TheBuzz
TheBuzz
A Koa Anvil award for a Laird Christianson Harris television public service announcement is the latest in a series of awards the PSA has won. Another day, another
award for ad firmCalled "Running on Empty," the spot was conceived and directed by Creative Director Dennis Christianson, and the agency prepared it pro bono for St. Francis Healthcare Systems' Matrix program.
The PSA featured a woman "running herself to the brink of destruction," according to an agency statement, to reflect a life gone out of control due to crystal methamphetamine use. Bob Johnson served as the director of photography.
The musical score for the spot won a national "ADDY" award from the American Advertising Federation in June. It was performed by local entertainer Alyssa Robbins, who agency principals recruited after hearing her at Duc's Bistro downtown.
The ADDY was the second of two national awards for the PSA, which won a "Telly" award in April. Locally it won two Pele Awards from the Hawaii Advertising Federation.
Due to funding cutbacks, the Matrix program and the Watch program under which it was administered, have been discontinued at St. Francis Medical Center.
However, similar clinics in California have now aired the spot using their own taglines.
Big winners at the PRSA's awards ceremony included McNeil Wilson Communications Inc., with 12 and Communications Pacific Inc. with 11.
The Hokupaa award, honoring "a rising star who's contributed a lot in their first five years," was presented to Michelle Busbee of Stryker Weiner & Yokota, while the PR Person of the Year was presented to B.J. Whitman of the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel.
The evening's masters of ceremonies were KGMB-9 sports staffers Ross Shimabuku and Liz Chun, who Hennessey said, drew analogies between sports and the event such as, "Don't tackle people when you're coming up to receive your award," and "No unnecessary roughness if you don't win."
Erika Engle is a reporter with the Star-Bulletin.
Call 529-4302, fax 529-4750 or write to Erika Engle,
Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210,
Honolulu, HI 96813. She can also be reached
at: eengle@starbulletin.com