I don’t know if it’s modesty or oversight, (probably oversight, come to think of it) but somehow we’ve managed to go almost two weeks without sharing some details of our big night at the annual PR Week Awards in New York on March 10.

Better late than never.

Along with our long-time clients and friends at The Coca-Cola Company, we managed to grab not one, but two finalists, including “Digital/Social Media Campaign of the Year” and “Global Campaign of the Year” at the prestigous PR industry competition. Both were for the Expedition 206 program. More than 1,000 people, include Mike, Scott and I, attended the black-tie event at the Sheraton New York to learn who the winners were.  At $400 a ticket, we were anticipating a memorable night, complete with A-list entertainment, gourmet fare and the finest wines and spirits known to man.  Here are the highlights:

• Emcee Ron Pearson, an actor and comedian introduced as a “comedic ball of fire,” got the night rolling by sprinting out on stage and shouting: “It’s great to be in a room full of PR people!”  The Comedic Ball of Fire quickly flamed out after that.  “Thanks very much,” he shouted at the end of his stand-up, “Both of you!”  At least he knew.

• The meal consisted of Filet Mignon, a medley of limp veggies and some molded potato concoction.  I know how difficult it is to grill even one steak perfectly, much less 1,000, so gave the kitchen a pass.  We were going to have to get our $400 worth elsewhere.  That brings us to the liquor …

• Oh, the liquor.  The advertising industry thinks it’s cornered the market on awards show drunkenness.  Listen Draper, we spent the better part of the post-awards reception babysitting a completely bombed VP from a big DC public affairs agency who had stumbled over to seek help in staying upright from our hightop table.  (Your client’s secrets are safe with us, Ms. P.!) How drunk was everyone else?  Let’s just say the dance floor was full of agency and corporate muckety mucks dancing to Lady Gaga at the end of the night. P-p-p-picture your boss busting a move in a monkey suit or sparkly cocktail dress.  Get the idea?

All was not lost, though.  We took home two very tasteful silver picture frames commemorating our place among the upper echelon of US agencies.  No shame in losing Digital/Social Media Campaign of the Year to our friend Eric Pehle and his colleagues at Weber Shandwick, who did some great work for the US Army.  And we we did manage to snag the Honorable Mention in the Global Campaign of the Year category.

Guess that’s better than having only a hangover to show for our $400.