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Does PR have a diversity problem?
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A look at Black female representation in PR

Written by: Sharlyn Carrington, Founder & Director, Content Strong by CONTENTEVENTS

Everyone is finally talking about diversity and particularly anti-Black racism. Hundreds of days worth of protests have emboldened this conversation. 

The people want to know more about the composition of teams, specific actions to address race-based barriers and how leaders are taking steps to make concrete changes. Organizations are increasingly under the spotlight to demonstrate action on these issues, and they’re looking to communicators to give guidance on how to engage in dialogue. Increasingly they’re noticing what I noticed a few years ago, their communications teams are not diverse. 

In 2018, I researched whether there was a lack of Black women in public relations, and if so, what was keeping them out. Limited research about Canadian public relations led me to draw on data from the U.S. which uncovered four key insights: 

PR’s image is lily-white

A study conducted on movies and TV over a 15-year period showed women in public relations were portrayed as attractive, social, stylish, and mostly, if not all, white. 

Studies on reputation and image made it clear:

If we only see one image of the ideal public relations practitioner, we become programmed to believe the field is only for that one type of person.

This common reputation, image and identity can greatly impact the way PR is valued as a business function.

PR teams are not diverse

  • PR teams are mostly composed of white females, yet leadership teams are largely male.
  • Disparities are even more obvious when it comes to racial and ethnic groups.
  • Practitioner demographics don’t proportionately reflect the diversity of the country.
  • Black women are underrepresented in senior management.

Gender and racial barriers still exist

  • Women account for more than two-thirds of all practitioners, yet still make an average of 6 per cent less than male practitioners. 
  • Factors like ethnicity and race impact where women are placed in the gender-power scheme, where white women are placed higher than others.
  • Black women face dual discrimination, are more likely to be in worst situations when it comes to job level, income, security and satisfaction, and overall have more barriers that exclude them from getting promoted.
  • Although discrimination is of course a barrier, so too is a lack of Black role models and mentors to emulate, learn from, or create support groups with.

Diversity is vital

  • There should be as much diversity inside the organization as there is outside for the organization to be the most effective. 
  • When organizations or in this case PR, neglects to embrace diversity it can miss huge opportunities not only to reach diverse publics, but it can become more vulnerable to possible crises. 

Study participants

I privately interviewed 21 Black female practitioners about working in Ontario PR. Participants worked mostly in intermediate and middle management levels, in a range of industries, between the ages of 31 and 54 years old. 

THEIR ANSWERS BELOW, MIRRORED PREVIOUS RESEARCH:

Mentors: Most participants had mentors, but many were not Black, and those that were, did not work in public relations.

Inclusivity: Participants felt PR was not inclusive, it was white-dominated, and many told stories not of explicit exclusion, but of a knowledge that they were not “part of the club.”

Barriers: Many cited being held back by managers, discrimination, and motherhood as barriers to their advancement.

Covert racism: Participants described that their experiences with racism were mostly not direct, yet they experienced microaggressions; subtle, engrained, and unconscious biases; and having felt they were discriminated against, but couldn’t prove it.

Code-switching: Participants described being held to a higher standard; having to suppress their voice as to avoid the “angry Black stereotype;” and changing their hairstyle and wardrobe in response to negative comments, microaggressions, direct sabotage and to appear non-threatening. 

Mostly white leadership: Almost all spoke about their organizational leaders being mostly white, and therefore not having a comfortable space to talk about their race-salient experiences.

Deterrents: Participants mentioned a lack of Black role models, leaders, and professors, and not having the right network as deterrents to entering PR.

The bottom line

The reputation of and representation within PR is narrow and could be deterring black women as they may not consider it a field with which to enter and excel.

All participants agreed, diversity is vital to the effectiveness and credibility of PR. Therefore, it’s crucial to encourage more people of all races to pursue careers in the practice and to create spaces where diverse practitioners feel safe, included and empowered to do their jobs effectively.

Sharlyn is a storyteller and strategist with 12 years of experience in communications, marketing, and events. She’s held a myriad of fast-paced roles advising five Ontario ministries and 12 Cabinet ministers, leading a team of advisors for two Premiers’ offices, conducting media relations for tech and lifestyle clients, and writing and leading operations for a lifestyle magazine. She holds a Master’s degree in Communications Management from McMaster University, (for which this research was conducted), and from concept to design she is now running a content strategy and copywriting business.

References:

1 Pompper, D. (2005). Multiculturalism in the public relations curriculum: Female African American
practitioners' perceptions of effects. The Howard Journal of Communications, 16, 295-316.
Kern-Foxworth, M. (1989). Status and roles of minority public relations practitioners. Public Relations
Review, 15(3), 39-47.
2 Brown, K. A., White, C., & Waymer, D. (2011). African-American students’ perceptions of public
relations education and practice: Implications for minority recruitment. Public Relations Review, 37(5),
522-529.
3 Appelbaum, L., Southerland, E., & Walton, F. (2014). An examination of factors affecting the success of under-represented groups in the public relations profession. Retrieved from http://www.prsafoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/CCNY-Diversity-Study-FINAL.pdf
4 Jiang, H., Ford, R., Long, P., & Ballad, D. (2015). Diversity and inclusion: A summary of the current status and practices of Arthur W. Page Society members. Retrieved from http://www.prsafoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/DI-FINAL.pdf
5 Austin, L. L. (2010). Framing diversity: A qualitative content analysis of public relations industry
publications. Public Relations Review, 36(3), 298-301.
6 Hong, S., & Len-Riós, M. E. (2015). Does race matter? Implicit and explicit measures of the
effect of the PR spokesman's race on evaluations of spokesman source credibility and perceptions of a PR crisis' severity. Journal of Public Relations Research, 27(1), 63-80.

