TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Last night, the Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) Toronto chapter celebrated the year’s top public relations and communications programs and campaigns at the annual Achieving Communications Excellence (ACE) Awards Ceremony. The awards showcased outstanding work in the field of public relations, awarding 22 gold, 48 silver and 48 bronze trophies to a variety of agencies, corporations, students and not-for-profits in the Greater Toronto Area.
“We congratulate all the winners of the 2023 ACE Awards,” said Janine Allen, President, CPRS Toronto Chapter. “The ACE Awards Gala is CPRS Toronto’s most exciting night of the year. We were thrilled to invite winners and their teams back to an in-person event this year after three years of virtual ceremonies. It was a pleasure to be surrounded by fellow practitioners and to celebrate those who elevate our profession in the work they do each day.”
The ACE Awards highlight skill, innovation and intelligence within the public relations and communications industry. The awards recognize communications campaigns in diverse categories including, but not limited to, events, media relations, digital media, healthcare, employee engagement and diversity, equity, and inclusion.
“We would also like to acknowledge and express gratitude towards our dedicated volunteers as well as this year’s sponsors, including McMaster-Syracuse MCM Program, The Canadian Press and Duet PR. Without their support, the ACE Awards would not be possible,” said Allen.
The 2023 ACE Award recipients included:
Best in Show
Unilever Canada and Edelman Canada - Detox Your Feed - Winner
Craft Public Relations and Tim Hortons - The Launch of Biebs Brew in Canada - Finalist
Girl Guides of Canada and Veritas Communications - Girl Guides Branch Name Change - Finalist
Canadian Tire Corporation - Canadian Tire Christmas Trail – Finalist
Best Creative Campaign of the Year
Edery & Lord Communications, McCann Canada - Canadian Lung Association "Lungs in the Air" – Winner
Zeno Group Canada and SiriusXM Canada - SiriusXM Music Town - Finalist
Unilever Canada and Edelman Canada - #KeepTheGrey - Finalist
Brand Development Campaign of the Year
- Canadian Tire Christmas Trail - Canadian Tire Corporation - Gold
- True Name by Mastercard - Mastercard and Ketchum - Gold
- Celebration of the Century - Canadian Tire - Veritas Communications - Bronze
- Unified Trust - McDonald's Canada - Bronze
Best CSR or Cause-Related Campaign
- Canadian Lung Association “Lungs in the Air” - Edery & Lord Communications, McCann Canada - Gold
- Improving STEM Equity - 3M Canada with Hill+Knowlton Strategies - Gold
- 4000 Cover Stories - NWRCT, Veritas Communications and Forsman & Bodenfors - Gold
- The Great Canadian ESG Championship - Argyle and COPTICOM - Silver
- Last Straw - McDonald's Canada - Silver
- National Cookie Day - RMHC Canada - Bronze
- Crest Smile with Pride - Crest and Zeno Group Canada - Bronze
Best Human Resource or Benefits Campaign
- Staples Canada's National Hiring Campaign 2022 - Golin and Staples Canada - Bronze
Best Publication
- Unlocking the Future 5 Year Outlook - RE/MAX Canada 2022 - Silver
Best Social Media Campaign and/or Best Use of Influencers
- ValenTims - Craft Public Relations & Tim Hortons - Gold
- All Eyes o n You - Novartis Canada Inc with Edelman Canada - Silver
- #JoinTheReformation Advocacy Program - Faulhaber Communications - Silver
- RoC® Skincare TikTok Campaign - Faulhaber Communications - Silver
- iÖGO: From Here For Here - Lactalis Canada and Porter Novelli Canada - Silver
- Courageous Conversations – DoorDash - Silver
- INSTAX Mini Link 2 Launch - Swerve & FUJIFILM Canada - Silver
- Moosehead Beer With Your Name On It - Craft Public Relations for Moosehead Breweries - Bronze
Best Use of Media Relations (Over $50,000)
- Sound Shopping - Interac Corp. with Hill+Knowlton Strategies - Gold
- Mercedes-Benz Canada, Women in Motorsport F1 - Edery & Lord Communications, TrackDDB and OMD - Gold
- 2022 Media Relations - RE/MAX Canada - Silver
- The Great Canadian ESG Championship - Argyle and COPTICOM - Silver
- 2022 COS Media Relations Program - BlueSky Communications + Canadian Ophthalmological Society - Silver
- DEI Thought Leadership - Craft PR & Feminuity - Silver
