Strategic Communications Campaign Brought Nova Survivors’ Testimony and Exhibition’s Message of Remembrance to National Media, Policymakers and Community Groups
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., Sept. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Global PR firm Red Banyan’s strategic communications campaign supporting the Nova Music Festival Exhibition has been named a finalist in the Event/Experiential category of Ragan’s 2026 Zenith Awards.
The Nova Music Festival Exhibition is a powerful memorial bearing witness to the massacre that took place at the gathering in Israel on October 7, 2023. It exhibits the grounds of a festival that was devoted to music, peace and love, and the harrowing results of the attack that unfolded that day and turned a celebration into tragedy.
Visitors follow a timeline of the festival from its final hours of music and dancing into the attack itself, moving through remains salvaged from the grounds: scorched cars, bullet-riddled bathroom stalls and the personal belongings left behind. Throughout, the voices of survivors, bereaved families and returned hostages tell the story of what they lived through, with many attending the exhibition in person as witnesses. The experience ends in the healing room, a sanctuary where visitors can reflect and find solace after what they have seen. Above them, the words “We will dance again” hang as a declaration of resilience and hope.
Red Banyan secured substantive coverage in national, local, Jewish and interfaith media throughout the exhibition’s runs in Washington, D.C., and Chicago, with a communications campaign developed around the victims whose lives were taken or forever changed that day. The firm guided messaging efforts grounded in firsthand accounts and forensic evidence, spearheaded media relations, prepared survivors and exhibition leaders for interviews, and supported press and VIP events, leading to sustained public attention on the exhibition’s mission and the testimony it was created to preserve.
In Washington, D.C., where October 7 is often discussed through the lens of geopolitics, Red Banyan’s campaign extended into public affairs and community relations efforts, with the agency engaging political, civic and religious networks to amplify the exhibition’s impact. This included working with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) to invite members of Congress, collaborating with the Jewish Federation of Greater Washington and coordinating efforts with various community groups. The firm also facilitated a program with the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum that brought Holocaust survivor Nat Shaffir and Nova Music Festival survivor Noa Beer together to share their testimony across generations.
“The Nova Exhibition asks people to look directly at what happened on October 7 and remember the human beings behind every headline,” said Evan Nierman, Founder & CEO of Red Banyan. “Our team was trusted to carry those stories into the national conversation with accuracy, dignity and care. Ragan’s recognition is deeply meaningful because it honors work rooted in truth, remembrance and the voices of survivors.”
Winners of Ragan’s 2026 Zenith Awards will be announced during a ceremony on November 5, held in New York City.
Recognized for Excellence in Reputation Management and Crisis Communications
Ragan’s recognition adds to a series of honors for Red Banyan’s work across proactive public relations campaigns, crisis communications and reputation management. In 2026, the firm earned a ranking in the Chambers Crisis & Risk Management Guide and was ranked the No. 1 boutique crisis communications firm in the U.S. by O’Dwyer’s. CEO Evan Nierman also earned gold in the Best Crisis Communications Leader category at the World Communications Forum Association’s Davos Communications Awards. Most recently, Guide to Florida named Red Banyan a “2026 Best of Florida” regional winner in the Business Consulting Firms category.
About Red Banyan:
Red Banyan is an award-winning strategic communications firm specializing in high-stakes reputation management. The firm advises business leaders, organizations, institutions and high-profile individuals operating in scrutinized or regulated environments where perception, trust and brand equity directly influence outcomes. Drawing on deep expertise across strategic communications and brand building, crisis communications, legal and litigation PR, government relations, media training, and online reputation management, Red Banyan delivers disciplined, strategy-led communications designed to support business growth and navigate moments that test it. Learn more at https://redbanyan.com.
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SOURCE RED BANYAN GROUP, LLC
