toronto.iabc.com...2 table of contents 4 message from the iabc/toronto president 6 message from the...

2015 OVATION AWARDS

WINNING ENTRIESBOOKLET

2

TABLE OF CONTENTS

4 Message from the IABC/Toronto President

6 Message from the OVATION Awards 2015 Organizers

7 2015 OVATION Awards Sponsors

8 2015 IABC/Toronto Awards of Distinction

8 2015 IABC/Toronto People’s Choice Award

10 2015 IABC/Toronto OVATION Award Winners

10 Communication Management

15 Communication Skills

16 Communication Creative

17 About OVATION Awards

18 IABC/Toronto Student of the Year Award

18 Bobbie Resnick Philanthropy Award

19 2015 OVATION Award Judges

30 About Us

30 IABC/Toronto Executive Board 2014-2015

31 2014-2015 Awards Committee

MESSAGE FROM THEPRESIDENT

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MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

I STARTED THE YEAR AS PRESIDENT HOPING MEMBERS WOULD

“GIVE AND TAKE” AS MUCH AS THEY COULD FROM THE ORGANIZATION BY TAKING ADVANTAGE OF ALL WE OFFER, AND GETTING INVOLVED IN ANY CAPACITY THEY’D LIKE.

The OVATION Awards Ceremony on May 27, 2015 offered many examples of

members giving a lot to IABC/Toronto by getting involved, contributing to

professional excellence and taking away recognition and success stories.

The OVATION Awards program would not be possible without the support of

our members, volunteers and sponsors. All of our hardworking IABC/Toronto

members volunteer their time to promote the event, judge nearly 200 entries

and organize the OVATION Street Party.

I’d like to thank our volunteers for their commitment to the association and for

elevating the communications profession. Finally, I want to congratulate all of

the award recipients. Your enthusiasm, creativity and hard work have been

exemplary.

Thank you for supporting IABC/Toronto.

Stephanie Engel, ABCPresident, IABC/Toronto

MESSAGE FROM THEORGANIZERS

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MESSAGE FROM THE ORGANIZERS

TORONTO COMMUNICATION PROFESSIONALS SURE KNOW HOW TO PAINT THE TOWN BLUE WITH THEIR

CREATIVITY, RESOURCEFULNESS, AND INNOVATION.WHAT A GREAT YEAR FOR IABC/TORONTO OVATION AWARD ENTRIES, MAKING THE JOB OF SELECTING THIS YEARS RECIPIENTS A CHALLENGE.

The awards provide a great opportunity for communicators to present

their best work, to be recognized, and to foster a greater appreciation of

the role communication professionals play in helping organizations, in all

sectors, achieve their business objectives.

Finally, the awards program would not be possible without the

contribution of countless volunteer hours by our many judges,

coordinators and award volunteers. We thank them for their ongoing

commitment to making the 2015 OVATION Awards a success.

Suzanna Cohen, ABCIABC/Toronto Executive VP

Maliha Aqeel, PMPIABC/Toronto VP, Awards

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Thank you to our valued sponsors! This evening would not have been possible without the generous support of the 2015 IABC/Toronto OVATION Awards sponsors:

PLATINUM

SPECIAL THANK YOU

Designer of Record

Official Print Sponsor

Warren McPherson Exchange Solutions

GOLD

SILVER BRONZE

FIFTH STORYelevate your content

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The following awards celebrate exceptional OVATION Awards. The IABC/Toronto

OVATION Awards of Distinction are based on the number of winning entries per

organization and a points system. Each Award of Excellence earns three points

and each Award of Merit earns one point. Companies in each category with the

highest point total win. In the event of a tie, the winner is decided by the median

score of the Excellence Awards.

The results have been secretly tabulated and are as follows.

BOUTIQUE AGENCY OF THE YEARruckus digital

SMALL AGENCY OF THE YEARDDB Public Relations

MID-SIZED AGENCY OF THE YEARStrategic Objectives

LARGE AGENCY OF THE YEAREnvironics Communications

CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF THE YEAR Sun Life Financial

NOT-FOR-PROFIT COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT OF THE YEAR Ontario Shores Centre for Mental

Health Sciences

PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARDSTHE PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD IS VOTED ON BY IABC/TORONTO MEMBERS AND NON-MEMBERS WITHIN THE GTA. ALL OVATION AWARD OF EXCELLENCE WINNERS THAT MEET ENTRY CRITERIA ARE ELIGIBLE.

This year, winners were asked to provide short videos about why

their campaign should win. Videos were posted on Youtube and the

communications community voted for or ‘liked’ the campaigns they believe

were the most successful. The video with the most ‘likes’ was selected as the

winner by the Awards Committee.

THE 2015 IABC/TORONTO PEOPLE’S CHOICE AWARD WINNER IS:It’s your move! The Rogers Communications Wealth

Accumulation Plans transition – video podcasts

Sun Life Financial

AWARDS OF DISTINCTION

2015 OVATION AWARDS

WINNING ENTRIES

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COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT

This division includes projects,

programs and campaigns defined by a

Communication plan. Entries in these

categories:

• might include a combination of

communication materials

OR

• might focus on a single

communication initiative within a

larger campaign

In the work plan, entrants must

demonstrate how their project

applied a full range of planning and

management skills, and address

how the entry relates to and affects

the organization’s overall business

strategies.

COMMUNITY RELATIONSMeritTITLE OF ENTRY: Playing together —

the launch of Canada’s first study

on new citizens’ connection to

Canadian sports

ENTRANTS: Jess Duerden; ICC Insights:

Heather Steel; Lisa Davison Design:

Lisa Davison

ENTRANT COMPANY: Institute for

Canadian Citizenship

GOVERNMENT RELATIONSExcellenceTITLE OF ENTRY: Ontario IPF Patient

Watch List Advocacy Campaign

ENTRANTS: Joanne Koskie, Alanna Fox,

Lauren Harrison, Alyssa Acorn, Paul

Lawton

ENTRANT COMPANY: Cohn & Wolfe

MeritTITLE OF ENTRY: Connecting With Our

Stakeholders: Toronto Central CCAC’s

Government Relations

ENTRANTS: Julia Oosterman,

Samantha Kemp-Jackson

ENTRANT COMPANY: Toronto Central

CCAC

MEDIA RELATIONS WITH BUDGET UP TO $50KExcellenceTITLE OF ENTRY: SOCAN - Jingle all the

Way to the Cash Register: Impact

of Holiday Music on the Shopping

Experience

ENTRANTS: Andrew Berthoff, Amal Yassir,

Shira Goldberg, Melody Gaukel,

Lorna Freeman, Michelle Titus,

McKenna Wild, Carolyne Lord,

Veronique Beauchamp, Laurence

Durocher

ENTRANT COMPANY: Environics

Communications

ExcellenceTITLE OF ENTRY: Beware of

Surveillance by Design

ENTRANTS: Tanya Gallus, Rob McMahon,

Jason Papadimos, Lata Sookoo,

Mark Vecchiarelli

ENTRANT COMPANY: Information and

Privacy Commissioner of Ontario

ExcellenceTITLE OF ENTRY: Wealthsimple – Canada’s

first online investment service

ENTRANTS: Tara Wood, James

DeCosimo

ENTRANT COMPANY: Kaiser Lachance

Communications

MeritTITLE OF ENTRY: Novartis World Asthma

Day Helping Canadians Breathe Easier

ENTRANTS: Daniel Tisch, Rob McEwan,

Nick Williams

ENTRANT COMPANY: Argyle

Communications

MeritTITLE OF ENTRY: Beaches International Jazz Festival: 26th Annual Jazz FestivalENTRANTS: Martine Lévy, Keka DasGupta,PM Rendon, Ruth-Ann DafoeENTRANT COMPANY: DDB Public Relations

MeritTITLE OF ENTRY: Veuve Clicquot launches

Yelloweek across Canada

ENTRANTS: Martine Lévy, Keka DasGupta,

Suzanne Mandarino

ENTRANT COMPANY: DDB Public Relations

MeritTITLE OF ENTRY: 2014 Fall/Winter

Boutiques on eBay

ENTRANTS: Melissa Graham,

Melissa Legaspi, Alison Mullen, Rosie

Shipton, Andree Gage, Catherine

Pouliot,

Melodie Hamel-Trepanier

ENTRANT COMPANY: Edelman

MeritTITLE OF ENTRY: Hi Opie!: Positioning

TVO for Back-to-School Success

ENTRANTS: Jeff Rohrer, Yeena Peng,

Nicole Morrison, Stephan Petar

ENTRANT COMPANY: TVO and

marblemedia

MeritTITLE OF ENTRY: Microsoft XP-

End of Support

CLICK ICON TO VIEW ENTRY

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ENTRANTS: Lisa Pasquin, Julia Perreira,

Kate Burkholder, Robert Sauer

ENTRANT COMPANY: Veritas

Communications & Microsoft Canada

MEDIA RELATIONS WITH BUDGET GREATER THAN $50K UP TO $100KExcellenceTITLE OF ENTRY: Indigo Holiday 2014

ENTRANTS: Janet Eger, Katie Gregory,

Nadia Beale, Anne Locke, Carolyn

Greathead,

Amanda Moss, France-Michele

Thomas, Christine Clouthier, Audrey

Ann Laurin

ENTRANT COMPANY: MSLGROUP

ExcellenceTITLE OF ENTRY: A coffee can make a true

difference on Tim Hortons Camp Day

ENTRANTS: Michelle Robichaud,

Alexandra Cygal, Mike Abbass,

Diane Bellissimo, Sheri Papps

ENTRANT COMPANY: Paradigm Public

Relations

ExcellenceTITLE OF ENTRY: EpiPen Canada Summer

of TAG 2014

ENTRANTS: Pfizer Canada Inc.: Manon

Genin, Simon Carson; Porter Novelli

Canada:

Jane Lee Cheung, Janie Mercky,

Mark Nusca; Anaphylaxis Canada:

Laurie Harada, Beatrice Povolo

ENTRANT COMPANY: Porter Novelli

Canada, Pfizer Canada and

Anaphylaxis Canada

ExcellenceTITLE OF ENTRY: Second Cup Coffee Co.

– Café of the Future

ENTRANTS: Strategic Objectives:

Judy Lewis, Adriana Lurz, Rebecca

Crittenden,

Patti Diamond, Vanessa Powell;

Second Cup: Vanda Provato

ENTRANT COMPANY: Strategic Objectives

MeritTITLE OF ENTRY: Back-to-School with

Walmart Canada

ENTRANTS: Jennifer Stein, Lauren Chin-

You; Walmart Canada: Felicia Fefer,

Sandra Sanderson

ENTRANT COMPANY: APEX Public Relations

MeritTITLE OF ENTRY: Walmart Canada

Christmas Comes Together For Less

ENTRANTS: APEX Public Relations Inc.:

Jennifer Stein, Hilary Lawton, Susie

Nick,

Lauren Chin-You; Morin Relations

Publiques:

Caroline Couillard; Walmart Canada:

Felicia Fefer, Sandra Sanderson

ENTRANT COMPANY: APEX Public Relations

MeritTITLE OF ENTRY: The Launch of

Entrepreneur Barbie

ENTRANTS: Strategic Objectives: Deb

Weinstein,

Michael Shipticki, Tonisha Bath Mattel,

Alicia Sumar, Lu Huang


MEDIA RELATIONSWITH BUDGET GREATER THAN $100KExcellenceTITLE OF ENTRY: MiO NXNE Sponsorship

ENTRANTS: Brian Rosevear, Ryley Murray,

Maggie Waymark, Jill De Larzac, Zac

Usher, Alison Palmieri, Kayla Kaminski,

Scott Tavner


ExcellenceTITLE OF ENTRY: Symantec Canada

Honey Stick Project

ENTRANTS: Elisabeth Brisset des Nos,

Devon Burke, Jacquelyn K. Humphrey,

Evan Davis, Candi Jeronimo, Toru

Levinson, Catherine Pouliot, Scott

Tavener


ExcellenceTITLE OF ENTRY: Flu Immunization

Campaign

ENTRANTS: Environics Communications:

David Mircheff, Sydney Dare, Robbyn

Walsh, Alexander Smith; Shoppers

Drug Mart: Sheamus Murphy, Lana

Gogas


Communications & Shoppers Drug

Mart

MeritTITLE OF ENTRY: Thought Leadership

in Canadian Real Estate: The Royal

LePage House Price Survey

ENTRANTS: Gwen McGuire, Ray McIlroy,

David Kaiser


Communications

MeritTITLE OF ENTRY: A&W Ingredients

Guarantee Launch



Crittenden,

Patti Diamond, Christine Testa,

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Vanessa Powell; A&W: Tom Newitt


MULTI-AUDIENCE COMMUNICATIONSMeritTITLE OF ENTRY: Be Enlightened:

Why Electricity Rates are Rising

ENTRANTS: Andrea Corkum, Amanda

Klein, Blair Peberdy, Darryl Seal, Matrix

Post

ENTRANT COMPANY: Toronto Hydro

MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS WITH BUDGET GREATER THAN $50K UP TO $100KExcellenceTITLE OF ENTRY: Ontario Toyota Dealers

Association Holiday Wishmaker

Calendar 2014

ENTRANTS: Jennifer Atkinson, Lindsey

Gillard, Megan Shay, Brianna Ames, Bri

Bijman

ENTRANT COMPANY: FleishmanHillard

ExcellenceTITLE OF ENTRY: Second Cup Coffee Co.

– Café of the Future



Crittenden,




ExcellenceTITLE OF ENTRY: Minnie Mouse at World

Mastercard Fashion Week

ENTRANTS: Krista Webster, Sue Kuruvilla,

Libby Stunt, Erin O’Brien, Rebecca

Feigelsohn


Communications & Disney Consumer

Products Canada

MARKETING COMMUNICATIONSWITH BUDGET GREATER THAN $100KExcellenceTITLE OF ENTRY: Second Cup Coffee Co.

– Launch of Flat White



Crittenden,




ExcellenceTITLE OF ENTRY: The Commonwell’s

Maiden Campaign

ENTRANTS: Gary Lintern, Olivia Lintern,

JC Molina, Dan Rempel, Insu Mun,

Scott Crone

ENTRANT COMPANY: Tenzing

Communications Inc. and The

Commonwell Mutual Insurance Group

ExcellenceTITLE OF ENTRY: #FALLforCBC

ENTRANTS: Krista Webster, Kim Roman,

Lisa Pasquin, Jason Cowell, Brenna

Flynn, Nell Crichton, Leanne Bull,

Jessica Leach


Communications & CBC

MeritTITLE OF ENTRY: Communicating Real

Estate Protection: RECO Helps!

ENTRANTS: Argyle Communications:

Daniel Tisch, Roanne Argyle, Ashley

O’Connor, Monika Rola, Leily Shafaee,

Dave Passmore, Peter McGregor, Erin

Cochrane, Mary Zajac; Real Estate

Council of Ontario:

James Geuzebroek, Kristina Wilson


Communications

MeritTITLE OF ENTRY: Sunbeam Supports

with Warmth

ENTRANTS: Jennifer Meehan, Heather

Meehan, Craig Ritchie, Paul Lawton,

Jennifer Dolan, Lauren Harrison

ENTRANT COMPANY: Cohn & Wolfe

MeritTITLE OF ENTRY: CIL Décor Experts

on the Road

ENTRANTS: Martine Lévy, Keka DasGupta


and Shopper DDB

MeritTITLE OF ENTRY: Revealing the Truth

about RVing

ENTRANTS: Alexandra Green, Jill de

Larzac, Zak Usher, Saeed Zaman,

Brian Rosevear, Amanda Wood, Scott

Tavener,

Sarah Crabbe, Rob Manne


MeritTITLE OF ENTRY: Commercial Lines &

Specialty Solutions Sales Campaign

ENTRANTS: Andrew Boyd, Karin Basaraba

ENTRANT COMPANY: Intact Insurance

MeritTITLE OF ENTRY: Kiss IPF Goodbye – 2014

Disease Awareness Campaign

ENTRANTS: Joanna Wilson, Carolyn

Santillan, Claire Cockburn, Jason

Partridge, Natalie Dyck, Bronwyn

Lewis, Jennifer Mota

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ENTRANT COMPANY: NATIONAL

Public Relations

MeritTITLE OF ENTRY: Schick Hydro’s

“Becoming My Dad” campaign

ENTRANTS: Paradigm Public Relations,

Real Interactive, Energizer Personal

Care


Relations

MeritTITLE OF ENTRY: Huntsville Hospital

Foundation (HHF)

ENTRANTS: Gary Lintern, Jaya

Nandrajog, Christine Wong, Steve

Priebe, Dan Rempel, Cheryl Perry,

Gerry Dearing, John Crockett


Communications Inc. with the

Huntsville Hospital

Foundation (HHF)

MeritTITLE OF ENTRY: Microsoft:

Surface Cafe

ENTRANTS: Lisa Pasquin, Julia Perreira,

Nell Crichton, Jess Leach, Kate

Burkholder, Robert Sauer


Communications & Microsoft Canada

SPECIAL EVENTS WITH BUDGET UP TO $50KExcellenceTITLE OF ENTRY: International Privacy

Day:

Big Surveillance Demands Big Privacy

ENTRANTS: Vicki Felix, Karen Hale,

Trell Huether, Brandon Iaboni, Rob

McMahon, Jason Papadimos, Gail

Puder, Victoria Sklavos, Lata Sookoo,

Mark Vecchiarelli

ENTRANT COMPANY: Information and

Privacy Commissioner of Ontario

ExcellenceTITLE OF ENTRY: Official Opening of

Corktown Common

ENTRANTS: Andrew Hilton, Andrea

Kelemen, Heather Glicksman, Ian

Dawson,

Meghan Hogan, Samantha Gileno, Tari

Stork

ENTRANT COMPANY: Waterfront Toronto

MeritTITLE OF ENTRY: Future Shop

Smart Loft

ENTRANTS: Elliott Chun, Josie Haynes,

Rachael Collier, Sybil Eastman,

Crystal Kwon, Bernard Cote

ENTRANT COMPANY: Citizen Relations

and Best Buy Canada

MeritTITLE OF ENTRY: The Home Depot

Canada – WINK

ENTRANTS: Robin Shimkovitz, Jordana

Wolch, Stephanie Dale, Candace Beres


Communications

ISSUES MANAGEMENT AND CRISIS COMMUNICATIONMeritTITLE OF ENTRY: Divestiture of Sherritt

International’s Coal Assets

ENTRANTS: David Kaiser, Anne Lachance,

Heather MacDonald


Communications

EMPLOYEE, MEMBER OR HUMAN RESOURCES/BENEFITS COMMUNICATIONSExcellenceTITLE OF ENTRY: Love the company you

keep: Deloitte’s integrated recruiting

campaign

ENTRANTS: Angie Andich, Michelle de

Leon, Shellene Drakes-Tull, Deloitte’s

Talent and Content Strategy Teams

ENTRANT COMPANY: Deloitte

MeritTITLE OF ENTRY: Connect 2017:

Launching the new business strategy

for

Canadian P&C

ENTRANTS: Bethany Fracassi, Aleks

Stanojcic, Vanessa Ali, Renata Darling,

Christina Ambert, Sarah Wace, Lisa

Milburn, Karen Eastburn, Julian Mills,

Kathryn Lattuca, Theresa Chan,

Sincere Ng

ENTRANT COMPANY: BMO Financial Group

MeritTITLE OF ENTRY: City of Vaughan Internal

Communications Strategy

ENTRANTS: City of Vaughan Corporate

Communications department

ENTRANT COMPANY: City of Vaughan

Corporate Communications

MeritTITLE OF ENTRY: RBC Insurance

Multimedia Strategy Education

Campaign

ENTRANTS: Cheryl Fletcher, Catherine

Bishop,

Lin Grosse, Lyse Gionet, Melinda

Henderson

ENTRANT COMPANY: RBC Insurance

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BRAND COMMUNICATIONExcellenceTITLE OF ENTRY: CIL Décor Experts on the

Road



and Shopper DDB

MeritTITLE OF ENTRY: Baycrest Brand

Awareness Campaign

ENTRANTS: Dave Bourne, Corinne

Rusch-Drutz, Brent Choi, Ryan

Spellisecy, Joy Panday, Fred Roberts,

David Gibb, Tara Handley

ENTRANT COMPANY: Baycrest Health

Sciences

SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY INCLUDING ECONOMIC, SOCIETAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL DEVELOPMENTExcellenceTITLE OF ENTRY: Fairmont Pollinator

Bee Hotel Launch

ENTRANTS: Melody Gaukel, Natasha

Boeck, Poornima Ranawana, Emily

Hedges


Communications

ExcellenceTITLE OF ENTRY: Check It Out!

ENTRANTS: Lindsey Gillard, Justin Häne

ENTRANT COMPANY: FleishmanHillard

MeritTITLE OF ENTRY: Connecting Mothers

Around The World DHL & Me to We

Mother’s Day Campaign

ENTRANTS: Argyle Communications:

Daniel Tisch, Roanne Argyle, Monika

Rola, Leily Shafaee, Tasneem Dasoo,

Mary Zajac; Deutsche Post DHL: Hazel

Valencia,

Verena Huetteneder


Communications

MeritTITLE OF ENTRY: Hyundai Hockey Helpers

– Year Three: Grassroots Impact

ENTRANTS: Amanda Shuchat, Rachael

Collier, Nicole Brightling, Sybil

Eastman

ENTRANT COMPANY: Citizen Relations

MeritTITLE OF ENTRY: Shoeless Joe’s – If Your

Team Wins, Your Community Wins!

ENTRANTS: Judy Lewis, Michael Shipticki


ELECTRONIC, DIGITAL AND INTERACTIVE COMMUNICATIONSExcellenceTITLE OF ENTRY: Shoreline: Create.

Communicate. Collaborate.

ENTRANTS: Andrea Marshall, Jeff

Eastman, Maureen Patterson

ENTRANT COMPANY: Ontario Shores

Centre for Mental Health Sciences

ExcellenceTITLE OF ENTRY: It’s your move! The

Rogers Communications Wealth

Accumulation Plans transition –

video podcasts

ENTRANTS: Sharon Bray, Jason Traetto,

Naren Daniels

ENTRANT COMPANY: Sun Life Financial

SOCIAL MEDIAExcellenceTITLE OF ENTRY: APC: Getting Social

Around the Campfire

ENTRANTS: Daniel Tisch, Alison George,

Kyla Best, Heidi Kim, Mackenzie Keller,

Samar Abdourahman, Erin Cochrane


Communications

ExcellenceTITLE OF ENTRY: BMW i

ENTRANTS: Krista Webster, Laurie Weir,

David Dwyer, Emma Bray,

Alexandra Mierzwa, Brenna Flynn

ENTRANT COMPANY: com.motion Inc

ExcellenceTITLE OF ENTRY: Make it a

#MoscatoMonday

ENTRANTS: Team at Hill+Knowlton

Strategies Canada

ENTRANT COMPANY: Hill+Knowlton

Strategies Canada

ExcellenceTITLE OF ENTRY: Bring It On! The Launch

of Husqvarna Canada’s Social Media

Channels

ENTRANTS: Kathryn Boland, Gary Edgar,

Lauren Chin-You

ENTRANT COMPANY: ruckus digital

ExcellenceTITLE OF ENTRY: Breastfeeding in

Public Campaign

ENTRANTS: Shawn Yu, Rylee Irwin,

Olga Jovkovic, Margaret Sum, Jill

Mather, Susan Gallagher, Olanna

White Barnett, John Bugailiskis, Rick

Travaglini, Dean Simikic, Gary Baker,

Winnie Cheung, Jill MacLachlan

ENTRANT COMPANY: Toronto Public Health

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MeritTITLE OF ENTRY: The New Me Time

ENTRANTS: Acart Communications and

York Region Transit (YRT/Viva)

ENTRANT COMPANY: Acart

Communications, The Regional

Municipality of York and York Region

Transit (YRT/Viva)

MeritTITLE OF ENTRY: CIL Décor Experts on the

Road



and Shopper DDB

COMMUNICATION SKILLSCommunication products that

highlight such technical skills and

expertise as editing, writing, and

design. Entries in this category must

demonstrate:

• the importance of project’s goals

• measurable results

• strategic alignment with the

organization’s business goals

AND

• emphasis on the creative process of

project execution

WRITINGExcellenceTITLE OF ENTRY: Randstad Canada –

Tier A Advisor

ENTRANTS: Sabrina Ramlall, Kathy

Barnett

ENTRANT COMPANY: MSLGROUP

MeritTITLE OF ENTRY: Business & Basketball:

Dan MacKenzie’s contributions to the

Globe & Mail’s Leadership Lab

ENTRANTS: NBA Canada: Dan

MacKenzie, Jonathan Chang;

Paradigm Public Relations: Tracey

Bochner, Carolyn Abbass, Sinead

Brown


Relations

MeritTITLE OF ENTRY: Golden Words:

Writing TC CCAC’s 50th Anniversary

Celebration Speech

ENTRANTS: Julia Oosterman, Bridget

Newson


CCAC

PUBLICATIONSMeritTITLE OF ENTRY: Institute for Canadian

Citizenship’s Annual Report 2013 –

2014

ENTRANTS: Jess Duerden, Lisa Davison

ENTRANT COMPANY: Institute for

Canadian Citizenship

MeritTITLE OF ENTRY: Solutions

ENTRANTS: Tara Haselden, Lisa Arnold,

David Marcus, Stephanie Schweitzer,

Carolyn Zaum

ENTRANT COMPANY: Manulife

MeritTITLE OF ENTRY: 2013 Annual Report

ENTRANTS: Andrew Kondraski, Deborah

Allan

ENTRANT COMPANY: Ontario Teachers’

Pension Plan

MeritTITLE OF ENTRY: Field Notes Donor

Newsletter

ENTRANTS: Henry Wong, JC Molina,

Olivia Lintern


Communications Inc. with Médecins

Sans Frontières / Doctors Without

Borders

MeritTITLE OF ENTRY: OASW 2013 – 14

Annual Report

ENTRANTS: Jacqui d’Eon, Carol Panasiuk,

Cindy Green, Joan MacKenzie Davies,

Rita Mashcerin, Gillian McCloskey

ENTRANT COMPANY: The Communications

Department

MULTIMEDIA OR DIGITAL CONTENTExcellenceTITLE OF ENTRY: The Electrical Safety

Authority’s Holiday Electrical

Safety Campaign

ENTRANTS: Electrical Safety Authority:

Nancy Evans, Kathryn Chopp, Farrah

Bourre,

Kara Fraser, Carol Keiley; Argyle

Communications: Daniel Tisch,

Roanne Argyle,

Louis Payette, Marc Budgell, Ashley

O’Connor; Environics Research Group:

Susan Seto, Jillian Barber

ENTRANT COMPANY: Electrical

Safety Authority with Argyle

Communications

ExcellenceTITLE OF ENTRY: It’s your move! The

Rogers Communications Wealth

Accumulation Plans transition –

video podcasts

ENTRANTS: Sharon Bray, Jason Traetto,

Naren Daniels

ENTRANT COMPANY: Sun Life Financial

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MeritTITLE OF ENTRY: The Great

#PringlesDIPbate

ENTRANTS: Kellogg Canada: Penny

Savoie; Strategic Objectives: Judy

Lewis,

Adam Sanders, Angeline Putnickovich,

Michelle Morris, Matt Philips, Jason

Baskey


MeritTITLE OF ENTRY: How we’re building an

“invisible” transformer station

ENTRANTS: Andrea Corkum, Jennifer

Link, Matrix Post, Tom Odell, Shaun

Pinard

ENTRANT COMPANY: Toronto Hydro

COMMUNICATION CREATIVE

Demonstrating effective

communication that:

• includes innovation, creativity,

strategic alignment with an

organization’s business goals

• showcases creative talent and

design

PUBLICATION DESIGNMeritTITLE OF ENTRY: Discover

Engineering

ENTRANTS: University of Toronto:

Raymond Cheah, Jen Hsu, Neil Ta,

Jacklyn Atlas, Roberta Baker, Sara

Collaton, John Guatto, Mike Hawkins,

David Moll, Blue Sky Solar Racing

team, Michelle Beaton, Shilpa Gantotti,

Micah Stickler, Liz Wolfe, Sydney

Goodfellow, Althea Blackburn-Evans,

Catherine Riddell; Annan & Sons Ltd.

ENTRANT COMPANY: University of

Toronto, Faculty of Applied Science &

Engineering

MeritTITLE OF ENTRY: Toronto Central

CCAC’s 50th Anniversary Annual

Report Design

ENTRANTS: Julia Oosterman, Brent Long


CCAC

OTHER GRAPHIC DESIGN/3DMeritTITLE OF ENTRY: Superhero –

Pedestrian Safety

ENTRANTS: Acart Communications and

York Region Transit (YRT/Viva)

ENTRANT COMPANY: Acart

Communications, The Regional

Municipality of York and York Region

Transit (YRT/Viva)

MeritTITLE OF ENTRY: Double Your Points

Program

ENTRANTS: Jim Jackson

ENTRANT COMPANY: Intact Insurance

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ABOUT THE OVATION AWARDS

The IABC/Toronto OVATION Awards offers the communications profession an

opportunity to present its best work. It advertises the excellence of individual

award winners while fostering a greater appreciation of the communications

profession.

There are two levels of OVATION awards: an Award of Excellence and an

Award of Merit. The award level winners receive is based on their total score,

determined by senior communicators who are recruited as judges. The

judging criteria for the submissions include clear objectives, originality and

demonstrated results. A final score of 5.25 to 5.74 is required to win an Award of

Merit and a final score of 5.75 to 7 is required to win an Award of Excellence.

The awards are open to all Greater Toronto Area (GTA) communications

practitioners, including non-members. Each submission must have been

planned, produced and completed within a period of three years prior to

December 31, 2014.

The OVATION Awards began in 1985 when Master Communicator, Ken

Cherney was asked to lead a team for the IABC/Toronto chapter to examine

the existing awards program, which was then called the Toronto Accolades

Program. After some consideration, the team determined the rules and

regulations upon which the OVATION Awards program was based.

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IABC/TORONTO STUDENT OF THE YEAR

WINNER: Jessica Chong, Centennial College

IABC/Toronto is pleased to award Jessica Chong as the 2015

IABC/Toronto Student of the Year! This award recognizes a

student from an accredited institution who demonstrates

excellence in communications and the greatest potential to

be the best all-round future professional.

Chong is a post-graduate student in the Corporate

Communications and Public Relations Program at

Centennial. Her entry showcased exceptional writing skills

and a strong commitment to volunteering with IABC and

CPRS as well as other organizations.

BOBBIE RESNICK PHILANTHROPY AWARD

WINNER: Jan Graves, IABC Golden Horseshoe Chapter

TITLE OF ENTRY: The Gift of Communication

The Bobbie Resnick Philanthropy Award is open to

any communication team or individual from the IABC/

Toronto membership area (GTA) who has used strategic

communications to make a beneficial impact within

the community, either directly or indirectly through a

philanthropic campaign.

SUMMARY: We know that the best gift a communicator

can give is the gift of communications--to share their

enthusiasm and skills with others. That is the opportunity

that Jan Graves has created through the Gift of

Communication. And now, The Gift is growing, out of

Southern Ontario and all around the world. We all aspire

to be of service to the community. The Gift is the key--a

way for communicators to connect with the community,

for charities to be able to help themselves, and a way for

students to learn in real life situations. And the word is

spreading.

JUDGESSTUDENT OF THE YEARLouise ArmstrongSenior Specialist, Content Management

Foresters

IABC/Toronto Past President, 2013/2014

Stephanie Engel, ABCPresident, IABC/Toronto

Mary-Ellen Hynd, MBA, CPCCIABC/Toronto Vice-President, Membership

BOBBIE RESNICK PHILANTHROPY AWARDRoberta Resnick, ABC, APR, MC, FellowRoberta Resnick & Associates

with

Louise ArmstrongSenior Specialist, Content Management

Foresters

IABC/Toronto Past President 2013/2014

Felicia Shiu, ABC, APRIABC/Toronto Past President 2006/2007

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Linda Andross, ABCManaging PartnerAPEX Public RelationsLinda (@APEXLinda) is a Managing Partner at APEX PR

(www.apexpr.com), an award-winning, Canadian and

partner managed agency. Creative, results driven and

passionate are words used to describe APEX by both

clients and its staff. A high-performance, high-energy

communications agency that is fueled by innovation,

strategic collaboration and senior-level involvement, APEX

has won numerous national and international awards.

Linda was the Past President of IABC/Toronto. She is

actively involved in the future of the communications

industry through her volunteer work on the advisory

board of Centennial College and tweets about APEX

related initiatives, entrepreneurialism for women and small

business, and anything else that catches her eye.

Heath Applebaum ABC, BA, MCM, OCGCPresident and Chief Reputation OfficerEcho Communications Inc.Heath is a Gold Quill award-winning communicator that

brings 20 years of corporate, agency, non-profit and

consulting expertise to his clients across a broad range of

industries. Prior to operating Echo Communications full-

time, Heath led corporate communications strategies for

more multinational companies such as, PepsiCo, Cadillac

Fairview, Deloitte, RBC Financial Group, and Deloitte.

In addition to leading the team at Echo Communications,

Heath is also the Director of Public Relations at Reputation.

ca, Canada’s leading online reputation management firm.

As a recognized industry thought leader, Heath has spoken

at more than 50 industry conferences around the world

and has been a public relations Professor at several top

Ontario universities and colleges. Heath holds a Master’s

Degree in Communications Management from the

DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University, a

B.A. in Political Science from Wilfrid Laurier University and

a Corporate Communications Post-Diploma from Seneca

College. Heath has also achieved his ABC Accreditation.

Maliha Aqeel, PMPDirector, CommunicationsInstitute of Corporate DirectorsMaliha Aqeel is a seasoned communicator with extensive

experience in brand building, reputation management

and transactional communications for clients in the

financial services sector globally and in Canada. Her

accomplishments include the development of the

new Institute of Corporate Directors’ brand and value

proposition, the launch of Noor Bank, a $1bn market-cap

global Islamic bank, and the successful $2.4bn acquisition

of Sweden’s OMX Group by NASDAQ and Borse Dubai.

She holds a Masters in Strategic Marketing from University

of Wollongong, Australia and a Certificate in Investor

Relations from University of California, Irvine.

Iliana Arapis, ABC, MA, BAIliana has provided communications counsel to, and

advocated for, organizations in the financial services,

not-for-profit, agency, education and health care sectors.

She has lead award-winning marketing communications

campaigns and has experience across a broad spectrum

of communications disciplines including internal HR

communications, mergers and acquisitions, stakeholder

engagement and reputation management. Currently, Iliana

is a freelance communications consultant and advisor.

She graduated from the University of Toronto with a BA in

History and Sociology, earned her Master of Arts Degree

in History from Queen’s University and holds a Corporate

Communications Diploma from Seneca. Iliana received

the Accredited Business Communicator designation from

IABC in 2010 and has had the privilege of working with

a number of Canada’s Olympic athletes and celebrities

during her career.

JUDGES

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Louise ArmstrongSenior Specialist, Content ManagementForestersLouise Armstrong has more than two decades of agency,

corporate and government communications experience.

As a co-founder of Palette Public Relations, a mid-sized

consumer PR agency, she managed national product

launches and influencer campaigns for some of North

America’s largest consumer goods companies. Prior to

that, she co-managed the consumer practice of MSL/

Toronto and has also served as a public relations officer for

Canada’s largest public school board and a speechwriter

for the Ontario Government. Currently, Louise is a content

manager at Foresters where she supervises digital content

development and marketing. A long-time industry

volunteer, Louise is in her eighth year on the board of

IABC/Toronto and currently serves as its Immediate Past

President. Passionate about ethics in business, Louise is a

professional business etiquette consultant and is certified

by the Protocol School of Washington to teach corporate

business etiquette. Louise’s views on communications,

ethics and etiquette can be found on her blog at

louisearmstrong.com. Louise graduated from Humber

College in Toronto with an Honours Diploma in Public

Relations.

Jennifer Arnott, ABC, MACommunications ManagerRevera Inc.Jennifer has more than a dozen years of professional

communications experience in the not-for-profit,

corporate, and government sectors. As Communications

Manager at Revera she is currently responsible for social

media, public relations, Revera Giving (the company’s

corporate social responsibility program), and also provides

issues management and internal communications

support. At Canada Post she honed her skills in effective

employee communications within a heavily unionized

environment, discovered she loved pitching stories to

the media, enjoyed being a corporate spokesperson and

earned a reputation within the GTA operations team as

someone who could successfully develop and deliver

strategic communications that helped the operations

team meet their key performance indicators. She has a

B.A. in Economics and Communication Studies and a

M.A. Communication Studies, both from the University of

Windsor; as well as Certificates in Spanish Language and

Horticultural Science from Humber College, but she is

especially proud of her ABC designation.

Shelley Elizabeth Aylesworth-Spink, PhD, ABCDirector, Advancement Communications & MarketingQueen’s UniversityShelley Aylesworth-Spink, PhD, ABC, has worked in

organizational communications for 25 years in the private

sector, with Syncrude Canada Ltd. and Goodyear Canada

Inc., and broad public sector at Kingston General Hospital

and Queen’s University. Her roles have included developing

communications strategies aimed at media, communities,

government, alumni, benefactors other external and

internal audiences.

Nancy BagworthSenior Communication Professional Nancy Bagworth has been a communication professional

for 29 years and an active volunteer with IABC for most

of that time. She is a Past President of IABC/Toronto

and a past director at the IABC regional level. Nancy has

worked in senior communication roles with PR agencies,

corporations, governments and associations and she has

taught communication courses at the Humber College

School of Media Studies..

Priya Bates, ABC, MCPresidentInner Strength CommunicationPriya Bates is an award-winning professional

communicator with a passion for driving strong internal

communications that lead to better business outcomes.

As President and owner of Inner Strength Communication,

Priya builds strategic internal communication and

transformational change plans that help connect the dots

between business strategy and employee action. Priya is

accredited by the International Association of Business

Communicators (IABC) and was recognized in 2010 as a

Master Communicator, a lifetime achievement awarded by

IABC Canada.

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Tracey Bochner, APRPresidentParadigm Public Relations

Amanda Brewer, ABCPrincipalABCo.Amanda Brewer is principal and owner of ABCo Ltd and

brings more than 17 years of communications experience

to her clients. During her career, she has provided counsel

to both private and public sector clients with an emphasis

on corporate communications, issues management, and

financial communications. Prior to launching ABCo Ltd,

Amanda was a senior account director at Edelman as well

as an account director at Hill + Knowlton Strategies. She

also served as manager, internal communications with the

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Amanda has

additional experience working with AGF Funds Inc., and

spent five years with mining and metals giant Noranda Inc.

She has also spent time working with a division of Health

Canada in Ottawa. Amanda is an accredited member

(ABC) with the International Association of Business

Communicators (IABC) and is a past-president of the

chapter in Toronto.

John Cappelletti, ABC, M.EdManager, Stakeholder RelationsCAAT Pension PlanJohn is a seasoned communications professional with

significant achievements in building and managing the

reputation of high profile pension funds. Before joining

the pension plan for Ontario’s college sector in 2011, John

worked for the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan, CPPIB,

TEIBAS and OMERS. He is a strong writer with expertise

in stakeholder relations, corporate internal and external

communications, and media relations. John is a proven

leader with a collaborative approach who thinks and

acts strategically, and uses prudence, diplomacy and

discretion to manage reputation risk. He is an accredited

business communicator with an undergraduate degree in

political science and economics, and a graduate degree in

educational administration, both earned at the University

of Toronto.

Yvonne Catty, ABC, CSCManaging DirectorVitamin-3 Communications, Inc.As founder and principal of Vitamin-3 Communications,

Inc. Yvonne brings over two decades of international

corporate strategic communications, regulatory affairs

and leadership experience in highly-regulated industries.

Particularly skilled in issues and crisis management,

Yvonne’s career has been characterized by senior level

corporate appointments across North America, Europe

and Asia. In addition, she has been a team member of

communications consulting agencies in Australia and

the UK, providing communications counsel and strategic

advice to a range of corporate clients. Prior to that,

Yvonne held progressively senior positions in scientific and

regulatory affairs at Kraft Foods in Germany, Switzerland

and Canada. Yvonne completed the Canadian Securities

Course in late 2014 and has earned both Bachelor and

Master of Science degrees from the University of Toronto.

She serves on several non-profit boards in the Toronto

community where she lives with her family and her dog.

Suzanna Cohen, ABCSenior Manager, Global Compliance Reporting Strategy, Communications & Policy ManagementTD Bank GroupSuzanna has more than 18 years of broad experience

in corporate communications, issues management,

media relations, event management, and marketing in a

number of industries. She currently manages reporting

strategy, policy management, communications and

employee experience initiatives for TD Bank Group’s global

compliance function and has also worked for the bank’s

Corporate and Public Affairs department. Suzanna serves

on the board of directors of IABC/Toronto as Executive

Vice-President and volunteers with Habitat for Humanity

providing communications training to its partner families in

the Greater Toronto Area.

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Janet Comeau, ABCPrincipalCorporate Communications solutions, ALTkey Solutions Inc.Janet is a strategic corporate communicator with a broad

background in a variety of communication related

disciplines. With a proven track record of delivering results

that align with business objectives, she has extensive

experience in developing internal communication campaigns

and is well-versed in the application of web technology as

a communications enabler. Previously, Janet was director,

corporate communications for the Canadian Depository

for Securities Limited, responsible for all aspects of CDS’s

communications programs. Janet was 2007/2008 IABC/

Toronto chapter president and continues to be an active

volunteer for the chapter.

Craig Crosby, ABCDirector, HR & Employee CommunicationsRBCI develop enterprise-wide employee communications

strategy and positioning, provide strategic communication

advice and counsel to senior leaders in HR, and develop

and execute communication plans for internal audiences in

support of RBC’s Employer of Choice and HR objectives.

Alix Edmiston, ABCPresidentAE Public RelationsAs a former journalist, accredited business communicator,

digital evangelist, published author, entrepreneur and

passionate follower of technological change, Alix Edmiston

brings a unique perspective to business communication. As

the president of AE Public Relations she has a proven track

record working as a trusted advisor to financial services and

technology leaders to leverage integrated digital MARCOM

to increase their visibility and deepen relationships with

key internal and external stakeholders. She has a deep

understanding of the communications strategic planning

process as an Accredited Business Communicator, the global

standard in organizational communication that measures

the strategic abilities and technical skills of a communicator.

She just earned a certificate in digital marketing management

from the University of Toronto and is a graduate of Ryerson’s

journalism program for university graduates (JRAD). She has

served at all levels of the International Association of Business

Communicators, including president of the 1600-member

Toronto chapter.

Stephanie Engel, ABCStephanie Engel is a creative, strategic communications

professional with extensive corporate and agency experience

in delivering compelling, impactful ROI-driven campaigns.

Stephanie brings a unique understanding of various industries

and a collaborative business development approach in

helping shape future successes. Most recently, as a Vice

President at a Toronto-based public relations agency, she led

the consumer team to develop strategies for a range of clients

in areas including consumer packaged goods, retail, food

and nutrition, health and wellness, and professional services.

Stephanie is also currently the President of IABC/Toronto,

the GTA-based chapter of the International Association of

Business Communicators, and the largest chapter worldwide.

In this role, along with a Board of 11, efforts have focused on

providing member value through professional development,

networking, mentoring and volunteerism.

Cheryl Ficker, ABCPrincipalAugust PR

Cheryl Fletcher, ABCSenior Manager, Internal Communications, RBC InsuranceRBC (Royal Bank of Canada)Cheryl has 25+ years of communications experience gained

through various roles in financial services and telecom. She’s

been part of RBC’s communications team for the past 20

years, has managed communications for many major change

initiatives and co-authored an IABC manual (Complete Guide

to Integrated Change Communications). Currently, Cheryl is

responsible for internal communications for RBC’s insurance

business, with a focus on helping employees understand

how what they do contributes to the organization’s success.

