Announcing the Winners of the 2024 Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) Toronto Chapter’s Achieving Communications Excellence (ACE) Awards

Metro Inc. and Agnostic win Best in Show Campaign, while the Electrical Safety Authority and Proof Strategies take home Best Creative Campaign of the Year and Best Creative Campaign of the Year, respectively

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) Toronto chapter has announced the winners of the 2024 annual ACE Awards. The awards celebrate the industry’s top communicators and public relations programs and campaigns from the past year.

The ACE Awards Gala was held last night at The Carlu in Toronto , during which 26 gold, 60 silver and 45 bronze trophies were presented to a variety of PR professionals, agencies, corporations, students and not-for-profits from the Greater Toronto Area.

"Congratulations to all the award winners of the 2024 ACE Awards," said Andrea Chrysanthou, President of the CPRS Toronto Chapter. "As the largest chapter in the country, the Toronto chapter of the Canadian Public Relations Society received entries showcasing some of the most creative and impactful communications campaigns from the past year. The award winners are truly the best of the best. They elevate our profession with their work, and it was an honour to celebrate them in a room filled with their peers."

The ACE Awards showcase creativity, innovation and impact within the public relations and communications industry. They recognize communications campaigns across various categories, including events, media relations, brand development, social and digital media, healthcare, community relations, CSR, employee engagement, issues and crisis management, and diversity, equity, and inclusion.

“I would like to express my deep gratitude to our incredible Board of Directors and the volunteers who worked tirelessly to make these awards happen,” said Chrysanthou. “Additionally, I would like to thank this year’s sponsors, including The Canadian Press, and Business Wire. Their support has ensured that we can continue to celebrate all the incredible communicators in our region.”

CPRS Toronto would like to congratulate the following winners for their commitment to professional excellence:

The 2024 ACE Award recipients included:

Best in Show

Metro Feed the Joy - Metro Inc. and Agnostic

Best Creative Campaign

Don't Risk It: Hire an LEC - Proof Strategies and Electrical Safety Authority

Best CSR or Cause-Related Campaign

• Aura Freedom: For Her - Veritas Communications and Forsman & Bodenfors - Gold
• McHappy Day - McDonald's Canada x Weber Shandwick - Gold
• Don't Risk It: Hire an LEC - Proof Strategies and Electrical Safety Authority - Silver
• Nurturing a Resilient Earth - CIFAR - Silver
• Changing The Future of Soccer For Good - Craft Public Relations x GE Appliances Canada - Bronze
• It's Not the Same Without Your Buds - Veritas Communications - Bronze
• National Cookie Day - RMHC Canada X Weber Shandwick Canada - Bronze
• Rainbow Railroad: #SafewayOut - Rainbow Railroad x Weber Shandwick - Bronze
• The Baycrest Bike for Brain Health - Craft Public Relations - Bronze

Best Publication

• Whitby Community Strategic Plan - Whitby Communications and Creative Services Team - Gold
• Beware the Artificial Imposter - McAfee x Weber Shandwick Canada - Silver
• REACH Magazine - CIFAR - Bronze

Best Social Media Campaign and/or Best Use of Influencers

• Yummy K's - Knorr with Edelman Canada - Gold
• Chips Ahoy! 60th Birthday - Mondelez x Weber Shandwick Canada - Silver
• Launch of Cuisinart Indoor Pizza Oven - Cuisinart Canada and Strategic Objectives - Silver
• MissingB - GSK (GlaxoSmithKline Inc.) and Porter Novelli Canada - Silver
• REKKER Legend Launch - Sherwood Hockey - Silver
• Black Food Energy - DoorDash x ruckus Digital - Bronze
• Burger King, You Rule Canadian Launch - Craft Public Relations, Burger King - Bronze
• Courageous Conversations - DoorDash x ruckus Digital - Bronze
• Designer Style at Specsavers - Specsavers x FleishmanHillard HighRoad x Media Experts - Bronze
• Employee Recognition Contest- ADP Canada and Kaiser & Partners - Bronze
• Employer Reputation - McDonald's Canada x Weber Shandwick - Bronze
• Instax Create Launch Event - Swerve and Fujifilm Printlife - Bronze
• MY MS, MY RULES - Novartis & Edelman Canada - Bronze
• Olay Super Serum Launch - MSL Canada - Bronze
• Pure Leaf Iced Tea “Say Yes to Real” - PRAXIS Public Relations Inc. and PepsiCo Canada - Bronze
• #RealHolidayTales - Wellness Together Canada with Hill & Knowlton - Bronze

Best Use of Media Relations (Over $50,000)

