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Getting started in PR? Here are 5 steps to build your career
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By: Business Wire Content Team

In our recent professional education webinar, we brought together PR leaders and academics and a rising public relations professional to find out what newer PR pros need to know to move forward in their careers.

Our panellists – Stefan Pollack, President, The Pollack Group; Martin Waxman, digital communications strategist and instructor; and Ryan Whittle, Communications Manager, Kalypso – identified the following five steps:

1. Build your foundation. When you enter the public relations profession, strive to become the “leader behind the leader.” While your role may be highly tactical, it is also critical to look deep and understand the connections between your work and your organization’s or client’s business goals.

2. Focus on personal development. Use your curiosity and absorb everything you can. It is important for newer PR pros to continue learning – and not just about best practices in public relations, but also gaining insights from other industries and disciplines.

3. Form a supportive network. Start by finding a mentor. Look within the company, reach out to alumni and join industry organizations. Mentorships are beneficial to both parties and can be a critical part of not only learning but increasing networking connections. Consider multiple mentors to grow each aspect of your career. Making connections might seem daunting during the pandemic, but Ryan Whittle advises to start by putting time on the calendar and scheduling touch-base meetings to both learn and show your
value.

4. Understand journalism and journalists. If your job is to do media relations, then you need to engage with people in media," explains Stefan Pollack. The crux of public relations is building relationships with journalists. This starts with thinking of them as humans first. Understand what they write and their end goal for their content, know their social channels and how they engage. This will give you a stronger start when you initiate with media.

5. Strategize your career path. To be promoted, you need to build trusted, respected relationships with peers, colleagues and industry professionals. Martin Waxman advises to think two steps ahead on every project. This includes becoming indispensable and coming to the table with ideas that people want to hear. Speak with the confidence that comes from having done your homework. Be proactive whenever you communicate, to let your boss or client know that they are in safe, capable hands.

Growing your public relations career starts with absorbing information, finding mentors and developing the ability to create compelling stories and messaging. Those who move deliberately, learning along the way, will build solid careers from the ground up.

Check out the full recording of this webinar on-demand.

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Unpaid internships affect us all
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By: Laik Sweeney, University of Guelph-Humber graduate and President of the Canadian Public Relations Society’s Toronto Student Steering Committee

We are taught from a young age that those who are creative and would like to pursue a career within the media landscape are less likely to make a wage comparable to their peers in technology or sciences. For far too long, unpaid internships have been known as the way students get their foot in the door, and that’s the way it is for many who have chosen a Media or Art program. The PR industry has normalized students going unpaid for work which is detrimental for not only students, but employers as well. 

I completed an unpaid internship for my university credit and while I had a great experience and learned a lot, I have been researching more into the benefits and value that paid internships bring to all parties. I am also the President of the CPRS Toronto Student Steering Committee and my role revolves around helping other students. By bringing unpaid internships further into the spotlight, I believe we can all help future students, employers and the industry as a whole. 

Talent retention

There are many reasons to invest in interns financially. One struggle for many PR firms is talent retention, with “turnover in the PR industry more than twice as high as the average turnover in the professional services sector at large.” Economically investing in interns may decrease this problem. More talented students, especially those in financially difficult spots, are more willing to apply for a paying job. This creates a larger applicant pool with more opportunities for companies to find the perfect fit for their specific needs. 

Not only do companies increase their application pools, but interns bring in fresh ideas, which is needed within the ever-changing social media and communications space. Those coming right out of school bring an injection of new energy into their workplaces and help contribute innovative ideas to the evolving media landscape that PR firms continuously need to adapt to. While the student may have little to no experience, it is still a real position adding value to the company. 

Unpaid internships reinforce socioeconomic barriers

While the student in an internship position is getting valuable knowledge and other great resources, this is simply not enough. Unpaid internships leave those in vulnerable situations in the dark. It creates a bad taste for the entire industry by promoting those who are privileged to afford an unpaid internship over those in financially challenged households. Companies risk losing out on incredible new talent—students who can only apply to paid internships rather than unpaid. The public relations industry needs more diversity, and unpaid internships make it even harder for the industry to become more diverse. 

Not only are companies who don’t pay their interns creating a specific kind of workforce for the future, but they’re also dampening their own reputation. Reputation is one of the most critical factors for a company when thinking about talent retention. Moreover, when companies don’t pay their interns and omit salary details in job applications, future applicants may not think that company offers competitive salaries, potentially deterring them from applying for positions later in life.

