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26 Ports to Receive Awards in AAPA’s 2013 Communications Competition
Port of Redwood City Wins Award for Its Year-Long 75th Anniversary Celebration in 2012
The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA), a trade association representing ports throughout the Western Hemisphere, has selected 26 seaports to be recognized for exemplary communications projects and programs at its annual convention and awards luncheon this fall. Winning entrants in AAPA’s 46th annual Communications Awards Program will be recognized at an Oct. 16 luncheon in conjunction with AAPA’s 102nd Annual Convention in Orlando, Fla., which runs Oct. 13-17.
The Port of Redwood City will receive an award of distinction in the special events category for its year-long 75th anniversary celebration in 2012.
“When port authorities communicate strategically with their many audiences, including their communities, business leaders and policymakers, they’re better able to show their tremendous value as economic development and jobs drivers,” said Kurt Nagle, AAPA’s president and CEO. “This competition helps our member ports by rewarding effective communications and highlighting best practices and lessons learned.”
The Port of Redwood City’s year-long celebration was designed to reach the public through special events and social media. For youth, its annual poster contest focused on the 75th anniversary theme. The third annual award-winning PortFest was the closing public celebration. In between was the strategic marriage of the Port’s 75th anniversary with the 75th anniversary of the Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) presidential yacht, the U.S.S. Potomac. The Port and FDR’s presidential yacht celebrated their 75th anniversaries together by having this historic vessel visit Redwood City on June 2, 2012.
The celebration of 75 years of maritime history was co-sponsored by the Port and Sims Metal Management, the Port’s largest customer. Sims used its public relations firm to develop an informative and colorful large poster chronicling highlights during the Port’s 75 years, with photos and text.
The year-long celebration also connected with the public through social media. Under the theme “Port 75th Anniversary tidbit,” the Port posted 23 key briefs on highlights from port history on Facebook (some shortened for Twitter) during the year. The Port also promoted on Facebook and Twitter how to download a chapter from a book written in 2007 about the history of Redwood City that included a chapter on the Port’s history.
