The "We Are Sikhs" campaign received the top 2018 PRWeek US award in the category of Public Cause.
The campaign launched last year on Baisakhi by the National Sikh Campaign (NSC) and executed by FP1 Strategies, won the award for effectively projecting the Sikhs as neighbours and everyday Americans who face discrimination due to ignorance of their faith.
The PRWeek US awards are nicknamed the "Oscars of the Public Relations Industry".
"It is indeed a great victory for the Sikh community across the US," NSC co-founder Rajwant Singh said.
"Countless Sikhs have had to face bullying, discrimination, and hate crimes due to the lack of understanding of our faith and our values. Our community decided that we needed to communicate effectively with our fellow Americans." The judges commented that the "provocative campaign that really broke through" and "put a face on one distinct minority group" and noted "the real humanity in the execution", PRWeek magazine said.
ਅਮਰੀਕਾ ਦੇ ਸਿੱਖਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਵਧਾਈ ਅਤੇ ਸਮੁੱਚੀ ਕੌਮ ਨੂੰ ਵਧਾਈ! Sikh ad by the National Sikh Campaign wins the prestigious Award - America’s top Public relations Award! Oscars in the Public Relations Industry and are considered top awards. Sikh ad run by the National Sikh Campaign was competing with Facebook backed ad, LA Fitness ad, Brita and NBA super star Stephen Curry ad, and Cigna’s Opiod ad! #PRWeekAwardsUS ਅਮਰੀਕਾ ਚ ਸਿੱਖਾਂ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਸਿੱਖ ਧਰਮ ਦੀ ਜਾਣਕਾਰੀ ਵਧਾਉਣ ਲਈ ਚਲਾਈ ਇਹ ਟੀ ਵੀ ਐਡ ਨੂੰ ਅਵਾਰਡ ! ਇਹ ਐਡ ਅਮਰੀਕਾ ਦੇ ਮੀਡੀਆ ਵਿੱਚ CNN ਤੇ FOX TV ਅਤੇ ਸ਼ੋਸ਼ਲ ਮੀਡੀਆ ਤੇ ਚਲਾਈ ਗਈ ਸੀ ਤਾਕਿ ਸਿੱਖ ਪਹਿਚਾਨ ਬਾਰੇ ਅਮਰੀਕਨਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਪਤਾ ਲੱਗੇ। ਨੈਸ਼ਨਲ ਸਿੱਖ ਕੈਂਪੇਨ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਸ਼ੁਰੂ ਕੀਤੀ ਉਸ ਮੁਹੰਮ ਦੇ ਸਾਰਥਕ ਨਤੀਜੇ ਸਾਹਮਣੇ ਆਏ ਹਨ! ੯੨ ਮੀਲੀਅਨ ਤੱਕ ਇਹ ਐਡ ਪਹੁੰਚੀ ਤੇ ਲੱਖਾਂ ਹੀ ਅਮਰੀਕਨਾਂ ਨੇ ਸਿੱਖਾਂ ਬਾਰੇ ਜਾਣਕਾਰੀ ਪ੍ਰਾਪਤ ਕੀਤੀ! ਅਮਰੀਕਾ ਦੀ ਬਿਜਨਸ ਕਮੂਨੀਟੀ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਇਸ ਐਡ ਨੂੰ ਅਵਾਰਡ ਦਿੱਤਾ ਗਿਆ! ਇਸ ਇਕੱਠ ਵਿੱਚ ਹਰ ਸਿਰੇ ਦੇ ਬਿਜਨਸ ਦੇ ਨੁਮਾਇੰਦੇ ਪਹੁੰਚੇ ਹੋਏ ਸਨ। ਫੇਸਬੁਕ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਚਲਾਈ ਐਡ, ਸਿਗਨਾ ਕਾਰਪੋਰੇਸ਼ਨ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਅਮਰੀਕਾ ਚ ਓਪੀਔਡ ਨਸ਼ਾ ਬਾਰੇ ਅਤੇ ਐਨ ਬੀ ਏ ਦਾ ਸੁਪਰ ਸਟਾਰ ਸਟੀਫਨ ਕਰੀ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਬਰੀਟਾ ਕਾਰਪੋਰੇਸ਼ਨ ਨਾਲ ਚਲਾਈ ਐਡ ਵੀ ਇਸ ਮੁਕਾਬਲੇ ਚ ਹਨ। ਬੁਸ਼ ਦੀ ਮਾਰਕਟਿੰਗ ਟੀਮ ਸਿੱਖ ਐਡ ਨਾਲ ਨਾਮਜ਼ਦ ਹੋਈ ਜ਼ਿਹਨਾਂ ਨੇ ਇਸ ਮੁਹਿੰਮ ਚ ਰੋਲ ਅਦਾ ਕੀਤਾ! ਹਾਲੇ ਵੀ ਹੋਰ ਕੰਮ ਕਰਨਾ ਬਾਕੀ ਹੈ। links to the ads: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QnpSvtcqDHE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQeJQTroOp8 Great win for all Sikhs all over the United States and the world! 