Education costs

Pursuing post-secondary education is an investment in our futures, and many students work very hard to fund this endeavour. The companies that want to help give students a chance to learn and succeed should also financially invest in them. Many students, like myself, leave home to go to university and must pay rent, which is more economically challenging. While this issue has subsided for many due to the work-from-home or online learning formats, the cost of going to university is still high. According to Statistics Canada, in 2015, the average Canadian post-secondary student owed $30,000 at graduation. University tuition fees aren’t going down either. While some universities lowered some expenses for the Fall 2020 semester, prices are back up for Winter 2021 despite remote learning continuing. 

In my own experience, many of my PR classmates weren’t paid for their internships either and needed to work a second job to try and make ends meet when their internship workday ended, adding to the financial stress students already face.

In Ontario, unpaid internships are only legal if the intern is a student receiving academic credit for their work. However, this academic credit is not free to the student. Completing an unpaid internship can make it hard to pay back the fees for that semester. For example, my program required 240 hours of placement to graduate, and the internship course costs approximately $2,000. This means that even if I were to get paid the amount I spent on the internship, I would be making $8.35 an hour. While honorariums are better than unpaid internships, they still promote the thought that creative-based skills are not valued or worth a real wage. This completely devalues the profession and skills needed to be successful in the field. 

Ultimately, the repercussions of unpaid internships hurt everyone involved. The Canadian Public Relations Society is a great supporter of paid internships and I have been working with CPRS Toronto to survey students and employers to get an accurate grasp of how big of a problem unpaid internships are, and what can be done about it. 

My hope for the future is that all employers change the way they value student internships, seeing them as an important strategy to attract talent and mentor the next generation. Paying interns is something that is ultimately beneficial not only to the students and employer but for the reputation of our industry as a whole. 

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A pep talk from a Queer PR professional: 7 reminders to my younger self
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Written by: Matthew Celestial, Executive Director, Statement Strategies & Mentor, CPRS Toronto

I was living above a restaurant in The Village when I launched my public relations firm, Statement Strategies. Back then, I made sure to keep my personal life a mystery, to present myself as a PR enigma. The closet is a terrifying place to be in. It isn’t for the claustrophobic. For many years, I struggled a lot with my identity. When I came to terms with being queer, I knew that life would present itself with challenges. For queer people of colour, like myself, our solution is to remain hidden. These feelings aren’t foreign. We often try to stay away from the spotlight. 

This isn’t always the case in public relations. If anyone had told me I’d land a career in public relations, I’d simply be confused. After all, I was a timid teenager infatuated with MuchMusic, reading Vogue late at night from underneath my bed, and dreaming about becoming a dermatologist because I felt self-conscious about my own skin.

Life doesn’t always work out that way. I fell into this career with an excitement to tell stories, share the work of some of the most talented people I’ve had the privilege of representing, and to empower others. The journey has been difficult, and being a queer person of colour, I haven’t always been immune to the bigotry in the world. But being queer gives you a lot of life lessons, and sometimes, I find myself reminding my teenage self a lot of things. 

You belong here. 

There is room and a seat at the table for you and your ideas. No one is too small to contribute to the team effort. No matter how many times people try to close the door on you, remember that you are right where you need to be. 

There are people who want to see you win. 

For so long, queer people have spent a lot of time being alert. Sometimes, it’s a learned habit to be on guard, terrified of what people might think about you, and defensive. However, there are people who want to see you succeed – from your mentors to colleagues to family and friends.  

You are a leader. 

A career title might mean a lot to people, but I believe the title that everyone can earn is ’leader’. This doesn’t always mean you need to lead a large team or be in a management role. Queer people have spent many years leading themselves through some of the most difficult times. You can make a huge impact by drawing from your experiences and reflecting those takeaways into your everyday actions. 

Be yourself. 

The only person you need to be in this career is yourself. Along the way, you’ll find what works for you, what doesn’t, and you’ll learn from your mistakes. There is no one single pathway to success, so show up for yourself and be the most authentic version of you each and every day.

You’ll make mistakes. Just own it.

There are going to be tough days in this career. It’s a reality of being human and the world we live in. While we may not always have control over what happens in every situation, what we do hold power over is how we bounce back and move forward.

Empower others. 

One day, you’ll be comfortable under your own skin. When that day comes, pay it forward. Help others speak up when they can’t. We already do that work for a living and it can mean more than you know for someone to see a piece of themself represented through you. Let’s build each other up together so we can create a more inclusive and prosperous industry.

Stay curious and continue to learn.

