TORONTO, July 27, 2020 /CNW/ – This evening, the Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) Toronto Chapter celebrated the best in public relations and communications at its annual Achieving Communications Excellence (ACE) Awards ceremony, virtually. Typically, the annual awards ceremony sees hundreds of communication professions gather from across the Greater Toronto Area. This year the ACE awards were announced online.
The ACE Awards represent skill, innovation and intelligence within the public relations and communications industry. This evening’s awards began with a brief digital presentation announcing the finalists and ended with a presentation announcing the winners in each category. Winners can be found here: youtube.com/user/CPRSToronto/.
“I would like to congratulate all of the winners. We saw over 100 entries this year; I was impressed by the creativity, and results of the awards submissions,” said Jenny Shin, President, CPRS Toronto Chapter. “This is one of the most anticipated nights of the year for the CPRS Toronto community. Although we had to pivot to online this year, we were still able to celebrate the incredible level of talent within the industry.”
The ACE Awards recognize communications campaigns in various categories including events, media relations, digital media and student accomplishment.
“This night is an incredible way to highlight the best in public relations and communications, congratulations to all winners. The ACE awards wouldn’t be possible without the dedicated support of our passionate volunteers. Our volunteers the full execution of the awards including judging submissions and event planning,” said Anne Marie Males, ACE Awards Chair, CPRS Toronto Chapter. “We’re also grateful to our sponsors, Business Wire, Cision, Meltwater, The Canadian Press, Leger and McMaster University who continue to support us.”
The 2020 ACE Award recipients included:
Finalists, Best Creative
- Canadian Tire Ltd. & Weber Shandwick; Canadian Tire Own The Water
- Weber Shandwick Canada and Mondelez Canada; Cadbury Dairy Milk and Oreo Bar PALentine’s Day
- McDonald’s Canada & Weber Shandwick Canada; McHappy Day
- Agnostic & Metro Ontario; Metro Supports Local
Finalists, Best in Show
- Kaiser Lachance Communications & ADP Canada; ADP Canada’s Workplace Insight Studies
- SecureKey Technologies and Kaiser Lachance Communications; Verified.Me Launch
- ruckus Digital & Husqvarna Canada; Husqvarna Canada Husqy Squad Influencer Campaign
- McDonald’s Canada & Weber Shandwick Canada; McHappy Day
- Canadian Tire Ltd. & Weber Shandwick; Canadian Tire Own The Water
Brand Development Campaign, Best
- Gold-McDonald’s Canada, Weber Shandwick Canada; McHappy Day
- Gold-The Lung Health Foundation and Edelman Canada; The Toker
- Gold-Weber Shandwick Canada & Sport Chek; Sport Chek x Good American
- Gold-McDonald’s Canada, Weber Shandwick Canada; McDelivery
- Gold-Weber Shandwick Canada and Mondelez Canada; CDMO – PALentine’s Day
- Silver-Proof Inc. & Allergan Canada; Beauty Decoded Live
- Bronze-1Milk2Sugars & Nivea Canada; NIVEA Oil Infused Body Lotions Campaign
- Bronze-Purolator, Weber Shandwick Canada; Purolator Holiday Peak Season Program
- Bronze-Agnostic & Metro Ontario; Metro Supports Local
- Bronze-BlueSky Communications & Rakuten.ca; Rakuten Rebrand
Community Relations, Best Use of
- Gold-Nuclear Waste Management Organization; NWMO’s Journey Towards Reconciliation
- Silver-Canadian Tire Ltd. & Weber Shandwick Canada; Canadian Tire Rap-pairing Toronto Courts
- Silver-Weber Shandwick Canada; 2018/19 Chevrolet Good Deeds Cup
- Silver-CANEAST Communications; RecycleMyElectronics Community Relations
Crisis or Issues Management, Best
- Gold-Rogers Media; ‘You People’: A Cultural Conversation
CSR or Cause Related Campaign, Best
- Gold-Ronald McDonald House Charities Canada & Weber Shandwick Canada; RMHC Canada: National Cookie Day
- Gold-McDonald’s Canada & Weber Shandwick Canada; McHappy Day
