Prestigious GCPRC Bernays Awards Program Serves as the
“Regional Oscars” for the South Florida PR industry
BOCA RATON, Fla. (November 4, 2024) – Continuing to make indelible impacts and imprints for its clients, Kaye Communications PR & Marketing won yet another coveted Bernays Award from Gold Coast Public Relations Council (GCPRC), this time triumphing in the 2024 Best Special Event category. The firm was recognized for its visioning, ideation and work to inspire and engage all generations in amplifying kindness in South Florida and beyond with the “Concert-4-Kindness” (C4K): An Intergenerational “We Are the World”-style community event. KCOM-PR conceived, branded, produced, and marketed this pro bono project to increase positioning, awareness, engagement and fundraising for FAU Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters.
This is KCOM-PR’s 10th Bernays Award presented by the GCPRC, the largest independent organization in South Florida of PR, marketing and communications professionals from Palm Beach, Broward, Martin and Dade counties. Its prestigious Bernays Awards program serves as the “Regional Oscars” for the South Florida PR industry. The judges panel annually consists of journalists and former and current PR executives. To ensure impartiality, none are members of the GCPRC.
“The stature of the others in the special event nomination category this year made the win
so much more gratifying,” shared KCOM-PR Founder, President & Chief Strategist Bonnie S. Kaye. Contenders in the Best Special Event category included Discover the Palm Beaches, Cultural Council for Palm Beach County, and Palm Beach Civic Association.
Concert-4-KindnessÔ Presented by Marilyn & Jay Weinberg Featured
130+ Performers, Presenters, and Storytellers to Inspire a Kinder World
Within an expedited four-month lead time, KCOM-PR and its principals who served as the pro bono visionaries, co-chairs and producers, Bonnie and Jon Kaye conceived this “awareness, fan, fund” raising concert event, and recruited GenZ singer, dancer, actress and social media influencer Montana Tucker— who has opened for icons like Jennifer Lopez, Flo Rida, Ciara, Pitbull — as the headliner and emcee. Known for using her music and social platforms with 14 million followers to promote kindness/anti-bullying missions, Boca native Tucker had recently been featured on ABC’s “Good Morning America” and other outlets about her Holocaust docuseries for the TikTok Generation: “How to Never Forget” as she retraced her family roots in Poland.
Tucker was joined by more than 130 concert collaborators — hailing from diverse backgrounds, life experiences and arts disciplines — for the engaging, interactive multi-arts, intergenerational Concert-4-KindnessÔ Presented by Marilyn & Jay Weinberg. The concert was hosted by FAU’s Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters was conceived, organized and produced by longtime FAU supporters and Concert-4-Kindness Co-Chairs and Vision Sponsor Bonnie & Jon Kaye of Kaye Communications PR & Marketing (KCOM-PR).
All Concert-4-Kindness performers, storytellers, presenters and KCOM-PR donated their time, talent, insights, and community outreach to inspire collective empathy, compassion, acceptance, kindness, unity, and light. These included an internationally renowned bilingual music/film duo, FAU faculty/students and area youth and senior arts groups performing songs, dance, instrumentals, poetry, talks intermingled with “kindness” cameos by Tucker’s celebrity friends in entertainment, business and influencer industries.
C4K was promoted in KCOM-PR teamwork with the College of Arts and Letters communications, marketing, advancement and production leadership via a dynamic blend of multi-channel/multi-audience marketing initiatives, strategic partnerships, sponsorship recruitment, community relations, media relations and social media engagement. A highlight of the initiative was the C4K “Expressions of Kindness” Multi-Arts Student Showcase competition and school assemblies featuring Tucker presented by the College of Arts and Letters’ Arthur and Emalie Gutterman Family Center for Holocaust and Human Rights Education
The successful concert intentionally held during Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend, spotlighted the College of Arts and Letters’ cultural arts disciplines and multidisciplinary education focusing on human rights, conflict de-escalation, ethics and diplomacy, leadership training and peacemaking. Proceeds benefited the “Make a Difference Fund” at FAU to support scholarships and programs in the related disciplines that will later be housed in the College’s future Kurt and Marilyn Wallach Holocaust and Jewish Studies building that will include FAU’s Peace, Justice and Human Rights Center, a university-wide effort that unites scholars, students, practitioners, and community leaders engaged in the themes of social justice, human rights, peace and nonviolence.
