The NRPA Marketing and Communications KUDOS AWARDS Program

In an effort to recognize those agencies or departments that best market and communicate the value of recreation to the public, NRPA has established the NRPA Marketing And Communications Kudos Awards Program.

This award program is meant to include entries from any NRPA member organization including park and recreation agencies, therapeutic recreation centers and armed forces locales. Since this is an NRPA Awards Program, reference to NRPA within your entry/entries is preferred; however, no points will be deducted during the judging process if such reference is not included.

ENTRY CATEGORIES

The awards program recognizes five (5) areas of excellence:

1. Best Recreation Catalogue

2. Best Public Service Announcement (PSA) Program

3. Best Short Film Promoting Recreation

4. Best Website/Homepage Promoting Recreation

5. Best Overall Communicator

In addition, there will be four entry options in each of the above categories. Entrants will be classified as one of the following:

Class I: Serving populations of 50,000 or less.

Class II: Serving populations from 50,001 to 100,0,30.

Class III: Serving populations from 100,001 to 150,000.

Class IV: Serving populations greater than 150,000

ELIGIBILITY

All NRPA member organizations or individual members of NRPA are welcome to apply. However, awards will be given in the name of an agency or organization, not in the name of an individual.

AWARDS GIVEN

NRPA will award a first-place winner for each entry category. As such, up to 20 awards will be presented for this program.

ENTRY FEE

There will be a $30 entry fee per category to assist in covering all administrative costs associated with the program, including the purchase of the awards themselves. This fee allows you to enter up to three (3) entries in each specific category (excluding Best Overall Communicator). For example, if you have developed three short films you may enter all three of them in the Best Short Film Promoting Recreation category.

HOW TO APPLY

Select the category or categories you wish to enter. Complete the application page in this document. Be sure to mark the appropriate class for the population size you serve.

Answer the question(s) within each category. Please limit your answer to the words requested in each section. If you are entering more than one entry in a category, please answer each question for each entry.

JUDGING

All entries will be judged by a panel of marketing and communication experts.

AWARD CATEGORIES

BEST RECREATION CATALOGUE

An award to be presented for the best print catalogue distributed to the public, highlighting the recreational offerings of your agency. Your entry fee allows you to enter as many as three (3) catalogues. Please include one copy of each catalogue that you submit.

Please answer the following questions. Limit your response to 200 words for each question.

1. Discuss briefly your approach in developing this catalogue. Your comments might include references to such elements as:

a. How did you decide to arrange the sections?

b. How did you decide on these colors?

c. How did you draw in people's attention?

2. Circulation information:

a. How many catalogues do you print?

b. How do you distribute your catalogue?

BEST PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT (PSA) PROGRAM

This award recognizes the best in print, audio and video PSAs. Produced in a variety of formats, PSAs promote a value to the public. Your entry fee allows you to enter up to three (3) separate PSAs. Please include a copy of each PSA you submit (hard copy for print, audio cassette for audio, 1/2" VHS for video.)

Please answer the following questions. Limit your responses to 200 words for each question.

1. How did you decide to select this topic to promote?

a. Is there a particular need to address the problem/challenge in your community?

2. Discuss your creative approach for this campaign.

a. Were you targeting a specific population?

b. How did you decide on this particular format?

c. Why do you feel this approach is best?

BEST SHORT FILM PROMOTING RECREATION

This award recognizes the best short film promoting the value of recreation. All films must be 20 minutes or less. (If you would like to enter one longer than 20 minutes, you may do so. However, the judges will not review any material that runs past 20 minutes.) Your entry fee allows you to enter up to (3) films in this category. Please include a 1/2" VHS copy for each entry. (We can only accept VHS copies).

Please answer the following questions. Limit your response to 201] words for each question.

1. Why did you choose this topic to promote?

2. Discuss your creative approach for this campaign.

a. Were you targeting a specific population?

b. Why do you feel that this was the best approach?

BEST WEBSITE/HOME PAGE PROMOTING RECREATION

This award recognizes the agency/organization that best communicates and promotes the value of recreation to the public through the use of an online home page. For this award, the judging panel will review your site online. Please keep in mind that the actual judging will take place in June, so be sure to have your site ready for review during the entire month.