DDB Canada and Praxis PR were big winners at the Achieving Communications Excellence (ACE) Awards, held by the Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS), Toronto, last week.
DDB Public Relations, a division of DDB Canada, was recognized for having the best creative PR campaign of the year for its “Bosch Home Appliances: The 2007 Bosch Eco-Legacy Campaign,” while PraxisPR was acknowledged for the best PR campaign of the year for the “Manulife Investments IncomePlus Pre-Launch and Launch” campaign.
The Bosch campaign was a multi-tiered communications program in Toronto and Montreal that included the Bosch Eco-Legacy Tour—a mobile eco-conscious kitchen display. DDB Canada took home four other awards in the Brand Development, Best Use of Media Relations and Best Use of Special Event categories.
“This is the first time we’ve entered the ACE Awards,” said Martine Levy, managing director, DDB Public Relations. “Winning top honours and creative recognition at the ACE Awards proves we’re an agency with best-in-class creative PR services.
PraxisPR’s initiative for Manulife was a multi-phased campaign that leveraged consumer research to introduce the financial product to baby boomers within the Canadian marketplace. The firm held various symposiums across the country and a Boomer Bash featuring Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings. The campaign also won in the New Product or Service Launch Campaign and Best Use of Media categories.
“We’re really excited about the win,” said PraxisPR’s account director, Lindsay Williams. “We look forward to creating more award winning programs for Manulife and our other clients.”
Other gold winners included:
- Edelman’s ”Petro-Canada Dream Big” program, in the Brand Development Campaign of the Year category
- Toronto Hydro for the “Summer Challenge for Business,” in the New Product or Service Launch Campaign Category
- Region of Peel for the “Organics Recycling” program, also in the New Product or Service Launch Campaign Category
- Elevator Communications Inc.for “Mark’s Work Wearhouse Clothes That Work for the Community” campaign in the Community Relations Campaign category
- Apex Public Relationsfor the The BMO Business Coach Podcast in the Best Use of Communications Tools campaign.
The CPRS Mentor of the Year is Daniel Torchia, the Volunteer of the Year award went to John Challinor II, the PR Student of the Year is Kristen Maran and the Professionals of the Year are Joanne Kearney and Christina Marshall.
A panel of judges from the public relations industry, public relations school programs, government and not-for-profit sector selected the award winners.
A full list of the 2008 ACE Awards winners can be viewed at CPRStoronto.com.
