Four wins at Virginia PRSA Awards

NDP, a nationally recognized advertising and public relations agency providing creatively-driven solutions for clients throughout the nation, won four Virginia Public Relations Awards.

The statewide competition is presented by the Richmond chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. NDP won the following:

• Award of Excellence in Media Relations (Regional) for the opening of the Ballast Point Brewery near Roanoke. Managing media expectations and special requests is never easy. But when Ballast Point Brewing Company was preparing to open its new East Coast tasting room/kitchen and manufacturing facility, media outlets in Roanoke were as eager as thirsty cowboys in a saloon. With research and planning, we quenched their thirst for stories to open up a new venue that saw 28,000 customers in just a few weeks with no advertising.
• Award of Merit in Feature Stories for Susan Dubuque’s story in Our Health magazine called “A Journey of Physical and Spiritual Healing.” As Virginia and the nation debate gun control once again, this article shares the story of how a young man, at the height of his potential and with a life destined for greatness, overcame immense odds to live his dream following a firearms accident. While much attention is on mass shootings or crime-ridden inner cities, victims come from all walks of life – even those who appear to have it all. The story hit home for readers as the magazine received a slew of requests for copies and garnered an increase in social media activity.
• Award of Merit in Creative Tactics for Luk Fu Lion Dance Parade in Norfolk’s Waterside District. The vibrant waterfront gathering place for dining and entertainment in downtown Norfolk wanted to build excitement about all of the culinary options for visitors to enjoy after Waterside’s Grand Opening in spring 2017. When Luk Fu, a Pan-Asian restaurant, committed to have its second location in Waterside District, NDP organized a Lion Dance Parade for the Chinese New Year to announce the news. Parade-goers got Fortune Cookies with messages about Luk Fu. The Lion Dancers were a hit on mainstream and social media, resulting in conversation and coverage about Luk Fu and Waterside District.
• Award of Merit in Community Relations for “Waterside District Revitalizes Downtown Norfolk.” In the 1980s, Waterside Festival Marketplace in Norfolk was a popular shopping and dining destination for the Hampton Roads region. However, it was ultimately closed due to declining traffic and a tenant mix that was not family friendly. The Cordish Companies partnered with NDP to create a community relations campaign that would combat negative perceptions of the old Waterside, as well as draw people of all ages to the exciting new Waterside District. Results included almost 950 media stories, 1,200 Google reviews with a 4.3 Star Rating and over 35,000 visitors during the Grand Opening weekend in mid-May 2017.