7 Pompper, D. (2004). Linking ethnic diversity & two-way symmetry: Modeling female African American practitioners’ roles. Journal of Public Relations Research, 16(3), 269-299.
8 Grunig, L. A., Toth, E. L., & Hon, L. C. (2000). Feminist values in public relations. Journal of Public Relations Research, 12(1), 49-68.
Pompper, D. (2004). Linking ethnic diversity & two-way symmetry: Modeling female African American practitioners’ roles. Journal of Public Relations Research, 16(3), 269-299.
9 Austin, L. L. (2010). Framing diversity: A qualitative content analysis of public relations industry
publications. Public Relations Review, 36(3), 298-301.
10 Vardeman-Winter, J., & Place, K. R. (2017). Still a lily-white field of women: The state of workforce diversity in public relations practice and research. Public Relations Review, 43(2), 326-336.

11 Vardeman-Winter, J., & Place, K. R. (2017). Still a lily-white field of women: The state of workforce diversity in public relations practice and research. Public Relations Review, 43(2), 326-336.
Logan, N. (2011). The white leader prototype: A critical analysis of race in public relations. Journal of
Public Relations Research, 23(4), 442-457.
Pompper, D. (2004). Linking ethnic diversity & two-way symmetry: Modeling female African American practitioners’ roles. Journal of Public Relations Research, 16(3), 269-299.
12 Appelbaum, L., Southerland, E., & Walton, F. (2014). An examination of factors affecting the success of under-represented groups in the public relations profession. Retrieved from
http://www.prsafoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/CCNY-Diversity-Study-FINAL.pdf,
Len-Rios, M.E. (1998). Minority public relations practitioner perceptions. Public Relations Review, 24(4)
535-555.
13 Pompper, D. (2004). Linking ethnic diversity & two-way symmetry: Modeling female African American practitioners’ roles. Journal of Public Relations Research, 16(3), 269-299.
14 Hon, L. C., & Brunner, B. (2000). Diversity issues and public relations. Journal of Public Relations Research, 12(4), 309-340.

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Black Lives Matter and the corporate response
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Written by: Gail Strachan, Director of Professional Development, Chair, Inclusion & Equity, CPRS Toronto, Organizational Transformation, Accenture Canada

These opinions are Gail’s alone. No copyright infringement is intended. 

2020 is the year of action – empathetic, intentional, and necessary regarding anti-black racism. Even in corporate Canada.

More than ever, we are discussing the effects of anti-black racism, systemic racism, and the global response to #blacklivesmatter protests. Dialogue, however, cannot be a veil to the measurable action that must be up-front and centre with the corporate statements being made. Trusted advisors in or outside of communication teams have a critical role to play.

Regardless of where we sit (the C-suite, marketing, communications, or human resources), we have an enterprise role that speaks for our internal and external stakeholders. When plugged into these various groups, our corporate listening allows us to prepare thoughtful, swift, and measurable responses.

We know that crafting a response takes time and that responses need to be validated, approved, and signed off. However, making recommendations about ongoing anti-black racism issues that have continuously taken place in corporate Canada means that some volumes were not turned on.

Anti-black racism has historically not been a source of dialogue at the highest levels of corporate Canada. This sentiment was bravely articulated by now Dr. Hadiya Roderique in 2017, and yet this conversation continues to be on the table.

Understanding stakeholder sentiment means that communication teams can reframe the anti-black racism narrative in corporate Canada.

By now, we have read some of these statements which I have segmented as those who:

  1. Stand against racism of any form
  2. Are anti-racist, or
  3. Are affecting anti-black racism change

There has been study after study discussing the changes required across disparities in socio-economic issues, marketing of products and services, racial profiling, and the social determinants of health. Anti-black racism dialogue in Canada is not new. The corporate tone with respect to anti-black racism should by now be rooted in the culture of every organization and not a part of “crisis” communications.

If a delayed response is currently being managed, communication teams and agencies should ask why anti-black racism has not been at the corporate table until now.

These employee moments that matter will inevitably become the external corporate narrative that will play out over the next 30-60-90 days and year-to-year until what is necessary for change is implemented and measures are put in place to remove the systems of racism.

Let that change include intentional systemic organizational transformation that expands space for black employees at all levels of the organization, from the Board of Directors to hiring practices.

When a corporate statement is being developed, some specific questions need to be asked including:

  • How is the Board segmented to include black professionals?
  • What is the plan to bring qualified employees (current or new) into leadership roles?
  • What is the corporate budget for anti-black racism training?
  • What are the indicators being measured at exit interviews specific to black employees leaving the organization?
  • Do you have a Black Employee Resource Group? Do they have active and supportive Executive Sponsor?
  • How is the budget allocated for Employee Resource Groups?

These actions can be measured as a critical success factor through dialogue which is:

  1. Empathetic in acknowledgment
  2. Intentional about learning about anti-black racism
  3. Inclusive regarding the opportunity to discuss, and most importantly,
  4. Includes non-black employees as well.

I have built my career on the utmost respect for the power of dialogue and its force to build bridges. Dialogue without meaningful and measurable action, with individuals in the room who have taken responsibility for their position in the dialogue, however, is why we are where we are today.

Corporate Canada has some catching up to do with respect to anti-black racism. Working with your trusted advisors inside and outside of communication teams is the way forward.

Gail is a strategic advisor and communications professional who began her career on Bay Street as a corporate law clerk and moved on to corporate recruiting and communication roles. Now in consulting, Gail is a transformative leader and culture disruptor. She is works with clients to design a workforce culture that will impact employee relations and future transformations. She is completing her accreditation in public relations with the Canadian Public Relations Society and lives in Toronto. These opinions are Gail’s alone. No copyright infringement is intended. 

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Event Recap: Virtual career development seminar
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Written by: Manasi Sohoni, Student Volunteer 

Finding a job is challenging during “normal” times, but throw in a pandemic and upcoming recession and job hunting becomes even more daunting. 

