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Brendy Barr Communications as Member of PRConsultant's Group Wins One of Public Relations Industry's Highest Awards
Promotion of The Simpsons Movie for 7-Eleven captures PRSA's Silver Anvil
June 11, 2008—Brendy Barr Communications (BBC) as a member of PRConsultants Group Inc. (PRCG), a nationwide network of public relations practitioners, along with 7-Eleven Inc., has won one of the coveted Public Relations Society of America's (PRSA) Silver Anvil Awards for its work on the 7-Eleven promotion of Twentieth Century Fox's The Simpsons Movie. The winning award in the Marketing Consumer Products Food & Non-Alcoholic Beverages category was presented during the 2008 PRSA Silver Anvil Award's ceremony in New York City on June 5.
Twelve members of the national PRCG were involved in the campaign, described by marketers as a "bold, brilliant, genius and award winning" example of reverse product placement. The effort supported the company's goal of driving store traffic, increasing sales and reinforcing the 7-Eleven brand as fun and relevant. The Wall Street Journal ranked 7-Eleven's Simpsons promotion as #2 overall in its review of the best promotions of 2007 and the effort generated $7 million in publicity value and $2.5 million in promotional value for the company.
"Brendy Barr Communications was an incredible partner in metro Detroit helping the PRConsultants Group develop and implement an incredibly successful promotional campaign for our client 7-Eleven," said Julie Dennehy, a spokesperson for the PRConsultants Group. "The Simpsons promotion highlighted already terrific 7-Eleven products and allowed our group members like Brendy Barr Communications around the country to work closely with the company in engaging in the type of results-oriented creativity and media relations expertise we are known for nationwide. The PRSA Silver Anvil is further acknowledgement of our team's hard work and the successful partnership with 7-Eleven on this project."
Working with 7-Eleven, the PRCG promoted 11 stores nationwide made to resemble Kwik-E-Marts in the movie and popular TV series. The effort drew attention to The Simpsons Movie release in July of 2007. Colorful Simpsons character cut-outs and products like Buzz Cola, Krusty O's and Squishees (7-Eleven's legendary Slurpees, renamed) helped attract thousands of Simpsons fans to the 7-Eleven stores.
PRCG members generated nearly $4 million in national print, TV, radio and Internet coverage in the first week alone. Interviews with 7-Eleven management and customers were contained in hundreds of print articles and 1,400 TV segments. More than one million bright pink Simpsons Sprinkalicious donuts were also sold and Web site traffic jumped by 300 percent, placing it in Yahoo and Entertainment Weekly's top 10.
The PRSA indicates Silver Anvil Awards recognize complete programs incorporating sound research, planning, execution and evaluation. They must meet the highest standards of performance in the profession. The 7-Eleven/PRCG entry was selected from the 875 entries in the competition.
# # #Founded in 1999, Brendy Barr Communications specializes in consumer, entertainment, cultural and lifestyle public relations. The agency's current client roster includes the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Fisher Theatre, Marriott International Inc., 7-Eleven Inc., Blockbuster Inc., Warner Norcross & Judd LLP, Cirque du Soleil and Blue Amber Medical Spa & Wellness.
Brendy Barr Communications is also a member of PRConsultants Group, a nationwide group of public relations and marketing specialists that services the needs of national accounts in local markets. For more information please call 248-651-4858 or contact us online.