Everything is constantly changing. We don’t have to be fixated or contained in a box. Keep learning. Whether that’s about yourself, the world you live in or where you want to go. Life is meant to be dynamic and ever-evolving, so go with the flow and embrace every opportunity.

One last thing: Enjoy the process. Because it’s going to be a wild ride. 

For more resources, check out the following organizations:

About Matthew Celestial 

Matthew Celestial is the Executive Director of Statement Strategies, a communications and public strategy firm, specializing in technology, entertainment, and innovative lifestyle brands. He has handled PR campaigns for Pixar Animation, DreamWorks Animation, Corus Entertainment, Paramount Pictures, and others. He is passionate about professional development programming for minority groups.

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CPRS Toronto: In conversation with Melissa Retty
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Written by: Kaila Currie-Bartlett, Account Executive, Craft Public Relations & Digital Communications Coordinator, CPRS Toronto

For our June In Conversation With series, we connected with Melissa Retty, Senior Vice President at Craft Public Relations and previously named PR in Canada’s Top 30 Under 30. She is a seasoned PR practitioner and industry thought leader, who has helped some of the world’s leading brands build and execute award-winning communication plans including GE Appliances, Tetley Canada, Keurig Dr Pepper and many, many more. 

How did 2020 change your role as a PR practitioner?

There’s been no shortage of change in the PR world during the past year! The Canadian media landscape continues to evolve and unfortunately, has taken a hard hit in 2020-21 – and this in and of itself has made the role of PR more challenging than ever. We’ve had to completely rethink the way we execute events, adapting to a virtual world. And we’ve seen many shifts in the influencer landscape as new platforms and channels continue to emerge on a weekly – if not daily – basis. 

But the core of everything we do as PR practitioners is storytelling. And even as we work our way through the biggest global pandemic, that hasn’t changed. Of course, we’ve had to adapt and evolve the way we choose to tell those stories to reach the masses but whether we’re pitching a magazine, working with a TikTok creator or leading a brand partnership program, we’re just using a different approach to tell our stories and I don’t think that will ever change.

What other changes to your career/role as a PR practitioner do you see emerging in 2021 and beyond? Why?

With clients busier than ever working to adapt their businesses to meet the new realities of the world, there’s never been more of a need for smart, strategic counsel from PR agencies. 

The ability to come to the table with creative, strategic ideas and be nimble enough to adapt and implement these ideas with the world on fire around us has now become table stakes.  I think the role of PR agencies on the whole will only continue to evolve in this way.

 What is your biggest piece of advice for PR practitioners moving forward? 

Every day at Craft, we challenge ourselves to be creative and think outside the box. We are constantly asking ourselves – is this the right approach to drive our clients’ business forward? And if it’s not, we’re not afraid to change course to make sure our PR efforts are making an impact. Fostering an environment where everyone on the team feels empowered to be creative and ask themselves this question every step of the way will not only make our work stronger as individual practitioners, but I do believe it can help breathe new life into the industry as a whole. 

About CPRS Toronto’s In Conversation With blog series

Once a month, CPRS Toronto’s communications and marketing subcommittee will post quick conversations with GTA public relations practitioners and industry thought leaders. During these conversations we look to explore the impact COVID-19 has had on communication practitioners, as well as provide insights into the future of public relations moving forward. If you are interested in participating, please contact our Digital Communications Coordinator, Kaila Currie-Bartlett at kailacurriebartlett@gmail.com.

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Our Commitment for the future of CPRS Toronto
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The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has been a rollercoaster ride for everyone, personally and professionally. However, the past year has allowed us to reflect and change, hopefully for the better. A key takeaway from this pandemic is that growth is imperative in all facets of life, especially in the workplace. We understand the need to pivot, which will help our CPRS Toronto chapter evolve and help our profession and the communications community. We will do this with the launch of our new strategic plan and a revamped mission statement. 

Mission Statement: Our mission is to strengthen the communications industry in Ontario by providing leadership on best practices, ethics, diversity, and inclusion while providing professionals, students, and new Canadians with awards of excellence, certifications, networking, and professional development. 

Our strategic plan outlines the changes we plan on implementing over three years to support our mission statement. During this time, we will be focusing on three core priorities; identity, membership, and financial health. After multiple discussions and meetings, the consensus was that these three are the most integral aspects of our organization that we need to focus on and improve.

