A number of CPRS Toronto members were recognized for excellence in Public Relations at the 2013 Canadian Public Relations Society’s National Awards Gala held in June in Gatineau, Quebec. A total of 36 Awards of Excellence were awarded to the best public relations and communications management team from across Canada.
The Awards of Excellence recognize outstanding achievement in a comprehensive public relations project or programs. Toronto teams won medals in all categories:
Gold:
- Community Relations: Argyle Communications
- Media Relations (Agency): GolinHarris Canada
- Issues/Crisis Management: De Beers Canada
- Multi-Media: Toronto Hydro Corporation
- Electronic and Social Media: Paradigm Public Relations
- Writing: Paradigm Public Relations
Silver:
- Marketing Communications: Thornley Fallis Communications
- Media Relations (Agency): Argyle Communications
- Government Relations: Brown & Cohen
- Special Events: Toronto Port Authority
- Multi-Media: Thornley Fallis Communications
- Print: Toronto Hydro Corporation
- Electronic and Social Media: Edelman Canada
- Issues/Crisis Management: ACJ Communications and Kennedy Jones and Sweeney Inc.
Bronze:
- Marketing Communications: Paradigm Public Relations
- Media Relations (Non-Agency): Rogers Media
- Internal Communications: Toronto Hydro Corporation
- Special Events: NATIONAL Public Relations Ltd.
- Multi-Media: Babble On Communications Inc.
- Electronic and Social Media: Edelman Canada
“We’ve been told by our members that a valued benefit of CPRS membership is the opportunity for peer recognition,” said National Awards Presiding Office Robyn Quinn, APR, FCPRS. “Each year we receive entries that reflect how much our own public relations roles are evolving and each year we see evidence of how our members deliver strategic and successful public relations projects and campaigns across the country. Our annual awards celebration demonstrates true peer recognition for work well done.”
Congratulations to all nominated and award winning members!
Media Relations Agency Gold – GolinHarris and McDonalds Canada (CNW Group/Canadian Public Relations Society)
“Our Food, Your Questions”
The ‘Our food, your questions’ campaign enable Canadians to ask McDonald’s any question they liked and McDonald’s vowed to answer every single one. A platform for people to ask questions was created in order to get people engaged. Consumers asked questions through Facebook and Twitter, so when McDonald’s answered, all followers saw the question and the response. As a result of the campaign, people’s perceptions of McDonald’s food quality improved with 46 per cent now thinking the food is good quality, compared to 30 per cent prior to the campaign.
Thelma Hatzis (left) and Christina Basil
Multi-Media Gold – Toronto Hydro Corporation (CNW Group/Canadian Public Relations Society)
“Grow your Mo’ for Movember Campaign at Toronto Hydro”
In 2012, Toronto Hydro employees showed their support for prostate cancer and men’s mental health by participating in the popular moustache campaign, Movember. The Community Involvement team launched a social media contest to raise awareness about Movember. Twelve Hydro vehicles were outfitted with giant moustaches and Twitter followers were asked to spot the moustache and tweet a picture for a chance to win a prize.
From left: Leilly Shafaee, Daniel Tisch APR, FCPRS and Brendan Agnew-Iler
Community Relations Gold – Argyle Communications (CNW Group/Canadian Public Relations Society)
“30% Off Ontario Tuition: A Student Engagement Program”
The campaign was designed to make students aware they could be eligible for a tuition break under a program by the Ministry of Training Colleges and Universities. A trained team of current students and recent graduates were used to intercept and educate students about the offer. By focusing on “student-to-student” communications, finding creative ways to pre-qualify students and pairing live on-campus with online socialization, the team made face-to-face contact with 29,000 students on 47 campuses in just three weeks, resulting in a 27.5 per cent increase in applications for the rebate.
From left: Ashley Brown, Tom Ormsby and Annie Stavridis
Crisis/Issues Management Gold – De Beers Canada (CNW Group/Canadian Public Relations Society)
“Winter Road Blockade”
A two-week illegal blockade threatened the transportation of critical material to a remote mine in Northern Ontario. The De Beers team successfully helped the company navigate through the issue and its individual agendas. Faced with a media outlet appearing determined to undermine all De Beers messages and engagement the team created a wider strategic conversation in the media and with key stakeholders. The conversation focused on facts and the team managed to sustain this level of conversation through the successful conclusion of the winter road program and legal proceedings.