The Ehrhardt Group Honored at the Press Club of New Orleans’ 63rd Annual Excellence in Journalism Awards
The Ehrhardt Group Honored at the Press Club of New Orleans’ 63rd Annual Excellence in Journalism Awards
The Ehrhardt Group was recognized this month by the Press Club of New Orleans for two campaigns that educated and compelled audiences to act.
“At the Ehrhardt Group, we believe the way to win in the Gulf South is to have a firm that deeply understands listening and talking to the people of the Gulf South,” said Marc Ehrhardt, president of The Ehrhardt Group. “These awards are a testament to our team acting and acting wisely on behalf of our clients every day.”
Public Relations Special Events – First Place
November 2020 marked the 60th anniversary of the desegregation of New Orleans public schools. On November 14, 1960, Ruby Bridges, Leona Tate, Tessie Prevost and Gail Etienne became the first African American students to be integrated into what had previously been all white public schools in New Orleans. To honor this historic anniversary, NOLA Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Henderson Lewis, Jr. joined students from Akili Academy of New Orleans, located in the former William Frantz Building, as they took part in the “Ruby Walk,” following the path six-year-old Ruby Bridges took to her first day of school in 1960. Following the Ruby Walk, Dr. Lewis joined the students through the school’s halls, touring Bridges’ original classroom and ended the walk by the Ruby Bridges statue in the school’s courtyard. Dr. Lewis was joined by the fourth-grader’s teacher, where they led a short history lesson. They emphasized the bravery of the four young girls and the impact they have had on the community, both locally and nationally, over the decades since that historic day. The Ehrhardt Group’s goal for the 60th Anniversary of the Desegregation of New Orleans Public Schools was to garner media attention surrounding the Ruby Walk event, as well as educate the local community about the progress the District has made over the past 60 years and the need for continued work for racial equity across Orleans Parish public schools.
Overall PR Campaign – Third Place
East Jefferson General Hospital (EJGH) opened in 1971 to meet the health care needs of the residents of Jefferson Parish. Since then, EJGH has grown to nearly 3,000 employees who serve over 200,000 patients annually. As of 2020, it was no longer sustainable to continue operating as the last standalone facility in the Greater New Orleans regions and needed to partner with a larger institution to maintain the high quality of care the hospital is known for. The Ehrhardt Group collaborated with digital and election consultants to support EJGH in a campaign to educate the public on the benefits of LCMC Health purchasing EJGH. The Ehrhardt Group was responsible for managing and leading the team in a public education campaign to encourage the residents of the East Bank of Jefferson Parish to “Vote YES for a Healthy Future.” The election took place amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in two date changes and a move to encouraging voters to cast their ballots early and by mail. The Ehrhardt Group’s efforts during the campaign were outstandingly successful, yielding an unprecedented 95% of voters casting their ballots in favor of the partnership and the retention of an outstanding hospital for the Greater New Orleans region.
The Ehrhardt Group Honored at the Press Club of New Orleans’ 63rd Annual Excellence in Journalism Awards
The Ehrhardt Group was recognized this month by the Press Club of New Orleans for two campaigns that educated and compelled audiences to act.
“At the Ehrhardt Group, we believe the way to win in the Gulf South is to have a firm that deeply understands listening and talking to the people of the Gulf South,” said Marc Ehrhardt, president of The Ehrhardt Group. “These awards are a testament to our team acting and acting wisely on behalf of our clients every day.”
Public Relations Special Events – First Place
November 2020 marked the 60th anniversary of the desegregation of New Orleans public schools. On November 14, 1960, Ruby Bridges, Leona Tate, Tessie Prevost and Gail Etienne became the first African American students to be integrated into what had previously been all white public schools in New Orleans. To honor this historic anniversary, NOLA Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Henderson Lewis, Jr. joined students from Akili Academy of New Orleans, located in the former William Frantz Building, as they took part in the “Ruby Walk,” following the path six-year-old Ruby Bridges took to her first day of school in 1960. Following the Ruby Walk, Dr. Lewis joined the students through the school’s halls, touring Bridges’ original classroom and ended the walk by the Ruby Bridges statue in the school’s courtyard. Dr. Lewis was joined by the fourth-grader’s teacher, where they led a short history lesson. They emphasized the bravery of the four young girls and the impact they have had on the community, both locally and nationally, over the decades since that historic day. The Ehrhardt Group’s goal for the 60th Anniversary of the Desegregation of New Orleans Public Schools was to garner media attention surrounding the Ruby Walk event, as well as educate the local community about the progress the District has made over the past 60 years and the need for continued work for racial equity across Orleans Parish public schools.
Overall PR Campaign – Third Place
East Jefferson General Hospital (EJGH) opened in 1971 to meet the health care needs of the residents of Jefferson Parish. Since then, EJGH has grown to nearly 3,000 employees who serve over 200,000 patients annually. As of 2020, it was no longer sustainable to continue operating as the last standalone facility in the Greater New Orleans regions and needed to partner with a larger institution to maintain the high quality of care the hospital is known for. The Ehrhardt Group collaborated with digital and election consultants to support EJGH in a campaign to educate the public on the benefits of LCMC Health purchasing EJGH. The Ehrhardt Group was responsible for managing and leading the team in a public education campaign to encourage the residents of the East Bank of Jefferson Parish to “Vote YES for a Healthy Future.” The election took place amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in two date changes and a move to encouraging voters to cast their ballots early and by mail. The Ehrhardt Group’s efforts during the campaign were outstandingly successful, yielding an unprecedented 95% of voters casting their ballots in favor of the partnership and the retention of an outstanding hospital for the Greater New Orleans region.