Bristol PR agency Speed Communications and Bath’s Highlight PR were among the big winners at the fifth annual Public Relations & Communications Agency (PRCA) South West & Wales DARE Awards.
Agencies and in-house communications teams from across the region gathered at the awards ceremony to celebrate their contribution to the local economy and showcase excellence in the PR and communications industry in areas such as media relations, reputation management and digital marketing.
Large Consultancy of the Year went to Speed Communications, which also won the Event, Launch or Stunt of the Year category with Tetra Spectrum Pets for the Tetra Tranquillity Tank sensory experience at Old Street tube station in London. 
Highlight PR collected four awards including Small Consultancy of the Year for the second year in a row.
Within focused categories, Highlight topped the Trade and B2B Campaign category for its Healthy Food, Healthy People, Healthy Planet activity for Wessanen UK, the owners of natural food and drink brands including Clipper Teas, Whole Earth and Kallo.
Highlight also won the Media Relations Award for its work in launching and establishing Frome-based Living DNA and driving sales and web traffic for its ‘HD ancestry test’ that looks to challenge racist attitudes and behaviours through the power of DNA testing.
Highlight’s consumer team picked up the Digital and Social Media Campaign of the Year award for client EPOCH Making Toys for #FindingAquabeads, an imaginative campaign that combined creative online games with an integrated PR stunt and blogger engagement to entertain fans of the global craft brand and drive social sharing.
Truro-based Wild West Communications won three awards including New Consultancy of the Year, and the Corporate Affairs Award. Rising Star of the Year also went to Sam Shrimpton, a senior campaign executive at Wild West Communications.
PRCA director general Francis Ingham said: “Huge congratulations to all of the winning teams and individuals. All of this year’s winners should be very proud to have achieved their awards.”
He said compared to the rest of the UK, the South West had the highest majority of PR professionals educated to degree level (735) according to the 2016 PRCA Census – which highlighted the calibre of talent the region was attracting.
Latest PRCA research also showed the average salary for a PR professional in the region was £38,907 and the South West now boasted successful businesses collaborating with international, national and regional businesses and brands.
“Businesses of all sizes understand the need for reputation management and strong communication strategies and this was reflected in the diversity of the PRCA Awards,” said Mr Ingham.
PRCA South West & Wales DARE Awards 2017 full winners list:
Campaign Challenges Award
WINNER: Confused.com & The 10 Group Ltd – From price comparison to motoring experts
Consumer Relations Award
WINNER: BrandContent & FairFX - Holiday rip-offs and currency woes
Corporate Affairs Award
WINNER: Wild West Communications & Penzance Heliport – Getting off the Ground – a record-breaking public affairs campaign
Digital and Social Media Campaign of the Year
WINNER: Highlight PR & EPOCH Making Toys – #FindingAquabeads
Integrated Campaign of the Year
WINNER- Confused.com & The 10 Group Ltd - Middle Lane Hoggers
Event, Launch or Stunt of the Year
WINNER: Speed Communications & Tetra Spectrum Pets – Tetra Tranquillity Tank
Media Relations Award
WINNER: Highlight PR & Living DNA - The HD Ancestry Test
Public Sector Award
WINNER: Golley Slater & Public Health Wales - Water Keeps You Well
Charity/Not for Profit Award
WINNER: Aequitas Consulting & The International Dialogue on Peacebuilding and Statebuilding – The New Deal – Addressing the root causes of fragility, conflict and violence
Low Budget Campaign Award
WINNER: DCA Public Relations & St Ives Business Improvement District (BID) – Fish Supper Teaches ‘Gull Language’ to St Ives Visitors
Trade and B2B Campaign Award
WINNER: Highlight PR & Wessanen UK – Healthy food, healthy people, healthy planet
Rising Star of the Year
WINNER: Sam Shrimpton, senior campaign executive, Wild West Communications
In-House Team of the Year Award
WINNER: Bournemouth University
New Consultancy of the Year Award
WINNER: Wild West Communications
Small Consultancy of the Year Award
WINNER: Highlight PR
Large Consultancy of the Year Award
WINNER: Speed Communications
Pictured below: The team from Speed Communications with their Large Consultancy of the Year Award
