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Canadian Public Relations Society Toronto Chapter Honours Veteran Communicators With Lifetime Membership Status
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TORONTO, April 11, 2018 – CPRS Toronto, the Canadian Public Relations Society local chapter, awarded 7 practitioners with Lifetime Membership this month. Lifetime Membership status is awarded to those candidates who have been active members of CPRS for 30 years, and signifies the recognition by their peers of their contributions to CPRS and to the professional practice of public relations.  The new Lifetime Members will be recognized by their peers at the upcoming, annual Senior Practitioners Mixer, held on April 23rd.

 

The 2018 Lifetime Members are:

Terence (Terry) Flynn  – Ph.D., APR, FCPRS, LM

Judy Lewis  – LM

Bruce MacLellan  – APR, FCPRS, LM

Christine Smith  – B.Ed, LM

Eileen Tobey  – APR, FCPRS, LM

Deborah Trouten – APR, FCPRS, ICD.D, LM

Janet Wile  – ABC, APR, FCPRS, LM

“The CPRS Toronto Board are delighted to congratulate and award seven esteemed members with Lifetime Membership,” said Danielle Kelly, APR, Co-President CPRS Toronto.  “This represents a career milestone, requiring significant contributions to the profession and the highest degree of professionalism,” added Erica Silver, MA, APR, Co-President CPRS Toronto.

This year’s Lifetime Members join some of Canada’s best communicators; all of whom are committed to advancing the profession and CPRS Toronto is honoured to have 46 members who have achieved Lifetime Member status.

ABOUT CPRS: Founded in 1948, the Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) is a not-for-profit organization whose members are engaged in the practice, management or teaching of public relations and communications. This national professional organization is focused on establishing and upholding educational and ethical standards in Public Relations. CPRS Toronto is one of the largest local societies with nearly 600 members. For more information, please visit: https://www.cprstoronto.com.

 

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CONGRATULATIONS TO CPRS TORONTO MEMBERS WHO ACHIEVED LIFETIME STATUS THIS YEAR
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Seven members joined the ranks of their prestigious colleagues in achieving Lifetime Membership status with CPRS.  Lifetime Membership status is awarded to those candidates who have been active members of CPRS for 30 years and signifies the recognition by their peers of their contributions to CPRS and to the professional practice of public relations.

 

Terence (Terry) Flynn  Ph.D., APR, FCPRS, LM

Dr. Terry Flynn is an Associate Professor of Communications Management in the Department of Communication Studies & Multimedia at McMaster University and lead Professor and founding Director of the Master of Communications Management (MCM) program. Prior to joining McMaster University, Terry was a seasoned international communications consultant specializing in international reputation management, crisis and risk communications, and community relations and engagement. Terry is the recipient of the 2015 Philip A. Novikoff Memorial Award, is an award-winning teacher, an accomplished researcher and author with numerous publications in academic and professional journals, and a much sought after speaker on issues impacting the global public relations profession. An active member of CPRS, Terry’s many contributions include: serving as National President in 2009-2010, founding member of the National Council on Education, and one of the authors of the CPRS Pathways to the Profession.

Judy Lewis, LM

Judy is co-founder and Executive Vice President of Strategic Objectives, providing senior counsel to many of Canada and the world’s leading brands and organizations.  Named CPRS ‘PR Professional of the Year’, Judy specializes in results-oriented marketing and brand-building public relations campaigns, which have been recognized with over 200 awards. Strategic Objectives has been named ‘Agency of The Year’ several times by IABC and is the only Canadian PR agency to ever win the United Nations Grand Award for Outstanding Achievement in Public Relations. Judy is also an active community volunteer. She is the Chair of the Advisory Committee for Centennial’s Corporate Communications & Public Relations program and the Communications Strategist for The Canadian Centre To End Human Trafficking. Judy is a member of Profit Magazine’s Top 100 Canadian Women Business Owners and the recipient of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal and the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal for Outstanding Contribution to Canada and the Communications Industry.

Bruce MacLellan APR, FCPRS, LM

Bruce MacLellan is Founding President and CEO of Proof Inc., formerly Environics Communications, one of Canada’s leading public relations and public affairs agencies. Bruce is a veteran communications practitioner and entrepreneur providing counsel to leading private and public sector clients.   An avid and award winning conservationist, winning the Betty Day Award and the Vision Award from the Ontario Land Trust Alliance, Bruce volunteers with the Nature Conservancy of Canada, currently serving as National Board Chair, and is Past-President of the Lake of Bays Heritage Foundation.  He’s the former Chair of the Board of the Communications and Public Relations Foundation, and is the 2016 recipient of the CPRS Award of Attainment, presented to a CPRS member whose personal activities and leadership have gone beyond the call of duty.

Christine Smith   B.Ed, LM

Former newspaper journalist and employee communication specialist, Christine honed her leadership and communications skills as a Professor and program coordinator of Centennial College’s Corporate Communications and Public Relations postgraduate program.  Along with teaching and consulting, Christine developed the curriculum for the industry’s next generation of leaders and was nominated for the George Wicken Award for Outstanding Teaching.  As a freelance writer, Christine draws on her journalism background to create effective and strategic copy and content for a variety of clients, specializing in health care, education and non-profit. An active member of CPRS Toronto, Christine has served on the society Board and on the CPRS Education Council as lead exam developer for the Public Relations Knowledge (PRK exam).

Eileen Tobey  APR, FCPRS, LM

‎Eileen Tobey is Founder and CEO of beSPEAK Communications, a Toronto based boutique PR agency.  A senior executive with nearly 30 years of owner-management entrepreneurial expertise, Eileen has built a career focused on creating and managing successful initiatives for her clients.   She is an accredited Fellow of the Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) and an active member of CPRS Toronto, having served as an awards judge, grader and mentor within our organization for nearly 25 years.  Eileen is an inaugural SheEO Activator and currently sits as an independent board member at HealthPro.

