HOME SAFETY COUNCIL® RECOGNIZED WITH NATION’S TOP PUBLIC RELATIONS AWARD

Nonprofit Awarded the Public Relations Society of America’s Silver Anvil Award for its Safe Haven Campaign

WASHINGTON, DC – The Home Safety Council, a national nonprofit dedicated to reducing the toll of home injuries, received the Silver Anvil Award in the Reputation/Brand Management – Nonprofit Organizations category for its Safe Haven campaign. The award was presented at the Public Relations Society of America’s 2009 Silver Anvil Celebration Event in New York City.

Considered the highest honor in the public relations industry, the Silver Anvil Award acknowledges outstanding programs that set standards for communications initiatives. The Safe Haven campaign, an integrated reputation-building and home safety education initiative, was created to solidify the Home Safety Council’s position as the nation’s leading national home safety advocate and information resource.

Facing the challenge to stand out in the crowded safety arena and build its brand reputation among all key audiences as the ultimate resource for home safety information and education, the Home Safety Council created and implemented the 2008 Safe Haven campaign. The campaign consisted of executing an aggressive 12-month media campaign, securing a national media partnership with Good Housekeeping, implementing an online training series for safety professionals and developing a comprehensive Web presence where consumers, safety professionals and corporate partners alike were driven to find additional home safety tools and information.

“The Home Safety Council is proud to receive the prestigious Silver Anvil Award recognizing our ongoing commitment to engaging many different key audiences to ultimately reach caregivers with injury prevention messages,” said Meri-K Appy, Home Safety Council president. “Most importantly, receiving the Silver Anvil Award means that our efforts to raise awareness for the importance of taking action to prevent home injuries are working.”

The resulting 2008 Safe Haven campaign generated more than 765 million media impressions, yielded a 16-page special section in Good Housekeeping magazine that featured multiple sponsors, engaged 2,000+ safety professionals in online training and increased Web site traffic by more than 20 percent. National media coverage included ten national broadcast segments across every major network including appearances on Good Morning America, the CBS Early Show and seven segments on the TODAY Show.

About the Silver Anvil Awards

Established by the Public Relations Society of America in 1946, the Silver Anvil awards are awarded annually to organizations that have successfully addressed a contemporary issue with exemplary professional skill, creativity and resourcefulness. Silver Anvils are presented to only those organizations that meet the highest standards of performance in the profession.

About the Public Relations Society of America

The Public Relations Society of America, based in New York City, is the world's largest organization for public relations professionals. The Society has more than 28,000 professional and student members. PRSA is organized into 112 Chapters nationwide, 19 Professional Interest Sections, along with 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 255 Chapters at colleges and universities throughout the United States.