First IABC Gold Quill for a European Commission project won by Gellis. Gold Quill is communication industry’s oldest professional award.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) April 15, 2010 -- This is the first time that a Gold Quill, often cited as the communication industry’s oldest and most prestigious award, has been won for work on behalf of the European Commission or indeed any of the European institutions.

“It is a rare honour to receive a Gold Quill, known as the ‘Oscars’ by many business communicators. That this was a first in the award’s 35 years for work undertaken on behalf of the European institutions is a source of great pride. We wish therefore to share this achievement with our client at DG ECFIN, who has been instrumental in guiding this important project,” said George Ellis Ruano, founder and director of Gellis Communications.

The Gold Quill for the entry Educational study on the teaching of the euro at school, in the category Strategic Communication Processes, provided an evidence-based process for the development of new educational tools and resources on the euro and EMU (European Monetary Union). It also identified suitable entry points in the education systems of EU Member States to enable for the implementation and monitoring of the strategy. Such a strategy needed to take into consideration the divergent educational systems of 27 European Union Member States – of which only 16 use the common currency. Gellis delivered a Multi-scenario Communications Strategy including a Content and Format Typology (matching proposed tools to targets) and a Resources Development Plan (to ensure a more methodical and evidence-based approach was taken by the client).To back up it’s evidence, Gellis consulted with nearly 1,500 teachers, studying over 70 educational products and coordinating with 25 pedagogical experts before making its recommendations.

Gellis presented proposals for an interactive website resource of down-loadable work schemes that would allow teachers the flexibility to choose features appropriate to their individual needs. Gellis also emphasised the existing educational programmes currently being managed by the European Commission that DG ECFIN should seek to coordinate with. Use of their existing networks of teachers, coupled with more targeted use of social media tools, would maximise outreach within a medium budget. Finally, Gellis documented a step-by-step guide for the resource development process that would integrate expert opinion and set-up a process for incorporating ongoing feedback from users.

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