- Silver-Argyle Public Relationships & Environmental Defence Canada; Stop Bill 66
- Silver-Empire Company Limited / Sobey’s Inc. & North Strategic; Sensory Friendly Shopping
- Bronze-The Canadian Partnership Against Cancer and Edelman Canada; Cancer Strategy Refresh
- Bronze-Nuclear Waste Management Organization; NWMO’s Journey Towards Reconciliation
- Bronze-No Fixed Address; SickKids Airbnb
- Bronze-No Fixed Address; Canadian Centre for Child Protection: Lolli
- Bronze-Maple Leaf Foods; Carbon Neutral
Digital Communications Campaign, Best
- Gold-ruckus Digital & Husqvarna Canada; Husqvarna Canada Husqy Squad Influencer Campaign
- Gold-Proof Inc. & CLHIA; Fraud = Fraud Campaign
- Silver-Insurance Bureau of Canada and Paradigm; The Museum of Outdated Technology
- Silver-The Lung Health Foundation and Edelman Canada; The Toker
- Silver-Argyle Public Relationships & American Peanut Council; Crunch, Crunch, Crunch
- Bronze-Argyle Public Relationships & MD Financial Management; Thank you Doctors
- Metrolinx; Metrolinx News
- Bronze-APEX PR and ruckus Digital & RE/MAX; RE/MAX #HomeGoals
- Bronze-Golin & PetSmart; Launch of @PetSmartCanada Instagram
Employee Engagement Campaign, Best
- Gold-RSA Canada & APEX Public Relations; RSA Tough Talk Training
- Gold-McDonald’s Canada & Weber Shandwick; The Year of Amplification
- Gold-McDonald’s Canada & Weber Shandwick; $1 Cones: Celebrating a Sweet Summer
- Silver-Paradigm, Insurance Bureau of Canada; Students on Ice Contest
Government Relations Campaign, Best
- Gold-Paradigm Public Relations & Insurance Bureau of Canada; The Museum of Outdated Technology
- Bronze-Argyle Public Relationships & Efficiency Canada; #OurHumanEnergy
HR or Benefit Communications, Best
- Bronze-Aviva Canada; The Best Career You Never Expected
Marketing Communications Campaign, Best
- Gold-McDonald’s Canada, Weber Shandwick Canada; McHappy Day
- Gold-Osteoporosis Canada with Amgen Canada and Edelman Canada; Bübl™ x David Dixon
- Gold-Proof & Accenture; Accenture: The AI Effect Season 2 Podcast
- Gold-Sheridan College; Blown Away
- Gold-Craft Public Relations & Nintendo of Canada Limited; The Nintendo Switch Playhouse
- Gold-Zeno Group & SiriusXM; SiriusXM Dial Up the Moment
- Gold-Craft Public Relations & News Media Canada; News Media Canada: SPOT Fake News Online
- Silver-ADP Canada and Kaiser Lachance Communications; HR Appreciation Campaign
- Silver-SecureKey Technologies and Kaiser Lachance Communications; Verified.Me Launch
- mint and Hershey Canada; Hershey Treat Street
- Silver-RE/MAX, APEX Public Relations and ruckus Digital; Liveability 2.0
- Silver-Ronald McDonald House Charities Canada & Weber Shandwick Canada; RMHC Canada: National Cookie Day
- Silver-Sanofi Genzyme and Edelman Canada; The World’s Most Uncomfortable Bed
- Silver-McDonald’s Canada, Weber Shandwick Canada; McDelivery
- Silver-Craft Public Relations & GE Appliances Canada; GE Appliances National Laundry Day 2019
- Bronze-Craft Public Relations & Travelzoo Canada; Travelzoo Spontaneous Travel
- Bronze-Golin & DAZN; The New Home of Football
- Bronze- Nuclear Waste Management Organization; NWMO’s Journey Towards Reconciliation
- Bronze-IKEA Canada in partnership with Hill+Knowlton Strategies; 2019 Summary Report
- Bronze-IHG Hotels & Resorts in partnership with Hill+Knowlton Strategies; Readiest Breakfast Challenge 2.0
- Bronze-The PR Department for Tabasco Canada; Tabasco Seven Days of Eggs
- Bronze-Argyle Public Relationships & Ontario Association of Optometrists; No More Eyescuses
Media Relations, Best Use of Over $50,000
- Gold-Kaiser Lachance Communications & ADP Canada; ADP Canada’s Workplace Insight Studies
- Gold-Agnostic & Metro Ontario; Metro Supports Local
- Gold-Craft Public Relations & Mott’s Fruitsations; Mott’s Fruitsations Buy a Cup Give a Cup
- Gold-Craft Public Relations & GE Appliances Canada; The Launch of Café
- Gold-Zeno Group and MiQ; MiQ Media Relations
- Gold-McDonald’s Canada & Weber Shandwick Canada; P.L.T.