• Champions - Craft Public Relations - Gold
• Tim Hortons Boat-Thru - Craft Public Relations & Tim Hortons - Gold
• We All Fly - Air Canada x Weber Shandwick Canada - Gold
• 2023 Walkable Neighbourhoods: Lessons for Small Communities - RE/MAX Canada x APEX PR - Silver
• AutoTrader Market Leadership - LABOUR - Silver
• Happiness@Work Index - ADP Canada and Kaiser & Partners - Silver
• Jurassic World: The Exhibition - Edery & Lord Communications - Silver
• Lotto 6/49: Gold Ball - OLG x Weber Shandwick Canada - Silver
• More to Travel - Air Canada x Weber Shandwick Canada - Silver
• PSW Day: Hooks on Hooks on Hooks - HomeEquity Bank x Weber Shandwick Canada - Silver
• Scarborough, Meet[ball], IKEA! - IKEA Canada with Edelman Canada - Silver
• The Replay Arcade - The Coca-Cola Company x Weber Shandwick Canada - Silver
• BRUKINSA CLL NOC Launch - energi PR - Bronze
• Club House celebrates 140 years - Club House Canada - Bronze
• Financial Literacy Month - Interac Corp. with Hill & Knowlton - Bronze
• The Wishbone Awards - Zeno Group Canada - Bronze

Best Use of Media Relations (Under $50,000)

• 2023 Scoring a Win for Women's Soccer in Canada - Project 8 x APEX PR - Gold
• Waterfront Wednesdays - Craft Public Relations - Gold
• 2023 Trillium Book Awards Campaign - Argyle PR and Ontario Creates - Silver
• The 2023 Royal Agricultural Winter Fair - Craft Public Relations - Silver
• Being There is Believing - Edery & Lord Communications - Silver
• FP Canada 2023 Financial Stress Index - Kaiser & Partners and FP Canada - Silver
• 2023 Digital Workspace Survey Campaign - Kaiser & Partners and CDW Canada - Silver
• WeRPN Damage Report - LABOUR - Silver
• 2023 Real Estate Investors Report - Royal LePage - Silver
• CCS World Cancer Day 2024 - energi PR
• RBC’s First Home Savings Account - Paradigm and Royal Bank of Canada
• Sex Lives Report 2023 - Swerve and LetsStopAIDS
• Child Care Spaces At Risk: YMCA of Greater Toronto - Veritas Communications

Best Use of Special Events or Experiential Marketing

• Metro Feed the Joy - Metro Inc. and Agnostic - Gold
• Tim Hortons Holiday Market - Craft Public Relations & Tim Hortons - Gold
• Yummy K's - Knorr with Edelman Canada - Gold
• Laugh-Roaig - PRAXIS Public Relations Inc. and Suntory Global Spirits - Gold
• 2023 Holiday Preview - Walmart Canada x APEX PR - Silver
• REKKER Legend Launch - Sherwood Hockey - Silver
• Popeyes Crispy Chicken Wrap Launch - Craft Public Relations - Silver
• The Tim Hortons Steakhouse - Craft Public Relations & Tim Hortons - Silver
• Nintendo of Canada's Launch of Pikmin 4 - Craft Public Relations - Silver
• Fall for Reitmans - Craft Public Relations - Silver
• Stella Artois Dine-Thru - Veritas Communications - Silver
• LOTTO 6/49: Gold Ball - OLG x Weber Shandwick Canada - Silver
• IAMS For Life Caravan - Mars x Weber Shandwick Canada - Silver
• Atypique Boozeless Brunch - Keurig Dr Pepper & Craft PR - Bronze
• Alexa & Accessibility Event - Amazon Canada Devices & Services and Kaiser & Partners - Bronze
• Select Wines Cigar Box Events - LABOUR - Bronze
• Bronze - Celebrating 30 Years of Food & Drink - Proof Strategies and LCBO - Bronze

Best Writing of the Year

• 2023 Walkable Neighbourhoods: Lessons for Small Communities - RE/MAX Canada x APEX PR - Silver

Brand Development Campaign of the Year

• Prostate Cancer Foundation Canada - Edery & Lord Communications - Gold
• Women in Sport - DoorDash x ruckus Digital - Gold
• Building Awareness with Advisors - Kaiser & Partners & Picton Mahoney Asset Management - Silver
• Coinbase Canada Launch - Agnostic for Coinbase - Silver
• MadeGood Share Some Good - Craft Public Relations - Silver
• More to Travel - Air Canada x Weber Shandwick Canada - Silver
• Nutella Canada “Savour the Beauty” 2023 - Ferrero Canada and Golin - Silver
• bubly Canada: Bublé deliveré - PRAXIS Public Relations Inc. and PepsiCo Canada - Bronze
• Celebrating 30 Years of Food & Drink - Proof Strategies and LCBO - Bronze

Canadian Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Campaign of the Year

• Truly’s Call-for-Creators - Craft Public Relations & Truly Hard Seltzer - Bronze

Community Relations Campaign of the Year

• Women in Sport - DoorDash x ruckus Digital - Gold
• Season of Giving - McDonald's Canada x Weber Shandwick - Silver