Projects she’s been involved in have earned a Gold Quill

Award of Excellence, a Silver Leaf Award of Merit and three

OVATIONs (two Excellence and one Merit). She holds an

Honours Bachelor of Commerce from McMaster University, is

an avid soccer mom and has served as a judge for IABC Silver

Leaf and OVATION awards.

23

Nancy Gale, ABCAssociate Vice President, Strategic Communications and Partnership AdvancementMississauga Halton Community Care Access CentreNancy Gale is an award-winning and accredited

communicator through the International Association of

Business Communicators (IABC). Nancy manages the

Mississauga Halton CCAC’s strategic communications

planning, stakeholder management and strategic board

development for this community-based health service

provider at the vanguard of providing quality home care.

Nancy has broad experience as a marketing communication

professional in both the private and public sectors - at all

levels. Prior to joining the Mississauga Halton CCAC, Nancy

served as Marketing Communications director for Trillium

Health Centre in Mississauga; communications lead for the

Toronto District School Board; director at Bell Canada and

BCE Nexxia enterprise divisions; and roles in the Ontario

and federal governments. A recipient of an IABC/Toronto

OVATION Award of Excellence in 2007, Nancy also won

Bell Canada’s Marketing Excellence Award, IP World’s Best in

Show Award in 2004 and MarCom Gold awards for 2011/12

and 2012/13 annual reports to the community.

Trell Huether Senior Communications AdvisorInformation and Privacy Commissioner of OntarioImaginative strategist, former IABC/Toronto President (2011-

2012), and OVATION Awards DJ.

Jessica Hume, ABCCommunications ManagerToronto Region Immigrant Employment CouncilJessica Hume, an accredited communicator, is

Communications Manager with the Toronto Region

Immigrant Employment Council (TRIEC). Before joining

TRIEC, Jessica was Communications Manager for

CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation based

in Johannesburg, South Africa. She has a Master’s degree

in Communication Management from the University of

Pretoria, South Africa, where her thesis focused on strategic

internal communication in international non-governmental

organizations. Originally from Vancouver, she has a BA in

Communications from Simon Fraser University.

Jeanette Jones, ABCDirector, External Communications & Social MediaMcDonald’s Restaurants of CanadaJeanette is an accomplished communications strategist

with 20-plus years of corporate and agency experience

with some of the world’s leading consumer packaged

goods brands. She is a trusted advisor to senior

management and applies her expertise to developing

strategic, results-oriented programs to build brand trust,

improve reputation and manage issues. Previously she

was with Maple Leaf Foods where she was involved in

public relations, marketing communications and change

management. She was also an integral member of the

team which led communications strategy and response

during the 2008 Listeriosis crisis.

Diana Kuprel, ABC, BA Hon., MA, PhDDirector, Alumni Relations & Advancement CommunicationsFaculty of Arts & Science, University of TorontoDiana Kuprel is the director of alumni relations and

advancement communications for U of T’s Faculty of

Arts and Science, which is in the midst of a $250-million

fundraising campaign. While leading the communications

portfolio, from 2004 to 2008, she also launched and edited

an award-winning magazine, idea&s: the arts & science

review. Prior to joining U of T, she was the editor of a

national book review magazine, and worked as political

staff for the Ontario government. Outside of work, she

is a consultant on strategic planning, fundraising and

communications for Toronto-based arts organizations. She

has been a contributing editor and fundraising advisor to

the Literary Review of Canada, and is the Vice President of

PEN Canada. She is also a published literary translator. She

has an MA and PhD in Comparative Literature from U of T,

and a BA Honours in English from UBC, and has studied in

Poland. She is an avid hiker and cyclist.

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Amalia KyriacouCommunications Manager, CorporateRSA CanadaAmalia is a strategic communicator with more than

20 years professional communications experience in

the corporate, not-for-profit and government sectors.

Currently, Amalia provides strategic communications

counsel to internal clients in HR, IT and Finance at RSA

Canada. Prior to joining RSA, Amalia led internal and

external communications for several organizations

including Delta Hotels and Resorts, the Ontario Tourism

Marketing Partnership Corporation, an agency of the

government of Ontario responsible for promoting the

province as a tourism destination, and the Food and

Consumer Products of Canada, a national industry

association. Amalia holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from

Wilfrid Laurier University and a post-graduate certificate in

Public Relations from Humber College.

Grace LakePrincipalLake CommunicationsGrace, bilingual in English and French with oral Italian,

is a seasoned Corporate Communications professional

with 30 years’ experience, in business, government and

academic sectors, regionally, nationally, and internationally.

She is highly skilled in media relations. As independent

consultant, Principal, Lake Communications, she has

provided counsel and PR services in planning and

implementing results-oriented communications programs,

media relations including crisis communications, ethnic

media, and creative corporate sponsorship to clients

in government and business. As Regional Manager,

Public Relations (Toronto) for Teleglobe Canada, she

was responsible for planning and implementing a

comprehensive communications program to establish a

corporate image of excellence. She successfully introduced

the then pioneering concept of corporate sponsorship

of the arts to reach key corporate stakeholders. She has

served as Director on boards of the Couchiching Institute

on Public Affairs and YWCA. Grace is a graduate of the

University of Toronto, and also studied in Lausanne,

Switzerland.

Jo Langham, ABC, MCPresidentJo Langham CommunicationsJo Langham is a senior communications executive with

extensive experience developing and leading award-

winning integrated communications programs that

seamlessly combine public and media relations with

social media and digital marketing to consistently meet

evaluation metrics and maximize client value. She is

a trusted advisor to senior management and provides

counsel on communications to effect growth, improve

reputation or manage business issues and crises. She has

experience in a broad array of industry sectors including

financial, health & wellness, energy and food & beverage

and has worked with many internationally recognized

brands. Jo is a Past President of IABC/Toronto, has

served on the international Accreditation Committee

and as a Blue Ribbon Panel judge for IABC’s Gold Quill

Awards. She currently owns and operates Jo Langham

Communications.

Anna Larson, ABC, MLSQuality Improvement SpecialistHalton RegionAnna Larson joined the Halton Region Health Department

as a Quality Improvement Specialist in March 2015. Prior

to joining the Department, she was a Communications

Specialist with the Region, working with clients to develop

and implement innovative communication strategies.

Before she joined the Region in 2008, Anna held a number

of senior communications positions including Director,

Public Affairs and Communications with the Centre

for the Financial Services OmbudsNetwork; Director of

Communications and Special Events with The Boston

Consulting Group (BCG) and media relations officer,

speechwriter and manager with the former Ontario

Ministry of Economic Development and Trade. Anna

graduated from the University of Western Ontario with a

Master of Library Science, and received a B.A. (French and

German) from the University of Toronto. She earned her

accreditation (ABC) from the International Association of

Business Communicators in 2009. She is a past Gold Quill,

Silver Leaf and OVATION Award winner.

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Judy LewisCo-FounderStrategic ObjectivesJudy Lewis is the co-founder of Strategic Objectives:

Canada’s most award winning Public Relations firm and

IABC/Toronto Agency of the Year in 2014, 2012, 2011 and

2009. A respected communications and public relations

strategist, Judy provides senior counsel and insight-

led PR solutions to many of Canada’s and the world’s

leading brands and organizations. Judy is an innovator of

blockbuster brand PR, social media and digital solutions.

She is also an expert in corporate social responsibility

initiatives and crisis & issues management. Judy and the

Strategic Objectives team’s programs have won more than

150 prestigious Communications awards, including the

United Nations Grand Award for Outstanding Achievement

in Public Relations and numerous Gold Quill Awards. She

is member of Profit Magazine’s Top 100 Canadian Women

Business Owners and recipient of both the Queen’s

Diamond Jubilee Medal and the Queen’s Golden Jubilee

Medal for Outstanding Contributions to Canada and the

Communications Industry.

Ruth Lewkowicz, MAJCTeam Lead, Marketing BranchOntario Ministry of Economic Development, Employment and Infrastructure/Ministry of Research and InnovationRuth has extensive marketing and communications

experience in a variety of sectors including health care,

economic development and government. She has been

an independent consultant and worked for a leading

international PR firm. Ruth holds a Masters in Journalism

and Communications from the University of Florida and a

Bachelor of Arts from McGill University.

Anne Locke, ABCVice President, Style and BeautyMSLGROUP CanadaAnne Locke is Vice President, Style and Beauty at

MSLGROUP Canada. Anne has more than 10 years of

agency experience that includes managing award-

winning programs, providing strategic counsel, leading

media relations and planning events. Anne graduated

with honours from The London School of Economics

and Political Science in London, England with a degree

in International Relations. She is also a graduate of the

Humber College Public Relations Post-Graduate Certificate

Program.

Maureen Lynch, ABC, BAA-Journalism, BA-EnglishSenior Communications AdvisorMinistry of the Health & Long Term CareMaureen Lynch is an award-winning communications

consultant who specializes in environmental

communications, informed decision making & community

capacity building. With expertise in the areas of board

development, public participation and community

based social marketing, Maureen brings a unique mix

of technical, policy and collaborative knowledge to her

work. She has an extensive background in designing and

delivering consulting projects in a variety of areas including

strategy, business planning, organizational development

and evaluation. Maureen holds a Bachelor of Applied Arts

(Journalism) from Ryerson University. In addition, she

holds a Bachelor of Arts (English) from the University of

Waterloo, where she also graduated with a Bachelor of

Environmental Studies (Geography).

Carrie MacAfeeCommunications SpecialistOntario Power GenerationCarrie MacAfee develops and delivers strategic

communication at Ontario Power Generation and is a past

president and volunteer with IABC/Toronto.

Maryjane Martin, APRPrincipalM.J. Martin & CompanyMaryjane Martin, APR, is a seasoned communication

management consultant specializing in corporate and

internal communication. Clients include financial service

and technology companies, government ministries and

agencies and healthcare organizations. Recently named

“Public Relations Professional of the Year” by CPRS

Toronto, Martin has won national awards for writing and

communication planning and has been a blue ribbon judge

for the IABC Gold Quill Awards. She has authored a number

26

of articles on communications planning and corporate

communication. Martin has a Master’s of Science degree in

Communication Management from Syracuse University and

teaches public relations at Ryerson University.

Wendy McLean-Cobban, CMP, ABC, MCMCommunications ManagerAon HewittWendy is a strategic, results-oriented communications,

marketing and events professional with over 15 years of

experience working in both the financial and not-for-profit

sectors. Currently she is a Communications Manager

at Aon Hewitt. She holds a Master of Communications

Management (MCM) degree from McMaster/Syracuse

Universities and the Accredited Business Communicator

(ABC) and Certified Meeting Professional (MPI)

accreditations. She is also an instructor for the Public

Relations Certificate Program at Ryerson University.

Sheri Morgan, ABCCorporate Communications ManagerPepsiCo Foods CanadaSheri is the manager of communications and community

relations for PepsiCo Foods Canada. In this role she is

responsible for internal communications, president’s office

communications, corporate and brand PR, the PepsiCo

Canada corporate website (www.pepsico.ca) and the

company’s national community relations/charitable giving

strategy. Sheri is a well-rounded communicator with

over 15 years of progressive marketing communications,

media relations, corporate and internal communications

experience. She spent seven years in the PR agency

environment in marketing communications working with

some of the world’s best known brands including PepsiCo,

Frito Lay Canada, Marriott Hotels, McCain Foods, Swiss

Chalet and Sony PlayStation, to name only a few. In 2007

Sheri went client side with PepsiCo Foods Canada and,

since then, gained extensive internal communications,

crisis communications, community relations and corporate

media spokesperson experience. Sheri earned IABC

accreditation in January 2010 and is an active member of

IABC Toronto.

Julia Quinton Oosterman Dir., Comms/Stakeholder RelationsToronto Central CCACJulia has over 15 years in public relations and corporate

communications experience in both agency and client

environments. She‘s worked with leading national agencies

and also brings a myriad of personal volunteer experiences

to the team. These include sitting on the Marketing Board

for Humber College, and the National Cookie Committee

for the Girl Guides of Canada where she helped launch the

organization‘s controversial new cookie recipe. Julia is a

graduate of Ryerson University‘s Bachelor of Applied Arts

program, and a French as a second language certificate

program from the Universite de Nantes, France.

Sandra Pakosh, ABCPrincipalOutsource CommunicationsCombining 15 years in integrated marketing communications

and a decade in corporate communications/PR, Sandra

Pakosh has deep experience in private and public/non-

profit sectors for global and emerging brands. Throughout

her marketing communications career, she served in

progressive roles in high tech targeting B2B and B2C markets,

managing workplace change or transition through effective

communication, and delivering return on investment

envelopes. Out of her most recent work experience,

Sandra evolved her expertise to specialize in environmental

sustainability and stakeholder engagement in an issues

organization; managing a balance of political acuity, public

advocacy and media relations.

Since then, Sandra has blended her experience and expertise

to form and lead an independent consultancy—Outsource

Communications—that taps into a network of subject matter

expertise to fulfill Canadian client value communication

requirements for reputation management, social good and

cause marketing and advocacy-action campaigns.

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Chitra Reddin, PhDPresidentCommunications SolutionsChitra’s current focus is in helping organizations develop

and communicate strategic content and thought

leadership to achieve objectives and build trust. Chitra’s

30-year career as a communication executive, consultant

and educator gives her specialized expertise and broad

industry experience. A senior corporate strategist, she

has managed award-winning internal and external

communications for global and national organizations

PWC, KPMG, CIBC and Towers Watson in both Canada

and the US. Her industry strengths are in financial and

professional services, energy, and health care. She has

served as president of IABC / Maritime Canada, on the

National Education Council of CPRS and most recently as

research chair and member of the board of the Canadian

Communications +Public Relations Foundation. An

experienced educator and project manager, Chitra

planned and designed the four-year Bachelor of Public

Relations degree for Humber College and revitalized the

content of the Management Communications courses at

the Ivey Business School, where she continues to publish

original management case studies in communications,

leadership, innovation and change.

Anna Relyea, BA, MADirector, Strategic CommunicationsOntario Science CentreAnna Relyea was a business journalist before starting

her diverse career in public relations and corporate

communications more than 20 years ago. She contributed

to successful PR agency campaigns in the travel and

aerospace sectors before setting up the communications

department at National Trust and developing

communications programs at CIBC. Anna progressed to

Heinz Canada where she spent seven years working on

many aspects of corporate image building, marketing

communications, media and government relations, issues

management and crisis communications. Now Director,

Strategic Communications, at the Ontario Science Centre

Anna is leading a strategic communications program to

advance the centre’s image and profile in the marketplace.

She earned her B.A. and M.A. as well as a Certificate in

Public Relations Procedures from the University of Toronto.

Anna is an active member of the International Association

of Business Communicators (IABC) and headed the

Hospitality Task Force for the 2014 IABC World Conference

in Toronto.

Roberta Resnick, ABC, APR, MC, FellowPrincipalRoberta Resnick & AssociatesBobbie Resnick gained her experience in public relations,

starting in 1957, with Zurich Insurance Company and

Morton International (salt and chemicals) of Chicago;

sales communications with SmithKline Pharmaceuticals

in Philadelphia; and between 1972 and 1985, all aspects

of corporate and targeted communication for Libby’s and

Nestlé of Canada in Toronto. An independent consultant

in Toronto for the past 30+ years, she has specialized in HR

communication of employee policies and procedures and

employee handbooks/managers’ guideline manuals – in

addition to marketing/sales materials – for organizations in

such diverse fields as chemical and industrial production,

health care, consumer package goods, the financial industry,

computers and transportation. During those years, she also

presented communication skills seminars for professional

groups and client organizations and taught employee

and marketing communication, among other subjects, in

Corporate Communications/Public Relations programs for

IABC International and at Seneca and Centennial colleges

and Ryerson University. Now semi-retired, she continues

to accept specific communication projects and provide

consulting services to existing and new clients; maintain

contact with long-time clients, IABC colleagues and former

students who have become long-time friends. She also

attends local IABC networking events and helps whenever

and wherever an extra judging/evaluation/input/opinion

“body” is needed.

David Rowney, APR, FCPRSSr. Mgr., Organizational Comms.Tim Hortons Inc.David Rowney is a senior level practitioner in corporate

communications with experience in all facets of internal

and external public relations and electronic media. His

specialty areas are in marketing communications, media

relations and brand promotion. Over his 20+ years in the

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profession, he has worked for Canadian and multi-national

companies in the accounting, engineering, insurance and

food service industries. He has also taught communications

management to graduate-level community college

students. David has been judging for more than 10 years

and is the recipient of several national awards for public

relations excellence. Currently he is responsible for

organizational communications at Tim Hortons Inc. in

Oakville.

Julie Saccone, ABC, BJ, HBscDirector, Comm. & MarketingWomen’s College HospitalA graduate of the University of Toronto, Julie began

her career in communications in 2006 at St. Michael’s

Hospital. As a senior communications advisor responsible

for internal and external communications, and issues and

crisis management, she led the hospital’s communication

response for the H1N1 crisis and the G20 summit. A former

reporter with an eye for a good story, Julie has spearheaded

a number of media campaigns resulting in significant

media coverage and has authored more than 700 stories

that appeared in newspapers across Canada. She holds

a bachelor of science from the University of Toronto, a

bachelor of journalism from Ryerson University and, in

2013, became an accredited member of the International

Association of Business Communicators.

Linda Sadlowski, ABCManager, Enterprise Employee CommunicationsRoyal Bank of CanadaTrained as a journalist, Linda moved into corporate

communications roles in the financial services industry,

taking her primary skills (curiosity and a penchant for

story-telling) to help interpret and communicate company

strategies for a variety of audiences. She is currently focused

on global employee communications for Royal Bank of

Canada, examining the big picture and helping connect

the dots for employees so they can do their jobs better.

Over the course of her 25+ years in the profession, she

has enjoyed serving as a judge for both the OVATION

and Gold Quill awards, co-authoring an IABC manual on

integrated change communications, earning IABC awards

of excellence and merit for projects she has participated in,

and obtaining her ABC designation.

Barbara SawyersPrincipalSticky CommunicationsFor 30 years, Barb Sawyers has helped organizations change

and succeed through clear, compelling communication.

She has written for a wide range of organizations, including

Apple, the Arthritis Society, Bell Expressvu, the Canadian

Life & Health Insurance Association, Honeywell, Carlton

Cards, IBM, Livingston International, Manulife, the Ontario

government, Providence Healthcare, St. Michael’s Hospital,

Verde Group and Volunteer Canada. She blogs regularly

at Sticky Communication and guest posts at Problogger,

Ragan Daily, PR News and other popular sites. She has a

master’s degree in journalism. For everyone who is writing

more and struggling to engage readers, Barb wrote her

book Write Like You Talk Only Better. A long‐time IABC

member, Barb has served on the professional development

and other committees and led Professional Independent

Communicators (PIC) and the chapter blog.

Gary Schlee, ABC, MCGary Schlee CommunicationsA former communications professor, Gary launched

Canada’s first post-secondary corporate communications

program at Centennial College in the 1980s. He has worked

in communications for a multinational corporation and a

professional trade association, as well as operating his own

business. A past president of IABC Toronto, Gary also served

on regional and international IABC committees. He has

been an awards judge at all three levels of IABC for 40 years.

Susan Scott, ABCOwner/Chief StrategistFull Circle CommunicationsFull Circle Communications is a strategic communications

consultancy established in 2006. Owner/operator, Susan

Scott, ABC, is an award-winning communications professional

with more than 20 years of experience. Her proven ability

to both listen to her clients to better understand their needs

and provide the best advice to help them communicate

successfully to their audiences make her a trusted adviser

and partner. Her background includes a bachelor’s degree

in journalism, work as a journalist for three newspapers,

corporate communications experience in health care, health

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care fundraising, post-secondary education, law and the

broader public sector. In her business, Susan counsels and

advises corporate and business leaders and executives, public

sector and charitable organizations and non-profits. She

creates clear, consistent messages so clients communicate

with one voice to person-to-person, in print or broadcast,

and on the web. Her expertise includes advising on, planning

and implementing a range of communications projects

including corporate identity/logo development, publications

such as annual reports, brochures, newsletters and electronic

projects such as website content writing and design and

e-bulletins and newsletters. Susan is an accredited member,

Accredited Business Communicator (ABC) of the International

Association of Business Communicators. Her work has won

awards from IABC and the Health Care Public Relations

Association of Canada. Susan is a member of the Ajax

Pickering Board of Trade, the Whitby Chamber of Commerce,

IABC and the Professional Writers Association of Canada.

Sabita Singh, ABCNational Director, Digital MarketingKPMGSabita is a seasoned Accredited Business Communicator

(ABC) with over 20 years of experience in diverse industries

including high tech, pharmaceutical and financial services.

She has specialized in digital marketing and communications

over the past 10 years. Sabita is currently the Director of

Digital Marketing for KPMG Canada. She is executing a multi-

year strategy that has a strong focus on social media and

content marketing. Previously, Sabita spent 2007 to 2011 at

Sun Life Financial where she ran an in-house digital agency

that managed a range of global and Canadian sites for

consumers, employees and advisors. Throughout her career,

Sabita has been an active volunteer with IABC. She has helped

organize global conferences, judged awards programs and

championed accreditation for communications professionals.

Gal Wilder, ABCAccount Group DirectorCohn & WolfeGal is a seasoned communicator whose professional

experience includes working with and providing

communication, public relations and reputation management

counsel to many well-known organizations across various

industry sectors, both in Canada and abroad. Gal holds an

Accredited Business Communicator designation (ABC) from

the International Association of Business Communicators.

His successful track record in leading a variety of domestic

and globally-aligned media relations campaigns earned

him industry awards and recognition from professional

associations and global communication networks.

Janet Wile, ABC, APR, MC, FCPRSManager, Internal CommunicationsChartered Professional Accountants of CanadaJanet Wile has 30 years of diversified experience in internal

and external communications with global organizations

such as Barrick Gold, Honeywell, Siemens, and Burson-

Marsteller Public Relations. She was named a Master

Communicator by IABC Canada in 2007. She has won

more than 40 Awards for communications projects from

professional associations since 2000, including OVATION,

Silver Leaf and Gold Quill. She has been a frequent judge

for various Awards programs, and has served on the Blue

Ribbon Panel for IABC Gold Quill Awards. She is a graduate

of Acadia University, and earned Master’s degrees in English

and Public Administration from Queen’s University.

Gillian Williams McClean, HBASenior Communications StategistGMJ Creative Hands, Inc.Gillian Williams McClean is committed to “Creatively

Engineering Your Communications Solutions.” She is a

senior communications strategist who delivers positive

results for her clients and employers in the public, private

and volunteer sectors. Her forte is the development and

execution of strategic communications and marketing

plans that advance corporate and departmental objectives.

Gillian’s exceptional interpersonal and organizational

skills serve to build rapport that inspires internal and

external stakeholders to achieve their goals. Her specialties

include: strategic communications planning; research and

professional writing; issues identification and management;

media relations; and community engagement.

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ABOUT IABC(THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BUSINESS COMMUNICATORS)

Founded in 1970, the IABC is a network of more than 12,000 business

communication professionals across more than 80 countries and operating through

over 100 chapters around the world. IABC/Toronto is managed by a volunteer

Board of Directors, is the largest chapter of the IABC and was deemed the 2015

International IABC Chapter of the year. It provides members with the tools and

resources to excel at all levels of their communication engagements. IABC/Toronto

offers members many benefits including: networking and volunteer opportunities,

recognition and awards, newsletters and email bulletins, career development

resources and online discussions on the latest issues shaping the profession. IABC

is recognized as the professional association of choice for communicators who

aspire to excellence. IABC is committed to establishing and supporting the highest

professional standards of quality and innovation in organizational communication.

For more information please visit toronto.iabc.com

PresidentStephanie Engel, ABC

Immediate Past PresidentLouise Armstrong

Executive Vice PresidentSuzanna Cohen, ABC

Vice President, AssociationManagement & FinanceKarin Basaraba, ABC

Vice President, AwardsMaliha Aqeel, PMP

Vice President, Marketingand SponsorshipBrent Artemchuk

Vice President, Member CommunicationsDave Watt

Vice President, MembershipMary-Ellen Hynd, MBA

Vice President, Networking & Special EventsRob McMahon, ABC

Vice President, Professional DevelopmentTeresa Pavlin

Vice President, Social MediaScott Fry

Vice President, Volunteer ServicesLindsay Falt

2014-15 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

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VICE PRESIDENT, AWARDSMaliha Aqeel, PMPDirector, Communications,

Institute of Corporate Directors

MARKETING COMMUNICATIONSVictoria DiPlacido (Lead)Assistant Beauty Editor, ELLE Canada

Melika RamkissoonCommunications Specialist

AWARDSGloria Lopez Gill (Lead)Communications and Media Specialist

Cris CostaCommunications Manager,

Alpha Textbooks Inc.

MATERIALS & EVENTSCandice Kei (Lead)Administrative Assistant, Numeris

Patrick BurkeSenior Consultant,

Merkato Communications

Angela WardPublic Relations and

Communications Professional

Heather SeamanCommunications and Media Specialist

Cable Public Affairs Channel

Zuzanna SomoraCommunications Lead,

Multivitamin Media

OVATION AWARDS JUDGINGSuzanna Cohen, ABCExecutive Vice President, IABC/

Toronto

Senior Manager, Reporting

Strategy, Communications & Policy

Management

Global Compliance Business

Management, TD Bank Group

JUDGING COORDINATORSSasha AlexanderStudent

Catherine SniderStudent

Scott TabachnickSr. Manager, Corporate

Communications, Sherritt

International

JUDGING TECHNOLOGY SUPPORTWarren McPherson Exchange Solutions

2014-15 AWARDS COMMITTEE

IABC/ TORONTOEmail: [email protected]/IABCtoronto

IABC INTERNATIONAL601 Montgomery Street, Suite 1900San Francisco, California, USA 94111Tel: 415-544-4700 or 1-800-776-4222Fax: 415-544-4747Email: [email protected]/IABCWorldwww.twitter.com/iabc

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Award of Distinction

2015 Bobbie Resnick Philanthropy Award Title of Entry: The Gift of Communication Entrant’s Name: Jan Graves Entrants’ Organization: IABC, Golden Horseshoe Chapter Summary Statement: We know that the best gift a communicator can give is the gift of communications--to share their enthusiasm and skills with others. That is the opportunity that Jan Graves has created through the Gift of Communication. And now, The Gift is growing, out of Southern Ontario and all around the world. We all aspire to be of service to the community. The Gift is the key--a way for communicators to connect with the community, for charities to be able to help themselves, and a way for students to learn in real life situations. And the word is spreading. Entry endorsed and prepared by: Ken Cherney, ABC, APR, MC

This logo was designed “pro bono” by Graphic Artist, Tom Hodgins, Jan’s friend.

It is used with the IABC Golden Horseshoe event as well as the IABC World Conference event. It represents IABCers as “stars”, thinking outside the box,

and “giving the gift”.

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The Gift of Communication The Opportunity The October 2010 edition of IABC’s Communication World captures the essence of what the organization has called “a new global IABC program.” First, the article asks: “have you ever thought about using your communication skills to make a difference in your community?” Well, for a communicator like Jan Graves, “this is what The Gift of Communication is all about.” It is what drives her every breath when she is in Gift of Communication mode. The Concept In the early 2000’s, when Jan Graves was District Director of Canada Eastern Region, she heard about a United Way staffer who sat on the board of the IABC Maritime Chapter that had introduced a program partnering United way with the IABC Chapter. In 2005, Jan was the inaugural President of the new IABC Golden Horseshoe Chapter and was looking for an event to launch the Chapter. She borrowed this germ of an idea, and massaged it into something that would give immediate benefits to charitable agencies, allow IABC members an outlet to help in the community, and give students an opportunity to learn in real-life situations. It offered an immediate win, win, win. Here is how it works. A session consumes an afternoon, with14 experienced communicators teaming up with seven local United Way charities. The idea is for the charities to identify their two most challenging communications problems. The United Way selects the charities and they each send an executive director and a volunteer board member. At each table there are also two college/university level communications students. The IABC members and students are briefed on the agencies’ communication issues in advance. Then, during the session, the IABC members discuss the issues with the charitable agency reps and provide much needed communications advice and support along with input from the students. It is all exactly what they would do in any agency or corporate environment, except that it is unlikely that these specific problems would ever pop up in the corporate boardroom. The students learn quickly when the time is right to jump in and join the discussion. After an afternoon of slicing and dicing and problem solving, a spokesperson is selected for each table and a three-minute presentation is delivered to the group.

The charitable agency leaves the room with problems solved. The students have had an intense learning experience and they leave the

room with new contact information. And the IABC members leave the room with a smile.

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Making it Happen For ten years, this has been an annual event. In fact, the first event in 2005 was actually held before the Golden Horseshoe Chapter even had its first official meeting in May 2005 in Jordan, Ontario. The first Gift event attracted the mayors of Hamilton and Burlington and the publicity that flowed from the Gift event served to help expose the Chapter to the media. Gift was so successful that the Chapter did a second one in November of 2005 and has been doing them every fall since. Jan was lucky in that while she was setting up the IABC Golden Horseshoe Chapter, a colleague of hers was being hired as the executive Director of United Way of Burlington and Greater Hamilton (UW). This connection made it really easy to form a partnership with UW and get the Gift going. The selection of the agencies is in the capable hands of this umbrella agency – not the Chapter so no one can pick favourites. Of course the UW tries to introduce the Gift to new charities each year, but it is no surprise that some agencies have had the street-smarts to wiggle into the program for the second or third time as the years go by. (A real compliment to the organizers like Jan Graves.) It’s all pro bono, of course—no cost to anyone. Jan Graves leveraged her long-standing membership at the Royal Hamilton Yacht Club and meeting space there is donated annually. The IABCers give up an afternoon of billable time, the venue is donated and the snacks are free. The help is welcomed because most agencies are too small to have professional communications practitioners on their staffs. As well, many agency managers have little appreciation for what organizational communication really is. The counsel they receive in a single session often helps them improve their outreach and their services. In 2009, Toronto chapter member Ken Cherney, ABC, APR, MC moved to Golden Horseshoe chapter territory and immediately volunteered as a member of Jan Graves’ Gift committee. He quickly discovered that one of the frequent supporters from Toronto, who would arrive religiously each year, with one or two junior communicators in tow, would be Priya Bates, ABC, MC. Sue Horner has also made the trip to participate many times over the years as well. Links with Education Jan Graves, together with her committee in the Golden Horseshoe Chapter recognized that Gift was an ideal learning environment for post-secondary level communications students and built them into the program early on. The Golden Horseshoe Chapter has had long-standing relationships with Mohawk College, McMaster University, and other local institutions. In fact, the second Gift event was actually held at Mohawk College and their students participated. Over the years, Mohawk students have continued to lend their full

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support. Instructors at Mohawk turn a blind eye to the attendance record on Gift day, knowing that their students are in good hands. Ken Cherney, ABC, APR, MC, has had a long-standing relationship with Niagara College in Welland. He graduated from their first class in journalism, advertising and public relations and was the first student at Niagara College to graduate with a 4.0 average. He was successful in obtaining free meeting space at the college and attracted communications student participation at the Gift events (plus a drop-by “hello” from the college president). Jan worked with another colleague, who was now CEO of United Way of South Niagara, to partner on a Gift event down there. It didn’t take long for the Niagara instructors to recognize the value of this real-life experience. Those who wanted to participate were excused from classes. Some students wrote articles about the experience. Some took a more formalized approach and submitted full reports of the day’s activities to their professors. Interestingly, some students were so enchanted with what they had discovered, that they also volunteered for the charities they had just discovered. This was a benefit we had not anticipated. The Burlington/Hamilton Gift has been running for ten years now, and the newer Niagara Gift has been going for three years. Objectives Gift of Communication has several overarching objectives:

Offer IABC participants a unique opportunity to “make a difference” in a meaningful way that gives back to the community, using their professional skills.

Provide pro bono communication advice and counsel that will help local nonprofits address their most pressing challenges, thereby enhancing their ability to achieve their overall missions.

Provide a unique professional development opportunity to IABCers by enabling them to apply their professional skills and experience to solving unique challenges that, for most participants, are very different from what they experience in their regular jobs. Its appeal spans the spectrum from entry-level to the most senior communicators. In addition, student participation is encouraged, as this is often their first exposure to “real” situations outside the classroom.

Support IABC’s advocacy efforts by demonstrating the kind of work that communicators do and the value our work adds to the enterprise. With improved publicity and media coverage, it’s an outstanding PR platform for the communication profession and its flagship association, IABC.

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Serve as the signature event for our global initiative to encourage every chapter to conduct its own Gift of Communication event – a unique, cost-effective program offering for chapters and a wonderful adjunct to IABC’s annual World Conference.

Taking Gift of Communications to IABC World Conference in 2011 Jan Graves was part of IABC’s Social Responsibility (SR) Committee in 2010, and when they were looking for a SR event to hold at IABC World Conference, she suggested a version of her Chapter’s Gift. In a presentation to the IABC Board, Jan borrowed the following paragraph on The Global Standard in a proposal to hold a Gift of Communication event at the next IABC World Conference in San Diego in 2011: “IABC has identified six core principles as the foundation of our profession. We strongly believe that Gift of Communication is a powerful vehicle for demonstrating, reinforcing and nurturing these principles in our participants.

Analysis, Context, Strategy, Engagement, Consistency and Ethics.”

No other program is able to so seamlessly incorporate these six principles in such a practical, real-time setting as Gift. But in addition to embodying the Global Standard; Gift of Communication also provides a global perspective by bringing together participants from around the world. The cross-pollination of perspectives, ideas and experiences is incomparable. Since then, Jan and her colleague Mike Zimet have run the Gift of Communication as a pre-conference social responsibility event at the 2012 Chicago, 2013 new York, 2014 Toronto World Conferences, and will be running one in San Francisco in 2015. The goal is to provide members with an opportunity to sample Gift and take it back to their own Chapters to hopefully run a similar event. Many participants have done just that. As well, from a World Conference point of view, Gift truly leaves the community a better place once the conference is over. So, as of 2015:

11 Gift events have been held in Hamilton, ON. Three Gift events have been held at Niagara College in Welland, ON. Four World Conference Gift of Communication events have been held. It is customary for the Golden Horseshoe Chapter of IABC to make a

donation to the United Way at each Gift event. Over the years, $1,300

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has been donated by the Chapter. At World Conference, IABC makes a donation to the sponsoring umbrella agency (United Way or other).

Measurement / Evaluation / Accomplishments -Following each Gift event, a survey is left for each participant to complete while the moment is still “hot”. Returns are almost 100%. (sample attached) Results are acted upon by Jan and her team. -The Gift program can be implemented at any time during the calendar year, but it seems especially appropriate during the year-end holiday season. For many organizations it is during that time when planning for the upcoming year takes place. At a time when many holiday traditions include the giving of gifts, what better gift for communication professionals to offer than The Gift of Communication. -The Gift movement, which started at the ground roots level, has moved up in its influence in the IABC organization. Today, IABC International calls The Gift of Communication its new global IABC program, as noted earlier in this submission. -The Gift supports IABC’s advocacy efforts by demonstrating the kind of work that communicators do and value our work adds to the enterprise. With improved publicity and media coverage, it’s an outstanding PR platform for the communication profession and its flagship association, IABC. -IABC International has launched a web site - http://gift.x.iabc.com - as a member meeting place for all things Gift. Chapters can download a Blueprint that was prepared by Jan and IABC’s Social Responsibility Committee (the coordinator of the global initiative). -Jan Graves has hosted special editions of The Gift at IABC’s international gatherings in San Diego, Chicago, New York and Toronto and soon in San Francisco in June 2015. She delivered the sessions with Michael Zimet, and in the past four years, they have helped 40 non-profits address their communication challenges -More than a dozen IABC chapters worldwide have held Gift events and some have made it an annual event. This is growing. -The Waterloo chapter (formerly Grand Valley) has pioneered The Gift of Communication Symposium – an approach that reaches a larger group of representatives from a wider range of local agencies all at once through half or full-day seminars. In this program, counsel is less personalized as selected communication experts share their expertise on specific topics through presentations and live discussion.

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-The IABC Chapter in Trinidad and Tobago organized a one-day Gift workshop with a group of environmentalists. The topic was communications. -The Dallas Chapter sponsors an annual “Season of Giving” luncheon where local non-profit guests have the opportunity to share communications challenges or projects with professional communicators from the Dallas chapter of IABC. -Several other Chapters have conducted Gift of Communication events, including Chicago and Minnesota chapters – both of whom produced videos chronicling their successes. (They can be viewed on YouTube; search for “IABC Gift of Communication.”) -Overseas, the IABC UK Gift of Communication event was scheduled for February 2015 at a conference centre on Victoria Street in London. -Jan Graves conducted a “How to run a Gift event” at a Leadership Institute session in San Antonio as a “train the trainers” attempt, but concluded that actually holding an event at World Conference provided a much better learning environment. -In March 2015, Jan Graves accepted an award on behalf of the IABC Golden Horseshoe Chapter from the United Way of Burlington and Greater Hamilton:

“United Way is fortunate to have many loyal community and business partners. There is one in particular I would like to recognize this evening - International Association of Business Communicators, Golden Horseshoe Chapter. This year marks the 10th Anniversary of IABC’s “Gift of Communication” workshop in support of the United Way of Burlington & Greater Hamilton.

Gift of Communications partners local United Way funded agencies with IABC members and Mohawk College Public Relations students to identify and brainstorm solutions to their top communications issues or challenges. Giving back is an important theme amongst the over 100 IABC members who have supported over 60 United Way partner agencies through this initiative.

The “Gift of Communication” originally created by IABC executive board member Jan Graves, has grown in popularity and has inspired other chapters of the IABC to hold their own events in partnership with United Ways and non-profits throughout North America. The United Way of Burlington & Greater Hamilton would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank Jan and the many IABC members that have volunteered their time and talent, ensuring each year is a great success.”

-A video on The Gift is currently in production and is expected to debut at the IABC Foundation Luncheon at the next IABC World Conference in San Francisco in June 2015. This is just a taste of where The Gift of Communication has gone in such a short time. Like we said…it is growing…and we are proud to have been part of it. Attachments:

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-The Gift Blueprint, Communication Plan -IABC Communications World 2010 Article -Agency Invitation and Questionnaire -IABC Golden Horseshoe Gift Survey Results from 2011 -Hamilton Spectator Gift Article 2010 -Chicago Article 2012 -Photos: A Gift Sampler

Student journalist turns storytelling into PR career

TORONTO, ON – March 31, 2015 – Before starting Centennial College’s postgraduate public relations

program, Jessica Chong, 22, wore many hats from working at a bi-weekly newspaper: writer, creative

brainstormer, researcher and storyteller. Chong describes it as exhausting and rewarding to dedicate

over thirty hours to one of the largest print publications in Kingston, the Queen’s Journal, while being a

full-time student.

“It was so exhilarating to cover breaking news, travel as far as the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory and

have this non-traditional work life that went beyond nine to five,” Chong says. “I really hope to find a

similar exciting and demanding career in crisis communications and issues management.”

Outside the classroom, Chong dedicated her time to health advocacy and journalism – two activities very

near to her heart. She devised marketing tactics that led to a sold-out Project Red Charity Fashion Show

with all $15,000 net proceeds donated to the Heart and Stroke Foundation. In the newsroom, Chong

constantly brought her interview subjects to life in feature and front-page news stories. Chong brings

real-life learning experiences, creative thinking and strategic planning to the world of public relations.

Chong always seizes any opportunity to volunteer and make meaningful connections. This past year,

Chong actively involved herself with World MasterCard Fashion Week; PodCamp Toronto; IABC/Toronto;

CPRS; and the Canadian Arts and Fashion Awards. Chong’s involvement with the IABC Communicator of

the Year and the CPRS CEO Award of Excellence events shows her earnest desire to learn from industry

best practices.

Chong is a devoted student and lifelong learner outside the classroom. As the Centennial College

representative on the CPRS Executive Student Steering Committee, Chong speaks on behalf of all 90 of

her peers and blogs for CPRS. Passionate about organizing quality events for PR students, Chong

leveraged her network and invited an award-winning Globe and Mail journalist to the sold-out CPRS

Building Media Relationships panel. She constantly encourages her peers to attend professional

development and student events.

Chong recently turned her passion for events and project management towards a local cause. With five

students, she organized a two-hour event that fundraised $1,500 for children programs at Evergreen

Brick Works. The event successfully received media coverage in the Toronto Star, Samaritan Magazine

and Snapd Queen. Chong plans to keenly pursue many more passion projects throughout her career.

“It was really challenging to plan an event with no budget,” Chong says. “We heavily relied on sponsors

that aligned with the charity and proactive-media pitching that focused on Evergreen’s story.”

Chong is truly passionate about the industry and wants to one day make an impact in the world of

communications through consulting on crisis and issues management. She’s excited to contribute back to

the industry through volunteering and take hold of her career.

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Jessica Grace Chong

Centennial College

(416) 268 – 1309

[email protected]

ca.linkedin.com/in/jessicagracechong/

A C A R T C O M M U N I C A T I O N S 1

Entrant’s Name: Al Albania Organization Name: Acart Communications, The Regional Municipality of York, and York Region Transit (YRT/Viva) Division/Category: Division 1: Communication Management Category 13: Social Media Title of Entry: The New Me Time Time Period of Project: Flight 1 – April 7, 2014 x 8 weeks Flight 2 – Sept 1, 2014 x 8 weeks

ENTRY SUMMARY

YRT/Viva and Acart Communications share a passion for promoting public transit and developing innovative campaigns that are strategic and creative. The New Me Time was no exception. The campaign is a celebration of the “found time” bus commuters enjoy compared to vehicle drivers who are fully engaged navigating traffic.

When you choose transit, you have the opportunity to do things you might not otherwise have time for. With stylized photography, illustrations, and the hashtag #TheNewMeTime, this campaign communicated this message and started conversations on social media in which riders were able to share their positive transit experiences.

WORK PLANS: COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT

1. Business Need/Opportunity

Reinforcing a positive transit experience

YRT/Viva is always enhancing their transit system with advancements in infrastructure, technology, new and improved services, and effective customer communications. With the completion of new rapidways, 2013/14 represented a year of growth and expansion. To complement this growth, YRT/Viva and Acart Communications (an Ottawa-based marketing firm) partnered to identify new ways to reach and engage with riders and potential riders.

It was surveyed that 83 per cent of riders are very or moderately satisfied with YRT/Viva, and ridership was in a growth trend (compared to 2012). These positive numbers provided an opportunity to engage with riders and start online conversations about transit (and its benefits) that would attract a social, trendy audience to think and talk about transit.

2. Stakeholder Analysis

Influencing York Region transit riders

The primary audience for this campaign was YRT/Viva riders – more specifically, influencers or “brand champions” (18-44 years old) who are proud to take transit. This audience is social (online and offline), tech-savvy, and is employed or students. Most own a smartphone or tablet that they use when travelling with YRT/Viva. They are familiar with (and have positive emotions towards) the YRT/Viva brand; they don’t necessarily need a lot of information or coaxing to


participate in a campaign. To best capture this audience, we wanted to peak interest with creative and visually appealing transit ads that incorporate digital/social elements.

3. Goals/Objectives

Increasing online engagements with YRT/Viva

The goal for this campaign was to improve YRT/Viva’s online presence and to start as many positive, online conversations as possible about transit and YRT/Viva.

