TORONTO, June 15, 2021 – The Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) Toronto chapter celebrated the best in public relations and communications this evening, at the annual Achieving Communications Excellence (ACE) Awards ceremony, virtually, for the second consecutive year. The awards highlight and honour the best in public relations and communications from the previous year. The chapter received a record number of entries with 188 submissions from agencies, corporations, individuals, and non-for-profits across the Greater Toronto Area.
“Congratulations to all of the winners and finalists. The caliber of work submitted was beyond impressive and I’m thrilled that the bar continues to be raised for our industry standards,” said Jenny Shin, President, CPRS Toronto. “Although we had to continue online this year, we were still able to celebrate the incredible level of talent within the industry at a time where communications and public relations have never been more crucial.”
The ACE Awards showcase skill, innovation and intelligence within the public relations and communications industry. The awards recognize excellence in communications in various categories including events, media relations, digital media, healthcare and diversity, equity and inclusion. This evening’s awards began with a brief digital presentation and ended with a video announcing the winners in each category. Winners’ video can be found here: youtube.com/user/CPRSToronto/.
The 2021 ACE Award recipients included:
Best Campaign of the Year
- Covenant House and Weber Shandwick; Shoppable Girls
Best Creative Campaign of the Year
- Purolator & Weber Shandwick Canada; Purolator Holiday Art Boxes
Best “Pivot” Award
- Gold – Agnostic PR – Metro; Metro’s Spotlight on Local at The Royal
- Silver – Pomp & Circumstance PR; #eBayEdits
- Silver – Kaiser & Partners / ADP Canada; Workplace Insight Studies: COVID-19
- Silver – Moneris x Proof Strategies; Supporting Canada’s SMBs through COVID19
- Silver – RE/MAX Canada & APEX Public Relations/ruckus Digital; 2020 RE/MAX Liveability Report
- Silver – CO-OP; AutoTrader.ca: COVID-19 Pivot
- Silver – CO-OP; WeRPN Nursing Week
- Silver – Moneris; Supporting Canada’s SMBs through COVID19
- Bronze – Matte PR for Hania Kuzbari; Hania Kuzbari’s retail debut in Canada
- Bronze – Royal LePage; House Price Survey and Market Forecast
Best Integrated Communications Campaign, COVID-related
- Silver – Silver – Microsoft Canada / Veritas Communications; COVID Response Plan
- Silver – GoodLife Fitness and Edelman Canada; GoodLife @ Home
- Silver – Argyle & National Association of Friendship Centres; #TakeCareInCOVID
Best Use of Media Relations, COVID-related
- Gold – CO-OP; WeRPN Nursing Week
- Gold – Morneau Shepell and Kaiser & Partners Inc.; Mental Health Index Launch
- Silver – APEX PR and Planet Fitness; Planet Fitness: United We Move
- Bronze – FP Canada and Provident Communications; Coping with COVID-19’s Financial Impact
- Bronze – Agnostic Team/ Briar Wells; Cisco Canada Inclusive Future
- Bronze – CO-OP; AutoTrader.ca: COVID-19 Pivot
Brand Development Campaign of the Year
- Silver – Husqvarna and ruckus Digital; Husqvarna Automower Video Series
- Silver – McDonald’s Canada & Weber Shandwick Canada; McDelivery Moments
- Silver – Faulhaber Communications; Latitude Launch
- Silver – Weber Shandwick Canada & Mondelez Canada; Caramilk Unlock the Secret 2020
- Bronze – APEX PR and Planet Fitness; Planet Fitness: United We Move