Deborah Trouten, APR, FCPRS, ICD.D, LM

Deborah is a Toronto-based communications consultant with more than 30 years of experience with major global and national corporations. As founder and president of Dakota Communications Inc. in 1999, Deborah advises companies on reputation management, strategic communications, change communications & management, stakeholder relations and corporate governance. Her career spans a number of industries. She is also a certified board director and has been a director on several boards throughout her career including CPRS Toronto. Deborah currently serves as a member of the Communications & Public Relations Foundation board and Partners International.

Janet Wile  ABC, APR, FCPRS, LM

Currently Manager, Internal Communications, with Chartered Professional Accountants (CPA Canada), Janet is an award-winning business communicator and a champion for effective, integrated communications within organizations. She is accredited by both IABC and the Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS). She was named a Master Communicator by IABC Canada in 2007 and became a CPRS Fellow in 2009.  She has mentored many students and accreditation candidates, sits on the advisory committee for the Corporate Communications program at Seneca College, and in 2006, was named ‘Mentor of the Year’ by CPRS Toronto.

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The Art of Building Your Network
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I’m not an expert at building a professional network or even have the largest, but I’ve had the chance to meet amazing practitioners in the communications/public relations industry, who are part of mine.

Since my first year as a public relations student I’ve taken advantage of every perk my membership with the Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) provided. From event discounts, mentorships to volunteer opportunities, you would find me at every event that CPRS hosted. I have contributed blogs for the CPRS website, volunteered at the Achieving Communications Excellence Awards four years in a row and was also part of the Student Steering Committee’s executive team. As an Associate member I’ve been able to honour my contributions and look forward to enhancing the network for the industry’s next generation.

In some ways, I owe my professional growth to the people I’ve met through CPRS’ Toronto Chapter, and my career path also reflects that. In my journey from student to professional there was one reoccurring theme: the public relations industry is very small, which in my perspective is a great thing. Once you meet a colleague or mentor they in turn could introduce you to your next manager or client. Maintaining my membership past student through to Associate membership, allowed me to preserve and enhance these valuable connections. This is what I love about the industry and what I appreciate the most from my experience with CPRS.

How you make career decisions depends on your evolving interests and skills, so why not take the same approach with your network. I believe the same effort you put in building your network amounts to the rewards you receive. What I mean by rewards is the people you meet, the knowledge you gain and the opportunities that materialize.

Take it from a practitioner who is still early on in her career and has a lot more people to meet and learn from in the industry. My career has just begun but I believe it’s vital to extend your networking efforts no matter what stage you are in your career – whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been in the industry for 20+ years.

Written by: Charzie Abendanio, Public Relations Specialist at Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment

https://www.linkedin.com/in/charzieabendanio/

 

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Get Involved with the Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) Toronto Chapter this Month and Save!
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March Membership Month kicks off with a Mix n Mingle Event on March 6th encouraging new members to sign up

TORONTO–The Canadian Public Relations Society’s Toronto Chapter is celebrating March Membership Month with a Mix N Mingle event on Tuesday, March 6th, geared at welcoming new members to the Society. This FREE event will be held at Lopan (503 College Street) from 6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Individuals interested in joining CPRS are encouraged to register for the event which features guest speakers, networking games and senior members who can speak to the value of membership.

Speakers include, Blair Peberdy, Vice President, Alectra who will speak to how the society helped build his career: “My CPRS membership was an important tool for me as I built my career, and it still is. I discovered early on that the more involved I became with the Toronto Chapter, the more I got out of it. Today, many of those in my professional network are practitioners who have stayed involved with CPRS over the years. And, by volunteering to work on committees, we were able to develop new management skills outside of our day jobs!”

Charzie Abendanio, Public Relations Specialist at Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment, also a speaker at the March 6th event, joined as CPRS Toronto as a student and saw benefits immediately after joining, “My journey from student to professional started when I volunteered for my first event at the Toronto Canadian Public Relations Society. My work with CPRS has allowed me to meet a variety of practitioners in the industry and led me to opportunities from being the Student Steering Committee President to a short stint in Fort McMurray, Alberta. I encourage everyone, no matter what step they are in their career, to take advantage of all the Society has to offer.”

March is Membership Month at CPRS, and the Society is offering new members more than 15% off CPRS National dues by waiving initiation fees. Regular/Associate members, use promo code INITPR5. Affiliate members, use AFFPR2.

Here are a few more great reasons to join CPRS Toronto:

  • The CPRS Accreditation program, where members demonstrate their experience and commitment to the public relations profession and receive their APR® designation. Application deadline is December 1, 2018;
  • The Public Relations Knowledge (PRK)®Exam, the first standardized national public relations exam across Canada for new entrants to the profession. Next exam is May 26 2018;
  • Member-only pricing for the 2018 National Conference in Charlottetown in May;
  • Complimentary webinars – Monthly professional development webinars are offered as an exclusive member-only benefit;
  • Professional development and engagement opportunities with local or national boards, committees, task forces, special CPRS initiatives – These opportunities open the door to added professional skills and career learning, mentorship opportunities and knowledge transfer.

About CPRS

Founded in 1948, the Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) is a not-for-profit organization whose members are engaged in the practice, management or teaching of public relations. Members work to maintain the highest standards and to share a uniquely Canadian experience in public relations. CPRS is a federation of over 2,500 members across 14 Member Societies based in major cities or organized province-wide.

Contacts

For all media inquiries:
CPRS Toronto
Jenny Shin, +1-647-286-8584
Director Professional Development
jshin@milestones-pr.com

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CPRS Toronto panel revealed top communication trends for 2018
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TORONTO – December 15, 2017 – To think of 2018 and what that means for the PR profession can be exciting and frightening. No matter what side of PR you work on, the landscape has been changing at a rapid pace with no end in sight.

