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Student Steering Committee Profile: Katie Fraser, Vice President, Logistics
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Meet your 2014/2015 Student Steering Committee!

Over the next few weeks, we will be posting profiles of CPRS Toronto’s 2014/2015 Student Steering Committee. Stay tuned for more!

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Katie Fraser, VP Logistics
Humber College, Bachelor of Public Relations, Fourth Year

Welcome to the wonderful world of the Canadian Public Relations Society Student Steering Committee. I’m so excited to be representing you for my third year with the committee as the Vice President of Logistics. I’m originally from Bowmanville, Ontario and moved to Toronto for school in 2011. Although I love the city life, my country roots still grow strong.

What do you enjoy most about being on the SSC?

To be honest, it’s the people. Whether I’m meeting first year public relations students or professionals who have been in the industry for many years, I can always learn something new. Everyone I’ve met through the SSC has taught me a thing or two about our industry, and I can guarantee our connections this year will be no different.

What are you most excited for this year?

This year I’m most excited to read our new blog. This is a new venture for the SSC and I have a feeling it’s going to be a success. The variety of writers we have working on this blog will ensure that all our readers will be able to take away something useful.

What event did you enjoy the most last year?

The event that I enjoyed most last year would be Passport to PR. Attending and planning this massive event took a lot of organization, and I couldn’t have been more proud of our committee and the generous hosts. After the event, the committee received such positive feedback and we will be sure to use those suggestions to make 2014’s event even better!

Have you interned anywhere?

This summer I was fortunate enough to intern at Camp Oochigeas, a camp for children affected by childhood cancer. I’ve been involved with Ooch for nine years now, as my journey with the organization has evolved from being a camper, to volunteer and now a staff member. This opportunity was more than I could have ever asked for as it combined my passions for public relations, non-profits and camp.

What is your dream job?

I’ve always said that my dream job would be somewhere I made a difference in the lives of others. I have such a passion for working with non-profit organizations, especially with those that help individuals affected by cancer. I would also want a job that unites event planning and public relations.

What do you do outside of school?

Outside of school and work for CPRS, I love to see movies and watch baseball. During my free time you’ll find me at the Rogers Centre or at Cineplex (both of which I will be eating popcorn). I have a patriotic love for the Toronto Blue Jays and a secret love for the Baltimore Orioles.

Tell us something random about yourself

Saying that I’m horse crazy would be an understatement. I took lessons through many of my younger years, and I now find every reason to wrap myself in equestrian culture. From my fashion style to my browser history, you should know that I’m all about that the horseback riding lifestyle.

Find me on:

Twitter: @fraser_kate
LinkedIn: ca.linkedin.com/in/katiefraser21

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Student Steering Committee Profile: Cole Douglas, Vice President, External
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Meet your 2014/2015 Student Steering Committee!

Over the next few weeks, we will be posting profiles of CPRS Toronto’s 2014/2015 Student Steering Committee. Stay tuned for more!

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Cole Douglas, VP External
Humber College, Bachelor of Public Relations, Fourth Year

Welcome to our blog where many students – like yourself – will contribute experiences and tips we’ve learned along our PR journey. I have been involved with CPRS’ Student Steering Committee for three years, with this being my second year as VP External. I come from the Ottawa Valley (Renfrew to be exact) and moved to the bustling Toronto metropolis six years ago.

Do you have any other post-secondary education?
For three years I trained at St. Lawrence College in their Musical Theatre Diploma, which lead me to Toronto’s performance industry. After working in the musical theatre industry for a few years I decided to transition into the wonderful world of communication.

What do you enjoy most about being on the SSC?
Being a part of the SSC allows you to not only meet many different PR professionals, but gives you the opportunity to be exposed to the different sectors of communications. Whether you are meeting an individual taking their undergrad in corporate communication or you are connecting with a crisis management specialist at an event, there are always opportunities to learn new things.

