The Public Relations Society of America—New York Chapter began their annual “Big Apple Awards” in 1988. The goal was, according to the New York Chapter, “to encourage excellence in public relations and recognize communications professionals who have achieved standards of excellence.”
 
LISC NY began their annual “Big Apple Innovation Awards” in 2003, New York City’s public school teachers began their similarly named annual “Big Apple Awards” in 2013, and the Guides Association of New York City (GANYC) began their annual “Apple Awards” in 2015.
     
   
Public Relations Society of America—New York Chapter   
The New York Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA-NY), organized in 1947, is a founding chapter of the PRSA, the world’s largest professional organization for public relations practitioners.
 
The Chapter provides services to members in business and industry, counseling firms, government, associations, hospitals, schools, professional services firms and nonprofit organizations. We also support PRSSA organizations at local universities.
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The chapter also hosts a variety of special offerings, events and participation programs, such as
 
. The annual Big Apple Awards competition celebrates the best work of the tri-state area.
 
17 May 1999, PR Newswire (New York, NY):
Public Relations Society of America New York Chapter Announces Winners of Big Apple Awards
NEW YORK, May 17 /PRNewswire/—From the restoration of the New York Public Library’s Rose Main Reading Room to the Spice Girl Look- Alike Search, 37 public relations programs and projects were cited as the best in their fields by the New York Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). An additional 11 programs received honorable mention certificates.
 
WPIX-TV anchors Kaity Tong and Jim Watkins will present the honors at the 12th annual Big Apple Awards Luncheon on Tuesday, May 18. The ceremony will be held at the New York Marriott Marquis where one of the 37 winners will be named the Best of the Big Apple for 1999. A reception and display of entries will begin at 11:30 a.m. followed by lunch from 12:15 p.m. until 2:00 p.m.
 
“This year’s entrants represented a wide variety of industries and communications tactics,” said Jim Wyckoff, PRSA-NY president. “The winners of the Big Apples truly portray the public relations industry at its best.”
 
According to PRSA-New York President Elect Jeanne Salvatore, “The Big Apple Awards enable us to share the best thinking in public relations. Our goal is to fuel creativity and reward strategic excellence. By highlighting great campaigns, we propel the field forward year after year.”
     
24 May 2001, PR Newswire (New York, NY):
35 Programs Recognized with Big Apples Awards at PRSA-NY’s Annual Luncheon; Winners Represent Broad Range of Issues, Diverse Strategies, Strong Results
NEW YORK, May 24 /PRNewswire/—Judging by the winners of this year’s Big Apple Awards presented by PRSA-NY, it’s been a banner year for diversity, change and surprises in the public relations field. Ketchup was green and tattoos were crystal. Taxis doubled as computers, while computers doubled as cooking schools. Bloody Marys were served oversized, while cereal was served with a song. Pitchers pitched medications, while public relations professionals pitched baseball. People were singing for a cure and teaming up against prostate cancer. The public was encouraged to take cholesterol by the neck and contraceptives by injection. And, that’s just for starters.
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The Big Apple Awards program was established in 1988 by the New York Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America to encourage excellence in public relations and recognize communications professionals who have achieved standards of excellence.
 
Public Relations Society of America—New York Chapter
2018 PRSA-NY BIG APPLE AWARDS
PRSA-NY is now accepting entries for the 31st Annual Big Apple Awards, a prestigious annual program honoring outstanding communications campaigns and projects developed or implemented in and around New York City.
 
Our 2018 program recognizes the best work of 2017 submitted by in-house (association, corporate and government) communications teams, agencies of all sizes, and independent practitioners across the New York metro area.
 
MORE THAN 100 AWARD CATEGORIES
20 ARE BRAND NEW IN 2018
Marketing to Millennials & Boomers, Content Marketing, Expanded Video (including Live Web Events), Influencer, Diversity & Inclusion and Media Relations categories are on the list of new award categories for 2018!
 
The scopes of our 100+ award categories were all carefully reviewed, more carefully defined, and in many cases expanded to better represent the work of communications professionals across the Tri-State region.