Understanding this and seeing how the GTA PR and communications community is negatively impacted by COVID-19, CPRS Toronto held a virtual career development seminar on July 22 for communications professionals and recent graduates. The goal of this seminar was to help the community understand the principles of career development and job searching.

The one-hour online seminar was hosted and moderated by Michelle Dias, CPRS Toronto’s Vice President. Guest speakers Nina Kalos EVP, General Manager, Veritas Communications and Roxanne Cramer, Career Coach and Recruiter, walked through the fundamentals of career planning and provided the audience of entry-to mid-level participants with solid, first-hand advice.

The seminar was kicked off by Michelle, who spoke about the current job market and what consequences it has faced in these unprecedented times. She mentioned that working in the travel and tourism industry, which has been heavily impacted by COVID-19, was the inspiration for creating this session. After  welcoming everyone and giving an overview of the seminar, she introduced the first speaker, Nina Kalos, as a great resource and a dedicated leader. 

Nina, who also recruits for Veritas Communications spoke about various ways to ‘wow a recruiter in an interview.’ She mentioned interviewers today don’t just look for candidates who dress the part and bring in an A+ resume, but are also looking for candidates who are authentic and can present their stories. Nina shared steps to take before, during and after an interview. Conducting thorough research, forming connections with the employers, sending a thank you note and asking for feedback after an interview were some of the crucial steps she mentioned.

Following Nina, Roxanne Cramer,  shared her thoughts on building your brand, managing career goals and their timelines, how to identify your strengths and then measure your performance. Roxanne mentioned that one of the major necessities when it comes to working in the communications industry is to find your passion and stick to it. Having a smile on, getting excited when you talk about the work you do and your accomplishments, shows that you love what you do. She further went on to talk about how necessary it is to be a good writer and have knowledge about various technological platforms like social media, CRM programs, analytics and databases.

Roxanne also gave tips on how to build your resume and all the necessary information to be added on. She mentioned that every resume needs to be tailor-made as per the job descriptions. She reiterated the point about portfolios being necessary to showcase your work to a potential employer.

At the end of the session, participants asked Nina and Roxanne questions and had the opportunity to network through the Zoom chat box. CPRS Toronto plans to keep hosting similar virtual events in this time of need to provide communication professionals the networking opportunities they are seeking. 

BONUS CONTENT:

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

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NEWS RELEASE: The Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) Toronto Chapter, celebrates communications excellence, virtually, at annual ACE Awards
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TORONTO, July 27, 2020 /CNW/ – This evening, the Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) Toronto Chapter celebrated the best in public relations and communications at its annual Achieving Communications Excellence (ACE) Awards ceremony, virtually. Typically, the annual awards ceremony sees hundreds of communication professions gather from across the Greater Toronto Area. This year the ACE awards were announced online.

The ACE Awards represent skill, innovation and intelligence within the public relations and communications industry. This evening’s awards began with a brief digital presentation announcing the finalists and ended with a presentation announcing the winners in each category. Winners can be found here: youtube.com/user/CPRSToronto/.

“I would like to congratulate all of the winners. We saw over 100 entries this year; I was impressed by the creativity, and results of the awards submissions,” said Jenny Shin, President, CPRS Toronto Chapter. “This is one of the most anticipated nights of the year for the CPRS Toronto community. Although we had to pivot to online this year, we were still able to celebrate the incredible level of talent within the industry.”

The ACE Awards recognize communications campaigns in various categories including events, media relations, digital media and student accomplishment.

“This night is an incredible way to highlight the best in public relations and communications, congratulations to all winners. The ACE awards wouldn’t be possible without the dedicated support of our passionate volunteers. Our volunteers the full execution of the awards including judging submissions and event planning,” said Anne Marie Males, ACE Awards Chair, CPRS Toronto Chapter. “We’re also grateful to our sponsors, Business Wire, Cision, Meltwater, The Canadian Press, Leger and McMaster University who continue to support us.”

The 2020 ACE Award recipients included:

Finalists, Best Creative
  • Canadian Tire Ltd. & Weber Shandwick; Canadian Tire Own The Water
  • Weber Shandwick Canada and Mondelez Canada; Cadbury Dairy Milk and Oreo Bar PALentine’s Day
  • McDonald’s Canada & Weber Shandwick Canada; McHappy Day
  • Agnostic & Metro Ontario; Metro Supports Local
Finalists, Best in Show
  • Kaiser Lachance Communications & ADP Canada; ADP Canada’s Workplace Insight Studies
  • SecureKey Technologies and Kaiser Lachance Communications; Verified.Me Launch
  • ruckus Digital & Husqvarna Canada; Husqvarna Canada Husqy Squad Influencer Campaign
  • McDonald’s Canada & Weber Shandwick Canada; McHappy Day
  • Canadian Tire Ltd. & Weber Shandwick; Canadian Tire Own The Water
Brand Development Campaign, Best
  • Gold-McDonald’s Canada, Weber Shandwick Canada; McHappy Day
  • Gold-The Lung Health Foundation and Edelman Canada; The Toker
  • Gold-Weber Shandwick Canada & Sport Chek; Sport Chek x Good American
  • Gold-McDonald’s Canada, Weber Shandwick Canada; McDelivery
  • Gold-Weber Shandwick Canada and Mondelez Canada; CDMO – PALentine’s Day
  • Silver-Proof Inc. & Allergan Canada; Beauty Decoded Live
  • Bronze-1Milk2Sugars & Nivea Canada; NIVEA Oil Infused Body Lotions Campaign
  • Bronze-Purolator, Weber Shandwick Canada; Purolator Holiday Peak Season Program
  • Bronze-Agnostic & Metro Ontario; Metro Supports Local
  • Bronze-BlueSky Communications & Rakuten.ca; Rakuten Rebrand
Community Relations, Best Use of
  • Gold-Nuclear Waste Management Organization; NWMO’s Journey Towards Reconciliation
  • Silver-Canadian Tire Ltd. & Weber Shandwick Canada; Canadian Tire Rap-pairing Toronto Courts
  • Silver-Weber Shandwick Canada; 2018/19 Chevrolet Good Deeds Cup
  • Silver-CANEAST Communications; RecycleMyElectronics Community Relations
Crisis or Issues Management, Best
  • Gold-Rogers Media; ‘You People’: A Cultural Conversation
CSR or Cause Related Campaign, Best
  • Gold-Ronald McDonald House Charities Canada & Weber Shandwick Canada; RMHC Canada: National Cookie Day
  • Gold-McDonald’s Canada & Weber Shandwick Canada; McHappy Day
  • Silver-Argyle Public Relationships & Environmental Defence Canada; Stop Bill 66
  • Silver-Empire Company Limited / Sobey’s Inc. & North Strategic; Sensory Friendly Shopping
  • Bronze-The Canadian Partnership Against Cancer and Edelman Canada; Cancer Strategy Refresh
  • Bronze-Nuclear Waste Management Organization; NWMO’s Journey Towards Reconciliation
  • Bronze-No Fixed Address; SickKids Airbnb
  • Bronze-No Fixed Address; Canadian Centre for Child Protection: Lolli
  • Bronze-Maple Leaf Foods; Carbon Neutral
Digital Communications Campaign, Best
  • Gold-ruckus Digital & Husqvarna Canada; Husqvarna Canada Husqy Squad Influencer Campaign
  • Gold-Proof Inc. & CLHIA; Fraud = Fraud Campaign
  • Silver-Insurance Bureau of Canada and Paradigm; The Museum of Outdated Technology
  • Silver-The Lung Health Foundation and Edelman Canada; The Toker
  • Silver-Argyle Public Relationships & American Peanut Council; Crunch, Crunch, Crunch
  • Bronze-Argyle Public Relationships & MD Financial Management; Thank you Doctors
  • Metrolinx; Metrolinx News
  • Bronze-APEX PR and ruckus Digital & RE/MAX; RE/MAX #HomeGoals
  • Bronze-Golin & PetSmart; Launch of @PetSmartCanada Instagram
Employee Engagement Campaign, Best
  • Gold-RSA Canada & APEX Public Relations; RSA Tough Talk Training
  • Gold-McDonald’s Canada & Weber Shandwick; The Year of Amplification
  • Gold-McDonald’s Canada & Weber Shandwick; $1 Cones: Celebrating a Sweet Summer
  • Silver-Paradigm, Insurance Bureau of Canada; Students on Ice Contest
Government Relations Campaign, Best
  • Gold-Paradigm Public Relations & Insurance Bureau of Canada; The Museum of Outdated Technology
  • Bronze-Argyle Public Relationships & Efficiency Canada; #OurHumanEnergy
HR or Benefit Communications, Best
  • Bronze-Aviva Canada; The Best Career You Never Expected
Marketing Communications Campaign, Best
  • Gold-McDonald’s Canada, Weber Shandwick Canada; McHappy Day
  • Gold-Osteoporosis Canada with Amgen Canada and Edelman Canada; Bübl™ x David Dixon
  • Gold-Proof & Accenture; Accenture: The AI Effect Season 2 Podcast
  • Gold-Sheridan College; Blown Away
  • Gold-Craft Public Relations & Nintendo of Canada Limited; The Nintendo Switch Playhouse
  • Gold-Zeno Group & SiriusXM; SiriusXM Dial Up the Moment
  • Gold-Craft Public Relations & News Media Canada; News Media Canada: SPOT Fake News Online
  • Silver-ADP Canada and Kaiser Lachance Communications; HR Appreciation Campaign
  • Silver-SecureKey Technologies and Kaiser Lachance Communications; Verified.Me Launch
  • mint and Hershey Canada; Hershey Treat Street
  • Silver-RE/MAX, APEX Public Relations and ruckus Digital; Liveability 2.0
  • Silver-Ronald McDonald House Charities Canada & Weber Shandwick Canada; RMHC Canada: National Cookie Day
  • Silver-Sanofi Genzyme and Edelman Canada; The World’s Most Uncomfortable Bed
  • Silver-McDonald’s Canada, Weber Shandwick Canada; McDelivery
  • Silver-Craft Public Relations & GE Appliances Canada; GE Appliances National Laundry Day 2019
  • Bronze-Craft Public Relations & Travelzoo Canada; Travelzoo Spontaneous Travel
  • Bronze-Golin & DAZN; The New Home of Football
  • Bronze- Nuclear Waste Management Organization; NWMO’s Journey Towards Reconciliation
  • Bronze-IKEA Canada in partnership with Hill+Knowlton Strategies; 2019 Summary Report
  • Bronze-IHG Hotels & Resorts in partnership with Hill+Knowlton Strategies; Readiest Breakfast Challenge 2.0
  • Bronze-The PR Department for Tabasco Canada; Tabasco Seven Days of Eggs
  • Bronze-Argyle Public Relationships & Ontario Association of Optometrists; No More Eyescuses
Media Relations, Best Use of Over $50,000
  • Gold-Kaiser Lachance Communications & ADP Canada; ADP Canada’s Workplace Insight Studies
  • Gold-Agnostic & Metro Ontario; Metro Supports Local
  • Gold-Craft Public Relations & Mott’s Fruitsations; Mott’s Fruitsations Buy a Cup Give a Cup
  • Gold-Craft Public Relations & GE Appliances Canada; The Launch of Café