Identity: The past year has been a whirlwind, politically and socially. In many instances, we are different, but unity has been at the forefront of all movements. Unity in our communities is who we are as an organization and how we can enhance the industry, and our professionals are imperative for our strategic plan. To support these goals, we will broaden our reach and connections in our communities, encourage and create networking opportunities, and elevate the profession. 

Membership:  Our organization should represent all Canadians; therefore, we need to increase and diversify our membership. We want to create an environment that is inclusive of all communicators. Membership gives an individual a sense of belonging and holds great value in the industry. To diversify our membership, we have decided to focus on cost efficiency for students and young professionals and create greater avenues and connections for new Canadians and visible minorities. 

Financial health: Ensuring our financial stability and sustainability is vital now more than ever. The pandemic has left many businesses with no real future. As a non-profit volunteer organization, we need to be proactive in strengthening our financial position. Creating greater revenue opportunities is one of our goals, followed by increasing sponsorship opportunities, creating a legacy fund, and decreasing our costs. 

As an organization, we are committed to inclusion and growth. Following the landmark year that was 2020, we need to implement changes that will make us stronger as an organization. Our revised mission statement and strategic plan are essential tools to provide our industry and professionals with greater inclusivity, diversity, and financial stability. 

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Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS), Toronto Chapter announces the 2021 Achieving Communications Excellence (ACE) Awards Winners
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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

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How to write the right quote for your press releases
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Written by: Business Wire Content Team

If you do an internet search on “how to write a press release” almost every article you read will include a section on how to write a press release quote. And for good reason. A well-written soundbite can often turn a page 2 story into front page news. 

But the fact is, despite being a consistent part of press releases, most quotes are ignored by reporters. While quotes have the power to emphasize and expand your announcement, most PR quotes are overly complicated and organizationally-focused. 

It is time for PR pros to take a new approach to how they write and present quotes. 

But where do you start? In this recap of Business Wire’s recent webinar featuring Ann Wylie of Wylie Communications, we look at the four ways to quickly and easily create more effective quotes.

Good quotes, when smartly written, turn your news releases into storytelling opportunities that can encompass a problem, solution, and results in a single narrative arc. 

Check out the full piece by Business Wire here: Best Practices for Presenting Quotes in Press Releases.

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Event Recap: The evolution of the influencer in PR
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Written by Anjali Rego, Corporate Communications Specialist at Corus Entertainment

  • What is the most significant shift in influencer dynamics in recent years? 
  • How do you differentiate yourself from other influencers when competing for campaigns? 
  • How do you determine rates?

These questions and more were addressed by Jenny Shin, President of CPRS Toronto and CEO of Milestones Public Relations and Talent Management, and guest speakers Krystal Ng-A-Mann (also known as dineandfash), a lawyer, content creator and lifestyle blogger and Bria Weaver, Freelance PR and Marketing Consultant during the recent event titled ‘The Evolution of the Influencer in PR,’ sponsored by Business Wire.

Michelle Dias, Vice-President of CPRS Toronto, welcomed the attendees and the panellists to the event before handing over the baton to Shin, who moderated the session.

The shift in influencer dynamics

Weaver kicked off the conversation talking about how her entrance into the industry 10 years ago focussed on bloggers and has now moved on to social media platforms like YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. 

Ng-A-Mann began her journey as a full-time influencer four years ago when brands were reluctant to get into influencer marketing. She is now a part of more extensive campaigns with significant amounts of money being spent and long-term investments in influencer relations.

Seeing a campaign come to fruition

As an influencer, Ng-A-Mann explained her experience in seeing a campaign come to fruition. In most cases, she has already worked with a PR agency or a brand, who are aware of her work and her metrics. However, Ng-A-Mann shares her media kit and audience metrics, the percentage of Canadian following being a vital metric before the campaign. Post-campaign, Ng-A-Mann shares screengrabs of comments and messages she receives while being mindful of the privacy implications of sharing comments, especially in messages.

What’s it like to work as an influencer?

Ng-A-Mann explained the two aspects of working as an influencer – the admin part where she answers emails, negotiates contracts, meets deadlines and the creative part where she establishes her voice and provides value to her audience. She has recently shared her fertility journey and has attracted a whole new audience. 

Ng-A-Mann also mentioned there were times when her calendar was very busy with campaigns, especially during the holidays, and then there would be times when campaigns were slow. Even though Ng-A-Mann’s calendar fluctuates, she creates organic content for her followers rather than depending on sponsored content all the time. Ng-A-Mann emphasized the importance of prioritizing organic content over sponsored content as it is more relatable to followers and increases her number of followers and engagement rate.

