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Your friendly neighborhood Communications Team topped the charts at this year’s North Carolina City & County Communicators’ (NC3C) annual conference. In all, Buncombe County amassed five first place awards, more than any other NC3C organization during this year’s virtual ceremony.
What’s more, the projects represent a diverse range of skills and services showcasing the team’s robust and comprehensive abilities. Buncombe County bested nearly 200 entries as judged by professional communication peers from the Minnesota Association of Government Communicators. All entries are accompanied by statements outlining the project’s goals, outcomes, quantifiable achievements, and other details.
The Communications Team is extremely proud of placing first in the category of citizen participation for its work on the District Attorney’s amnesty day; a reflection of quantifiable outcomes from a truly team effort. Through a serious of articles, press releases, social media and marketing pushes, and other avenues of messaging, we were able to help nearly 600 people get misdemeanor cases dismissed or continued. Further, our efforts gained media attention before and after the event helping the public trust amnesty day is truly a life-changing opportunity, and County programs are legitimately focused on empowering our community.
The Communications Team took top honors in the following five categories:
Other: Citizen Participation
First Place: Amnesty Day
“The District Attorney’s Office appreciates the partnership with the County’s Communications Team in getting the word out to make our fifth annual Amnesty Day the greatest in history. News that folks with outstanding orders for arrest could have their cases reviewed by the DA’s Office without fear of arrest reached those who needed help the most. Our job is always to do justice, and our Assistant DAs were able to reset or dismiss hundreds of cases and place many who attended on a path to compliance with the law, restoration of driving privileges, and employment security.” – Todd Williams, Buncombe County District Attorney
General Composition: Graphic Design
First Place: Imagine Library Posters (see below for poster design)
“This project was very special. Communications got to work with youth library patrons to create the Imagine poster campaign. It was a creative project that captured the excitement and adventure of reading. The final posters were given to each kid to take home, and they now have a lasting memory of their great community library. Seeing the excitement on each kid’s face when they received their custom poster was very rewarding for our team.” – Cataldo Perrone, Communications Supervisor
General Composition: Writing
First Place: Employee Focus: Laura Gazzano Earns U.S. Citizenship
This is the first time Buncombe County earned first place in a writing category. “While not the most technical piece of writing, the entry process allowed me to talk about the intentionality of Employee Focus and how I approach writing articles for an internal audience aimed at fostering community.” – Dan Hesse, Communications Specialist
Video: Public Service Announcement
First Place: Opioids: Be An Advocate
This award was for one of a series of opioid public service announcements (PSA) we created with Health and Human Services and a wonderful volunteer group from A-B Tech. “Instead of focusing on awareness, which seems to be the majority of opioid substance use disorders PSAs, we wanted to focus on themes like where to get help; what you can do as an advocate; and messages of encouragement for those dealing with this sickness. It was a long process of information gathering and production, and we couldn't be happier with how it is resonating with our community." – Max Taintor, Communication and Outreach Coordinator
Print: Poster, Flyer, Card
First Place: Imagine Poster Campaign
"The Imagine Poster Campaign was a dream collaboration for Buncombe County’s 2020 Summer Library Festival and programming season. The Communications Team was professional and innovative, putting their best efforts into making an idea a reality. Our patrons loved that they could see themselves represented in the library system, and I believe this was a key influence in the increase of their participation in our festival." – Bethany Tebo, Library Specialist
