The CRAPPs
The Communicative Relations Awards from PR Professionals, called The CRAPPs for short, is a UK-based award scheme created to celebrate the relationship between public relations professionals, journalists and bloggers. Founded by British public relations agency 10 Yetis in 2010, the awards are conducted entirely online.
History
Foundation
The inaugural awards were launched in the UK in November, 2010. They were created by 10 Yetis PR Agency and sponsored by Daryl Willcox Publishing.
When speaking to a Guardian newspaper blogger Leigh commented that "The media calendar is already full of awards, but the difference here is recognising the often-difficult relationship between journalists and PRs whilst having a bit of fun at the same time." [1]
The CRAPPs returned for its second year in November, 2011.
Format
Nomination process
Throughout the nomination process, members of the public relations industry were invited to nominate members of the British press for a variety of award categories.
Voting process
A shortlist of ten individuals was compiled in each category (excluding 'most approachable daily newspaper') based on the number of nominations. Users were invited to vote for one person in each category.
2010 Award categories
- The journalist that makes you feel warm and furry on the inside
- The 'most likely to tell you to sling your hook' award
- The 'best blogger' PR award
- Least twattish Twitterer — the must follow journo
- Most approachable daily newspaper
- Journalist you'd most like to bring to the dark side (employ as a PR)
2011 Award categories
The CRAPPs returned in 2011 with more categories. A category entitled the 'most fanciable journalist (male/female)' award was included and then removed on the day the 2011 scheme launched. Leigh stated: 'The last thing we want to do is cause offence — our intention is to simply highlight the (at best) love/hate relationship between PR people and journalists in a light-hearted way.'[2]
- The journalist that makes you feel warm and furry on the inside
- The 'most likely to tell you to sling your hook' award
- The 'best blogger' PR award
- Least twattish Twitterer — the must follow journo
- Least twattish Twitterer — the must follow PR
- Most approachable daily newspaper
- Journalist you'd most like to bring to the dark side (employ as a PR)
The CRAPPs winners
The journalist that makes you feel warm and furry on the inside
- Winner = Ben Moss – sport.co.uk
- 2nd = Adrian Bridgwater — freelance
- 3rd = Tara Evans – This Is Money
The 'most likely to tell you to sling your hook' award
- Winner = Charles Arthur – The Guardian
- 2nd = Sean Poulter – The Daily Mail
- 3rd = Gary Flood — freelance
The 'best blogger' PR award
- Winner = Tom Fordyce - BBC
- 2nd = Sally Whittle – Who's the Mummy
- 3rd = Adam Vincenzini – Comms Corner
Least twattish Twitterer — the must follow journo
- Winner = Harry Wallop – The Daily Telegraph
- 2nd = Caitlin Moran – The Times
- 3rd = Dr Ben Goldacre – Bad Science
Most approachable daily newspaper
- Winner = The Guardian
- 2nd = The Daily Telegraph
- 3rd = The Times
Journalist you'd most like to bring to the dark side (employ as a PR)
- Winner = Mark Dye - freelance
- 2nd = Harry Wallop – The Daily Telegraph
- 3rd = Jemima Kiss – The Guardian
The journalist that makes you feel warm and furry on the inside
The 'most likely to tell you to sling your hook' award
- Winner = Charles Arthur - The Guardian
- 2nd = Sean Poulter - The Daily Mail
- 3rd = Alan Burkitt-Gray - Global Telecoms Business
The 'best blogger' PR award
- Winner = Jon Silk – PRGeek.net
- 2nd = Stephen Waddington – Wadds’ PR and Social Media blog
- 3rd = Max Tatton-Brown – MaxTB.com
Least twattish Twitterer - the must follow journo
- Winner = Olivia Solon – Wired UK - @olivia_solon
- 2nd = Caitlin Moran – The Times - @caitlinmoran
- 3rd = Fleet Street Fox – Unknown – @fleetstreetfox
Least twattish Twitterer - the must follow PR
- Winner = Andrew Bloch – Frank PR - @andrewbloch
- 2nd = Camilla Brown – Manifest Communications - @girlterate
- 3rd = Beth Murray – Lansons - @bmbm
Most approachable daily newspaper
- Winner = The Guardian
- 2nd = The Daily Telegraph
- 3rd = The Financial Times
Journalist you'd most like to bring to the dark side (employ as a PR)
- Winner = Emma Barnett – The Daily Telegraph
- 2nd = Harry Wallop – The Daily Telegraph
- 3rd = Stuart Miles – Pocket-lint
Reception
During the 2010 awards, The CRAPPs received numerous mentions in the media. The Guardian,[1][3][4] The Daily Telegraph,[5] Press Gazette,[6] Communicate,[7] PR Daily,[8] Pocket-lint,[9] PRMoment [10] and numerous other blogs and media featured the inaugural campaign.
Daily Telegraph city editor Jonathan Russell commented, "My favourite award is for the journalist most likely to tell a PR to sling his or her hook. There will be stiff competition".[5]
Dominic Ponsford, editor of Press Gazette said "The PR industry is getting its own back on the journalistic community with the Communicative Relations Awards from PR Professionals." He continued, "Being nominated for any award by the PR industry has to be a mixed blessing for a journalist, and these ones certainly are".[6]
Ben Smith, of industry news website PRMoment commented that the awards celebrate the "often-contentious ‘special relationship’ PRs and journalists share" and said that they provide "a reason for banter between the two camps".[10]
The awards again received positive media attention in 2011, being featured by The Guardian,[11] Press Gazette[12] and PR industry websites PRmoment[13] and Behind The Spin[14] amongst others.
References
- Plunkett, John (December 1, 2010). "Who deserves a Crapp award?". The Guardian.
- Leigh, Rich (November 15, 2011). "QUICK NOTE ABOUT THE CRAPPS MOST-FANCIABLE CATEGORY".
- Plunkett, John (November 18, 2010). "Crapps awards celebrate love-hate relationship between hacks and PRs". The Guardian.
- Plunkett, John (December 15, 2010). "Which journalists have got the Crapps?". The Guardian.
- Russell, Jonathan (November 17, 2010). "Diary might just be up for the CRAPPS". The Daily Telegraph.
- Ponsford, Dominic (December 1, 2010). "The CRAPPS: Journalist most likely to tell you to sling your hook and other award nominations". Press Gazette.
- "Get ready for the CRAPPs". Communicate. December 1, 2010.
- "Shortlist announced for best — and worst — of U.K. journalism and PR". PRDaily. December 2, 2010.
- "Pocket-lint reporter nominated for journalism award". December 10, 2010.
- "Last day to vote on The CRAPPs!". PRMoment. December 13, 2010.
- "Which hacks will get the Crapps?". The Guardian. December 1, 2011.
- "Journalists most likely to tell PRs to sling their hook revealed in the CRAPPS". The Guardian. December 1, 2011.
- "Have you voted in the CRAPPS yet?". PRmoment.com. December 8, 2011.
- "The CRAPPs PR-journalist awards are back!". Behind the Spin. November 21, 2011.