At the final Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) – Toronto Chapter event of the year on December 4, a panel of CPRS members and thought leaders explored communication trends to watch for 2018. The panel included:

  • Ian Ross, APR, director of communications, Ontario Ministry of Advanced Education and Skills Development (moderator)
  • Tracey Bochner, co-founder and president, Paradigm
  • Bruce MacLellan, founder and CEO, Environics Communications
  • Lauren More, vice-president of communications, Ford Motor Company Canada

The discussion focused on three key trends.

Trend 1: PR practitioners need a new set of skills.
Teams are being built in different ways to solve communications challenges and data is being used more to influence decisions. “This is a great opportunity for PR as it gives you a chance to expand and adapt your skills – like learning about data and metrics as they are becoming extremely important to PR,” said Bruce MacLellan.

Also, with artificial intelligence (AI) being harnessed to provide value to consumers – it will be used by approximately 80 per cent of chat bots in the US next year – engagement with clients and consumers will change. Although there’s a shift to AI, Lauren More believes “one thing that AI cannot do is tell a story that will tug at people’s heart strings and resonate beyond the noise.”

Trend 2: PR is becoming increasingly integrated.
PR campaigns are no longer focused solely on one channel. “When you get an RFP, it’s not the same [as it once was] – you have to include PR, digital, social and experiential marketing,” explained Tracey Bochner.

The panel discussed how it is a misconception that PR is merging into other areas like advertising and marketing. In reality, the practice of PR is expanding and growing into new areas. Clients, for example, no longer want to go to three different agencies for three different things – they want one agency for several services.

Trend 3: PR practitioners need to change how they develop content.
Resource crunches are affecting all companies – budgets are getting tighter and traditional media outlets are decreasing. This forces PR to be strategic in how it’s used to tell meaningful stories.

The panel agreed, more content is not always better. Effective campaigns can no longer rely solely on news releases and earned media efforts. They now require some aspect of paid media, which can include influencers to help further target key audiences.

This CPRS Toronto communications trends panel is the first annual (held at the end of every calendar year), hosted by the local chapters president(s) with panelists made up of thought-leading chapter members.

The Canadian Public Relations Society is a national professional organization focused on establishing and upholding educational and ethical standards in Public Relations. CPRS Toronto is one of the largest local societies with nearly 600 members. For more information, please visit: https://www.cprstoronto.com.

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President’s Message
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In 2017, the headlines highlighted some of this year’s most important PR lessons:

  1. Journalism is Evolving: Through social media, every individual has the potential to voice their opinion on the world’s stage. Practitioners must be attuned to the issues and feedback from their audiences.
  2. Demand for Transparency: It’s been a year of revelations with secrets being exposed and an increase in demand for transparency.
  3. Ethics in Public Relations:  In an era of “fake news” and accusations, practitioners need to ensure truthful and accurate reporting.
  4. Reputation management: Do your research and your SWOT analysis to prepare all sides of the issues to direct the conversation and mitigate crises.

We reflect on our past year of activities and achievements and are proud and honoured to represent our local society’s members, who continue to lead the industry in experience, strategy and innovation.

In 2018, it’s your voice that we would like to hear. We encourage your programming suggestions and hope to highlight your achievements and insights on industry best practices by welcoming your written submissions for our website and involvement in society initiatives.

We would like to thank the Board and our volunteers for all their hard work this year and wish all CPRS Toronto members and your families, a very happy holiday season.

Danielle Kelly, APR and Erica Silver MA, APR
Co-Presidents, CPRS Toronto

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Marketing Through Influencing: What You Need To Know To Make it Work
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I remember the first time I saw a paid partnership post in my Instagram feed. My first reaction was confusion: this is fair to the consumers, this is how it is supposed to be, but this will likely ruin everything for the brands and influencers. Who would want to buy this, now that they know it is paid for? Then I looked closer at the “product” – it was a new collection of a famous fashion brand – and I realized I liked the way the blogger styled the brand’s clothes. She wrote about the brand’s quality, their corporate social responsibility and even the creative way they attracted her into business partnership. I was still trying to stick to my initial cynical position while scrolling through the blogger’s feed.

I started following her a long time ago when she wasn’t paid for wearing a fashion piece… or maybe she was, and I just never got a chance to confirm it. So I asked myself one question: has her Instagram page changed, apart from that paid partnership label? The answer is “no”. I still liked her online persona. I clicked on the link in her bio and looked up the brand’s new collection.

Authenticity and honesty. That is what you are looking for in a modern influencer marketing approach. Even taking a legal aspect of disclosure policies aside, any influencer marketing professional should take into consideration an increased consumer skepticism and a shift to user generated content which gives more power to the consumer. A new digital era demands transparency. In a way it is a more honest, genuine version of advertising. However, it is such only if you follow the rule: treat your influencers as long-term partners, not one-time participants in a business transaction.

Making friends and building a network. You may be tired of hearing the word “network” again, but yes, networking is vital in any business, communications especially. This may come as a surprise, but influencers are also people and like to be treated as such. You should start by engaging with an influencer: like their posts, comment on them and share them. Spend some time on your research: find out what your influencer’s interests are, read up on his/her work and look up posts about them. Focus on finding a thing you share, and then pitch your influencer by mentioning your common interests. Just as any other pitch, it should be catching, intriguing − it should stand out. Remember, your ultimate goal is possibly converting your influencer into loyal brand ambassador. Only if you customize your approach and build meaningful relationships, will you get an authentic representation of your brand by an influencer. And their audience will instantly feel that.