2018 PRWeek U.S. Award is considered as the Oscars for the PR Industry. Sikh ads are among the five finalists for the “Best for a Cause” award, which recognizes the premier marketing communications cause showing a tangible, worthwhile benefit to a specific community. Other competitors in this category include major corporate sponsored ads focused on significant issues facing the American society. These included Cigna’s initiative to fight the U.S. opioid epidemic, Facebook’s backed DACA immigration reform, Planet Fitness’s initiative designed to combat the judgement and bullying faced by youth, and NBA superstar Steph Curry and one of his loyal endorsers, Brita’s (the water filter company) campaign deemed #FilteredLife with a goal of ending bullying and hate in general. National Sikh Campaign and FP1 Strategies, President Bush’s marketing team, were nominated for the Sikh ad campaign titled Telling the Story of Sikh Americans: Reshaping Perceptions Through Education and Awareness. NSC had engaged FP1 for the marketing of the national effort by the Sikhs to inform Americans about Sikhism and the Sikh identity. The winner was announced at the PRWeek Awards Ceremony on March 15, 2018 in New York, NY. https://www.sikhnet.com/news/sikh-campaign-ad-named-finalist-top-2018-us-pr-award
Posted by Dr. Rajwant Singh on Thursday, 15 March 2018
The $1.3 million for the campaign was raised mostly by Sikhs, with some Hindus also making notable contributions.
The campaign told the stories of Sikhs through online and TV advertising and amplifying them via emails to journalists and community events nationwide.
NeighborsOur ad just aired on CNN! In case you missed it, be sure to watch it below, and share! www.WeAreSikhs.org #WeAreSikhs
Posted by We Are Sikhs on Tuesday, 18 April 2017
The TV ads showed Sikhs as American neighbours going about their daily lives, professing patriotism and national values, but also a sharing a love for the TV series "Game of Thrones" and the children's show "Sponge Bob Square Pants" - to counteract the mistaken negative perceptions because of their turbans and beards.
"The campaign drove online conversation that reached more than 5.5 million voters and gained the attention of many of Washington's most influential organisations.
After watching our ads, 60% of Fresno residents now believe that Sikh values are American values! Thankful for the opportunity we’ve had to enhance our neighbors’ awareness of Sikhism!
Posted by We Are Sikhs on Friday, 1 September 2017
"A post-campaign poll proved the group moved the needle, with significant increases in the percentage of people who knew more about Sikhs and said the group had 'generally American values,' believed in 'equality and respect for all' and were 'patriotic'," PRWeek said.
Congratulations to our friends at @sikhcampaign for being honored by @PRWeekUS for the best cause campaign in the nation! pic.twitter.com/6Cvfc521bw
— Geoff Garin (@geoffgarin) March 16, 2018
Best for a Cause winners: @FP1Strategies did it again! This time for its work with @sikhcampaign on the Telling the Sikh American Story #PRWeekAwardsUS
— PRWeek US (@PRWeekUS) March 16, 2018
Congrats to @sikhcampaign! Judges commented on this "provocative campaign that really broke through" and "put a face on one distinct minority group" and noted "the real humanity in the execution." https://t.co/VfpciQ3wB1
— AKPD Message & Media (@AKPDmedia) March 17, 2018
