Clearpoint Agency’s Award Win Reveals Power of Long-Term PR Strategy

SAN DIEGO, CA – January 08, 2026

San Diego-based Clearpoint Agency has secured a 2025 Edward L. Bernays Bronze Merit Award from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), San Diego Chapter, a recognition that spotlights the firm's strategic prowess in the competitive business-to-business media relations category. The award celebrates Clearpoint’s successful campaign for its long-standing client, OptionMetrics, a New York City-based leader in financial data analytics. This accolade not only adds to the agency's extensive collection of honors but also offers a compelling case study on the value of enduring client-agency partnerships in achieving measurable success in highly specialized markets.

A Partnership Forged in Strategy and Trust

At the heart of the award-winning campaign is a nearly seven-year relationship between Clearpoint Agency and OptionMetrics. In an industry where client-agency relationships can often be transactional and short-lived, this long-term collaboration has been a cornerstone of their shared success. The consistent partnership has allowed Clearpoint to develop a deep, institutional knowledge of OptionMetrics' complex business, its target audiences, and its position within the global financial technology landscape.

This deep understanding is critical for a company like OptionMetrics, which provides historical options data to a sophisticated clientele of portfolio managers, traders, and quantitative researchers. Eran Steinberg, COO of OptionMetrics, commented on the value of this enduring collaboration. “Clearpoint consistently delivers results. Our long-standing partnership has been a driver for OptionMetrics’ visibility across our global markets, and we value Clearpoint’s strategic insight and execution,” Steinberg stated. “We look forward to continuing our strong partnership in the year ahead.”

This sentiment is echoed by Clearpoint's leadership, who view such long-term relationships as fundamental to their operating model. The agency reports an average client relationship span of nearly seven years, a metric that speaks volumes about its ability to deliver sustained value. "We deliver results every single time—that’s why our average client relationship spans nearly seven years," said Bonnie D. Shaw, president of Clearpoint Agency. "Our clients trust us for smart counsel and effective PR strategies that meet goals. That matters deeply to us, and our team works every day to honor that trust.”

Mastering the Complex World of B2B Finance PR

Securing prominent media coverage and building thought leadership for a niche B2B company like OptionMetrics presents unique challenges. Unlike consumer-facing brands, the target audience is smaller, more discerning, and requires highly specialized content. Clearpoint's success demonstrates a mastery of modern B2B public relations, which has moved far beyond simple press release distribution.

The strategy for OptionMetrics, which helped elevate its visibility during a key period of international growth, aligns with several key trends shaping effective B2B communications. The focus has shifted from broad awareness campaigns to buyer-centric storytelling, crafting narratives that address specific pain points with tangible proof points. For OptionMetrics, this meant positioning its IvyDB database, widely considered the industry standard, not just as a product but as an essential tool for sophisticated financial research and risk management.

Effective B2B PR in 2025 requires an integrated, multichannel approach. This involves targeting not only traditional trade publications but also industry-specific newsletters, podcasts, and digital forums where decision-makers congregate. By positioning OptionMetrics' experts as authoritative voices capable of providing valuable insights on market volatility and options trends, Clearpoint successfully navigated this complex media ecosystem to build credibility and drive engagement with a highly targeted global audience across North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific.

The Mark of Excellence: Inside the Bernays Awards

What lends the Bernays Awards their particular prestige is the rigorous and impartial judging process. Named for Edward L. Bernays, the pioneering figure often called the "father of public relations," the awards are a benchmark for excellence in the communications industry. Submissions are evaluated through a blind peer-review conducted by seasoned PR professionals from other PRSA chapters, in this case, the Sunshine and Western chapters. This process ensures that entries are judged solely on their merits—strategy, execution, and, most importantly, measurable results—without the judges knowing the identity of the agency or the client. Winning an award under these conditions serves as powerful third-party validation from industry experts.

“Being recognized by seasoned public relations professionals... through an unbiased judging process—underscores Clearpoint’s commitment to the highest standards of storytelling, strategic earned media, and measurable impact for our clients,” Shaw noted. This focus on "measurable impact" is increasingly critical as B2B companies demand clear evidence that PR investments are contributing directly to business objectives, from lead generation to market share growth. The Bernays Award validates that Clearpoint's campaign for OptionMetrics did precisely that.

A Legacy of Consistent Recognition

While the 2025 Bernays Award is a significant achievement, it is not an isolated event for Clearpoint Agency. It is the latest in a long line of accolades accumulated over more than two decades of operation. The firm has earned over 45 awards for public relations and marketing communications from respected organizations including the American Marketing Association (AMA), Healthcare Communicators of Southern California, and the San Diego Business Journal. This consistent pattern of recognition across various industries—from financial services and technology to healthcare and real estate—paints a picture of an agency built on a foundation of strategic discipline and adaptable expertise. The awards serve as tangible proof of the agency's ability to apply its objective-driven methodologies successfully for a diverse client base.

“These award recognitions wouldn’t be possible without extraordinary clients, and OptionMetrics is a standout example," said Shaw. This synergy between a forward-thinking client and a strategically-minded agency creates the ideal conditions for producing work that not only meets business goals but also achieves the highest standards of professional excellence recognized by the industry. The firm's long history of success suggests that its model of deep client integration and a relentless focus on results continues to be a winning formula in the ever-evolving field of public relations.