The IPRA President, Bart de Vries, described the PRNigeria’s campaign as one of the most successful crisis communication strategies that entails creative innovation, media relations, social media and event management to win the Golden World Award in Crisis Management

The International Public Relations Association has presented Golden World Award in Crisis Management to Image Merchants Promotion Limited for its PRNigeria’s counter-insurgency and security consciousness campaigns.
The Golden World Awards, often dubbed the “Oscars of PR”, are the world’s most prestigious PR awards in various categories.

The IPRA President, Bart de Vries, described the PRNigeria’s campaign as one of the most successful crisis communication strategies that entails creative innovation, media relations, social media and event management to win the Golden World Award in Crisis Management.

Vries added that in determining the winners of various GWA categories, which included Grand Prix and UN Awards among others, the IPRA judges spent the greatest parts of their sessions working in small teams.

He said: “This year’s GWA entries saw a marked rise in using cross-media approaches, including innovative and creative use of social media, video or animation. The 2016 IPRA GWA Winners also showed progress in measurement, integrating varied research perspectives, adopting measuring models and applying an evaluation.”
Receiving the award, the founder of PRNigeria, Yushau Shuaib, dedicated the GWA to the Nigerian media and security agencies for their collaboration in ensuring a secured and safer society through timely and responsible information dissemination.

Shuaib said: “We dedicate this award to the Nigerian media and security agencies, especially the military, security, intelligence and response agencies for their efficient and mutual relationship towards enhancing synergy on the security consciousness and the war on terror campaigns.

“We also acknowledge the heroism of many silent heroes whose names are hidden from the media spotlights including investigate journalists and security personnel who sacrifice their lives for our safety. We commend the gallantry of late souls: Lieutenant Colonel Mohammed Abu Ali, Flight Lieutenant Onyeka Nwakile, Wing Commander Chimda Hadima and many others who died in the struggles and those that are wounded and nursing their injuries.

“The PRNigeria, which has been at the forefront of projecting the commendable efforts of our military counter-terrorism operations, will add voice to ensure that their death and sacrifices will not be in vain. We are glad to serve as the consultant in cementing the wonderful mutual relationship of the critical stakeholders in crisis communication.”

Also, speaking at the event, the President of African Public Relations Association, Yomi Badejo-Okusanya, commended the three PR companies from the continent which won different categories of GWA at the occasion.
They include Nigeria’s Image Merchants Promotion on Crisis Management, Angola’s Djembe Communications on Publication and Ghana’s Stratcomm for UN Award on Gender Equality.

Other recipients at the 2016 IPRA GWAs included Global PR icons from America, Europe, Asia and Middle-East.
They are: Weber Shandwick, Ogilvy and Mather, FleishmanHillard, Hill+Knowlton Strategies, SPN Communication, Porter Novelli, Alfa-Omega, MSLgroup, Grayling, Havas PR, ActionAid, Shell and Dentsu PR.