The Georgia Department of Transportation (Georgia DOT) won two awards at the 2021 Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Georgia Chapter’s Phoenix Awards ceremony. The department won a Phoenix Award – the top award given in each category – for its public service campaign against human trafficking and an Award of Excellence for its integrated communications strategy to prevent and eliminate litter in Georgia.  

“Our goal, in all our campaigns, is to elevate awareness and provide valuable information on the public affairs issues that have a significant impact on the people of Georgia,” said Scott Higley, Director of Strategic Communications at Georgia DOT. “We’re proud of the role we play in drawing attention to these critical matters and hope the information provided can be a catalyst for positive change in our state.”

The department’s Phoenix Award winning entry, titled “GDOT’s Quest Against Human Trafficking in Georgia”, utilized a traditional and social media outreach strategy, as well as internal education and awareness trainings to educate people on the ways Georgia’s transportation network is being used to facilitate human trafficking. The campaign also sought to educate Georgians on how to spot human trafficking and where to go to report suspicious activity. It was a tremendous success gaining significant media coverage across the state. The social media component garnered a reach of approximately 30,000 and more than 1,200 engagements across Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. The campaign aligns with state-mandated employee training to spot human trafficking and report suspected incidents to the proper authorities. 

The second entry, titled “Keep It Clean Georgia: GDOT’s Fight to End Litter,” details GDOT’s efforts to encourage all Georgians and visitors to the state to do their part in preventing and eliminating litter. With litter impacting Georgia’s environment, economy and roadway safety, Georgia DOT once again utilized a traditional and social media strategy and leveraged key partnerships and stakeholders to raise awareness of its efforts including Governor Brian Kemp, the Georgia Department of Economic Development, local municipalities and more. The result is an effective campaign that reaches more than 95 percent of Georgia through print, social media, TV and radio. 

The PRSA Georgia Phoenix Awards competition is held each year to recognize projects and programs that demonstrate excellence in the state’s public relations profession. With more than 850 members, PRSA Georgia is the organization’s second largest chapter of public relations professionals in the U.S.

Georgia Department of Transportation plans, constructs and maintains Georgia’s state and federal highways. We’re involved in bridge, waterway, public transit, rail, general aviation, bike and pedestrian programs. And we help local governments maintain their roads. Georgia DOT and its nearly 4,000 employees are committed to delivering a transportation system focused on innovation, safety, sustainability, and mobility. The Department’s vision is to boost Georgia’s competitiveness through leadership in transportation.