- Silver-McDonald’s Canada & Weber Shandwick Canada; The Classics. Remastered.
- Silver-Weber Shandwick Canada & Chevrolet Canada; 2018/19 Chevrolet Good Deeds Cup
- Silver-Kaiser Lachance Communications & Lakeview Community Partners Limited; Lakeview Village Waterfront Community
- Silver-McDonald’s Canada & Weber Shandwick; McHappy Day
- Silver-Zeno Group & Turkey Farmers of Canada; Think Turkey / Pensez Dindon
- Silver-Strategic Objectives and The Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking; Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline
- Silver-Pomp & Circumstance PR & eBay Canada; eBay Canada Media Relations Program
- Silver-Golin & DAZN; DAZN Canada teams up with Dan Marino
- Bronze-Maple Leaf Foods; Carbon Neutral
- Bronze-Citizen Relations & Molson Coors – Miller Lite; Miller Lite Real Guys of Canada
Media Relations, Best Use of under $50,000
- Gold-SecureKey Technologies and Kaiser Lachance Communications; Verified.Me Launch
- Gold-Kaiser Lachance Communications and Morguard; Canadian Economic Outlook 2020
- Gold-Craft Public Relations & The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair ; Lil’ Ben & The Road to The Royal
- Gold-Ronald McDonald House Charities Canada & Weber Shandwick; RMHC Canada: Haylen & the McFlurry Truck
- Gold-Strategic Objectives and foodora Canada; foodora’s LCBO Delivery Launch
- Silver-RE/MAX Canada and APEX Public Relations; RE/MAX 2019 Livability Report
- Silver-Kaiser Lachance Communications and Morguard; Morguard Canadian Properties
- Silver-Craft Public Relations & Moosehead Breweries; Moosehead Breweries: Mac The Moose
- Silver-Zeno Group & Barilla; Barilla Pasta World Championship
- Silver-Proof Inc. & Moneris; Canada’s Cashless Transaction Champion
- Silver-Agnostic & BCG; BCG’s Centre for Canada’s Future
- Silver-Proof Inc. & Moneris; Canada’s Busiest Shopping Month
- Silver-Agnostic & Go RVing Canada; Bring Back Wildhood
- Bronze-Proof Inc. & Electrical Safety Authority; TikTok, but Don’t Shock
- Bronze-Broad Reach Communications & The Family Enterprise Xchange; Family Enterprise Matters
- Bronze-Scalar Decisions and Kaiser Lachance Communications; The Digital Citizen
- Bronze-Paradigm, DDMG & RBC; RBC’s Annual Home Ownership Campaign
- Bronze-Morneau Shepell and Kaiser Lachance Communications; Employers Connect 2019
- Bronze-Entandem Communications and Marketing Team & SOCAN; Entandem Holiday Music Study
- Bronze-Kaiser Lachance Communications and Royal LePage; Newcomers Survey
New Product or Service Launch, Best
- Gold-McDonald’s Canada & Weber Shandwick Canada; P.L.T.
