The international Gold Quill Award reflects communication excellence in project implementation and is recognised globally as the most prestigious award in the field of communications. Having already received the national Prism 2016 Award for an integrated communication programme, given by the Public Relations Society of Slovenia (PRSS), for its project The BTC Cycling Story – Encouraging Cycling in Slovenia, the BTC Company has now also become the recipient of the international Gold Quill Award. According to the expert IABC jury, the project reflects exceptional professionalism – spanning from an appreciation of the challenge and opportunity for communication, to the planning and implementation of the communication programme, and subsequent measurement of communication effects.
“The project is an example of good practice in the field of corporate social responsibility from three perspectives. The BTC Company has taken on an active role in promoting cycling in Slovenia, as it designed the programme with a long-term plan and started to cooperate with numerous partners. Our efforts intertwine with the business model of the BTC Company. The award is a result of the hard work of our team in the BTC Company, although credit for the successful realisation of the programme must also be given to Cycling Association KD Rog, to all our partners who strive towards the advancement of cycling in Slovenia, and to the Pristop agency, which, as an experienced actor, helped us submit the application,” said Maja Oven, Director of the Market Communications and Public Relations Sector in the BTC Company.
The Gold Quill tender recognises the best communication practices and the value that professional and strategic communication programmes contribute to the business success of organisations, their brands, and their renown. Each tender application is evaluated with regard to the criteria of excellence determined by IABC. Among more than 5,000 submitted projects from 16 countries, three of the awarded projects were from Slovenia.
Lynn Barter, president of the IABC jury, explained: “Winning the Gold Quill Award is a result of excellent work, innovativeness, and creativity. The winners represent a global community of experts who work ethically and in compliance with the highest professional standards. They set an example, and by achieving excellent results for their respective organisations and partners help raise communication to a higher level.”
The beginning of the award-winning cycling story dates back to 2014, when the BTC Company took on an active role in the development of recreational and professional cycling in Slovenia. The Company connected and upgraded all its past cycling activities with an integrated two-year-long strategy of encouraging cycling in Slovenia (2014–2015). Goals connected to the promotion of cycling as well as successful communication testify to the overall success of the project. Between 2013 and 2015, for example, the number of participants in Marathon Franja BTC City increased from 7,182 to 7,658. In the same period, the share of female cyclists in all categories of Marathon Franja BTC City increased from 24% to 30%. The number of visits to the Marathon Franja BTC City website increased from 11,270 to 172,916. Through the realisation of numerous cycling activities and with the intensive communication support, the project successfully encouraged cycling among Slovenians and brought this sport closer to women.
>>More on the Gold Quill Award
Additional information:
Maja Oven, Director of the Market Communications and Public Relations Sector
- T: +386 (0) 1 585 13 15
- E: maja.oven@btc.si
