The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation has traditionally focused on providing assistance for small- and medium-sized business development and on promoting the operations of enterprises that rely on exports. In order to encourage entrepreneurial initiative in these fields, the leadership of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation approved a proposal made by a renowned Russian public relations expert, Dmitry Badalov, and adopted a decision to establish a professional award for domestic enterprises.

 Relying on its successful experience in collaborating with the agency in the administration of the national Silver Archer (Serebryany Luchnik) public relations development award, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation turned to our agency with an assignment to create the entire body of components required for a new award – one that would operate as a business institution, starting with the concept and ending with the organization of the first official awards ceremony. In both the client’s and the agency’s opinion, special attention needed to be devoted to ensuring that the established award did not lose its value and relevance following the potential creation of a number of similar commercial institutions of this type, or as consequence of an opaque award-winner selection process.

Accepting the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation’s assignment, the agency took account of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation’s status as a non-governmental organization with a “federative” internal structure (the Chamber of Commerce and Industry incorporates more than 180 independent territorial and industrial Russian chambers of commerce and industry) and an extensive regional presence.

The concept of the award – which was called Golden Mercury (Zolotoi Merkury), in accordance with the traditional symbol representing the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation – was based on a transparent nomination system, a two-step award-winner selection process (at first the regional and then the national level), and an analysis method that was based on objective business performance data about the nominees. The comprehensive evaluation method developed by the agency was focused on ensuring tremendous objectivity in the award-winner selection process, and based on an analysis of a number of balanced indicators and additional expert appraisals of the enterprises’ operations.

The agency developed the entire range of documentation and methodological recommendations required for data collection and appraisals, including electronic modules for calculating the formal results, which were based on balanced performance figures. The agency also prepared all of the required artistic solutions for the award, including a logo and a corporate design, as well various communication material and prize samples. The award’s executive board, which the agency helped create, began its work by organizing a regional-level selection of award nominees, encouraging a number of territorial chambers to conduct local rounds of the competition. The winners of these local competitions made up the nominees list for the 2004 national prize, which was due to be awarded in eight nominations split between two groups – small business, and enterprises that rely on exports (in addition, it was agreed that there would be an additional special nomination, whose winners were to be determined by the award’s National Expert Council). Information about the nominated enterprises in both groups was presented to two specialized expert councils that drew up the final recommendations for the award’s National Expert Council, which was headed by Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation Chairman Yevgeny Primakov.

The agency oversaw the full administration of the first national award ceremony, which was held in Moscow in May 2004. Besides organizing the ceremony itself, the agency was also involved in organizing the event’s publicity and advertising campaign. It further worked with the media covering the event.