Narrative PR and Edelman Canada took home the top prizes at the Canadian Public Relationships Society‘s (CPRS) 2014 Ace Awards, held Wednesday in Toronto.
Edelman Canada poses with its awards
Narrative PR won Best Creative PR Campaign for “Countdown to Takeoff,” its campaign to promote the launch of Air Canada Rouge.
The campaign focused largely on customer service, painting the new airline brand as relaxing and customer-focused by showcasing Air Canada Rouge’s flight attendants, from their training and recruitment to the design of their uniforms.
Narrative PR accepting its gold award for Best Creative PR Campaign
Edelman Canada won Best PR Campaign for “Creating Community Partners and Advocates,” a campaign it ran for Ontario Graphite. The campaign also won Community Relations Campaign of the Year, one of several awards that went to Edelman Canada, including gold in Media Relations (budget over $50,000) for its Kraft Canada campaign “Kraft Hockey Goes On.”
Argyle Communications, meanwhile, also won gold in Media Relationship (budget over $50,000) for its American Peanut Council campaign “A Taste of Peanut Country.” In the over $50,000 category, National Public Relations also took home the gold award for its Dead Before Dawn 3D Canadian film launch for Phase 4 Films.
National Public Relations earned several other awards, including a gold in Best Use of Special Events, for its Ontario Road Trip campaign for SiriusXM (Randstad Canada and MSLGroup also won gold in that category).
In the Employee Engagement/International Communications Campaign of the Year category, Toronto Hydro won the gold award for Toronto Hydro’s Community Involvement initiative.
Veritas Communications also took home gold for “The Surface Has Landed,” its campaign for the launch of Microsoft Canada’s Surface brand tablet.
Here is the full winners list.
Best PR Campaign
• Edelman Canada and Ontario Graphite – Creating Community Partners and Advocates
Best Creative PR Campaign
• Narrative PR – Air Canada rouge – Countdown to Takeoff
Leadership Awards
• Lois Marsh Award: Vince Power
• CPRS Toronto Volunteer of the Year: Sarah MacKenzie-Smith
• CPRS Toronto Young PR Professional of the year: Natalie Preddie
• CPRS Toronto Public Relations Student of the Year: Amanda Paterson
Media Relations – Budget Over $50,000
Gold
• Edelman Canada and Kraft Canada – Kraft Hockey Goes On
Silver
• Argyle Communications – The Breathe Right Sleep Pod Hotel Tour
• National Public Relations and Ford of Canada – The Ford F-150 Drive Program
• National Public Relations and Keurig Canada Inc. – Keurig + Pink Tartan: Creating the Perfect Cup
• Fleishman-Hillard Toronto – Restore Our Anthem
• Citizen Relations – Future Shop Holiday 2013
• Edelman Canada – Knorr What’s For Dinner?
Bronze
• DDB Public Relations – autoTRADER.ca: The Better Way to Buy and Sell Cars Campaign
• Canadian Tire Corporation – Canadian Tire Holiday 2013
• Canadian Tire Corporation – Science of Winter Driving
• McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada Ltd. – National Hiring Day 2013
• Unilever Canada and Edelman – Becel Heart of Truth
• Apex Public Relations Inc. – Nestlé Skinny Cow Chocolate Launch: Get The Skinny
• Apex Public Relations Inc. – Walmart Canada – Mom of the Year Award
• Veritas Communications/Microsoft Canada – Xbox One Launch
• Citizen & Hyundai – Hyundai Hockey Helpers
• Cowan & Company – Diane Keaton & L’Oréal Paris: Age Perfect
• Bayer Canada and Citizen – Bayer: Tick Prevention for Dogs
Media Relations – Budget under $50,000
Gold
• Argyle Communications – A Taste of Peanut Country
• National Public Relations – Phase 4 Films’ Dead Before Dawn 3D Canadian Film Launch
Silver
• Ford of Canada – Ford F-150 Drive Program
• Tim Hortons & Paradigm Public Relations – Tim Hortons Camp Day
• Argyle Communications – Saputo Presents Lydia’s Italy Live
• National Public Relations – Heffel Fine Art Auction House Fall 2013 Auction
Bronze
• Canadian Tire Corporation – Only in Canada: The Canadian Tire Ice Truck
• Paradigm PR & Energizer Canada – Sex in a canoe? Absolutely, we’re Canadian
• Randstad Canada and MSLGroup – Women Shaping
• Edelman Public Relations – VAWK for eBay by Sunny Fong
• Strategic Objectives and Ontario SPCA – Ontario SPCA Inaugural National Cupcake Day
Best Use of Special Events
Gold
• National Public Relations – SiriusXM Ontario Road Trip
• Randstad Canada and MSLGroup – 2013 Randstad Award
Bronze
• Strategic Objectives and Ontario SPCA – Ontario SPCA First National Cupcake Day
• Strategic Objectives and Kruger Products – The 10th Annual White Cashmere Collection
• Anne Vranic – Global TV’s launch of NBC series Chicago Fire
• Narrative PR – Scotiabank SCENE – The Summer of FREE
Brand Development Campaign of the Year
Silver
• McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada Ltd. – National Hiring Day 2013
Bronze
• Fleishman-Hillard – Lay’s Do Us A Flavour
• Citizen & Hyundai – Hyundai Hockey Helpers
• Canadian Olympic Committee – #WeAreWinter
Employee Engagement/Internal Communications Campaign of the Year
Gold
• Toronto Hydro – Toronto Hydro’s Community Involvement – investing in a better city
Silver
• DDB Canada – ShareDDB 2013
• Ford of Canada – Ford JDRF Race for the Cure
Bronze
• Vale Canada Limited – Vale in Canada: Long Harbour Completion Challenge (LHCC)
Community Relations Campaign of the Year
Gold
• Edelman Canada & Ontario Graphite Ltd – Creating Community Partners & Advocates
Best Digital Campaign of the Year
Bronze
• High Road Communication – Shop Small
• Paradigm PR & Energizer Canada – Quattro for Women Truth or Dare
• Seton & Reimagine PR – Seton Job Safety Videos
• Toronto Hydro-Electric System Limited – Meet your new neighbour, Community Energy Storage
Crisis or Issues Management Campaign of the Year
Silver
• Toronto Hydro – Ice Storm 2013: Dark T.O.
• De Beers Canada ECA Team – 2013 Winter Road Blockade
Government Relations/Public Affairs Campaign of the Year
Gold
• Canadian Tire Corporation – ACTIVE AT SCHOOL
Bronze
• DDB Public Relations – ONGA Advocacy Campaign
• Argyle Communications – MTO Transit Panel: Choices & Consequences
Investor/Financial Relations Campaign of the Year
Gold
• Kaiser Lachance Communications – Purpose Investments – launch of corporate class funds
Bronze
• Fleishman-Hillard – The Third Rail – Confronting our pension failures
New Product Launch Campaign of the Year
Gold
• Veritas Communications/Microsoft Canada – Surface Has Landed
• Narrative PR – Air Canada rouge – Countdown to Takeoff
Silver
• Apex Public Relations Inc. – Nestlé Skinny Cow Chocolate Launch: Get The Skinny
• HTC Canada and Paradigm Public Relations – HTC One Launch in Canada
• Strategic Objectives and Kellogg Canada – The All-Bran Tweet Shop
Bronze
• DDB Public Relations – Subaru Forester Family Rally
Best Student PR Campaign of the Year
Gold
• Centennial College – Spotlight: Horizons
• Centennial College – #CANit2013
Silver
• Centennial College – Phony Party
