Pinnacle Awards Categories

This category celebrates excellence in media relations on a budget under $50K. For consideration, media relations programs should exhibit improvement of an organization’s media profile measured against desired objectives, the adept management of issues involving media coverage, or the development of a successful media relations campaign.

This category celebrates excellence in media relations on a large budget. For consideration, media relations programs should exhibit an improvement of an organization’s media profile measured against desired objectives, the adept management of issues involving media coverage, or the development of a successful media relations campaign.

This award celebrates outstanding achievement in digital communications. Winners will have created cutting-edge digital communications programs that successfully connect with their target audiences to engage communities, launch or raise awareness of products, or manage issues or crises.

Programs targeted at government bodies and government agencies or programs that recognize the effective use of public affairs to change/enlist public opinion in order to influence government policy and/or regulations.

This category celebrates programs focused on internal audiences. Winners will have improved the relationships between employees and management by providing a better understanding of the organization’s strategic plan and the importance of their role therein, or both! Submitted programs may also be aimed at rallying personnel around the strategic planning or improving employee/management morale, motivation, and interest towards the organization.

This award recognizes the close connection between the various fields beneath the marketing umbrella. Winners of this award will have integrated public relations, marketing and advertising strategies to help market brands, products, services or places to external audiences.

Community programs (such as philanthropy, volunteerism, partnerships) that enable an organization to build and maintain positive and sustainable relationships with key individuals, groups or organizations within its communities.

This category seeks to recognize advocacy-based communication programs that focus on sustainable development and increasing awareness of economic, social and environmental issues. Qualifying entries may include programs where the primary objective was to address and enhance the long-term well-being of specific communities or the environment.

Entries must relate to initiatives that have been carried out by a communications agency/consultant in the two years prior to the regular Award submission deadline for the current year. Your submission should consist of no more than 1,000 words and provide an overview of the following criteria:

• A short overview of business / team strategy.
• A description of your commitment to ethical communications and professionalism.
• A highlight of your recent achievements.
• A summary of a campaign you’re particularly proud that followed the R-A-C-E formula to achieve measurable results.

Communication programs submitted to this category should demonstrate proactive planning and effective strategies to predict and manage trends, issues and attitudes of special interest groups and/or mitigate the harmful impact of emergency situations on an organization’s ongoing operation.

Campaigns submitted to this category should demonstrate the use of cross-channel integration, e.g. digital, traditional and/or social media, to achieve an organization’s communications objectives. Submissions should include a rationale for the channels used, targeted audiences and statistics or other means of quantifiable measurement that meet the stated objectives.

Campaigns submitted in this category must demonstrate the effective use of strategic communications to affect a measurable improvement in trust between an organization and the public. Campaigns should be measured with a legitimate reputation management survey and include baseline and post-campaign results.

This category recognizes outstanding communications campaigns that rely on influencers to impact the public’s awareness, attitudes, opinions and/or behaviour. Submissions should both outline the methods used to attract influencers and get them to share their experiences with your brand with followers, and explain in detail how this tactic directly advanced the campaign’s objectives.

Winners in this category will have created communications programs that include brand development, re-positioning, or re-branding of an established brand (either a product, service, or corporation) through the use of strategic public relations.

This category recognizes a campaign or program aimed at building a culture of inclusion for an organization, with internal and/or external stakeholders. Campaigns or programs can include specific topic-based initiatives, special events or wider strategies to advance equity, diversity and inclusion goals.

In complex public service environments, effective communications initiatives can impact the health, safety, quality of service and audience satisfaction. This award recognizes excellence in public service and health communications, public relations, and engagement. To be deemed eligible, the campaign must demonstrate a connection to a public service, health care issue or communications need.

This category celebrates communications programs focused on external audiences. Winners will have created an outstanding program for their external target audience to engage communities, launch or raise awareness of products or services, or manage issues or crises.

Entries must relate to initiatives that have been carried out by an in-house team in the two years prior to the regular Award submission deadline for the current year.

Your submission should consist of no more than 1,000 words and provide an overview of the following criteria:

• The number of employees in your public relations and communications management team as well as annual budget;
• A short overview of business / team strategy;
• A description of your team’s commitment to ethical communications and professionalism;
• A highlight of your recent achievements;
• A summary of a campaign you’re particularly proud that followed the R-A-C-E formula to achieve measurable results.

This category recognizes outstanding campaigns specifically designed to support and promote the launch of a new product or service. Submissions should include an overview of how this campaign generated awareness and product/service recognition through the use of strategic public relations planning and execution.

A public relations program for openings, anniversaries and other ceremonies commemorating a one-time event or series of special events or occasions. Events can either be in-person (i.e. pre-COVID) or can be a virtual event as the result of COVID restrictions.

This category celebrates communications projects using a range of multimedia tactics to achieve an organization’s communication objectives, including but not limited to video and audio recordings, video news releases, podcasting, digital media, or computer-generated slide presentations developed for internal or external target audiences.

This category celebrates excellence in the art of publication. Both internal and external pieces may be submitted for consideration, so long as they are relatively low cost and primarily text. Regardless of its intended audience, judges will look for clear, concise and imaginative writing, paired with effective use of graphics and that the piece demonstrates high editorial standards and overall creativity.

This category celebrates excellence in the art of publication. Both internal and external pieces may be submitted for consideration, so long as they are relatively low cost and primarily text. Regardless of its intended audience, judges will look for clear, concise and imaginative writing, paired with effective use of graphics and that the piece demonstrates high editorial standards and overall creativity.

• Student submissions can be entered for any of the above program or project categories completed within a period of two years prior to the entry deadline.
• All submissions must adhere to the R-A-C-E formula, regardless of whether the project/program’s communication plan has been implemented.
• A cover page including the name of the Student/Student Team (and client if applicable), campaign title and award type is required in addition to the three-page summary.

CPRS Hamilton members and non-members are eligible to enter the CPRS Hamilton Pinnacle Awards. Each submission must have been completed within a period of two years prior to the entry deadline. A project may have been started prior to the previous two years, however, the evaluation/completion of the project must have been within the last two years.

Pinnacle submissions will be accepted between January 21 to February 28, 2026.

The entries received will be assessed by two impartial judges from outside of the Hamilton area. All submissions will be kept confidential. A replacement judge is sourced if any conflicts of interest arise.

Submissions will be assessed according to a scoring rubric. Gold and Silver awards will be determined by overall total scores out of 5. Gold (4.11 – 5.0) and Silver (3.75 – 4.10). See the Judging Scoresheets on the Pinnacles Resources Page for more information.

There is no limit to the number of awards that can be presented in each category. Entries do not compete against one other; rather, the individual entry is judged against an established score card.

Each award submission must be accompanied by a non-refundable entry fee. Please note the fees have been updated for 2026.

Fees:

• CPRS Hamilton Member $125
• Non Member $175
• Student Member – No Charge
• Student Non-Member – No Charge
• Member in Transition – $50