  • Gold-Zeno Group and MiQ; MiQ Media Relations
  • Gold-McDonald’s Canada & Weber Shandwick Canada; P.L.T.
  • Silver-McDonald’s Canada & Weber Shandwick Canada; The Classics. Remastered.
  • Silver-Weber Shandwick Canada & Chevrolet Canada; 2018/19 Chevrolet Good Deeds Cup
  • Silver-Kaiser Lachance Communications & Lakeview Community Partners Limited; Lakeview Village Waterfront Community
  • Silver-McDonald’s Canada & Weber Shandwick; McHappy Day
  • Silver-Zeno Group & Turkey Farmers of Canada; Think Turkey / Pensez Dindon
  • Silver-Strategic Objectives and The Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking; Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline
  • Silver-Pomp & Circumstance PR & eBay Canada; eBay Canada Media Relations Program
  • Silver-Golin & DAZN; DAZN Canada teams up with Dan Marino
  • Bronze-Maple Leaf Foods; Carbon Neutral
  • Bronze-Citizen Relations & Molson Coors – Miller Lite; Miller Lite Real Guys of Canada
Media Relations, Best Use of under $50,000
  • Gold-SecureKey Technologies and Kaiser Lachance Communications; Verified.Me Launch
  • Gold-Kaiser Lachance Communications and Morguard; Canadian Economic Outlook 2020
  • Gold-Craft Public Relations & The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair ; Lil’ Ben & The Road to The Royal
  • Gold-Ronald McDonald House Charities Canada & Weber Shandwick; RMHC Canada: Haylen & the McFlurry Truck
  • Gold-Strategic Objectives and foodora Canada; foodora’s LCBO Delivery Launch
  • Silver-RE/MAX Canada and APEX Public Relations; RE/MAX 2019 Livability Report
  • Silver-Kaiser Lachance Communications and Morguard; Morguard Canadian Properties
  • Silver-Craft Public Relations & Moosehead Breweries; Moosehead Breweries: Mac The Moose
  • Silver-Zeno Group & Barilla; Barilla Pasta World Championship
  • Silver-Proof Inc. & Moneris; Canada’s Cashless Transaction Champion
  • Silver-Agnostic & BCG; BCG’s Centre for Canada’s Future
  • Silver-Proof Inc. & Moneris; Canada’s Busiest Shopping Month
  • Silver-Agnostic & Go RVing Canada; Bring Back Wildhood
  • Bronze-Proof Inc. & Electrical Safety Authority; TikTok, but Don’t Shock
  • Bronze-Broad Reach Communications & The Family Enterprise Xchange; Family Enterprise Matters
  • Bronze-Scalar Decisions and Kaiser Lachance Communications; The Digital Citizen
  • Bronze-Paradigm, DDMG & RBC; RBC’s Annual Home Ownership Campaign
  • Bronze-Morneau Shepell and Kaiser Lachance Communications; Employers Connect 2019
  • Bronze-Entandem Communications and Marketing Team & SOCAN; Entandem Holiday Music Study
  • Bronze-Kaiser Lachance Communications and Royal LePage; Newcomers Survey
New Product or Service Launch, Best
  • Gold-McDonald’s Canada & Weber Shandwick Canada; P.L.T.
  • Gold-Craft Public Relations & GE Appliances Canada; The Launch of Café
  • Gold-Strategic Objectives and Kellogg Canada; MorningStar Farms Veggie Burgers Launch
  • Gold-Golin & Beyond Meat; Beyond Burger Canadian Launch
  • Silver-Golin & Clif Bar; Fruit Smoothie Filled Product Launch
  • Silver-Zeno Group Canada & Windex / SC Johnson; Windex Help Seas Sparkle Campaign
  • Silver-Reebok Canada in partnership with Hill+Knowlton Strategies; Meet You There
  • Silver-Proof Inc. & Visa Canada; Visa She’s Next
  • Bronze-SecureKey Technologies and Kaiser Lachance Communications; Verified.Me Launch
  • Bronze-Zeno Group & Electrify Canada; Electrify Canada First Charge Event
Publication, Best
  • Silver-CYSSC Communications Team; CYSSC 2018-2019 Annual Report This Is Us
Social Media or Influencer Campaign, Best
  • Gold-Canadian Tire Ltd. & Weber Shandwick; Canadian Tire Own The Water
  • Gold-Strategic Objectives and Groupe Marcelle Inc.; Lise Watier Rouge Fondant Supreme
  • Gold-Weber Shandwick Canada & Sport Chek; Sport Chek x Good American
  • Gold-McDonald’s Canada, Weber Shandwick Canada; McDelivery
  • Gold-McDonald’s Canada, Weber Shandwick Canada; P.L.T.
  • Silver–McDonald’s Canada, Weber Shandwick Canada; McHappy Day
  • Silver-CANEAST Communications & The Alley; The Alley takes Alberta Social Media by Storm
  • Silver-Weber Shandwick Canada and Mondelez Canada; CDMO – PALentine’s Day
  • Silver-McDonald’s Canada & Weber Shandwick Canada; The Classics. Remastered.
  • Silver-Citizen Relations x Crest; #CrestSmileWithPride
  • Bronze-ruckus Digital & Husqvarna Canada; Husqvarna Influencer Campaign
  • Bronze-Zeno Group & Turkey Farmers of Canada; Think Turkey / Pensez Dindon
  • Bronze-Proof Inc. & Allergan Canada; Beauty Decoded Live
  • Bronze-Pomp & Circumstance PR & Peloton ; Peloton VIP Loaner Program
Special Events or Experiential Marketing, Best Use of
  • Gold-Weber Shandwick Canada and Mondelez Canada; CDMO – PALentine’s Day
  • Gold-Strategic Objectives and Kia Canada #KiaMatch Pre-Auto Show Toronto Event
  • Gold-Canadian Tire Ltd. & Weber Shandwick; Canadian Tire Christmas House
  • Gold-Craft Public Relations & Mott’s Fruitsations; Mott’s Fruitsations Buy a Cup Give a Cup
  • Gold-CO-OP & EarthFresh EarthFresh: Airstream Fry Truck
  • Silver-Argyle Public Relationships & United States Department of Agriculture; Agribusiness Trade Mission to Canada
  • Silver-Zeno Group & Lenovo; The Think Big Speakers Series
  • Silver-mint and Hershey Canada; Hershey Treat Street
  • Silver-Amgen Canada Inc. & Gage Communications Inc.; Break Records, Not Bones Event
  • Bronze-Reebok Canada in partnership with Hill+Knowlton Strategies; Club C x Peace Collective
  • Bronze-BlueSky Communications & Rakuten.ca; Rakuten Rebrand
Student Campaign, Best
  • Mubashira Nusrat Farooqi and Devina Das, Centennial College; The GenWell Project: #facetofacefeb
  • Sarah El-Bakri, Kayla Nguyen, Andrea Logan, Lyndon Dizon and Anusha Bhardwaj, Centennial College: CivicAction: For a Friend
Leadership Awards
  • Paolo Zinatelli; CPRS Toronto Educator of the Year
  • Amy Theriault; CPRS Toronto Student of the Year
  • Danielle Kelly; CPRS Toronto Volunteer of the Year
  • Jessica Rabaey; CPRS Toronto Young Public Relations Professional of the Year
About CPRS

