IABC Houston Content Managers RSS Feed

YP Events Editable on Home Page*

Tue, 09 Mar 2010 22:02:39 GMT

IABC Young Professionals Mixer

Tuesday, March 30, 5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.
Yelapa Playa Mexicana

Lookng for more sources to build your communication skills and network? We're here to help, tell us what you need! Bring a friend and your ideas.

Open invitation to all young professionals in communications, including writers, graphic designers, photographers and marketing professionals. Or, if you would like to just introduce yourself, please do! Read more and register.

IABC is in search of young professionals to help lead our YP group! For more information or to volunteer your talents, contact Volunteer Coordinator Wesley Lichenstein.

Bronze Quill Student Entries

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:56:02 GMT

a img { border: 0; } IABC/Houston’s 2010 Bronze Quill Award Student Competition - open to any university, college or graduate student. Join us for the annual IABC/Houston Bronze Quill Awards Student Competition, recognizing young talent, rewarding excellence and showcasing some of the best communication work from university students across the Houston area and southeast Texas. Entering Bronze Quill is a great way to display your skills and start a portfolio; and the knowledge you gain from entering an established competition accentuates your résumé. For entry details, read the Student Competition Call for Entires. The Bronze Quill Awards Student Competition is not limited to IABC members; any university or graduate student who does not have significant professional experience may enter. Entries are encouraged from students of communication, public relations, business, journalism, graphic design, marketing, advertising and other related fields. One...

How to Volunteer

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 21:55:01 GMT

Wanted: IABC/Houston members who want to get the most out of their membership, meet people, show their stuff and learn new skills. Scan this wanted list and think about how you could plug in this coming year! Positions and projects are described within their board headings: Marketing Committee Members Who: Volunteers interested in assisting with Web and e-mail marketing, including writing and/or editing for our weekly e-newsletter, the IABC/Houston Insider. Great skill- and resume-building opportunity! Contact: Merrisa Turner, VP Web Communications, mturner@trmoore.com, 713-789-7081 x223. Registration Table Volunteers Who: Volunteers interested in assisting at registration table at monthly meetings. Great way to meet people, both members and guests! Helpful Skills: ability to help Hospitality Director record payments and make change for people who pay at the door, help people find their badges on badge table, etc.. Time Commitment: minimal - about 30 minutes during registration...

IABC/Houston Insider

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 14:17:45 GMT

Houston Interactive Marketing Association Kodak's Chief Marketing Officer to Speak Wednesday, March 3, 11:15 a.m. - 1:15 p.m. Intercontinental Hotel Join the Houston Interactive Marketing Association for A Digital…A Brand…A Marketing Transformation luncheon on Wednesday, March 3, 2010, at the Intercontinental Hotel to hear how Kodak successfully transformed itself into an innovative leader in digital imaging. Read more and register. CALL FOR ENTRIES IABC/Houston's 2010 Bronze Quill Awards Presented by The Brookwoods Group Producing award-winning communications is hard work. Entering it into an awards competition shouldn't be… Learn about our new online entry process! Final deadline for entries: March 29, 2010 ESIG Event Show Me the Money: How to (Actually) Drive Revenue With Social Media Apps Thursday, March 11, 11:30 a.m. - 1 p.m. The Fabulous La Griglia We’ve witnessed many presentations and workshops...

***Special Events Editable on Home Page*

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 20:28:17 GMT

CALL FOR ENTRIES
IABC/Houston's 2010 Bronze Quill Awards
presented by
The Brookwoods Group

Producing award-winning communications is hard work.
Entering it into an awards competition shouldn't be.

New online entry process!

Final deadline for entries:
March 29, 2010

2009 Bronze Quill Award Winners

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 14:11:55 GMT

a img { border: 0; } Congratulations winners! Click on graphic above for the 2009 Gala Program (pdf, 6.8MB) Thank you to Robert Allred Photography for photographing our 2009 Awards Gala. Communication Leadership Award John C. Sheptor President and CEO Imperial Sugar Company Communicator of the Year Ronda Wendler Texas Medical Center Best in Show Ronda Wendler Texas Medical Center President's Award Janelle Ewing BP STUDENT DIVISION Category 3: WRITING Award of Merit David Gonzalez The Salvation Army of Greater Houston The Salvation Army: Making a Difference DIVISION 1: COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT Category 2: COMMUNITY RELATIONS Award of Excellence Michael Corcoran, Stan Sehested, Kammy Reece, Brian Cain, Martha Moreno Chevron Phillips Chemical Company Online Video Messaging: The Letter and The Mail Award of Merit Nicholle Connolly Cone Jiffy Lube Maintenance Partners for Life Campaign Category 3:...

