RTI International Received Two Telly Awards for Preconception Health PSAs

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. – RTI International received two Telly Awards for public service announcements created by staff members to raise awareness of preconception health.

The PSAs, Before You Get Pregnant and Endless Pathways, received Bronze awards in the regional TV and multi-market cable, and health and wellness categories at the 34th Annual Telly Awards.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities contracted with RTI to develop the PSAs as part of the Show Your Love Campaign.  The campaign focuses on women during their childbearing years and is designed to speak both to women who are currently planning to become pregnant, as well as those for whom pregnancy may not be in their immediate plans. The campaign helps women understand the important steps they can take now to protect their health and the health of the family they may want to have sometime in the future.

These PSAs can promote preconception health in a number of different venues including websites, YouTube, in clinic waiting rooms, through local media, or even in movie theaters before feature films,” said Linda Squiers, Ph.D., senior health communication scientist at RTI.  “All campaign materials are available on CDC’s website and are ready to be downloaded and used by organizations that would like to promote preconception health.”

RTI has been supporting the CDC and the Preconception Health and Health Care  Consumer Work Group’s efforts to conduct formative research to understand women’s perspectives on preconception health, develop a social marketing plan to promote preconception health, and create materials for the Show Your Love Campaign which launched on February 14, 2013.  Campaign materials are used by organizations such as the March of Dimes and Planned Parenthood to promote preconception health.

Founded in 1979, the Telly Awards is the premier award honoring outstanding local, regional and cable TV commercials and programs, video and film productions, and online commercials, video and films. The Telly Awards received nearly 11,000 entries from all 50 states and several countries this year.

Submissions were judged by a panel of more than 500 industry professionals, each a past winner of a Silver Telly and a member of The Silver Telly Council. Entries do not compete against each other, but against a high standard of merit.

“The Telly Awards has a mission to honor the very best in film and video,” said Linda Day, executive director of the Telly Awards. “RTI’s accomplishment illustrates their creativity, skill, and dedication to their craft and serves as a testament to great film and video production.”

To find more information about the Telly Awards visit www.tellyawards.com