Speaking about the audience. The single biggest mistake many brands make is considering only the influencers with big following, often ignoring the proven fact that a smaller but dedicated audience is more valuable for your brand’s goals. Fake followers issue aside, it is a matter of reaching out to your potential clients, not the general public.

To do that, identify influencers who are relevant specifically to your industry: think about your brand’s target audience and compare it to the audience of the influencers in your field.

One more tip would be considering the right channel to reach out to your target audience. Usually, influencers are present on the majority of digital media platforms to increase their online presence. However, there is always one platform which they prefer, which works best for them, and which gained them the popularity your brand needs. What you should do is evaluate which platform aligns more with your industry and best displays your content – then search for the right platform influencer. Typically, business influencers prefer Twitter, LinkedIn and blogs, while consumer, lifestyle and fashion influencers stick to Instagram, YouTube or Pinterest.

Influencer marketing is not as easy as it may seem at first. It requires a lot of preparation, monitoring and tracking, evaluation and measuring. Is it worth the hustle? Well, if you do it right, you end up increasing your brand awareness, building trust with your customers, growing your social media following and ultimately, increasing revenue and making more profit. Yes, it is very much worth the hustle!

By Iryna Zheliasko

Twitter: https://twitter.com/IrynaZheliasko
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/justcurious.blog/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iryna-zheliasko-279041134/

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Where Are They Now? Kyleigh Benninger
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Featuring Kyleigh Benninger, CPRS Toronto Student Steering Committee VP External 2016/2017.

  1. What did you enjoy most about being on the SSC? 

I got to meet and work with fantastic people on the Executive team, to share my experiences with students across the GTA, and hear about the experiences of others in many different stages of their careers. All of this helped me to get to where I am today.

 

  1. Where do you work now and what do you do? 

I am currently Public Communications Coordinator for Stantec Consulting Ltd., supporting the City of Ottawa on a multi-million-dollar construction project funded by the municipal, provincial, and federal governments. My main responsibility is to provide strategic advice and assistance to the stakeholder relations portion of the project. Many of you will learn (as I am still learning) that as a consultant, it’s difficult to pinpoint your sole responsibilities.

 

Being a communications consultant in an engineer’s world has it challenges. But, that’s where my networking skills, largely learned through SSC, have come in handy. If I don’t know the answer to something, or if I am looking for some professional expertise, I tap into that network and get in touch with someone who does. If I’m stuck and need some advice, I’ll run it by someone in my network who will shut down my idea immediately, offer some new suggestions, or give me their stamp of approval. Moral of the story, NETWORK PEOPLE!

 

  1. How do you think CPRS Toronto helped advance your career or get you ready for your current position?

Getting the opportunity to network with individuals in the real world of PR, helped me not only to develop my skills, but to also get a sense of what it was that I wanted to do. I was able to get advice from many professionals through CPRS Toronto and SSC events, that I would never have been able to get on my own. It opened a lot of doors for me as someone starting out in the field, helped me to get a better grasp on where I wanted to be in the future, and ultimately, supported my skill development and awareness of life in the professional world.

___

Connect with Kyleigh on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kyleigh-benninger/

 

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CPRS Toronto celebrates an evening of excellence in communications at the 2017 ACE Awards Gala
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TORONTO – May 2, 2017 – This evening the Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) Toronto chapter celebrated the best public relations practitioners in the Greater Toronto Area at the annual CPRS Toronto ACE Awards Gala. The event was attended by over 350 practitioners at Arcadian Court, acknowledging the successes of Toronto’s public relations industry.

“This is one of the most exciting nights of the year for the CPRS Toronto community,” said Erica Silver, Co-President, CPRS Toronto Chapter. “There was an incredible level of talent in the audience, showing off the high caliber of creative and strategic thinking in this city.”

The ACE Awards recognize communications campaigns in various categories, including events, media relations, digital media and student accomplishments. The event concludes with the presentation of the two most prestigious awards: Best PR Campaign of the Year and Best Creative PR Campaign of the year.

Argyle Public Relationships took home the trophy for Best PR Campaign of the Year for their memorable work on Wilson-Christen LLP Sixties Scoop.

SickKids Foundation was honoured as the winners of Best Creative PR Campaign of the Year for the creative flair and passion behind the SickKids VS campaign.

“This event wouldn’t be possible without the support of dedicated and passionate volunteers who do everything from judging submissions to planning the perfect Gala night,” explained Nancy MacMillan, ACE Awards Chair, CPRS Toronto Chapter. “An ACE Award is a highly coveted achievement that represents skill, innovation and intelligence.”

The 2017 ACE Award Recipients include:

Best PR Campaign of the Year

  • Argyle Public Relationships for Wilson-Christen LLP Sixties Scoop

Best Creative PR Campaign of the Year

  • SickKids Foundation for SickKids VS

Best Digital Communications Campaign of the Year

  • Gold – Paradigm Public Relations, MEC and Edgewell Personal Care for Carefree Free to Be Me
  • Gold – Weber Shandwick for McDonalds Canada Our Lounge
  • Silver – FleishmanHillard for ORBA #SiteUnSeen
  • Bronze – Weber Shandwick for McCormick Club House Just Cook
  • Bronze – Cohn & Wolfe for Coleman Canada Get Outside Day

Best Use of Media Relations (over $50,000)