Specific objectives to indicate exceptional awareness and engagement included surpassing the following industry benchmarks by the end of October 2014:

0.02% – average Facebook ad click-through-rate (CTR) 0.07 – average banner ad click-through-rate (CTR) 0.29% – average mobile geo-fence banner ad CTR

As well, we planned to track campaign-specific hashtags with an objective of having the hashtags mentioned on Twitter at least 50 times (outside of internal promotions by YRT/Viva and Acart Communications).

By measuring awareness (high impressions and circulation rates), engagements and CTRs, we could prove if our ads were successful or not in influencing the audience to think and talk about transit and YRT/Viva.

4. Solution Overview

Creating a campaign that makes bus time #TheNewMeTime

Our solution was a campaign that celebrates “found time,” which is something regular bus commuters really appreciate about their ride. Instead of having to be fully engaged in navigating traffic as a car driver, bus passengers can relax, listen to music, read, prepare for work, or otherwise take the opportunity to enjoy “me time”. This insight came from YRT/Viva rider interactions, as well as our own experience as bus commuters. By reinforcing a positive bus experience, and engaging riders in a conversation about #TheNewMeTime, we were able to influence them to act as transit ambassadors on social media.

Visually, we wanted to communicate the message by literally showing what's going on in our characters’ heads. By combining both illustration and photography, we created visuals that depict characters listening to music, reading, and prepping for work. We created a vibrant, eye-catching look by maximizing YRT/Viva’s colour palette. The campaign ran on transit properties throughout York Region, as well as in malls and online. We chose target-specific areas to reach our audience as effectively as possible. Our specific tactics were:

• Backlit display posters in Hillcrest Mall


• Digital screen in Vaughan Mills Mall

• Mall posters in The Promenade

• Mall posters in Markville Mall

• Go Transit shelter ads

• CBS transit shelter ads

• Campus murals

• King boards and interior cards on and in YRT/Viva buses

• Facebook newsfeed ads

• Banner ads (regular and mobile)

• Mobile geo-fencing ads (with a one kilometre geo-fence around 47 high schools and four malls)

All tactics had a call-to-action to use the hashtag “#TheNewMeTime” as well as a poster-specific hashtag. Each poster had a different visual based on different things people like to do on the bus, whether it’s reading and napping (#dreamtime), sending off a work email (#preptime), or listening to music (#playtime). By using different visuals, we were able to target different types of people.

5. Implementation and Challenges

Appealing to a range of personalities with different interests

The budget for this campaign was approximately $150,000–$165,000. After the media buy and agency fees were accounted for, the campaign spend was just a little over $160,000. The campaign was in planning, development, and production from November 2013 to March 2014. This was not a rushed project – YRT/Viva and Acart Communications took the time to communicate back and forth to make sure the final products came out perfectly.

Technical equipment and resources used to create this campaign include Mac computers, stock photography, Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, a team of professional designers, writers, editors, and production artists, as well as a media planning and buying team.

A challenge we faced when developing this campaign was determining how to appeal to more than one skew of people. Our solution was to create three different scenarios that could appeal to multiple types of people. One of the ads appeals to people who like to listen to music on the bus, one focuses on people who are on their way to work, and the other appeals to people who like to relax or read on the bus.

A second challenge was creating hashtags for social media that wouldn’t backfire and become negative. To overcome this, we formed hashtags that were inherently positive, and that didn’t


mention the brand name (YRT/Viva): #TheNewMeTime, #dreamtime, #playtime, and #preptime.

6. Measurement/Evaluation

Sparked several positive conversations about transit on Twitter

This campaign was created to improve YRT/Viva’s online presence, start conversations about transit online, and to reinforce a positive transit experience. To evaluate if the campaign was successful, we recorded the numbers of impressions we achieved, compared our CTRs with industry benchmarks, and recorded and oversaw the conversations that were happening that mentioned our campaign hashtags.

Out-of-home ads (mall posters, campus murals, and transit) drew millions of impressions, and from a digital standpoint, this campaign also did well. It delivered 2.8 million Facebook impressions over eight weeks (with more than 370,000 of those being unique) and 3,200 social actions (e.g. comments and shares), including 174 new page likes. Our CTR for Facebook ads was 0.262% – well-above the industry benchmark of 0.02%. Our mobile geo-fencing ads were effective as well with a 0.53% CTR (almost twice the industry average). The CTR for the banners was a little below the industry average (0.06% compared to 0.07%) but had massive reach and gained more than eight million impressions.

Our main campaign hashtag (#TheNewMeTime) started more than 60 unique conversations on social media (with a heavy focus on Twitter), which was more than we forecasted. Paid advertising for this campaign ended in early November (2014) but conversations are still happening – with the most recent one being from December, 2014.

Here are a few examples of ways the hashtag was used by the target audience:

“Today's commute featured a good book, a refreshing nap, and unlimited leg room for sore legs! @YRT/Viva #TheNewMeTime #CrossFit #Recovery” – @joshuahywang

“@YRTViva […] Traffic is great when you aren’t driving. #TheNewMeTime” – @Burpees101

“Bus time is #TheNewMeTime is a great campaign. I do enjoy public transit somewhat! #dreamtime” – @JessieVictorian

“My 2-zone ride to and from work every day is #TheNewMeTime because I can get caught up on my reading! @YRTViva” – @avaiay

The New Me Time campaign was featured on Ads of The World, rated the #1 most influential marketing blog by AdWeek, as well as Osocio which is a well-known website dedicated to curating the best in non-profit advertising and marketing for social causes.

Overall, this campaign was a success. We were able to get people talking about transit, we enhanced YRT/Viva’s online presence, and we influenced riders to promote YRT/Viva and their positive transit experiences.

2015 IABC OVATION AWARDS WORK PLAN

Entrants’ Names: Stephanie Engel Organization’s Name: APEX Public Relations Inc. / Morin Relations Publiques/ Walmart Canada Corp. Division/Category: Division 1: Category 4b. Media Relations with a budget up to $100k Title: Walmart Canada Christmas Comes Together For Less Time Period: July 1, 2014 to December 25, 2014 Entry Summary: In 2014, Walmart Canada/APEX/Morin Publiques accomplished a highly successful, multi-

pronged public relations campaign that positioned Walmart as a one-stop shop for the holiday season, while showcasing the brand’s online resources and solution benefits. The challenge was to cut through the clutter during the busy holiday season by differentiating the brand from its competitors and highlighting the various resources available to consumers to help the brand increase share of wallet resulting in a year-over-year increase.

1) BUSINESS NEED/OPPORTUNITY Christmas is one of the most important sales periods, with many retailers looking to increase market share by leveraging the influx of shoppers during the holiday season. Keeping in mind the cluttered marketplace, it was extremely important for Walmart Canada to take this opportunity to differentiate themselves from their competitors by engaging with consumers and communicating the brand’s key differentiators, including their unique online resources (Walmart recipe centre, holiday Entertaining Report and Top 20 Toys list) that offered shoppers with solutions to save time, stress and money during the holidays. Serving more than one million customers every day, upholding trust from loyal shoppers is pertinent in remaining on top as one of Canada’s largest retailers. In Canada alone, the company sees more than 3.5 million moms walk through its doors on an annual basis. Needless to say, the mom-target demographic is the cornerstone of the company’s business. Research showed that Christmas is the holiday Canadians get most excited about each year, and the key product categories moms care the most about during the holidays are toys, food and entertaining. Therefore the challenge was posed; how could Walmart Canada gain the attention of Canadian moms in an overly crowded space and ensure Walmart was included in holiday coverage instead of its competitors? Working with Walmart, APEX and Morin Publiques developed and executed a multi-pronged campaign that leveraged the holiday brand creative slogan, Christmas comes together for less, as the driving force while providing incremental value to consumers through a solution-based market positioning to ensure that Walmart Canada maintained its number one position of wallet share during the holidays. 2) STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS

The primary target audience for this program is moms between the ages of 30 and 50 with an average level of education. They have a household income of $75,000, and are living with their families in larger households mainly in suburban and rural areas in close proximity to a Walmart store. As the key decision makers in their homes, they are the primary shoppers and work hard to manage their family’s budget. Therefore, they are constantly looking for resources that offer solutions to help simplify decision-making by saving on time, money and stress especially during the busy holiday season. In order to connect with these moms, APEX identified the media channels (secondary target) that they consume their information from, including: lifestyle, parenting, home and food magazines (ex.Today’s Parent, Canadian Living and Châtelaine), websites (ex. ParentDish.ca and etreradieuse.com), community papers (ex. Waterloo Region Record and Oshawa Express) and lifestyle broadcast programs (ex.The Morning Show (Global) and Breakfast Television). Research conducted by Quebec agency Morin proved the mom target audience in Quebec to be very similar to that in English Canada; as a result the same program was executed nationally. 3) GOAL and OBJECTIVES

Goal: In conjunction with other marketing initiatives, help Walmart Canada drive product sales and traffic into stores and online at Walmart.ca, and position Walmart as a one-stop shop for the holiday season from July 1 until December 25, 2014 as measured through the following objectives: 1. Generate an overall Media Relations Rating Points (MRP) reach of 71 million impressions from July 1 to December 25,

2014, $0.03 (industry standard) or less cost per contact, a quality score of at least 75 per cent (industry standard) with at least one key message.

2. Research showed that the primary target of moms rated media as one of the top ways they consume information and recommendations for holiday purchases, and thus, a goal was set to achieve a total of 181 stories in lifestyle, parenting and food publications during the course of the campaign (July 1 to December 25, 2014).

3. Consistent with previous engagement results from the brand’s online resources, the goal of generating 80,000 page views for the digital Entertaining Report from November 15, 2014 to December 25, 2014 was set.

4. Coverage in long-lead publications has traditionally proven difficult in the past as availability of product information and

high-res images for PR purposes typically aren’t finalized in time to meet advance editorial deadlines. Therefore, a goal of generating eight pieces of traditional long-lead coverage (five English and three French) in lifestyle, parenting, home and food magazines from July 1 to December 25, 2014 was set.

5. In conjunction with other marketing initiatives, drive product sales and ensure Walmart Canada is the share-of-wallet leader during the holiday season, and increase last year’s year-over-year share.

4) SOLUTION OVERVIEW Research and Planning Research showed that Canadians love the season and take full advantage of all of the accompanying traditions, but they are also conscious of their family’s budget and work hard to manage their spending. Research also revealed the Christmas shopping cadence (purchasing pattern) of Canadians – beginning with trimming the home from outside then in, trimming the tree, stocking up on pantry items for holiday baking, stocking up on unique items for hostess gifts, stocking stuffers to setting the table to preparing the best turkey for the perfect Christmas feast. APEX conducted thorough research to evaluate the target audience and better understand the needs and concerns of moms. An audit included interviewing moms about their holiday purchasing habits, their joys and challenges around the holiday and what their most trusted sources of information are. APEX also conducted a thorough evaluation of food, lifestyle, home and holiday-related coverage in Canada in the previous year. This included an extensive search of newspapers, broadcast clips, websites and magazines to identify the appropriate journalists who wrote food and lifestyle stories in the previous year. The research suggested that APEX could capitalize on the media’s personal interest in saving time, money and stress during the busy Christmas season. Further research also showed that broadcast was a key medium that the primary target consumes their information from. Taking this into consideration, as well as the increase of brand spokespeople tied to competing brands (especially around the holidays) would limit securing an overall Walmart spokesperson for broadcast. Instead, APEX conducted further research to identify brand appropriate lifestyle experts to partner with, that did not have a specific brand partnership in place for the holidays. Lastly, it was crucial to start the program early enough to align with the three-to-four month lead time frame of magazine publications. Not only to ensure appropriate timing for holiday stories but to also cut through the cluttered holiday season when other competing brands are also looking to improve market share and capitalize on the season. As such, APEX had to be first out of the gate in order to stand out amongst the competition which is why program execution started as early as July. Rationale Considering the business need and the research findings, APEX knew they would have to offer more than just great products to Canadian moms; they would need to showcase Walmart as a one-stop-shop that provides solutions for Canadians during the busy season. To accomplish this, APEX recommended a multi-phased strategy with a focus on media relations paralleling the holiday shopping cadence as an agent to connect with the target audience. This included developing solution-based pitches and matte stories to differentiate Walmart Canada from its competitors and cut through the holiday clutter. Additionally, with nearly 80 per cent of Canadians stocking their pantries to entertain holiday guests, APEX developed a highly visual digital catalogue filled with inspiration and tips to help Canadians deliver the Christmas cheer; from creating a festive feast to thoughtful hostess gifts all in the spirit of helping Canadians save money, stress and time. The catalogue was designed to live online as it was known that the target audience looks to the Internet as a resource for inspiration and tips. APEX also sought out ways to extend the Walmart holiday conversation in various markets and outlets. Through seeking out broadcast lifestyle experts, the Walmart Canada message was shared on a variety of mediums that the primary target consumes. Program and Tactics In order to meet the target objectives and ensure Walmart Holiday messaging reached its target audience; APEX’s multi-pronged strategy leveraged several distinct tactics.

Key Message Document – To ensure the desired information about Walmart Canada was delivered during the program, the following key messages were developed to share with media:

Walmart has the solutions and resources – Recipe Centre, Entertaining Report and Top 20 Toys list – to help Canadians save on time, stress and budget during the holidays

Walmart is a one-stop shop for the holidays, with items to take you from the door to the table – there’s something for everyone

Kid tested and parent approved top 20 must-have toys – Top 20 Toys Free standard shipping, excluding remote markets, customers can have everything they need this holiday season

delivered right to their home. For one-stop-shopping in the quiet and comfort of your own home, visit www.walmart.ca. Available at Walmart Canada stores and online at www.walmart.ca

1. Top 20 Toys – Navigating the toy aisle during the holidays can be a daunting task with an endless maze of options. Walmart took the guesswork out for customers by providing them with the top kid-tested and parent-approved toys. Unlike its competitors Walmart’s top toys list was unique in that it was selected by the real toy experts themselves – Canadian kids. Close to 800 families from Toronto and Calgary participated in the event with their little testers from varying ages (eight months to 12 years old) providing their feedback on their favourite toys. The list of Top 20 Toys lived on Walmart.ca as a resource for parents to ensure they purchased the must-have toys for their kids. 2. Entertaining Report – With nearly 80 per cent of Canadians stocking their pantries to entertain guests, the 14-page digital catalogue filled with inspiration and tips was designed to provide solutions for prepping for the holidays and followed the sequence of the shopping cadence of Canadians, while showcasing the vast product offerings Walmart Canada has to offer. To further amplify the report, APEX partnered with seven mom influencers from across the country that the target audience looks to, to provide their best tips/shortcuts, that has helped them with providing the festive cheer. The highly visual catalogue included solutions for all aspects of getting ready for the holidays. From outdoor décor – the best outdoor lights to trimming the tree indoors with four suggested themes – Family Heirloom, Glory Gold, Merry & Bright, and Winter Lodge. Christmas brings many traditions but none that compare to the house being filled with the sweet smell of freshly baked cookies. The report provided the top 10 pantry items for baking along with recipes for the best gingerbread, cake mix cookie duo and, of course the main attraction – the perfect turkey. Additional tips and tricks were provided for setting a festive table with four different themes (consistent with tree trimming themes), the best hostess gifts and stocking stuffers to save time, money and stress during the holidays. The Entertaining report lived on Walmart.ca so that Canadians could easily view and download the report while they were preparing for the holidays. The link to the online report was shared with media in the home, décor, food and lifestyle sector to encourage stories that included product, recipes and tips that drove to the report itself on Walmart.ca. 3. National Media Relations – To reach media outside of the GTA, APEX conducted a national media relations campaign that followed the sequence of Canadian’s shopping cadence to reach the secondary target audience. Press materials, images and information were shared with media along with samples upon request. Solution-based holiday gift guide outreach was also conducted to further drive home the message of Walmart Canada being a one-stop-shop for the holidays while driving consumers to the online resources on Walmart.ca. 4. Fifth Story Matte Stories – APEX created two solution-based articles emphasizing Walmart Canada’s online recipe centre for a delicious holiday gingerbread recipe and the must-have toys for the holidays to take the guesswork out for parents and strengthen Walmart Canada’s solution-based market positioning. These articles were distributed by Fifth Story (formerly News Canada) and published in community outlets to achieve a guaranteed reach. 5. Partnerships - APEX also sought out ways to extend the Walmart Holiday conversation in various markets and outlets. This included working with the co-creators of Social Common (a highly influential moms club in the Greater Toronto Area) on two holiday segments (for Top 20 Toys and holiday apparel) for Global News at Noon and CHCH Morning Live; and negotiating placement on Cityline working with resident Lifestyle Expert, Leigh-Anne Allaire. The promotion highlighted Walmart Canada as a one-stop-shop offering products that take you from the door to the dining table and even from the tree to the mantle. Timeline The following timeline reflects the work conducted over a five-month program starting July 1, 2014. Phase 1: execute long-lead media relations, key messages, media pitches and media list, research lifestyle experts for partnerships and matte story development, Phase 2: execute short-lead media relations, broadcast outreach and national media relations, Phase 3: provide broadcast outlets with key messages, brief lifestyle partners with key messages and ship product for on-air segments, Phase 4: collect coverage and results, evaluate program objectives against results, develop wrap report and present results.

5) IMPLEMENTATION and CHALLENGES Budget Total budget for the six-month campaign was $75,000. Of that, $30,500 was allocated for expenses ($27,000 for English Canada and $3,500 for Quebec) and $44,000 for fees ($34,500 for English Canada and $10,000 for Quebec). Expenses included: design costs, Fifth Story costs, media monitoring and couriers. Fees included: ongoing client liaison, media material development, liaison with Fifth Story for matte stories, national media relations. Challenges 1. Walmart brand spokesperson – With the increase of brand spokespeople tied to competing brands, it was challenging to find a lifestyle expert that was not already secured to a brand partnership. As such, APEX conducted in-depth research to seek out partnerships with existing experts (ex. Cityline Lifestyle Expert, Leigh-Anne Allaire), rather than a new brand spokesperson, to weave in the Walmart Canada messaging. 2. Cluttered Marketplace – Another challenge to overcome the cluttered holiday season. Walmart Canada needed to gain the attention of Canadian moms and ensure Walmart was included in holiday coverage instead of its competitors. APEX recommended developing a program that highlighted Walmart Canada as a one-stop shop and provider of solutions for Canadian moms; making it THE retail destination for the holiday season. 3. Lead time: Due to the fact that magazines work three to four months in advance, APEX had to ensure that they were not only communicating with editors well in advance, but that they were also in front of the competition’s campaigns during this cluttered season. As such, APEX used the available low-res images in pitches to entice and grab media’s attention, thus ensuring a spot was held in the magazine’s editorials/gift guides while coordination of sourcing high-res images and detailed product descriptions necessary for print magazines could be conducted internally with Walmart. 6) MEASUREMENT and EVALUATION The final results of the public relations campaign well-exceeded all of its objectives, surpassing the MRP reach by 25 per cent as well as generating a total of 216 stories, surpassing the goal story count by 19 per cent. 1. Objective: Generate an overall Media Relations Rating Points (MRP) reach of 71 million impressions from July 1 to

December 25, 2014, $0.03 (industry standard) or less cost per contact, a quality score of at least 75 per cent (industry standard) with at least one key message. Result: The media relations campaign achieved an overall reach of over 88,543,604 million impressions, and an MRP cost per contact of $0.004, a quality score of 99 per cent with at least one key message.

2. Objective: Research showed that the primary target of moms rated media as one of the top ways they consume

information and recommendations for holiday purchases and thus, a goal was set to achieve a total of 181 stories in lifestyle, home, parenting and food publications during the course of the campaign (July 1 to December 25, 2014).

Result: Over the course of the campaign (July 1 to December 25, 2014), the program generated 216 total stories.

3. Objective: Consistent with previous engagement results from the brand’s online resources, the goal of generating 80,000 page views for the digital Entertaining Report from November 15 to December 25, 2014 was set.

Result: The Entertaining Report received 124,000 page views in just over a month driving consumers to Walmart.ca while providing them with solutions for the holidays.

4. Objective: Coverage in long-lead publications has traditionally proven difficult in the past as availability of product information and high-res images for PR purposes typically aren’t in time to meet advance editorial deadlines. Therefore, a goal of generating eight pieces of traditional long-lead coverage (five English and three French) in lifestyle, parenting, home and food magazines from July 1 to December 25, 2014 was set. Result: A total of ten (six English and four French) pieces of traditional long-lead media coverage were secured from July 1 to December 25, 2014: Parents Canada, Today’s Parent, Style at Home, FASHION, Canadian Living, Zoomer, Les idées de ma maison, Cool!, 7 Jours and Châtelaine.

5. Objective: In conjunction with other marketing initiatives, drive product sales and ensure Walmart Canada has the share- of-wallet lead during the holiday season, and increase last year’s year-over-year share. Result: Walmart Canada maintained its share of wallet lead resulting in a year-over-year increase by one share holder point.

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2015 IABC Ovation Awards Submission Connecting Mothers Around The World – DHL & Me to We Mother’s Day Campaign

Entrants’ Names: Argyle Communications: Daniel Tisch APR Award Division and Category: Division 1, Category 11: Social Responsibility including Economic, Societal and

Environmental Development Title of Entry: Connecting Mothers Around The World – DHL & Me to We Mother’s Day Campaign Time Period of Project: May 2014

ENTRY SUMMARY

In February 2014, DHL Express Canada engaged Argyle Communications to support the sales of Me to We Neno Mom bracelets leading up to Mother’s Day. As the logistics partner for Free the Children and Me to We, DHL would provide a free health clinic visit for a mom and child for each sale. Argyle developed the Me to We Mother’s Day Brunch, a creative earned and social media program targeted at moms. It resulted in 18 news stories, 501 stakeholder tweets and a selling out of all the bracelets – all on a $10,500 budget.

1. THE BUSINESS NEED OR OPPORTUNITY Humanitarian/Social Need: In February 2014, the marketing and communications team at DHL Express Canada engaged its PR firm, Argyle Communications, to develop a program supporting the sales of Neno Mom bracelets leading up to Mother’s Day. These handcrafted jewelry pieces, featuring locally sourced beads and a “Mom” medallion, are made in Kenya by “Masaai mamas” who are part of the Me to We and Free the Children Artisan community, which provides women in developing countries with financial stability and access to community resources and support. As the official logistics partner for Free the Children and Me to We since 2012, DHL Express Canada provides free shipping services, storage and support for these organizations’ programs. The company has shipped boxes full of toys, school and medical supplies, and solar lamps to Kenya, Ecuador, Haiti, Nicaragua and India. By absorbing shipping costs, DHL helps the Mamas earn higher incomes to take care of their children and access financial literacy training. Knowing that less than 30 per cent of Kenya’s population has access to basic maternal and child health services, DHL was eager to help sell the Me to We Artisans’ Neno Mom Bracelets. DHL also committed to provide a free health clinic visit for a mom and child for each bracelet sold. Business need: Highlighting DHL’s e-commerce solutions. For Deutsche Post DHL, the global parent company of DHL Express Canada, e-commerce is a vital business segment and an important growth driver. The company is the world’s leading e-commerce service provider, and has designated online retail as a key business direction. The Neno Mom bracelet initiative, which focused largely on promoting online sales of the Kenya-made bracelets in Canada, was an excellent way to showcase the global importance of this fast growing retail environment.

Giving a Canadian face to a global brand. Although DHL is the world’s largest logistics company and an acknowledged leader in the area of corporate social responsibility, the company has a small footprint in Canada with fewer employees than its competitors, and it offers only international shipping. The client’s internal research has shown this reduces opportunities for consumer interaction with DHL carriers and shipping centers, resulting in low brand recognition in Canada among consumer and business audiences. In addition to raising charitable funds, this DHL campaign could grow brand awareness and create affinity with key stakeholders in Canada. Communications needs/challenges: CSR fatigue. Recent books, such as The End of CSR, as well as Canadian media stories and industry reports, have highlighted a growing consumer weariness of corporate social responsibility stories. This underlined the need for any successful CSR project to effectively and transparently showcase the impact on beneficiaries and clearly demonstrate the motivation behind the initiative. Canadian media also share this “fatigue,” and have openly questioned the motives behind large brand CSR campaigns—making it critical for a successful PR campaign to communicate the real need for and social benefit from the project. Breaking through Mother’s Day news clutter: As a major giving occasion, Mother’s Day is a time when many organizations introduce products, campaigns or initiatives directed at moms. To succeed, the DHL Express Canada Neno Mom bracelet initiative would need to compete for news media attention with nearly every consumer goods company and charity trying to connect with Canadian moms and families during this time of year.

Additionally, Argyle research identified the following:

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Strengths: Deep rooted, credible dedication to social responsibility is at the core of DHL’s global business. Its corporate responsibility strategy, “Living Responsibility,” is implemented in 220 countries and partners with NGOs to improve global access to education, provide relief from natural disasters, and engage DHL employees as volunteers.

Weaknesses: DHL Express Canada has only minimally engaged in online communications, creating challenges when Canadians used social media to voice e-commerce customer service complaints. While this is a challenge faced by most logistics companies, DHL management saw enhancing brand recognition and perception as priorities.

Opportunities: Research has shown the growing impact of blogs and online influencers on Canadian consumer perception of brands and services—particularly those purchased online. The parenting or “mommy blogger” segment has a high influence on Canadian moms and families— our core targets.

Threats: In addition to CSR fatigue and competition from other giving stories cited above, an Ontario general election was called for May 2nd, making the media outreach period even more cluttered and challenging.

2. STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS The campaign strategy focused on engaging highly influential parenting bloggers (or mommy bloggers) as a conduit to mothers and families across Canada. This stakeholder group was selected on the basis of research, which showed that: Women control the lion’s share of household spending, which recent reports estimated was about 67 per cent in Canada.

(Source: Globe and Mail) Canadian mom bloggers are highly influential and have used their clout to “make or break products, to change what’s on

store shelves and to… “mom-the-vote.” (Source: Globe and Mail) Mom bloggers build brand reputation through word of mouth recommendations with a community of readers who trust

what they say. (Source: Mom Central Consulting) Compared to the general population, moms who are also heavy social networkers are more likely to shop online for

clothing (61%), portable devices (91%), baby supplies (63%), and home and garden products (65%). (Source: comScore)

Insight: Based on audience analysis, Argyle and DHL had the insight that the DHL Express Canada Mother’s Day public relations program should : (1) focus on the parenting blogger group as a means to create an emotional connection with both the project and the DHL brand; and (2) encourage and enable sharing of Neno Mom bracelet images and links to the online store and the story behind the project using blogs, Twitter, Facebook and other social platforms as a conduit to reach a mass audience of Canadian moms.

3. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES The following broad communication goals led the strategic thinking and final approach executed:

Raise awareness of DHL’s partnership with Me to We Raise awareness of DHL’s impact on mothers overseas Promote recognition of DHL Express Canada as a Canadian company with strong commitment to social responsibility Contribute to sales of the bracelets, to raise funds for the cause

Specific campaign objectives included:

1. Secure participation of up to 10 influential Toronto-based parenting bloggers in a pre-Mother’s Day blogger event 2. Achieve at least 1,000,000 social media impressions positioning the bracelet as a meaningful Mother’s Day gift 3. Reach an earned media audience of at least 1,000,000, with at least 75% of stories featuring mentions of the DHL brand

in association with a social responsibility or impact message. 4. Correlate communications with sales of the bracelets.

4. THE SOLUTION OVERVIEW Campaign strategy: The campaign strategy focused on providing an impactful interaction between bloggers and their audience and the DHL brand. Recognizing that for many this would be the first introduction to the DHL Express Canada brand and team, the strategic approach focused on the following: 1. Humanizing the brand—showcasing the dedication of DHL Express Canada staff to Free the Children, Me to We and overall

volunteerism and social responsibility. 2. Storytelling—creating opportunities for visual, oral and written storytelling that highlighted DHL Express Canada brand

values through showcasing clear examples of the impact the company has on women and families in developing countries.

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3. Focusing on connecting moms—Clearly showcase the importance of the initiative by providing Canadian mom bloggers with spokespersons who like themselves are mothers and daughters, and can most effectively illustrate the common challenges, joys and experiences of mothers around the world.

Tactics: A) Mother’s Day Breakfast—Media and Blogger Event: Argyle Communications created a special celebration “of mothers, for mothers” as the kick-off for the Neno Mom bracelet campaign. We took advantage of a rare Canadian visit by the head mistress of the Kisaruni, Free The Children’s all-girls secondary school in Kenya, and one of her students; we used the visit as a driver behind a Mother’s Day brunch event at the Me to We retail store in downtown Toronto. The breakfast event featured the Kisaruni head mistress and student as keynote speakers, and included presentations from Me to We founder (and expectant mom) Roxanne Joyal, as well as then-DHL Express Canada CEO Greg Hewitt. The presenters underlined the impact of programs like Me to We Artisans on women in developing countries, showcasing the education and sustainable income benefits for moms and their families. The event also provided a strong platform for DHL to share how its sponsorship of the program makes a difference to the Maasai mamas. Tactics included:

Securing participation of influential bloggers and reporters—focusing specifically on those who are moms, and extending the invitation to their children.

Managing all event logistics in partnership with Me to We. Developing AV presentations, speaking points and media materials for the event Conducting media outreach prior to and after the event to secure coverage.

B) National Gift Guide and Media Outreach: Mother’s Day gift guides appear in publications across Canada each year, and we capitalized on this opportunity by conducting a proactive media outreach campaign. As we expected opportunities to feature the bracelet in Mother’s Day gift guides, we prepared consumer-friendly media pitches highlighting the bracelet, the partnership between DHL and Me to We, and the opportunity Canadians have to make a difference by purchasing the bracelet. The outreach also involved a blogger partnership program, connecting with the most influential parenting blogs and online outlets that recommended the Neno Mom bracelet. 5. IMPLEMENTATION AND CHALLENGES Budget – The project budget was set at $10,500, including strategy, planning, development and execution, event costs, creative asset development for media, blogger partnerships, and a post-campaign report.

Activity Fees Expenses Mother’s Day brunch $3,500 $1,500 National Gift Guide and Media Outreach $3,500 Blogger Partnerships $2,000

TOTAL: $9,000 $1,500

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Argyle faced several challenges when planning and executing this program: Free the Children had various announcements, events and programs, involving different partners, competing for media

and consumer attention around Mother’s Day. The Me to We Mother’s Day product line included more products than just the Neno Mom bracelet, creating the potential for this one item to be lost among the many Mother’s Day-themed offerings from retailers including Me to We. We addressed this challenge by curating an event content to match the interests of the invited guests, creating a baby-friendly environment that took the complexity out of attending for many bloggers, and by focusing media pitches on the outcome of bracelet sales—a visit to a health clinic for one mother and child.

Our small budget for the program meant tactics had to provide maximum impact for minimal cost. We chose to minimize costs by hosting the event at Me to We Toronto store, a free venue, working with a social venture catering company that were happy to help us keep costs down, and by streamlining administrative and project management processes so that the majority of resources could be dedicated to outreach and ensuring this important story connected with its intended audience.

There was very limited space in the Me to We store—the location of the event. The store, selected as it offered an impactful, no cost venue, could fit a maximum of 30 people, meaning only up to 10 bloggers could be invited. Bloggers were chosen based on their affinity to the topic, authority level among our key consumer segments, as well as the size and engagement level of their social audience.

6. MEASUREMENT AND EVALUATION Objective Result

Secure participation of up to 10 influential, targeted, Toronto-based parenting bloggers in a pre-Mother’s Day blogger event

During the Mother’s Day brunch, ten bloggers, plus children, filled the small Me to We store in Toronto. Seven media guests covered the event, as well as tweeting about the event throughout its duration, helping us to extend audience reach.

Reach an earned media audience of at least 1,000,000, with at least 75% of stories featuring mentions of the DHL brand in association with a social responsibility or impact message.

Quantity: The campaign resulted in 18 articles, for a total reach of 1.5 million. Quality: Some standout media coverage included: Neno Mom bracelet being worn on air by CH Morning Live and Rogers Daytime Toronto hosts. Brand mentions were included in nearly all stories. Ninety per cent of the coverage mentioned DHL.

Achieve at least 1,000,000 social media impressions positioning the Neno Mom bracelet as a meaningful Mother’s Day gift.

Quantity: The campaign generated 310 Tweets and 191 re-tweets for a total reach of more than one million via Twitter. Quality: Being featured as one of the Top 10 Meaningful Gifts for Mom by UrbanMoms.ca. Neno Mom bracelet being suggested as a great Mother’s Day gift for a “Susan Sarandon-type mom” by Glam Magazine. Campaign coverage was 100 percent positive or neutral.

Correlate communications with sales of the bracelets.

Most important, the campaign drove sales of the bracelets, with all pieces selling out before Mother’s Day. To date DHL has shipped well over 100,000 Me to We Artisans products, helping to connect over 800 Maasai mamas to a greater market.

This project contributed to a broader social outcome: In 2013 alone, DHL Express Canada shipped over 67,000 Me to We Artisans Water Rafiki Friend Chains to North America, which supplied more than 67,000 people in developing communities with a clean source of water for one year. Lastly, for DHL, the benefits of the campaign are the growing recognition of the company among Canadian consumers, and the pride employees feel knowing they are part of an organization that makes a real difference in the lives of mothers and children around the world.

IABC Ovation 2015 Division 1 Communication Management; Category 13: Social Media com.motion – BMW Canada – BMW i BUSINESS NEED/OPPORTUNITY Since 1972, BMW has been extensively researching electric vehicle (EV) production. After more than 40 years of research and development, 2014 marked a milestone year for BMW as the company made its official shift into its first born electric car with the unveiling of the all-‐electric BMW i3 and plug-‐in hybrid BMW i8. Launched under the BMW i (which stands for “innovation”) brand, the BMW i3 and BMW i8 mark arguably the most significant vehicle launch in the company’s 98-‐year history. The BMW i brand was strategically created to:

1. Sharpen the BMW image as a sustainable brand; 2. Differentiate itself from the competition; and, 3. Future-‐proof the BMW product portfolio.

Prior to the launch of the BMW i vehicles in Canada in May 2014, BMW Group Canada asked com.motion Inc. to conduct a comprehensive online and social media audit using Sysomos, Facebook Insights and Twitter analytics. Reviewing both earned and owned conversation, we examined consumer awareness, share of voice, engagement and sentiment surrounding BMW i as a brand and the two newest vehicles to the BMW fleet. Our research revealed a few key observations:

a) Conversation about BMW electric vehicles was relatively low compared to others in the category; b) Overall, the social conversation about EV’s is dominated by men aged 21-‐25; c) BMW i led sentiment in News, Blogs and Forums, showing the presence of brand advocates and the opportunity

to engage as influencers; and, d) There was a tremendous opportunity to create unique messaging around the BMW i pillars: innovation, design,

performance – currently untouched by other brands.

The audit also demonstrated that there were polarizing views and commentary online and on social media about the design of the BMW i3 – some people loved it and others didn’t. Most notably, our research showed that there were concerns about the performance of the vehicles and around access to charging stations. People also questioned the reliability of the vehicles, especially as to how they would stand up against Canadian winters, and showed hesitation to “go electric” due to perceived range limitations and price. As a company known for its performance vehicles and delivering the ultimate driving experience, it was crucial for BMW Canada to set itself apart – and quickly – from the growing competitive EV market in Canada, which was showing rapid sales growth. Tesla was dominating the space from a premium EV perspective and had set the bar high in terms of design and aesthetics compared to other EVs on the road. It was imperative for BMW to enter the market strongly, with a launch campaign that set itself apart from Tesla (among others), heavily positioned around its pioneering technologies, innovation and inspiring design. For our targeted influencers who were considering Tesla, the BMW i3’s timely launch allowed the brand to set itself apart with its innovative design, world-‐class technology and lower price point compared to the Tesla Model S. Compared to Tesla, the i3 was a distinct electric vehicle with a different purpose, aimed at a unique, urban demographic. Above all, we knew we had to get people excited about these cars. The best way to accomplish this was to get people behind the wheel. Once they drove the cars themselves, they would see first-‐hand why driving electric with BMW was an experience like no other, and this would compel them to tell others about it.

IABC Ovation 2015 Division 1 Communication Management; Category 13: Social Media com.motion – BMW Canada – BMW i With this in mind, com.motion developed a social strategy focused on influencer engagement to drive awareness and ultimately brand advocacy, coupled with a contextually-‐rich social narrative told through dynamic, educational and visually-‐appealing content. STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS* The BMW i social program communicated to two main audiences:

1. BMW Canada Social Media Fans/Followers o Leveraging analytics tools provided by Facebook and Twitter, we identified our core consumer target in the

social space as urban males (aged 18-‐35) living in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver. This target primarily represents aspirational BMW owners who engage heavily with social content focused on BMW vehicle performance or aesthetics. BMW Canada’s social channels also have fans who are BMW owners, however, existing tools do not allow us to definitively measure the exact number. Quantitative consumer polling of existing BMW customers (average age 47) indicated that 76% were aware of the BMW i brand and 32% would consider purchasing an EV as their primary car, whereas 39% would not consider buying one at all. The top purchase reasons for these consumers were fun to drive (24%) and reliable/dependable vehicles (15%). Top rejection reasons for not purchasing an EV included: insufficient range, access to public charging, and price.

2. Influencers o Based on the core pillars of the BMW i brand, we engaged aspirational influencers in Montreal, Toronto, and

Vancouver (retail markets for BMW i, and markets where the majority of BMW Canada’s social followers reside) who were identified as having an appreciation for innovation, style and design – and an appreciation for exclusive, white-‐glove experiences. Influencers were selected across the following industries: environment, fashion, design, technology, automotive and urban living, who had a strong social following to support social sharing and brand endorsements.

*BMW Canada consumer survey, January 2014 GOALS AND OBJECTIVES The primary goal of the campaign was to tell a deeper, more immersive story about the BMW i brand on social and use the voice of influencers to lend credibility and engage a more mass audience. Our core objectives were to:

1. Build awareness of the BMW i brand (specifically about the BMW i3 and BMW i8 vehicles) by increasing online mentions by 60% between May to September 2014 (integrated campaign period).

2. Maintain at least a 85% positive sentiment for BMW i3 and BMW i8 in social conversation during the campaign period (May to September 2014);

3. Grow BMW Canada’s owned social channels by 10% for Facebook and 75% for Twitter; 4. Engage and secure 150 key influencers for exclusive BMW i3 and i8 test drive experiences between May and

December 2014 and capture names for lead generation database; 5. Generate 6 million social media impressions (earned and owned), demonstrating engagement from influencers

about program/vehicles and consumers with owned social content.

SOLUTION OVERVIEW Our approach to addressing the business need of raising brand awareness and telling the BMW i innovation and design story in the social space was achieved by two key tactics: developing engaging social content that differentiated the brand against its competitors and executing white-‐glove iConcierge test drive experiences for notable influencers to entice social sharing.

IABC Ovation 2015 Division 1 Communication Management; Category 13: Social Media com.motion – BMW Canada – BMW i BMW i Social Content To help tell a sustained story and educate consumers about the all-‐new BMW i3 and i8, com.motion developed a robust content calendar for Facebook and Twitter leveraging assets from BMW HQ (still photography and video) and commissioned original photography for social media usage providing fans with unique imagery they couldn’t get elsewhere. Content was developed to inspire, educate and excite BMW Canada’s social followers and potential buyers. Through insights derived from our social audit, we knew there was a need to provide more context around the BMW i philosophy of innovation and design. Pre-‐campaign content on BMW Canada’s owned channels demonstrated very polarizing opinions and lower engagement. Different from typical BMW vehicle launches, fans were looking for a deeper narrative about the new BMW i3 and i8, coupled with engaging imagery. To help tell the BMW i story on social, our content calendar primarily focused on the following content pillars: innovation, sustainability, design and performance. We paired copy with exterior and interior shots of the vehicles, including macro shots illustrating the sophisticated and innovate design of the unique features including the open-‐pore eucalyptus wood dash, olive-‐tanned leather seating, and carbon fibre construction. Content also addressed consumer pain points regarding range anxiety and reliability by communicating details about the Range Extender (REx) model and highlighting technical stats about the vehicles’ agility, torque and speed. We also included behind-‐the-‐scenes imagery from the plant in Leipzig, Germany, showing fans the light-‐weight materials and energy-‐efficient technologies that go into making the vehicles, delivering the highest levels of sustainability, innovation and design without sacrificing the signature performance of BMW. Working closely with BMW Canada’s media agency, we implemented a targeted paid social strategy to maximize reach and hit relevant audiences on Facebook and Twitter. For BMW Canada’s YouTube channel, we optimized the channel layout, curated a BMW i playlist and strategically tagged BMW i video assets to improve SEO. Knowing our core audience engages with online video, we cross-‐promoted BMW i video content on YouTube to Facebook and Twitter. BMW iConcierge Influencer Engagement To support the launch of the BMW i3 and i8 vehicles, com.motion activated a social influencer program to change perceptions, drive awareness and promote social engagement. We used a series of social listening tools including Sysomos and Traackr, online research and our own relationships to identify relevant and influential individuals for the brand who could provide credible word-‐of-‐mouth endorsements on their social channels and among their personal networks. Each influencer was given the exclusive opportunity to experience BMW iConcierge and be among the first in Canada to drive the all-‐new, all-‐electric BMW i3 with an extended 2 – 3 day test drive.

Notable influencers who participated included: David Suzuki (who has publicly stated his aversion to brand associations of any kind in the past), Kirstine Stewart (Twitter), Winston Sih (CityTV Toronto), Amber MacArthur and Kenneth M. Tanenbaum (Kilmer group), Seamus O’Regan (former host of Canada AM), and Jessi Cruikshank (TV personality).

