News: Agency

Tonic Life Communications receives two Pepperpot awards and Best of Show

Tonic Life Communications Ltd., a Philadelphia-based, healthcare-focused public relations agency, proudly announced  that it was the recipient of two Philadelphia Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Pepperpot Awards for programs aimed at raising awareness of the challenges of asthma and the need for improved asthma education in America’s schools. The campaign known as the Everyone Breathe™ Asthma Education Grants Program (Everyone Breathe) was executed on behalf of Sunovion Pharmaceuticals, a Marlborough, MA-based global pharmaceutical company.

Everyone Breathe received a first place Pepperpot in the Community Relations category and was also bestowed with the revered Best in Show designation at the 43rd annual awards held at the Franklin Institute on Tuesday, December 6.  Everyone Breathe also took home a second place Ladle in the Highly Targeted PR Program category.

Beyond the agency awards, the company’s leadership was also recognized for its individual contributions to the practice of public relations. Vice President Stephanie DeViteri was acknowledged with the Maxine Elkin Award for Distinguished Service, which recognizes thought leadership, professionalism and integrity in public relations, as well as a commitment to advancing the profession.

“Tonic strives to provide our healthcare clients with fresh ideas that ultimately demonstrate their commitment to the patient communities they serve. The Everyone Breathe initiative was a true example of our team working closely with Sunovion and a leading advocacy group in asthma education to improve outcomes for the millions of children who suffer with the condition,” said Maryellen Royle, North American President of Tonic Life Communications. “We are honored by PRSA Philadelphia’s acknowledgement of the program and our leadership. The recognition speaks to the value of PR in elevating and educating about unmet healthcare needs.”

About the Everyone Breathe Asthma Education Grants Program The Everyone Breathe™ Asthma Education Grants program was developed and executed by Tonic Life Communications on behalf of its client, Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc., in partnership with the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA). The goal of the program was to help improve the quality of asthma care and education in schools across America. As part of the program, parents or guardians of children with asthma were encouraged to nominate their child and their child’s school to receive a savings bond and grant by visiting EveryoneBreathe.com. School administrators were also encouraged to notify parents of the program and work with them to apply. Ten applications were selected as grand prize winners out of more than 500 applications. The nominated children with asthma in the winning applications received $2,500 savings bonds and the nominated schools in the winning applications received $5,000 grants to improve the quality of asthma care and education in their schools. Fifty additional applications were selected as second place winners and received asthma nebulizer kits to be used in school nurses’ offices. Winners were announced in September 2011.

About Tonic Life CommunicationsTonic (formerly Dorland Public Relations) has been a mainstay of the Philadelphia business community for over 20 years. In 2009 the company merged with Tonic Life Communications of London, UK as part of a worldwide reorganization and rebranding effort by the organizations’ parent company, Huntsworth Health, a division of Huntsworth PLC. Tonic, headquartered in both Philadelphia and London, is a well-established entity in lifescience and lifestyle PR and communications. The award-winning agency’s client roster includes 7 out of 10 of the largest pharmaceutical companies on a global and domestic basis, including Johnson & Johnson, Roche and GlaxoSmithKline. In the lifestyle area, Tonic counts Nestle’, Heinz, and Reckitt Benckiser among its leading nutrition and household brands clientele.