- Bronze – No Fixed Address Inc.; Lockdown Lovebaby Collection
- Bronze – GoodLife Fitness and Edelman Canada; GoodLife @ Home
CSR or Cause-Related Campaign, Best
- Gold – Covenant House and Weber Shandwick; Shoppable Girls
- Gold – Argyle & Indian Day School; Federal Indian Day School Class Action
- Gold – Kia Canada & Strategic Objectives; Kia Canada #PowerToGive Campaign
- Gold – RMHC Canada & Weber Shandwick Canada; RMHC National Cookie Day
- Silver – No Fixed Address Inc.; Twitter Birthday Plea
- Silver – McDonald’s Canada & Weber Shandwick Canada; Fries for Good
- Silver – BlackNorth Initiative in partnership with Hill+Knowlton Strategies; BlackNorth Initiative National Launch
- Silver – Jake’s House and Edelman Canada; ASD: Rockin’ the Spectrum
- Silver – Kraft Heinz Canada & Proof Strategies Inc.; Kraft Hockeyville 2020
- Bronze – Craft Public Relations; Earth’s Own Plant Project
- Bronze – RBC and Paradigm; RBC Canada United
- Bronze – No Fixed Address Inc.; Fill Up With Love
Community Relations Campaign of the Year
- Bronze – Queen’s University; The Notebook Campaign
- Bronze – McDonald’s Canada & Weber Shandwick Canada; Community Connections
Canadian Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Campaign of the Year
- Gold – Unilever with Edelman Canada; Dove Hair presents: The D Cut
- Gold – Centennial College & CCPRF – Charmaine Blair, Sarah Heiman, Rebecca Moe and Daisy Johanna Uy; The Future of PR Looks Like Us
- Bronze – BlueSky Communications; RBC Indigenous
- Bronze – double shot – Agents of Change
- Bronze – Ingram Micro – Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Strategy
Digital Communications Campaign of the Year, COVID-related
- Silver – Playtex Baby and Paradigm; Playtex Baby Virtual Baby Shower
Digital Communications Campaign of the Year
- Gold – Unilever with Edelman Canada; AXE Project Wild
- Silver – Insurance Bureau of Canada, Paradigm, True Media and VMG; Alberta Auto Insurance Reform
- Silver – RE/MAX Canada & APEX Public Relations/ruckus Digital; 2020 RE/MAX Global Outlook Report
- Silver – Heineken Canada with Citizen Relations Canada; #TheBestieGiftEver
- Bronze – No Fixed Address Inc.; Lockdown Lovebaby Collection
- Bronze – BlueSky Communications; RBC Future Launch
Employee Engagement / Internal Communications Campaign of the Year, COVID-related
- Silver – CCRM; Employee communications during COVID-19
- Silver – Rogers Internal Communications Team; Building culture in a global pandemic
- Bronze – Ingram Micro; Covid-19 Communications Strategy
Employee Engagement / Internal Communications Campaign Of the Year
- Silver – Moneris; My Moneris / Moneris et Moi
- Bronze – McDonald’s Canada; Reimagining the future of McDonald’s
Government Relations / Public Affairs Campaign of the Year
- Gold – Argyle & Ontario Association of Optometrists; Save Eye Care
- Silver – Insurance Bureau of Canada, Paradigm, True Media and VMG; Alberta Auto Insurance Reform
Healthcare Campaign of the Year, COVID-related
- Bronze – CO-OP; WeRPN Nursing Week
Healthcare Campaign of the Year
- Gold – Lung Health Foundation with Edelman Canada; The Toker
- Silver – Narrative, Casey House; Untold Stories of Stigma
- Silver – CO-OP; WeRPN Nursing Week
- Bronze – Argyle & Talk over RA; Talk over RA Campaign
- Bronze – Argyle & Talk over RA; Talk over RA Campaign
Investor / Financial Relations Campaign of the Year
- Gold -Kaiser & Partners and Picton Mahoney Asset Management; Building Awareness with Advisors
- Silver – Argyle & Desjardins; FinTalk Personal Finance Campaign