2009 Communication Leadership Award

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 14:11:26 GMT

a img { border: 0; } Nominate an exemplary communicator at the executive level of your organization for the 2010 IABC/Houston Communication Leadership Award Nomination deadline: Monday, April 5, 2010 Award presentation (winner MUST be present): Thursday, June 3, 2010 at The Parador If you have support from the top, communication can make an even more incredible impact on your organization. For this reason, IABC/Houston each year recognizes a top-level business or organizational leader who displays understanding and active support of communication through the IABC Communication Leadership Award. This support includes such achievements as initiating, directing, supporting or sustaining outstanding and effective communication programs. You’re invited to nominate an exemplary communicator at the executive level of your organization in consideration of this award. A nominee: must be an active senior management official (communication and public relations...

Simply. The Best.

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 14:11:04 GMT

a img { border: 0; } IABC Houston’s 2010 Bronze Quill Awards Producing award-winning communications is hard work. Entering it into an awards competition shouldn’t be. 2009 was a year of tremendous challenges for Houston communicators. Staff reductions. Budget cuts. Even communications paralysis – a condition caused when the price of oil drops from $147 to less than $37 per barrel in a matter of weeks. Through it all, Houston communicators continued doing what they do best – planning award-winning communication campaigns, writing compelling copy, designing outstanding Web and print publications and taking photos that communicate. IABC/Houston believes that getting recognized for outstanding work during such a difficult year shouldn’t be as challenging. So we’re rewriting the rules for the 2010 Bronze Quill Awards competition. No more three-ring binders or cumbersome entry rules! Our goal is to recognize those who deserve it most....

Bronze Quill Awards

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 14:10:37 GMT

a img { border: 0; } Congratulations to the 2009 Bronze Quill winners! About Bronze Quill The Houston Bronze Quill Awards is the Houston chapter's annual award program. The Bronze Quill Awards celebrates the outstanding efforts of our best communicators and their unique talent, creativity, and resourcefulness. To ensure each submission is given equal opportunity, two senior communicators from other IABC chapters judge each entry and provide valuable feedback to the entrant. The 2010 Awards Dinner will be at The Parador in Houston on June 3 from 5:30pm onwards. Tickets go on sale in April. Bronze Quill Winners Receive: A professional award you’ll take pride in displaying. Individual recognition at the June 3, 2010 awards dinner. A professional photograph of you and your award. Display of your award-winning entry at the awards dinner. Mention of your name on the IABC/Houston web site and in the Insider, the chapter's online newsletter. Package of tips and tools for...

Home Page - Professional Development Event*

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 14:23:33 GMT

(Don’t) Use Your Words: Communicating Visually Through Presentations and Beyond Thursday, March 25, 11:15 a.m. - 1 p.m. Maggiano's Back by popular demand! This presentation got great reviews at last September’s ESIG luncheon. Katie’s added new material to address working with graphics firms and within a corporate environment. Think all presentation slides are worthless and boring? Tired of being forced to make decisions based on verbose and confusing PowerPoint slides? This presentation is for you – recapture your creativity and learn how to find the right way to say what you want to say – often without using a single word at all. Join Katie Laird, a graphics-obsessed communications geek from Schipul – The Web Marketing Company, as she walks us through the do’s and don’ts of communicating visually. Read more and register.

Bronze Quill How to Enter

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 20:27:22 GMT

Step 1 – Pick the division and category. You may submit as many entries as you wish, but a separate entry fee applies for each additional entry. However, the same entry cannot be submitted more than once in the same division.
Step 2 – Complete your online entry form:
- Online entry form if paying by check
- Online entry form if paying by credit card
Step 3 – Prepare your work plan. The weighting of the work plan varies for each division: Management 80%; Skills 25%; Creative 5%. Your work plan may be up to 4 pages in length regardless of which division you enter.
Step 4 – Assemble your entry. For large projects, don’t submit everything, but select the elements of the work sample that best represent your achievement.

