NEW PERSPECTIVES

The Achieving Communications Excellence (ACE) Awards are open for submissions! This year, we have added two new categories – Best Use of Audio or Video in a PR Campaign and Best Use of AI in a PR Campaign.

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Judged by some of the industry’s most accomplished leaders, the Awards recognize excellence in public relations and strategic communications. Each year, award winners are honored at the highly anticipated CPRS Toronto ACE Awards Gala where Toronto’s talented professional community comes together to celebrate outstanding work. Winning a prestigious CPRS Toronto Award has the ability to raise a winner’s profile, generate new business opportunities and elevate the profession by showcasing the impact of communications excellence.

KEY DATES & PRICING:

Early-bird entry deadline: 11:59 p.m. on January 24, 2025

• Member early bird: $250 + tax
• Non-member early bird: $350 + tax

Regular entry deadline: 11:59 p.m. EST on February 14

• CPRS Member Regular Entry: $295 + tax
• Non-Member Regular Entry: $395 + tax

Late entry deadline: 11:59p.m. EST on February 28

• CPRS Member Late Entry: $350 + tax
• Non-Member Regular Entry: $450 + tax

Please follow us on Instagram for more award updates.  View the full award submission requirements and Guidelines here.

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Matisse Hamel-Nelis (she/her) is an award-winning Métis communications and digital accessibility consultant based in Toronto. With extensive public relations experience, Matisse is a part-time professor and the program co-ordinator for the Durham College Public Relations Graduate Certificate program, which she developed to reflect today’s communications industry’s real-world skills and values.

Matisse is the founder and host of PR & Lattes, a podcast and blog that offers a platform for communications professionals to share insights and ideas on public relations, marketing, and accessibility.

Certified as an Accessible Documents Specialist (ADS) and a Certified Professional in Accessibility Core Competencies (CPACC) through the International Association of Accessibility Professionals, Matisse is a recognized authority on accessibility in digital communications. She is also currently co-authoring a book on accessible communications with Lisa Riemers, which will provide actionable insights for creating inclusive and impactful messaging in a digital-first world.

Matisse’s passion for accessibility and inclusion drives her to empower organizations and professionals to break down barriers and build meaningful, equitable connections in all their communications.

Fun Facts

• • • • • • She volunteers with CPRS Toronto and IABC/Toronto
          • Proud wife of an Irishman
          • Loving dog mom to two Old English Sheepdogs – Agnes and Edith
          • She speaks fluent Italian (It’s actually her first language)
          • Gloria Gaynor’s I Will Surviveis her theme song
          • Her favourite thing to do in the city is to go out for dinner before catching a show

The media landscape is evolving at lightning speed and as communication professionals, staying agile and ahead of the curve has never been more critical. In 2025, the focus is shifting towards cutting through the noise, in order to foster genuine, meaningful connections. The days of mass-distribution press releases and flashy influencer partnerships are fading, with executives increasingly questioning the ROI of these tactics. Instead, people are craving authenticity, intimacy and real stories that foster engagement.

Over time, brands and communicators have learnt – a process that is still in progress – that less is more. It’s about focusing on the right moments and the right audiences, rather than trying to be everywhere at once.

Human Stories Take Centre Stage
Consumers in 2025 are no longer impressed by flashy campaigns or corporate jargon. Instead, they want authentic, relatable stories that align with a company’s values. Influencers and creators are instrumental in delivering these narratives, often sharing personal or behind-the-scenes content that resonates.

For example, influencers like MrBeast are not just selling products; they’re creating experiences that feel authentic. From supporting charitable initiatives to launching innovative ventures, these campaigns highlight the human element that resonates with audiences.

The Rise of Localized Storytelling
For communicators practising traditional media relations, the days when national headlines carried the most impact are behind us. Today, audiences seek content that feels personal and relevant to their daily lives. Platforms like subreddit communities such as r/MarvelStudios, with over 4.4 million members, have become key spaces for brands to build authentic, lasting relationships.

This hyper-local and direct approach achieves a level of trust and engagement that broader campaigns often miss. For instance, a small business sharing its involvement in a local fundraiser may see more meaningful interactions than a national brand launching a broad, impersonal campaign.

Niche Communities are Marketing Goldmines

In an era of widespread connectivity, niche communities are becoming invaluable assets. Whether it’s a subreddit dedicated to hobbies or a curated Discord channel, these spaces give brands access to highly engaged audiences seeking tailored content and meaningful interactions.

The success of niche communities like Her Spirit, a women’s fitness network that shifted from traditional social media to its own platform, underscores the value of tailored spaces where brands and users can build deeper connections. By fostering environments for specific interests, brands not only gain visibility but also achieve authentic engagement and loyalty through shared values and experiences​.

Power in the Creator Economy
With 85 per cent of CMOs investing in short-form content like Instagram Reels and 82 per cent in influencer marketing (Dentsu’s 2025 report), the creator economy continues to thrive. Creators have become a cornerstone of brand strategies, particularly when it comes to reaching younger Gen-Z audiences.

Consider the rise of influencer-led ventures, like restaurant collaborations or exclusive product drops. These campaigns underscore the growing trust audiences place in creators—trust that often extends to the brands they endorse.

Livestream and Short-Form Content Continue to Rule the Day

The surge in short-form video platforms like Instagram Reels, TikTok and YouTube Shorts highlights the demand for engaging, bite-sized content. These formats thrive because they’re optimized for quick consumption and fit seamlessly into busy, mobile-first lifestyles. Beyond capturing attention, features like live chats, polls and duet collaborations allow brands to connect with audiences in dynamic and interactive ways.