In advance of their BMW iConcierge experience, influencers were provided with a digital welcome package created by com.motion that provided vehicle details and information about BMW i innovation and design. To track social chatter, com.motion created a unique hashtag for the program (#BMWiConcierge) that we encouraged influencers to use during their experiences and share their feedback with their substantial social following. In addition to earned social content generated by our influencers, com.motion also produced two original videos with select #BMWiConcierge participants. The videos were shared on BMW Canada’s YouTube channel, cross-‐promoted on Facebook and Twitter, and also shared

IABC Ovation 2015 Division 1 Communication Management; Category 13: Social Media com.motion – BMW Canada – BMW i on the influencer’s social platforms. It is important to note that none of the influencers were provided any compensation for their participation in the program. Though the #BMWiConcierge influencer program was designed to be social in nature, high interest from our influencer outreach generated traditional media coverage beyond our original objectives. This coverage included Breakfast Television Toronto, TechCrunch.com, CTVNews.ca, DailyXY.com and more, which in turn provided BMW Canada with rich editorial content to share on their social channels. IMPLEMENTATION AND CHALLENGES This program was executed with a conservative budget of $45,000 including fees for social content creation, influencer engagement, media relations, social media listening, reporting and logistics execution. The most significant challenges faced in executing this program include:

o Logistics in planning 170 influencer and brand advocate test drive experiences o Educating social fans on the complex topics of innovation, sustainability and technology in an interesting manner

and within the confinements of social copy (i.e. 140 characters on Twitter)

MEASUREMENT AND EVALUATION The BMW i social program executed by com.motion has been a considered a resounding success by the BMW Canada Marketing and Digital team, so much so that it has attracted the attention of BMW headquarters in Germany and is currently being operationalized by other markets across the globe. BMW i Owned Social Content:

o Mentions for the BMW i brand in the online space increased by 76% during the campaign period (May – September 2014)

o Chatter about BMW i online maintained 99% positive sentiment during the campaign period o Since April 2014, BMW i content shared on BMW Canada’s Facebook page has resulted in 107,893 total likes,

comments and shares, which generated 2,985,888 unique social impressions to date o Due to compelling BMW i content and a paid content strategy, BMW Canada’s Facebook page grew by 42,158

“likes” between in April and December 2014, equating to 16.99% growth o The average engagement rate for BMW i content on BMW Canada’s Facebook page was 6.04%, higher than the

page average of 4.32% during this same period o BMW Canada’s Twitter channel grew by 8,281 followers between in April and December 2014, equating to

113.64% growth o BMW i Twitter content resulted in 6,823 engagements and 5,400,000 estimated social media impressions

BMW iConcierge:

o Secured test drives for the BMW i3 and i8 with 170 notable influencers and brand advocates o The BMW iConcierge program has generated 632 Twitter and Instagram mentions, resulting in 12,560,789

estimated social media impressions o Exceeded program goals by securing 15 pieces of traditional media coverage that generated 2,762,026 media

impressions o Exceeded program goals with the sale of one BMW i3 vehicle to Jessi Cruickshank (one of the program’s key

influencers); and documented interest in purchasing an i3 from brand skeptic and competitive EV owner, David Suzuki, as well as Seamus O’Regan in the near future

o The success of the #BMWiConcierge Canadian program attracted the attention of BMW HQ and is currently being operationalized by other markets across the globe

o Following the successful program in 2014, com.motion will support BMW in executing a second wave of BMW iConcierge test drives in 2015

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2015 IABC OVATION Awards Communication Management Divisions Work Plan

Entrant: Dave Bourne, Director of Marketing and Communications

Division/Category: Division 1/Category 10: Brand Communication

Organization: Baycrest Health Sciences Time period: 01/2013 to 12/2014 Entry title: Baycrest Brand Awareness Campaign Entrant’s role: Director of Marketing and

Communications

1. THE BUSINESS NEED/ OPPORTUNITY Baycrest Health Sciences is a geriatric hospital, research facility and long-term care home in Toronto, Canada that has nearly a century-long reputation for seniors care. Founded by the Jewish community as a faith-based organization, Baycrest has evolved to include non-denominational care and brain health and aging research that are both innovative and transformative. The need for geriatric care and research has never been greater. According to the Alzheimer Society of Canada, more than 747,000 Canadians are living with dementia, a number expected to increase to 1.4 million by 2031. The cost of dementia in Canada is anticipated to become a crippling $293 billion in the next three decades, an amount that greatly outstrips the resources of the healthcare system. At the same time, the number of available long-term care beds has been relatively static, despite the fact that the number of seniors in Canada will double in the next 25 years. Baycrest believes this impending “silver tsunami” can be avoided by finding innovative ways to delay the onset of dementia, and by keeping seniors living safely in their homes longer. Unfortunately, the organization’s growth and ability to innovate has been limited due to declining public healthcare funding and a donor base that is largely confined to the Jewish community. Attracting financial support from the broader community has been difficult, but remains a strategic priority for Baycrest. In fact, Baycrest’s Foundation is embarking on a decade-long $500 million fundraising campaign to support capital projects and investments in research. It was believed that Baycrest’s brand equity outside of the Jewish community was low, and needed a strong marketing campaign to help generate awareness of the work happening on our campus each day. In other words, we need potential donors in the broader community to know who we are and what we do, as well as the importance, scale and enormity of our work on brain health aging—a necessary first step in building a case for financial support. Baycrest hired JWT Ethos in 2011 to help develop a strategy for building brand awareness. Millward Brown was commissioned to conduct a research study to determine the community’s overall awareness and familiarity with Baycrest. These numbers would be used as a benchmark to measure the success of a public brand awareness campaign. As anticipated, the results were low: awareness among a selected bullseye demographic was 16%, while familiarity was only 5%. It was determined that the best way to improve overall awareness and familiarity would be through a significant television ad campaign, amplified by digital, print and out-of-home materials. With no history of producing TV ads, Baycrest had an opportunity to define its brand for an entirely new audience, and to immediately differentiate itself from competitors in the healthcare field. The development of a public campaign also gave Baycrest the opportunity to position itself as a preeminent, iconic source for the best thinking, practice and innovation in brain health and aging, a strategy that would help fundraising as well as recruitment and reputation. 2. STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS Early in the process, Baycrest identified a target bulls eye demographic that we defined as “Age-concerned Canadians, 50+, with a household income of at least $75,000 and a history of donating to charity”. This group may be worried about aging, for themselves or for family members. A growing proportion are part of the sandwich

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generation, often living with and providing care for both children and aging parents. In initial market research, focus group participants were united in their desire to age well, and were actively engaged in all things “aging” except brain health. While they tended to focus on staying physically healthy, planning for retirement and looking younger, most said they had no idea how important brain health was to the quality of life as they age. This group of age-concerned Canadians spends the most time of all Canadians watching television, according to the Print Measurement Bureau—in excess of 20 hours each week. They also have a propensity to engage fully in television, remaining focused on programs they enjoy. This group consistently says it is “liking” or “loving” television, making broadcast a strong strategic approach for a branding awareness campaign. Analysis of the Baycrest Foundation’s donor database shows that those aged 51-90 give approximately five times more money than younger donors. In terms of focusing limited media-buying resources, targeting this age segment made the most sense. A growing number of this age group are also making online donations to Baycrest, and are therefore comfortable with the internet. For this reason, we could be comfortable engaging in online formats as well as more traditional methods of communication. Clearly, with a mass media advertising campaign, Baycrest would be reaching an audience well beyond just the bulls eye target. We knew we needed a creative approach that would appeal to younger audiences as well—one that would stand out from the noise of competing ads and that could engage those viewers on a different level. 3. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES The following measureable objectives were selected for the 11-week campaign, which ran from September 22, 2014 to December 7, 2014. Metrics would be obtained through a follow-up ad tracking study by Millward Brown, conducted when the broadcast advertising Gross Rating Points (GRPs) were at their peak in early-to-mid November.

Objective Target 1. Generate a statistically-significant increase in

awareness and familiarity of Baycrest in the minds of age-concerned Canadians 50+.

Baseline Awareness: 16% Target: 24% Baseline Familiarity: 5% Target: 10%

2. Achieve aided campaign recognition scores that meet Canadian TV norms.

Target: 40%

3. Measure the number of campaign viewers who are Very Likely or Somewhat Likely to donate to Baycrest.

Target: 15% (combination of Very Likely and Somewhat Likely to donate)

Though direct fundraising was not a goal of this awareness campaign, it was important to gauge the future interest of potential donors—hence the inclusion of the third objective above. We needed to understand whether our efforts were increasing the likelihood that we could generate future revenue with subsequent phases of the campaign, and could persuade donors to open their wallets in support of Baycrest.

4. THE SOLUTION OVERVIEW Given the complexity of Baycrest, which combines geriatric care, research, education, innovation and congregated living, we felt a non-literal approach would be the most effective way to depict the impact of our work in brain health and aging. While peers and competitors had often used seniors in their ads, we opted to focus on the brain as the world’s most complicated machine—a collection of intricate parts that Baycrest was striving to understand. Our intention was to develop campaign materials that were bold, disruptive and unmistakably unique. Working with JWT Ethos, we came up with a concept that used metaphors for the brain’s various functions, such as memory. A series of simple machines that had an antique look, but that were instantly recognizable to our target audiences, would take viewers on a dynamic journey through a virtual brain. The goal was to be engaging and quickly communicate the impact of Baycrest’s important mission.

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Some of our decisions with regards to the creative approach were informed by Millward Brown data showing “over-50s” appreciate familiarity, nostalgia and children in advertising, and that shared history and life stage events can create meaningful connections. We felt that including these response triggers would increase the ad’s likelihood of making a strong connection with viewers in our bulls eye demographic. Millward Brown data also showed that effective ads demonstrate a genuine understanding of the target’s needs. Our use of the phrase “Without your brain, you aren’t you” was specifically designed to appeal to the 50+ segment who are not yet aware of the importance of brain health. PsyOp, a special effects firm based in Los Angeles, was recruited to bring the concept to life. Their futuristic approach to animating everyday objects gave the Baycrest brain an organic quality that, when combined with a carefully crafted soundscape, captured the viewers’ attention. While primarily designed for broadcast, a choice well-aligned with the research showing Canadians 50+ watch more than 20 hours of TV each week, the central image of the brain would also be repurposed in print collateral materials such as the annual report, newspaper and magazine ads, posters, banners and direct mail pieces. The idea was to use the brain creative as a visual mnemonic for Baycrest, instantly conjuring a connection to our work with brain health and aging. The concept, along with two different taglines, was tested with focus group participants to gauge its effectiveness. Results showed that the overall creative was strong and engaging, and a clear winner for the tagline emerged—“Rethinking brain health and aging.” The audience’s desire for a stronger call to action than just a simple website URL helped refine the approach, and the final print and broadcast versions encouraged viewers to “Learn more at Baycrest.org”. The media buy was designed to appeal to the greatest possible number of age-concerned Canadians over an 11-week period that coincided with the launch of the fall television season. Programs were selected using channel and program audience characteristics, and a mix of cable and specialty channels were included that took advantage of both daytime and primetime slots. The creative assets were also leveraged in other creative ways. Toronto-area Cineplex theatres ran the commercial as pre-roll prior to their feature films, as well as on their lobby LCD screens. The print version was featured in their monthly Cineplex magazine, provided free to patrons, as well as in the program guide for their Metropolitan Opera subscription series. Toronto’s Pearson International Airport showed the commercial on all departure gate and baggage claim LCD screens for an 11-week period, generating approximately 15.3 million impressions. Print ads were also placed in major newspapers and magazines, particularly those with a strong penetration in high-income neighborhoods. The National Post, a Canadian national newspaper, created a Baycrest-branded section in the Health section of its website to share consumer-focused editorial content related to our research. Over the course of the campaign, the branded section exceeded our target of 250,000 impressions by about 13%. On the Baycrest campus, banners, signage, posters and building wraps were used to amplify the campaign for both staff and visitors, and to create some internal excitement about the launch—a project unprecedented at Baycrest in terms of scale and visibility. The call-to-action on all campaign materials encouraged people to “Learn more at Baycrest.org” and a special microsite was developed to engage visitors. Given Baycrest’s data showing a growing number of donors aged 50+ were making online donations, it made sense to engage with them using a web-based platform. The site included consumer-friendly content related to brain health and aging, and allowed visitors to share an important memory in a virtual memory bank in exchange for a free brain health toolkit. This approach allowed the Foundation to collect email addresses of donor prospects, and to begin measuring conversions over time. During the 11-week run of the campaign, more than 1,400 memories and email addresses were collected, and the site had approximately 83,000 visits.

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5. IMPLEMENTATION AND CHALLENGES In order to successfully launch a $500 million fundraising campaign, the Baycrest Foundation’s Board of Directors recognized the importance of investing in a strong branding awareness initiative. Even before the initial market research revealed very low levels of awareness and familiarity, most Baycrest leaders intuitively knew it was essential to be much more visible in the broader community. The Board approved approximately $1.3 million for the campaign, an amount that would cover research, conceptualization, development, media buys and tracking to measure results. Through careful budgeting, we left ourselves with a surplus of about $228,000 that will be used to amplify the campaign in print and digital applications through the first quarter of 2015. By repurposing existing creative, our goal is to minimize agency fees going forward and to allocate the bulk of our marketing budget on media buys. Deliberations at the Board level, informed by the strong results of the campaign to-date, will hopefully lead to further advertising investments in our next fiscal year and beyond. Working with a variety of outside agencies on this campaign presented a number of challenges, not the least of which was the expense. The Marketing and Communication team had little experience with campaigns of this magnitude, and navigating the media buying process, coordinating research, working with multiple agencies, and gaining approvals at all levels took a considerable amount of time and effort. In total, it took approximately 24 months to get the campaign conception to execution. The entire project was overseen by the Directors of Marketing and Communications, with advice from an ad hoc committee of Board members with marketing experience in their professional backgrounds. At various milestones throughout the project, approvals were sought from the Baycrest CEO and executive team. There was resistance from some executives who were concerned the campaign did not prominently feature seniors. Some saw the creative concept as too futuristic, too research-focused, or too esoteric. In the end, Baycrest’s CEO endorsed the campaign direction, citing its originality and declaring its tone to be inspiring, declarative and disruptive—an outcome we strived for from the very beginning of the process.

6. MEASUREMENT AND EVALUATION The results from the Millward Brown ad tracking study conducted at the height of the campaign show that Baycrest did remarkably well, and in fact, outperformed Millward Brown’s tracking norms in several categories. For a largely unknown brand, the results can be considered quite remarkable. Here are the highlights of the evaluation:

Primary Metrics:

Awareness among the target audience increased by 200%, to 48% from just 16% pre-campaign. Familiarity increased by 340%, to 22% from just 5% pre-campaign. Aided campaign recognition was measured at 38%, just slightly below the Canadian TV norm of 40%. Yet,

given the media buy focus on Toronto and Ontario, this result is quite strong. Donor intent, as measured by those Very Likely or Somewhat Likely to donate to Baycrest achieved a

combined total of 16%, slightly above our target of 15%.

Additional Metrics:

Unsolicited donations to Baycrest increased by 50% versus the same time period in 2013. Website visits to baycrest.org exceeded 83,000 during the campaign, and generated 1,400 shared

memories and email addresses. Impressions on the National Post branded Health section reached 282,000, above our anticipated target

of 250,000. Impressions on the LCD screens at Pearson International Airport reached 15.3 million.

Love the company you keep: Deloitte’s Integrated Recruiting CampaignSubmitted by: Angie Andich, Michelle de Leon, Shellene Drakes-Tull and Deloitte’s Talent and Content Strategy Teams

Deloitte Canada is a member firm of a global organization that aims to be the market leader – a firm of distinction –

within the professional services industry. We are not in the business of selling widgets; rather we are in the business

of offering our clients the knowledge and expertise of our people who have some of the best minds in the Audit, Tax,

Advisory and Consulting worlds. When we say our people are our business, we aren’t joking. In addition, we often

need to hire from a pool of highly specialized, certified talent due to the regulatory nature of our business. Our

competitors also pull from this limited pool, so we experience a war for talent in both our Graduates and Experienced

Hire recruiting. Achieving our strategic goal of becoming Canada’s firm of distinction is highly contingent upon

acquiring highly talented people with the skills our firm needs and our clients expect. Simply put, hiring the right people

is a critical business priority for Deloitte and key component of our firm’s strategic direction.

Research from Deloitte’s 2014 Human Capital Trends report showed that companies are fighting for top talent with

in-demand skills. These recruits can choose who they work for and have high expectations of their chosen employers.

Deloitte needed a compelling employer brand to persuade these people to join our firm – a brand that showed

candidates how our culture will support their needs and values better than our competitors. Our research also showed

that today’s recruits almost exclusively use the Internet and social media to compare company cultures and make

decisions about who they want to work for before even stepping foot inside anyone’s office. There was a strong need

to build up our online presence to showcase our culture as a key differentiator for recruits.

Building a distinct employer brand to showcase our unique cultureOne of the biggest challenges we faced when building our employer brand was the perception that we are

indistinguishable from our competitors. This was confirmed through our Post-Offer Candidate Survey, which found that

many recruits perceived there was little difference between Deloitte and our competitors.

To stay ahead in this competitive recruiting environment, we needed to differentiate ourselves by highlighting our

unique culture. We needed to create an integrated communications campaign that would define our culture,

strengthen our online presence and position us as the employer of choice for recruits. The goal was to attract more job

applicants, giving the firm greater access to a high quality talent pool that would drive our firm’s performance. Our

opportunity as communicators was to:

1) Position Deloitte as a distinct firm that offers a unique employer brand and talent experience using our new

campaign and new content

2) Drive traffic to Deloitte’s Careers website using integrated communications campaign

We conducted in-house surveys and focus groups with recent graduates and experienced hires from across the

country. We also pulled findings from Deloitte’s 2014 Millennial Survey.

Target audience Audience analysis

Recent graduates • Deleted for confidentiality

The Business Need or Opportunity

Stakeholder Analysis

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Experienced hire

recruits• Deleted for confidentiality

Key overall finding: XX% of all candidates strongly agree that culture is one of the most important factors they consider before accepting an offer of employment.

*Section deleted for confidentiality

Guided by our research, we created the campaign Love the company you keep/J’adore être en bonne compagnie™. It

also tested the highest in focus groups with 86% of people saying they “strongly favoured” and “instantly connected” to

this concept. Samples of other qualitative feedback we received were:

• “The word “love” plays into people’s emotions well.”• “This campaign would have had a positive impact on me if I were looking for a job.”

The campaign focused on conveying Deloitte’s culture to influence recruits to join our firm. We used a distinctive,

three-pronged approach:

1. Create a user-centric website as the cornerstone of our campaign and breathe new life into our web presence

• We decided to reinvigorate the Careers website as this is the first place recruits go for information. The new

platform provides the best user experiences for several reasons: it has a responsive, mobile-friendly design; it

better enables sharing via social media; and allows us to add custom tags to content to optimize search

functionality.

• We incorporated a Love the company you keep narrative throughout our content demonstrating Deloitte’s

unique talent experience. We also created content that focused on topics that candidates told us were

important to them and that define our culture such as flexibility, top reasons to join our firm and our

commitment to designing workplaces of the future. All content articles included a “Next Steps” link to our job

search portal.

2. Connect with recruits in online social forums where they “live” to drive them back to our website.

• We integrated Love messaging into a social media campaign that celebrated the employer awards our firm

received – Canada’s Top 100 Employers and Greater Toronto’s Top Employers – as well as our successful

2014 Uniform Final Exam writers. All social media linked to our Careers website to drive job search and

application activity.

• New hires and recruits were asked to share their perspective of Deloitte’s culture through a voluntary blogging

campaign. We promoted one blog weekly on social media, which was a resounding success as blogs landed

in the top five most visited webpages on a monthly basis.

• This strategy was a success as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn drove nearly XX% of all Careers site traffic

from September to November 2014.

Goals and Objectives

The Solution Overview

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3. Arm recruiters/campus ambassadors with compelling content and ensure recruits have multiple touch

points to connect with our new cultural campaign

• To meet the needs of our regional recruiters and campus ambassadors, we armed them with a library of Love

campaign marketing material including banners, brochures, one-pagers, custom PowerPoint decks, magazine

ads, kiosks, and bookmarks to use at networking or campus events, job fairs and conferences.

• We created integrated content and messaging for templates for our entire recruiting collateral which included

job descriptions, interview offer letters, event invitations, and other application cycle touch points.

Timeline: The tight timeline was one of our biggest challenges. We began this project in winter 2014 and needed to

land on a concept that would deliver desired outcomes, along with marketing collateral, web content and social media

integration by August 2014 – in time for fall recruitment season.

Global platform history: Since we were launching our new platform in Canada during peak recruiting season, we

wanted to mitigate any potential drop in traffic due to search engine optimization by leveraging an aggressive social

media approach to drive traffic to the website.

Budget: We worked with a very modest budget of $X. Needless to say this budget was a challenge. To reduce costs

and to re-inforce our commitment to our people, we used all in-house resources for research, concept design, focus

group testing, content creation, copy editing, design, social media, digital content and strategy. Our audience analysis

research told us that recruits want to see and connect with people like themselves to test cultural fit. So we chose to

use Deloitte employees instead of models in the campaign, which helped to reinforce our commitment to giving

recruits a sense of our people-focused culture and came in under budget with a total spend of $X. Using all internal

resources bolstered our team’s pride in the campaign having ‘done it all ourselves’.

Internal stakeholders: To ensure support for the campaign, we included all stakeholders at the planning stage

including executive partners, recruiters, marketers, analytics specialists, graphic designers and social media

specialists. This allowed us to quickly obtain feedback and, more importantly, gain crucial buy-in across Canada. In

addition, all stakeholders agreed upon a work-back schedule that would help us effectively manage our timelines and

resources.

French translation: To meet our requirement for a French version of the campaign, we involved the in-house

translation team and French-speaking recruiters early on in the process. We also conducted focus groups with

bilingual colleagues in Quebec to ensure the French content would resonate as strongly as the English.

The Communications team gathered measurement using three key metrics:

• Website analytics reports: September 4, 2014 to November 30, 2014

• Post-offer surveys: September to November 2014

• Job application reports: June to December 2013 and June to December 2014

Implementation and Challenges

Measurement and Evaluation

3

Objective Result

Increase website traffic (from September 4 to November 30, 2014) and ensure traffic remains highas the new platform launches.

Our social media strategy successfully cushioned us from an anticipated drop in website traffic. We saw a minimal drop in traffic during the month we launched (September) with October and November 2014 recording year-over-year traffic increases of XX% and XX% respectively.

Create greater understanding of Deloitte’s culturewith a goal of XX% of recruits citing an increased understanding of Deloitte’s culture.

Results from the Post-Offer Candidate Survey showed that XX% of respondents believed our website and messaging increased their understanding of Deloitte’s culture. (And a further XX% citing culture as one of their top reasons for accepting Deloitte’s offer).

By December 31, 2014, achieve a XX% job offer acceptance rate for Graduates and XX% job offeracceptance rate for Experienced Hires

Graduates: achieved a XX% job offer acceptance rate.Experienced Hires: achieved a XX% job offer acceptance rate.

Impact on business goal: Meeting and exceeding targets on our objectives had a strong positive impact onour overall business goal. The campaign was a success, garnering a XX% increase in total number of applicants across all service areas over the same time period last year (June-Dec 2014 vs. June-Dec 2013)

4

IABC Ovation 2015 Division 1: Communication Management: Category 6C: Marketing Communication Over $100K Veritas Communications – #FALLforCBC

Business Need / Opportunity

Today’s global media environment is one of the most challenging ever faced. In an increasingly fragmented and crowded landscape, consumers are demanding more than ever, at greater speed and on their own terms. In the midst of these external challenges, CBC was faced with equally impactful internal threats: the loss of the NHL rights, continued funding pressures, changing revenue models, a legacy of outdated infrastructure and changes to the lineup of talent and leadership meant that a new course must be charted.

All of these changes have prompted real dialogue within traditional media across the country about the role of a modern public broadcaster in today’s world.

The time had come for CBC to reinvent its relationship with Canada.

In-‐depth research uncovered one key finding: the prime-‐time CBC television viewer is 46 years old versus Canada’s median age of 39 for all viewers. In order to remind Canadians of CBC’s relevance, a platform that has always celebrated and enhanced Canada’s culture, we needed to speak to a more youthful audience on the right channels in the right tone, and fast.

To do this, the CBC team set out on a mission to create a clear and compelling movement that engaged younger audiences to instill long-‐term loyalty and ‘love’ of CBC. We set out to encourage young Canadians to try CBC as if it were their first time and CBC’s 2014 Fall season was the perfect time to do this.

This is where Veritas stepped in. What was originally designed as a PR communications platform that rallied around one clear message instead became the marker for the entire 360 paid, owned and earned Fall programming campaign: Fall For CBC. Those three words earmarked an inflection point for CBC that was solely predicated on winning back the hearts and minds of Canadians, while generating interest socially and digitally with younger audiences through the hashtag #FALLforCBC.

The FALLforCBC call-‐to-‐action has shown demonstrable lift in terms of awareness and preference to such an extent that CBC has already planned to carry it through into Spring and Summer of 2015. More information regarding measurement and engagement can be found at the end of this submission.


The identified audience for this campaign was Canadians between the ages of 25 -‐ 40. Comprehensive audience segmentation conducted by CBC identified that this target consumer loved nothing more than escaping the stresses of every day life, turning to all types of media to unwind.

To understand how best to reach this target audience, we undertook an audit of the media landscape to identify the best opportunities to tell our story. Where and how were younger Canadians consuming content, and how could CBC be part of the story? This audit uncovered five key insights:

1. They view video consumption through a communal lens, and television is more likely to be a way to connect with friends and family;

2. Although content sources are varied, this target is still consuming commercial television more than online video sources and non-‐commercial sources like Netflix;

3. News consumption is highly curated, making social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook the top information source for this audience;

4. The television is not the only screen in front of Canadians while they are relaxing at home. There are typically two or three devices in the same room while television is being watched;

5. Trusted voices such as online influencers have a strong impact on Canadians’ decision-‐making, and act as credible authorities – especially to those in the 18-‐35 demographic.


This campaign is the first phase of the overall 2020 strategy for CBC that has set out to accomplish two clear goals:

• CBC to double its digital reach: 18 million Canadians (one out of two) will use CBC’s digital services every month.

• When asked, three out of four Canadians will answer that CBC is very important to them personally. Based on these insights and the established goals, we developed the following measurable objectives for our marketing communications program:

• Drive mass awareness to amplify the #FALLforCBC program by generating more than 10 million paid media impressions and over 100 million earned social media impressions

• Create new, deeper relationships with over 20 online influencers and deliver an authentic connection with Canadians by securing at least 5 earned endorsements from online influencers with over 80,000 engagements (shares, video views, ‘likes’) within a unique ad unit by Canadians.

• Deliver an engaging conversation – online and offline – with a compelling call-‐to-‐action that will help drive tune-‐in and deliver 0.80 per cent engagement through a melding of influencer content, amplified through a paid media buy. This ‘blurred’ approach and product is called BLAST and was launched by Veritas in 2014.

Solution Overview

In order to reach our target and achieve the established objectives, we knew that we needed a multi-‐pronged approach. One pitch to online influencers inviting them to tune in to new CBC programming wouldn’t deliver the movement we were seeking to create in Canada. We therefore built a strategy that would allow us to deliver a compelling message through multiple channels during a sustainable program.

Phase One: Build Anticipation (August 2014)

During this announcement phase, we would provide Canadians with a taste of returning and new CBC programming to announce clearly to consumers: CBC is not your parents’ CBC anymore. We did this through a massive advertising campaign that included bold out-‐of-‐home, digital and television creative with #FALLforCBC as the hero message. This is the first time CBC used a call-‐to-‐action via a hashtag in all advertising creative across all of its advertisements.

Phase Two: Add Credibility (September -‐ October 2014)

Following the official campaign launch, we would build credibility and excitement in two key ways: with a massive pop-‐up in one of Canada’s urban centers during a global event and by launching an extensive influencer relations program that would drive the earned endorsements we knew were key to the success of revamping Canada’s public broadcaster.

Phase Three: Amplify Excitement & Engage (November –December 2014)

To extend the conversation influencers helped start with Canadians, we amplified content created by online influencers through BLAST and engaged with Canadians through CBC’s social media channels. BLAST is a paid content distribution mechanism that seamlessly integrates brand experiences with authentic and credible influencer content to inspire CBC’s end audience (see appendix for more information). By using BLAST, unmatched brand awareness, advocacy and community participation was created to start a larger conversation with Canadians. It also allowed us to have a campaign that didn’t just drive awareness alone – the standard metric for PR and advertising – instead, we were able to measure how engaged Canadians were with the third-‐party endorsement created by influencers. Once our influencers started this conversation, we took a “no Tweet unanswered” approach to let every Canadian know that they had our full attention.


The PR budget assigned to this program was just over $200,000, which included all agency fees as well as hard costs. The week after the new Fall season was announced, the plan was put into action and the following tactics were executed to support each phase of the campaign:

Phase One: Build Anticipation

One main tactics supported this phase of the campaign:

• Influencer Introductions. While the massive paid campaign had rolled out across the country, we knew reintroducing CBC to online influencers would be key to helping generate credible, earned conversation and guide the opinions of Canadians around the new CBC. We conducted an online audit to identify the perception of online influencers around CBC. As a result of this research we identified 45-‐50 influencers in Canada and reached out to them with an introductory phone call. The conversation was open and transparent, asking influencers in real-‐time what their opinions of their public broadcaster was. We then asked them to meet us offline and not only voice those opinions to talent and CBC executives but also to experience the new CBC with a sneak-‐peek of what we’d be offering long term.

Phase Two: Add Credibility

Three main tactics supported this phase of the campaign:

• Canada House at the Toronto International Film Festival. To engage with Canadians offline, we used the Toronto International Film Festival as a backdrop to showcase CBC’s reinvention and to celebrate all-‐things Canadian within the film and television industry. In the heart of the TIFF street festival, we created Canada House, a drop in event space with virgin Caesars, phone recharging stations and swag emblazoned with the iconic CBC logo and the Twitter message “#FallForCBC.” As thousands of Canadians poured in, they had a chance to sit down in an intimate setting to hear about new programming from the stars of CBC. They also had the opportunity to discuss the relevance of CBC as Canada’s broadcaster with a number of CBC executives.

• Strange Empire Screening. Strange Empire, a new dark, western drama that is made up of strong, independent female characters, is one of the new television programs that is core to the rejuvenation of CBC. We wanted influencers to be introduced to the program through the eyes of the creator at an exclusive screening of the first show. They were also given the opportunity to interview the cast for their online channels.

• Republic of Doyle Pub Tour. After six successful seasons, one of CBC’s most popular television shows, Republic of Doyle, was coming to an end. The show was centered on the life of Jake Doyle, a private eye in St. John’s, Newfoundland and was adored by Canadians across the country for its ability to highlight the beauty of Atlantic Canada. To thank fans for their support throughout the series, we took Allan Hawco, the show’s star and creator across the country to meet Canadians, give them a sneak peek of the final season and answer any questions they had. To get into the event, fans had to win tickets by using the #FALLforCBC hashtag Twitter along with their favourite Republic of Doyle moment from previous seasons.

Phase Three: Amplify Excitement & Engage

• Influencer Advocacy Amplified. For the first time in CBC’s history, we took positive coverage created by the online influencers we developed relationships with and leveraged their third-‐party endorsements within a digital advertising buy called BLAST. At every event from September-‐November, we provided influencers with access to CBC talent and offered to film them while they were interviewing. This provided them with video assets for their online content and it gave us the opportunity to promote their channels by driving a more mass audience to view the interview with CBC’s talent. The BLAST module created two-‐way success for both parties: influencers received paid support and ultimately, mass awareness to their channels and CBC received genuine, third-‐party endorsement with online influencers Canadians turn to for television advice.

Key Challenges & Opportunities

A major challenge to be managed mid-‐campaign was being able to keep sentiment and conversation around CBC’s programming positive during a time of crisis for the organization following the dismissal of long-‐time CBC personality Jian Ghomeshi on October 24. It was critical for us to monitor the volume of conversation in Canada and ensure the perception of CBC and its programming remained in the neutral-‐to-‐positive space.


We overachieved all pre-‐determined objectives for this campaign. In fact, due to the success of this campaign, CBC has decided to extend the campaign into 2015.

Objective: Drive mass awareness to amplify the #FALLforCBC program by generating more than 10 million paid media impressions and over 100 million earned social media impressions.

Result: More than triple this target was achieved in the online space. In total, this campaign delivered more than 12 million paid media impressions and over 377 million earned social media impressions (that is equivalent to hitting every Canadian 11.5 times!)

Objective: Create new, deeper relationships with over 20 online influencers and deliver an authentic connection with Canadians through BLAST by securing at least 5 earned endorsements from online influencers.

Result: Canadians were highly engaged with the six video endorsements used in the BLAST advertisements we produced as determined by a 29 per cent video completion rate (that is 14 per cent higher than the industry average).

Objective: Deliver an engaging conversation – online and offline – that will help drive tune-‐in and deliver 0.80 per cent engagement through the digital advertising buy.

Result: Canadians were excited to have an open conversation about the future of their public broadcaster, and this was evident in the high engagement and use of the #FALLforCBC hashtag which was amplified heavily through BLAST. Canadians spent over 20 seconds watching influencer content and overall, the BLAST campaign had Canadians taking in more than 24,000 minutes of content related to CBC. Through the digital advertising buy and online conversations with Canadians, there was a 0.84 per cent engagement rate. And more impressively, during a time where CBC was in the limelight for the Jian Ghomeshi crisis, over 86 per cent of the online conversation about CBC was positive in tone.

###

IABC/Toronto OVATION Awards Work Plan: Communications Management Entrant’s Name: Melody Gaukel Organization Name: Environics Communications/Fairmont Hotels & Resorts Division/Category: Division1, Category 11: Social Responsibility including Economic, Societal and Environmental Development Title of Entry: Fairmont Pollinator Bee Hotel Launch Time period of project: June 2014- August 2014 WORKPLAN Entry Summary: (100 words max) (Word count: 100) Fairmont Hotels & Resorts has a history of leading in sustainability. With research indicating that solitary bee populations are declining due to loss and fragmentation of habitat, the company initiated a program to provide this essential species a place to rest their wings with the introduction of its first pollinator bee hotel. Located on the rooftop of Toronto’s Fairmont Royal York Hotel, this project to protect pollinator bees is an extension of ongoing efforts to support bees of all kinds. To bring the campaign to life Fairmont Hotels & Resorts committed $100,000 to communications support, event activity and habitat construction. 1. Business need/opportunity: Fairmont has been committed to sustainable business practices for over two decades and supports this core value via the Fairmont Sustainability Partnership Program. This program has a vision: to invest in the positive development of colleagues, guests and destinations, while providing genuine experiences in diverse destinations in a manner that promotes long-term sustainability and stewardship. Wild bees make up 90 per cent of the bee population and are responsible for the pollination of over 80 per cent of all flowering plants, fruits, and vegetables. These solitary bees provide a vital service to agriculture, and if populations continue to decline at the current rate, it will be impossible for humans to replicate their work. Since 2008 Fairmont has created honeybee apiaries at over 20 hotels globally, which support the local environment and supply chefs with honey for use in their restaurants. Yet even with this success, the Fairmont team wanted to do more. To directly impact and positively influence the pollinator bee population, Fairmont joined forces with Burt’s Bees and its annual WILD FOR BEES campaign. In partnership with Sustainable.TO Architecture + Building and Pollinator Partnership Canada, the group teamed up to design and construct five sustainable pollinator bee hotels. Fairmont engaged regional apiary experts and carpenters to build the perfect urban habitat at the Fairmont Royal York. As Fairmont’s corporate PR agency, Environics Communications was tasked with launching the program in Toronto as an industry benchmark for success and expansion to other Fairmont locations. Utilizing multiple communications channels, a campaign launch was developed to create ‘buzz’ about the program, generate interest globally to expand the initiative, drive awareness on this critical environmental issue and engage guests and stakeholders with a unique storytelling opportunity. 2. Stakeholder Analysis Sustainability and corporate social responsibility are key values for Fairmont. This investment would not only help the eco-community at large, but also connect the brand with stakeholders on a topic that they care about. In fact, a 2014 report by the Center for Responsible Travel states that over 98 per cent of consumers in every market worldwide view themselves as environmentalists. Even as far back as 2011, a survey of Conde Nast readers showed that 93 per cent believed travel companies should be responsible for protecting the environment, and 58 per cent said their hotel choice is influenced by the support the

property gives to the local community. Similarly, a 2013 Knowledge Centre survey found many job seekers are attracted to organizations with sustainable practices, as this acts as a source of employee pride, implies that the company cares about employees, and helps them connect specific organizational goals to their personal values. Keeping this and the current landscape of sustainability issues in mind, Fairmont and Environics targeted four stakeholder groups with this program:

Fairmont Guests: high income earners and supporters of sustainability initiatives. More

specifically, Fairmont guests are 60 per cent male and 40 per cent female with an average household income of USD 200,000+. Often married with a family focus, they are keenly aware of the environment and social causes. Their feedback on sustainability initiatives has been overwhelmingly positive. Therefore, the launch of this new program needed to include elements that guests could experience first-hand.

Business Partnerships: as Fairmont aims to be a leader in sustainability initiatives it was top-of-mind to continue to develop new business partnerships and align with brands that focus on sustainability. This allows the company to further establish its earned credibility in the sustainability space and continue to learn and develop further programs that complement its green business goals.

Colleagues: while many who work in the Fairmont family may have been familiar with sustainability projects the company undertakes, it is important to always keep employees up-to-date on new developments, and allow them opportunities to get excited and immersed in new initiatives.

Media: bee health is a hot topic with media. This program targeted key outlets from travel trade, lifestyle, business and environment, to increase awareness about both the pollinator bees issue and the new pollinator bee hotel program Fairmont and its partners had developed.

3. Goals/Objectives Fairmont sustainability initiatives have four objectives:

Responsible Business: Measure and report on sustainability initiatives at the hotel level Ecosystem: Integrate sustainable business practices into operational facets to address impacts

on biodiversity Environmental: Focus on reducing carbon emissions, waste generation, energy and water

consumption Engagement: Inspire guests, community members and partners to be part of the solution and

hotels to make a positive impact The overall goal of this campaign was to raise awareness of the issue surrounding the decline of pollinator bees and their important role in environmental sustainability, and complement Fairmont’s responsible business and engagement objectives. Below are the quantifiable goals and objectives of the pollinator bee communications campaign:

Objective: Position Fairmont as a leader in overall bee health. o Goals: Attendance at launch event of 75 media and influencers; media impressions of 15-

million; 100,000 social media hits Objective: Build new partnerships to build greater credibility around Fairmont’s

sustainability story. o Goal: Create four new partnerships with local and international experts

Objective: Increase guest awareness of sustainability initiatives o Goal: Incorporate bee themed menu items at hotel restaurants to generate $5,000 in

revenue in launch month Objective: engage as many employees on the pollinator bee issue as possible.

o Goal: expand the program to at least two other Fairmont locations in key regions.


TACTIC 1:A Bees Eye View. To bring the story to life in a visually compelling and emotionally engaging way, the team created “A Bees Eye View” video. Shot from the perspective of a “Queen Bee”, the video offers a narrated tour of the challenges that a bee faces in an urban environment – all in a charming and appealing manner that resonates. This asset was used at the launch event, was pushed out via Fairmont’s social media channels, and was accessible to Fairmont hotels worldwide. The video highlights the role of a Queen bee and pollinator bees in the world’s ecosystem; and takes the viewer on a journey with the Queen bee through the countryside and into her “new home” at the Fairmont Royal York hotel. The video also displays key messages from the campaign, including: “wild bee species that sustains the human species”, and “alarmingly, these pollinators are in rapid decline”. Lastly, this communications tool features all the program partners, making it easier for cross-promotion through all of the partners social media channels, and established more credibility. This asset was key in launching the program and showcasing it through platforms worldwide.

TACTIC 2: Media Relations. A robust media relations campaign was implemented to spread the word on this project. Activities included local newspaper stories, a news release and the distribution of comprehensive media kits to outlets across Canada. The idea was to leverage existing media partners to create targeted and unique opportunities to tell the story.

TACTIC 3: Social Media Activation. Leveraging all content assets (including the video) the team created a set of posts and tweets that could be used by the Fairmont brand, properties and partners.

TACTIC 4: Launch Event. The team planned an event at the Fairmont Royal York to showcase the new bee Hotel, featuring guided tours and bee experts on site. Media and partners who attended the event were given an informative tour of the pollinator bee hotel and were able to experience an assortment of food and beverages that were made from food products pollenated by pollinator bees. In fact, Fairmont’s Executive Chef Colin Thornton created a special menu for the event that incorporated honey harvested from the roof. The event launch was also a way for employees to see the impact that the program was making with media, and have colleagues directly involved with a part of this initiative.

TACTIC 5:— Integration with food and beverage. To keep guests aware and interested in the pollinator bees issue, The Fairmont Royal York created custom pollinator menus at its restaurants and eateries, and donated a portion of the proceeds to Pollinator Partnership Canada. Part of the special menu was a “buzz-tini” cocktail, which was also made using ingredients that were pollenated by pollinator bees. This was a strategy employed to raise awareness among guests, so that in addition to taking a tour of the bee hotel or hearing more information on the issue, they would be inspired to perhaps try out new recipes themselves, and generally leave the Fairmont with a true experience of the role pollinator bees play in our day-to-day lives. This tactic was also intended to raise awareness and help employees become more familiar and immersed in this program.


Budget: Fairmont had a total of $100,000 to manage this entire project. Working to ensure that money was spent wisely and efficiently proved to be a challenge, especially with the multiple avenues that could have been taken to implement this program.

Managing partnerships: another challenge with implementing the campaign was the number of partnerships on this project. While the partnerships aspect was important, it did add a layer of complexity, especially as it related to streamlining processes and ensuring responsibilities were being delegated appropriately. Additionally, as Fairmont’s corporate agency, Environics worked with the public relations agencies of Fairmont’s partners to organize and execute the media relations plans. When it came to promoting Fairmont’s messaging and the video on social media channels, it was important that all of Fairmont’s partners and agencies promoted consistent key messages.

6. Measurement and Evaluation Feedback from media and stakeholders was very positive. The video received close to 1,500 views through organic traffic in less than a month. The icing on the cake was that this program garnered interest with the Canadian Consulate in London when the program was taken to The Savoy, a Fairmont Managed Hotel in London, England. High Commissioner for Canada Gordon Campbell helped to open the first international Bee Hotel in partnership with Fairmont By developing a strategy that reached audiences via multiple touch points, Environics achieved and exceeded all measurable objectives:

Raise awareness of Fairmont as a leader in bee health

o 100+ people attended event, including various stakeholders, media, influencers, experts, partners, dignitaries, and employees.

o More than 25 million media impressions generated during launch campaign. Coverage in key target media outlets like CBC Metro Morning, The Globe and Mail, Zoomer and industry trades like Hotelier and Restaurant News. Working closely with Toronto Life magazine, the team also extended the reach of the program to a key Fairmont demographic. By being a sponsor of Toronto Life’s June issue on parks, the brand was able to bring the program to life at an event at Toronto Evergreen Brickworks, another future home for a bee Hotel.

o The bee hotel project also gained the attention of the Prime Minister of Canada, which led to Mrs. Harper to pay a visit to the Fairmont bee hotel at the Fairmont Royal York, which garnered additional media attention for the project.

Build new partnerships that lend credibility Fairmont’s sustainability story

Established relationships with Burt’s Bees, Sustainable T.O., Pollinator Partnership, Wildlife Preservation Canada, and Evergreen Brickworks.

Increase guest and employee awareness of Fairmont sustainability initiatives $10,000 in related revenue from the specialty food and drink menus that were

created for the program

Expand the program to other Fairmont locations The Savoy, A Fairmont Managed Hotel in London and the Fairmont Washington,

D.C. launched their own pollinator bee projects in August 2014 Conclusion: As an extension of Fairmont’s sustainability initiatives, this program helped to position the company as a leader in this space, with a deep understanding of the social values important to their guests and other stakeholders. Fairmont was able to set a benchmark, not only for their global properties, but in the field of corporate social responsibility as a whole. In fact, Fairmont has now combined the pollinator bee program with their honey bee program and created a new sustainability initiative named “Bee Sustainable.” Overall, it is remarkable to see how this germ of an idea blossomed into a program that Fairmont is certain will only continue to grow, and truly makes a difference in the world. The program is expanding again in 2015 to more hotels – in Canada and abroad.

2015 IABC/Toronto OVATION Award Work Plan

IABC Toronto OVATION Awards 2015Division 1: Communication Management, Category 7: Special Events 7A – Special events with budget up to $50K

© Environics Communications Inc.

Entrant’s Name: Stephanie Dale, Environics CommunicationsOrganization Name: Environics Communications on behalf of The Home Depot CanadaDivision/Category: Division 1: Communication Management, Category 7: Special Events 7A – Special events with budget up to $50KTitle of Entry: The Home Depot Canada’s Home Automation Media LaunchTime Period of Project: June 2014 – October 2014Entry Summary: The Home Depot Canada wanted to be known as the leading retailer in home automation technology and support its exclusive launch of the Wink system in Canada. Using public relations as the sole traditional media tool, The Home Depot charged Environics Communications with the task of developing an innovative event to build brand profile and showcase its expertise and product offerings in the category, as well as execute a national media relations campaign to support the launch.

WORK PLAN1. Business Need / Opportunity

The Home Depot Canada wanted to be known as the leading retailer in home automation technology, a fast growing industry with an abundance of new innovative technology.

