News Release: Freedom to Serve Wins Top Award for Best PR Campaign

(Lansing, Mich.) — Michigan Catholic Conference (MCC) announced today that its Freedom to Serve advertising campaign has received the Michigan Society of Association Executives’ (MSAE) Diamond Award, the organization’s highest honor in the field of public relations. The announcement was made September 20th at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi during MSAE’s 17th Annual Diamond Awards banquet.

“MCC could not be more humbled to win an award of this significance, especially considering the esteem and regard held for the many statewide associations that submitted work of such high talent,” said MCC Vice President for Communications Dave Maluchnik. “The Freedom to Serve campaign was successful in highlighting the manner by which Catholics bring their faith daily to serve others. Their work is invaluable to the Catholic institutions that educate disadvantage students, provide health care to the sick and elderly, and extend charitable services to the destitute and those living on the margins.”

MCC’s Freedom to Serve campaign began with three films shot at several locations across Michigan by Mr. Jim Hanon and his production firm Minus Red. The films include interviews with staff, volunteers and clients who speak with passion about their faith and how it informs their daily work at Catholic education, health care and social service organizations. From these three films nine commercials were extracted and ran online as a digital campaign as well as in several television markets across Michigan. The website www.CatholicsServe.com houses the films, commercials, commentary and statistics about how the Catholic Church in Michigan acts on Her gospel-manded mission to “love thy neighbor” and serve others.

Including the MSAE Diamond Award, MCC’s Freedom to Serve campaign has won a total of 9 awards: two first-place Pinnacle Awards and an Excellence Award from the Public Relations Society of America – Central Michigan Chapter; a first-place Gabriel Award from the Catholic Press Association of the United States and Canada for the spot Hands of Service and Healing; and four bronze Telly Awards, which honors excellence in international television and video.

According to its mission, the Michigan Society of Association Executives “has served the association management and meetings industries since 1927, functioning today as an information resource and professional network for more than 700 executives in Michigan's association and nonprofit communities.” The public relations category of the Diamond Awards seeks to honor campaigns that increase awareness of an organization among the general public, media and/or other external audiences.

Michigan Catholic Conference is the official public policy voice of the Catholic Church in this state.

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