The 2021 PRWeek Corridor of Fame gala celebration on Monday was much more inspirational than regular.
This was partly as a result of it was many individuals’s first in-person trade occasion for 2 years. We needed to have a good time the 2020 class nearly as a result of COVID lockdown and our final bodily Corridor of Fame gathering happened in December 2019.
It’s additionally as a result of attendees benefit from the collegial vibe within the room, which is extra celebratory and fewer aggressive than the typical awards occasion as a result of the main target of the night is on celebrating PR trade legends and the occupation generally, somewhat than lauding one model or company over one other. The presence of households and pals provides to the nice environment.
The standard of testimonials contained within the video tributes for every honoree was an excellent testomony to the esteem through which the in-house PR perform and company counsel is held at companies and types.
This yr’s class comprised Jano Cabrera from Normal Mills, Golin and USC’s Fred Prepare dinner, Joe Evangelisti from JPMorgan Chase, Flowers Communications’ Michelle Flowers Welch, Karen Kahn from HP and Zeno’s Barby Siegel.
Luminaries together with JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, Normal Mills CEO Jeff Harmening, former Vice President Al Gore, Kohl’s CEO Michelle Gass, basketball legend Magic Johnson, conservationist Jane Goodall and TV journalist Willow Bay paid fulsome tribute to our inductees and you’ll see the testimonial movies right here.
But it surely was telling that shifting tributes to the honorees additionally got here from senior media figures, together with political correspondent Dan Baltz of The Washington Publish, who stated of Cabrera: “I’ve all the time discovered Jano superb to work with, particularly when he was engaged on behalf of political candidates, which isn’t the simplest job.”
JPMorgan’s Jamie Dimon highlighted Evangelisti’s excellent relationships with the media, most interactions with that are carried out within the background to make sure the corporate will get a good shake in protection and reporters are appraised of the background to points and conditions.
Chat present host Tamron Corridor stated of Flowers Welch: “Michelle did not simply break by way of the glass ceiling – she shattered it and opened doorways for extra little Again women to stay their goals.”
Sensible CCOs nonetheless spend a number of their time participating with totally different media professionals and constructing a rapport that can serve them effectively generally, however particularly when the proverbial fecal matter hits the rotary impeller.
Don’t get me mistaken, technique and large inventive concepts are essential, however PR is a relationship enterprise and nowhere is that extra essential than within the sphere of media relations.