Macro vs micro vs nano influencers

Shin, Ng-A-Mann and Weaver discussed what makes an influencer a macro-influencer, micro-influencer and nano-influencer in terms of the numbers of followers. Still, they could not achieve a consensus on the number of followers. Weaver suggested combining macro, micro and nano influencers across engaged audiences. At the same time, Ng-A-Mann mentioned that when the number of followers was too large, their audience would spread too far, and the brand message would not always reach the right audience.

Credibility and accountability

Shin, Ng-A-Mann and Weaver stressed the importance of credibility and accountability. Weaver announced her pilot project – The Influencer Review – an online tool where PR agencies and brands can post reviews of influencers and rate their experiences working with them.

Ng-A-Mann explained the best practices as influencers where they have to use the product or service they are endorsing and speak about it truthfully. They also have to mention whether they have paid for the product or received it as a gift. Ng-A-Mann admitted hesitancy towards declaring sponsored posts initially, but now she is open to it because more work is involved in promoting a product in her voice that aligns with her values.

Rates of influencers

Shin spoke about her challenge in convincing clients that they couldn’t expect influencers to create content for free or in exchange for swag. When determining rates, Weaver is not afraid to ask influencers for past successful campaign case studies to ensure her clients’ maximum ROI. 

When discussing rates and negotiating contracts, Ng-A-Mann mentioned she did not favour having a standard rate card and being flexible when negotiating rates based on the value they bring to the brand, the scope of work, the deadline and its complexity. Being a corporate commercial lawyer, Ng-A-Mann reviews contracts for herself and other creators but advises them not to use online templates because she notices a big disconnect between brands and influencers regarding usage terms, copyright and ownership. Ng-A-Mann also discourages charging rates based on cost per impression (CPM) because following and engagement can be purchased, inflating the quantity instead of quality. 

Ng-A-Mann gets approached for pro bono work for non-profits, and she donates several posts and stories. However, time constraints don’t always allow Ng-A-Mann to help everyone, even though she wants to, especially if she has a relationship with the brand or a connection to the cause.

Pay to Play and Whitelisting

Ng-A-Mann explained that Pay to Play is a legal concept where brands are obligated to pay the influencer to create the content, but they are not obligated to post it. 

In terms of whitelisting, Ng-A-Mann explained how the reach of sponsored content is lower than organic content and how brands are aware that Instagram wants users to pay to play. Ng-A-Mann prefers brands to pay to promote her content as it helps her reach new audiences. However, the whitelisting is done by the brand, and she is not in control of the parameters, thereby attracting trolls and negative attention.

The event ended with an informal conversation with the panellists and the attendees.

To stay up to date on the latest news, blog articles and upcoming events, subscribe to CPRS Toronto’s newsletter.

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CPRS Toronto: In conversation with Jaclyn Cossarini
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Written by: Kaila Currie-Bartlett, Account Executive, Craft Public Relations & Digital Communications Coordinator, CPRS Toronto

For our May In Conversation With series, we connected with Jaclyn Cossarini, one of CPRS Toronto’s social media coordinators and current student in Humber College’s Public Relations Graduate Certificate program. She is a Queen’s alumni with a Honours Bachelor of Arts in history and health studies and is very passionate about public affairs, advocacy, and all things communications. 

What is it like completing your graduate certificate during COVID-19? 

Starting and completing my graduate certificate in a virtual learning environment has been a unique introduction to the communications industry. My classmates and faculty have adapted to a new method of collaboration and communication. I have found that the independent learning style has provided more time to focus on the work at hand, and improved school-life balance.

Unfortunately, remote learning has limited opportunities to form professional connections in the industry. I find myself missing out on the opportunity to tour agencies in person and network with professionals over a cup of coffee. While virtual coffee chats are admittedly easier to schedule, there is something to be said about the difficulty that comes with forming meaningful connections with someone through a screen.

What are you most excited for when thinking about entering the working world/starting your internship?

I am most excited about applying the skills I have learned at Humber College and my practical experience with CPRS Toronto as a social media coordinator into client-facing work for an agency. Through various projects at Humber, I have grown to love working with clients to approach problems and collaborate to build meaningful solutions as a team. I am also hopeful that I will be able to integrate elements of my undergraduate research at Queen’s University into a role in public affairs. My research on Indigenous advocacy and reconciliation has been a formative part of my education, and I would love to find a role in public affairs that allows me to combine this experience with my love of communications.

Do you have any advice for those looking to learn more about or get involved with the PR and communications industry?