  • Gold – Pomp & Circumstance PR for Grey Goose Boulangerie Blue
  • Silver – APEX Public Relations for Walmart Canada Discover Another Side 2.0
  • Silver – Citizen Relations for Molson Canadian #anything for hockey
  • Silver – CO-OP for autoTRADER.ca Anyone can buy and sell like a pro
  • Silver – Strategic Objectives for Sears Canada Debbie Travis Launch
  • Silver – Weber Shandwick for Harley-Davidson Canada Café
  • Bronze – Argyle Public Relationships for Canada’s Ecofiscal Commission
  • Bronze – Cohn & Wolfe for Goody Have a Good Hair Day
  • Bronze – GCI Group GCI for Bringing Barbie® You Can Be Anything to Life
  • Bronze – Kaiser Lachance for Royal LePage House Price Survey 2015
  • Bronze – Citizen Relations for PepsiCo Foods Canada Doritos Ketchup Roses
  • Bronze – CO-OP for EarthFresh Foods Inc. Low GR potato Launch
  • Bronze – The Colony Project for Ascencia Diabetes Care
  • Certificate of Merit
    • Pomp and Circumstance PR for Dewars Scotch Egg
    • LG-One, a WPP LG dedicated entity represented by GCI Canada for LG Electronics Canada Got Styler
    • Argyle Public Relationships for Canadian Multiple Myeloma Patient Database
    • DDB Public Relations for Ontario Natural Gas Alliance Extending Summer with Chef Rob Rainford
    • DDB Public Relations for Dairy Farmers of Canada: Project Sheep

Best use of Media Relations (under $50,000)

  • Gold – Pomp & Circumstance PR for Scotiabank World Cup of National Hockey Fan Village
  • Silver – Argyle Public Relationships for Myeloma Canada Research Network
  • Silver – Craft Public Relations for Nintendo of Canada Limited The Launch of Pokémon Sun & Pokémon Moon
  • Silver – Corus Entertainment for Home to Win
  • Silver – Golin Toronto for PetSmart Charities of Canada National Adoption Week-end
  • Silver – Holmes PR for Consignor Canadian Fine Art
  • Silver – Kaiser Lachance Communications for Auspice Capital Advisors the Value of Crude Oil
  • Silver – World Vision Canada for Welcome to Canada
  • Bronze – Kids Help Phone for Kids help Phone
  • Bronze – Craft Public Relations for Clover Leaf Seafoods
  • Bronze – FleishmanHillard for Energizer Camping Program
  • Bronze – Hill+Knowlton Strategies for Interac Association: Interac on Apple Pay Launch
  • Bronze – Toronto Hydro for Emergency Preparedness Hacks
  • Certificate of Merit
    • Communications Agency for SOCAN Canada’s Music Creation Capital
    • InterContinental Hotels Group for InterContinental Hotels Group Holiday Inn Express Sleep In
    • City of Vaughan for Winter Maintenance
    • Corus Entertainment for Vikings and Josh Donaldson
    • elevator communications inc. for Beau’s All Natural Brewing Company
    • FleishmanHillard for Moneris: Holiday Spending Campaign

Best Use of Special Events

  • Gold – DDB Public Relations for CIL Paints Dream It Here Do It Here
  • Gold – The PR Department for Maille Canada: Maille Flavour Studio
  • Silver – Weber Shandwick for Harley-Davidson Canada 1903 A Harley-Davidson Cafe
  • Silver – Paradigm Public Relations and Thermador for Thermador Celebrates 100 Years of Culinary Excellence
  • Silver – Citizen Relations for President’s Choice Babylicious
  • Bronze – energi PR for Astellas Pharma Canada Movember #Baskets For Bros
  • Bronze – Bronze – Citizen Relations for PepsiCo Foods Canada Dorritos Inferno
  • Bronze – Pomp & Circumstance PR for BACARDÍ Holidega
  • Bronze – Centennial College for Up All Night
  • Bronze – The Colony Project for La Roche-Posay Become a Skin Checker
  • Bronze – Zeno Group for Barilla Canada Make It A Pronto Night
  • Bronze – DDB Public Relations for Moët & Chandon TIFF
  • Bronze – engagers for Bay of Quinte Tourism
  • Bronze – Hill+Knowlton Strategies for Motorola #DifferentPlaysBetter
  • Certificate of Merit
    • FleishmanHillard for Energizer TIFF 2016
    • FleishmanHillard for MARS Rice Grains and Food Truck Challenge
    • Pomp & Circumstance PR for Last Great Malts of Scotland
    • Toronto Transit Commission for Honest Ed’s Tribute

Brand Development Campaign

  • Gold — Strategic Objectives for Sears Canada Brand Reinvention
  • Gold — SickKids Foundation for SickKids Foundation
  • Silver – Weber Shandwick for Harley-Davidson Canada 1903 A Harley-Davidson Cafe
  • Silver – APEX Public Relations for Walmart Canada 2016 Marketing Communications
  • Silver – APEX Public Relations for Walmart Canada Discover Another Side 2.0
  • Bronze – Toronto Transit Commission for Toronto Transit Commission
  • Bronze – High Road for President’s Choice Babylicious
  • Bronze – High Road for Clarks Americas, Inc.
  • Bronze – Citizen Relations for PepsiCo Foods Canada Doritos Ketchup Roses
  • Bronze – Weber Shandwick for McDonald’s Canada McCafe Specialty Brand Reignite
  • Certificate of Merit
    • DDB public Relations for Dairy Farmers of Canada – Project Sleep
    • Corby Spirit and Wine for How to Leverage Brand Ambassadors

Community Relations Campaign of the Year

  • Silver – Tangerine Bank for #BrightWayForward
  • Bronze – Hill+Knowlton Strategies & Plan International for Plan International Canada #GirlsBelongHere
  • Bronze – Argyle Public Relationships for Ontario Pork: An Era of Change & Accountability
  • Certificate of Merit
    • High Road for Alvinston Minor Baseball Club Little Leagues Send A Big Message
    • Holmes PR for Scouts Canada Good Turn Week
    • GCI Group for Novo Nordisk Canada Inc. Cities Changing Diabetes
    • CAA South Central Ontario for Heads Up Ontario
    • High Road for CanadaHelps Giving Tuesday
    • Corus Entertainment for #GreaterTorontoDay