What are you the most excited for this year?
I am most excited about our Building Media Relationships event. This annual event is where we bring in a panel of three PR professionals and corresponding journalists from that industry to talk about the importance of media relations. I am very passionate about the media side of PR and find this event very beneficial to any young practitioner eager to understand the concept of building critical media contacts.

What event did you enjoy the most last year?
I really enjoyed our Passport to PR event where we took groups of students into various PR offices throughout the city. Last year’s event was such a success it sold out in less than 24 hours and the event hashtag trended on Twitter twice that day! If you are considering attending this event, I would suggest following @CPRSStudents on Twitter to gain up-to-date information on registration before tickets are sold out.

Have you interned anywhere?
I have had a few internships during my studies. I’ve done PR internships at:
• Humber College’s Student Recruitment office
• North Strategic
• Strategic Objectives
• APEX PR Inc.
Each experience has been different providing me with new skills to add to my PR toolkit.

What is your dream job?
From PR agency heavy internship opportunities in the past, I know that I want to pursue this part of the industry. My ideal job would be to run my own PR agency one day where I get to work with colleagues that are like-minded and clients that I love.

Something random about me:
The year before I decided to go back to school to pursue PR I was a lead singer on a Japanese cruise ship where I had the opportunity to perform on an eight-month world cruise. I was able to visit every major city in the world and the exposure to the various cultures really added to my life.

Find me on:
Twitter: @coledouglas7
LinkedIn: ca.linkedin.com/in/coledouglas

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Student Steering Committee Profile: Arden Bagni, President
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Meet your 2014/2015 Student Steering Committee!

Over the next few weeks, we will be posting profiles of CPRS Toronto’s 2014/2015 Student Steering Committee. Stay tuned for more!

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Arden Bagni, President
Humber College, Bachelor of Public Relations, Fourth Year

Welcome to our new, updated student blog. I’m very excited to be your new Student Steering Committee president this year! This will be my third year with CPRS, having been a student representative and then vice president previously. I am originally from Calgary and moved to Toronto to pursue a career in PR outside of the oil and gas industry (and fell in love with the city in the meantime!)

Do you have any other post-secondary education?
I attended University of Calgary for one year in the Communications program and realized it wasn’t for me. The program wasn’t specific enough and I felt a more hands-on education was what I needed.

What do you enjoy most about being on the SSC?
I love being able to meet so many new people! Throughout the year I meet students, professionals, new grads and others looking to break into PR. It’s great to see the camaraderie between everyone in the industry.

What are you most excited for this year?
I have to say our Passport to PR event. This is one that all students get excited about, and planning it is a rush. I’m also excited to announce that we will be running a second Passport to PR event in the spring, so stay tuned!

What event did you enjoy the most last year?
Although I enjoy every event we hold, I love Building Media Relationships because it always surprises people. Forging relationships with media is such an important aspect of PR, and I think it’s beneficial for students to learn about it firsthand.

Have you interned anywhere?
I just finished up my four-month internship at Global News. I was able to work right in the newsroom in the middle of all the action! I learned so much about the media landscape and wouldn’t have changed my experience for anything.

What is your dream job?
Eventually, I want to work for a brewery. I am always told that is a very “specific” area, but I think it’s good to have specific goals. I love a good brew, but more importantly, I think breweries need to begin targeting women and I would like to be a part of that.

What do you do outside of school?
Lots of work for CPRS! I also enjoy reading (just finished working my way through the Game of Thrones series), cooking and exploring Toronto with my friends.

Something random about me:
I once got lost on a hike in the woods in Banff and had to use the setting sun and a topographical map to find my way back. Prior to the hike I was terrified of spiders, but after “bushwacking” to find my car, I found I didn’t care that there were dozens of spiders nesting in my hair – I was just glad to find civilization!

