News Room - Press Releases

News Release
For Immediate Release
For more information, contact:
Amy Kaloski
804.675.8147
akaloski@crt-tanaka.com

NEW YORK (June 13, 2006) – CRT/tanaka has been honored with a 2006 Silver Anvil award, the highest honor given in the PR industry, and a 2006 Bronze Anvil award given for creative PR tactics, both given by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), the world’s largest organization for PR professionals.

The Silver Anvil, which recognizes outstanding achievement in strategic public relations planning and implementation, was presented one of 26 awards during the Silver Anvil Awards Evening held June 8 in New York City. CRT/tanaka received the 2006 Silver Anvil Award for its Housing Virginia campaign in the community relations (associations/non-profit organizations) category.

CRT/tanaka’s 2006 Bronze Anvil was earned in the multi-media communications category (editorial/direct mail) for the Bon Secours Hampton Roads Health System Heart Institute CD-ROM.

“Our congratulations to CRT/tanaka for being a 2006 Silver Anvil award winner. They truly are deserving of this special honor for developing an exemplary strategic public relations program for Housing Virginia, which is what the Silver Anvils are all about,” said PRSA President and CEO Cheryl I. Procter-Rogers, APR, Fellow PRSA. “CRT/tanaka also has successfully addressed a contemporary public relations issue with superb professional skill, creativity and resourcefulness with the Bon Secours Heart Institute CD-ROM. We are proud to honor them with the 2006 Bronze Anvil Award.”

When Housing Virginia, a new non-profit organization, wanted to conduct a community relations campaign in the Charlottesville area to create greater awareness about the need for more affordable housing – particularly for police officers, fire fighters, teachers, other municipal workers and the elderly – the organization turned to CRT/tanaka. During an 18-month period, CRT/tanaka created brand awareness for Housing Virginia and helped change perceptions about the need for affordable housing in the Charlottesville region.

Before opening the Bon Secours Heart Institute in Portsmouth, Va., in fall 2005, Bon Secours physicians referred about 450 heart surgeries per year elsewhere. Bon Secours turned to its strategic Public Relations partner, CRT/tanaka, to reach physicians and consumers with targeted communications that would inform, support marketing goals and demonstrate technological savvy. The most important endorsement of the CD-ROM’s effectiveness came from the Heart Institute’s first patient, who credited the CD-ROM with helping him to make up his mind to choose Bon Secours for his surgery. The CD-ROM also supported the pre-opening PR events that resulted in the Heart Institute’s meeting its projected volume of patients.

About CRT/tanaka
CRT/tanaka is an award-winning public relations and marketing firm, known for creative solutions and workplace culture. The agency was formed in 2005, when Richmond, Va.-based Carter Ryley Thomas Public Relations & Marketing Counsel acquired New York consumer specialist Patrice Tanaka & Company, Inc. to create one of the top independent agencies in the country. Headquartered in Richmond, Va., and New York, with offices in Los Angeles, Charlotte, N.C. and Norfolk, Va., CRT/tanaka specializes in three practice areas – Consumer, Health and Corporate. The agency’s Consumer Practice is renowned for its specialty in brand marketing PR, cause-related marketing, sponsorship and event marketing and marketing to women. Through its legacy agencies, CRT/tanaka has been recognized with more than 250 national and regional awards for its strategic counsel, creativity and workplace culture. Clients include Target Stores, Sprint Nextel, Capital One, Charles Schwab & Co., Altec Lansing, Atkins Nutritionals, HoMedics, Girl Scouts of the USA, Wines from Rioja (Spain), All-Clad Metalcrafters, Mont Blanc, VHA Inc., Performance Food Group and ITT Night Vision. For more information, visit the CRT/tanaka Web site at www.crt-tanaka.com.

About the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA)
The Public Relations Society of America (www.prsa.org), based in New York City, is the world’s largest organization for public relations professionals. The Society has more than 29,000 professional and student members. PRSA is organized into 112 Chapters nationwide, 19 Professional Interest Sections, along with Affinity Groups, which represent business and industry, counseling firms, independent practitioners, military, government, associations, hospitals, schools, professional services firms and nonprofit organizations. The Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) has 272 Chapters at colleges and universities throughout the United States.