Weber Shandwick's Travel & Lifestyle Practice Wins Three Coveted PR Platinum Awards at 2010 Annual HSMAI Gala

NEW YORK, Feb. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- Weber Shandwick's Travel & Lifestyle Practice won three coveted Platinum Awards at the 20th annual Adrian Awards Gala hosted by Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) this week. This brings the total number of Platinum Awards earned by the firm's Travel & Lifestyle practice to 13 in its 13-year history. Weber Shandwick took home nine additional awards in the Gold, Silver, and Bronze categories.

HSMAI is the premier awards event in the travel, hospitality and transportation industry. More than 1,100 entries competed this year for the top honors with hundreds of industry leaders in attendance.

"It's an honor and privilege to be recognized for outstanding work," said Rene A. Mack, president of Weber Shandwick's Travel & Lifestyle practice. "It's a testament to our clients' leadership and our colleagues' creativity and expertise to get the job done in an extremely competitive industry."

The 2010 Weber Shandwick winning client campaigns are:

Platinum Awards

• Web Marketing: Viral Web Marketing – "Bahama Fridays" (Bahamas Ministry of Tourism): An on- and-offline movement centered around the creation of a satirical viral video, paired with a consumer event to put a new twist on casual Fridays bringing the fun of the islands into the homes and offices of U.S. consumers.
• Public Relations: Relaunch of Existing Product, Campaign – "The Rebirth of an Icon" (Fontainebleau Miami Beach): A campaign focused on re-launching and catapulting an iconic American hotel back to her position as the defining destination experience in Miami.  
• Marketing Program: Trade Publicity Work – "Omni Hotels Meeting Meetings' Demands" (Omni Hotels & Resorts): Series of initiatives and programs designed to provide more flexibility to relieve some of the strain and stress meeting planners faced due to the uncertain economic climate.

Gold Awards

• Web Marketing: Viral Web Marketing – "Bahama Fridays" (Bahamas Ministry of Tourism)
• Public Relations: Media Center, Online Press Room – "Online Oasis'" (Royal Caribbean International Cruise Lines)
• Public Relations: Relaunch of Existing Product, Campaign – "The Rebirth of an Icon" (Fontainebleau Miami Beach)

Silver Awards

• Web Marketing: Campaign – "Staycations Suck" (LastMinuteTravel.com)
• Public Relations: Feature Placement, Print Trade – PR Week Cover Story (New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau)
• Web Marketing: Integrated Marketing Campaign for Consumers – "SCRUBS" (Bahamas Ministry of Tourism)

Bronze Awards

• Public Relations: Feature Placement Television – "Putting a Canadian Accent on a New NYC Tradition" (Canadian Tourism Commission)
• Public Relations: Marketing Program, Consumer – "Boo Orleans: Stirring Up Ghosts with Gumbo in America's Most SPOOKtacular City" (New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau)
• Web Marketing: E-mail Web Marketing Series – "Hot Deals in the City"

About Weber Shandwick

Weber Shandwick is a leading global public relations agency with offices in 77 countries around the world. The firm's success is built on its deep commitment to client service, our people, creativity, collaboration and harnessing the power of Advocates - engaging stakeholders in new and creative ways to build brands and reputation. Weber Shandwick provides strategy and execution across practices such as consumer marketing, healthcare, technology, public affairs, financial services, corporate and crisis management. Its specialized services include digital/social media, advocacy advertising, market research, and corporate responsibility. In 2009, Weber Shandwick was recognized as PRWeek's inaugural Global Agency Report Card Gold Medal Winner, an 'Agency of the Decade' by Advertising Age, Global Agency of the Year by The Holmes Report, and International Consultancy of the Year by PRWeek UK. The firm has also won numerous 'best place to work' awards around the world including PR News and The Holmes Report. Weber Shandwick is part of the Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG). For more information, visit http://www.webershandwick.com.

SOURCE Weber Shandwick