Find me on:
Twitter: @ardenbagni
Linkedin: linkedin.com/ardenbagni

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CPRS Toronto Student Steering Committee: Your executives for the 2014/2015 school year
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CPRS Toronto’s Student Steering Committee has been getting geared up for the 2014/2015 school year. To see what they have planned for students this year, check out their video below, outlining upcoming events and initiatives!

 

 

Questions? Please contact this year’s student representative, Arden Bagni at cprsstudents@gmail.com

Follow us on:

@CPRSStudents
CPRS Toronto Students

 

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A night of celebrating communications excellence
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By: Miranda Germani

The ACE Awards, held on April 24 at Arcadian Court, truly lived up to its namesake of Achieving Communications Excellence. Fantastic examples of excellence were celebrated throughout the evening, with top campaign honours going to two particularly outstanding campaigns.

Winner of Best PR Campaign of the Year was Argyle Communications and Free for All for their “30% off Ontario Tuition” campaign.

“Receiving this honour from CPRS Toronto not only makes Argyle Communications and its clients feel proud, but also tells us that our professional peers believe we set and achieve high standards,” said Argyle Communications president Daniel Tisch.

“PR is at its best when practised in the public interest,” said Daniel, speaking to the importance of Argyle’s campaign. “The Ontario government had made its ‘30 per cent off tuition’ a priority, and needed support to get the message to students. PR was critical in getting this done. Like every great PR campaign, there were barriers to overcome, and a creative strategy was critical to success.”

The other star campaign of the evening was Strategic Objectives and Mondelēz Canada’s “100th Birthday of Oreo” campaign, which took home the award for Best Creative PR Campaign of the Year. Judy Lewis, Strategic Objectives co-founder and executive vice president, enthusiastically affirmed that winning the award gives her team the inspiration to continue to develop the most creative, breakthrough, and effective PR campaigns.

These two campaigns particularly epitomized achieving communications excellence for 2013. Who will win next year? The countdown begins now, so be sure to get ready to compile your amazing work into a submission for the 2014 ACE Awards.

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Photos from the CPRS Toronto 2013 ACE Awards now available
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This year’s ACE Awards gala was, as promised, a night to remember! Well, now you can reminisce as much and as often as you like because the pictures are available through CPRSToronto’s flickr.

Thank you to everyone who joined us this past Wednesday, and congratulations again to all of this year’s winners.

[flickrslideshow acct_name=”CPRSToronto” id=”72157633353367492″]

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Congratulations to the 2013 ACE Award Winners!
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The 2013 CPRS Toronto ACE Awards gala was an unforgettable celebration!  On April 24th, CPRS Toronto welcomed over 350 of Toronto’s PR elite to acknowledge and honour the best communications campaigns in the city.

ACE Awards are given to organizations and individuals who have positively influenced the Toronto PR industry, as determined by a judging panel of seasoned communications professionals. Winners left the gala with more than a trophy – being recognized with an ACE Award is a symbol of quality and mutual respect amongst Toronto’s PR community.

Congratulations to the 2013 ACE Award recipients!

Best PR Campaign

  • Argyle Communications and Free for All – 30% off Ontario Tuition

Best Creative PR Campaign 

  • Strategic Objectives and Mondelēz Canada – 100th Birthday of Oreo

Leadership Awards

  • Lois Marsh Award: John Muldoon, APR
  • PR Professional of the Year: Cathy Cowan, Cowan & Company Communications Inc.
  • Volunteer of the Year: Heather Agnew, RBC
  • CPRS Toronto Young PR Professional of the Year: Adrian Seeley, PRAXIS
  • CPRS Toronto Public Relations Student of the Year: Hannah Sunderani, Centennial College

Media Relations – Budget Over $50,000

Gold

  • Strategic Objectives and Mondelēz Canada –  100th Birthday of Oreo
  • Argyle Communications –  The Canadian Pain Summit