- Mental Health Index - Kaiser & Partners and TELUS Health - Silver
- Wendy's Canada Breakfast Launch - Wendy's and Ketchum - Silver
- World of Barbie Makes its Global Debut in Canada - Edery & Lord Communications - Bronze
- Staples Canada Back-to-School Campaign 2022 - Golin and Staples Canada - Bronze
- Workplace Insights & Pulse Surveys - ADP Canada and Kaiser & Partners - Bronze
- 1924 Brand Launch - LABOUR / Select Wines - Bronze
- AutoTrader Market Leadership - LABOUR / AutoTrader - Bronze
- Moneris Prepares Merchants for Reopening - Proof Strategies, Moneris - Bronze
- Coca-Cola FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour - The Coca-Cola Company and Weber Shandwick - Bronze
Best Use of Media Relations (Under $50,000)
- Canadian Lung Association “Lungs in the Air” - Edery & Lord Communications, McCann Canada - Gold
- Plaza Premium Group 2022 Media Relations - Faulhaber Communications - Gold
- WeRPN The State of Nursing in Ontario - LABOUR / WeRPN - Gold
- Lumify Canada Launch 2022 - energi PR - Silver
- Cisco Canada 2023 Hybrid Work Survey - Agnostic Team/Briar Wells - Silver
- Hot Wheels Legends Tour 2022 – Mattel - Silver
- Sharing Halal - Maple Lodge Farms, Zabiha Halal, Craft PR - Silver
- Financial Literacy Month Campaign 2022 - Kaiser & Partners and FP Canada - Silver
- Heart & Stroke Heart Month Campaign 2023 - Talk Shop Media and Heart & Stroke - Silver
- Athabasca University “Flying the Pandemic Coop” Omnibus Poll - Edery & Lord Communications - Bronze
- CCS World Cancer Day 2023 - energi PR - Bronze
- 50/50 Equity Model - Hydro One with Hill+Knowlton Strategies - Bronze
- 2022 Consumer Insight Survey - Kaiser & Partners and Right at Home Realty - Bronze
- 2022 Cost of Living Survey - Royal LePage & North Strategic - Bronze
- 2022 Demographic Survey: Millennials - Royal LePage & North Strategic - Bronze
- Mattel Introduces Bruno the Brake Car - Swerve & Mattel Canada - Bronze
Best Use of Special Events or Experiential Marketing
- Pokémon Scarlet & Pokémon Violet Launch - Craft Public Relations for Nintendo of Canada - Gold
- Detox Your Feed - Unilever Canada and Edelman Canada - Gold
- Serenity with Bearaby - Craft Public Relations for Bearaby - Silver
- Nintendo Switch ‘Summer of Sports’ - Craft Public Relations & Nintendo of Canada - Silver
- Introducing Tim Hortons New Dream Donut - Craft Public Relations & Tim Hortons - Silver
- #KiaSustainableStyle - Strategic Objectives and Kia Canada - Silver
- Maison Mercedes - Mercedes-Benz Canada and Team X - Silver
- Canadian Tire Christmas Trail - Canadian Tire Corporation - Bronze
- 1924 Brand Launch - LABOUR / Select Wines - Bronze
- Coca-Cola FIFA World Cup Trophy Tour - The Coca-Cola Company and Weber Shandwick - Bronze
- The Huddle - Narrative & NFL Canada - Bronze
- Holiday Preview 2022 - Walmart Canada - Bronze
Canadian Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Campaign of the Year
- #KeepTheGrey - Unilever Canada and Edelman Canada - Gold
- Girl Guides Branch Name Change - Girl Guides of Canada - Veritas Communications - Gold
- Mercedes-Benz Canada, Women in Motorsport F1 - Edery & Lord Communications, TrackDDB and OMD - Silver
- JennAir Disrupting Design - JennAir Canada with Hill+Knowlton Strategies - Silver
- Mattel Introduces Bruno the Brake Car - Swerve & Mattel Canada - Silver
- Expanding the Narrative - Proof Strategies, Ontario Heritage Trust - Bronze
Digital Communications Campaign of the Year
- #KeepTheGrey - Unilever Canada with Edelman Canada - Gold
- #FindCT100 - Canadian Tire - Veritas Communications - Silver
- Barilla Orzo Imagine the Pastabilities - Zeno Group Canada and Barilla Canada - Silver
- Marine Protected Area Network Campaign - Argyle - Silver
- IBC Cyber Savvy Campaign - Insurance Bureau of Canada, Paradigm and VMG Cinematic - Bronze
- Practice Safe Work campaign 2022 - WSIB Communications team - Bronze
Employee Engagement / Internal Communications Campaign of the Year
- Intuit Canada ‘Out Front’ Campaign - Intuit Canada & Proof Experiences (Partner Agency) - Silver
- Jeff’s Road Trip - WSIB Communications team - Bronze
Government Relations/Public Affairs Campaign of the Year
- Home Care is Health Care - Policy Concepts - Gold
- The Ocean is Missing! - Argyle/Ocean Frontier Institute - Silver
Healthcare Campaign of the Year
- Canadian Lung Association “Lungs in the Air” - Edery & Lord Communications, McCann Canada - Gold
- COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout Plan - Halton Region - Bronze
- Having GPP is a Tough Job - Boehringer Ingelheim Canada with Hill+Knowlton Strategies - Bronze
- WeRPN The State of Nursing in Ontario - LABOUR / WeRPN - Bronze
- Heart & Stroke Heart Month Campaign 2023 - Talk Shop Media and Heart & Stroke - Bronze
Investor/Financial Relations Campaign of the Year
- Institutional Awareness Campaign - Picton Mahoney and Kaiser & Partners - Silver
- The Great Canadian ESG Championship - Argyle and COPTICOM - Bronze
- First-ever surplus distribution - WSIB Communications team - Bronze
Marketing Communications Campaign of the Year
- Back-to-School Campaign 2022 - Walmart Canada - Gold
- HelloFresh Food Waste Graveyard - Craft Public Relations + KC Media - Gold
- Detox Your Feed - Unilever Canada and Edelman Canada - Gold
- #KeepTheGrey - Unilever Canada and Edelman Canada - Gold
- Sponsorship for Sportsmanship - Unilever Canada and Edelman Canada - Gold
- WeRPN The State of Nursing in Ontario - LABOUR / WeRPN - Gold
- Al'Fez Flavour of the Souks - The PR Department for Al'Fez - Gold
- SiriusXM Music Town - Zeno Group Canada and SiriusXM Canada - Gold
- Marine Protected Area Network Campaign – Argyle - Silver
- Canadian Lung Association “Lungs in the Air” - Edery & Lord Communications, McCann Canada - Silver
- Financial Literacy Month Campaign 2022 - Kaiser & Partners and FP Canada - Silver
- Buckets Are Life - Narrative & KFC Canada - Silver
- IBC Cyber Savvy Campaign - Insurance Bureau of Canada, Paradigm and VMG Cinematic - Silver
- You Are Loved - Strategic Objectives and The Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking - Silver
- Maison Mercedes - Mercedes-Benz Canada with Team X and Salt XC - Silver
- Thanksgiving has a song! - Zeno Group Canada & Turkey Farmers of Canada - Silver
- The Launch of #KeepUpCan - GE Appliances Canada and Craft Public Relations - Bronze
- BBH: Trafalgar Road Improvements - Halton Region - Bronze
- First Responder Mental Health Resiliency - PSPNET and Kaiser & Partners - Bronze
- Mastercard 'Secret Sauce' Small Business Campaign - Mastercard and Ketchum - Bronze
- 1924 Brand Launch - LABOUR / Select Wines - Bronze
- TD Love & Money - MSL Canada - Bronze
New Product or Service Launch Campaign of the Year
- The Launch of Biebs Brew in Canada - Craft Public Relations & Tim Hortons - Gold
- The Launch of Ghost Pepper Nuggets in Canada - Craft Public Relations for Burger King - Gold
- The Launch of Tim Hortons Ice Cream - Craft Public Relations + Tim Hortons - Gold
- The Truly Flavour Trail - Craft Public Relations for Truly Hard Seltzer - Gold
- IKEA Fall Collection Launch - IKEA Canada with Hill+Knowlton Strategies - Gold
- Sunshine, Anytime - Corona Sunbrew 0.0% - Corona Canada, Labatt Breweries - Veritas Communications - Gold
- Pink Poodle - Golin and Arterra Wines Canada - Silver
- Colour of the Year: Beetroot - KitchenAid with Hill+Knowlton Strategies - Silver
- Mazda CX-50 Minute Challenge - Mazda Canada Inc. with Hill+Knowlton Strategies - Silver
- 1924 Brand Launch - LABOUR / Select Wines - Silver
- FanDuel Canada Launch - Mint - Bronze
- McCrispy - McDonald's Canada - Bronze
Student Public Relations Campaign or Event of the Year, Executed
- My Grandmother Taught Me - Abigail Gregorio, Leah Nicholls, Maiya Went, Megan Gutierrez, Sayantha Baskaran, Shivanna Ramjeet - Bronze
- Positive Pet Parent - Izabella Knap, Emma Kunzelmann, Sonya Ahmedova, Xinyu Lyu, Angie Piedrahita, Nimra Hameed - Bronze
Student Public Relations Communications Plan of the Year
- Madawaska Adventures Communications Plan - Peta-Gaye Drummond, Calissa Busby and April Lopez-Rodriguez - Gold
- Not All Heroes Wear A Cape - Cindy Di Man Giang and Tran Diem Quynh Le - Bronze
- My Grandmother Taught Me - Sayantha Baskaran, Abigail Gregorio, Megan Gutierrez, Leah Nicholls, Shivanna Ramjeet, Maiya Went - Bronze
- Do Supm Toronto Communications Plan - Do Supm Toronto - Bronze
Leadership Awards
- New PR Professional of the Year - Mia Palantzas/Kaiser & Partners
- PR Student of the Year - Rohalea Morris/Centennial College
- PR Professional of the Year - Marlo Taylor, Gage Communications
- Mentor of the Year - Eileen Tobey, APR, FCPRS LM
- Lois Marsh Award - Barbara Sheffield, APR, FCPRS LM