Founded in 1948, the Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) is a not-for-profit association of professionals dedicated to the practice, management and teaching of public relations and communications. Comprising 14 local societies, CPRS’ mission is to build a national public relations and communications management community through professional development and accreditation, collaboration with thought leaders, a commitment to ethics and a code of professional standards, advocacy for the profession, and support to members at every stage of their careers.

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Learning from Nina Kalos, EVP and General Manager at Veritas Communications
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Written by Sarah Lasagna

Before CPRS Toronto’s virtual career development event on July 22, I sat down with guest speaker Nina Kalos EVP and General Manager at Veritas Communications, to gain insight into her career history, lessons learned and what advice she has for PR professionals searching for their dream job.

After completing a Bachelor of Business Administration from Memorial University of Newfoundland in 2007, Nina pursued a master’s degree in International Public Relations at Manchester Metropolitan University in the UK. Nina Kalos Head Shot

Armed with a strong educational background in public relations, Nina set her sight on landing her first job in the field and started working in the UK at McCann Erickson Communications House.

After a year working and learning at McCann Erickson Communications House, Nina knew she was ready for the next phase of her career and moved back to Toronto where she worked at Hill & Knowlton Strategies. Nina then moved onto Citizen Relations, working her way up to Senior Account Manager.

Finally, in 2013, Nina joined the Veritas Communications team as a Director and held several roles before landing her current role as EVP  and General Manager.

Nina Kalos Agency TeamThrough her many roles over the years, Nina has been influenced by countless peers, who have shared excellent career advice, but the advice that stands out to her the most is from her father who told her, “if you love what you do, then it won’t feel like work.”

As a PR practitioner, Nina finds it is easy to work since she loves her job as a storyteller, connecting people and telling stories.

“I feel really lucky that I work somewhere where it’s not work for me,” Nina said. “I love my team. I love my clients. I feel like I can do something that comes naturally to me and that every day I get to do what I love doing.”

Nina then offered up advice to the next generation of PR practitioners with this statement, “Never say no to opportunities.” At the beginning of her career, and continuing to this day, Nina welcomes new opportunities and is always learning.

Fittingly, when asked about common mistakes entry-level applicants make, Nina was quick to suggest the word ‘mistake’ is too negative; there are no mistakes, only lessons, as everyone is learning at their own pace. To improve, junior PR practitioners should spend more time on research and telling their story.

Here’s some additional advice Nina shared:

Tell your story to the hiring manager

Keep in mind that every hiring manager has different preferences. Nina explains that you should be able to authentically tell a hiring manger a story about why you want to work in PR.  Additionally, she suggests researching an agency’s clients in advance to make sure you understand and align with its values.

Include extracurriculars on your resume

Regardless of how extensive your work experience is, your resume should reflect your knowledge. Nina notes that even if you lack professional work experience, but have experience from a school club, these are transferable skills that can be demonstrated on your resume.

Do not compare yourself to others

Everyone moves at their own pace so there is no set guideline for how fast someone in an entry-level position can jump in two to five years. Keeping this in mind, for managers, Nina advises that since there is no employee template and that everyone moves at their own pace, do not compare your employees to each other.

Take advantage of your connections

Nina also notes that many entry-level applicants do not network enough especially during this pandemic. As communications professionals, Nina describes that since PR is in the business of people, do not underestimate just how far people can help you in your career!

Network, network, network!

Amid COVID-19, Nina recommends aspiring PR practitioners stay agile and adapt to the changing world. Do not be afraid to email people and join networking events even if they might be weird or awkward. Nina suggests staying in contact and to not put networking on hold just because of COVID-19.

Join CPRS Toronto on July 22, where Nina Kalos will offer up many more career insights.

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In conversation with recruitment master, Roxanne Cramer
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Written by: Manasi Sohoni, Student Volunteer 

Showing kindness, and going the extra mile, is Roxanne Cramer’s advice for a successful career in the communications industry. 

On July 22, Roxanne will join CPRS Toronto’s career development event as a guest speaker. Before the event, I had the pleasure of interviewing this Toronto-based career guru who has more than 25 years of industry knowledge as a recruiter. She has supported companies with hiring in the fields of communications, public affairs, marketing, investor relations and social media. Roxanne converted her passion for recruitment into an incredible opportunity for herself when she started CCC academy in 2012, a premier career coaching academy.

As an entry-level public relations professional, myself, I asked her what philosophy she follows while recruiting. Her reply was simple,“I would never place a client in a company that they would regret being in or place a client with a company or person I am not familiar with.”