Silver 

  • Kraft Canada and Edelman –  MiO Trick Squirts
  • Revera Inc. and Environics Communications –  Thought Leadership – The Revera Reports
  • LOFT and Edelman –  LOFT Canada Launch
  • Novo Nordisk Canada and GCI Group Canada –  Igniting the VA Dialogue
  • NATIONAL Public Relations –  P.F. Chang’s Canadian Launch
  • NATIONAL Public Relations –  Capital One Credit Education Week
  • DDB Public Relations –  autoTRADER.ca: The Most Cars in One Place
  • Shaw Media and Edelman –  The Real Housewives of Vancouver Campaign
  • APEX Public Relations and George Brown College –  George Brown College Waterfront Campus

Bronze 

  • APEX Public Relations, Morin Public Relations and Walmart Canada –  Mom of the Year Award
  • APEX Public Relations and Kao Canada –  John Frieda Precision Foam Colour
  • Environics Communications –  The Talk
  • Citizen Optimum / Future Shop –  Future Shop Holiday 2012
  • eBay and Edelman –  eBay Canada 2012 Holiday program
  • Kraft Canada and Edelman –  Kraft Food for Families
  • NATIONAL Public Relations and Direct Impact –  Ford of Canada Power of Choice Campaign
  • Argyle Communications and PC Financial –  PC Canadian Family Finance Series

Media Relations – Budget under $50,000

Gold

  • APEX Public Relations and Nike Canada –  Sustainable Olympic Track Uniforms

Silver 

  • TD and Paradigm PR –  Credit Cards & You
  • energi PR –  MFPA: Canvassing the Country
  • APEX Public Relations and Nestlé Canada –  Nestlé Assorted Paints the Town Red
  • PRAXIS –  Lifesaving Society: Swim to Survive+
  • Argyle Communications and Staples Canada – Back to School with Staples
  • Fleishman-Hillard Toronto –  One Direction 1D World Toronto
  • SiriusXM and NATIONAL Public Relations – SiriusXM’s Siriusly Sexy Survey

Bronze 

  • APEX Public Relations and Kao Canada –  Summer Beauty with John Frieda and Jergens
  • Citizen Optimum –  ACE Bakery Canada’s Best Sandwich
  • TD and Paradigm PR –  TD Educates About Cyber Fraud

Best Use of Special Events.

Gold 

  • RONA Inc. and MSL Canada –  The Nature of Colour
  • DDB Public Relations –  Subaru’s BRZ Scorches the Competition

Silver 

  • Citizen Optimum / IKEA Canada –  IKEA Winnipeg Store Opening
  • PRAXIS –  CCMadMen Event

Bronze

  • APEX Public Relations and Kao Canada –  YWCA Facility gets a Makeover
  • PRAXIS –  Dean and Todd’s Banff Ice Party at Blue Mountain
  • PRAXIS –  CARSTAR Dirty Car Art Exhibit

New Product or Service Launch Campaign of the Year 

Gold 

  • Energizer Personal Care –  Launch of Schick Hydro Silk
  • McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada Ltd.  –  Our Food. Your Questions.

Silver 

  • Shaw Media –  Continuum Series Launch Campaign
  • Kraft Canada and Edelman –  MiO Trick Squirts
  • Kaiser Lachance Communications –  Sears Canada LOOK! Report Launch
  • NATIONAL Public Relations –  P.F. Chang’s Canadian Launch
  • APEX Public Relations and Kao Canada –  Bioré Welcomes You (Back) to Your 20s

Bronze

  • APEX Public Relations and Nike Canada –  Measuring Movement to Make Life a Sport.
  • Ketchum PR Canada and Philips Canada – Philips Sonicare Diamond Clean Launch

Employee Communications Campaign of the Year

Silver 

  • Toronto Hydro-Electric System Limited –  Grow Your Mo’ for Movember Campaign
  • Bombardier – Employee Communications Campaign of the Year Bombardier Aerospace Toronto Site

