Mitch Leff and Leff & Associates Public Relations were honored  November 8, 2012, at the Public Relations Society of America/Georgia’s annual Phoenix awards. The awards are given for excellence in a range of public relations and marketing categories.

Leff & Associates won the Phoenix award for their work on Boys & Girls Clubs of America’s 2011 press conference announcing a new public service announcement starring 21 notable BGCA alums. The press conference was held at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.  The goal was to use the star power of the PSA to focus attention on the services and opportunities Boys & Girls Clubs of America offers to the at-risk youth of our nation.

• On hand for the release of the “Great Futures Start Here” PSA was its director, Academy Award®-winner Ron Howard, Club alumnus Denzel Washington, producer Brian Grazer, Roxanne Spillett, President and CEO of BGCA, LeBron James and Nick Foley, BGCA’s 2011 National Youth of the Year.
• The ad features 21 notable Boys & Girls Club alumni including Denzel Washington and Jennifer Lopez (co-national spokespersons), Ashanti, General Wesley Clark, Misty Copeland, John Paul DeJoria, Cuba Gooding Jr., Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Sugar Ray Leonard, Mario Lopez, Ne-Yo, Edward James Olmos, Lucille O’Neal, Shaquille O’Neal, Smokey Robinson, CC Sabathia, Martin Sheen, Courtney Vance, Kerry Washington, and Shaun White.
• Results included more than 30 national media placements (not including the additional reach of AP, USA Today and others) reaching millions in BGCA’s target audiences.  Placements included ABC World News Tonight, CNN, the Associated Press, USA Today, Bloomberg News, MSNBC, Fox News, NBC Nightly News (online), Extra, Getty Images, Huffington Post, TheGrio.com, PBS News Hour, the Tom Joyner Morning Show, U.S. News & World Report, the Washington Post, The Hill, Politico.com, etc.