Public service campaign sweeps 2002 Mercury awards
AAOS stole the show at the 2002 International Mercury Awards, receiving top honors for its 2002 public service advertising campaign, "Get Up, Get Out, Get Moving." The multi-media campaign–produced by August, Lang & Husak Advertising, Bethesda, Md.–received two coveted Gold Awards in the Public Awareness Campaign and Public Service Announcement categories, as well as two Grand Awards for "Best Video Under 2 Minutes" and "Best Campaign: Worthy Causes with Video."
To top it off, the Academy’s public service advertising campaign then took home the coveted 2002 "Best of Show" award, which is selected from among all the Grand Award winners. Stuart A. Hirsch, MD, chair of the AAOS communications council, and Sandra Gordon, director of the department of public education and media relations, accepted the awards on behalf of the Academy.
Ads honored for effectiveness, humor
The public service messages–which included print, radio and television spots–informed audiences about the critical need for physical activity to maintain musculoskeletal health throughout a lifetime. The AAOS campaign was selected in a rare unanimous decision by the panel of 21 final judges, who praised the campaign for its clear and effective message told with great humor.
Drawn from over 3,600 entries from around the world, the Mercury Awards are the premier competition for public relations professionals in honoring the world’s best for excellence in corporate communications, media relations, public affairs, and publicity. The annual competition was established in 1987 by MerComm, Inc., an Ossining, New York-based independent organization founded with the principal purpose of advancing the art and science of communications in the international arena.