Join us January 15, 2014 to celebrate the 21st annual CEO Award of Excellence. This year’s recipient is John Betts of McDonald’s Canada. @mcd_canada #CEOAward
by Alex Sévigny, PhD, APR, MCIPR, @AlexSevigny
In 2009, my colleague, mentor and friend Terry Flynn, suggested that I join the Canadian Public Relations Society. I did, and I have found it to be incredibly rewarding. I now recommend joining a professional society to every professional communicator I know.
Here are five reasons to join a professional association:
Professional associations can help keep your career fresh. Below, you can find a brief bio of my involvement with CPRS, IABC, CIPR and others – I hope it inspires you get involved. If my positive experience is any guide, you’ll have a great time once you join your professional association of choice!
My professional society bio
Since 2009, when I joined CPRS Hamilton, and especially since I became program director of the McMaster-Syracuse MCM program, I have also joined the Toronto Chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators and the Chartered Institute for Public Relations (UK).
In 2011, at the invitation of committee chair Colleen Killingsworth, I began sitting on the National Education Council of the Canadian Public Relations Society, and also as Professional Development Chair for the Hamilton Chapter of CPRS. In 2013, I began sitting as CPRS’s representative to the international Commission on Public Relations Education.
This post originally appeared at AlexSevigny.ca. Alex is Program Director, McMaster-Syracuse Master of Communications Management (MCM) and Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Professional Communication (JPC).
The Toronto Star Santa Claus Fund provides gifts at Christmas for underprivileged children — age newborn to 12. For the second year, CPRS Toronto members played the role of elves. “It was a great experience,” said Antonietta Mirabelli who delivered gifts in Etobicoke.
“Last year we delivered gifts to children in Toronto. This year members delivered gift boxes in Etobicoke and Mississauga as well,” said CPRS Toronto president, Maryjane Martin, APR.
How are the children chosen? “Each fall, more than 100 different social and community service agencies that have registered with our program, submit applications on behalf of families, to The Toronto Star Santa Claus Fund,” said Barbara Mrozek Director, Toronto Star Charities and Philanthropy. “Each child receives a colourful gift box containing a warm shirt, hat, mittens, socks, small toy, book, candy and dental hygiene items.”
This year, over 45,000 children will receive gift boxes.
Santa Fund: Diane Begin, Maryjane Martin and Lois Marsh pick up their boxes for delivery.
Santa Fund: Antonietta Mirabelli delivered gifts in Etobicoke.
Santa Fund: Amanda Gun-Munro and Nichole Legate at the depot picking up their gift boxes.
It’s that time again! The annual ACE Awards are on the horizon and that means it’s time for you to start thinking about where you shone the brightest this year. The 2014 ACE Awards will feature a few important rule changes that you need to know about.
1) The submission process
This year the ACE Award submissions will not require the preliminary entry of an executive summary. Executive summaries will be submitted together with the full campaign binder. This is for two reasons. First, it will allow judges to spend more time on one set of submissions and offer better feedback to entrants looking to improve their work. Second, the application process will be streamlined for those submitting their work for judging.
2) Return of documents
Binders will not be returned after the ACE Awards Gala. Experience has shown us that many applicants produce an extra copy of the “big binder” submission for their records, and do not need the originals returned to them. Instead of returning the full binder, entrants will receive their completed marking rubrics via email in the week following the ACE Awards Gala.
3) Best in Show/Best Creative Entries
For Best in Show and Best Creative nominations, the judges will nominate 2-3 submissions for both categories. The entrants will be asked to present their work to the judging panel to be considered for the Best in Show and Best Creative awards. Portions of these presentations may be videotaped for future use at the ACE Awards Gala.
These changes have been made to help strengthen the ACE Awards program and ensure that the submission experience is as rewarding as possible for our members. Streamlining the submission process creates a simpler experience for applicants, guarantees continued quality feedback on their work and allows CPRS Toronto to stay current with other award programs.
If you have any questions about the changes to the submission process, or about anything else related to judging and entries at the 2014 ACE Awards, please contact Leigh LePage or Charzie Abendanio, Judging & Entries co-chairs, at cprs.ace.awards@gmail.com.
A number of CPRS Toronto members were recognized for excellence in Public Relations at the 2013 Canadian Public Relations Society’s National Awards Gala held in June in Gatineau, Quebec. A total of 36 Awards of Excellence were awarded to the best public relations and communications management team from across Canada.
The Awards of Excellence recognize outstanding achievement in a comprehensive public relations project or programs. Toronto teams won medals in all categories:
Gold:
Silver:
Bronze:
“We’ve been told by our members that a valued benefit of CPRS membership is the opportunity for peer recognition,” said National Awards Presiding Office Robyn Quinn, APR, FCPRS. “Each year we receive entries that reflect how much our own public relations roles are evolving and each year we see evidence of how our members deliver strategic and successful public relations projects and campaigns across the country. Our annual awards celebration demonstrates true peer recognition for work well done.”
Congratulations to all nominated and award winning members!
