Col. Chris Hadfield has won the Canadian Public Relations Society’s (CPRS) 2014 President’s Award for Outstanding Public Relations and Communications Management.
Chris Hadfield, left, and CPRS National President Richard Truscott
The award is handed out annually in recognition of outstanding leadership through communications.
While orbiting the planet as commander of the International Space Station last summer, Hadfield was able to engage people in a conversation about space and Earth by telling simple stories across multiple social media platforms. His series of videos – such as this one where he demonstrates what happens when you wring out a wet washcloth in space – went viral, drawing millions of viewers. Hadfield’s Twitter account has amassed almost 2 million followers.
“Through his remarkable, unique and personal approach, Chris was able to communicate with the people of the world, inspire the next generation of astronauts and scientists, and engage everyone in the conversation about space and Earth,” said Richard Truscott, CPRS national president, who presented the award to Hadfield last week in Calgary.
Related
• Meet the team behind Chris Hadfield
Hadfield’s success was the culmination of a two-year planning process, during which time Anna Kapiniari, head of communications at the Canadian Space Agency, developed concepts for Twitter, blogs and live experiments.
The CPRS is a not-for-profit organization with more than 1,800 members practicing or teaching of public relations.