I highly recommend getting involved with a professional association like CPRS. Volunteering is a great way to develop your industry experience and grow your network. A membership will provide you with countless opportunities to attend events with industry professionals, which is a great way to learn from the best in the field. 

I also recommend using social media platforms to your advantage. Start connecting with industry professionals on LinkedIn, follow relevant hashtags on Twitter and even consider starting your own blog. Staying relevant, informed and being an active participant in the landscape are great ways to learn more about PR and communications.  

Any advice you would offer to future students considering the Humber PR postgraduate certificate program? 

If you are considering the program and have questions, do not hesitate to reach out to alumni. Simply search ‘Humber Public Relations’ on LinkedIn or Twitter, and you will find countless individuals who would be more than willing to chat with you about the program and their career paths. There is no doubt that Humber PR is a challenging program, but I have learned (and heard from many alumni!) that it really does prepare you for work in a real-world communications environment. If you can manage your time effectively, collaborate with your peers and work hard, you will find this program to be a rewarding path to a future career in PR and communications. 

About CPRS Toronto’s In Conversation With blog series

Once a month, CPRS Toronto’s communications and marketing subcommittee will post quick conversations with GTA public relations practitioners and industry thought leaders. During these conversations we look to explore the impact COVID-19 has had on communication practitioners, as well as provide insights into the future of public relations moving forward. If you are interested in participating, please contact our Digital Communications Coordinator, Kaila Currie-Bartlett at kailacurriebartlett@gmail.com.

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Event Recap: 2021 Reset: Member Survival Guide
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Written by: Mahlet Sintayehu, Public Relations Student at Ryerson University, Professional Development Sub-Committee Member, CPRS Toronto

The CPRS Toronto Society recently wrapped up a free event entitled “2021 Reset: Member Survival Guide,” moderated by CPRS’s Director of Social Affairs Robert Plant. The event kicked off with a presentation from inspirational author and life coach Carol-Ann Hamilton, who offered attendees practical tools to help combat mental burnout amidst the ongoing pandemic. 

Carol-Ann explained how often, the goals and resolutions we create for ourselves feel like a laundry list of to-do’s and argued that creating intentions is a more effective and efficient way of obtaining our desired outcomes. Although these three terms share similarities in meaning, it is a well-thought-out intention that allows one to understand the underlying purpose behind your desired outcomes, answering the question, “why am I actually doing this?”

Next, Hamilton introduced her stress management method, which she bases on practicing what she calls “energy mastery.” According to her research, out of the 60,000 to 75,000 thoughts we have in a day, roughly 77% of those thoughts, are counter-productive in some form or another. She dispelled ideas typically held amongst working professionals that productivity and efficiency are opposites to leisure time and self-care. One of the biggest takeaways of the event is that taking more time for ourselves will greatly aid in the inspiration and execution of our work. Engaging in extreme self-care is NOT selfish.

“We attract people and circumstances aligned with the energy that we put out there. If we put out positive, we get out positive, and vice versa.” –  Carol-Ann Hamilton, Inspirational Author and Life Coach

She concluded her presentation by discussing the process of career and life planning, more specifically, if it is even possible to formulate a plan in 2021. She argues that thinking about your big “why” based on what is truly meaningful to you is the first step to appropriate career and life planning. She argues that unless one considers what nourishes them first, any planning will not prevail. Finally, she challenged attendees to start this process by thinking about what is important to us as individuals, what qualities we would like to embody, and what we must let go of as it no longer serves us.

The conversation continued with a panel discussion and Q+A with Elizabeth Axiak, the host of “Living Intentionally with Elizabeth,” and Craft PR Intern Robert Van Horne sharing their tips on being mindful and grounded while living busy lives. Adding to Carol-Ann’s points on self-care, Elizabeth did a fantastic job of emphasizing that self-development must come from a place of compassion, as she understands the tendency for PR professionals to prioritize clients and employers over their own total wellness. Robert used his years of experience in management, sales and event planning to articulate that we must be honest about what we’re experiencing as we adapt to our current times. Van-Horne provided attendees with practical tips to help maintain a healthy work/life balance during this period of working from home, like creating different spaces designated for working and resting, and closing your laptop when finished work to signal the end of a work-day.

“Ask yourself, ‘Am I waiting until it’s a problem to admit that I’m having trouble adapting, or am I being proactive and giving myself a chance to deal with the issue?” – Robert Van-Horne, PR Intern, Craft

To stay up to date on the latest news, blog articles and upcoming events, subscribe to CPRS Toronto’s newsletter.

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