Media Relations Agency Gold – GolinHarris and McDonalds Canada (CNW Group/Canadian Public Relations Society)
“Our Food, Your Questions”
The ‘Our food, your questions’ campaign enable Canadians to ask McDonald’s any question they liked and McDonald’s vowed to answer every single one. A platform for people to ask questions was created in order to get people engaged. Consumers asked questions through Facebook and Twitter, so when McDonald’s answered, all followers saw the question and the response. As a result of the campaign, people’s perceptions of McDonald’s food quality improved with 46 per cent now thinking the food is good quality, compared to 30 per cent prior to the campaign.
Thelma Hatzis (left) and Christina Basil
Multi-Media Gold – Toronto Hydro Corporation (CNW Group/Canadian Public Relations Society)
“Grow your Mo’ for Movember Campaign at Toronto Hydro”
In 2012, Toronto Hydro employees showed their support for prostate cancer and men’s mental health by participating in the popular moustache campaign, Movember. The Community Involvement team launched a social media contest to raise awareness about Movember. Twelve Hydro vehicles were outfitted with giant moustaches and Twitter followers were asked to spot the moustache and tweet a picture for a chance to win a prize.
From left: Leilly Shafaee, Daniel Tisch APR, FCPRS and Brendan Agnew-Iler
Community Relations Gold – Argyle Communications (CNW Group/Canadian Public Relations Society)
“30% Off Ontario Tuition: A Student Engagement Program”
The campaign was designed to make students aware they could be eligible for a tuition break under a program by the Ministry of Training Colleges and Universities. A trained team of current students and recent graduates were used to intercept and educate students about the offer. By focusing on “student-to-student” communications, finding creative ways to pre-qualify students and pairing live on-campus with online socialization, the team made face-to-face contact with 29,000 students on 47 campuses in just three weeks, resulting in a 27.5 per cent increase in applications for the rebate.
From left: Ashley Brown, Tom Ormsby and Annie Stavridis
Crisis/Issues Management Gold – De Beers Canada (CNW Group/Canadian Public Relations Society)
“Winter Road Blockade”
A two-week illegal blockade threatened the transportation of critical material to a remote mine in Northern Ontario. The De Beers team successfully helped the company navigate through the issue and its individual agendas. Faced with a media outlet appearing determined to undermine all De Beers messages and engagement the team created a wider strategic conversation in the media and with key stakeholders. The conversation focused on facts and the team managed to sustain this level of conversation through the successful conclusion of the winter road program and legal proceedings.
Jean Valin APR, FCPRS LM (left) and Daniel Tisch APR, FCPRS accept the 2013 Award of Attainment during the 2013 CPRS National Awards Gala on June 11 (CNW Group/Canadian Public Relations Society)
The Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) recognized Daniel Tisch APR, FCPRS and Jean Valin APR, FCPRS LM with the 2013 CPRS Award of Attainment, at the 2013 CPRS National Awards Gala on June 11. Tisch and Valin were recognized for their outstanding achievement and service in the public relations industry.
“It has been a privilege to lead the Global Alliance for the last two years, and to join professionals and academics from around the world in building a global consensus on the value of communication to organizations – and to society,” said Tisch. “Thinking of our professional journey calls to mind an African proverb: if you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.”
The Award of Attainment recognizes exceptional involvement in the public relations profession and candidates are nominated by peers.
“There is no greater honour than being recognized by one’s peers,” Tisch said (upon being named to the CPRS College of Fellows 2010). “I feel very fortunate to have worked with clients and colleagues who believe in the highest standards of ethics and professionalism – and in the critical connection between public relations and the public interest.”
A CPRS Toronto Life Member, Tisch is widely known as an international public relations practitioner, speaker, writer and industry leader. He is the Chair of the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management, the confederation of the world’s major communications industry associations, a Fellow of the Canadian Public Relations Society and CEO of Argyle Communications, one of Canada’s premier independent public relations firms.
Communications experts share their latest strategies with Cision on how to tackle today’s PR and marketing challenges – http://blog.ca.cision.com/opinion/prtrends/
Open to all CPRS Toronto members:
News Canada, a national leader in content marketing solutions, recently announced the promotion of Jennifer Cruxton to Manager, Business Development, MPR®, and Meliane Etien to Account Manager, MPR®. (MRP® is the industry standard in earned media measurement. Congratulations Jenny and Meliane!
The Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) named Barbara Sheffield APR, FCPRS LM, Vice-President, PR/Media Connection, the winner of the 2013 CPRS Lamp of Service at the national conference on June 10 in Gatineau, Québec. Sheffield was recognized for her dedicated service to CPRS during her more than 40 years as a public relations professional.
“My thanks to those I have worked with over the years for this wonderful recognition. I have always said that it is one thing to hold a membership in an organization and quite another to be a member. Contribution of time and talent should be on every member’s agenda and I encourage all members to become engaged in demonstrating professionalism to advance the profession,” said Sheffield.
The CPRS Lamp of Service is awarded to a CPRS member whose personal activities and/or leadership and dedication have resulted in the advancement of the Society.
A CPRS Toronto member since 1975 and appointed Life Member of the Toronto Society in 2006, Sheffield’s major focus and commitment within CPRS was public relations education and training. She served on CPRS Toronto’s education committee in 1979 and began to explore opportunities to develop curriculum that would benefit the growing profession. She was CPRS Toronto’s chair of professional development from 1981-82.
After serving as CPRS Toronto President (1982-84), Sheffield went on to become CPRS National President in 1990-91. Currently she is the Executive Director of the Communications and Public Relations Foundation.