Crisis or Issues Management Campaign of the Year

• After Action Report - Vancouver International Airport with Hill & Knowlton - Bronze

Digital Communications Campaign of the Year

• Don't Risk It: Hire an LEC - Proof Strategies and Electrical Safety Authority - Gold
• It's Not the Same Without Your Buds - Veritas Communications - Gold
• Courageous Conversations - DoorDash x ruckus Digital - SIlver
• Power of the Purr - Proof Strategies and Purina Fancy Feast® - Silver
• Women in Sport - DoorDash x ruckus Digital - Silver

Employee Engagement / Internal Communications Campaign of the Year

• Bank of the West Becomes BMO - Bank of Montreal: Communications & Social Impact - Gold

Government Relations/Public Affairs Campaign of the Year

• The Stage Zero Collection - Love & Nudes x Weber Shandwick Canada - Gold
• Rainbow Railroad: #Safeway Out - Rainbow Railroad x Weber Shandwick - Silver
• Whitby Community Strategic Plan Campaign - Whitby Communications and Creative Services Team - Silver
• What's at Stake, Toronto? - Toronto Region Board of Trade - Bronze
• When thieves steal, we all pay -Paradigm, Insurance Bureau of Canada, True Media, and VMG - Bronze

Healthcare Campaign of the Year

• RSV Awareness & Arexvy Launch in Canada - Edelman & GSK Canada - Gold
• ViiV Get Checked - Edelman Canada & ViiV Healthcare Canada - Gold
• Real Holiday Tales - Wellness Together Canada with Hill & Knowlton - Silver
• WeRPN Damage Report - LABOUR - Silver
• Heart & Stroke Heart Month 2024 - Heart & Stroke and Talk Shop - Bronze
• Specsavers OCT for Everyone - Specsavers x FleishmanHillard HighRoad x Media Experts - Bronze
• The Stage Zero Collection - Love & Nudes x Weber Shandwick Canada - Bronze

Investor/Financial Relations Campaign of the Year

• Sleep Country Canada Quarterly Earnings - Kaiser & Partners and Sleep Country Canada - Gold
• Toronto Stock Exchange Announces TSX30® - TMX Group with Hill & Knowlton - Bronze

Marketing Communications Campaign of the Year

• LOTTO 6/49: Gold Ball - OLG x Weber Shandwick Canada - Gold
• Metro's Spotlight on Local - Metro Inc. and Agnostic - Gold
• Tim Hortons: The Launch of Dream Cookies - Craft Public Relations & Tim Hortons - Gold
• 2023 Blue Cross Travel Study - Blue Cross and Kaiser & Partners - Silver
• Differentiation Through Barilla Moda - Zeno Group Canada & Barilla Canada - Silver
• Don't Risk It: Hire an LEC - Proof Strategies and Electrical Safety Authority - Silver
• FP Canada 2023 Financial Stress Index - Kaiser & Partners and FP Canada - Silver
• IAMS For Life Caravan - Mars x Weber Shandwick Canada - Silver
• It’s My Airport Campaign - PortsToronto - Silver
• More to Travel - Air Canada x Weber Shandwick Canada - Silver
• The Wishbone Awards - Zeno Group Canada - Silver
• Forty Creek Creams - Forty Creek with Hill & Knowlton - Bronze
• McHappy Day - McDonald's Canada x Weber Shandwick - Bronze
• Snack Factory Pretzel Crisps Holiday - Proof Strategies and Snack Factory Pretzel Crisps - Bronze
• WeRPN Damage Report - LABOUR - Bronze

New Product or Service Launch Campaign of the Year

• Crocs x McDonald's - McDonald's Canada x Weber Shandwick - Silver
• Siakam Swirl McFlurry - McDonald's Canada x Weber Shandwick - Silver
• The Canadian Launch of TLOZ:TOTK - Craft Public Relations - Silver
• The Tim Hortons Steakhouse - Craft Public Relations & Tim Hortons - Silver

Student Public Relations Communications Plan of the Year

• Championing the Future - Iman Emam and Khadija Yassin - Silver
• #WatchYourSix with AccessNow - Shrishti Mittal, Xenia Hung, Jenny Olarte, T’yanna Roach and Moni Taiwo - Silver
• Madawaska Adventures Communication Plan - Molly Syms-Wilson, Isabella Vergara Bedoya, Hefziba Mancilla Plaza, Maria Victoria Mendoza - Bronze
• Sport Chek: Unleash Your Inner Champion - Calissa Busby and Ashraf Naroo - Bronze

Leadership Awards

• New PR Professional of the Year - Srijoni Sarkar
• Educator of the Year - Anne Marie Males
• Lois Marsh Award - Janine Allen
• Mentor of the Year - Jeff Roach
• PR Professional of the Year - Adam Sanders
• PR Student of the Year - Calissa Busby
• Volunteer of the Year - Aditi Soni