Pearl Bank emerged as the largest winner at the 10th Public Relations Association of Uganda (PRAU) Excellence Awards, securing four gold accolades during celebrations marking the association's golden jubilee. The awards ceremony took place on Friday, October 23 at Source of the Nile Hotel, bringing together communication professionals, corporate leaders and government representatives. Pearl Bank won the Corporate Storytellers, Media Relations Gold Standard, Impact Beyond Profit and PR Crown Jewel awards, with the last recognising the best overall campaign across all categories.
The event, held under the theme A Legacy in Gold: Honouring the Cream of Public Relations, recognised excellence in strategic communication, reputation management, public engagement and campaign execution. Other major winners included Brainchild Burson, which received the PR Powerhouse of the Year award, and Lynn Nansirumbi, who won the PR Rising Star Award. Uganda Breweries Limited took the Policy and Persuasion award, while TotalEnergies EP Uganda won Culture Champions. Additional winners were Airtel Uganda for Reputation Champions, the Electricity Regulatory Authority for Event Maestros, Uganda Red Cross Society for Heart and Purpose, and Crown Beverages Limited for Viral Gold.
PRAU President Irene Nakasiita said the association retained immediate past presidents on its Governing Council to preserve institutional knowledge and ensure continuity. The evaluation process for entries was validated by PricewaterhouseCoopers, according to Nakasiita. Lead judge Dr Patricia Litho noted that the panel assessed more than 44 entries but found that some lacked adequate research, campaign evaluation and evidence of impact. She cautioned practitioners against relying solely on media coverage, event attendance and social media impressions to measure success, instead urging them to demonstrate changes in public perception, behaviour and organisational outcomes.
Guest of honour Alhaji Osman Noor Ahmed, the Second Deputy Prime Minister of Busoda Kingdom, told practitioners to prioritise credibility, honesty and accountability over publicity. He urged organisations to acknowledge mistakes, respond openly to public concerns and use communication to build partnerships, attract investment and support development. Ahmed also advised practitioners to embrace artificial intelligence, social media and data analytics while safeguarding truth, privacy and professional integrity.
PRAU, established on May 22, 1976, is affiliated with the East African Public Relations Association, the African Public Relations Association and the International Public Relations Association. The 10th anniversary programme included visits to Bujagali Hydropower Plant, which has an installed capacity of 250 megawatts, and Kiira Motors Corporation. PRAU also launched an Ipsos Uganda publication titled The State of the PR Profession in Uganda: A Desk Research-Based Point of View. No entry was submitted in the Emerging Talent category.