Melissa Flynn, APR, vice president and public relations director for Rawle Murdy, has been chosen as one of a select group of PR practitioners to judge the national Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) 2009 Silver Anvil Award Competition-the highest awards offered within the industry, recognizing the country’s most innovative and effective public relations campaigns.

Flynn, who is also President-Elect for the South Carolina Chapter of PRSA, was one of only a handful of APR-accredited public relations professionals chosen to judge the prestigious national industry awards on March 13 in NY. According to James Roop, APR/Fellow PRSA and 2009 Chair of the Awards Committee, judges are selected based on their experience and expertise in the field of public relations.

“Silver Anvils are the highest awards given in our field,” said Flynn. “Being chosen to judge some of our industry’s best PR work is an honor for Rawle Murdy and for me personally.”

Rawle Murdy, under Flynn’s leadership, was a Silver Anvil recipient in 2004.

If Google says it’s the best, who are we to question it? Rawle Murdy is pleased to be part of the South Carolina Parks, Recreation and Tourism (SCPRT) team named winner of the first-ever Google “Wisdom of Crowd Award,” based on one of their core philosophies: focus on the user and everything else will follow.

Rawle Murdy’s strategic recommendation did just that—target a major city with direct flights to South Carolina and catch Chicagoans when they really need to get away…during the heart of winter, of course. Thus the “Time to Thaw” campaign was born.

With strategic media leadership from Rawle Murdy and execution from SCPRT’s creative team, the campaign beat out more than 1,300 entries, including the Hawaii Visitors & Convention Bureau and the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Bureau, for this award.

Click here for more information, including a Google video on the award.

CHARLESTON, S.C. – In only one month’s time, Rawle Murdy took home six major awards for its outstanding work in marketing, advertising and public relations. The Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International and several other acclaimed trade organizations recognized Rawle Murdy for strategic communication campaigns created for five of South Carolina’s most iconic brands.

Rawle Murdy was recognized with three Adrian Awards from the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International for its work with Wild Dunes Resort and Charleston Place Hotel. Two were “Silver” awards for an integrated campaign, “Stay More, Save More,” which promoted value with longer stays at Wild Dunes during a down economy, and Charleston Place Hotel’s Summer Leisure Campaign, which used personalized direct mail to drive bookings. Rawle Murdy also won a “Gold” in Public Relations Crisis Management for its proactive Wild Dunes Resort’s beach renourishment efforts that utilized social media in addition to traditional PR and marketing to keep bookings strong.

“We were so pleased to have the opportunity to nominate Rawle Murdy for one of our industry’s most prestigious awards,” said Andressa Chapman, director of marketing communication at Wild Dunes Resort. “They have been a true partner to us and we knew that our peers would recognize the stellar work we’ve done together.”

In November, the Charleston American Marketing Association presented Rawle Murdy with two Spark Awards for exceptional marketing campaigns. Rawle Murdy’s campaign to rebrand the Charleston Animal Society and launch the nonprofit’s new state-of-the-art center not only won a “Torch” award, it also received the highest score of any contest entry submitted in 2008. Rawle Murdy also won a “Fuse” award, which recognizes a campaign that takes a seemingly one-dimensional issue and builds buzz, for the agency’s “Pledge for Growth” initiative created with the South Carolina State Port Authority to promote responsible growth in and around Charleston.

Finally, Rawle Murdy’s “Say It With Beef” Valentine’s Day campaign for Piggly Wiggly Carolina Co. was awarded the People’s Choice Award for a Retail Television or Radio Advertisement by the attendees at the Certified Angus Beef annual conference in September 2008. The innovative campaign, created to introduce a new offering at the grocery store chain, even earned a mention on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” earlier this year.

“We are grateful to be honored with these recognitions, especially in light of being named a finalist in The Wall Street Journal’sTop Small Workplaces for 2008,” said Bruce Murdy, president of Rawle Murdy. “All six of these awards reinforce our focus on delivering thoughtful, strategic work for our clients.”

CHARLESTON, S.C. – Due to the steadily growing need for smart interactive counsel and integrated marketing solutions, Lou Fabian has joined Rawle Murdy as interactive project manager. From managing web design projects to overseeing and analyzing online and rich media, Search Engine Marketing (SEM) and advertising campaigns, Fabian will be responsible for managing all client interactive projects.

Before joining Rawle Murdy’s interactive team, Fabian worked as a senior account executive at imc², a full-service independent interactive agency located just outside Philadelphia, Pa. He also honed his skills in the growing fields of e-commerce solutions, SEM and online advertising by working with large retailers like Footlocker, Timberland, GNC (General Nutrition Center) and Linens N’ Things while at the leading interactive firms of GSI Commerce and Unreal Marketing Solutions.

“Lou’s strong background in digital planning and strategic interactive counsel will only further strengthen our interactive team,” said Rawle Murdy President Bruce Murdy. “We’re excited to have him on board.”

Fabian built his career in the burgeoning field of interactive marketing after earning a bachelor’s of Science and Business Administration from Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania in 2002.

Rawle Murdy Gets Creative to Raise Money for Alzheimer’s Association

Rather than just asking Rawle Murdy’s 60+ staffers to donate money for the Alzheimer Memory Walk in late October, the agency’s media department got creative–they set a goal of raising $500 and coordinated internal bake sales, raffles, and offered a “Wear Jeans Day” for $5. Not surprisingly, the brownies disappeared and donations rolled in. In fact, the team raised nearly $750, well exceeding their goal. And they capped off the effort by literally walking the Walk.