Kaye Communications, a Boca Raton-based integrated marketing and public relations firm 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 brands in a variety industries, was presented two coveted 2013 Bernays Awards that honor excellence by the local PR & Marketing community. The firm received the Gold Coast PR Council’s PR STAR AWARD for best overall and long-standing excellence and a BERNAYS AWARD for a project on behalf of a nonprofit organization, the Order of St. John for its Our Legend, Her Legacy: Countess de Hoernle’s 100th Birthday Gala and Community Celebration. This is the 9th year the competitive award program has been hosted by the GCPRC, the largest independent organization in South Florida of PR, marketing and communications professionals from Palm Beach, Broward, Martin and Dade counties.
Kaye Communications is now a three-time Bernays Award winner (named for the father of Public Relations Edward Bernays), previously honored by the GCPRC for the firm’s worldwide media campaign for the debut of the $100 Hamburger for the Old Homestead Steakhouse at the Boca Raton Resort & Club in 2007 that generated $1.7 million in broadcast coverage alone within the first two days of the debut (followed by a live cooking segment on NBC TODAY and mentions on Letterman and Jay Leno) plus an Associated Press article and photos that ran around the globe as far as Australia and Japan.
“We are so honored and pleased to be presented these significant industry awards and thank our clients, colleagues, advocates and all those in the community who have been an integral and indelible part of writing our success story for 17 years…demonstrating that ‘seriously strategic’ game-changing communications with original content delivers empowering results,” said Kaye Communications Founder, President and Chief Strategist Bonnie S. Kaye. “Proud to be honored along with fellow Boca Raton-based award recipients: Lynn University [President’s Award] for the 2012 Presidential Debate and The Boating & Beach Bash Corp. LLC [Community Service Award] for the 4th Annual Boating & Beach Bash For People With Disabilities.”
Representing last year’s PR STAR AWARD recipient Florida Atlantic University, Lisa Metcalf, FAU Director of Media Relations presented firm principals Bonnie and Jon Kaye the award, sharing that “Kaye Communications has built a solid reputation for serving a variety of business, lifestyle and nonprofit clients over the years…all great ultra-creative campaigns. BEST OF ALL, they get great results for their clients – and that’s the best thing anyone can ever say about a PR firm.”
Most recent notable initiatives trailblazed by Kaye Communications include its branding, destination marketing and dedicated website development and management for Downtown Boca for the Boca Raton Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA), which included the firm’s conception and development of a comprehensive strategic marketing plan with a Friday Night LIVE! monthly entertainment series and inaugural Downtown Boca’s Brazilian Beat destination celebration in collaboration with the Consulate General of Brazil in Miami and the Palm Beach County Visitors & Convention Bureau that drew 10,000 visitors. The firm also led media relations and community engagement initiatives to support the debut of California Pizza Kitchen’s new national corporate brand-reinvention “flagship” showcase restaurant in South Florida; spearheaded community and media initiatives for seven consecutive years to support the PGA Champions Tour’s Allianz Championship that brings more than 70,000 visitors to Boca Raton and delivers an economic impact of $15 million, and provides strategic integrated communications counsel and implementation for 5-Star Platinum Club Award-winning Broken Sound Club and the current reinvention and transformation of the Boca Raton Bridge Hotel into a 4-Star boutique property.
Other Boca Raton brands empowered by Kaye Communications include the Boca Raton Resort & Club and its Premier Club; Muvico Theaters; Town Center at Boca Raton; the mixed-use village of Royal Palm Place, including the Residences at Royal Palm Place; Promise Healthcare with long-term acute care hospitals in six states; and Boston Market (for its 25th anniversary brand reinvention/repositioning pilot market initiative that served as prototype for the brand’s national activation).
As longtime advocates of initiating and building meaningful public-private partnerships, Kaye Communications is known for its expert matching of businesses with community missions. Bonnie Kaye serves on the boards of directors for the Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce and the FAU Foundation. Jon Kaye serves on the Dean’s advisory board for the FAU’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine and Rotary Club Downtown Boca Raton. Together the Kayes have developed and hosted White Coats-4-Care fundraising receptions to “equip and dress” the incoming classes of the FAU medical school, as well as the recent inaugural “Your Medical School” Student Scholarship Benefit Celebration (that sold out before save-the-date notices and invitation could be sent out) that raised more than $3.26 million.
Demonstrating the firm’s expertise and community engagement, Kaye Communications received the Bernays Award on behalf of one of the oldest orders of chivalry in existence that has raised funds to benefit the sick and the poor of the world since 1048 A.D. The award recognized Kaye Communications’ success in spearheading the “seriously strategic” communications, community relations and media relations for the birthday gala benefit and community engagement initiative to celebrate the Countess de Hoernle’s 100th milestone and her philanthropic legacy while fulfilling her personal single birthday wish of raising significant funds to benefit Boca Raton area nonprofits who help “the sick and the poor”.
“While the OSJ’s initial plans were solely for an “Our Legend, Her Legacy” gala, we recognized the need to expand the scope of the celebration within the greater Palm Beach community,” added Jon Kaye, chief operating officer and chief marketing strategist. “The OSJ embraced our recommendation for a community philanthropy awareness and education initiative that included a community wide ‘Red, White & Boca-Blue Countess Appreciation Day’ and the creation of a record-setting community birthday wishes campaign.”
Community participation exceeded goal the of 5,000 to deliver 6,100 personal “wishes” filling 120 panels from businesses, chamber of commerce members, nonprofits, schools, military branches and OSJ members that was assembled as a “wall of [birthday] wishes” that debuted at the gala. The event drew 500 dignitaries and community, business and nonprofit leaders attended donning black or white tie, military or Scottish equivalent, tiaras, regalia and decorations to celebrate in royal style and raise $250,000+ in net proceeds to benefit Boca Helping Hands, Family Promise of South Palm Beach County, Gulfstream Goodwill Industries, Inc., HomeSafe and Spirit of Giving Network.
Kaye Communications is headquartered at South City Plaza, 1515 South Federal Highway, Suite 103, Boca Raton, FL 33432. For more information, call (561) 392-5166, visit www.kcompr.com, or email smartstrategiesbegin@kcompr.com.