NEW YORK—The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) has named five McDougall Communications-led, optometry-centered campaigns among the world’s best over the past year, recognizing the agency’s work with five 2021 Silver Anvil honors. Included were programs for the Centre for Ocular Research & Education (CORE) and contact lens innovator CooperVision. In addition, the American Academy of Optometry’s Academy 2020 at Home program earned a Silver Anvil in the Events and Observances (More Than Seven Days–Associations) category. Johnson & Johnson Vision’s “Prioritize Your Eyes” campaign received an Award of Excellence in the Public Service-Business category.

In the area of crisis communications, when erroneous reports of contact lens wear risks emerged during the pandemic, a rapid-response campaign from CORE set the record straight with healthcare professionals and consumers, generating more than 5,000 news stories and reaching 55 countries in only 30 days, the announcement note. Those efforts earned two Silver Anvil Awards in the highly competitive COVID-19 Crisis Communications (Healthcare) and COVID-19 Crisis Communications (Non-Profit) categories, and a Silver Anvil Award of Excellence for Global Communications.
 
A related, targeted program for CORE regarding the same safety issue also earned a Silver Anvil Award of Excellence in the Most Effective Campaign on a Shoestring Budget category. Other nominees across CORE’s categories included Johnson & Johnson Medical Devices Cos.
 
The United States launch of CooperVision MiSight 1 day, the first FDA-approved soft contact lens designed for myopia control in children aged 8-12 at the initiation of treatment, was instrumental in building the category and helping eye care professionals embrace the breakthrough technology. The industry-focused campaign earned a Silver Anvil Award in the Marketing Business-to-Business Products category.
 
CooperVision’s companion MiSight 1 day consumer launch with partner agency EvolveMKD also earned a Silver Anvil Award in the Marketing Consumer Products (Packaged Goods) category.
 
“We’re not only privileged to work with organizations such as CooperVision and CORE who place a high value on strategic communications, but in a field that has incredible momentum and creativity,” said Mike McDougall, APR, Fellow PRSA, founder and president of the McDougall Communications firm said. “Our optometry and ophthalmology consulting now spans more than two decades. Never before have we experienced this degree of evolution and excitement among eyecare professionals and consumers, plus new entrants to the sector. Clear, accurate and distinctive communications are more critical than ever to break through the noise.”
 
Of all Silver Anvils and Awards of Excellence presented this year, spanning corporate, academic, government and non-profit sectors, eye care programs represented a remarkable 5 percent of the total.
 
Since 1944, the Silver Anvils have been presented to organizations that successfully address challenging issues with exemplary professional skill, creativity, and resourcefulness. They are widely considered the Oscars of the profession.