...Attach a copy of your entry form confirmation email, your work plan, and your work samples (low res PDFs or .JPGs) to an email and send your entry to: houstonbronzequill@gmail.com.
Step 5 – Plan to attend the awards dinner on June 3, 2010 … and good luck!

QUESTIONS?

Attend a 60-minute live Webinar on how to enter the competition. Register for the free seminar.

Can’t make the Webinar? Contact Janelle Ewing or Gabriela Segura via e-mail at houstonbronzequill@gmail.com.

Bronze Quill Assemble Your Entry

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 21:38:54 GMT

Here’s where we think you’ll really like the changes we’ve made to this competition…

Start an email to houstonbronzequill@gmail.com - the subject line should read IABC/Houston Bronze Quill ENTRY and include your Reference Number (from your entry form confirmation).
Attach your work plan (we'd prefer PDF files). Remember to include the Reference Number you received from your online entry form confirmation.
Attach low-res PDF or JPG copies of your work sample (if your work sample is a website, you may include the URL in the work plan or you may attach screen shots of the website. Remember if you only include the URL in your work plan, the URL must be functioning in order for our judges to judge your sample). Your work sample doesn't have to include every piece, so pick elements that best demonstrate the quality of your project.
Attach your online Entry Form Confirmation email.

Complete your entry form online:
Entry form if paying by credit card
Entry form if paying by check

Attach a copy of the credit card payment confirmation email or a scanned copy of your check payment.
Push send.

…That’s it! No more binders!

Bronze Quill Division Three: Creative

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 19:14:38 GMT

The Communication Creative division includes projects that showcase creative talent and design that also perform communicative functions. Entrants must demonstrate innovation, creativity and effective visual communication. Note: An individual product may also be entered as part of an overall program in the Communication Management division. Details to include in your work plan Describe the need or opportunity for the project. Why were you asked to do what you did and how would it benefit the organization and the audience? Describe your solution. Why did you do what you did? What were the outcomes? What the judges look for… 95 percent of your score is based on your work sample – so it should be stellar. Depending on your category, the judges will be looking for solutions that demonstrate the best of the best. A “wow” factor that not only meets the needs of your audience or client, but also shows your ability to push the boundaries of creativity and innovation,...

Bronze Quill Division Two: Skills

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 19:13:57 GMT

The Communication Skills division includes communication products (publications, advertising, web sites, newsletters, etc.) that showcase technical skills such as editing, writing and design. Note: An individual communication product may also be entered as part of an overall program in the Management division. Details to include in your work plan Describe the need or opportunity for the project. Why were you asked to do what you did and how would it benefit the organization and the audience? Who was your audience and what made them unique or challenging? Describe your solution. Why did you do what you did? What were the outcomes? What the judges look for… The good news is that your work sample is worth 75 percent of your score – so consider submitting pieces that show you’re deserving of being recognized as the top in your field. To earn the 25 percent of your work plan score, you need to tell the judges why your solution was so successful and how it related to your...

Bronze Quill Details About Completing a Work Plan

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 19:12:05 GMT

Your work plan should start with a header that contains the following elements:

Reference Number - You'll receive this number when you complete your online entry form. It will be included in your confirmation email.
Division and category – List the division number and name and category number for your entry.
Entry title – Choose a name that clearly describes your entry.
Entrant’s name – List only one name. This is the Primary Entrant and must be the person who was principally responsible for the development, management and execution of the entry.
Company, organization, or client. If the work was completed on behalf of a client or you are no longer employed by the organization, include a letter/email of permission from the client/organization acknowledging consent for you to submit this entry.
Team member names – List others you’d like to recognize at the award dinner. If you win, we will notify you in case you wish to add additional names to your award, or order additional awards (fees will apply for each additional or duplicate award).
Time period of project – Specify when the communication project took place. Note: a component of your project must take place between Jan. 1, 2009 and Dec. 31, 2009.
Brief description – Provide a one- or two-sentence description of your entry.

Many successful entrants choose to include the above elements in a simple two column table layout.