With Wink launching in Canada exclusively at The Home Depot, the company was presented with a unique opportunity to showcase a new product in the category. The Home Depot Canada enlisted Environics Communications (ECI) to develop a plan that would allow them to educate Canadians about the benefits and ease of home automation and become the go-to retailer for the category. While early adopters are jumping on the bandwagon, many consumers are looking at how to best manage the technology and integrate it into their own homes. This was an ideal opportunity for The Home Depot Canada to introduce the “connected home” and feature its “orange apron advantage” – product authority (knowledge).

As a technology that needs to be experienced first-hand to be fully understood, ECI needed to create an environment that would provide media with the opportunity to trial the Wink system and see the technology in action. ECI constructed a plan to secure a unique, modern location in central Toronto and outfit it with The Home Depot’s top Wink-compatible devices. With Wink launching in U.S. stores just before its introduction to Canada, ECI also had the opportunity to build off the buzz and excitement that was being generated in Canada through spillover media coverage, which acted as a “teaser” for Canadian consumers.

ECI’s plan ensured that The Home Depot Canada’s orange apron advantage was showcased and that its knowledge of the home automation industry was communicated, with messaging reaching the maximum number of Canadians during the program.


The primary audience for this program was Canadian men and women ages 35-54 who are early tech adopters.

Information provided by a Nielson research group study “Connected Life” examined Canadians’ attitudes and adoption of smart home technology. This study showed that Canadians are most familiar with connected home technology, with 85 per cent of respondents saying that they knew of smart home technology and 52 per centsaying that they knew what it did. Research also showed that people who currently use automated technology in their homes are looking to simplify and stream those devices through one central unit1.

Through the campaign, ECI wanted to capitalize on this awareness surrounding smart home technology and ensure that The Home Depot Canada and Wink were top of mind for prospective consumers by showcasingWink’s ability to create a one stop application and The Home Depot Canada’s expertise in the category. ECI targeted this audience through national English consumer media, with a particular focus on technology beats and home décor (?) publications.

1 Nielson, Connected Life: Connected Trends Nov. 2014

IABC Toronto OVATION Awards 2015Division 1: Communication Management, Category 7A: Special events with budget up to $50K


2

3. Goals/Objectives

Our overall goal for this campaign was to position The Home Depot as the leader in home automation in Canada and leverage this innovative launch to educate consumers about the benefits and ease of home automation.

To meet this goal, we set the following objectives to define success:1. Generate attention and interest for the Wink launch, and sustain throughout the campaign

o Environics’ success measure: Secure positive media coverage throughout the course of the campaign and ensure that at least 15 top-tier GTA media are in attendance for the launch event

2. Incorporate The Home Depot Canada’s product knowledge and campaign messaging into the event

o Environics’ success measure: Demonstrate The Home Depot Canada’s extensive product offerings and product knowledge in the area of home automation by ensuring the campaignmessaging is included in coverage

3. Generate national campaign exposure o Environics’ success measure: Generate strong national media coverage during the campaign

timeframe, with a reach of at least 7 million (based on achieving a cost per contact of less than one cent ($0.005))


To meet the goals and objectives set for this program, our team developed a communication plan that featured two key strategies:

• Event Management:o To position The Home Depot Canada as the go-to retailer for all things home automation, ECI

brought the concept to life by inviting media, bloggers and influencers to The Home DepotCanada’s Home Automation Open House. As a technology that needs to be experienced first-hand to be fully understood, it was important to create an event that could innovatively showcase Wink in action. To demonstrate this concept and showcase The Home Depot Canada’s product authority, The Home Depot Canada Merchant for Electrical, Ron Cleary was onsite leading media tours of the automated home. Wink Business Development Manager Garret Van der Boom and Wink Marketing Director Matt McGovren were also on-site from the U.S. previewing the Wink system and partner products, and speaking about the latest home automation technology.

o The Home Depot Canada’s Home Automation Open House was managed by ECI from start to finish, with responsibilities including:

Venue Sourcing – ECI sourced a venue that met a number of key criteria: located in downtown Toronto for media accessibility, a unique, modern and eye-catching space to match the innovative technology and accommodate the installation of the Wink system and all relevant devices, including lighting, security systems and thermostats. To succeed in sourcing this unique space, ECI used nontraditional research tools such as Set Scouter, a film location marketplace that connects filmmakers with homeowners.

Venue Staging – Once the venue was secured, ECI transformed a regular downtown residence into a fully automated home, equipped with the latest technology, bringing to life the Wink innovation.

Media Outreach – Managing media invites and RSVPs. Event Production – Overseeing the media open house tours and product

demonstrations that took place over the course of the event day. ECI took a targeted approach for the various media in attendance, including guided one-on-one tours for print journalists, group tours for bloggers and influencers and live on-location segment opportunities for broadcast outlets.

o ECI reinforced the campaign’s key messaging about the benefits of the Wink system and The Home Depot Canada’s expertise in the area of home automation with speaking remarks that



3were developed for The Home Depot Canada’s spokesperson Ron Cleary, as well Wink’s corporate team Garret Van der Boom and Matt McGovern.

• National Media Relations:o To further broaden the reach of the program nationally, ECI leveraged creative media materials

and expert spokespeople to reach media outlets across Canada. Knowing that with the Wink technology, seeing is believing, ECI envisioned a creative solution to drive interest and product coverage for national media who were not present at the event. With this in mind, a two-pronged approach was developed for executing national media outreach:

1. To target online and broadcast outlets, ECI developed a tailored pitch that leveraged a compelling video captured onsite at the event, highlighting features and benefits around home automation and specifically the Wink system. This video was also leveraged by The Home Depot Canada team internally as an information tool to support the launch of Wink in stores.

2. ECI selected top tier tech media (located outside of the GTA) for product demos, sending them the Wink system to trial in their own home. This extended the reach of the campaign into other markets and ensured that Wink could be experienced first-hand by some of Canada’s top tech journalists.


ECI managed the planning and implementation of The Home Depot Canada’s Wink media launch program from start to finish within a total budget of $39,000 in fees and expenses. While the event was highly successful (see next section), the ECI team did face a few challenges.

• Managing Expectations – With the launch of Wink in the U.S. taking place prior to its launch in Canada, certain expectations were in place from the Wink corporate team regarding how the Canadian launch should be executed (i.e. size and scope of venue, number of media in attendance, impressions etc.) .However, working with one quarter of the U.S. budget and a very different media landscape, we needed to closely manage those expectations.

• Location – This event required a very specific type of venue that met a number of key criteria, the most important being that the space needed to accommodate the installation of the Wink system and all relevant devices, including lighting, security systems and thermostats. Finding a venue that could be altered and in which the necessary technology could be installed, was one of the largest challenges faced when sourcing the location. Because this location was a private residence, we were also faced with the challenge of liaising with the homeowners throughout the campaign. This extended timelines for negotiating the rental agreement and terms of the partnership, and meant that timing for such things as site visits needed to be much more flexible to accommodate the schedules of the many parties involved in the event.

• Timing – Following the U.S. launch of Wink, we had an opportunity to build off the buzz and excitement that was being generated in Canada through spillover media coverage. However, this also meant that because many Canadian journalists were covering the launch of this new technology as a result of the U.S. announcement, we needed to act on that excitement quickly before it became “old news.” The challenge that we faced in regards to timing was that the event date was pushed back multiple times dueto delays related to Wink product availability in The Home Depot’s Canadian stores. This meant that creating a unique experience to secure event attendance and media coverage was that much more pivotal to the success of this campaign.

6. Measurement / Evaluation

Our overall goal for this campaign was to position The Home Depot as the leader in home automation in Canada and leverage this innovative launch to educate consumers about the benefits and ease of home automation. We achieved this goal by exceeding all of our set objectives:

1. Generate attention and media interest for the Wink launch, and sustain throughout the campaigno Achieved 100% positive, branded, media coverageo Surpassed attendance target with 20 influential tech and lifestyle journalists from 13 top-tier

media outlets present at The Home Depot’s Home Automation Open House



4o Secured 6 product trials with national top-tier tech media

2. Incorporate The Home Depot’s expert knowledge and campaign messaging into the evento The Home Depot’s expert knowledge and campaign messaging was featured in 100% of

coverage, a sample of which is featured below: “This Toronto home has a futuristic design, but it’s not just the architecture that’s modern.

Its been outfitted with products that can be controlled with a Smartphone and the Wink app. Home Depot has partnered with Wink to carry products that can change your lighting, security cameras you can check with your phone and automated door locks so you can lock and unlock doors no matter where you are.” – Pat Foran, CTV News

“The Home Depot now has 70 different products available in Canada from 10 vendors, all of which can be controlled by Wink.” – Brian Platt, Toronto Star

“The Home Depot is making its play into the growing do-it-yourself home automation market with a partnership with Wink, and Wifi Hifi got a sneak peek at how the technology works in a beautiful five-storey smart home in downtown Toronto.” –Christine Persaud, Wifi Hifi

“The Home Depot Canada has partnered with Wink to develop a smartphone app that allows users to connect and manage up to 70 connected products in their home from anywhere in the world.” – Home Improvement Retailing

3. Generate national campaign exposure o Surpassed impression target earning 11,147,971 impressionso Achieved a cost-per-contact of $0.003o Secured 25 pieces of traditional media coverage nationally o Saw an increase in Wink sales as a direct result of marketing efforts: With a flyer in field and

following a CTV Vancouver Island interview, the local The Home Depot store saw a 178 per centincrease in Wink sales from the week prior.

IABC Ovation 2015 Division 1: Communication Management; Category 6B: Marketing Communication greater than $50K up to $100K Veritas Communications – Disney Consumer Products Canada – Minnie Mouse at World MasterCard Fashion Week


As the First Lady of Disney, Minnie Mouse is arguably one of the most iconic, recognizable characters under the Disney umbrella. She first came onto the scene in 1928 as Mickey’s girlfriend and has since blossomed into her own unique and beloved personality.

Over the last few years, The Walt Disney Company initiated a global mandate to elevate Minnie Mouse into a fashion icon. As fashion is evolving and continuing to become more playful even at the couture level, top tier designers, stylists and photographers have indeed drawn inspiration from Minnie the muse in the past – Marc Jacobs, Moschino and top street style photographer Tommy Ton, to name a few. And although much residual nostalgia exists for Minnie in the great white north, her brand exposure to date in Canada – fashion or otherwise – was almost negligible.

This was problematic, given that Disney Canada’s ultimate business goal was to launch an entirely new segment of ‘Minnie Style’ wear in retail for teen girls, Millennial women and Millennial moms. Their short but successful stint with Aritzia in early 2014 demonstrated that if you ‘build it they will wear it,’ but the ultimate goal was to bring on a major mass Canadian retailer as a partner and GO BIG EARED or go home.

If Disney was truly going to be able to succeed with Minnie Style in Canada, they needed to play a cunning game of ‘cat and mouse’ to lure top retailers through attention-‐grabbing tactics.

This is where Veritas stepped in.

EARS To The Ground

A deep ‘listen and learn’ social media and traditional audit revealed that the total volume of conversation and stories about Minnie was moderate (11,000+ mentions) but very positive. Topics of conversation were disparate, ranging from children’s birthday parties to Disney merchandise, and only two per cent of total mentions were fashion or style related in Canada.

So, we knew we had our work cut out for us. Canadian women – millennials and moms alike – were not associating Minnie Mouse as a style icon, nor was she even on their radar. Our instinct was to start where the fashion influencers are, to generate niche interest that could be catapulted into mass awareness. Based on our proprietary agency approach to ‘influence the influencers™’ we know that if you identify and activate the right core influencers, the ability to generate widespread positive word-‐of-‐mouth is immense. For this reason, we identified a mix of seasoned and up-‐and-‐coming designers, top tier fashion media and of course, fashion fans and encouraged them to rock their own ‘Minnie Style” and inspire others to do the same.

Ultimately, our mission was to re-‐introduce Minnie, the fashion icon, to this influential style set – and then the masses – by targeting Canadian fashion media and influencers in the milieu in which Minnie Style would be most relevant.

The answer: World MasterCard Fashion Week in Toronto.


World MasterCard Fashion Week is Canada’s largest fashion event, taking place twice a year in a spectacular, downtown Toronto venue – ‘the tents” at David Pecaut Square. It has become a staple in the calendar of the trendy, fashion-‐savvy individual, and a platform for Canada’s top designers to showcase their upcoming lines. With more than 1,000 accredited media and 65,000 industry insiders and key influencers visiting the event each year, World MasterCard Fashion Week has become North America’s 2nd largest fashion week, generating over 1 billion media impressions per season.

We know that Minnie appeals to women of all ages both through her classic style but also through her self-‐confidence and positive outlook. The primary target for this campaign was both traditional fashion media as well as online influencers and their style-‐obsessed fans. With street-‐style reporting on the rise, we wanted to create a hybrid program that would reach Minnie fans both on and offline.

We researched feedback regarding past ‘playful’ character collaborations and we learned that the fashion crowd were a stoic bunch, most interested in the more traditional designs and presentations. We needed to create an elevated experience that would not only

create a new emotional connection to Disney, but also provide relevant content that would be included in their fashion week stories (and beyond).

Our secondary audience were mass retailers. We wanted to make a Minnie splash to garner their attention in the hopes of generating future partnership opportunities.


Based on the business need, Canadian landscape and identified stakeholders, our goal for the campaign was to establish Minnie Mouse as a fashion icon among media, influencers consumers and potential mass retail partners by amplifying a Fashion Week sponsorship.

Delivering on this goal would include the following objectives:

• Drive awareness of Minnie Mouse, fashion icon, by generating more than 25 million impressions • Generate quality coverage with positive tone and demonstrated ROI by delivering a MRP score of at least 75% and cost per

contact of at least $0.03 • Gain the attention of mass retailer Target Canada for future partnership opportunities

Solution Overview

The fashion conversation in Canada around Minnie Mouse was minimal, so we needed a credible third party to help get the conversation running. In researching potential brand ambassadors, the Beckerman Sisters were clear frontrunners. The Toronto based pair was obsessed with Minnie Mouse (they threw themselves a Mickey/Minnie inspired birthday party and recently came back from Disneyland for the 9th time). The girls were genuine and authentic brand endorsers with a large social fan base who were relevant and credible among our target demographic. The pair has a large social following, a highly-‐engaged fan base and were ‘on the scene’ – we knew they were the perfect fit to act as Minnie Fashion Ambassadors during Fashion Week.

Our Approach

We developed a three-‐pronged approach to help meet our identified goal. It is worth noting that the entire program was conceived of and executed – inclusive of fees and expenses – for $95k:

Sponsorship

We proposed a sponsorship with World MasterCard Fashion Week (WMCFW) in Toronto. A partnership between Disney and IMG Fashion Canada would help solidify Minnie Mouse as a fashion icon within the Canadian landscape, fortify the Minnie Mouse fashion brand among a targeted group of fashion fans and trendsetters and generate a significant amount of PR and social chatter. We needed to add a relevant, newsworthy angle to feed media’s need for timely and relevant information. Therefore, we proposed Disney sponsor the Mercedes-‐Benz Start Up Competition (MSBU). The program is an ongoing initiative, started by IMG Fashion, in conjunction with Mercedes-‐Benz, providing a national platform to discover and support up-‐and-‐coming Canadian fashion designers. Finalists receive unprecedented access to fashion business experts, and real-‐world practical experience to ensure they have the knowledge required to develop a thriving career within the fashion industry. This year, with Disney’s new participation, finalists were tasked with the creation of one head-‐to-‐toe look inspired by Minnie Mouse. The final looks would be revealed and judged onsite at World MasterCard Fashion Week. The six final looks would also be on display in a Minnie-‐themed installation in the fashion environment for the duration of the week.

Influencer Endorsement

We wanted to strategically initiate the conversation around Minnie’s presence at WMCFW by engaging key fashion influencers. Our fashion ambassadors for WMCFW were Samantha and Caillianne Beckerman. Through their strong social reach and engaged fan base, they would help us tell the Minnie Style story in an authentic way.

We also reached out to local stylist and fashion expert Afiya Francisco to take part on the judging panel. She helped spread the news and add credibility to the evening.

Lastly – our goal was to fill the room with 350 guests. We created an extensive invite list including Toronto’s top long and short lead style media, influencers, friends of Disney and fans to help inspire and generate buzz.

Media Relations

We conducted an extensive media relations program targeting short lead, online and broadcast media to help tell Minnie’s style story. Media were offered interviews with the Beckermans and had access to the designers for their stories. To cap it off, media were invited to attend the final presentation for the crowning of the winner of the Minnie Style design competition.

Key Messages

The following were identified as the most important key messages for this campaign. Success would include mention of each message through our spokespeople as well as earned media coverage.

Key Message 1: Disney and WMCFW

• For the first time, Disney is proud to partner with World MasterCard® Fashion Week in support of the Mercedes-‐Benz Start Up Competition in Toronto.

o A new element to the program, finalists have been asked to design one look inspired by Minnie. The designs will be showcased onsite at David Pecaut Square as part of a Minnie-‐themed fashion installation where the winner will be chosen on the evening of October 21, 2014

o The designer of the winning Minnie Mouse look will receive $2,500 o We are proud to support up-‐and-‐coming Canadian design talent. There is a little Minnie in all of us, so we look

forward to seeing how each design comes to life

Key Message 2: Minnie Mouse – Inspirational Style Icon

• Minnie Mouse is an international style icon. Through her positive nature and strong sense of self, she encourages women of all ages to find their own sense of personal style while staying true to themselves.

o As one of Disney’s most adored characters, Minnie’s look is timeless and elegant while evoking a sense of confidence and fun

o She is known for her classic silhouette, signature bows and polka dot pattern and main colour palette of black, white and red

o Minnie appeals to girls of all ages. Minnie is confident and lives life with zest – something that never goes out of style

Tactical Execution

To drive buzz and excitement, we executed the following tactics:

Execution: Announcement (July 2014)

To begin generating excitement and buzz, in July 2014, we officially announced Minnie Mouse’s participation at World MasterCard Fashion Week in Toronto through a partnership with Mercedes-‐Benz Start Up Competition. We first seeded the announcement with Flare.com, one of Canada’s top fashion publications who places much support on Canadian design talent. The Beckermans also have a monthly column in Flare, therefore, creating another natural connection. The announcement was distributed to top Canadian fashion, lifestyle and business media and immediately sparked positive buzz and excitement. Execution: Spokespeople Engagement

To help reinforce the Minnie fashion story, we engaged two of the most authentic Minnie fans and fashion influencers – Toronto based identical twins, Caillianne and Samantha Beckerman. The girls are known for their larger than life personalities and over-‐the-‐top style choices with a very apparent soft spot for all things Minnie. The girls recently celebrated their birthday in Disneyland – as seen through their multiple Instagram photos – we knew it would be a perfect fit. As Minnie Mouse fashion ambassadors, the girls would act as Minnie’s host and ‘tour guide’ during her visit to Toronto, be a part of the MBSU judging panel and act as co-‐hosts for the Minnie Mouse presentation at WMCFW.

Execution: Minnie Spotted Campaign

To generate excitement surrounding the campaign, we created a sub program called “Minnie Spotted” to kick off Minnie’s experience at WMCFW. With Samantha and Caillianne playing tour guide, the girls welcomed Minnie to their beloved city and toured her around to the most fashionable spots, taking selfies and sharing with their followers. The locations include a visit at the CN Tower, tea at the Windsor Arms Hotel, shopping down the Mink Mile, a stop at the Bata Shoe Museum and lastly, taking in the

Alex Colville exhibit at the AGO. The Beckermans posted images from each site with the hashtag #MinnieSpotted, generating social buzz and excitement leading up to Minnie’s big debut the next evening.

Execution: Media and influencer relations

We created an extensive invite list including top media and influencers. We pre-‐pitched interviews with the Beckerman sisters and Disney spokespeople to help deliver the Minnie Style story. Once the winner had been crowned, we sent out a media release with photo of winner Sid Neigum and his new friend, Minnie Mouse.

Execution: Minnie Mouse Presentation at World MasterCard Fashion Week

Disney hosted a Minnie Mouse presentation where the final six looks were on display. The room was outfitted in Minnie-‐inspired red and white polka dots and a backdrop displaying Minnie’s various looks from 1920s to present. More than 350 media and guests were in attendance for the reveal of the winner of the Minnie Mouse design competition. The Beckerman sisters were emcees for the evening, welcoming guests and announcing the winning designer – but not before they welcomed their new best friend and surprise guest, Minnie Mouse, to the stage. Minnie strutted down the runway to roaring applause and camera flashes galore. The normally straight-‐faced fashion crowd were lining up in droves to have their photos taken with dear Minnie. MBSU winner Sid Neigum went home with his own set of ears and a $2,500 grand prize.

Execution: Social Media Amplification

To further generate social engagement and amplify the #MinnieStyle hashtag, we seeded attendees and influencers with their own signature Minnie Mouse ears, encouraging them to share their own Minnie inspired looks via their social platforms. Ears were spotted throughout the evening and popped up on social throughout the week, with the Toronto Star even making special mention that the ears were a highlight from the week.


A challenge for us to note is that due to scheduling changes, the fulsome MBSU competition would be held the evening prior and, as we found out, on the same day that Canadian fashion mogul Joe Mimran announced the launch of the Joe Fresh Fund through a lavish party with heavy-‐hitting star power. As the judging panel came together, it was a unanimous decision that Sid Neigum’s design was the winning look. Neigum was also crowned the winner of the overall MBSU competition the evening earlier. We would need to generate an additional round of coverage focusing on the same competition and finalists, but the following day.


We achieved and exceeded all pre-‐determined objectives for this campaign.

Objective: Drive awareness of Minnie Mouse, fashion icon, by generating more than 25 million media impressions

Result: Almost double this target was achieved. In total, this campaign delivered more than 48.5 million earned media impressions

Objective: Generate quality coverage with positive tone and demonstrated ROI by delivering a MRP score of at least 7 per cent and cost per contact of at least $0.03

Result: The campaign received an MRP score of 98 per cent. With a total fees and expenses of $95k, the cost per contact for the program was $0.002.

Objective: Gain the attention of mass retailer Target Canada for future partnership opportunities

Result: A main buyer from Target was in attendance for the Minnie Mouse presentation and a meeting took place in December 2014 to discuss future opportunities with Disney Consumer Products Canada.

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OVATION Awards: Future Shop Smart Loft

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ENTRY SUMMARY To break home automation technology into the mainstream, boost awareness of the department and position Future Shop as a tech-forward thought leader in the crowded consumer-tech retail environment, Citizen Relations created the Future Shop Smart Loft. The trendy, downtown loft was decked out with the latest in connected-home technology to showcase the benefits to Canadians. Two events were held in the space to drive media coverage and social buzz: a media day and panel discussion, and a social influencer party, both highlighting design and convenience elements that each product can bring to everyday life. BUSINESS NEED/OPPORTUNITY In 2014, Future Shop (FS) and Citizen Relations identified a growth sector of the consumer technology market that was about to break into the mainstream with Canadian tech consumers: home automation. This segment covers all products that can be installed into the home, connected to the internet and controlled or monitored remotely via mobile devices (e.g. lights, thermostat, light switches, home surveillance, etc). To stay ahead of the curve, Citizen was tasked with driving awareness of FS's Home Automation department and positioning the company as the go-to retailer for creating a connected home, while also highlighting FS's ConnectPro home installation and tech support service to create a complete, one-stop home solution. Beyond reaching Canadians through traditional media, Future Shop also wanted to strengthen its position online to drive social media buzz about the new segment and pieces of technology. A survey of FS's customers was conducted by Future Shop Listens, an online consumer panel, to determine their beliefs about home automation technology. The study revealed a number of misconceptions among this tech-forward group, including high perceived cost (72 per cent), monthly fees (69 per cent) and that all of the items required professional installation (56 per cent). These perceived barriers to entry were clearly holding back FS's sales in the segment, so Citizen was challenged with addressing them in campaign materials and messaging. Citizen was also presented with the opportunity to connect with Future Shop's large number of vendor partners to bring the program to the next level and to strengthen bonds between them and the retailer. Finally, Citizen had the opportunity to position Future Shop as a true thought leader in the crowded technology-retail space by bringing home automation into the mainstream in Canada, and boosting sales of smart home devices in the market beyond just early adopters. STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS The first audience that Citizen needed to reach was its existing customers - as identified in the Future Shop Listens study. If even these tech-forward Canadians didn't understand or desire the home automation technology, it was difficult to imagine any other group doing so. As identified by the Future Shop Listens consumer panel, FS customers skewed largely towards young (under 34 years old) and male Canadians living in major cities. These Canadians tend to have their finger on the pulse of the tech industry and are more open to becoming early adopters of new technology than the wider Canadian market. To ensure smart home technology didn't start and end with early adopters, Citizen and FS looked at the key selling features of each home automation device to determine which audiences were best to target beyond the technophiles. Based on these features, campaign messaging was designed to reach outside of this group to target youthful moms as well as young, trendy professionals interested in design. These two groups were selected because home automation technology could be leveraged to connect with them on their day-to-day needs. Young moms were targeted based on their notoriously busy schedules, the fact that they had young children they were caring for and because mom is often in charge of the family budget. Home automation features were used to reach them on these points. Examples include the WeMo Insight Switch, which could be easily installed to

Organization name: Future Shop Entrant’s name: Josie Haynes Division/Category: 1: Communication Management/7a: Special events with budget up to $50K Entry Title: Future Shop Smart Loft Time Period of Project: April-June 2014


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determine how much energy their appliances were using, and motion-activated home surveillance technology, which could alert them when their children arrived home and allow them to view their front entrance remotely on their mobile device. Overall, the items spoke to a parent's need for convenience, lack of free time and desire to keep their family safe. Messaging showcased how each item could aid in making life at least a little more convenient. The latter point was also used to target busy young professionals who were similarly strapped for free time and desired added convenience in life. This group was targeted with a secondary message that focused on the beauty and architectural aspects of the technology, as well as its seamless integration into today's modern homes. This truly took the technology out of the sci-fi realm and into the every day. All three target audiences were tied together by one aspect: they all lived in urban centres that were in an area immediately surrounding one or more Future Shop stores, ensuring that they could travel to a retail location to speak with an in-store consultant to learn more about home automation. This again provided FS with the opportunity showcase the accessibility of the new technology and to boost sales in the category. The final stakeholder group consisted of Future Shop's home automation vendor partners. Citizen had to effectively manage competing brands which were all sold under FS's banner, while positively highlighting each company during the event. GOALS/OBJECTIVES Based on Future Shop's desire to position itself as a leader in the consumer technology space and to increase store and online sales overall, Citizen's goal became raising awareness and understanding of home automation technology among target Canadians. The goal was measured a number of ways including MRRP reach numbers and quality score, which took into account each story's tone, and the criteria of Future Shop brand mention, photo/image inclusion, spokesperson quote and key message inclusion. To reach the target audiences, Citizen focused media outreach on outlets that resonated with the three main target audiences (young, tech-forward Canadians, young moms and young professionals). The goal was also measured with year-over-year sales in the home automation category, as well as traffic to the home automation section of Future Shop's web-store. Objectives: 1. Increase traffic to the Home Automation department of Future Shop's online store year-over-year from the

same time in 2013. 2. Secure 10+ media hits and 5.52+ million quality media impressions based on Media Relations Rating Points

(MRRP). 3. Ensure a high quality of coverage measured by achieving an MRRP quality score of at least 75 per cent

(industry average) based on the criteria of tone, brand mention, key message inclusion, spokesperson quote inclusion and image/photo inclusion.

4. Garner online buzz by securing 1+ million social media impressions with the #FSsmarthome hashtag via a minimum of 50 users.

5. Secure at least 15 media attendees to the media preview event during the day and at least 50 influencer attendees to the cocktail party event in the evening.

SOLUTION OVERVIEW In order to position Future Shop as a leader and go-to retailer in the consumer tech space, Citizen developed an event campaign aimed at driving buzz among target Canadians via media, social channels and word-of-mouth. The central messages regarding home automation's ease-of-use, affordability and convenience factor were delivered in three ways: the creation of the Future Shop Smart Loft, a media event and panel discussion, and an evening influencer event.

1. The Smart Loft (April-May 2014) - With the goal of showcasing the convenience that a fully connected home can bring to Canadians, and to provide an opportunity for hands-on trials, Citizen and FS created the Future Shop Smart Home. A modern two-storey loft in downtown Toronto was transformed into the home of the future with the help of FS's ConnectPro installation service. Citizen and FS partnered with a number of FS's vendors to deck out the


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home with the cutting edge of available home automation technology. Items installed included a Weiser Kevo front door lock, NEST learning thermostat, Philips Hue lighting, Belkin light switches and baby monitor, Belkin and D-Link home surveillance (including the patio), D-Link high-powered router, D-Link wi-fi range extender, and a Chamberlain smartphone garage door opener. The loft was leveraged to showcase various positive points of home automation technology during a two-part event day that had media attending in the morning for a panel discussion with handpicked experts, and had influencers interacting with the technology and live-tweeting during a trendy influencer event in the evening.

2. Media Event & Panel Discussion (May 1, 2014 - Day) - On May 1, 2014, target tech, lifestyle, business, parenting, home and design media were invited to the Future Shop Smart Loft for an expert panel during the day. The panel included representatives from Future Shop's home automation division, vendors who had provided tech for the loft, an architect who had installed various home automation items into his flagship hotel and parenting expert, Dr. Karyn Gordon. Citizen and Future Shop crafted a press release and messaging for the panel addressing the misconceptions that had been found in the Future Shop Listens survey which had launched the campaign (perceived high cost, monthly fees, and difficulty of installation). Both materials cited the new Future Shop Smart Loft as an example of successful home automation and quoted the home's owners as home automation converts and advocates. Topics discussed during the panel included home design, implications of the technology for family life, how home automation could help keep families safe, on-the-go connectivity, ease-of-installation, predictions about the category, and trends facing the Internet of Things (the interconnection of uniquely identifiable embedded computing devices within the existing Internet infrastructure).

3. Influencer Event & Party (May 1, 2014 - Evening) - Following the media event, panel discussion and tours of the home, the space was changed over to make way for the second phase of the event. That evening, Citizen and FS held an exclusive party in the space, creating a trendy atmosphere complete with a DJ, catering and bar service. Subtle placards were placed next to each home automation device, explaining their functionality, and vendor reps were again on-hand to demo the items. ConnectPro reps were also available to speak to the ease-of-installation of the items. The hashtag #FSsmarthome was leveraged to drive social buzz among the attending influencers, who covered areas including technology, society, home, lifestyle, fashion and events. Influencers were invited to tour the home over beverages and hors d'oeuvres, and Twitter-driven giveaways of smart home products were conducted throughout the night to boost hashtag use and product reviews. IMPLEMENTATION AND CHALLENGES In order to maximize the $48,300 budget and ensure a strong return on investment, Citizen and FS partnered with a number of home automation vendors to secure donated items for installation in the Smart Loft. ConnectPro installation services were also donated by FS to minimize installation costs. Also, instead of staffing the events with promo teams or ambassadors, vendors were given the opportunity to attend both events and demo their own products. This allowed the vendors to speak about the products that they knew best and build relationships with key media contacts along with FS. Filling the Smart Loft with top-of-the-line home automation tech raised another challenge that Citizen and FS had to negotiate: that of competing vendors in the same space. While many of the vendors were the only manufacturer of a type of technology, there were a few instances of directly competing products in the loft. To manage this, competing vendors were given distinct spaces to own (e.g. one home surveillance vendor had cameras in the living room while the other vendor had cameras on the patio). Some vendors were also given a chance to speak during the panel, depending on how much product they had donated to the event. This not only provided the opportunity for vendors to set themselves apart from the crowd, but also maximized product donations.

The next challenge Citizen and FS faced was the limited consumer understanding of the home automation technology prior to the activation. Citizen was tasked with explaining it as simply as possible, while also making it sound exciting and tech-forward. To navigate this, Citizen avoided technical language and specifications, instead focusing on the beneficial features of each device and how they related to Future Shop's target customer groups and their everyday lives.


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The final challenge that Citizen and Future Shop faced was breaking the out of tech-focused publications to bring home automation technology into the mainstream. To do this, Citizen not only targeted tech-focused publications but also reached out to design, parenting, event, fashion and lifestyle media. To tantalize these groups to attend and cover the event, Citizen used messaging that tied specific benefits of the technology to their interests and busy lives. Media relations was also leveraged as a driving force of awareness among key audiences.. Varying groups of influencers were invited to the events using the main convenience features of the products to ensure the highest level of market coverage and awareness of the event among key audiences. MEASUREMENT/EVALUATION This program successfully positioned Future Shop as a future-forward thought leader in the tech space and the go-to retailer for home automation products. Coverage of the event was overwhelmingly positive and permeated a range of publications. The event also provided positive coverage for each of the participating vendors, strengthening Future Shop's ties with them. Media coverage proved to raise awareness of the home automation category, and to drive sales of the items at FS. Three product lines featured in the Smart Home received increased month-over-month sales at Future Shop

after the event, when compared to the month before: o NEST products (58 per cent increase) o Belkin WeMo products (61 per cent increase) o Weiser Kevo front door lock (72 per cent increase)

Traffic to the Home Automation portion of Future Shop's website increased by 141 per cent year-over-year following the Smart Home activation.

Sales of Home Automation devices at Future Shop increased 130 per cent year-over-year after the activation. The Future Shop Smart Loft generated 8,614,158 total impressions.

o Traditional media accounted for 6,904,840 impressions (MRRP), exceeding the goal by 25 per cent. o Social media accounted for 1,709,318 impressions (Sysomos), exceeding the goal by 71 per cent. o 84 users posted on social media with #FSsmarthome, exceeding the goal of 50 users.

The campaign's media coverage received a MRRP quality score of 88.46 per cent, far exceeding the goal of 75 per cent quality.

The activation day saw 17 media attend the panel and preview, exceeding the target of 15 media. 78 influencers attended the evening cocktail event, exceeding the target of 50 influencers.

OVATION Awards: Hyundai Hockey Helpers - Year Three

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ENTRY SUMMARY In 2012, Citizen Relations launched Hyundai Hockey Helpers (HHH), Hyundai Auto Canada Corporation's first-ever corporate social responsibility program, which helps under-resourced youth play hockey by providing grants for equipment and league fees through charitable partner, KidSport. In 2013, Citizen drove media interest by shifting from “what is HHH” to “why it's important.” In 2014, the program focused on the local impact of the program. Program 'spokes-family', Montreal Canadien P.K. Subban and his father shared the financial struggles hockey challenged them with, while top-fundraising Hyundai dealerships were highlighted for giving back to under resourced youth in their community.

BUSINESS NEED/OPPORTUNITY In 2012, Hyundai Auto Canada Corp. (HACC) identified the lack of a corporate social responsibility program as a commercial disadvantage in terms of image and reputation, when compared to its socially responsible competitors. It turned to its AOR, Citizen Relations, to create and launch its first-ever CSR program. To break HACC into the CSR sphere and position the company as a corporate leader in Canada, Citizen conducted a study with Havas Media to find that 85 per cent of HACC’s customers expect companies to become actively involved in solving social issues. Other targeted research showed that sports participation is most prevalent among children from high-income households, 68 per cent, and lowest among children from lower-income households at 44 per cent (Statistics Canada), with three in four children from lower-income families not participate in organized sport because of financial barriers (Canadian Council on Social Development). To build on HACC’s desire to reach Canadian families and build on its long-standing sponsorship of Hockey Night in Canada, Citizen developed and launched HHH in 2012 using public relations as the program's main management function and driving factor. After two successful years of the program, the business need shifted. Following a survey of HACC's dealership network across the country, it found that more than 35 per cent of dealers wanted more media relations support for coverage in their immediate areas. More troublingly, a staggering 55 per cent of dealerships did not readily see the benefit of the program in their markets, even though 4600 under-resourced Canadian youth across the country had already been provided with grants by the program. Dealerships also flagged that they found it a challenge to promote the campaign and advertise the success of the program locally. With this greater need to engage HACC's widely dispersed network of dealerships across the country and communicate the program's impact and importance, Citizen evolved the program to focus on grassroots campaign elements that would increase meaningful interactions with regional communities, highlight the localized impact of the program, position Hyundai dealers as heroes within the communities that they operate and drive Canadian youth in need of financial assistance to apply for program grants to ensure even more youth were helped in coming years. Citizen was faced with the challenge of working with HACC’s widely dispersed national network of dealers to increase awareness of HHH among consumers, and tell the story of the program's local impact leading up to and throughout October, which was dubbed Hyundai Hockey Helpers Month for the third year in a row. This also coincided with the start of the NHL season.

Organization name: Hyundai Auto Canada Corporation Entrant’s name: Amanda Shuchat Division/Category: 1: Communication Management/11: Social Responsibility Including Economic,

Societal and Environmental Development Entry Title: Hyundai Hockey Helpers - Year Three: Grassroots Impact Time Period of Project: June-November 2014


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After 1879 grants were distributed in 2012 and 2721 grants were distributed in 2013, Citizen also faced the challenge of keeping the momentum going to encourage Canadian families to apply for the program. While HACC supplied the funds for the first 1,000 grants, it required Citizen to drive Canadians to donate the much-needed funds to HHH, which would guarantee the longevity of the program and maximize the number of children receiving grants. Finally, as part of HHH, HACC provided Citizen with the goal of strengthening positive customer and potential customer awareness of the company as a corporate citizen. STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS HHH was created to connect on a positive level with existing Hyundai owners, car-buyers that lived in the same community as a Hyundai dealership, price-sensitive and quality-sensitive prospective car buyers. The program was also developed to build on HACC’s existing sponsorship of Hockey Night in Canada and its core demographic – families. This audience was further split into two segments: lower-income families that required financial assistance to allow their children to engage in organized hockey, and also largely fell into the price-sensitive-car-buyer category, as well as higher-income families who were committed to Canadian participation in hockey and were willing to donate funds to help under-resourced children get in the game. Hyundai was also moving more into more premium car categories in 2014 with the launch of its all-new Genesis and Equus sedans making the latter group even more important to connect with on a positive and meaningful level. To reach all audiences, Citizen targeted both national tier-A media and regional media from areas with Hyundai dealerships. Media relations efforts were focused on the auto, hockey and lifestyle sectors with different messages, background information and spokespeople for each. This ensured that multiple target audiences were reached with different but complementary messages, which always tied back to the impact that dealerships were having in their communities via the program. To further extend the reach of the program to families who would benefit from the grants, Citizen planned to reach them where they worked and played; namely, by contacting junior hockey leagues, community centres and public programs across Canada directly. GOALS/OBJECTIVES Based on HACC's desire to position itself as an upstanding corporate citizen in the Canadian market, to engage Hyundai's networks of dealerships across the country, and communicate how successful the program had already been, Citizen’s goal for year three had four parts: a) Communicate the barriers that some families face when considering enrolling their children in organized sports b) Position HHH as a solution to these barriers c) Showcase the impact that dealerships and the program had already had in communities across Canada d) Drive applications for program grants among under-resourced youth and families These goals were measured primarily with MRRP reach numbers and quality score, which took into account each story's tone, as well as the criteria of HACC brand mention, photo/image inclusion and spokesperson quote. Citizen also tracked the number of quality media stories which highlighted the impact that hero dealerships (dealers who had made significant efforts to fundraise in the first two years) had in their local neighbourhoods. Objectives: 1. Increase the number of under-resourced Canadian kids under the age of 18 who were helped by the

program in 2014 by more than 10 per cent year-over-year (2,721 children were helped in 2013, meaning that at least 3,000 would need to be helped in 2014);

2. Build on the awareness HHH garnered in the first two years (2012-2013) by securing at least 57 million unique, quality media impressions for year three between July and December 2013 (measured by Media Relations Rating Points), while maintaining a cost-per-contact lower than the industry standard of $0.01 (according to MRRP) and a quality score of at least 80 per cent, using the criteria: tone, brand mention, photo/image inclusion and spokesperson quote;


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3. Drive positive sentiment regarding HACC within communities where Hyundai dealers operate by securing at least 53 unique grassroots stories in regional markets;

a. Ensure at least 75 per cent of the 49 dealership hero markets (dealers who made significant efforts to fundraise in the first two years) are highlighted in media coverage.

SOLUTION OVERVIEW In order to position HACC as a leading corporate citizen, re-introduce HHH in its third year and communicate the positive impact the program has already had across Canada, Citizen expanded the narrative for the program. The year-three messaging built on the previous year's Telling the Why storyline by showing the real impact of the program's grants on communities across Canada. This central message was delivered with targeted key messages in five different ways: the year three re-launch media tour, an event in Montreal, an Audio News Release, outreach to community and youth hockey organizations, and regional media relations targeted at the 49 previously identified hero markets.

1. Media Tour (July 29, 2014) - To ensure optimal visibility of the year-three program, Citizen leveraged the program's initial spokesperson, NHL star and Montreal Canadien defenseman P.K. Subban, as well as his father, Karl, a dedicated hockey parent and educator. Citizen conducted a half-day English media tour to capture targeted tier-A, English-language coverage in lifestyle, business, auto and hockey media to reach Canadians with a love for hockey, whether playing it or encouraging others to play. Growing up, the Subbans had struggled with the challenge of raising three hockey stars and the large financial burden the game created for the family. By sharing their story, P.K. and his father, who was also a high school principal, were able to show the importance of organized sports in youth development, as well as share their tips for hockey families facing similar burdens. These tips included HHH as a means by which families could lessen the financial strain that organized hockey can have on a household's finances. The key messages delivered during the tour were threefold: letting Canadian families who need financial help to play hockey know that there was help available from HHH; letting hockey supporters with higher household incomes know there was a way they could help kids get in the game and raising awareness of the positive work Hyundai dealers were doing for their communities via the program. With these messages, Hyundai was positioned as both an upstanding corporate citizen and a member of the Canadian communities that it serves.

2. Montreal Event (July 31, 2014) - This event brought Montreal Canadien, P.K. Subban, and his father together with Montreal families who received grants through the program in 2013. The event took place at a local Hyundai dealership to tie messaging back to the program, and offered participants the chance to engage in a friendly hockey game with the Subban family. This provided strong program-focused content for tier-A French media and brought the HHH message to Quebecois hockey families, an important demographic for HACC. The key messages were essentially the same as those from the English media tour, but were delivered with a greater focus on the local Quebec children who had already been helped by the program, and P.K.'s status as a star Canadien team member. This provided decidedly Quebecois news hooks for the story and built HACC's profile in one of its most important markets.

3. Audio News Release (October 2014) - To maintain momentum of the program throughout Hyundai Hockey Helpers Month (October 2014), and to reach regional markets across Canada effectively, Citizen developed a scripted Audio News Release for P.K. Subban to record during his media day. Citizen partnered with Fifth Story to record, distribute and track the release's media pickup throughout the month. The release was recorded as a canned interview with P.K. and provided background on the program, its results so far and a drive to the website (hyundaihockey.ca) to apply for a grant. P.K.'s celebrity status captured the attention of hockey fans across the country, leading to wide-spread pickup of the story.

4. Grassroots Hero Market Outreach (August-November 2014) - This component of the campaign showcased the efforts of Hyundai dealers which had made significant efforts to fundraise for the program in the first two years (Hero Markets). Regional media were individually targeted with the number of youth in their area who had been helped by the program, as well as the amount of funds that their nearest Hyundai dealership had raised in the first two years of the program. Local dealers were offered for interview to highlight their fundraising initiatives in their communities and to encourage local Canadians to come into the dealership. Dealers were also asked to provide photographs of themselves and the cheques they had presented to their local KidSport chapters in the first two years of the program. This visual element provided an additional draw for media to cover the story.


