Category Listing

The Golden ARC Awards Program consists of two divisions, the "Campaigns Division" and the "Tactics Division." Within each division, individual categories exist. Scroll down to learn more.

"Campaigns Division"

1. PR Campaigns - Organization or Corporate Reputation

Programs designed to enhance, promote or improve the reputation of a company or organization with stakeholders or publics. This may be proactive, or in response to an issue.

2. PR Campaigns - Public Affairs

Programs designed to impact legislation, regulation, public policy or political outcomes. Activities can be conducted at any level - from community to national or international. This may include use of research, media, lobbying, grassroots and word of mouth activity, and should demonstrate results benefiting the organization sponsoring the campaign.

3. PR Campaigns - Cause Marketing

Campaigns designed to work with social causes to enhance either organizational image, or specific brands and products.

4. PR Campaigns - Crisis Communications

Campaign or program to address a specific crisis or unplanned event with serious or grave consequences to the organization or its stakeholders.

5. PR Campaigns - Marketing Communications for Agricultural Audiences

Programs designed to introduce or promote agricultural input products, including equipment, and services primarily to farm audiences or those who serve them (i.e. dealers)

6. PR Campaigns - Marketing Communications for Non-Ag Audiences

Programs designed to introduce or promote agricultural products - including food, fiber and byproducts - to non-agricultural audiences, including consumers.

7. PR Campaigns - Agricultural Image

Programs designed to enhance or protect the image of agriculture to primarily non-agricultural audiences, including consumers.

8. PR Campaigns - Issues Management

Programs designed to influence the outcomes of ongoing issues that impact on organizational or business strategies.

9. PR Campaigns - Internal

Programs designed to address stakeholders or publics aligned within an organization, including employees, members, dealers, franchisees or other internal segments.

10. PR Campaigns - Global Communications

Campaign or programs about an agricultural product or topic, sponsored by a U.S. company or a company with a U.S. presence, for target audiences outside of the United States. The program must demonstrate effective global communications implemented in at least one country outside of the U.S.

11. PR Campaigns - Corporate Social Responsibility and Sustainability

Campaigns specifically focused on addressing environmental, social or economic issues related to agriculture, food and fiber production.

12. PR Campaigns - Open Category

An open competition for campaigns and programs that don't easily or clearly fit into other categories.

13. PR Campaigns - Student Campaign

This category is open to any university-sanctioned student organization, class, individual or group of students who plan and execute a public relations campaign aimed at agricultural audiences, or advocating on behalf of ag products or issues with non-ag audiences.

"Tactics Division"

1. Media Relations:

Media relations material can include news releases, background information, media kits, media advisories, pitch letters, requests for coverage, etc., along with the two-page summary that includes measurable objectives and results, such as evidence of the resulting media coverage.

1a: Print media relations - agricultural audiences
1b: Print media relations - non-agricultural (consumer) audiences
1c: Radio media relations - agricultural audiences
1d: Radio media relations - non-agricultural audiences
1e: Television/video news releases - agricultural audiences
1f: Television/video news releases - non-agricultural audiences
1g: Media events and news conferences

2. Video Programs:

Video programs targeted to any specific internal or external audience. Entries should be submitted on a DVD or contain screen prints of the DVD, and include documentation to support achievement of objectives.

3. Print Publications:

3a: Magazines (ongoing information to target audiences)
3b: Single-issue publications (one-time information piece to target audiences)
3c: Newspapers (ongoing information to target audiences)
3d: Newsletters (ongoing information to target audiences)

4. Collateral/Literature:

Communications designed to educate or elicit immediate response from the target audience. Submit the literature, and information about the target audience, objectives and any results.

5. Research and Evaluation:

Research that provides a meaningful contribution or input to a public relations program or campaign, helps document the results of a public relations program or tactic, or that uniquely aids in project execution.

6. Speeches:

Submit the text of the speech, along with information on the audience, purpose of the speech, and any results.

7. Feature Writing:

Submit the text of the feature, along with documentation of publication, target audience, objective and any results.

8. Digital and Social Media:

8a: "Podcasts" (Audio programs/shows produced solely as podcasts, downloadable for play on IPods or other MP3 players. Along with the podcast, the entry should include objectives, rationale for the strategy, and any means of quantifiable measurement to support stated objectives.)
8b: "Blogs" (Web-based journals, or blogs, that communicate either a corporate, public service, or industry position. The entry should include some screen displays or downloads of the blog, the site URL, objectives, target audiences, and any measurement to support its stated objectives.
8c: Websites (This entry should include screen grabs, copies of key pages, and other pertinent visual and content representation of key elements involving use of a Web site as part of a public relations program. The entry should include the live URL, as well as objectives, target audiences and any measurement to support stated objectives.)
8d: Other Innovative Use of Social Media (different from above.) Could include use of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or other social media venue.

9. Special Events:

Events or programs for commemorations, observances, openings, celebrations, recognition, trade shows, field days or other special events.

10. Annual Reports:

Publications to report on an organization's annual performance. 10a: Annual financial report 10b: Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) reports 10c: Non-financial annual reports

11. Unique Tactics and Executions - Open Category

This category is open to any entry, but specifically designed to recognize new, emerging and non-traditional strategic or tactical approaches to public relations execution.