Crisis or Issues Management Campaign of the Year

  • Gold – APEX Public Relations for Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo
  • Bronze – Kaiser Lachance Communications for Eastmain Resources
  • Certificate of Merit
    • Tilray Telling the Medical Cannabis Story

 Employee Engagement/Internal Communications Campaign of the Year

  • Gold – City of Vaughan for Staff Forums – 2016
  • Silver – Weber Shandwick for McDonald’s Canada Vision 2017
  • Silver – Weber Shandwick for McDonalds Canada Our Lounge
  • Silver – TVO for My TVO
  • Bronze – PepsiCo Foods Canada for PepsiCo Foods Canada Cultivating A Culture of Transformation
  • Bronze – Weber Shandwick for Royal Bank of Canada #Make150Count

Government Relations Campaign of the Year

  • Gold – Argyle Public Relationships for Wilson-Christen LLP Sixties Scoop

Investor Relations Campaign of the Year

  • Silver – Kaiser Lachance Communications for Auspice Capital Advisors

Marketing Communications Campaign of the Year

  • Gold – Strategic Objectives for Sears Canada Back To School With Sears
  • Gold – The Colony Project for General Mills Smuggleroos
  • Gold – DDB Public Relations for CIL Paints Dream It Here Do It Here
  • Silver – Strategic Objectives for Sears Canada Launch of New Sears Canada
  • Silver – Citizen Relations for President’s Choice Babylicious
  • Silver – GCI Group (GCI) for Bringing Barbie® You Can Be Anything to Life
  • Bronze – Citizen Relations for PepsiCo Food Canada Smart Food Smart Stash
  • Bronze – CO-OP for Weed Man Canada 2016 Marketing Communications Program
  • Bronze – LG-One, a WPP LG dedicated entity represented by GCI Canada for LG Electronics Canada Holiday Got Styler
  • Bronze – Financeit for Financeit – TD Acquisition Indirect Home Improvement
  • Bronze – Kwittken for Sleeman Breweries Railside Tour
  • Bronze – Veritas Communications for General Mills Canada Bring Back the Bees
  • Bronze – North Strategic for AIR MILES Detour
  • Bronze – Weber Shandwick for Manulife Vitality
  • Certificate of Merit
    • Cohn & Wolfe for Coleman Canada Canada Get Outside
    • Your Brand Integrated Marketing Communications Inc. for Two Oceans Wines Canada Bachelorette Sponsorship
    • Paradigm Public Relations, MEC and Edgewell Personal Care for Carefree Free to Be You
    • FleishmanHillard for ORBA #SiteUnseen
    • Weber Shandwick for McDonald’s Canada Restaurant Experience of the Future

New Product or Service Launch Campaign of the Year

  • Gold – Weber Shandwick for McDonald’s Canada McCafe WestJet Partnership
  • Gold – Strategic Objectives for Sears Canada Debbie Travis Launch
  • Gold – Kwittken for Sleeman Breweries Railside Tour
  • Gold – FleishmanHillard for Lactantia Butter Campaign
  • Silver – DDB Public Relations for CIL Paints Dream It Here Do It Here
  • Silver – Weber Shandwick for Manulife Vitality Launch
  • Bronze – Weber Shandwick for McDonald’s Canada Restaurant Experience of the Future
  • Bronze – Hill+Knowlton Strategies for KitchenAid Artisan Mini Launch
  • Certificate of Merit
    • Argyle Public Relationships for CeraVe Skin Love Cera Ve
    • Craft Public Relations for Tetley Canada Ayurvedic Teas
    • FleishmanHillard for MARS Rice Grains Food Truck Challenge
    • ClutchPR for Turo Launch in Canada

Student Public Relations Communications Plan of the Year

  • Bronze – Humber College for Winners Millennial Success
  • Bronze – Centennial College for Canadian Parks Council Simply Second Nature
  • Bronze – Centennial College for CivicAction Mental Health in the Workplace
  • Bronze – Centennial College for WoodGreen Community Services Opportunity Talks

Leadership Awards

  • PR Professional of the Year – Janine Allen, Kaiser Lachance Communications
  • Young PR Professional of the Year – Eric Thomson, Crohn’s and Colitis Canada
  • PR Student of the Year – Priya Khemchandra, Centennial College
  • Lois Marsh Award – Carol Panasiuk
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CPRS Toronto celebrates an evening of excellence in communications at the 2017 ACE Awards Gala
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TORONTO – May 2, 2017 – This evening the Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) Toronto chapter celebrated the best public relations practitioners in the Greater Toronto Area at the annual CPRS Toronto ACE Awards Gala. The event was attended by over 350 practitioners at Arcadian Court, acknowledging the successes of Toronto’s public relations industry.

“This is one of the most exciting nights of the year for the CPRS Toronto community,” said Erica Silver, Co-President, CPRS Toronto Chapter. “There was an incredible level of talent in the audience, showing off the high caliber of creative and strategic thinking in this city.”

The ACE Awards recognize communications campaigns in various categories, including events, media relations, digital media and student accomplishments. The event concludes with the presentation of the two most prestigious awards: Best PR Campaign of the Year and Best Creative PR Campaign of the year.

Argyle Public Relationships took home the trophy for Best PR Campaign of the Year for their memorable work on Wilson-Christen LLP Sixties Scoop.

SickKids Foundation was honoured as the winners of Best Creative PR Campaign of the Year for the creative flair and passion behind the SickKids VS campaign.

“This event wouldn’t be possible without the support of dedicated and passionate volunteers who do everything from judging submissions to planning the perfect Gala night,” explained Nancy MacMillan, ACE Awards Chair, CPRS Toronto Chapter. “An ACE Award is a highly coveted achievement that represents skill, innovation and intelligence.”