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5. Community Organization Outreach (August & October 2014) - Citizen understood the importance of reaching grant recipient families where they worked and played; namely, at community centres, hockey rinks and public aid centres. Citizen worked with HACC to two phases of outreach and a letter from the President and CEO of HACC detailing the program. Both phases included information on the program, sample social media posts, and branded pictures that the associations were invited to post to their message boards and social media sites. The first round introduced the program and provided a background, and the second focused on Hyundai Hockey Helpers Month. This direct outreach positioned HACC as a Canadian brand that is part of the community and cares about fellow community members on an individual basis. Responses to the letters were overwhelmingly positive and welcomed further information about the program that the organizations could pass on to families which required support. This outreach also served to boost the number of applications the program received and allowed even more under-resourced children gain access to grants for hockey league fees and equipment. IMPLEMENTATION AND CHALLENGES The first challenge that Citizen was faced with was developing a new angle for the third year of HHH, to maintain media interest in the program even without the draw of its program launch in year one or survey data on the program's importance from year two. Citizen built on the year-two message of Telling the Why to describe the grassroots impact that the program was having in communities. The next challenge was positioning dealerships as heroes in their areas. To tackle this, Citizen shifted focus away from program spokesperson P.K. Subban to draw more attention on the dealers. During the media tour, P.K. was coming up to a contract arbitration deadline, meaning that media were questioning him on that topic. TO navigate this challenge, he was media trained to bridge back to program messaging that was focused on the program and the dealers acting as local heroes by bringing funds to children in need. Securing dealership buy-in and input also proved to be tricky, as few dealers had media experience in the past and some were unwilling to take interviews. In these cases, Citizen provided journalists with information on their fundraising initiatives and successes, as well as branded photos. Citizen was also tasked with creating and implementing a successful year-three launch of HHH with a budget of $100,000 for agency fees and hard costs, including all planning, activations and reporting. To use the budget most effectively and create a genuine story, Citizen used a significant portion of the budget to engage in extended and heavily targeted regional media relations and youth/community organization outreach to bring awareness of the program to communities on the ground floor. Citizen continued to leverage HHH charitable partner, KidSport, and its existing network for selecting young recipients and distributing grants. This also lent additional credibility to the program that was still growing. Media relations were used as the main driving force of awareness among key audiences to make the biggest noise for the program given the budget constraints. Media were targeted with three different sides of the national HHH story – lifestyle, hockey and auto – to ensure the highest level of market coverage and awareness of the program among key audiences. MEASUREMENT/EVALUATION This program successfully brought HACC back into the Canadian corporate social responsibility arena with year three of HHH, and positioned the company as a leading corporate citizen and active member in its communities nationwide, particularly in areas surrounding Hyundai dealerships. In its third year, the program was able to supply 3,168 kids with grants to play hockey, surpassing the

objective of helping 3,000 kids while also achieving a 16 per cent increase over the number of grants disbursed in 2013 (2,721);

The year-three campaign garnered 67,845,075 media impressions (MRRP) via 227 stories in Canada, surpassing the target of 57 million impressions by more than 19 per cent.;

Based on the budget, Citizen maintained a MRRP cost-per-contact of $0.0014, only one tenth of the campaign target and industry standard of $0.01, showing strong return on investment;

Based on the MRRP criteria outlined, the campaign media achieved a quality score of 80.07 per cent, slightly surpassing the objective of at least 80 per cent, and surpassing the industry standard of 75 per cent quality.;

Citizen secured coverage in 75 per cent of the 49 Hyundai dealership hero markets, meeting the objective, which resulted in 92 unique grassroots stories, almost doubling the goal of 53 stories;

More than 260 youth organizations were contacted regarding Hyundai Hockey Helpers and its grant applications, which resulted in a range of positive qualitative feedback regarding the program.

IABC Ovation 2015 Division 1: Communication Management; Category 4A: Media Relations with Budget up to $50K Veritas Communications – Microsoft XP End of Support


April 8th 2014 marked the end of life for Microsoft’s Windows XP operating system (OS). What that meant for consumers and businesses still using the popular but outdated OS is that Microsoft would no longer provide updates and patches to protect their computers, leaving them vulnerable to malware and other viruses. End of Support (EOS) is part of the lifecycle of any operating system, but XP EOS was especially problematic for Microsoft because it was hugely popular among users. Further, Microsoft’s current OS, Windows 8, was perceived by some to be difficult to use. Many believed that, in the company’s rush to develop an OS that would work for mobile devices, Microsoft abandoned many of the features that made Windows familiar, intuitive and easy to use. As of December 2013, approximately 3.2 million PC users in Canada were still using XP and of those, 15-25 per cent “downgraded” to XP from a newer version of Windows.

When Windows XP was unveiled in 2001, “computers” meant desktops and laptops, and Microsoft owned an overwhelming majority of market share. That definition has grown to include phones, tablets and other wearable devices. In fact, in the latter half of 2013, tablets represented 47 per cent of the “PC” market. Apple’s iPad owned 27 per cent of the overall PC market, followed by Android tablets at 17 per cent. Windows (laptops, desktops, 2-in-1s and tablets) owned less than half the market with a 46 per cent share.

The growth of the tablet market was a concern for Microsoft because research showed that XP users – many of whom were boomers and not particularly tech-savvy – primarily used their computers to check email, read the news online and check social networks – all basic tasks that can be easily accomplished on a tablet. Further, as of H2 2013, Windows was the only major operating system that was losing share to its competitors.

With this knowledge in hand, the challenge for Microsoft was two-fold: create awareness of the EOS date for XP owners and convince those users, who were now in the market for new devices, that Windows 8 was the Windows they know and love, only better. It was the best operating system available on the market, and offered a full range of devices for every taste and budget.

This is where Veritas stepped in.

In collaboration with Microsoft, we developed a comprehensive campaign targeting current XP users – namely tech laggards and adults, aged 50+ - to amplify the news that XP EOS was approaching and it was time to upgrade to a modern operating system, while simultaneously demonstrating why Windows 8 is the best OS on the market for work, play and everything in between.


The identified audience for this campaign was two-pronged: our primary target was current XP users – typically adults aged 50+ and technology laggards. Through our research, we also discovered that small/medium business (SMBs) made up a significant portion of XP users – typically small independent businesses with no formal IT support or businesses that were reliant on outdated apps which are not supported by a newer OS as a major component of their operations.

To understand how to best reach our target audience, we undertook an audit of the media landscape, which uncovered four key insights:

1. Our audience was not living online – they still relied on traditional news sources such as television, radio and newspapers and even when they went online, their first destination was to the digital sites of traditional news organizations. Some had Facebook accounts; few were active on Twitter or other real-time social sharing sites;

2. Familiarity was important – when searching for answers, this target audience looks to brands and experts that they recognize and feel they can trust;

3. So too was ease of use – this audience was not concerned with being on the cutting edge of technology; if they stayed with Windows after retiring their XP computers, it was because they believed the OS was as easy-to-use as an iPad or MacBook;

4. The cost of change was also a concern – much of our target audience was made up of individuals in or reaching retirement or small business owners; price point was an important determining factor when making purchase decisions.

5. Our research also uncovered an unexpected secondary audience: the families of our primary targets. Our research revealed that a large proportion of XP users in our target demographic depended on their millennial children or grandchildren to provide tech support. XP EOS provided us with an opportunity to communicate with this group – which is far more connected and engaged than their parents – about Windows 8, and why it was the most advanced OS on the market.


Our goal for this campaign was clear; we needed to build a PR campaign that would:

Create awareness for the XP EOS date and the potential consequences of not upgrading to a modern OS (i.e. their computers – and their personal data – could be vulnerable to malware and viruses);

Establish Windows 8 as the best modern OS available, positioning it as easy-to-use and functional for work and play, with a wide variety of form factors for every taste and budget;

Create a groundswell of support for Windows 8 among current users.

The PR team had three primary objectives:

Grow awareness for the XP EOS date by generating 20+ earned media stories Position Windows as the leader in devices for home, work and play, achieving an overall positive MRP score Build organic support for the Windows OS generating 250,000+ earned social impressions

Solution Overview

Make no mistake: the XP EOS story was not sexy, but it was important. More than three million Canadians could be vulnerable to online hackers and phishing schemes if they did not update their operating systems on April 8th. In order to reach our target and achieve the established objectives, we knew that we needed:

A) A long-term, sustained approach - one pitch to media on April 8th would not suffice to amplify the message broadly across the country

B) To reach our target audience where they lived – that meant reaching XP users through traditional media while simultaneously reaching their technology influencers (i.e. their children and grandchildren) through new media.

We therefore built a month-long, three-pronged strategic approach that would allow us to deliver news to consumers across multiple platforms

Phase One: Setting the Stage

Create an ongoing storytelling narrative for tech and business media, providing them with the tips and tools they need to help readers migrate from Windows XP

Phase Two: E (End of Support)-Day

Leverage the April 8th milestone to share the XP EOS message and demonstrate why Windows 8 is the modern OS for everyone, using a national media tour with trusted tech expert Marc Saltzman as our stage

Phase Three: Creating Social Waves

Make Windows relevant by connecting to Microsoft products through influencers, culture and nostalgia with a heavy social media push, positioning Windows as sexy and aspirational

Key Messages

Primary Messaging

Windows XP was a great operating system in its time but 12 years later, times and technology have evolved, and Microsoft will officially be ending support for Windows XP on April 8, 2014.

Windows 8 provides you with a fast, safer, productive and personal experience that supports your work and personal life - from watching videos and music to connecting with your friends and families and getting things done.

Windows 8 is designed for you. The apps you use are big and beautiful and right at your fingertips. Customize your start screen with what matters most to you, while easily accessing the things you need like your photos, music, and documents, from wherever you are.

Supporting Messaging

After end of support on April 8, 2014, Microsoft will no longer provide security updates for Windows XP. Security updates are updates to the Windows XP operating system to patch vulnerabilities that may be exploited by malware and keep users and their data safer.

PCs running Windows XP after April 8 2014, should not be considered protected. It is important that consumers migrate to a current supported operating system such as Windows 8.1 so they can receive regular security updates to protect their computer from malicious attacks.


The PR budget assigned to this program was just $49,000. That budget included all agency fees for English Canada and Quebec, as well as hard costs including travel for a national media tour and spokesperson fees.

The plan was put into action in early March, one month prior to XP EOS.

Phase One: Setting the Stage

In the months leading up to XP EOS, Microsoft created several tools to help consumers migrate from Windows XP, including various aps that helped users identify their operating system, easily transfer files between old and new devices and even upgrade their current device to a more modern OS, if possible. They also created a series of matte stories, targeted to SMB audiences, which offered tips and tricks for migrating their business to a modern OS. We shared these tools, plus some suggested storylines, with IT trade, consumer tech and business media, inviting them to use the information in parts or in whole in anyway they saw fit. By doing so at a regular cadence, we reminded media of the scale of the challenge in Canada (3 million+ Canadians still on XP computers or almost 10 per cent of Canada’s population) and the possible consequences of not upgrading to a modern OS.

Phase 2: E-Day

The results from our media audit were clear: our primary target for this campaign received their news and information from traditional news sources. With this in mind, we knew we had to take a traditional approach. Two main tactics drove this phase:

In the final days leading up to the April 8th deadline, we undertook a national media tour with trusted tech expert, Marc Saltzman. As a vocal Windows supporter and a well-recognized tech expert – Marc is a regular contributor to the Toronto Star, MSN and Yahoo.ca among others, and is the face of “Gear Guide”, the 90-second tech segment that plays before every movie in Cineplex theatres across Canada – Marc was the perfect choice to talk to XP users about migrating to a more modern OS. We started the tour with an appearance on Canada AM, where Marc explained what XO EOS meant for users, how they can easily migrate to a new device and showed a wide-range of Windows 8 products and apps. We then took Marc to Winnipeg and Vancouver, where he made almost a dozen stops, including a stop at CBC Vancouver that was syndicated nationally.

Knowing that outlets with resident tech experts would not host Marc on air, we also provided information about XP EOS, coupled with a giveaway of a high-value Windows device to experts in local markets. This resulted in feature coverage prominent consumer programs, including BT Toronto and BT Calgary.

Phase Three: Creating Social Waves

While it was important to reach our primary target using a traditional approach, our research indicated that XP users looked to their family – namely their millennial children – as their principal technology influencers. This meant that the traditional approach we were taking with their parents wouldn’t work for them; we needed a secondary approach to reach this where they live: primarily online. We accomplished this in three ways:

We partnered with seven influential bloggers, representing multiple verticals, including tech, parenting, fashion and gaming, among others to tell the Windows 8 (#betterwithwindows8) story through blogs posts, Tweets and strategic giveaways

We created humorous native content, including infographics, videos, Facebook and Twitter posts playing off of the nostalgia of the old operating system and highlighting some of the great new features of Windows 8

On “E-Day”, we hosted a Twitter chat with Marc Saltzman, where we answered questions about migrating from XP and tips and tricks for using Windows 8.


A major challenge to be managed throughout the campaign was creating a message that informed our primary target without fear-mongering or seeming patronizing. Also, given Microsoft’s brand presence, it was important that our message was received as motivated by supporting our customers and not as an opportunity to generate additional profit. Finally, it was important that campaign messaging positioned Windows 8 as the best modern OS without criticizing our old operating systems.


We achieved and exceeded all pre-determined objectives for this campaign.

Objective: Grow awareness for the XP EOS date by generating 20+ earned media stories

Result: More than seven times this target was achieved. In total, 140+ pieces of coverage that landed our message – April 8th marks the end of support for Windows XP, making it a great time to upgrade to a modern OS like Windows 8. Consumers and businesses were armed with the information they needed to make the transition. The Marc Saltzman coverage alone accounted for 29 hits in broadcast outlets across Canada.

We also achieved an additional 117 hits as a results of our Phase 1 media pitching, including lengthy features in the Globe and Mail, National Post and on CBC. On the popular CBC Radio program Spark, the host said, “Microsoft has gone to heroic measures to prepare their customers for Windows XP End of Support.”

Objective: Position Windows as the leader in devices for home, work and play, achieving a positive MRP score.

Result: Using MRP, we measured a sampling of PRIME coverage to determine tone and found that 60 per cent of our coverage was positive and 30 per cent was neutral. The Microsoft messaging was carried out through the vast majority of coverage, and was conveyed almost word for word in the 29 broadcast clips featuring Marc Saltzman.

Objective: Build organic support for the Windows OS generating 250,000+ earned social impressions

Result: Through our month-long social campaign we achieved 1,453,754 impressions on Twitter, generated from 290 Tweets. #betterwithwindows8 was trending in Canada during Marc’s hour-long Twitter chat.

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IABC Ovation 2015 Division 1: Communication Management; Category 6C: Marketing Communication Over $100K Veritas Communications – Microsoft-‐ Surface Café


In May, 2014, Microsoft announced the launch of the Surface Pro 3, a game changer in the crowded tablet category. The Surface Pro 3 packs the power and performance users expect from a laptop in the lightweight body of a tablet. Like the Surface 2 and Pro 2 before it, the Pro 3 is great for checking email and social apps, reading, watching movies, gaming and a multitude of other tasks that we now prefer to do on tablets. But add the detachable keyboard and Surface Pen and the device, which is powered by an i5 processors, is transformed into a fully functional PC. It is truly the most productive device on the planet.

The 2013 #surfacehaslanded campaign that introduced the Surface 2 and Pro 2 to Canadians with a surprise concert from deadmau5, did an excellent job of generating awareness for the Surface – a device that originally launched with a whimper in 2012. The launch of the Pro 3 needed to do more: with a $1,000+ price tag, it was not enough to tell consumers about the Surface Pro 3; we had to show them why it was the device that would let them retire every other tool in their productivity arsenal – including their pens and notebooks.

With this in mind, it was clear that we needed a campaign that showed consumers that the Surface Pro 3 was not just a tablet, it was the device that would help them shape their own story. To really resonate with consumers, influencers and media alike, we would need a campaign that transcended PR. We developed a campaign that combined PR with experiential, digital, social and retail, offering consumers multiple touchpoints to demonstrate relevance of the Surface Pro 3.


The identified audience for this campaign was:

• Young (millennial-‐aged) mobile professionals • Creatives (e.g. artists; illustrators; designers; photographers) • Post-‐secondary students

An in-‐depth audit of our target audience revealed three key insights:

• This group does not blindly accept brand messages – they came of age on the social web and can easily tune out brand noise. Instead, they are looking for authentic connections with brands in the places where they live, work and play.

• Similarly, they live in a world of constantly updating feeds and are themselves looking for a way to stand out. They are not looking for what’s cool, they’re looking for what’s next.

• With little job security and few “traditional” employment opportunities, this generation is one of the most entrepreneurial in a century. They are constantly connected and they are finding ways to turn their passions into career opportunities; they are able to do that because technology – phones; tablets; apps – has leveled the playing field. The line between work and play has never been blurrier than it is for this generation.


Our goal for this campaign was clear; we needed to build a PR campaign that would:

• Drive awareness about Surface as the most productive device on the planet • Position the Surface Pro 3 as the must-‐have device for young and mobile-‐professionals • Position the Surface Pro 3 as the pen and paper replacement; the device with the “human touch”

The PR team had three primary objectives:

• Grow awareness for the Surface Pro 3 generating 120+ earned media stories • Demonstrate relevance among target audience by achieving 56 campaign-‐specific stories (doubling coverage vs.

#surfacehaslanded) and 10 Tier 1 product reviews • Build an organic connection to the brand generating 10.5 million earned social impressions

Solution Overview

We knew from our research that we needed a campaign that touched our target audience multiple times to break through the noise of their fully-‐connected lives. That brought us to the Surface Café, a next-‐generation idea that combined PR, experiential, digital, social and retail to truly demonstrate the power of the Pro 3.

The Surface Café was a community-‐based gathering spot – combining coffeehouse culture with 21st century digital culture. The Café, executed over three days in downtown Toronto, and a one-‐day Café takeover in Montreal, brought together the brightest minds in art, culture and business to create, inspire, collaborate and get productive with the Surface Pro 3. We offered consumers space to work, play and connect over a complimentary cup of coffee. We also showed them how the Surface Pro 3 can power their passions at a series of workstations, highlighting some of the devices creative, productive and entertaining applications

We coupled the Café concept with a series of intimate workshops with some of the brightest minds in fashion, photography, illustration, music and business. The workshops – which were free to attend and open to consumers – gave fans an opportunity to speak with our influential experts about their inspiration, work process and how they integrate technology into their lives. They also got the chance to bring their own creations to life on the Surface Pro 3.

Strategy:

To drive excitement for the Surface Café, we developed a three-‐pronged strategy designed to generate a continuous drumbeat of owned and earned content pre, during and post activation through multiple channels.

Phase One: Pre-‐Event

Leverage the corporate announcement of the Surface Pro 3 to launch the Surface Café, leveraging media, influencers and our talented group of experts to build excitement; drive pre-‐registration of Café workshops.

Phase Two: National Media Activation

Couple Tier 1 media reviews with highly curated Café workshop experiences in Toronto and Montreal to drive coverage across multiple verticals, including tech, business, gaming, fashion, photography, music and pop-‐culture.

Phase Three: Post-‐Event

Leverage Café content to drive momentum beyond launch day

Key Messages

• From June 20th to 22nd, Microsoft Canada is opening the Surface Café in downtown Toronto. This next-‐generation coffee shop will showcase the Surface Pro 3, the new lightweight tablet from Microsoft that packs the power and performance you expect from a laptop.

• The Surface Café is an innovative café experience that brings together traditional coffeehouse culture with 21st century digital culture. It is the physical manifestation of next-‐generation productivity, where creative minds can gather to connect, inspire, innovate and collaborate.

• The brightest minds in fashion, music, photography, illustration and business will come to the Surface Café to host a series of hands-‐on workshops – powered by the Microsoft Surface family of devices – that redefine what it means to be productive, collaborative and creative.


The PR budget assigned to this program was just over $400,000. That budget included all agency fees for English Canada and Quebec, as well as hard costs to design and execute the Café, plus talent costs, influencers’ honoraria and prize money related to the “entrepreneurship” workshop.

The plan was put into action on May 20th, immediately following the Microsoft Corporate announcement of the Surface Pro 3. The following tactics were executed to support each phase of the campaign.

Phase One: Pre-‐Event

• Global Announcement: In order to maximize excitement coming out of the Corporate launch of Surface Pro 3, we sent two prominent Canadian journalists to cover the announcement in New York – Sun Media’s Steve Tilley from English Canada and prominent freelance technology journalist Maxime Johnson from Quebec. Steve and Maxime were selected for their reach in their respective markets. The story appeared in print and online nationally in English Canada. In Quebec, the story landed in print in Metro, the prominent commuter paper, and on broadcast on Radio-‐Canada. The Radio-‐Canada segment also appeared online.

• Surface Café microsite: We developed a comprehensive Surface Café microsite in French and English, where consumers could register for our workshops and where we posted updates about the programming. The microsite also included a social media widget, which pulled in content in real time from our partners and influencers, allowing us to constantly refresh content and giving followers reason to return multiple times

• Talent: To truly embody the spirit of the 1960s coffee house as a place where people come together to create and inspire, we partnered with five influential experts in the areas of business, fashion and art. Starting on May 20th, our experts started sharing the news with their communities that they would be hosting workshops at the Surface Café, with information on where to register. See below for the complete roster of talent, plus the schedule of events.

• Hosts/Influencers: For each of the five workshops, we partnered with a prominent local influencer to further drive interest and registration. Additionally, each session was hosted by a prominent media personality in that vertical (e.g. Surface Harmony with the Darcys was hosted by 102.1 The Edge personality Josie Dye; Arts in the Digital Age with DC Comics Illustrator Francis Manapul was hosted by InnerSpace personality AJ Frye). Both the hosts and the influencers shared news of the Café on their social channels in the weeks leading up to the event.

Phase Two: National Media Activation:

• Tier 1 Media Reviews. One week prior to the launch of the Surface Café, we seeded 15 devices with prominent tech and business media across the country. Taking a key learning from our Xbox launch, we asked media to come in for a guided “tour” with our Surface Pro 3 product expert, who talked to them about the devices key features. Our product expert was available after the tour to troubleshoot if our media had any issues during their test period.

• Media Launch: On June 20th, DC Comic illustrator Francis Manapul and our Canadian spokesperson kicked off the Surface Café with a live-‐demo on Global Morning. Francis live-‐illustrated a comic panel featuring Batman and Superman while our spokesperson discussed the Surface Pro 3 generally and our Toronto activation specifically. We also hosted a Café preview for tech-‐trade media, giving them a chance to get hands-‐on time with device.

• Workshops. For each of our five workshops, media from the fashion, music, art and business communities were invited to sit in on the workshop and were then given exclusive access to our experts following the event. Further, each workshop included an interactive portion where media and consumers had the chance to make their own creation on the Surface Pro 3. For example, during the Uri Minkoff workshop, attendees designed their own reusable canvas bag, which was then printed off and given to them onsite; during the Caitlin Cronenberg workshop, attendees took photos using the Surface Pro 3 and edited the photos in Adobe Suites. The photos were then printed and framed for consumer; during the Francis Manapul workshop, Francis live-‐drew a scene from his popular Batman comic and invited consumers to draw the next page in the story. All attendees went home with a custom designed tee that Francis created specifically for the event. These additional touches gave both lifestyle media – with whom Microsoft doesn’t typically get an audience – and consumers the

opportunity to experience the power of the Surface Pro 3 first-‐hand and gave them a takeaway of real value as an additional connection to the brand.

• Bloggers-‐in-‐residence: We partnered with popular lifestyle blog Sidewalk Hustle and Elliot Chun of the Future Shop blog to work from the Café for the duration of the event. Both bloggers worked closely with our internal social team to curate content throughout the weekend. Sidewalk Hustle also hosted our design workshop with Uri Minkoff.

A one-‐day Surface Café was replicated in Quebec the following week. The event in Quebec focused on gaming and music, which were selected because of their relevance in the local market.

Phase Three: Post-‐Event

Each of the workshops was filmed, providing content to share on Microsoft social channels in the weeks following the event. Further, our expert influencers shared not only the videos, but some of their creations from the workshops for several months following the event. For instance, Francis Manapul, writer and illustrator for DC Comics, continues to share custom art work he created on the Surface Pro 3 with his sizable fan base. While Francis was compensated for his time at the Surface Cafe, he is not currently a paid spokesperson for Microsoft. Francis continues to share his work because he truly loves the device.


Due to confidentiality, Microsoft could not provide a full product brief before May 20th. The PR brief that we received in early April said only that they were adding a new member to the Surface family that would include a stylus pen. They did not disclose the key differentiator of the device – the powerful processor that made it a laptop replacement. This meant we had to secure media to cover the news in New York without fully understanding the news – not an easy task with busy tech media are only interested in travel for “Apple-‐sized” announcements. It also meant we had to secure talent and influencers without being able to fully outline the scope of the ask.


We achieved and exceeded all pre-‐determined objectives for this campaign.

Objective: Grow awareness for the Surface Pro 3 generating 120+ earned media stories

Result: Almost double this target was achieved. In total, this campaign delivered more than 225 media stories. Further, Microsoft’s own research revealed that awareness of the Surface Pro 3 has more than doubled in Canada, compared to its predecessor.

Objective: Demonstrate relevance among target audience by achieving 56 campaign-‐specific stories (doubling coverage vs. #surfacehaslanded) and 10 Tier 1 product reviews

Result: We tripled this target, achieving 97 stories about the Cafe and workshops specifically. Coverage appeared in a wide range of lifestyle publications and blogs, providing visibility for Microsoft in space where they are not typically covered. We also achieved 15 tier 1 media reviews vs. a single tier 1 review for the Surface 2/Pro 2. Microsoft’s research revealed a seven per cent increase in purchase consideration and a 25 per cent increase in intent to purchase – a huge win given the price point of the device.

Objective: Build an organic connection to the brand generating 10.5 million earned social impressions

Result: We achieved 18.7 million Twitter impressions over the course of the campaign. Further, while it we did not set trial goals, we facilitated more than 2,000 consumer trials in Toronto and Montreal and sold four devices onsite through a partnership with Staples – an incredible feat when the price point of the device ($1,000+) is taken into account.

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IABC Toronto - Ovation Awards 2015 Name: Jeff Rohrer, Director of Communications Organization Name: TVO Division: 1. Communication Management Category: 4. a) Media Relations with budget up to $50K Title of Entry: Hi Opie!: Positioning TVO for Back-to-School Success Time Period of Project: April - September 2014 Entry Summary (100 words): TVO, Ontario’s public educational media organization, launched a highly successful back-to-school publicity campaign by focusing on the new preschool program, Hi Opie! (produced by marblemedia in association with TVO) that features a loveable puppet named Opie (created by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop) and his kid classmates as they experience the successes and challenges of starting Kindergarten. Timed to complement Ontario’s roll-out of Full-Day Kindergarten across the province, TVO’s campaign garnered more than 10M impressions and generated a rare in-classroom photo and government relations opportunity when Ontario’s Minister of Education invited Opie to join her on the first day of school. Work Plan 1. Business Need/Opportunity Since the fall season is so strongly connected with school and learning, parents are naturally attuned to the educational experiences of their children. And in the fall of 2014, the Government of Ontario was focused on promoting the implementation of the Ministry of Education’s Full Day Kindergarten (FDK) across the province. TVO saw this as a unique opportunity to position the organization in the educational landscape when public consciousness was unusually heightened. In the past, TVO’s publicity team tried to generate media coverage every fall by using many different strategies including promoting an array of high-quality TVOKids back-to-school programming, but unfortunately the message got lost amongst the competition and the media did not cover any property or story. This year, the team tried a new, less-is-more strategy by focusing only on one property—Hi Opie! Hi Opie!, a live-action TV and online series produced by marblemedia in association with TVO, features a loveable Jim Henson Creature Shop puppet named Opie who teaches preschoolers Kindergarten readiness skills, and helps to ease their transition from home to school. As Opie explores and reaches new goals, he helps to role-model the ways in which children can excel in Kindergarten and throughout school. Based on communications analysis, TVO selected Hi Opie! from dozens of other TVOKids children’s properties since the program was a perfect communications tool: it offered a high-profile, telegenic Jim Henson creature that could help attract attention and deliver key messages during a time when the media was poised to cover the roll-out of FDK across Ontario. With a puppet as a spokesperson, and a well-timed angle, TVO’s publicity team leveraged a new program for preschoolers and secured media coverage never before seen by the organization. TVO targeted two key audiences: its primary funder, the Government of Ontario who was keenly attuned to the FDK roll-out; and its primary consumer, parents of school-aged children and preschoolers. The publicity plan targeted the audiences by focusing on high-visibility media outlets, namely, morning television talk shows. TVO’s team worked with marblemedia to strategize a publicity campaign that leveraged the FDK angle—using the telegenic puppet Opie as a spokesperson to tell the Kindergarten story and showcase how TVO’s content links to the Ontario curriculum. The campaign also offered an important stakeholder opportunity – to position TVO as a “must-have” learning resource that supports Ontario’s learners, ultimately fortifying the organization’s long-term sustainability.

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TVO’s research of competing children’s content producers and broadcasters showed that few proactively publicized back-to-school campaigns. (In 2013, research showed that none of the competing broadcasters—Corus, KidsCBC, Disney Channel, PBS Kids—issued a back-to-school style programming media releases.) TVO’s publicity team analyzed previous TVOKids back-to-school campaigns to better understand the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of previous campaigns. The team also initiated discussions with the Ministry of Education to research suitable publicity opportunities for both parties. The fall timing of the back-to-school theme is very popular for many organizations in the broader education sector with a lot of competition in the marketplace. There is limited interest in children’s television programming, and few television critics at major outlets review kids’ TV. Typically, other broadcasters do not cover TVO, and very few media outlets have shown an interest in traditional (human) TVO corporate spokespeople.

Using only earned media and a very limited budget, the team set-out to make an impact in the back-to-school space.

2. Stakeholder Analysis Hi Opie!’s primary audience was two-fold: parents of preschool children who would influence their children’s viewing; and TVO’s key stakeholder and funder, the Ministry of Education.

Unlike other children’s media providers, each piece of TVOKids content starts with a learning objective from the Ontario school curriculum. This is a key driver for parents who want their children to engage in learning as they view and consume content.

Ipsos Reid market research shows that the majority of Ontarians choose TVO as the “most educational” brand for delivering content to children, and that nine in 10 Ontarians choose TVOKids as the most trusted media brand for kids. This statistic is TVO’s competitive advantage and the number one reason that the Government of Ontario continues to fund the organization. The publicity campaign capitalized on this positive brand association to make an even greater impact with a new fun educational program for young learners.

3. Goals/Objectives The publicity campaign set out to deliver on objectives that would enhance the organization’s overall business goals and reinforce its role as the digital education partner for the Government of Ontario. The goals of the campaign were to: - Position Hi Opie! as a must-watch series for pre-schoolers entering Full-Day Kindergarten in fall 2014; - Drive kids and parents to Hi Opie! on-air and online during TVO’s Sneak Peek broadcast week (late August 2014) and throughout

the fall season; - Position TVOKids as the go-to resource for children’s educational needs; and to - Provide a government relations opportunity.

The campaign’s measurable objectives were to: 1. Secure 3-5 media features on Hi Opie! by the end of September 2014; 2. Achieve a score of 75% on MRP for the overall campaign by end of September 2014; and to 3. Achieve 1,000,000 media impressions for the overall campaign by end of September 2014. 4. Solution Overview The publicity strategy of focusing on one property to promote the back-to-school programming season paid off. By offering interviews with a Jim Henson Creature Shop puppet and capitalizing on the roll-out of FDK, TVO’s publicity team found its hook. The team capitalized on the novelty and visual impact of a fuzzy, friendly and quirky kid puppet and were able to secure significant earned media. The Public Relations Specialist offered producers of morning shows ideas on how to interview a puppet – and wove in key messages while creating fun viewing experiences. The publicity team brainstormed ideas on how Opie could guide the interviews by bringing

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along his backpack full of Kindergartener essentials: a lunch bag, favourite toy dinosaur, extra pair of pants, and TVOKids-branded water bottle. Opie also demonstrated some of the social skills that are learned in Kindergarten, by practicing how to introduce himself and make new friends. This gave the on-air hosts of the morning shows a fun entry point into a conversation with a puppet. This high-profile media coverage led to an important and rare opportunity—the Hon. Liz Sandals, Ontario’s Minister of Education invited Opie to join her in a Toronto Kindergarten classroom for the first day of school resulting in incredible back-to-school-themed coverage with TVO’s key stakeholder. The campaign reinforced the educational link to TVOKids content which is key to the brand and a motivator for both parents and the Government as to why they choose TVO over other brands. Key messages:

Hi Opie! is a new series that teaches pre-schoolers how to navigate their way through Full-Day Kindergarten, seen through the eyes of Opie, a new puppet created by the Jim Henson Creature Shop.

Families can tune in together and learn from Opie as he faces new challenges and meets new friends as he ventures into Kindergarten. The series launches on TVO on September 1, 2014 and airs daily Monday – Friday at 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Hi Opie! was developed in partnership with TVO and produced by marblemedia and the Jim Henson Creature Shop. TVOKids content is based on the Ontario School curriculum and helps kids to succeed in school and in life.

To meet the communications objectives, the publicity team executed the following tactics:

Pre-production Media Release (March 2014) – Issued jointly with marblemedia and The Jim Henson Creature Shop to announce the start of production of the program in Toronto, this release helped to build anticipation of the series.

Hi Opie! Set Visits (April 2014) – Invited key and long-lead media to meet Opie on set: mommy bloggers who are parents to pre-schoolers; parenting columnists for daily newspapers; and Canadian parenting magazines. Again – a tactic to build anticipation and excitement with a VIP opportunity to meet Opie.

Screener DVDs (July 2014) – Sent to media with a sampling of three episodes of the program. Photographs (July 2014) – Photo of Opie were distributed to key media as part of the media pitches to help

producers/journalists see the visual appeal. Media Pitches (July 2014) – Targeted to ethnic, parenting, education, mommy bloggers, and morning TV, the angle was to

interview Opie the puppet. Social Media (August 2014) – Created a Facebook photo gallery featuring in-studio and production photos on TVO

Corporate Facebook account; created Twitter content with photos during TVO’s Sneak Peek week leading up to broadcast premiere. During media interviews, morning show hosts were encouraged to promote Hi Opie! on their social media networks and mention @tvo accounts.

Launch Media Release (August 2014) – Officially announcing TVOKids back-to-school programming featuring Hi Opie!, the release was distributed province-wide via Canada News Wire. The release was issued early (August 6, 2014) to address the publicity team’s SWOT analysis of previous campaigns and to generate more lead time and in turn more media interest in interviews.

Media Tour (August 2014) – Opie and his puppeteer were featured on three morning network television programs during TVOKids Sneak Peek week.

Backback Props (August 2014) – Opie was provided with a backpack and a TVOKids-branded water bottle to take along on his morning show interviews.

Internal Communications (August 2014) – TVO staff were encouraged to act as brand ambassadors and share the excitement of Hi Opie! with social media memes and help reach campaign goals; TVO staff were also invited to an office viewing party to watch the morning shows; Opie’s media interview clips were played at an All-TVO staff meeting; and a hallway poster was displayed.

Stakeholder Communications (August 2014) – TVO’s CEO issued an e-newsletter to key stakeholders and government influencers sharing media coverage with links to Opie’s morning show interviews; and the CEO’s blog titled, “Preparing

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Children for Success in School and in Life” (published on about.tvo.org) featured Hi Opie! as well as positioning statements aligned with the campaign.

Photo Opportunity (Sept 2014) – Organized by TVO with the Minister’s Office, Hon. Liz Sandals, Minister of Education invited Opie to join her in a Toronto classroom on the first day of school, generating additional back-to-school-themed media coverage pictured with TVO’s key stakeholder.

5. Implementation and Challenges The publicity team encountered several challenges. From an organizational perspective, the scheduling of Hi Opie! was not well-timed – for business reasons, the program aired at 10am and 1pm, at a time when kids are in school. The publicity team developed key messaging to address the question and redirected to the availability of online videos 24/7. Also, while Hi Opie! was available online, copyright issues limited the publicity team’s efforts. During the secured morning show interviews, it proved challenging for the cameras to capture Opie from a good angle without seeing the puppeteer, and it was challenging for the puppeteer to engage in fun banter and also deliver key messages without the benefit of seeing/looking at the interviewer.

Despite these implementation challenges, TVO’s publicity team delivered a high-impact campaign and set a new organizational precedent in the back-to-school space. The campaign was created, driven and delivered by TVO’s Director of Communications, Public Relations Manager and Public Relations Specialist, in concert with the publicity team at marblemedia. The team created the communications plan in the spring of 2014 and executed on the campaign in late summer utilizing $1500 in budget to cover travel and puppeteer fees. 6. Measurement/Evaluation Secure 3-5 media features on Hi Opie! by the end of September 2014 Twenty-six features were secured as a result of unit and broadcast publicity. In the week before the first day of school, Breakfast Television host Jennifer Valentyne interviewed Opie about his backpack and how he’s getting ready to start kindergarten and talked about how to help kids to prepare for school, while plugging the TVO premiere. In that same week, Canada AM featured Opie as he was preparing to start Kindergarten. Global News’ Morning Show also invited Opie into their studio for an interview with their hosts. In his TV-Eh.Com article, “TVO’s Opie Takes the Fear out of Kindergarten” reviewer Greg David positioned Hi Opie! as a go-to show to help kids be successful in kindergarten, writing: “Kindergarten is the first time that five-year-olds are away from their parents and home for an extended period of time. It can be an unfamiliar places filled with strangers and loud noises. That’s where Opie comes in.” While on the media tour, Opie proved a hit with TV hosts – many took photos/selfies with him and posted on their popular social media accounts, tagging the @tvo accounts.

Achieve a score of 75% on MRP for the overall campaign by end of September 2014 The team considered the campaign in two parts: earned media generated by TVO’s publicity efforts; and event coverage of the Minister’s classroom photo opportunity. While the team succeeding in reaching its earned media goal with a MRP score of 76%, the photo opportunity event earned a MRP score of 55%. TVO saw these as two discreet measurable objectives with the photo opportunity generating great value from a government relations perspective.

Achieve 1,000,000 media impressions for the overall campaign by end of September 2014 The publicity team exceeded its original goal of 1 million impressions by securing 10 million media impressions. Opie was a hit on the morning TV circuit, both locally and nationally – 1/3 of the overall media impressions secured were from approximately 10% of the overall coverage. Antonella Artuso’s Toronto Sun article which included a Hi Opie! mention, “Ontario rolls out full-day kindergarten - with hiccups” was picked up by 73 outlets, increasing the campaign’s overall impressions.

The publicity campaign’s success was evident not only in reaching the above objectives with a minimal budget, but also in reinforcing TVO’s links to curriculum and the organization’s role as the province’s partner in education.

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2015 IABC OVATION Awards Entrant: Christina Basil Division 1: Communication Management

Category 5: Multi-audience Communications Organization: Toronto Hydro Time period: July 2013 – April 2014 Entry title: Be Enlightened: Why Electricity Rates are Rising

Entrant’s role: Christina initiated the video; drafted the video script and managed its production with the agency. She also developed the strategy and oversaw the execution of the campaign.

Your team members (if applicable): Andrea Corkum, Amanda Klein, Blair Peberdy, Darryl Seal, Matrix Post Entry Summary: Toronto Hydro is in the midst of renewing the city’s aging grid and this requires long-term investment. To effectively raise awareness about the utility’s grid challenges and the need for investment, Toronto Hydro launched Be Enlightened: Why Electricity Rates are Rising, a whiteboard animation video to build trust and exercise transparency with customers.

THE BUSINESS NEED OR OPPORTUNITY Toronto Hydro owns and operates an electricity distribution system, which delivers electricity to approximately 736,000 customers located in the city of Toronto; the fourth largest metropolis by population in North America. We’re the largest municipal electricity distribution company in Canada and distribute approximately 18% of the electricity consumed in the province. Toronto’s distribution grid is aging and we’ve been investing heavily in the system to improve service reliability. Since 2006, we’ve invested more than $2 billion to modernize the grid, but our efforts haven’t resonated with our customer base. There’s a perception that we’ve neglected the grid and are now playing catch up. According to residential customer research conducted by Strategic Counsel in late 2013:

57% of customers rate Toronto Hydro’s performance in communicating to customers as good/excellent 45% gave Toronto Hydro top marks (good/excellent) for perceived value for money Toronto Hydro achieved a mean of 6.35 (down from 6.61) in 2012 for “TH is actively making the improvements needed

in a growing city” “I trust TH” scores dropped from a mean of 6.20 in 2012 to 5.49 in 2013 “TH is very open in terms of sharing information with the public” dropped from 6.10 in 2012 to 5.33 in 2013 “TH is transparent about its finances and operations” slipped from 5.51 in 2012 to 5.10 in 2013

Ontario’s electricity system is complex and some Toronto Hydro customers don’t understand the various roles and different charges that are included on their bills. We receive a number of comments through our social media channels about a lack of understanding of their hydro bill and concerns about high or increasing bills. Although we’re responsible for billing, the format is mandated by our regulator, the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) and is outside of Toronto Hydro’s control. Scrutiny of Ontario’s electricity industry and media reports of inflated hydro salaries and pensions heighten sensitivities to rate increases. Toronto Hydro is in the midst of renewing our aging grid and this requires long-term investment. We must submit a rate application to the OEB each time we want to increase electricity rates, and attaining the social license to do so is invaluable to the process. After all, the OEB exists to protect the interests of consumers. There was an obvious need to educate customers about the electricity system in Ontario, how Toronto Hydro has been investing in the grid, and why our rates are rising. STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS

Audience Why? CUSTOMERS Business customers (approximately 82,000 accounts) Key Accounts, commercial, industrial, small business

Business customers generate about 80% of our revenue. Reliability is of utmost concern as outages can cost businesses significantly, but they are also sensitive to price of electricity - 77% say their electricity bill has a ‘major impact’ on their finances. Key Accounts: We have approximately 575 key accounts. These consist of our largest commercial, industrial, municipal and institutional customers that have an account with an average monthly demand greater than or equal to 1,000 KW.

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Residential customers (approximately 654,000 accounts)

Residential customers make up the majority of our customer base. This group is extremely sensitive to rate increases. Close to 50% of residential customers say their electricity bill has a “major impact” on their finances. Toronto Hydro has 61,800 Twitter followers and 7,018 Facebook likes, and residential customers make up the majority of our social media following. Customers regularly leverage our social media channels to voice concerns and complaints about billing and rates, which is why we targeted social media to share this video.

STAKEHOLDERS City of Toronto Shareholder, city councillors, city staff

As the sole shareholder of the utility, the City of Toronto has a vested interest in our operations. Also, city councillors are in direct communication with their constituents. Electricity prices have become an electoral issue, and councillors are an important audience because they are both potential supporters and critics. - Approximately 82% of city councillors are active on Twitter and respond and share relevant information with their constituents - Customers will often engage their local councillor in Twitter conversations about Toronto Hydro issues (e.g. power outages, broken streetlights, etc.)