With such vast experience in recruiting, Roxanne has seen many different hiring trends throughout the years. From the time people used to mail their resumes to faxing them to emailing them to now when online interviews have taken precedent, she knows the industry inside out. Roxanne enjoys career coaching immensely; her favourite part is seeing communicators succeed and get promoted in their jobs. 

She further mentioned, “Communicators don’t believe they can be CEOs, but when they do, it is pretty amazing, they start to think of communications as an integral part of their business.”

Wishing to be a CEO in the communications industry myself someday, I wanted to understand what specific skills will help me achieve this. When asked this, the answer came easily to Roxanne. She feels that good writing skills play an integral part in the communications industry and has been a recurring element that recruiters look for. 

Hearing the eagerness in my voice about this topic, she shared a piece of advice that has helped her become the entrepreneur she is today:

“Always remember business is business. I know sometimes emotions get in the way but try to look at it from a business perspective and then do what is right in your heart.” 

While talking to her, it’s easy to see she loves what she does. Her passion for her own career is reflected in the guidance she provides to her clients.  

To learn more about Roxanne’s best practices, tips and examples on how to land a job during this “new normal” era, join CPRS Toronto’s virtual Career Development event on July 22.

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Supporting the Black Lives Matter movement
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At CPRS Toronto, we know there is important work to be done. As mentioned in our earlier blog post, we stand against racism and all forms of discrimination. We are listening, we are learning and we are committed to promoting equality. While we reflect internally on what we can do as an organization, we have compiled a list of learning resources to help educate our members and amplify Black voices.

Below, you’ll find a collection of resources to help develop your involvement with the Black Lives Matter movement.

Arefeh Ghane’s #BlackLivesMatter presentation:

Canadian publications:

From Rachel Cargle, American Historian and Archivist: 

Articles relating to influencer-relations:

Books

Other:

  • Films to understand black stories via Cineplex 
  • Black-owned fashion labels and clothing stores via GQ 

We understand that the list above is not comprehensive of all resources on this topic. If you have other articles and online resources to share, please email us at communications@cprstoronto.com.

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What are Toronto PR agencies doing during the COVID-19 lockdown?
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Written by: Michelle Dias, Director of Professional Development, CPRS Toronto

Since the pandemic lockdown, some agency clients quickly ramped up communications while others turned off campaigns entirely. Toronto-based public relations agencies have followed. Agencies working in the healthcare sector, pharmaceuticals and those representing essential work such as grocery stores or the food sector, have been working tirelessly to feed the news cycle with information on how their clients are supporting the pandemic.

For many agencies, they have either lost clients or had client work put on hold as businesses slow down or halt altogether. The most impacted agencies reflect the hardest hit industries: the travel and hospitality sector, sports and entertainment, plus those associated with in-person retail. Postponed or cancelled events have impacted influencer-related work, a large component of the work for many Toronto-agencies, working with and representing influencers.

The consumer and media space in Toronto for the last 10 years has been healthy and vibrant despite the shutdown or reduction of media outlets. PR events, product launches and partnerships have continued to thrive as a source of content.  Until a vaccine is made widely available and industries begin to reopen, agencies across Canada will continue to do their best to remain creative and resilient with innovative content series or colleague incentives.

Hill+Knowlton Strategies Canada (H+K) is a leading public relations and public affairs firm providing services to local, multinational and global clients from its eight offices across the country. Sampling from John Krasinski’s “Some Good News” video series, H+K has launched a weekly content series on Instagram that highlights “Happy Headlines”. The photo series shines a light on their clients and special work being done in the area of corporate social responsibility and Canadian culture during COVID-19. This simple yet thoughtful approach to storytelling is a positive break in the sometimes-bleak stories shown during this lockdown.

“In the midst of all the pandemic media coverage, we noticed that there was an increase in people searching for good news.  We were inspired by the creative ways our team, clients and people in our communities were finding ways to do good in these challenging times and wanted to do our part in lifting people’s spirits by sharing their stories.  Each week, our team crowd sources a series of Happy Headlines that celebrate positivity, good corporate citizenship and how Canadians are supporting each other.” Emilija Businskas, Vice President, Hill+Knowlton Strategies Canada

Toronto-based agency Pomp and Circumstance is led by co-partners Amanda Alvaro and Lindsay Mattick. The agency was recently featured in the Toronto Star for their colleague engagement program called, “#SoloBucketList”, where colleagues are encouraged to learn a new hobby or skill not necessarily related to client work. In the case of agency-partner Lindsay Mattick, she has been spending time in quarantine perfecting new and challenging recipes. The agency offers a $500 bursary fund to help employees get started on their #SoloBucketList. This unique initiative goes a long way for the small agency that thrives on creativity.

“We have always encouraged our team to be creative and adventurous and to keep a bucket list of desired experiences close to them. We do this because we believe that a thirst for the world fuels creativity, which in the field of PR is an essential client skill. When the limitations of COVID-19 set in, the #solobucketlist was our way of helping keep our team’s spirits up to enable them to do their best work. Our attempt at turning lemons, if you will, to lemonade.”  Lindsay Mattick, Co-Founder, Creative Director, Pomp & Circumstance.

Strategic Objectives (SO) is recognized for its out-of-the-box ideas when it comes to events and publicity in Toronto. Keeping in mind their clients’ social media objectives, SO recently launched a survey to 80 of Canada’s top influencers to learn how they were coping with the quarantine. The results showed that influencers are on pause as businesses begin to pick back up. Some positive highlights showed that there is still an appetite from audiences to receive inspirational or engaging content such as workouts, quizzes, and home décor tips. The well-thought-out survey unveils how content will pivot post-COVID and how influencers and agencies will need to adapt.

“Our creative approach to public relations has always been driven by strategy and that includes Influencer Marketing. We wanted to have the most timely, relevant, and meaningful insights to help guide us in making the best recommendations to our clients to achieve outstanding results,” says Judy Lewis, co-founder and partner, Strategic Objectives. “We have proven that there is tremendous power in Influencer Marketing if understood and managed in an authentic and strategic way.”