Issues or Crisis Management Campaign of the Year, COVID-related
- Bronze – McDonald’s Canada & Weber Shandwick Canada; COVID-19
- Bronze – Canadian Tire Corporation; Communications Response to COVID-19
Leadership Awards
- Lois Marsh Award; Bruce MacLellan APR FCPRS, CEO, Proof Strategies
- PR Professional of the Year; Jenny Shin, Milestones Public Relations
- CPRS Toronto Mentor of the Year; Michelle Dias, IHG Hotels & Resorts
- Educator of the Year; Heath Applebaum, University of Guelph-Humber
- Young PR Professional of the Year; James King, Edelman
- PR Student of the Year; Laik Sweeney, Veritas Communications
Media Relations, Best Use of (Under $50,000)
- Gold – Covenant House and Weber Shandwick; Shoppable Girls
- Gold – Craft Public Relations; Royal Agricultural Virtual Experience
- Gold – Insurance Bureau of Canada, Paradigm, True Media Canada; Putting The Brakes On Auto Theft
- Silver – FP Canada and Provident Communications; Doing More With Data – 2020 Fall Reports
- Silver – Royal LePage; Recreational Property Campaign
- Silver – Kaiser & Partners and Picton Mahoney Asset Management; Brand Awareness Campaign
- Silver – Argyle & Earth Rangers; Earth Rangers Campaign
- Silver – Andrea Chrysanthou; “Raising Canada” Media Relations C
- Bronze – Royal LePage; House Price Survey and Market Forecast
- Bronze – APEX PR and Planet Fitness; Planet Fitness: United We Move
- Bronze – Kaiser & Partners / Canadian Payroll Association; National Payroll Week Media Relations
- Bronze – Amanda Alvaro; Dermalogica Canada Media Relations
Media Relations, Best Use of (Over $50,000)
- Gold –Purolator & Weber Shandwick Canada; Purolator Holiday Art Boxes
- Gold – Craft Public Relations; Mott’s Fruitsations Buy a Cup Give a Cup
- Gold – RE/MAX Canada & APEX Public Relations/ruckus Digital; RE/MAX Canada 2020 Media Relations
- Gold – Morneau Shepell and Kaiser & Partners Inc.; Mental Health Index Launch
- Gold – Weber Shandwick Canada and Mondelez Canada; Caramilk Unlock the Secret 2020
- Silver – McDonald’s Canada & Weber Shandwick Canada; Community Connections
- Silver – Club House and North Strategic; Club House Marks Thanksgiving Diversity
- Silver – McDonald’s Canada & Weber Shandwick Canada; Fries for Good
- Silver – CO-OP; AutoTrader.ca: COVID-19 Pivot
- Silver – Craft Public Relations; National Newspaper Week 2020
- Silver – Chevrolet Canada and Weber Shandwick; 2019-20 Chevrolet Good Deeds Cup
- Silver – PRAXIS PR; bubly pineapplebubly & peachbubly launch
- Silver – Weber Shandwick Canada and Mondelez Canada; OREO What’s Your Stuf? – The Stuf Shoppe
- Bronze – Air Canada & Webershandwick Canada; Air Canada Fan Flight
- Bronze – CO-OP; WeRPN Nursing Week
- Bronze – Zeno Group; Think Turkey
Marketing Communications Campaign of the Year
- Gold – Craft Public Relations; Bringing Nintendo to Canadian Women
- Gold – RMHC Canada & Weber Shandwick Canada; RMHC Giving Tuesday
- Gold – RMHC Canada & Weber Shandwick Canada; RMHC National Cookie Day
- Silver – Molson Canada with Citizen Relations Canada; Make It Canadian
- Silver – Air Canada & Weber Shandwick Canada; Air Canada Fan Flight
- Silver – FP Canada and Provident Communications; FP Canada’s Media Ambassador Program
- Silver – McDonald’s Canada & Weber Shandwick Canada; World Teachers’ Day
- Silver – Kraft Heinz Canada & Proof Strategies Inc.; Kraft Hockeyville 2020
- Silver – McDonald’s Canada & Weber Shandwick Canada; Fries for Good
- Bronze – Think Turkey/Zeno Group; Think Turkey