Provincial Government OEB, Ministry of Energy (Political and Bureaucratic), Toronto Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs)

The provincial government is interested in how we’re communicating about the electricity system, grid investment and rising rates. - 95% of Toronto MPPs are active on Twitter

Energy Industry Associations and Academia Electricity Distributors Association (EDA), Canadian Electricity Association (CEA), Ontario Energy Association (OEA), Ontario Energy Network (OEN)

Many electrical utilities are facing the same issues of aging infrastructure and are developing their own communications to tackle grid modernization in the context of rising rates. -These utilities are members of industry associations, which have online newsletters and social media profiles and work together to align messaging to increase awareness and retention. - The CEA and EDA are also trying to reinforce the need for grid investment and the value of electricity

EMPLOYEES Employees Approximately 1,600 employees 70 per cent are unionized

- Our employees, especially lines staff and customer care agents, serve as brand ambassadors. It’s important to align and deliver consistent messaging with internal and external audiences, and educating this group about rates and Toronto Hydro’s grid investment is critical. - We have dedicated internal television screens throughout each of our five locations, as well as an intranet site where videos are posted.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

Goals: 1. Raise awareness about Toronto Hydro’s grid investments and the need for additional investment to secure service

reliability. 2. Foster acceptance of Toronto Hydro’s rate increases, attaining “social license” from public for grid investments. Objectives: 1. Achieve 10,000 video views by the end of 2014 through Facebook and YouTube channels. 2. Through our councillor outreach, generate at least 14 retweets of our message (out of a possible 35 city councillors

with Twitter profiles). 3. Generate at least 200 video shares on Facebook and YouTube. 4. Improve understanding of Toronto Hydro bill, grid challenges, need for system investment and acceptance of rate

increases through the following survey results: o 90% agree or strongly agree “I have a better understanding of my hydro bill” o 80% agree or strongly agree “I understand the challenges affecting Toronto Hydro’s distribution system” o 75% agree or strongly agree “I accept Toronto Hydro’s need for grid investment”

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o 75% agree or strongly agree “I don’t like rate increases, but I think they are necessary to maintain the grid to a reasonable standard.”

SOLUTION OVERVIEW There was an obvious need to educate customers about the electricity system in Ontario, how Toronto Hydro has been investing in the grid, and why our rates are rising. Unfortunately, the electricity system in Ontario is complex – nearly half of residential and business customers said they’re unfamiliar with how the Ontario electricity system works. The subject matter is heavy and somewhat dry, so we needed the perfect vehicle to engage customers long enough to explain the details. Whiteboard animations have been effective in engaging viewers while presenting lengthy and complex material. We thought it would be the perfect medium to tell our story and give customers an overview of the electricity system, and why Toronto Hydro is raising electricity rates. It was also an effective way to build trust and exercise transparency. After conducting a scan of social media channels and customer services complaints, we assembled a list of key questions and concerns customers have in relation to reliability, grid investment, bills and rising rates. Working closely with the Rates and Regulatory teams, we scripted a five-minute video to help answer customer questions. Once the video was finalized, we developed a strategy to promote it for the month leading up to the May 1, 2014 rate increase. We leveraged all of our digital communications channels available to reach our target audience of customers, City of Toronto councillors, employees and industry. We also leveraged print channels to talk about rates and drive customers online to the website. To gauge the video’s effectiveness in achieving the communications goals, we developed a short survey to include in communications of the video. The survey asked viewers about grid investment, their comprehension of their hydro bill, and whether or not they felt that the whiteboard video was an effective medium to communicate this message.

Tactics Feature image added to torontohydro.com directing visitors to the video Highlighted in Bright Ideas, a print newsletter distributed as a bill insert to 736,000 customers eConnect e-newsletter distributed to 215,590 residential and business customers Ran Twitter ads for two weeks Twitter – Developed two tweets promoting the video, which generated more than 50 retweets City Councillor Outreach – Developed 35 individual tweets for every councillor active on Twitter, as well as Toronto

MPPs, to raise awareness about the video and drive traffic to YouTube Ran Facebook ads for five weeks and a Facebook promoted post for two weeks, which generated more than 100

comments on our Facebook and YouTube channels Ran quarter-page ads in nine community newspapers with a reach of 505,975, to drive traffic to the website and video Article about the video included in CityWise, an e-newsletter to city councillors and city staff Distributed in NewsFlash, a dedicated e-newsletter to industry stakeholders Included in EDA’s weekly e-newsletter to other local distribution companies and members Embedded the YouTube video on Toronto Hydro’s LinkedIn profile Included as a story on Watt’s Up, a digital publication for employees Posted on Plugged In intranet site and internal television screens to engage employees

IMPLEMENTATION AND CHALLENGES This campaign was led by Communications Specialist, Christina Basil, who drafted the script and coordinated approvals internally with the Communications Manager, VP of Communications, Manager of Regulatory Affairs and the Manager of Rates. Once the script was approved, the agency was contracted to complete the animation. Christina oversaw the creative development and production of the animation. Communications Coordinator, Andrea Corkum, assisted Christina with the development and execution of the video’s promotional and communications strategy. We experienced several major challenges throughout the development and execution of this campaign:

We’re operating within an extremely sensitive regulatory environment with pending rate applications before the OEB. It was vital to include regulatory and rates specialists in the approval of the script and final video in order to achieve corporate support. Unfortunately, adding another layer of approval led to some unforeseen delays.

By the time the animation was completed, the bill impacts associated with the upcoming rate increase had changed, and it was too late in production to alter the voice over and create new animation without incurring

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significant costs. We had to remove this section of the video, which in the end, made the most sense anyway, because rates typically change bi-annually, and leaving it in would have quickly dated the video.

We missed an opportunity to include the video in a rates news release announcing an upcoming increase. As the final video was being circulated to the executive team as a courtesy, we received a request to change the family dynamic to avoid any perceived gender stereotypes (In the initial video, the husband was opening the bill by himself and his wife was on the couch). This unfortunately caused another delay and additional charges, and we missed the window of opportunity to include it in the rates release.

We were happy to see that the video was generating commentary online but were advised not to respond to any comments to correct misconceptions about Toronto Hydro and rates.

Although the survey to gauge the effectiveness of the video was included in communications and the YouTube description, we only received 25 completed surveys, which is not a representative sample of the number of people who watched the video.

Timeline: We began working on the script in July 2013 and the video was launched in April 2014 in advance of a May 1, 2014 rate increase. Budget:

Script Development In-house Agency Costs for Animation Production $27,500 Voice Over Talent In-house Facebook Advertising $1,500 Twitter Advertising $250 Community and Ethnic Advertising $8,000 Creative for Ads In-house TOTAL Approximately $37,250

MEASUREMENT AND EVALUATION

Objective/Target Result SOCIAL MEDIA Achieve 10,000 views in two months through Facebook and YouTube channels

Achieved approximately 18,000 views (180% of goal) since April 14, which is the most viewed video in Toronto Hydro’s history.

Through our councillor outreach, generate at least 14 retweets of our message (out of a possible 35 city councillors with Twitter profiles)

Generated 18 retweets (128% of goal) from city councillors (with an approx. reach of 69,000) who we tweeted at with a message promoting the video

Generate at least 200 shares on Facebook and YouTube

Generated 203 shares (102% of goal) through Facebook and YouTube channels.

SURVEY* 90% agree or strongly agree, “I have a better understanding of my hydro bill”

35% agree/strongly agreed that they had a better understanding of their hydro bill.

80% agree or strongly agree, “I understand the challenges affecting Toronto Hydro’s distribution system.”

53% agreed/strongly agreed that they understand the challenges affecting the distribution system.

75% agree or strongly agree, “I accept Toronto Hydro’s need for grid investment”

58% agreed/strongly agreed that they understand the need for grid investment in Toronto

75% agree or strongly agree, “I don’t like rate increases, but I think they are necessary to maintain the grid to a reasonable standard.”

25% agreed/strongly agreed that they understand why Toronto Hydro’s rates are rising.

* We only received 25 survey responses, which is not a sufficient sample size. Other measures of success:

The video received industry accolades and was tweeted out independently by the CEA. We were approached by staff from another utility in Ontario who asked if they could rebrand the video for their customer base.

Playing together — the launch of Canada’s first study on new citizens’ connection to Canadian sports Jess Durden, Director of Communications, Institute for Canadian Citizenship Division 1 - Communications Management, Category 1 - Community Relations The Institute for Canadian Citizenship, a national non-profit focused on accelerating new citizens’ integration, released the first study on new citizens’ connection to Canadian sports. Playing together — new citizens, sports & belonging brought the voices of 4,000 new citizens to the mainstream. Endorsed by Karl Subban and launched with Kevin Sylvester during a breakfast presentation, the study revealed how easy playing together could be. An infographic, full and highlight reports filled with new citizens’ favourite sports pictures, accompanied the launch. Promotional efforts resulted in 28 pieces of media coverage and an enthusiastic online conversation from 375 Tweets, mentions and retweets. BUSINESS NEED/OPPORTUNITY Immigration is central to our country’s future. By 2030, it will account for Canada’s total net population growth. Approximately 260,000 permanent residents settle in Canada annually and 85% choose to become Canadian citizens — the highest naturalization rate in the world. Important work has been done to bring the experience of Canadian immigrants/newcomers to the mainstream, but a gap exists for work illustrating what life is like for Canada’s newest citizens. Although the distinction between these two groups may be minor, its implications are not: new citizens are immigrants who have been in Canada for at least three years (usually five to six) and have attained Canadian citizenship. In the first few years, many immigrants are preoccupied with securing basic needs: finding a home, a job and getting the kids into school. By the time new Canadians become eligible for citizenship, many of these needs have been addressed. Obtaining citizenship represents a new chapter where new Canadians can begin to fully participate in their new home. The ICC works to be connectors to, and for, Canada’s newest citizens. Producing Playing together allowed us to address the following business needs: Realize our mandate by bringing the perspectives of new citizens to the mainstream. Empowering new citizens. Participating in the study encouraged new citizens to reflect upon, and

vocalize, their experiences and attitudes as new citizens. Fostering inclusion by helping Canada’s sports organizations connect to a new audience. We talked to

21 sports organizations across the country before beginning the study and learned that both grassroots and professional sports organizations need to find ways to appeal to this diverse new audience.

The main challenge was communicating the difference — and importance of this difference — between “new Canadians” and “new citizens”. Once addressed (with clear and consistent positioning), the study was widely accepted. Playing together allowed us to share a distinctive glimpse into a new audience with firsthand accounts from new citizens across the country; a group that has chosen Canada and simply wants an invitation to play. STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS New citizens: the majority are between 35 - 44 years of age, highly educated, and their cultural

backgrounds mirror the top source countries of Canadian immigrants. Residing in the country for an average of five to six years, this cohort is actively searching for ways to connect. And as the study reveals, many see sports as a way to foster relationships with their community and their country.

Canada’s sports organizations: a variety of sports organizations exist across the country. The major distinctions (apart from the type of sport) appear at the level of play (grassroots versus professional) and position on the hierarchy (governing body or local leagues / organizations). The scale and scope of the organization dictates the resources available, although across the board, very little resources have been dedicated to reaching new audiences, specifically new citizens. All have voiced the need for external support and partnerships. Many hesitate to try to engage new citizens for fear of offending.

Canadian government — federal and provincial levels focused on sports and culture: policy makers recognize the impact of demographic change on sports in Canada. Virtually every strategic sports plan (at all levels) includes some form of inclusiveness/accessibility/equity as a core principle or value. For example, the plans for sport in Ontario, Alberta, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Mississauga, Toronto and

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Richmond all list new Canadians as an underrepresented group in need of targeted outreach. However, specific strategies to effectively engage are only seen in the plans for cities with high immigrant and visible minority populations (Mississauga, Toronto and Richmond).

Private sector: as a non-profit, the ICC is always searching for opportunities to generate funds. This study allowed us to reconnect with our current roster of partners in the private sector who support diversity and inclusion (mainly banks and other financial institutions), as well as appear on the radar of companies who support major sporting events, associations and/or teams (from consumer goods to major oil and gas companies).

Media: sports is an accessible topic for most Canadians making the media the best conduit to share the study’s findings. Three types of media were targeted as stakeholders: those reporting on a specific sport that would connect to notable study findings (i.e. new citizens’ opinions on hockey); those reporting on immigration and demographics who could use the theme of sports to discuss Canada’s current state of immigration and inclusion; and media covering general news who could use the study to fill their broadcasts or connect to the diversity being featured and promoted in the upcoming Pan Am Games.

Citizenship & immigration thought leaders: the ICC’s network includes a roster of organizations and individuals holding thought leadership positions in the citizenship and immigration space. Many are individuals leading other non-profits or NGOs and/or run faculties at major Canadian universities. The majority of their work focuses on the experiences of new Canadians / immigrants, immigration policy and pluralism.

GOALS Raise organizational awareness as credible experts and connectors in the new citizen space. Promote the inclusion of Canada’s newest citizens.

OBJECTIVES 1. Push out at least 50 tweets and Facebook posts to cultivate an online conversation that sees our efforts

magnified by four via retweets, mentions, likes and shares within the first month of the study’s launch. 2. Secure coverage in at least 10 major outlets (cross country) within the first month of the study’s launch. 3. Generate an open rate of at least 20% on a study e-blast to the ICC’s new citizen program members. 4. Target key members of Canada’s sports community with the study announcement to generate at least

five opportunities to share the study with a new audience within one year of the launch. SOLUTION OVERVIEW A suite of outputs were created to complement a detailed communications plan to promote the study; each containing elements that would target each, or a combination, of our stakeholders. Strategies The following strategies drove the study’s outputs and communications tactics. Establish credibility with endorsements from notables in the sports space. We brought in Kevin

Sylvester to share his picks for the key findings to help guide the creation of the highlight report, and to MC the results launch event. Karl Subban was also invited to the results launch to share his immigrant story and personal connection to sports; his endorsement was also quoted in the news release.

Put a face to the results by building a roster of new citizens (focus group participants) to attend the launch event and speak with the media. Feature photos of new citizens in the outputs.

Capitalize on the city of Toronto’s sports focus by launching just before the one-year countdown to the Pan Am Games (July 10, 2014).

Produce outputs that can be easily shared online and with the media. Create a general launch message that can be tailored with findings for specific sports groups — i.e. stat

about football placed front and centre in the message sent to the CFL. Key Messages A sport is a sport and a fan is a fan, no matter where in this world you were born. By playing together, we build connections, community and ultimately, our country. The barriers to new citizens’ inclusion are structural challenges not cultural, and they can be removed.

The question is not why new citizens should be included, but how.

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Study Outputs Full survey report (hard and soft copies, English and French). Highlight report: more visual and concise, showcasing noteworthy results in a lighter tone with graphs

and pictures of new citizens (hard and soft copies, English and French). Infographic (hard and soft copies, English and French). Results presentation modeled after the highlight report (soft copy, English and French) Webpage on the ICC’s website (English and French), positioned as the central location for study

outputs and information. Image banners used on the ICC’s social media pages and homepage directing visitors to the webpage

hosting study outputs. Team preparation documents: FAQ and backgrounder to brief the ICC team and Board.

Communications Tactics Launch Event: breakfast in Toronto, July 8’14 at the Ryerson Athletic Complex (formerly Maple Leaf

Gardens); target was 50 guests (key stakeholders and the ICC network), 354 were invited, 57 attended; highlight reports and infographics on hand; Kevin Sylvester was the MC (paid), Karl Subban shared his personal story (in-kind), ICC’s CEO presented the results and the event closed with brief remarks by Saäd Rafi, CEO of TORONTO 2015.

Media Relations: News release containing a link to study outputs disseminated via CNW (major and local publications, including ethnic media), English and French; targeted pitches to 150 journalists promoting access to new citizen study participants in the cities where focus groups were conducted.

ICC network message: e-blast to ICC’s entire network and new citizen program members (70,000) Social media promotion: Facebook and Twitter, sharing report links, media coverage, photos and

quotes from new citizens. IMPLEMENTATION & CHALLENGES Budget: $25,000 allotted for the promotion and roll-out, $24,704 was the amount spent — $7,119 printing outputs, $5,421 translation costs, $5,495 output design and proofreading, $2,071 launch event. Just under $20,000 was spent conducting the study (online survey and focus groups). Role Distribution: two ICC employees dedicated to the project. ICC Insights Manager oversaw the research elements and drafted the full report. ICC’s Director of Communications oversaw the creation and production of outputs (using the full report to write the highlight report, other outputs and communications materials) as well as the promotion and launch of the project. Challenges Launch timing: a summertime launch presented a challenge getting people out to the launch event.

Challenge was met by pulling a long guest list to reach targeted attendance goal of 50. Time and human resource constraints: only two fulltime staff on the project. Challenge was met with the

creation of a clear, detailed critical path and funds were allocated to secure support for translation, professional proofing and design.

Sourcing images for study. Extra effort was taken to source photos from new citizen program members as opposed to relying on stock images. Requests for photos were sent to study participants as well as placed in the monthly program e-newsletter to new citizens.

Identifying themes that would pique interest from stakeholders, since the ICC isn’t an expert in the sports space. Challenge was met by using funds to pay for a brief consultation with Kevin Sylvester to hear his take on key themes and findings.

MEASUREMENT & EVALUATION Playing together achieved everything we set out to accomplish and then some! It reaffirmed our positioning as connectors, solidified our credibility as experts in the citizenship space and provided tangible recommendations on how sports organizations can remove barriers to get new citizens into the game.

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ACHIEVED OBJECTIVE 1 — online conversation generation within one month of the launch Twitter activity: 56 ICC Tweets resulted in 318 mentions & retweets; estimated reach of 729,000. 9 ICC Facebook posts resulted in 121 Likes, comments & shares; estimated reach of 4,500.

ACHIEVED OBJECTIVE 2 — notable media coverage from at least 10 outlets Generated 28 pieces of coverage within the first month of the study’s launch; estimated reach of 11.3 million. Globe and Mail: How the World Cup spirit could help integrate new Canadians Toronto Star: Knowledge of hockey ticket to belonging for new Canadians ICC’s CEO participated in interviews with: CBC Radio (14 East-West circuit); Fairchild Radio –

Vancouver; Radio-Canada Winnipeg; Radio Centre-Ville; The Todd Veinotte Show (News 95.7 Halifax, News 88.9 Saint John, News 91.9 Moncton)

Toronto Sun: New citizens say sports a good way to feel more Canadian, report says 24 Heures-Montréal: Le sport favorise l'intégration Regina Leader-Post: Participating in sports prove effective for breaking down barriers CBC Ontario Today: Do sports unite or divide? (dedicated full show to study) Maclean`s: Soccer vs. hockey: Who plays what in Canada New Canadian Media: Sports as a social equalizer

ACHIEVED OBJECTIVE 3 — 20% open rate with ICC’s new citizen program members

E-blast sent to 60,400 new citizen program members; achieved an open rate of 35%. ACHIEVED OBJECTIVE 4 — generate at least five opportunities to share the study with a new audience Speaking opportunity for ICC’s CEO at the Playing for Keeps countdown to the PAN AM Games event

at Toronto’s City Hall Inclusion in the Toronto Community Foundation’s 2014 Vital Signs Report Invitation to present at the 2015 Canadian Sport4Life Conference with the Toronto Sports Council Toronto Sports Council highlighted the report on the home page of its website Maytree Foundation blog post and newsletter mention sent to 6,500 subscribers, 22% open rate Invitation to host a workshop at the 2014 Couchiching Institute on Public Affairs annual conference Invitation to host a webinar with the Sport Matters Group; approximately 150 participants Request to give a launch presentation to Canadian Tire’s CSR & Sponsorship Team French Report published on website dedicated entirely to the field of Sport & Development by an

international organization, Swiss Academy for Development UNSOLICITED FEEDBACK Rajan B. via email: “Just saw your Globe article from last week on the role of sports and new

Canadians. I think you hit the nail on the head. I'm amazed at how much my allegiance to the Leafs helped me make friends growing up. My parents had no clue how to sign me up for skating (or swimming, skiing, etc.) lessons. They would have if they knew how to. Hopefully we make the progress you are aiming for…”

Steve I. via Twitter: “Can't stop thinking about the wonders of sport and how it can bring people together @ICCICC #playingtogether Makes me feel warm and fuzzy.”

Jeff C., Toronto Sports Council: “This report validates the work I’ve been doing for the past 30 years and

is the clearest, most compelling articulation of barriers I’ve seen. I’ve been sending everywhere.”

Catherine H., Sport Calgary: “I read it yesterday and am very impressed with it. I was happy to see that many of the conclusions you came to are similar to those we have found with the Calgary samples we took. Well done; it will be a very useful piece of work.”

Bob E., Sport Matters Group [webinar feedback]: “Let me reiterate my thanks and appreciation for

presenting the results of your New Canadians survey to the sport sector today. We’ve had a number of positive comments since the session ended, as I hope you have, all of which were appreciative of the information you shared. It may start some new conversations that perhaps weren’t taking place until this report came out.”

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Title of entry: It’s your move! The Rogers Communications Wealth Accumulation Plans transition—video podcasts Division and category: Division 2 (Communication Skills), Category 16 (Multimedia or Digital Content) Entrant’s organization: Sun Life Financial Client organization: Rogers Communications Time period of project: November 2013 to March 2014 Business Need/Opportunity: Rogers, a leader in the Canadian telecommunications and media industry, went to market in late 2012 to find a new provider to administer their wealth accumulation plans (pension and savings plans) and provide financial communications to their 27,000 employees located across Canada. After a rigorous RFP process, Rogers chose Sun Life Financial as the new record keeper (the Defined Benefit pension plan stayed with the previous provider, but Sun Life was engaged to promote the importance of enrolling in that plan as part of the overall communications strategy since enrolments into the plan were much lower than Rogers wanted to see).

As an employer, Rogers prides themselves as being among the very best in Canada, particularly in terms of giving opportunity to young Canadians starting their careers, and to people from all ethnic groups, including new Canadians. In 2014, they received the Canada’s Top Employee for Young People award for the 5th straight year. They were also recognized as Canada’s Best Diversity Employer for 2014, and in 2013, were listed among the 50 most engaged workplaces across Canada. A critical component of the Rogers employee value offering is their Wealth Accumulation Program (WAP). With the majority of their employees under the age of 40 (the average age is 37.4), the Rogers large, ethnically diverse, young employee base is made up of widely varying roles and income levels. Typical of younger age groups, their participation in the Rogers wealth accumulation plans had been historically low, despite the communications that had previously been distributed.

While Rogers offers a leading WAP, they wanted to take employee participation to a new level by offering a formal financial planning education program to assist employees with making important decisions and to help them with sound planning that would help them reach their future financial goals. It was important to inspire them to learn to use the WAP effectively to secure a healthy financial future. Industry benchmark studies were conducted by Rogers with an external consultant to help set ambitious but realistic targets. Rogers had challenges similar to those across other industries, such as:

low participation in its voluntary savings plans employees not contributing enough to maximize employer matching contributions employees not taking full advantage of the online planning tools available to them many employees eligible for the Defined Benefit pension plan not signing up

Communicating the move to Sun Life offered a great opportunity to leverage communications in a way to raise general plan awareness and understanding about the WAP among employees, bringing innovation to the tactics used. Rogers has a fiduciary responsibility to educate employees about investing. It was essential to communicate details about the plans and provide clear messages around how the plans in the WAP, including the Defined Benefit plan, all work together for a total savings strategy to fulfill this obligation.

Rogers turned to its new pension partner, Sun Life Financial, Canada’s leading provider of group pension services, to help them develop the communication goals and strategy and to carry out the communications and education campaign in order to:

1. Increase enrolment in the plans 2. Improve investment knowledge 3. Encourage use of tools and information sources

Stakeholder Analysis: The It’s your move! campaign was directed company-wide at 27,000 Rogers employees across Canada, as the changes taking place affected every employee. However, the campaign took into account the diversities within the employee group including varying ages, ethnicity, income levels and investment knowledge, with varied work roles and schedules: -Call centre staff -Cable technicians -Toronto Blue Jays baseball club -Stadium staff -Television -Radio -Corporate employees -Store and kiosk workers -Union and non-union

Demographics All

Employees Customer

Care & Retail Excluding Customer Care & Retail Full-time employees 23920 6695 17225 Part-time employees 4609 3181 1428 Average Age 37.4 years 31.66 years 40.34 years Average Salary $58,910 $36,665 $70,668

Average Years of Service 7 years 4.3 years 8.44 years # of Salary Employee 23705 6693 17012 # of Hourly Employees 4824 3183 1641 Male 16490 4970 11520 Female 12039 4906 7133 Union 1951 0 1951 Non-Union 26578 9876 16702

Research has shown that GenY employees (those in their 20s and 30s) demand easy access to quick information that’s easy to understand. Working for an electronic leader in communications, we knew that they had access to digital channels. An effective, integrated communication approach was in order. Print, email, Rogers intranet, Sun Life member website with single sign-on capabilities, video/multi-media, large- and small-scale site signage, and drop-in events were strategically utilized to communicate clearly with the employees in ways that would reach everyone and be understood. As a communication and media organization with a diverse demographic, it was imperative to communicate in a variety of ways to meet the needs of each employee’s consumption style, and to align with the company’s spirit of innovation. A series of five video podcasts was placed into the plan right from the start. We know from experience with other clients who have young and ethnically diverse employee bases that video is a great forum to deliver complex information in a conversational, easy-to-understand way. Sun Life research has shown us that younger demographics do not want to read large printed documents. As well, they prefer to receive information in an entertaining way. The podcasts were a great solution. As well, for Canadians whose first languages were not French or English, hearing a conversation helped increase understanding of the information. Literacy challenges became less of an issue. Goals and Objectives: While transitioning the plans was a significant change in itself, Rogers decided to make other changes with the switch to Sun Life – introducing the new Rogers Tax-free Savings Account (TFSA), new investment funds, and a free investment advice service for employees. It was imperative that employees understand all the changes taking place so they could take action by enrolling in components of the WAP that were right for them, making appropriate investment choices, and maximizing any company match contributions they were eligible to receive. A strategic communication plan was developed, with a phased, multi-media approach, to engage and educate Rogers employees about their Wealth Accumulation Program, and to inform them of the changes occurring to the plans that were moving to Sun Life. The goals of the It’s your move! campaign:

1. Be seen as an organization that cares about its employees financial security. 2. Be an employer of choice among Canadians in the telecommunications fields. 3. Be a leader in terms of employee engagement in the workplace.

The transition campaign’s measureable objectives:

Increase member engagement during the campaign period as compared to previous year. Seamlessly transition 100% of employees from previous provider by transition date. Maximize plan member participation to established target participation rates—40% increase over same time

period in previous year in Defined Benefit pension plan enrolments, 60% in stock plan enrolments, 25% in Global RRSP enrolments, 40% in Blue Jays pension enrolments and 5% in the new Global TFSA.

Educate and engage employees through online access to communications during campaign period with target of 40% online participation.

See podcast view rates in the top 10 of Rogers news items during launch periods. Provide one-on-one education and assistance during campaign period to ensure understanding among

employees, and to provide access to different ways of getting information. Targets: Calls to Sun Life’s call centre of 20%; attendance at ‘live’ events of 10%; podcast views ranking in the top 10 or Rogers internal news stories during the launch weeks.

Solution Overview: The video podcasts were taped and edited in-house by CityTV staff (Rogers employees) around their regular production schedules. The CityTV building in Toronto was also offered up and we literally had the run of the place in terms of set selection, with top-notch lighting and technical capabilities at out fingertips—absolutely fabulous! CityTV newscasters Melanie Ng and Adrian Ghobrial also worked around their on-air schedules for taping.

Scripts were written in-house at Sun Life, in collaboration with Rogers pension experts. The only hard costs associated with the video podcast production covered the animation that was produced to demonstrate some of the information being discussed by the hosts. Graphics were cleverly used to tie the Rogers and Sun Life branding together, nicely showcasing the partnership between the two companies. The total cost of the animation for all five podcasts was $10,000. This included both the English and French versions. Here’s an overview of the key tactics for the overall project:

Generate excitement with teasers and contests: A contest was held to sweeten the pot and move employees to action. Top prize was a $1,000 contribution into the winner’s Stock Plan account, with two additional prizes of $500 contributions into the winners’ new Rogers Tax-free Savings Accounts.

Use multi-media to reach every target audience member: Large-scale ‘growing posters’ were placed at two key locations that housed a large proportion of Rogers employees. Erected in three stages over a 10-day period, as the size of the signs grew, so did the messaging, with the full reveal occurring with the third installation, as the sign grew to cover an entire wall, with additional messaging spilling onto the floor. Eye-catching and colourful, this site signage fostered the very conversations and buzz we wanted to see among the 10,000 employees working at these two sites.

Communications were pushed out pre-transition via email, explaining the changes that were coming. Then in January, a ‘how-to’ transition communication was emailed to help employees take appropriate action. A robust hub of information was created on Sun Life’s Plan Member site specifically for Rogers, where employees could easily access planning tools, forms, and plan information. Flat screen videos played at the Rogers sites solidifying the information in visual representations. The podcasts provided a human conversational element to the campaign after the initial transition was out of the way. Using popular hosts was entertaining, engaging and leant an air of credibility to the information being presented.

Provide support at every stage: Employees had access to information and support throughout the campaign. Sun Life call centre representatives were available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. every business day. Local Rogers administrators had been trained in October on all of the changes that were taking place and were an onsite resource for employees. Investment advice was available free of charge from licensed advisors and through the new my investment advice service, and information about the program changes could be accessed 24/7 on the mysunlife.ca/rogers website.

Implementation and Challenges: A cascading approach to messaging was used for this campaign because we know from experience with other clients that getting people to actually take action requires multiple hits of information; some broad, and some more specific. We began with emailed newsletter articles in Rogers communications that were published bi-weekly over a 12-week period. And then the move was on. Tactics and tactical decisions included:

Development of co-branded design standards from pre-transition through transition Timing of phased approach of information delivery to build on awareness and engagement Over 100 pieces of communication (produced in both English and French) HR executives ‘kick off’ meeting, to garner support and build enthusiasm “How to” brochures to instruct employees on how to transact and navigated online after the move to Sun Life Welcome guides for new hires Site signage that included large-scale posters that went up in phases, ‘growing’ larger with each installation,

and reaching a maximum size of 12 x 24 feet Five video podcasts A custom information hub on Sun Life’s member site exclusively for Rogers employees Flat screen videos playing throughout the locations in common staff areas like cafeterias and coffee kiosks It’s your moveI contest, with cash prizes for the winners’ Stock Plan account, or TFSA accounts Street team events across the country at Rogers centres where employees could enjoy a cupcake, with up

information, watch the video and chat with Rogers HR staff, Sun Life staff and certified advisors Promotional items at the events included It’s your move! key chains, themed balloons, fridge magnets, and

banners Challenges around the production of the podcasts were very minimal. Given that we had the privilege of working with industry professionals, we had no technical glitches. The one challenge was the fact that we had to wait for holes in the regular production schedules of the people working on the productions, but we were prepared for that going in. Patience around scheduling was well worth the effort given that we were saving tens of thousands of dollars in terms of production costs. All writing, project management and execution was handled in-house between Sun Life and Rogers. Animation was provided by a third party at a total cost of $10,000.

Measurement and Evaluation: The campaign was an overwhelming success with the podcasts providing continuing engagement well into the third quarter of the year. The numbers for this overall campaign speak for themselves.

Employee engagement: We couldn’t have anticipated the impressive utilization of Sun Life’s Plan Member Services website by Rogers employees. Between the launch date of January 7, 2014, and the end of February, the site had more than 80,000 visits! Employees were accessing the site from multiple devices, and not just from their work computers. There were more than 500,000 page views during the same time period. Usage was so high by Rogers employees that it vaulted this new client to the #2 position in terms of website activity among all of Sun Life’s 5,000 clients. Clearly our strategy around providing easy access to information electronically had been the right call, and we well surpassed our objective around web usage, with 72% of employees visiting the site during the campaign period. The single sign-on capability that was built for Rogers was a key factor in this success because it allowed employees to easily navigate from their Rogers intranet directly into Sun Life’s member site.

When the podcasts began rolling out, Rogers had begun a significant down-sizing, We watched with fingers crossed to see the uptake and were very pleased when they ranked as the third most watched or read communication pushed out by Rogers during the time period.

Seamless transition: The heavy lifting began in June of 2013, with administration, communications, client solutions and IT departments swinging into a coordinated effort that dovetailed with the efforts being put forth at Rogers, and with the previous WAP record keeper. The level of complexity, and the attention to detail that was needed for this particular plan move demanded a truly Herculean effort by people involved to ensure that timelines were met. All 27,000 employees were migrated to Sun Life’s systems on time and without issue.

Employee participation: Early numbers, measured between January 7 and February 10, 2014:

Participation activity Target Result Comments Tax-free savings account enrolment among eligible employees

5% 4.7% Tranfers of existing employee TFSAs into the new Rogers TFSA plan from other providers, like banks, took a little time. Within two months post-campaign, this number rose above target

Rogers stock plan enrolment 60% 105% Enrolments measured as percentage increase over same period in 2013

Global RRSP enrolment 25% 50% Blue Jays pension enrolment 40% 73% Defined benefit pension plan enrolment

40% 106%

Calls received by SLF call centre

20%* 33% *measured as calls received from total employee population

Attendance at street team events

10%+ 32% +street team events were held at 13 Rogers centres across the country. Customer care and retail employees (10,000 of the 27,000) were not part of these events.

Podcast watch rates as ranked among competing news stories

Top 10 Third place among news stories in the weeks they were pushed out

This result was measured by Rogers since the podcasts aired internally. Their measurement standard is by ranking. They set a target of having podcast views rank in the top 10 of all Rogers news stories in the weeks they initially aired. Again, the target was well surpassed.

IABC/Toronto OVATION Awards 2015 Division 1: Communication Management, Category 4a.: Media Relations with budget up to $50K

Environics Communications and The Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada SOCAN – Jingle all the Way to the Cash Register: Impact of Holiday Music on the Shopping Experience

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WORK PLAN Entrant’s Name: Melody Gaukel, Vice President, Environics Communications

Organization Name: Environics Communications and The Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN)

Division/Category: Division 1: Communication Management, Category 4a.: Media Relations with budget up to $50K

Title of Entry: SOCAN – Jingle all the Way to the Cash Register: Impact of Holiday Music on the Shopping Experience

Time Period of Project: October 2014 – December 25, 2014

Entry Summary:

To extend brand awareness beyond the music industry and showcase music creators’ value to the Canadian business community, SOCAN and Environics developed a strategic campaign that showed the role holiday music plays in the consumer holiday shopping experience. Survey results were positioned creatively to generate business-related news coverage in English and French Canada. A data-driven infographic, compelling news release and targeted outreach garnered media attention securing more than 25-million impressions (72 stories with 100 per cent branding). Results exceeded coverage goals by 400 per cent.

1. Business Need/Opportunity The Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers of Canada (SOCAN) is a not-for-profit organization that represents the Canadian performing rights of millions of Canadian and international music creators and publishers. SOCAN works with businesses that use music to ensure Canadian creators are compensated for their work through fair licensing. This is achieved by providing licensee privileges to businesses that play music in their establishments. While SOCAN is well known in the music industry, the organization needed to grow brand awareness with the Canadian business community and the general public, as well as the positive difference that music can add to the consumer experience. By building awareness with these groups, SOCAN reaches their core business targets: current and prospective SOCAN licensees and members. A communications plan was strategically developed in order to aptly reach the targeted audience and provide them with compelling information. In late fall 2014, SOCAN worked with Environics Communications to craft survey questions for a commissioned survey with Leger Intelligence Group to assess the impact of holiday music, specifically on the consumer shopping experience. Focusing on holiday music (versus music in general) tied the data to the timeliness and relevance of the holidays, a time of year when businesses are especially looking to attract consumers to their establishments. At the the heart of the strategy was that we knew that holiday music is like the weather: everyone has an opinion on it. The holidays are in many ways the most musical time of the year. Key data points leveraged for this campaign included the following:

82% of Canadians enjoy listening to all kinds of holiday music while they shop 65% said that holiday music influences how long they stay in a store 125,000 businesses in Canada use music to generate a steady flow of shoppers

Environics and the SOCAN Communications & Marketing team developed a media relations campaign to secure national and local coverage across the country. To present the survey findings in a creative and compelling way, a data-driven infographic was created as well as a persausive news release and numerous outlet-specific, targeted pitches to grab media attention. The data presented in these materials highlighted how music played by businesses has a powerful impact on consumer behavior, especially during the holiday shopping season.



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This data was essential to the overall communications strategy and was used to build unique hooks that attracted media interest from a variety of outlets. 2. Stakeholder Analysis The target audiences for this campaign, which greatly influenced the communications strategy and resulting tactics, were tiered as follows: Primary Target Audiences:

Canadian businesses (SOCAN licensees and potential licensees) – SOCAN works with a variety of businesses including retail stores (e.g. Artizia, Canadian Tire, Holt Renfrew), restaurants, hair salons, etc. to provide music licensing. By showing an understanding of Canadian business needs with regards to how music can impact business results (e.g. 65% of respondents said that holiday music influences how long they stay in a store), it demonstrates to licensees and potential licensees how music can directly affect their business. It also encourages Canadian businesses to become licensees themselves and/or remind them of the benefit of supporting SOCAN.

Secondary Targets: Non-music journalists – To extend SOCAN’s brand presence outside of the music pages (i.e. music

and entertainment coverage) and position the organization as an expert about music’s impact on business, relevant and timely information was shared with non-music journalists, including business, human resources and consumer-focused media.

SOCAN members (and potential members) – By garnering coverage in a variety of media, SOCAN

members see positive coverage of the organization, which builds their pride as members. This coverage also builds the organization’s reputation with potential members.

3. Goals/Objectives The business objectives of this campaign were two-fold: 1) Encourage Canadian businesses to become licensees themselves and/or remind them of the benefit of supporting SOCAN and 2) Build pride with SOCAN members. The purpose of this campaign was to demonstrate SOCAN understanding of the needs of Canadian businesses by communicating the important role music plays in helping with the customer experience. The communications objective was to build brand awareness of SOCAN with our target audiences (Canadian businesses, non-music journalists and SOCAN members). Our communications goal was to secure national media coverage in one top-tier traditional media outlet, one non-music trade publication (English only), English coverage in three different provinces and French coverage in Quebec. Our media impressions goal was 3-million media impressions that fit the following criteria:

Criteria Target Include SOCAN branding (percentage of coverage) 100% Positive tone (percentage of coverage) 100% Interviews from SOCAN spokesperson (percentage of coverage to contain)

10%

Article in top-tier national outlet 1 Local English coverage (in three different provinces)

3

Local French coverage (Quebec only) 2 Trade outlet coverage (English only) 1 Cost per contact $0.002

4. Solution Overview To meet goals and objectives, Environics planned and executed a media relations campaign that was targeted to reach media beyond music journalists. By securing placement in top-tier national dailies, local outlets and trade publications, SOCAN demonstrated that it understands the needs of Canadian businesses by communicating the important role music plays with businesses. This was achieved as a result of the following efforts:



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Research: Environics and SOCAN commissioned a survey with Leger Intelligence Group, the SOCAN

Holiday Music in Business Survey, to look at the business impact of holiday music, specifically by examining its influence on consumer holiday shopping experiences. The results demonstrated the music being played in businesses can result in a longer stay, which is a valuable learning for SOCAN licensees and potential licensees.

Media materials: Environics prepared targeted pitches to national outlets, which included top-line highlights from the SOCAN Holiday Music in Business Survey, that would be of interest to the appropriate audience. For trade media, specifically human resources publications, statistics about holiday music in the workplace were highlighted. A news release showcasing the results was developed for both English and French Canadian audiences. An infographic was also prepared that highlighted key results from the survey and served as a strong visual representation of the results.

Content assets: o Infographic: To present key findings from the SOCAN Holiday Music in Business Survey,

Environics worked with SOCAN to develop a creative and visual representation of key highlights from the survey presented in the form of an infographic.

o News release: To highlight key points from the survey as well as a quotation from SOCAN’s Vice President of Licensing.

o Spokesperson interviews: To speak to the survey highlights as well as the important role music plays for businesses, interviews were offered with a SOCAN English and French spokesperson.

National targeted outreach: Based on the media targets, Environics conducted intense media relations with:

o National news outlets o National and local news/assignment desks and local radio o Business/marketing/lifestyle media, editors and assignment desks o Human Resources trade publications/print and online, editors and writers

5. Implementation and Challenges As a non-profit whose revenue is derived from music licensing, SOCAN must be extremely judicious with its communications budgets. All-in, approximately $18,000 was spent on this campaign. Within this budget Environics and SOCAN implemented the following activities:

Developed overall program strategy Informed survey questions Developed a media list that reached beyond music reporters with lifestyle, business, human resources

and trade contacts Isolated key statistics to be included in media relations Consulted on infographic creation Wrote news release Created targeted pitches Approvals of all media materials Translation of materials Conducted national and localized outreach Coordinated interviews Continued follow-up with media leading up to the holidays Provided ongoing monitoring and results reporting

One challenge identified prior to outreach was the crowded media space during the time leading up to the holidays. This required strategic planning to ensure that the content shared would resonate with media during this time. By carefully crafting survey questions, highlighting key data that would resonate with the media as well as business owners and consumers, and packaging the results into a holiday-themed infographic, the content broke through the cluttered media space.



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6. Measurement/Evaluation Environics exceeded its three million media impressions target and secured 72 pieces of coverage (English and French) for a total of 25,554,000 media impressions; 100 per cent were branded and 100 per cent were positive in tone.

Criteria Target English

Target French

Result English

Result French

Include SOCAN branding (percentage of coverage to contain)

80% 80% 100% 100%

Positive tone (percentage of coverage) 80% 80% 100% 100% Interviews from SOCAN spokesperson (percentage of coverage to contain)

10% 10% 12.5% 31.6%

Articles in top-tier national outlet 1 n/a 3 n/a Local English coverage (from three different provinces)

3 n/a 5 n/a

Local French coverage (Quebec only) n/a 2 n/a 19 Trade outlet coverage 1 n/a 1 n/a Cost per contact $0.002 $0.002 $0.00053 $0.00028 Increase in “General Licensing” renewals and new accounts

Environics exceeded its goal of securing coverage in one national top-tier outlet o Canada AM discussed highlights from the survey which syndicated across regional CTV stations

across Canada o National Post/Financial Post published a print article o CTV National News with Kevin Newman and CTV National News with Sandi Rinaldo mentioned

highlights from the survey that appeared on two different days Environics surpassed its goal of securing English coverage from three different provinces:

o The mention on Canada AM syndicated across several regional CTV stations including coverage in Ontario and Alberta

o News 95.7 from Halifax, Nova Scotia aired an interview and posted an online story o CBC Radio One from Inuvik, Northwest Territories mentioned highlights from the survey o Global Television discussed results from the survey that aired in Saskatchewan and Alberta o Toronto Star included statistics in a holiday wrap up story

Additionally, Environics was successful in garnering trade coverage with a key human resources online publication, HRM Online.

In Quebec, 19 stories and more than 6.5-million impressions were achieved. This included coverage in top-tier French publications including Le Journal de Montreal, Le Journal de Quebec, Les Affaires, Le Huffington Post, La Presse, Canoe.ca, and 98.5 FM, among others.

Environics also surpassed the goal of securing interviews in 10 per cent of English and French coverage. The cost per contact goal of $0.002 was surpassed in both English and French markets with $0.00053

and $0.00028 respectively. In addition to being shared by media, the infographic was also shared via social media channels

(Facebook, Twitter) by SOCAN staff and members. Best of all, SOCAN has seen an increase at the start of 2015 in General Licenses paid for both new and

existing accounts, showing that a strong communications program can have tangible benefits to an organization’s business.

7. Conclusion The Holiday Music campaign drew significant media attention and greatly exceeded the communications goals set by SOCAN. The data gathered as a result of the Leger Intelligence Group survey provided relevant and timely information for businesses that was then communicated to them through the media. In many cases, coverage included the infographic which highlighted the key data from the survey. It also demonstrated that SOCAN understands the needs of Canadian businesses to provide a great customer experience, which can be supported by playing music in business establishments.