Resonating Results Delivered Beyond Expectations
Increased “kindness” amplification, awareness/education, positioning, engagement, fundraising objectives were met and/or exceeded. They were achieved via securing/engaging/delivering a nationally renowned headliner with 14 millionsocial media followers;120 multi-cultural, multi-generational performers/speakers/cameos; 800 attendees; 22 community partners; 8 Florida Atlantic University partners; 40 high-profile host committee members; pre-event outreach and engagement with 50+ community organizations; 22 sponsors; Palm Beach and Broward County school board collaboration including 185+ entries submitted for its “Expressions of Kindness” multi-arts student showcase and assemblies (500+ students) with headliner; significant performer, audience, partner, host committee and FAU relationship echo/news shares, and
250+ media placements/various platforms.
The 10th Bernays Underscores KCOM-PR Successful Track Record
In addition to the GCPRC win this year, KCOM-PR has won Bernays Awards
for the following projects and campaigns on behalf of business and nonprofit organizations:
- Bernays PR Star Award presented by the GCPRC president for best overall and
long-standing excellence for “building a solid reputation for serving a variety of business,
lifestyle and nonprofit clients over the years.”
- Best Special Event: Moms & Pups “Bark and Brunch,” ‘a fun, fan and fund’ raiser
to benefit Tri-County Animal Rescue’s “Together Fur-ever” Medical Fund.
- Best PR Campaign by a Small Company/Firm: “The New Way to Club” brand
and marketing reinvention campaign for Boca Lago Golf & Country Club.
- Best PR Campaign by a Small Company/Firm: “Women Build” initiative for
Habitat for Humanity of South Palm Beach County.
- Best PR Campaign by a Small Company/Firm: BEE Positive Nowä campaign
for Broken Sound Club.
- Best Special Event: Inaugural Boca Raton Mayors Ball presented by the Rotary Club
Downtown Boca Raton (conceived and produced pro bono by KCOM-PR) to benefit
the health and wellness needs of Boca Raton’s nonprofits.
- Nonprofit/Charity Project or Campaign (Budget under $100,000): The Great Doggie
Dine-Out & Paws Fest “peeps and pups” event to raise “fans and funds” to benefit client
Tri-County Animal Rescue (TCAR). - Best Project on Behalf of a Nonprofit Organization: “Our Legend, Her Legacy”:
Countess de Hoernle’s100th Birthday Gala and Community Celebration presented
by the Order of St. John to benefit five area nonprofits selected by the Countess.
- Best PR Campaign by a Large Company or Firm: The $100 Hamburger campaign
to debut the Old Homestead Steakhouse at the Boca Raton Resort & Club that benefited
Make-a-Wish Foundation; achieved $1.7 million in international broadcast coverage alone
within the first 48 hours of debut.
KCOM-PR is an award-winning South Florida-headquartered integrated marketing and
public relations firm based in Boca Raton that provides “seriously strategic” integrated
communications counsel, develops authentic original content and implements market-relevant
multi-audience programs, initiatives and campaigns for regional and national B2B, consumer brands in a variety of industries with demonstrated expertise in public/private partnerships. To achieve success, KCOM-PR provides “think tank” insights, ideation and media relations interface to create
news-generating opportunities and engaging events to increase brand awareness and education, media/influencer storytelling, alliance-building, grassroots interfacing and impactful community relations imprints. The firm, celebrating 25+ years of client impacts and imprints, is located at 980 North Federal Highway, Suite 110, Boca Raton, FL 33432. For more information, call (561) 392-5166, visit www.kcompr.com, www.kcompr.com/testimonials/and www.facebook.com/kcompr or email [email protected].
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