Community Relations Campaign of the Year 

Gold 

  • Argyle Communications and Free For All  –  30% Off Ontario Tuition

Silver 

  • Citizen Optimum –  Hyundai Hockey Helpers
  • Argyle Communications –  The Crosstown and the Community

Bronze 

  • Ontario Tire Stewardship, OARA and Environics Communications –  Ontario Tire Stewardship and OARA: Annual Tire Take Back Events
  • PRAXIS –  The Courvoisier Collection
  • Environics Communications and Stewardship Ontario –  Make the Drop, Battery Recycling Program

Best Digital Communications Campaign of the Year 

Silver 

  • Energizer Personal Care and Paradigm PR –  Playtex Gentle Glide Communications
  • Unilever Canada and Edelman –  Salty’s Missing Again’s Digital Journey
  • Kraft Canada and Edelman –  Kraft Foods DessertCentre.ca Program

Best Use of Communication Tools (Internet, A/V, Research & Measurement, Print and Publications)

Gold

  • Environics Communications and Pfizer Consumer Healthcare –  Advil Nighttime Year II

Brand Development Campaign of the Year

Gold

  • McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada Ltd.  –  Our Food. Your Questions.

Silver

  • Environics Communications – airmilesshops.ca Holiday Campaign
  • PRAXIS –  Canadian Club 2013 Brand Development

Bronze

  • Veritas Communications Inc. –  SUBWAY Restaurants Commit to Fit
  • Environics Communications –  Panasonic Cooking Canada Campaign
  • Randstad and MSL Canada –  Randstad: 2013 Public Relations Program
  • Ketchum PR Canada and Philips Canada –  Philips Consumer Lighting Campaign
  • Citizen Optimum –  ACE Bakery Canada’s Best Sandwich
  • NATIONAL Public Relations –  Hankook Tire Canada, The Road to the Top
  • PRAXIS –  Pepsi Ultimate Taste Challenge
  • Real Estate Council of Ontario –  RECO’s Consumer Awareness Campaign

Crisis or Issues Management Campaign of the Year 

Bronze 

  • MAVERICK–  Crisis at Toronto Eaton Centre

Best Student PR Campaign of the Year 

Gold

  • Talk is Cheap 5.0 Team, Centennial College –  Talk is Cheap 5.0

Silver

  • BraveArt Committee, Centennial College –  BraveArt
  • Cheryl, Hannah, Kassandra, Jessica & Brittany, Centennial College –  It’s Your Moment LGFB Fashion Show
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Quick! Time is running out to get your CPRS Toronto 2013 ACE Awards Tickets!
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By: Barbara Loureiro

It’s that time of year again – the CPRS Toronto Achieving Communications Excellence (ACE) Awards are fast approaching!

On April 24th join Toronto’s top PR practitioners to celebrate the best of public relations and communications. Held at the Arcadian Court, the ACE awards will commence at 5:15 p.m. with a cocktail reception, followed by dinner and the award ceremony at 6 p.m. Hosted by Sean O’Shea, award-winning investigative and consumer reporter on GlobalTV Toronto, the 2013 ACE Awards is guaranteed to be a great time.

ACE has always been the hottest ticket in the Toronto PR industry, so don’t miss out. Tickets sell out every year, make sure you get yours now!

Ticket costs:

  • Member: $130
  • Table of 10: $1,250
  • Non-member: $165
  • Student member: $70
  • Student non-member: $85

For more information, and to buy your ticket, visit the CPRS Toronto website.

