Two Alexandria companies were recently honored with top public relations awards.
Spotted MP and Meraki Communications Group were named to the PR Net 100 2025, a distinction recognizing the top-performing firms in the world of public relations. The winners were presented with the awards on Sept. 17 in New York City, and chosen from a panel of experts, including L’Oréal Vice President Jackie Staub; Saba Landmann, a senior vice president for Marriott; Brian Strong, Bloomberg Media’s global head of communications; Jessica Stacey, a senior vice president for Sephora; and Colleen Leahy, an executive director with The Estee Lauder Companies.
Spotted MP was founded by Maurisa Turner Potts in 2008. Her notable clients include Tysons Corner Center, The Watergate Hotel, and the PNC Alexandria Half Marathon.
“The agency has quickly distinguished itself through culturally intelligent storytelling and strategic campaigns that elevate both brand and community,” PR Net said.” “This year, the agency executed the PR launch for Dogon, Chef Kwame Onwuachi’s Afro-Caribbean fine-dining restaurant in Washington, D.C., building the campaign over 18 months to tie the concept to the city’s history and diaspora heritage. Through expert press and social outreach, Spotted MP successfully positioned Dogon as both a cultural and culinary landmark. The agency also retained notable clients such as The Watergate Hotel and Whitman-Walker, while bringing on new names, including birdSEED and The Charlotte Inn.”
Meraki Communications Group was founded in 2019 by Alex Borisov, Morgan Dye, and Tony Hairston. Notable clients include the Black History Museum & Cultural Center of Virginia, Compass Working Capital, the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund.
“Over the past year, Meraki executed award-winning campaigns including the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Latino (NMAL) brand identity project and The Sentencing Project’s “50 Years and A Wake Up” public service announcement, reflecting the agency’s mission-driven approach to strategic communications,” PR Net said. “The agency also advanced economic equity initiatives with Compass Working Capital and supported the African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund in preserving Black history through projects such as the Preserving Black Churches grant program and the National Grant program for HBCUs and other cultural institutions. Internally, the agency bolstered its capabilities with the launch of Aletheia, a data-informed service designed to amplify organizational missions through strategic communications.