- Gold-Craft Public Relations & GE Appliances Canada; The Launch of Café
- Gold-Strategic Objectives and Kellogg Canada; MorningStar Farms Veggie Burgers Launch
- Gold-Golin & Beyond Meat; Beyond Burger Canadian Launch
- Silver-Golin & Clif Bar; Fruit Smoothie Filled Product Launch
- Silver-Zeno Group Canada & Windex / SC Johnson; Windex Help Seas Sparkle Campaign
- Silver-Reebok Canada in partnership with Hill+Knowlton Strategies; Meet You There
- Silver-Proof Inc. & Visa Canada; Visa She’s Next
- Bronze-SecureKey Technologies and Kaiser Lachance Communications; Verified.Me Launch
- Bronze-Zeno Group & Electrify Canada; Electrify Canada First Charge Event
Publication, Best
- Silver-CYSSC Communications Team; CYSSC 2018-2019 Annual Report This Is Us
Social Media or Influencer Campaign, Best
- Gold-Canadian Tire Ltd. & Weber Shandwick; Canadian Tire Own The Water
- Gold-Strategic Objectives and Groupe Marcelle Inc.; Lise Watier Rouge Fondant Supreme
- Gold-Weber Shandwick Canada & Sport Chek; Sport Chek x Good American
- Gold-McDonald’s Canada, Weber Shandwick Canada; McDelivery
- Gold-McDonald’s Canada, Weber Shandwick Canada; P.L.T.
- Silver–McDonald’s Canada, Weber Shandwick Canada; McHappy Day
- Silver-CANEAST Communications & The Alley; The Alley takes Alberta Social Media by Storm
- Silver-Weber Shandwick Canada and Mondelez Canada; CDMO – PALentine’s Day
- Silver-McDonald’s Canada & Weber Shandwick Canada; The Classics. Remastered.
- Silver-Citizen Relations x Crest; #CrestSmileWithPride
- Bronze-ruckus Digital & Husqvarna Canada; Husqvarna Influencer Campaign
- Bronze-Zeno Group & Turkey Farmers of Canada; Think Turkey / Pensez Dindon
- Bronze-Proof Inc. & Allergan Canada; Beauty Decoded Live
- Bronze-Pomp & Circumstance PR & Peloton ; Peloton VIP Loaner Program
Special Events or Experiential Marketing, Best Use of
- Gold-Weber Shandwick Canada and Mondelez Canada; CDMO – PALentine’s Day
- Gold-Strategic Objectives and Kia Canada #KiaMatch Pre-Auto Show Toronto Event
- Gold-Canadian Tire Ltd. & Weber Shandwick; Canadian Tire Christmas House
- Gold-Craft Public Relations & Mott’s Fruitsations; Mott’s Fruitsations Buy a Cup Give a Cup
- Gold-CO-OP & EarthFresh EarthFresh: Airstream Fry Truck
- Silver-Argyle Public Relationships & United States Department of Agriculture; Agribusiness Trade Mission to Canada
- Silver-Zeno Group & Lenovo; The Think Big Speakers Series
- Silver-mint and Hershey Canada; Hershey Treat Street
- Silver-Amgen Canada Inc. & Gage Communications Inc.; Break Records, Not Bones Event
- Bronze-Reebok Canada in partnership with Hill+Knowlton Strategies; Club C x Peace Collective
- Bronze-BlueSky Communications & Rakuten.ca; Rakuten Rebrand
Student Campaign, Best
- Mubashira Nusrat Farooqi and Devina Das, Centennial College; The GenWell Project: #facetofacefeb
- Sarah El-Bakri, Kayla Nguyen, Andrea Logan, Lyndon Dizon and Anusha Bhardwaj, Centennial College: CivicAction: For a Friend
Leadership Awards
- Paolo Zinatelli; CPRS Toronto Educator of the Year
- Amy Theriault; CPRS Toronto Student of the Year
- Danielle Kelly; CPRS Toronto Volunteer of the Year
- Jessica Rabaey; CPRS Toronto Young Public Relations Professional of the Year
About CPRS
Founded in 1948, the Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) is a not-for-profit association of professionals dedicated to the practice, management and teaching of public relations and communications. Comprising 14 local societies, CPRS’ mission is to build a national public relations and communications management community through professional development and accreditation, collaboration with thought leaders, a commitment to ethics and a code of professional standards, advocacy for the profession, and support to members at every stage of their careers.