The 2017 ACE Award Recipients include:

Best PR Campaign of the Year

  • Argyle Public Relationships for Wilson-Christen LLP Sixties Scoop

Best Creative PR Campaign of the Year

  • SickKids Foundation for SickKids VS

Best Digital Communications Campaign of the Year

  • Gold – Paradigm Public Relations, MEC and Edgewell Personal Care for Carefree Free to Be Me
  • Gold – Weber Shandwick for McDonalds Canada Our Lounge
  • Silver – FleishmanHillard for ORBA #SiteUnSeen
  • Bronze – Weber Shandwick for McCormick Club House Just Cook
  • Bronze – Cohn & Wolfe for Coleman Canada Get Outside Day

Best Use of Media Relations (over $50,000)

  • Gold – Pomp & Circumstance PR for Grey Goose Boulangerie Blue
  • Silver – APEX Public Relations for Walmart Canada Discover Another Side 2.0
  • Silver – Citizen Relations for Molson Canadian #anything for hockey
  • Silver – CO-OP for autoTRADER.ca Anyone can buy and sell like a pro
  • Silver – Strategic Objectives for Sears Canada Debbie Travis Launch
  • Silver – Weber Shandwick for Harley-Davidson Canada Café
  • Bronze – Argyle Public Relationships for Canada’s Ecofiscal Commission
  • Bronze – Cohn & Wolfe for Goody Have a Good Hair Day
  • Bronze – GCI Group GCI for Bringing Barbie® You Can Be Anything to Life
  • Bronze – Kaiser Lachance for Royal LePage House Price Survey 2015
  • Bronze – Citizen Relations for PepsiCo Foods Canada Doritos Ketchup Roses
  • Bronze – CO-OP for EarthFresh Foods Inc. Low GR potato Launch
  • Bronze – The Colony Project for Ascencia Diabetes Care
  • Certificate of Merit
    • Pomp and Circumstance PR for Dewars Scotch Egg
    • LG-One, a WPP LG dedicated entity represented by GCI Canada for LG Electronics Canada Got Styler
    • Argyle Public Relationships for Canadian Multiple Myeloma Patient Database
    • DDB Public Relations for Ontario Natural Gas Alliance Extending Summer with Chef Rob Rainford
    • DDB Public Relations for Dairy Farmers of Canada: Project Sheep

Best use of Media Relations (under $50,000)

  • Gold – Pomp & Circumstance PR for Scotiabank World Cup of National Hockey Fan Village
  • Silver – Argyle Public Relationships for Myeloma Canada Research Network
  • Silver – Craft Public Relations for Nintendo of Canada Limited The Launch of Pokémon Sun & Pokémon Moon
  • Silver – Corus Entertainment for Home to Win
  • Silver – Golin Toronto for PetSmart Charities of Canada National Adoption Week-end
  • Silver – Holmes PR for Consignor Canadian Fine Art
  • Silver – Kaiser Lachance Communications for Auspice Capital Advisors the Value of Crude Oil
  • Silver – World Vision Canada for Welcome to Canada
  • Bronze – Kids Help Phone for Kids help Phone
  • Bronze – Craft Public Relations for Clover Leaf Seafoods
  • Bronze – FleishmanHillard for Energizer Camping Program
  • Bronze – Hill+Knowlton Strategies for Interac Association: Interac on Apple Pay Launch
  • Bronze – Toronto Hydro for Emergency Preparedness Hacks
  • Certificate of Merit
    • Communications Agency for SOCAN Canada’s Music Creation Capital
    • InterContinental Hotels Group for InterContinental Hotels Group Holiday Inn Express Sleep In
    • City of Vaughan for Winter Maintenance
    • Corus Entertainment for Vikings and Josh Donaldson
    • elevator communications inc. for Beau’s All Natural Brewing Company
    • FleishmanHillard for Moneris: Holiday Spending Campaign

Best Use of Special Events

  • Gold – DDB Public Relations for CIL Paints Dream It Here Do It Here
  • Gold – The PR Department for Maille Canada: Maille Flavour Studio
  • Silver – Weber Shandwick for Harley-Davidson Canada 1903 A Harley-Davidson Cafe
  • Silver – Paradigm Public Relations and Thermador for Thermador Celebrates 100 Years of Culinary Excellence
  • Silver – Citizen Relations for President’s Choice Babylicious
  • Bronze – energi PR for Astellas Pharma Canada Movember #Baskets For Bros
  • Bronze – Bronze – Citizen Relations for PepsiCo Foods Canada Dorritos Inferno
  • Bronze – Pomp & Circumstance PR for BACARDÍ Holidega
  • Bronze – Centennial College for Up All Night
  • Bronze – The Colony Project for La Roche-Posay Become a Skin Checker
  • Bronze – Zeno Group for Barilla Canada Make It A Pronto Night
  • Bronze – DDB Public Relations for Moët & Chandon TIFF
  • Bronze – engagers for Bay of Quinte Tourism
  • Bronze – Hill+Knowlton Strategies for Motorola #DifferentPlaysBetter
  • Certificate of Merit
    • FleishmanHillard for Energizer TIFF 2016
    • FleishmanHillard for MARS Rice Grains and Food Truck Challenge
    • Pomp & Circumstance PR for Last Great Malts of Scotland
    • Toronto Transit Commission for Honest Ed’s Tribute