… then write your work plan, which:

Is compelling and shows other communicators what works and why it works
Covers the important points of the project and your role
Tells a story about why you think your solution is award winning
Demonstrates your level of expertise
Is free of grammatical errors

…Oh and by the way, should not exceed four pages in length

More information on what the judges look for is included in each Division/Category description.

Bronze Quill What You'll Get When You Enter

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 19:11:37 GMT

Every entrant will be e-mailed copies of the judges' score sheet, which provides constructive feedback on what worked and what areas you may need to work on. This feedback is extremely valuable! How often do you get your work critiqued anonymously by senior-level communication professionals?

In that same e-mail, you’ll be congratulated if your entry is a winner. IABC/Houston has two levels of winners – Excellence and Merit. The level you win will be announced at the award dinner on June 3, 2010. So plan to attend!

… PLUS, the highest entry score in each division will win a Best in Division award

… PLUS, PLUS, all Excellence-level winners will automatically be in the running for the Houston Chapter’s most prestigious award – Communicator of the Year.

What you’ll win …

A newly designed engraved acrylic award signifying that you are simply, the best!

To help get the word out about how great you are, we’ll give you some tips and pointers on how to market your win both in and outside your organization.

Bronze Quill New for 2010

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 19:08:36 GMT

Simplified Call for Entries – you don’t need to read a Harry Potter-sized book to find out how to enter the competition!
No more binders! Finally we’ve entered this century, so now you can submit your entries electronically via e-mail … and your work samples – PDF files will do!
Work plan is key for Division I – your work plan is now worth 80 percent of your total score, so prepare to amaze our judges with your strategic and creative thinking.
Division II criteria has changed – work sample is now worth 75 percent of your total score, so you’ll be judged more on the merit of your work and less on your ability to write a good work plan.
Overhauled criteria for Division III – no lengthy work plan needed at all as your work sample is now worth 95 percent of your score!
Enhanced student division – submit your class work or work completed as an intern – heck, why don’t you create a project just for the competition?

Winners are chosen by communication professionals who have already won a slew of awards – yep, they’re award-winning professionals and are at the top of their field. Each entry will be judged on its own merit – so in any given category there may be multiple awards.

Bronze Quill Entry Fees* and Deadlines

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 18:30:26 GMT

	Early Bird (March 8)	Entry Deadline (March 15)	Procrastinator (March 29)
Member first entry	$70	$95	$100
Member additional entries	$55	$80	$100
Non-Member first entry	$85	$110	$115
Non-Member additional entries	$70	$80	$115

*Fees have not increased since the 2008 competition

Don’t delay!

Entries received by the early bird deadline will be entered into a random drawing for two free tickets to the awards dinner on June 3 at The Parador. One lucky winner will be drawn.

Want to join IABC? Go to www.iabc.com/join. Select “Houston” as your local chapter and once you’re signed up, include a copy of your membership confirmation with your entry to be eligible for the reduced entry fee(s).

Bronze Quill Division One: Management

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 17:24:38 GMT

The Communication Management division covers projects, programs and campaigns that are guided by a communication strategy. Entrants must demonstrate how their project applied a full range of planning and management skills, including research, analysis, strategy, tactical implementation and evaluation. Entries may include a combination of communication materials. Note: Individual elements of a communication program, such as brochures, Web sites and newsletters, can also be entered separately in the Communication Skills or Communication Creative divisions. Details to include in your work plan Describe the need or opportunity for the project. Why were you asked to do what you did and how would it benefit the organization and the audience? Describe your audience. Was there anything unique about your audience that you needed to consider when developing your solution? State your SMART goals and/or objectives. Specific, measurable, actionable, realistic and timely goals go a long way to...

Bronze Quill What to Enter

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 16:03:26 GMT

Original material that was produced and/or measured in 2009. If you started a project in 2008, but some element of the project carried over into 2009 – for example measurement of its success occurred in 2009, then it’s eligible.
Material/projects that have the stated permission of clients and other key project participants (when applicable). We appreciate that surprising the client with a winning entry may seem like a great idea, but in order to maintain our ethical standards, we need to ensure that the client has given you permission to enter their project into our competition. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy – a printout of a simple e-mail will suffice.