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Storify: Building Media Relationships
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Missed our March 11, 2013 event? Here are some highlights from the panel discussion:


CPRS Toronto’s Building Media Relationships event

March 11, 2013

Storified by CPRS Toronto· Mon, Mar 11 2013 19:41:07

Can’t wait to hear from the panel tonight! @CPRSStudents #BuildingMediaRelationshipsCheryl Heisler
At #BuildingMediaRelationships! http://pic.twitter.com/wi5Z6zQVW6CPRSToronto Students
Our lovely panelists #BuildingMediaRelationships http://pic.twitter.com/DrZUV2wRNfCPRSToronto Students
Always tell media the truth even if you don’t like it. The truth will always find you. #WordsofWisdom #BuildingMediaRelationshipsCPRSToronto Students
@CPRSStudents great insight so far for relationships between journalists and PR practitioners #buildingmediarelationshipsKristina Karabassis
A quote should stand out. You only get one opportunity. Quotes are worth taking the time. #BuildingMediaRelationshipsNoah Gomberg
Sometimes a news release isn’t necessary for a pitch. A well-crafted message can be more beneficial #BuildingMediaRelationshipsCPRSToronto Students
"Own what you do know." – Tara Wood at @CPRSStudents #buildingmediarelationshipsNatalia Banoub
Anything after a third email is obnoxious. Avoid being a nuisance #HumberPR #BuildingMediaRelationshipsChristian Llano
"If it doesn’t sound like someone said it don’t use it." Quoting Huma Pabani on writing quotes. #BuildingMediaRelationshipsPeter Onate ツ
learned a ton about pitching and storytelling at @CPRSStudents’ #buildingmediarelationships panel tonight #humberprAlison Mowat
Thanks to @CPRSStudents for hosting #buildingmediarelationships. A very informative night with great panelists!Greg Fast

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Social to-do: Top 5 moves for 2013
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By Julie Geller
@JulieGeller
VP Marketing
Cision Canada

 

Before we get too deep into 2013, here’s an all-important top 5 to-do list that will invigorate your plans for the year ahead.

  1. Review your metrics: Accurate research is everything. Review your key performance indicators annually, and confirm that your research and reporting are in line with the organization’s stated goals. If your reports aren’t illuminating useful trends, make adjustments that fit your strategy. Also, examine the forms and data-collection criteria you use to ensure you aren’t missing a chance for gathering new information from clients. Consider creating visually driven reports that will engage your team in meetings and give senior management at-a-glance analytics.
  2. Refresh your homepage and blog: This no-brainer easily falls off everyone’s list. It’s great if your site has been recently re-designed, but you have to keep it fresh for visitors. Stale homepages discourage regular traffic from exploring your content on a deeper level. Fresh visuals, automated slideshow functionality and “related content” widgets are among the ways you can engage people in your organization’s latest news. If you can meet the demands of delivering content on a regular basis, a weekly blog is a great hook for pulling in traffic.
  3. Think mobile, act local: Pay attention to your mobile stats. Remember the 2010 Morgan Stanley report that predicted mobile’s dominance over the desktop by 2015? Well, we’re getting close, and you need to be sure that your content and its delivery are optimized for this exploding audience. If your mobile stats are low, find out why you are lagging and fix it. Maybe it’s time for an app, which provides instant access to your message and is the go-to solution for reaching audiences on the move.
  4. Embrace marketing’s convergence with social: Communications today depends on social media. As social matures, we’re seeing that it’s more than a Web 2.0 technological novelty. We all still need media releases, press conferences and media contacts, but it’s also time to build serious strategy around social tools. Social is more than a delivery system — it’s a marketing platform with unlimited potential for engaging audiences. Take the time to develop creative solutions for sharing your PR message and implementing your marketing plan. Set aside budget to hire dedicated social personnel for your team. Use social media to build value with your audience.
  5. Understand new technologies: Four years ago, we were all scratching our heads about Facebook’s value to business. Now there’s LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Pinterest, Instagram, Vine and more. Many of them are indispensible PR tools. You may not find a need for every social platform today, but it is absolutely necessary that you know how the channels work. Marketing strategies morph with time, and you never know what social tool will be useful to your campaign in the future.

Originally posted in the Cision Canada Insights for Influencers blog. Also join CPRS Toronto sponsor @Cision_Canada at the Social Media Ref.

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