- Bronze – DoorDash Canada; Courageous Conversations
- Bronze – Narrative, Salesforce; Path to Growth
- Bronze – Weber Shandwick Canada; Holiday Art Boxes
- Bronze – McDonald’s Canada & Weber Shandwick Canada; Beef
Marketing Communications Campaign of the Year, COVID-related
- Bronze – Veritas Communications / Labatt Breweries of Canada; Stella Artois: Rally for Restaurants
- Bronze – RBC and Paradigm; RBC Canada United
New Product or Service Launch Campaign of the Year
- Gold – Craft Public Relations; Snoop Uncorked: The Launch of 19 Crimes
- Gold – APEX PR, ruckus Digital and Duo Bank; Walmart Rewards Mastercard World Card
- Gold – Agnostic & Truss Beverage Co.; Truss Beverage Co. Portfolio Launch
- Bronze – Veritas Communications / Subway Canada; Meatballs Grow on Trees
- Bronze – Unilever with Edelman Canada; AXE Sneakers & Cookies: WTFred
- Bronze – Heidi Ruggier; nixit’s Canadian Launch
Student Public Relations Campaign or Event of the Year, Executed
- Gold – Centennial College & CCPRF – Charmaine Blair, Sarah Heiman, Rebecca Moe and Daisy Johanna Uy; The Future of PR Looks Like Us
- Silver – Janielle Downer, Halli Gallo, Nathaniel Glassman & Vanessa Tolentino; COVID Conversations
Student Public Relations Communications Plan of the Year, Not Executed
- Silver – Luxshana Sivaneswaran and Gustavo Lopes; Madawaska Internal Communications Plan
- Silver – Chloe Villeneuve, Ross Lopes, Michael Jenkins & Braden Noxon; Madawaska Internal Communications Plan
Special Events or Experiential Marketing, Best Use of
- Gold – Jake’s House and Edelman Canada; ASD: Rockin’ the Spectrum
- Silver – Unilever with Edelman Canada; AXE Project Wild
- Silver – Weber Shandwick Canada and Mondelez Canada; OREO What’s Your Stuf? – The Stuf Shoppe
- Silver – No Fixed Address Inc.; Fill Up With Love
- Bronze – Pomp & Circumstance PR; Mercedes-Benz #MBGLAmping
- Bronze – Sheridan College; Virtual Convocation: Fall 2020
- Bronze – IKEA Canada in partnership with Hill+Knowlton Strategies; 2021 IKEA Catalogue Virtual Launch
Social Media Campaign, Best, and/or Influencers, Best Use of
- Gold – PRAXIS PR; Courvoisier: Honour Your Community
- Silver – McDonald’s Canada & Weber Shandwick Canada; Beef
- Silver – Groupe Marcelle Inc. & Strategic Objectives; Lise Watier Revamped PPC Launch
- Silver – PRAXIS PR; #TrueNorthern Influencer Program
- Silver – McDonald’s Canada & Weber Shandwick Canada; McDelivery Moments
- Silver – McDonald’s Canada & Weber Shandwick Canada; Fries for Good
- Silver – McDonald’s Canada & Weber Shandwick Canada; World Teachers’ Day
- Silver – Kia Canada & Strategic Objectives; Kia Canada Ambassador Program
- Silver – No Fixed Address Inc.; Twitter Birthday Plea
- Bronze – Tracey Bochner; Playtex Baby and Paradigm
- Bronze – PRAXIS PR;Pepsi Canada #ReadyForHockey
- Bronze – Argyle & Talk over RA; Talk over RA
- Bronze – Groupe Marcelle Inc. & Strategic Objectives; Lise Watier Holiday 2020 Campaign
- Bronze – Barilla Canada and Zeno Group Canada; Home with Barilla Canada Campaign
- Bronze – Argyle & Lighthouse; Kitchen Memories Project Campaign
About CPRS
Founded in 1948, the Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) Toronto Local Society is a not-for-profit association of professionals dedicated to the practice, management and teaching of public relations and communications. Comprising 134 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.
SOURCE Canadian Public Relations Society
For further information: Lana Gogas, lanagogas@gmail.com