When a project is recognized on a national stage, the real excitement comes from having a spotlight shone on the incredible organizations we get to work with every single day and the measurable impact of their stories.
We are incredibly proud to share that two campaigns rooted right here in Arkansas received national Public Relations Society of America Awards of Excellence at this year’s Silver Anvil Awards, held in New York City. Our team’s work with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra on its milestone grand opening of the Stella Boyle Smith Music Center was recognized in the Events and Observances category. Additionally, our collaborative work with the Arkansas Pharmacists Association on the landmark “Rx Reform Now” campaign was recognized in the Public Affairs category. These awards are a direct result of the combined dedication, grit and vision of our team and the partners who trusted us to bring their missions to life.
Amplifying a Radically Welcoming Cultural Vision
For 15 years, our agency has developed a strong partnership with the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra (ASO), and we have been privileged to support their journey toward a permanent home through multiple milestones. But when it came time to finally open the doors to the $11.75 million Stella Boyle Smith Music Center, the moment demanded a true public celebration. ASO was ready to show the community that this new facility is a modern, vibrant and radically welcoming cultural hub for everyone.
Instead of a standard media campaign, the strategy treated the three-day opening weekend as a beautifully choreographed community story. We helped build anticipation right out of the gate by showcasing ASO musicians physically moving their Steinway piano named “Dee” into its permanent home for a unique visual preview.
The actual opening weekend was a joyful whirlwind. The celebration featured a massive downtown parade packed with marching bands, circus performers and local dancers, followed by community concerts that completely filled the new space. Crucially, the storytelling focused on ASO’s $9-per-month membership program, ensuring that younger and first-time concertgoers knew this space was built specifically for them.
The response from Arkansans was overwhelming, and the event earned widespread media attention, including national coverage from The New York Times and NPR. The opening weekend completely shattered expectations, welcoming more than 950 people through the doors. Even better, that innovative $9 membership program grew by 57% by the time the weekend wrapped up, successfully opening the world of classical music to a brand-new generation of music lovers across our state.
Elevating the Voices Protecting Local Care
On the opposite end of the communication spectrum, our work with the Arkansas Pharmacists Association (APA) was a high-stakes campaign centered on protecting neighborhood pharmacies and patient care.
By late 2024, corporate pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) had consolidated near-monopoly control over prescription drug pricing. This broken system was quietly forcing independent, locally owned businesses to close their doors, directly threatening healthcare access, particularly in rural communities.
The APA identified House Bill 1150, legislation to prohibit PBMs from holding pharmacy licenses in the state, as a critical opportunity to restore fairness. Facing an intensive $883,000 opposition lobbying blitz, the campaign needed to rise above standard political noise.
Under the banner of “Rx Reform Now,” we developed a communication strategy focused entirely on trusted, human messengers, specifically neighborhood pharmacists and the patients they serve. The campaign built a digital advocacy hub anchored by a real-time, geotagged petition map. Every time an Arkansan signed, it visually flashed across a map of legislative districts, giving lawmakers an undeniable, real-time look at voter demand in their home communities.
The momentum built by these local voices proved unstoppable. The campaign rallied 8,228 petition signatures and generated more than 300 media placements across the state. The ultimate payoff was a historic policy change. HB1150 passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, making Arkansas the first state in the entire nation to ban PBMs from holding pharmacy licenses.
The Real Value of Partnership
Although entirely different, these two campaigns, succeeded for the exact same reason: they were built on authentic narratives, clear strategy and a deep passion for the people of Arkansas.
Seeing the tangible changes these campaigns brought to our state is what drives us every day; the national awards are just icing on the cake!
Here’s to brave partners, to stories that spark real change and to the momentum that keeps our communities moving forward.