Brand Development Campaign

  • Gold — Strategic Objectives for Sears Canada Brand Reinvention
  • Gold — SickKids Foundation for SickKids Foundation
  • Silver – Weber Shandwick for Harley-Davidson Canada 1903 A Harley-Davidson Cafe
  • Silver – APEX Public Relations for Walmart Canada 2016 Marketing Communications
  • Silver – APEX Public Relations for Walmart Canada Discover Another Side 2.0
  • Bronze – Toronto Transit Commission for Toronto Transit Commission
  • Bronze – High Road for President’s Choice Babylicious
  • Bronze – High Road for Clarks Americas, Inc.
  • Bronze – Citizen Relations for PepsiCo Foods Canada Doritos Ketchup Roses
  • Bronze – Weber Shandwick for McDonald’s Canada McCafe Specialty Brand Reignite
  • Certificate of Merit
    • DDB public Relations for Dairy Farmers of Canada – Project Sleep
    • Corby Spirit and Wine for How to Leverage Brand Ambassadors

Community Relations Campaign of the Year

  • Silver – Tangerine Bank for #BrightWayForward
  • Bronze – Hill+Knowlton Strategies & Plan International for Plan International Canada #GirlsBelongHere
  • Bronze – Argyle Public Relationships for Ontario Pork: An Era of Change & Accountability
  • Certificate of Merit
    • High Road for Alvinston Minor Baseball Club Little Leagues Send A Big Message
    • Holmes PR for Scouts Canada Good Turn Week
    • GCI Group for Novo Nordisk Canada Inc. Cities Changing Diabetes
    • CAA South Central Ontario for Heads Up Ontario
    • High Road for CanadaHelps Giving Tuesday
    • Corus Entertainment for #GreaterTorontoDay

Crisis or Issues Management Campaign of the Year

  • Gold – APEX Public Relations for Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo
  • Bronze – Kaiser Lachance Communications for Eastmain Resources
  • Certificate of Merit
    • Tilray Telling the Medical Cannabis Story

 Employee Engagement/Internal Communications Campaign of the Year

  • Gold – City of Vaughan for Staff Forums – 2016
  • Silver – Weber Shandwick for McDonald’s Canada Vision 2017
  • Silver – Weber Shandwick for McDonalds Canada Our Lounge
  • Silver – TVO for My TVO
  • Bronze – PepsiCo Foods Canada for PepsiCo Foods Canada Cultivating A Culture of Transformation
  • Bronze – Weber Shandwick for Royal Bank of Canada #Make150Count

Government Relations Campaign of the Year

  • Gold – Argyle Public Relationships for Wilson-Christen LLP Sixties Scoop

Investor Relations Campaign of the Year

  • Silver – Kaiser Lachance Communications for Auspice Capital Advisors

Marketing Communications Campaign of the Year

  • Gold – Strategic Objectives for Sears Canada Back To School With Sears
  • Gold – The Colony Project for General Mills Smuggleroos
  • Gold – DDB Public Relations for CIL Paints Dream It Here Do It Here
  • Silver – Strategic Objectives for Sears Canada Launch of New Sears Canada
  • Silver – Citizen Relations for President’s Choice Babylicious
  • Silver – GCI Group (GCI) for Bringing Barbie® You Can Be Anything to Life
  • Bronze – Citizen Relations for PepsiCo Food Canada Smart Food Smart Stash
  • Bronze – CO-OP for Weed Man Canada 2016 Marketing Communications Program
  • Bronze – LG-One, a WPP LG dedicated entity represented by GCI Canada for LG Electronics Canada Holiday Got Styler
  • Bronze – Financeit for Financeit – TD Acquisition Indirect Home Improvement
  • Bronze – Kwittken for Sleeman Breweries Railside Tour
  • Bronze – Veritas Communications for General Mills Canada Bring Back the Bees
  • Bronze – North Strategic for AIR MILES Detour
  • Bronze – Weber Shandwick for Manulife Vitality
  • Certificate of Merit
    • Cohn & Wolfe for Coleman Canada Canada Get Outside
    • Your Brand Integrated Marketing Communications Inc. for Two Oceans Wines Canada Bachelorette Sponsorship
    • Paradigm Public Relations, MEC and Edgewell Personal Care for Carefree Free to Be You
    • FleishmanHillard for ORBA #SiteUnseen
    • Weber Shandwick for McDonald’s Canada Restaurant Experience of the Future

New Product or Service Launch Campaign of the Year

  • Gold – Weber Shandwick for McDonald’s Canada McCafe WestJet Partnership
  • Gold – Strategic Objectives for Sears Canada Debbie Travis Launch
  • Gold – Kwittken for Sleeman Breweries Railside Tour
  • Gold – FleishmanHillard for Lactantia Butter Campaign
  • Silver – DDB Public Relations for CIL Paints Dream It Here Do It Here
  • Silver – Weber Shandwick for Manulife Vitality Launch
  • Bronze – Weber Shandwick for McDonald’s Canada Restaurant Experience of the Future
  • Bronze – Hill+Knowlton Strategies for KitchenAid Artisan Mini Launch
  • Certificate of Merit
    • Argyle Public Relationships for CeraVe Skin Love Cera Ve
    • Craft Public Relations for Tetley Canada Ayurvedic Teas
    • FleishmanHillard for MARS Rice Grains Food Truck Challenge
    • ClutchPR for Turo Launch in Canada

Student Public Relations Communications Plan of the Year

  • Bronze – Humber College for Winners Millennial Success
  • Bronze – Centennial College for Canadian Parks Council Simply Second Nature
  • Bronze – Centennial College for CivicAction Mental Health in the Workplace
  • Bronze – Centennial College for WoodGreen Community Services Opportunity Talks

Leadership Awards

  • PR Professional of the Year – Janine Allen, Kaiser Lachance Communications
  • Young PR Professional of the Year – Eric Thomson, Crohn’s and Colitis Canada
  • PR Student of the Year – Priya Khemchandra, Centennial College
  • Lois Marsh Award – Carol Panasiuk
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