Pearl Bank emerged the biggest winner at the 10th Public Relations Association of Uganda Excellence Awards, taking four gold accolades as the association celebrated 50 years of professional public relations practice in Jinja.
Pearl Bank emerged the biggest winner at the 10th Public Relations Association of Uganda (PRAU) Excellence Awards, taking home four gold accolades during the association’s golden jubilee celebrations.
The awards gala, held at Source of the Nile Hotel on Friday, October 23, recognised excellence in strategic communication, reputation management, public engagement and campaign execution.
Held under the theme “A Legacy in Gold: Honouring the Cream of Public Relations,” the ceremony brought together communication professionals, corporate leaders, government representatives and other stakeholders.
Pearl Bank won the Corporate Storytellers, Media Relations Gold Standard, Impact Beyond Profit and PR Crown Jewel awards, the latter recognising the best overall campaign.
Other winners included Brainchild Burson, named PR Powerhouse of the Year; Lynn Nansirumbi, who received the PR Rising Star Award; Uganda Breweries Limited, which won Policy and Persuasion; and TotalEnergies EP Uganda, which took Culture Champions.
Airtel Uganda won Reputation Champions, the Electricity Regulatory Authority received Event Maestros, Uganda Red Cross Society won Heart and Purpose, while Crown Beverages Limited took Viral Gold.
PRAU President Irene Nakasiita paid tribute to the late James R. Mutabaazi, who founded the association in 1976. His son, Dr Daniel Ruhweza, represented him at the ceremony.
Nakasiita said the association retained immediate past presidents on its Governing Council to preserve institutional knowledge and ensure continuity.
She also commended sponsors, journalists, judges and the organising committee, noting that the awards entries were assessed against established criteria, with the evaluation process validated by PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Guest of honour Alhaji Osman Noor Ahmed, the Second Deputy Prime Minister of Busoga Kingdom, urged public relations practitioners to prioritise credibility, honesty and accountability over publicity.
“A well-designed communication campaign can create awareness, but a credible and honest communication strategy can build trust. Publicity may attract attention, but integrity sustains reputation,” he said.
He encouraged organisations to acknowledge mistakes, respond openly to public concerns and use communication to build partnerships, attract investment and support development. He also urged practitioners to embrace artificial intelligence, social media and data analytics while safeguarding truth, privacy and professional integrity.
Lead judge Dr Patricia Litho said the panel assessed more than 44 entries, but some lacked adequate research, campaign evaluation and evidence of impact.
She cautioned against relying solely on media coverage, event attendance and social media impressions to measure success, urging practitioners to demonstrate changes in public perception, behaviour and organisational outcomes.
“We must move from measuring what we did to demonstrating what changed because of what we did,” she said.
Litho also advised practitioners against using Advertising Value Equivalency as the sole measure of public relations effectiveness. She called for clearer eligibility rules and stronger safeguards against conflicts of interest. No entry was submitted in the Emerging Talent category.
The anniversary programme also included visits to Bujagali Hydropower Plant, which has an installed capacity of 250 megawatts, and Kiira Motors Corporation, where members observed electric bus assembly.
PRAU also launched an Ipsos Uganda publication titled The State of the PR Profession in Uganda: A Desk Research-Based Point of View.
Established on May 22, 1976, PRAU brings together public relations practitioners and communication specialists. It is affiliated with the East African Public Relations Association, the African Public Relations Association and the International Public Relations Association.