For many, the hope is that when the pandemic ends, and businesses begin to open, agency life will quickly resume to normal. Or a new version of normal.

Written by: Michelle Dias, Director of Professional Development, CPRS Toronto

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✨Membership Month Giveaway Contest
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Contest Rules 

1. CONTEST PERIOD: The Membership Month Giveaway Contest  (the “Contest”) begins at 2 p.m. on March 6, 2020 and ends at 12 p.m. on March 31, 2020. (the “Contest Closing Date”). Purchase necessary.

2. ELIGIBILITY: This Contest is open to all entrants who comply with the following directives, entering the contest through Twitter.com:

  • Shares the original contest tweet using the hashtag #MembershipMonth
  • Tags another user in the comments section of the original post
  • Email communications@cprstoronto.com with the name of your school/workplace and tell us why you’d benefit from a free CPRS Toronto membership
  • Purchases a membership between March 6 and March 31
  • Must be a NEW CPRS Toronto member

3. HOW TO ENTER: Entrants must comply with the entry requirements included in the original tweet by the Contest Closing Date. Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received by the Contest Closing Date. By entering this Contest, entrants agree to be bound by these Contest Rules and by the decisions of CPRS Torotno, which shall be final on all matters relating to this Contest.

4. PRIZES: The Contest winner will receive full reimbursement of their CPRS Toronto membership fee after purchase (Value of up to approximately $500). CPRS Toronto reserves the right to substitute a Prize, in whole or in part, with a prize of at least equal value in the event of the unavailability, for whatever reason, of the advertised Prize.

5. RANDOM DRAW: A random draw will be held on March 31 (the “Draw Date”) from among all eligible entries received as of the Contest Closing Date. The winner will be notified by Twitter through the account used for entry. If a selected entrant (i) cannot be reached within twelve (12) hours of the first attempt of contact or declines the Prize, the selected entrant will be disqualified and another entrant will be randomly selected from the remaining eligible entries.

6. GENERAL RULES: All entrants release and forever discharge CPRS Toronto (the “Releasees”) and their officers, directors, employees and volunteers from all claims, demands, damages, actions and causes of action arising or to arise by reason of his/her participation in the Contest and/or the administration of the Contest, including, without limitation, the selection and awarding of the Prizes. The Releasees shall in no way bear any liability whatsoever regarding the Prize. In no event shall the Releasees be liable for any special, incidental, consequential, indirect or punitive damages arising out of or in connection with this Contest and/or the Prize, however arising, including negligence.

7. APPLICABLE LAWS: This Contest is subject to all applicable federal, provincial and municipal laws.

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The power of networking
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Walking into my first day of class for my postgraduate PR program, I remember feeling a wave of nervousness and excitement fill the air. Our instructor quickly ushered for the classes’ attention, kicking things off with an introduction — a photo of a grad appeared on the projector screen. She assured us that in eight short months, we would have all the skills and training we needed to embark on our own journey in the PR world.

As we moved on to the next slide, our instructor left us with some important advice — “be a B+ student and an A+ networker.” Although we were certain to gain a lot of knowledge and tools in the classroom, she urged us to seek out professional development opportunities beyond those four walls.

Since that day, I’ve tried my best to live by her advice and want to share insights about how networking can benefit other students as well.

Here are five reasons to start networking:

It creates a sense of belonging to a community

When you first start attending events and scheduling meetings, it’s easy to feel like a stranger behind the glass window looking in. Over time, this fear will dispel as your networking confidence grows. Most industry professionals are more than willing to provide honest answers, share words of advice and squash fears.

Through networking you can build meaningful connections. While the industry feels large at times and there’s a lot to discover, it’s nice having people rooting for you, who genuinely want you to succeed.

It reminds you learning is lifelong and opportunities are endless

Hearing others speak about their most profound realizations, memorable moments and turning points during their careers can remind you that everything will be alright. Often the best experiences happen unexpectedly and uncertainty is what keeps you excited, on your toes and ready to take on the world.

Even if it might look a little different from those around you, the beauty of PR lies in its versatility and potential to navigate uncharted territory. The best practitioners are ones who are always learning and unlearning.

It opens a lot of new doors

Like anything good in life, putting yourself out there and giving a little can give you so much in return. From volunteer opportunities to freelance work and personal relationships, investing time to explore and see what’s out there, can open a lot of doors for your future. Networking connects you to invaluable allies, provides countless resources and prepares you to shift gears for the working world.

It provides a forum to realize and reflect on your own understanding

There are some lessons you can only really learn outside the classroom and networking is definitely one of them. Being in the company of professionals in the areas of journalism, marketing and analytics can provide depth your understanding and encourage you to wear different thinking caps.

Examining things through another lens shows you how PR can enhance and lift up so many other aspects of the world out there. Our challenge is to creatively tell those stories, build credibility with our audiences, and write the narratives by embedding ourselves into the conversation.

It gives you a taste for what’s next

Being a student comes with its fair share of challenges, and at times it can feel like your task-list is never-ending. Stepping outside your daily routine and walking through the doors of a brightly lit space toward friendly faces is the best motivation out there. During the weeks where you are looking for a light at the end of the tunnel, opportunities to change the pace can reset the mind and inspire you. Leading a thoughtful conversation or making a new acquaintance helps to throw some glitter into the air and anticipate what lies ahead.

Personally, I am so grateful for organizations like CPRS Toronto who work tirelessly to put on so many incredible learning experiences. I wholeheartedly recommend anyone interested to check them out — hopefully I’ll see you at the next one!

Written by James King, Student Volunteer, CPRS Toronto

James King is a postgraduate certificate student at Humber College studying in the public relations program and an avid CPRS Toronto student member. He enjoys reading a heartwarming book, capturing countless photos and savouring a good cup of coffee.

 

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