SHJ wins a coveted IABC Gold Quill Award for Excellence. Posted by Nathan

SHJ has won a world-renowned IABC 2011 Gold Quill Award for Excellence in Media Relations!

We were awarded this for our work on the Evocities campaign; a campaign to encourage Sydney residents to live, work and invest in one of seven regional NSW cities. The seven Evocities are Albury, Armidale, Bathurst, Dubbo, Orange, Tamworth and Wagga Wagga.

Only two Gold Quill Awards for Excellence in Media Relations were awarded worldwide in 2011, so we are delighted to have been given this prestigious award. The Gold Quill is the best of the best in business communication, so to be recognised from such a wide and talented pool of judges is something we are very proud of.

It should also be said that this award is testament to the strength of the Evocities campaign itself. The Evocities concept was created by the seven councils involved nearly six years ago, so it was great to be able to help them bring it to life with such success in 2010, and we are glad to share this success with the cities.

Our media relations campaign targeted the “semi-converted”; Sydneysiders who had an existing connection to one of the Evocities who were living in Sydney’s commuter belt and feeling the pressures of life in a capital city. We used broadcast, print, online and social media to spread the Evocities message.

Throughout, we focused on the positives of Evocity living (cheaper property, a balanced lifestyle and career opportunities), as opposed to being overly critical of Sydney, in order to motivate people to work, live and invest in one of the cities. We also addressed the barriers to relocation, such as existing negative perceptions around employment, by bringing everyday Evocity stories to life, using real world examples that people could relate to.

One of the great things about working on the Evocities campaign has been the fact that we have been able to see the direct impact the campaign has had on the lives of people who were ready to leave the capital and make a “city change” to one of the Evocities. In fact, at time of writing, almost 200 people – singles, couples and families – have made the move. It really is great to be part of people changing their lives for the better.