Looking Ahead

In 2025, success in media and influencer relations will hinge on embracing key trends: prioritizing localized, human-centered storytelling, tapping into niche communities and leveraging the burgeoning creator economy. Brands that thrive will be those that meet their audiences with authenticity and relevance.

by Brittany Bell, Co-Chair, Communications, CPRS Toronto

Monique Daniel is a Toronto-based communications leader with 14 years’ experience in public relations. As an avid foodie, one of her favourite places in Toronto is right in her own neighborhood in southwest Scarborough where she travels the world through food enjoying delectable eats like authentic Iraqi charcoal BBQ chicken tikka kebabs or mouth-watering Lebanese desserts made with ashta cream.

She currently serves as Director of Communications at Emburse, a high-growth, rapidly scaling business travel and expense management, accounts payable and payments company.

In her role, she leads a global team across public relations, analyst relations, social media and stakeholder communications.

In her previous role as Senior PR Manager at Sage, Monique led Corporate Affairs for the Canadian market, overseeing product and corporate news, executive communications and brand reputation.

Monique spent the first part of her career at a Toronto-based boutique PR agency where she worked with brands like Clif Bar & Company, Magnotta Winery and Yorkshire Valley Farms. Monique credits her early career pivot into tech to a female mentor who recognized her skills and passion and recommended her for a junior role at global PR agency, Porter Novelli. There, she grew her career through impactful thought leadership programs that influenced purchase consideration for global tech brands including HP Inc., HPE, Sage, Adobe, Palo Alto Networks and FICO.

Monique holds a Specialized Honours B.A. in Communication Studies from York University.

As an avid foodie, one of her favourite places in Toronto is right in her own neighborhood in southwest Scarborough where she travels the world through food enjoying delectable eats like authentic Iraqi charcoal BBQ chicken tikka kebabs or mouth-watering Lebanese desserts made with ashta cream.

The last few weeks have shown that podcast hosts are clearly having a moment. Prominent podcast hosts such as Alex Cooper (host of Call Her Daddy), comedian/actor Andrew Schulz (host of Flagrant), comedian Theo Von and MIT computer scientist Lex Fridman, have been thrust into the limelight because of their recent high-profile conversations with the two presidential candidates vying for the top job in the upcoming US general election – to the point where the candidates’ podcast appearances are making news, rather than just the content of what is being discussed. Love it or hate it, podcasts are here to stay, and are clearly being heavily factored into the media outreach strategy of politicians and business leaders alike.

And it’s easy to see why they have such immense appeal. Podcasts allow both hosts and their guests to ‘chop it up’. The format allows them to be raw, unvarnished and unapologetic in their delivery, rather than be constrained to concise, scripted, buttoned-up sound bites that would be more characteristic of broadcast television or radio. It imparts a greater sense of agency to the participants involved and allows them to speak more openly to their audience – a winning point at a time when people crave complete authenticity and openness. You have to admit that an hour-long (or hours-long, in some instances) conversation reveals more than a ten-minute panel or a sitdown interview on a network news channel ever could. As platforms go, podcasts circumvent the traditional, legacy media ecosystem and act as a powerful force multiplier by enabling access to untapped audiences. The modern media relations outreach strategy will, inevitably, factor in the likes of The Globe And Mail, The New York Times, Bloomberg and CBC Radio. That goes without saying. But that outreach will have to expand now to encompass the most popular podcasts, substacks and Twitch streams of the day. A truly integrated marketing and communications campaign specialist needs to think outside the editorial desk and news studio, as it were. The fact is that the traditional family living room has now been effectively supplanted. The viewer/listener/consumer journey has undergone a sea change and an effective media strategy is one where you meet your audience exactly where they are. What better way to do so than when your viewers are in the middle of cooking their favourite recipe, working out in their backyard, catching up with their favourite book, or driving over to a friend’s housewarming?   

It is evident that podcasting has come of age and is now mainstream, signalling a fundamental shift in the media landscape and what audiences today crave. 2008 gave us the Facebook Election. Now it’s time to sit back and enjoy the Podcast Election – from the comfort of your bicycle or car.

by Adnan Bashir, Chair, Communications, CPRS Toronto

President’s Message

Everywhere you turn, communicators are talking about the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in our industry. We have long used AI for tasks like data analysis and trend forecasting, and now there are real questions about whether it can now take on more of our tasks, with some (typically those who don’t really understand what we do) suggesting AI may even be able to replace us altogether. Communications and PR, however, are fundamentally about building and nurturing relationships.

Public Relations = Relations with the Public

At its heart, PR is about relationship-building — with the media, clients and other stakeholders. While AI can manage some interactions, it can’t forge genuine human connections. We, as PR professionals, succeed when we can leverage our authenticity and trustworthiness to build and sustain relationships.

Building successful communication plans requires an understanding of human emotions, cultural nuances, and the ability to engage with stakeholders. AI lacks the genuine emotional intelligence to interpret and respond to the subtle cues that are crucial in PR. Only trained and experienced communications professionals can read between the lines of a client's needs, understand the emotional undertone of a public response, and navigate often complex situations and objectives.

Creativity and Strategy

Creativity is at the core of effective PR strategies. It involves crafting messages that resonate and capture imagination. AI can provide data-driven insights, but it cannot replicate the creative spark that humans bring to the table. That’s where human creativity comes in, dreaming up stuff that’s out of this world — because we’re not programmed, we’re inspired.

The PR campaigns we see every year with the CPRS Toronto ACE Awards leave us no doubt that the creativity and strategic thinking behind the best campaigns come from experts who inject their personality and ingenuity into their programs. Dreaming up and executing inspiring campaigns that resonate, well that’s a (human) PR professional’s superpower.

Andrea Chrysanthou, APR

CPRS Toronto President