Group”, which was named “Agency of the Year” last year, “Penkiolika minučių iki vidurnakčio” (“23:45 agency”) and “Proto vėtra” share their insights on what kind of communication campaign can be considered successful. They also answer why it’s worth entering the “PR Impact Awards 2024”.

The organisers remind you that there are only a few days left to apply for the reduced price of €150. From 29 April onwards, the cost of applying will increase.

Which campaign will be noticed?

Speaking about the success of communication campaigns, Arvydas Žilinskas, CEO of “Proto Vėtra”, says that campaigns that stand out for their original solutions and where the client – the customer – is satisfied with the final results are noticed.

The most important part of a campaign, he says, should be its real impact: what was the objective; how the campaign helped clients achieve their business or other goals; and whether there is any tangible measure of success. “If you have implemented such a campaign, it certainly has a chance of being noticed, and we can responsibly confirm this,” says Žilinskas.

According to Raminta Rimkienė, Director and Partner of “Fabula Rud Pedersen Group”, which won the “Agency of the Year” title last year, a communication campaign is considered successful when it creates a change or an impact, whether short-term or long-term. “We are very fortunate because our clients are usually looking for sustainable results that create long-term value and make a difference in people’s minds and thinking. This is reflected in our work that you see in award finals or on the winner’s stage,” says Rimkienė.

“Evelina Mišeikytė, Team Leader at “23:45 agency”, compares a successful communication campaign to a well-made cup of coffee: “A creamy, rich latte is perfect for combining different elements of communication, conveying stories and creating a lasting connection with the audience. But sometimes a quick, concise and strong message is exactly what is needed. Just like espresso. That’s why it’s important to know who you’re making the coffee for and the impact you’re aiming for when thinking about successful communication campaigns.”

She goes on to say that taking part in the “PR Impact Awards” allows you to measure how well you’ve prepared your coffee, and that winning is inspiring and gives you the opportunity to justify the quality of your coffee to future customers when they choose it.

Small agencies are also recognised

“Competitions are a great chance to pause, reflect and evaluate the work of your team. The pace in communication agencies is crazy and there is often no time to enjoy the results. Therefore, applying for such a competition becomes a kind of self-reflection, which is necessary to keep going and to continue creating successful communication campaigns. And it doesn’t matter whether your agency is a large chain of cafés or just a cosy coffee place”, – E. Mišeikytė gives an analogy.

Žilinskas agrees, noting that for small agencies in particular, the award is very significant: “It reinforces the confidence that, as a relatively small agency, we have successfully found our niche, and that we have the competences that our clients and professionals in the field expect from us and value. I think it is very important for every agency to be noticed and it gives our team the energy to go even further.”

“Every market player needs to be where its market players and competitors are. “The “PR Impact Awards” is the place to be. It is very important to be recognised in the international arena, but it is equally important to be recognised in our own arena – we constantly remind ourselves of that,” says Rimkienė.

The reasons for not participating are only in your head

According to Mišeikytė, achievements motivate you to keep going, to do even better – not than someone else, but to outdo yourself. “This is a driving force both for the agency and for the people who work there – because without inspiration and the desire to be more creative, to achieve greater results than before, communications work can quickly become boring,” says the expert.

“It all starts with making you, your team, your client proud of the campaign. If you pass this threshold, just put the rest in the application, ‘gamify’ it, highlighting the highlights. In this way, it’s very healthy to take the temperature, as we call it.”

“According to the head of the agency, it is definitely worth participating in the competition if the submitted projects have a chance to stand out from the rest due to their uniqueness and their positive impact on clients’ performance, as the name of the award implies.

“I think you need to be very realistic about your achievements in the eyes of potential evaluators, to clearly weigh up your options, because it takes time to prepare a quality application, not just for the sake of being involved. Last year, we debated for a long time whether it was worth participating, but the results even exceeded our expectations. We had hoped to be noticed, but to be a winner in one of the nominations was a pleasant surprise and a great recognition of the effort we had put in,” says the communication professional.

He points out that spring is a busy time for both large and small teams, so finding time away from the communication workbench is a big challenge. For small agencies, Žilinskas believes that it is worth taking a closer look at the competitive environment and the nomination for which they are applying. “However, if we believe that the project was right in the top ten, the client confirms that he is satisfied with the results, the reasons why not to participate are only in our heads,” says the expert.

Director of “Fabula Rud Pedersen Group” recommends that small and niche agencies should not have complexes, but on the contrary, should see their huge advantage over the big agencies: ‘Often, even with small budgets, clients of small agencies and their brands have more room for manoeuvre, which means they can find more daring and creative solutions. By all means, don’t be afraid to invest in your submissions, don’t be afraid to measure and test yourself, as this builds your muscle and resilience as an agency.”

The deadline for applications is 6 May.

This year, a jury of Lithuanian and international experts will select the winners in as many as 20 categories, including two new ones: “Courage in Communication” and “Community Engagement and Development”. Entries can be submitted on the “PR Impact Awards” website until 6 May, and you can still apply for a reduced price of EUR 150 until 28 April.

The best projects will be announced and awarded at the “PR Impact Awards 2024” closing event on 7 June in Vilnius. The event will traditionally consist of three parts: conference presentations and discussions, the presentation of the best communication projects and the evening awards. Find the preliminary programme and buy tickets now on the “PR Impact Awards” website.

Please also note that the Communicator of the Year Awards are also open for applications until 2 May, by filling in the easy-to-use form at www.primpactawards.com. At the time of application, the nominee must be responsible for the organisation’s communication performance between June 2023 and May 2024.

The conference and the “PR Impact Awards” are organised for the 11th time by the Lithuanian Communication Association (LTKA) together with the Communication Industry Association (KIA). The partners of the event are the media analysis company “Mediaskopas”, the marketing and communication news portal “M360” and the sociological research company “Spinter tyrimai”. For more information visit www.primpactawards.com.