Annual Program Honors Efforts of HR Tech Marketing Teams, Recognizing Innovative Branding, Campaign, and Events Initiatives
RED BANK, N.J., Dec. 15, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Dedicated to recognizing excellence in HR Tech marketing, the Clear Communicator Awards today announced the 2025 winners. Now in its second year, the program looks for the brightest ideas and boldest campaigns in the industry, and this year’s entries did not disappoint.
The 2025 program was judged by a group of unbiased industry insiders and experts. They included Jennifer Ravalli, an award-winning marketing executive; Jeanette Leeds, a fractional executive and strategic advisor at Leeds & Co.; Pete A. Tiliakos, an HR tech analyst and strategic advisor at Payroll Influences; and William Tincup, an editor, analyst, and host at WRKdefined Podcast Network.
The judges looked at applications from all throughout the HR tech field and judged each one based on how clear the message was, how innovative the service was, how well it solved problems, and how well it worked. The category winners were chosen based on who got the most points, and the overall innovation winner was picked based on both points and judges’ comments. Following an extraordinarily tight battle, four organizations stood out for their efforts this year:
- PageUp (Overall Innovation, Brand – Medium Company): With two wins, including the top award, PageUp impressed by developing a unified brand identity, a streamlined messaging framework, and a consolidated website architecture that brought every product and touchpoint under one cohesive brand.
- Tilt (Brand – Small Company): Launched a new technology category, rebrand, and its Leave of Absence Experience Platform, all in the span of six weeks leading up to its debut at one of the industry’s biggest events, with demonstrable results and tangible business impact.
- Plum (Campaign): Create the Durable Skills Index, 2025 North American Edition, which covered 82 cities and was built from more than 59,000 voluntary participants across 27 industries and 300 job categories to help HR leaders understand workforce readiness.
- Vetty (Event): Knowing how transactional HR events can feel, Vetty set out to create a more personal experience with its “Wear Your Story. Leave Your Mark.” activation. But the concept didn’t just draw crowds to Vetty’s booth, it also aligned with the company’s overall positioning and reinforced the brand’s value proposition.
Michelle Meehan, CMO at Vetty, remarked, “Marketing in HR tech comes with a unique set of challenges – noise is high, trust is low, and the buyers are discerning. We don’t make big promises about what we do. It’s about showing that our product can do what it says it can do. Winning this award indicates that our message is breaking through and making an impact on the people and organizations we support.”
“HR tech marketing can be brutal. You’re battling for attention in a packed room where everyone’s offering the same thing — their product is better, faster, smarter,” said judge William Tincup. “You have to have real substance to tell stories that land, so when you win a Clear Communicator Award, it’s not about bragging rights, it’s confirmation that you’re solving real problems for real practitioners. And that’s the only acknowledgment that genuinely means something.”
The Devon Group will bring back the Clear Communicator Awards next fall. The call for entries will open on or around October 1, 2026.
About The Devon Group
The Devon Group is one of the oldest independent PR businesses in the tech industry. They work with both new and established brands. With extensive expertise in HR technology, agtech, fintech and more, Devon has launched dozens of products and represented companies at every stage—from pre-seed startups to IPOs. Its custom-made, award-winning communication initiatives assist clients improve their brand performance, spark innovation in their market, and speed up the growth of their businesses.