Entrant’s Name: Andrea Marshall, Manager, Communications and Public Affairs Entrant’s organization: Ontario Shores Centre for Mental Health Sciences (Ontario Shores)Title of entry: Shoreline: Create. Communicate. CollaborateDivision and category: Division 1, Category 12 Time period of project: June 2013 – March 2014

Work Plan

Entry Summary: Ontario Shores is an innovative mental health hospital with a fully electronic health record system and 1,200 staff working at the main campus as well as offsite locations. Its intranet underwent its first design in 2006 but there hadn’t been any significant improvements since that time. Staff wanted a one-stop shop intranet for professional and personal work needs. Through research, focus groups, usability and functionality testing, content development, testing and employee engagement, Ontario Shores launched Shoreline in March 2014. Positive outcomes included a 325% increase in traffic and more than 50% staff participation in the development process.

1. Business Need/OpportunityThe Need: Ontario Shores is a mental health hospital that provides inpatient and outpatient services for adolescents, adults and seniors. Located in Whitby, about 45 minutes east of Toronto, Ontario Shores has more than 1,200 staff who work at the main campus as well as offsite locations. It is a 24-7 organization with a fully electronic health record system and electronic Finance and Human Resources processes so staff are comfortable using computers. The old intranet was outdated, business processes were paper-based and inefficient and it didn’t align with the organization’s vision for a paperless organization. Research showed staff wanted a one-stop shop intranet for professional and personal work needs.

The Opportunity: Implement a new intranet that aligns with the a paperless and technology driven organization. Ontario Shores conducted extensive research that included audience research, white paper reviews, external site visits and analysis of award winning intranets to establish intranet best practices. This led to the goal of creating a new staff intranet that would be the go to place for all things Ontario Shores with new electronic processes to make business functions more efficient, increase staff productivity, improve communications across all shifts and all locations and introduce new tools to enhance employee engagement.

2. Stakeholder AnalysisOur audience was staff only and significant research was done to assess background, needs and preferences.

Research State of Mind / Characteristics Strategy/TacticsGeneration Mix:32.5% Pre-Gen X28% Gen X39.5% Gen Y80% of new hires are Gen Y

Gen Ys are technologically proficient, like communicating through online methods and are uncomfortable working in environments that are not technologically advanced.Pre-Gen Xs go online to accomplish a task and then walk away from computer, Gen Ys go on and offline seamlessly.

Develop a new intranet with collaboration functionality.Develop ability for staff to create and update their own profile, comment on and like news stories and blog posts, post to discussion forums, create their own custom alerts. Ensure all content, education, resources and forms aremigrated to Shoreline so all information is accessible 24-7.Shoreline will be the go to place for all online activity so staff of all generations could find the information and resources they needed in one place.

88% of staff have a post-secondary degree, diploma or certification

Generation Ys are the most education-minded generation in history

Create a dedication section on Shoreline called myLearning that connects to a Learning Management application for training and educational resources. Create a dedicated space for educational tools, materials and online libraries.

Years of Service:42.2%: 0-5 years24.5%: 6-10 years13.8%: 11-15 years5.5%: 16-20 years14%: 21+ years

Workplaces now employ 4 different generations of workersso organizations have to develop a unique approach to meet information and communication needs of each group

Provide varying levels of support during time of launch –online, telephone, in person, printed materials, videos to meet learning needs and technology skills of each generation. Provide opportunities for staff who are interested in participating in collaborative spaces while also providing comprehensive info for staff to complete their jobs.

Focus groups Improved search function and up-to-date content.One place for all computer and online resources and informationNew staff directory.Improve ways to communicate with colleagues across all shifts

Develop an RFP to ensure Content Management System (CMS) selection can meet staff needs such as search functionality and telephone directory. Organization-wide leadership and support to connect all platforms and online resources into one space. Find ways throughout the project to involve staff in planning and decision making – resulted in naming contest, volunteers for testing, content development, team site layouts and applications.

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2. Goals and Objectives*Objectives

• Create a one-stop shop Intranet that staff use and enjoy and results in a 50% increase in traffic and post-launch ratings of a minimum of 7/10 by 50% of staff.

• Create an intranet that is intuitive and easy to use, measured by less than 25% of calls to the IT helpdesk during launch related to the need for Shoreline assistance.

• Involve a minimum of 25% of staff in the development of Shoreline. • Align new intranet with vision for a paperless organization• Launch new intranet by April 2014 within approved budget and resources.

Priority GoalsA. Create a dynamic Policies and Procedures section. As a healthcare facility, policies and procedures are integral to

the delivery of safe and effective care. Traditionally, paper-based copies of more than 800 policies and procedures were stored in each of the 15 clinical units. Goal is to reduce number of documents by 50% and migrate all materials to the intranet. Post launch have a minimum of 50% of new or revised policies be managed through the online workflow process.

B. Create a user-friendly, automated staff directory with individual profiles that included a photo, name, title, location, extension, reporting structure within the organization as well as bio information related to areas of interest, description of role etc. Integrate staff information from other databases so directory is automatically updated. Encourage staff to add personal content to their bio and a minimum of 75% of new hires to get their photo taken for the profile. An updated staff directory will result in stopping the production of printed telephone directories that were distributed to all departments throughout the hospital.*As a non-profit healthcare organization, the measurement of our goals and objectives are not financially-based.

4. Solution OverviewSenior Management Approval: Developed a business case that identified scope of the work, resources required, business needs being met and budget. Received approval for the project.

External Review: Conducted site visits to healthcare, technology and financial based organizations to learn from other organizations, comprehensive white paper analysis, reviewed award winning intranets from across North America. This led to the establishment of Intranet Best Practices to guide the planning and development. (1 month)

Research and Consultations: Conducted extensive audience research that included an evaluation of staff demographics, characteristics, opinions, attitudes and behaviours of each demographic to inform decision making. Held in person and online focus groups with a cross section of staff to collect needs and ideas for new intranet. Met staff within the departments and work areas to assess how intranet can streamline business processes and create efficiencies (1 month)

Acquire a new CMS: Completed a rigorous RFP process that included submissions, scoring, short-listed vendor presentations, references and evaluations by 5 team members to select a vendor that could meet budget, timelines and scope of the work. As a public hospital it was important to use budget wisely and select vendor who can work collaboratively with the team to achieve the desired outcomes. Through external research it was learned that SharePoint was the industry standard for intranets and the vendor we selected was a Microsoft Gold Partner in Application Development and their team member was one of less than 100 SharePoint MVPs from across Canada. (2 months)

Layout and Design: Homepage layout, design, alignment with corporate branding were a key focus. Reviewed brand standards with the vendor, tested several mock ups and based on staff feedback, used supplementary colours to add bright colours to the design. Staff request for addition of a weather banner was incorporated into the homepage design and an optional banner is available to highlight alerts and emergency information. Due to how different generations use

Wireframe planning and testing

Staff organized content by themes – administrative vs. clinical elements of their job so wireframes needed to match

Modify topline site navigation to reflect themes of their work functions. Create a Quick Links for the most accessed pages. Create icons on the homepage for communications tools.

Pre-launch survey Old intranet didn’t meet their needs. Content was outdated, wanted more electronic forms. Wanted more personalization

Develop a new staff directory so each staff member has theability to update their profile, photo, bio information. Create a new electronic forms section and new policies and procedures workflow and management process.

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computers to complete their work, homepage needed a combination of essential information for staff to do their jobs and content to engage them in collaborative activities and their continued use of Shoreline. (2 months)

Employee Engagement: Staff like to give input. A naming contest for the new intranet received more than a 100 submissions. Staff participated in content development, design, testing and building of custom applications to improve functionality. (duration of the project)

Content Development: Extensive clean-up of old content, identified content gaps and missing content. Met with staff from departments and clinical areas to identify their information needs for department and program sites and developed content based on their feedback. Established a process to ensure content was routinely updated and reviewed. Provided training for staff to update their own department pages to keep content fresh and up-to-date. (4 months)

Custom Applications: The top 5 items used on the old intranet included staff directory, policies and procedures, cafeteria menu, IT helpdesk and staff classifieds. These were identified as custom builds for the new intranet and a tremendous amount of resources were dedicated to improve these components. Additional calendar applications, photo galleries, leadership blogs were also added. (6 months)

Usability and Functionality: Conducted several usability and functionality tests to ensure Shoreline would be easy to use and intuitive. Staff participated in timed resource finding exercises, used TreeJack software to track where staff would look for information, card sorting exercises for creating wireframes. Based on the results we learned the original information architecture was not intuitive enough, changed the top level site navigation to improve functionality. (duration of project)

Training and Testing: Trained staff who would be updating their own department pages. For Gen Ys, less training was required. Gen Xs required more in-person training as well as documentation to assist with content updates. Combinationof both methods resulted in immediate uptake from this group. Trained super users who would have administrative rights to make changes and updates to the site. Developed a documentation protocol so workflows and step by step instructions were captured and can be used for future work on the intranet. Tested all elements of the new site including custom applications, roles and permissions, staff personalization in different browsers. Learned SharePoint required at least Internet Explorer 8 to function so computers throughout the hospital received browser upgrade. Changed default browser to Shoreline. (duration of the project)

Launch: Regular communications were provided to all staff throughout the project to keep them updated and to build excitement. On the day of launch staff received a teaser as they entered the building. Communications staff visited every department and clinical unit to give a demo. Provided training to switchboard operators on all shifts to use new telephone directory. Created a branded icon for all staff desktops to easily access Shoreline. (preparation for launch 1 month, allocated 2 weeks to support change management process)

Measurement and Analysis: Conducted pre and post launch surveys to measure success of the new intranet. Monitored traffic to the site. Analyzed the number of staff who updated their personal profiles and used the collaborative tools. (1 month pre and 1 month post)*Refer to The Making of Shoreline document in the work sample for more detailed overview of the research and solutions*Timelines for various elements of the project happened concurrently

Key Messages for Staff:• Welcome to Shoreline! It has a number of new features such as a fresh look, improved navigation, expanded

search functionality, new staff profiles, collaboration tools and much more.• Shoreline was created by staff, for staff through participation in focus groups, surveys, user testing, site visits,

naming contest submissions and content development.• Shoreline is a great go-to resource for all things Ontario Shores. We hope you visit it often to engage with

colleagues, share ideas, stay up-to-date about activities and access the tools, resources and information you need for your work

Communication Vehicles Used: Ontario Shores used all communications vehicles available to encourage participation in focus groups and testing modules, naming contest, launch details and new features. These included: all staff emails, updates at bi-monthly CEO forums, evening unit visits, staff meetings, digital signage throughout the building, weekly e-bulletin, monthly newsletter, presentations to all managers and Senior Management Team. Used software to create a video tour with voice over of the new intranet to highlight new features and quick tips and video was on the homepage for the day of launch.

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5. Implementation and ChallengesBudget: Project was delivered on time and budget. An RFP process selected a vendor to work with staff ($77,500, average submission was $195,000). Used existing SharePoint software. Communications and IT worked together from start to finish and led the research phase to identify scope, key deliverables, best practices and approach to limit expenses of a vendor. A contract Project Manager and Webmaster were added to the team for 9 months (less than 10% of yearly budget). Weekly project team meetings and vendor calls took place to monitor progress, timelines and early identification of any issues.

Challenges and Solutions• With limited dedicated resources to the project it was difficult to keep the project as a top priority throughout all phases

of the project. Bringing in a Project Manager and a dedicated webmaster helped to keep project team and vendor all working with the same timelines and a focused approach for the development work.

• The timeline for this project was considered ambitious by the vendor compared to timelines other organizations took. Preliminary work was done to define the project charter, roles and responsibilities, scope of the work was signed by project team leads, senior management and the vendor. This was critical to completing project on time, on budget and with positive outcomes.

• An intranet is a key employee communications tool but a project of this magnitude required significant IT support. A co-leadership model was created between Communications and Public Affairs and IT to ensure both streams of the project moved forward according to project scope and plan. Regular updates were provided to Senior Management Team. Rallied all members of the Communications team to support components of the new intranet to ensure workload was manageable and had creative input from multiple perspectives.

6. Measurement/Evaluation Outcomes were measured post redesign and compared to pre-launch data:• Shoreline launch was a success. Staff embraced new technology and process – data showed a 325% increase of

traffic after launch, 20% increase in staff feeling more connected when comparing pre and post launch data and 55% of respondents rated Shoreline an 8/10 or better.

• Staff involvement was critical to the success of the project. This was a staff intranet created by staff, for staff. Goal of 25% of staff participation was doubled with more than 50% of staff participating in focus groups, naming contests, content development, wireframe testing, usability assessments, creation of applications and team champions.

• For the priority goal of creating the electronic Policies and Procedures section - this project brought leaders from across the organization together and resulted in a reduction of the documents to approximately 300 (goal was from 800 to 400), and successfully moved them all to the intranet and create a new web-based workflow process to create, edit, track and approve new and revised policies and procedures. Since launch, no paper-based copies are used and 100% policies have been created or revised using the new electronic workflow processes.

• Many processes moved to Shoreline - all forms are now electronic, online scheduling calendars for on call psychiatrists are used, program e-bulletins were created.

• All online and electronic resources and platforms were now found through Shoreline creating a one-stop shop for all things Ontario Shores. Staff now had access to the performance management system, learning management system, telephone directory, IThelpdesk, online clinical library all through Shoreline.

• Shoreline launched March 31, 2014, on time and on budget. Weekly team meetings reviewed expenses with proposed budget to address discrepancies and manage costs. Selected a vendor that agreed to complete project for a flat rate to reduce risk of hidden, unexpected costs that can negatively impact budget and ability to meet project goals.

• Staff directory had an individual staff profile for every staff member. Photos were added with the option of removing or changing the photo. Pre-populated fields use the data from other databases to ensure accurate and up-to-date information. 90% of new staff who join the organization volunteer for a photo for the Shoreline profile. Printed copies of the directory are no longer produced, only online directory is used.

• During the first week of launch, less than 5% of calls were about assistance for Shoreline indicating staff were able to find the information they needed, use the new functions and applications without assistance and provided resources of the virtual tour, handouts and demos met their information needs.

*As a non-profit healthcare organization, the measurement of our goals and objectives are not financially-based.

Please note: due to the confidential nature of the organization’s work and strict IT policies, access to Shoreline cannot be provided to those outside of Ontario Shores. Screenshots, demos and materials have been provided in the work sample to highlight the features of the site.

1. Entrant’s Name: Julia Oosterman 2. Organization Name: Toronto Central CCAC (Community Care Access Centre) 3. Division/Category: 1.2 Government Relations 4. Title of Entry: Connecting With Our Stakeholders: Toronto Central CCAC’s Government

Relations 5. Time Period of Project: July - December 2014 6. Entry Summary (100 words):

The Toronto Central Community Care Access Centre (CCAC) serves 78,000 clients each year who live in 14 different Ontario MPPs constituencies. Due to ongoing political sensitivities and issues that directly affect the perception and funding of the CCAC, it was imperative that the organization maintain strong relationships with its MPPs. Regardless of their political affiliations, MPPs have considerable clout regarding TC CCAC services and directives, as well as serving a valuable role as a conduit to the community “pulse”, a reality that impacts both constituents/clients and staff. Accordingly, facilitating strong partnerships with MPPs was a natural and necessary goal.

Team Member Names: Julia Oosterman (Director), Samantha Kemp-Jackson (Manager) Business Need/Opportunity Healthcare is political. This is a fact that is understood both at the organizational level at the TC CCAC as well as within the offices of MPPs and other political figures. The decision to fund healthcare related initiatives, the various contentious issues that pertain to healthcare service and delivery and the public perception of healthcare are points of interest to all parties involved. From the perspective of the TC CCAC, having advocates on the political stage is necessary, as a supportive nod from an MPP in the legislature can provide positive results for TC CCAC clients, who are also constituents. Conversely, constituents/clients often go directly to their local MPPs for resolution of problems. Depending on the nature of the problem and the political climate in which it arises, it may be escalated with the potential of being profiled in media channels – a difficult reality if the issue is difficult to solve in a timely fashion. For these and other reasons, it is imperative that the key stakeholders within the TC CCAC encourage positive relationships with MPPs and their staff so that any issues that arise can be quickly addressed directly and solved before they become larger problems within the public sphere. As well, constituents often turn to their MPPs for help finding services, including those of the TC CCAC, so having MPP staff understand and support referrals to the organization was key. To this end, the Communications team at TC CCAC devised a strategic plan to reach out to these influencers and their staff. Stakeholder Analysis - MPPs – Each MPP was targeted as the primary influencer and audience for this campaign - MPP Constituency Assistants - Including all staff and assistants who work within the

offices of each MPP. They have influence over MPPs, and are often the first people to speak with constituents with questions or complaints.

Goals/Objectives

1. Understand the role of the CCAC and the value we bring to clientsTo increase awareness of the Toronto Central CCAC as a non-bureaucratic, client-focused community resource for residents in the Toronto Central area

2. To have at least one of the two high-profile MPPs (Minister of Health and Long-Term Care MPP Eric Hoskins or Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne) publicly acknowledge the important work of the Toronto Central CCAC.

3. To position Toronto Central CCAC as a thought leader regarding community healthcare, homecare support and client service

Quantifiable objective:

4. To facilitate solid relationships with at least 8 of the 12 MPPs and staff as evidenced by completed one-on-one visits to the MPP offices,

5. To complete home visits by 5 MPPs to clients within their constituency riding 6. To have 10 Constituency Assistants visit TC CCAC to attend a session geared to

educating the audience on the role of the CCAC Solution Overview The MPP outreach strategy included these elements undertaken in order to reach the campaign goals: - Create a multi-faceted plan of action that included outreach to MPP stakeholders through a

variety of methods and tactics - Create interest and facilitate availability of TC CCAC key influencers to meet with MPPs and

staff through one-on-one meetings and a specific event at the TC CCAC office - Encourage constituency visits between each MPP and a CCAC client within their riding,

along with a Care Coordinator from TC CCAC to further underscore the important work done by TC CCAC staff

- Provide ongoing information and support to each MPP and constituency office via various methods including social media, newsletter updates, emails, riding information/statistics and more

Key Messages Much of the key messaging to MPPs and their staff focused on the TC CCAC’s work in helping constituents/clients as well as it being a community partner to MPPs: 1. The Toronto Central CCAC is committed to providing the highest quality of care and support

to members of the community, as evidenced by the organization’s motto “Outstanding Care, Every Person, Every Day”

2. The Toronto Central CCAC is a dedicated partner to all MPPs within its catchment area, and provides necessary services and supports to any constituents requiring information, referrals or care

3. Through information-sharing, referrals and ongoing connection, both MPPs and the TC CCAC can make a considerable difference in the lives of local CCAC clients and their families.

Strategies and Tactics Multi-pronged and strategically times, the Communications team at TC CCAC employed the following in an effort to achieve the stated goals: STRATEGY: Introduction Letters Pinpointing each MPP office individually, personal letters of introduction were sent Each letter included a welcome, an overview of the TC CCAC and more specific information

about the MPP’s riding and it’d demographics Since there had been a recent election, outreach and letters were tailored to each MPP,

whether new or returning All letters included a call to action for the MPP to work in direct partnership with the TC

CCAC in support of mutual clients/constituents as well as to underscore the availability of TC CCAC Communications as a support to any questions related to services or homecare

STRATEGY: Information Sharing – Annual Report TC CCAC Annual Report was shared with each MPP Report provided a detailed snapshot of all areas of the TC CCAC’s service offerings and

work within the community in addition to financial/operational details By providing specifics and details regarding the TC CCAC to the MPP stakeholders, we were

able to gain credibility by underscoring our achievements with solid facts and statistics

The annual report solidified our presence as a well-needed, recognized and supported community service that would provide each MPPs constituency with a committed partner

STRATEGY: Connect With Key Influencers – The Premier and Minister of Health As both the Premier of Ontario (Kathleen Wynne) and the Minister of Health (Dr. Eric

Hoskins) are also both MPPs in the TC CCAC catchment, it was imperative to gain both their attention and support due to the considerable influence that they had regarding the public’s perceptions regarding the TC CCAC

The Communications team at Toronto Central CCAC made a concentrated effort to garner relationships and recognition from these key influencers through direct communication including email, phone, face-to-face meetings and direct tweeting.

STRATEGY: Relationship-Building Through Influencer Event – Constituency Assistant’s Day An event that was specifically geared to the Constituency Assistants at each of the MPPs

offices was planned with the purpose of solidifying relationships as well as providing information to these key influencers about the work done by the TC CCAC

The event included an agenda that offered information, a first-hand account of the work done by a Care Coordinator, a presentation on complaint resolution, constituency concerns and waitlists, and Q&A’s that offered detailed information to the attendees

Home visits with one of our clients who was also a constituent, accompanied by a Care Coordinator, were arranged directly following the event, with others to be scheduled

STRATEGY: Home Visits for MPPs To provide a greater understanding of the work that the TC CCAC provides within the

community and our role in the healthcare sector, home visits for MPPs to one of their constituents who was receiving TC CCAC care was coordinated in each riding

“A day in the life” of a TC CCAC Care Coordinator and client would showcase the valuable nature of the work provided by the organization

Relationship-building between each MPP and the TC CCAC CEO, Stacey Daub was one of the goals related to achieving these home visits

Implementation and Challenges The project had a budget of $0. The planned tactics were implemented, primary challenges were: 1) High-Profile MPPs – We have both the Minister of Health and Long-Term Care (Dr. Eric

Hoskins) and the Premier of Ontario (Kathleen Wynne) as MPPs in our catchment area. These two MPPs are arguably the highest profile MPPs in the province. For this reason, it was a challenge to connect with them in order to achieve our goals due to their many obligations and busy schedules. We needed to make ourselves known and be heard above the many voices vying for their attention.

2) Home Visits – Finding clients/constituents that would agree to have an MPP come to their home for a visit was a challenge due to the sensitive nature of the request. The process included sourcing a client internally through TC CCAC Care Coordinators, liaising with family members, coordinating with Care Coordinators and scheduling visits. The visits were also a challenge as many MPPs had busy schedules that were booked months in advance – during which time, our clients’ health status could change significantly.

Measurements/Evaluation 1. To increase awareness of the Toronto Central CCAC as a non-bureaucratic, client-focused

community resource for residents in the Toronto Central area.

Achieved: Each MPP’s constituency office received substantial information from the TC CCAC team including fact sheets, brochures, bookmarks and magnets with the Toronto Central CCAC’s contact information that has been readily distributed to members of the community, encouraging constituents to contact us whenever needed. Julia Oosterman and Samantha Kemp-Jackson from TC CCAC met with a positive reception from some of the MPPs that they visited as evidenced by social media postings by Han Dong and others.

2. To have MPPs recognize the Toronto Central CCAC’s services as valuable and necessary

for the community. Exceeded Objective: In November 2014, the Toronto Central CCAC received the highest honour in Ontario: the Minister's Medal Honouring Excellence in Health Quality and Safety. Toronto MPP and Minister of Health and Long-Term Care, Eric Hoskins, presented the award to the TC CCAC and referenced the organization’s leadership and work and championed the positive effect that the TC CCAC’s efforts have had on the community. Minister Hoskins also asked the TC CCAC to prepare a video that highlights its work within palliative care that could be shared with various audiences. Video URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kiTN2_dLHRQ

3. To have at least one of the two high-profile MPPs (Minister of Health and Long-Term Care

MPP Eric Hoskins or Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne) publicly acknowledge the important work of the Toronto Central CCAC. Exceeded Objective: Minister of Health and Long-Term Care and MPP Eric Hoskins publicly acknowledged the important work of the TC CCAC by awarding the organization the highest honour in the province for health quality – Minister's Medal Honouring Excellence in Health Quality and Safety.He also personally presented us with the award at the Health Quality Ontario conference and shared his support of the TC CCAC on Twitter 6 times. Premier Kathleen Wynne has mentioned the good work done by the TC CCAC on record in the House of Legislature.

4. To position the Toronto Central CCAC as a thought leader regarding community healthcare,

homecare support and client service Exceeded Objective: Receiving the prestigious Minister’s Medal positioned the Toronto Central CCAC as a trusted thought leader and innovator within Ontario’s healthcare field. Many MPPs have reached out to Stacey Daub, TC CCAC CEO and other members of the organization for information and insight on a number of healthcare and community-related issues. Quantifiable Objective:

7. To facilitate solid relationships with at least 8 of the 14 MPPs and staff as evidenced by completed one-on-one visits to the MPP offices, Exceeded Objective: As of December 31, 2014, TC CCAC CEO Stacey Daub has successfully met with all 14 MPPs within the Toronto Central CCAC region.

8. To complete home visits by 5 MPPs to clients within their constituency riding

Exceeded Objective: 6 MPPs have completed a home visit with a client and TC CCAC Care Coordinator.

9. To have 10 Constituency Assistants visit TC CCAC offices.

Exceeded Objective: All 14 Constituency Assistants visited TC CCAC head office for Constituency Assistants’ Day. This resulted in the Communications Team and the CEO’s Executive Assistant forming solid relationships with the MPP staff attendees, which has resulted in subsequent communications and frequent interactions between the parties.

2015 IABC OVATION AWARD SUBMISSION – WORK PLAN

Entrant’s name Gary Williams, Corporate Communications departmentOrganization name City of Vaughan

Division/category Division 1: Communication managementCategory 3: Internal communications

Title of entry City of Vaughan Internal Communications StrategyTime period of project January 2014 to December 2014

Entry Summary

The City of Vaughan launched its first Internal Communications Strategy in January 2014 to ensure employees are aware of the City’s strategic direction, priorities and other key internal messages that impact them, and reinforce the organization’s vision, mission and values. The strategy’s goal is not about informing staff from the top down, but about building a culture of listening and meaningful engagement at all levels. Several tactics were implemented under this strategy, including a social intranet platform, to enhance employee engagement and create a positive and inclusive corporate culture. To date, the strategy has been successfuland met strategy objectives.

1. BUSINESS NEED/OPPORTUNITY

Prior to the creation of the Internal Communications Strategy, a strategic, overarching direction for communicating with employees had never been implemented at the City of Vaughan. Internal communications had been sporadic, focusing primarily on one-off messaging or projects. Employee feedback indicated a strong need for a co-ordinated approach to internal communications. A focus group conducted in July 2013 revealed managers and supervisors from all departments emphatically believed internal communications must improve, that communications with senior management generally happened only during emergencies and that their input is not sought regularly.

In 2012, a consulting firm gathered information from City employees on internal communications. Employees expressed interest in obtaining more information about the City and a willingness to contribute to sharing information about what they do. They found that employees are eager to get involved and want to provide input about their work. An employee engagement survey also conducted in 2012 highlighted areas for enhancement — one being appreciation and recognition of the value of staff contributions as a key driver for engagement.

Based on the research, the Corporate Communications department identified an opportunity to improve the internal communication function, recognizing it to be not only a powerful investment in transforming morale and ensuring a high-performing organization, but also a motivator for shifting the corporate culture to one that’s more open and engaging.Enhanced internal communications contributes to increased productivity among employees and strengthens loyalty.

2. STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS

The Internal Communications Strategy is targeted to all Vaughan employees from directors, managers and other office staff, to those who do not have access to computers or corporate email, including snowplow operators, parks and forestry crews and road workers.

According to the 2012 employee engagement survey, Vaughan employees were low to moderately engaged. Only 36 per cent of staff felt valued and appreciated for their contributions and only 26 per cent of staff felt that recognition was applied consistently. Departmental silos were cited by staff as creating barriers to communication, resulting in a lack of information sharing across the organization. Directors and managers also expressed a lack of communication, planning and information sharing, with a need for better communication from senior management.

3. GOALS/OBJECTIVES

The goal of the Internal Communications Strategy is to inform and engage City of Vaughan employees in a meaningful way while reinforcing the organization’s values of respect, accountability and dedication. Key objectives include:

a) Increase the level of employee satisfaction with internal communications (success indicator: 70 per cent satisfaction rate for internal communications within six months of strategy launch)

b) Connect and engage with employees using new internal communications channels — including two-way opportunities (success indicators: 50 per cent of employees are using a new social intranet platform six months after launch and 70 per cent are engaged by the end of 2014)

c) Actively engage with staff without access to computers or corporate email (success indicator: 30 per cent of outside staff are engaged through the staff newsletter six months after launch)

d) Form an Internal Communications Committee to engage staff from across the organization on the Internal Communications Strategy and reflect perspectives from various employee groups (success indicators: members represent 100 per cent of the organization and attend 80 per cent of committee meetings)

The Corporate Communications department worked to achieve this goal with a budget of $30,000.

4. SOLUTION OVERVIEW

The Internal Communications Strategy takes a multi-faceted approach to informing and engaging staff. This includes the launch of an Internal Communications Committee — made up of staff from across the organization — in February 2014 to assist with the implementation of the strategy and speak on the various communications needs of staff. New technology and traditional methods were used to implement the strategy and ensure staff at all levels and locations, including outside workers without access to corporate email, have an opportunity to contribute and be connected and engaged.

The introduction of Jostle, a social intranet platform, to enhance employee engagement and provide a two-way communications channel was a central component of the strategy. This cost-effective program allows the participation of all City employees who have access to the software from any Internet-enabled device, at home or work. Jostle launched on Jan. 29, 2014 and has since become the central two-way communications tool used to engage employees. Corporate news is shared regularly on the Jostle newsfeed, with the option to target information to specific employee groups and/or locations. Each employee has the ability to celebrate their department’s successes by sharing updates, notices and employee announcements. Staff can recognize their co-workers through “shout-outs” that are posted publicly on the Jostle newsfeed and emailed to the shout-out recipient. Staff can post comments and ask questions easily and in real time while at work, on the go or at home from their personal computers, smartphones or tablets.

Another key tactic was the launch of Vaughan’s first internal staff newsletter. Planning and development began in July 2014 to prepare for the newsletter launch on Oct. 31, 2014. Called Vaughan Connects, this uniquely designed hard-copynewsletter makes information sharing easier for staff without regular access to the Internet. This low-cost tactic keeps all staff informed and connected to the City, builds pride in the workplace and engages all levels of staff by keeping them informed of City projects, events and happenings across the organization. The newsletter is also a demonstration of recognition highlighting both individual and departmental achievements and a space to share photos. It’s an opportunity for staff to submit their own newsletter stories and ideas, and serves as a resource for staff looking to stay connected, providing them with information about the City’s various internal channels, including email, phone and Jostle.

The strategy also includes opportunities to enhance communications between the City Manager and all employeesthrough regular email updates and video communications. Jostle provides an interactive channel to share updates on City Manager messages and projects, allowing staff to connect directly with the City Manager from any Internet-enabled device at any time by posting questions or comments. The strategy also outlines a face-to-face initiative that gives the City Manager an opportunity to meet and engage with staff from all departments in an informal setting. These sessions would allow each department to connect with the City Manager on big-picture issues and matters impacting their jobs.

5. IMPLEMENTATION AND CHALLENGES

Implementing the Internal Communications Strategy has not been without challenges. Introducing change across the organization isn’t easy, and support from management was needed to champion the cause and ensure the success of the initiative. The team delivered several presentations to senior management outlining the benefits of enhancedcommunications among staff and secured their support for Jostle, a central piece of the Internal Communications Strategy. Vaughan remains one of the first municipalities in North American to implement an innovative social intranet platform like Jostle. The team continues to share regular updates with senior management on the success and progress of Jostle.

A “countdown to launch” campaign began months in advance of Jostle’s unveiling and included all-staff teaser emails andmarketing materials. Corporate Communications worked in collaboration with the City Manager to ensure Jostle’s success, and developed messaging from the City Manager to encourage staff to embrace the new tool. The team also connected face-to-face with staff, visiting all departments and various locations to share information about Jostle and answer questions. The launch was also supported by an open house event and several “lunch and learn” sessions in an effort to provide continued support to staff with the new tool. Several other campaigns were run to encourage staff to activate their Jostle accounts, set up their profiles, share updates and recognize their colleagues with a post, with continued emphasis on Jostle’s ease of access either from work or at home and two-way capabilities.

To keep the momentum going, Corporate Communications developed several regular news features on Jostle, catering to the news and information staff want to receive, including a video series featuring a Vaughan employee and their job titled What Do You Do Wednesday, information on Vaughan’s historical records and artifacts, new staff announcements and welcome messages, a Safety First/Healthy Worker column and more.

Enhancing communications with all staff in an organization of more than 1,000 is challenging when more than 200 staff donot have access to corporate email. Launching a newsletter in hard-copy format meant that staff without regular access to computers could still feel connected to the organization, with Jostle providing at-home and mobile access for all employees. Jostle maintains an operating cost of $25,000 per year and the staff newsletter costs approximately $2,200 to print and distribute per year. Together, they allow Corporate Communications to connect with all staff.

The department’s role in implementing the Internal Communications Strategy is multi-faceted, and includes being innovators, content curators, marketers, facilitators, troubleshooters, trainers and champions of the cause. The time and resources required to make the strategy a success are challenging with a small department. Corporate Communications is a team of nine employees who spent close to 1,000 hours from November 2013 to December 2014 on the implementation of the strategy. The Internal Communications Strategy was one of 18 priority projects for the department in 2014. To address this challenge, a decentralized approach to Jostle was employed, which includes appointing and training staff from each department to become regular content contributors, editors and ambassadors. Corporate Communications also leveraged continued support from the Internal Communications Committee to provide different insights and perspectives on internal communications with input from staff. This provided an opportunity to prioritize communications challenges and take a more collaborative approach to implementing the strategy.

6. MEASUREMENT/EVALUATION

Corporate Communications continually measures the progress of the Internal Communications Strategy and there have been many successes to date in terms of the objectives outlined in section three of this submission.

a) Satisfaction with internal communicationsCorporate Communications successfully met the objective to increase staff satisfaction with internal communications as 70 per cent of staff surveyed six months after the launch of the strategy said they were satisfied. Staff have indicated that they “really like the Jostle platform, an excellent way to connect internally” and that “we are moving in the right direction” in

terms of internal communications. Other positive feedback include: “Looking forward to using this new communications tool [Jostle],” “Can't wait to learn about all the new features in Jostle and about others in the corporation,” “You guys have done a great job. One of the first in Canada [to implement Jostle]!” and “With the advancement of technology… Jostle is in my opinion the epitome of what a contemporary interactive social network should be… Good job all!”

b) Connect and engage with employees through new communications channelsEngagement levels on Jostle far exceeded the outlined objectives. A 60 per cent adoption rate on Jostle was achieved six months after it launched (this refers to the total number of staff that were invited to join Jostle who activated their accounts to access the platform). By the end of 2014, this number grew by approximately 10 per cent. This indicates that more than half of staff are engaging with the new tool, connecting with other staff and accessing corporate information on a regular basis. In June 2014, news and articles posted on Jostle achieved more than 1,400 unique views. In December 2014, that number increased by 243 per cent as news was viewed more than 3,400 times by staff. Since Jostle’s launch, news has achieved more than 23,000 unique views, with an average of one new article published to the site per weekday.

Results also indicate that staff are interested in learning more about their colleagues. In June 2014 alone, staff profiles on Jostle were viewed more than 500 times, and by December 2014 that number more than doubled as staff profiles were viewed more than 1,100 times. Staff profiles contain information about each user, including photos, biography, work history, skills, interests, qualifications and achievements. This has successfully broken down many “silos” across the City.

c) Engage with staff without access to computers or corporate emailTo engage staff early in the newsletter initiative, Corporate Communications invited staff to submit their suggestions for what to name the newsletter. This provided an opportunity for staff to take ownership of the new initiative and to contributetheir feedback. More than 100 name suggestions were received from staff. The submissions also indicate that within only two months of the newsletter launch, 10 per cent of staff without access to computers or corporate email actively participated in the initiative, which means the newsletter is on track to meet the strategy objective of reaching 30 per cent of outside staff within six months of launch. Based on feedback received from the Internal Communications Committee, outside staff enjoy the newsletter content and like having a means of staying connected with the rest of the organization.

d) Maintain support for the strategy through the Internal Communications CommitteeThe Internal Communications Committee has met seven times since it was formed in early 2014, with an 80 per cent attendance rate per meeting. The committee also represents 100 per cent of the organization. Corporate Communications met the strategy objective of representing 100 per cent of the organization in January 2015 when two new members joined. The committee is a valuable resource for providing guidance, support and feedback on internal communications at the City of Vaughan from the perspectives of staff within the various departments and their communications needs.

The City of Vaughan has evolved from an organization in which internal communications was sporadic and not strategic to one with a diverse approach to communications and a committee dedicated to enhancing communications across the organization by providing input on the kind of communications staff want and need.

In one short year, Corporate Communications has effectively initiated what has so far been a successful Internal Communications Strategy. Seventy per cent of staff are engaging with each other on a new and innovative social intranet that can be accessed from work or home on any Internet-enabled computer, smartphone or tablet. Vaughan is one of the first municipalities in North America to introduce this technology to its organization. Most staff stay connected through thenew staff newsletter, which has had only three issues go to print and is already on track to transcend the challenge of reaching and engaging staff without access to computers or corporate email. The strategy has taken communications between the City Manager and staff to a new level through new two-way, face-to-face and video and email opportunities. Establishing an Internal Communications Committee has provided an opportunity to bring together staff who represent 100 per cent of the organization to address communications challenges and work together to build a stronger and more meaningful work environment for staff.

1 Entrant’s Name: Andrew Hilton, Director of Communications and Marketing Organization’s Name: Waterfront Toronto Division Category: Division 1/Category 7a: Special Event with budget up to $50K Title of Entry: Official Opening of Corktown Common Time Period of Project: January 1, 2013 – December 31, 2014 Entry Summary: In July 2014, Waterfront Toronto opened Toronto’s newest park, Corktown Common with an official ribbon cutting ceremony with prominent representatives from three levels of government, followed by a community event with over 500 people from across the city in attendance. We achieved 216 media stories and a total of 163,057,928 impressions. We established the park as an innovative piece of infrastructure that is protecting more than 500 acres of Toronto’s downtown from flooding and asserted Waterfront Toronto’s role in creating sustainable, livable mixed-use communities. Following the event, Corktown Common received Popular Science’s prestigious Best of What’s New award. 1. Business Need/Opportunity

Business Need Created in 2001 by the Governments of Canada and Ontario and the City of Toronto, Waterfront Toronto is the public advocate and steward responsible for revitalizing 800 hectares (2,000 acres) of underutilized and neglected industrial lands on Toronto’s waterfront into beautiful, sustainable mixed-use communities and dynamic public spaces. With a 25 year mandate and $1.5 billion of government seed capital, this is the largest infrastructure project in North America and one of the largest waterfront redevelopment initiatives in the world. Since 2004, we have improved or created 23 parks and public spaces. We are currently building new neighbourhoods in East Bayfront and West Don Lands and will complete the revitalized Queens Quay Boulevard this summer. As we hit the half-way mark of our mandate this year, it’s crucial that we secure $1.65 billion in public investment to substantially complete the next phases of revitalization.

In June 2012, Waterfront Toronto undertook public opinion research through an Ipsos Reid survey of the City of Toronto and Greater Toronto Area residents. This research measured public opinion on: what makes a great waterfront, support for waterfront revitalization, awareness of Waterfront Toronto and our revitalization progress. Of the 1,005 respondents, 94 per cent said that revitalizing the waterfront is important but only 43 per cent were aware of Waterfront Toronto’s work. In addition, only 17 per cent thought that Waterfront Toronto was doing a good job leading the revitalization and 53 per cent didn’t know. This presented an opportunity for us to improve how effectively we communicate to the public. Business Opportunity With our newest and one of our largest parks, Corktown Common (in the West Don Lands), nearing completion in 2013, we recognized the opportunity to use its opening to build awareness of Waterfront Toronto and how we’re revitalizing the waterfront. Hosting an official opening and community celebration would allow us to engage with and create positive relationships with newly appointed representatives from all three levels of government. The park would demonstrate the importance of flood protection and the essential work Waterfront Toronto is undertaking to transform brownfield lands into sustainable, livable communities. The event would also allow us to say thank you and give back to the existing community for their patience throughout construction of the park and the surrounding area of West Don Lands, part of which is being used for the Athletes Village for the Toronto 2015 Pan/ParaPan American Games.


Local Community: Residents living in the downtown east, neighbouring the West Don Lands were part of our key demographic. Specifically, targeting park and nature enthusiasts, families (parents with young children), and cyclists who are naturally drawn to parks and public spaces. We also wanted to target young urban professionals (aged 30-40) who have steadily been moving into the area.

Toronto Media: In order to reach our target audience, we aimed for significant coverage in local publications that cover Toronto news, architecture and urban development, including The Grid (former), Torontoist, Toronto Life, BlogTo, and Urban Toronto. Also important was getting prominent coverage in key daily Toronto newspapers including the Toronto Star and Globe and Mail, which the majority of our target demographic reads.

2 Government Partners: We wanted to engage and create good working relationships with newly appointed government representatives, including Joe Oliver, Minister of Finance and MP for Eglinton-Lawrence, Hon. Glen Murray, Minister, Environment & Climate Change and MPP for Toronto Centre; Norm Kelly, Deputy Mayor; and Pam McConnell, Councilor, Ward 28 for the City of Toronto. The event was an opportunity for them to raise their profile locally, and provided a positive media and speaking opportunity on waterfront revitalization.

3. Goals/Objectives

Goal: Educate and strengthen our relationships with government partners and create public awareness (particularly in the surrounding community) regarding the importance of waterfront revitalization and the vital flood protection infrastructure we’re delivering that is transforming former industrial areas and attracting private investment.

Objectives:

1. Launch a successful naming contest that would generate more than 300 suggestions and 1,000 votes in partnership with a prominent urban Toronto publication.

2. Secure prominent speakers (Ministers and Deputy Mayor) from all three levels of government. 3. Throw a well-attended celebration (300+ people) for the community without exceeding $30,000 budget 4. Secure 150 media stories about Corktown Common that reach an audience of 50,000,000 - roughly 20 times

Toronto’s population – and generate 1,000 social media engagements. These stories should give our government partners the opportunity to discuss their part in creating the park, the West Don Lands and waterfront revitalization, and capture key messages about: How the park provides flood protection for more than 500 acres of Toronto’s eastern downtown How the park is an innovative, sustainable landscape, adding a unique asset to the community and city How Waterfront Toronto is creating sustainable, livable new neighbourhoods, like the West Don Lands

5. Build social media following by 15 per cent, unique visitor traffic on our corporate website by 15 per cent and 20 per cent on the Corktown Common page.


Pre-Event (Jan 2013 - April 2014)

Naming Contest: To build anticipation and awareness for Corktown Common, we teamed up with The Grid TO magazine and launched an online naming contest to directly engage the general public. We strategically partnered with The Grid TO because of its wide appeal to one our key audiences – Toronto urban readers interested in local Toronto news, architecture, and urban development – and attracting about 400,000 unique visitors online and over 300,000 print viewers each month.

The six week naming contest began April 11, 2013 and the winner was announced on May 22, 2013. We initiated the contest immediately before the park opened to the public to establish hype and excitement. We promoted the contest on The Grid TO (print magazine, website, and social media), through Waterfront Toronto’s website and our social media platforms. Using traditional media relations, we also generated significant coverage on other outlets.

Event (May 2014 - July 2014)

We opted to host two distinct events - an official ribbon cutting with our government partners followed by a community celebration - in order to reach multiple audiences simultaneously. A photographer and videographer were hired to capture both events. The final video and photos were sent post-event to media and our government partners. Both events were heavily promoted over social media and the hashtag #corktowncommonparty was used to follow online conversations.

Official Ribbon Cutting: An official ribbon cutting ceremony with our government partners was the best strategy to say thank you and provide a significant media opportunity. The event was held on a weekday morning to ensure the greatest number of government representatives and media could attend. The second event was held in the evening to better accommodate the community. Our government relations department helped us secure a date and time that worked for representatives from all three levels of government including: Hon. Joe Oliver, Minister of Finance and MP for Eglinton-

3 Lawrence; Hon. Bal Gosal, Minister of State (Sport) and MP for Bramalea, Gore, Malton; Hon. Glen Murray, Minister, Environment & Climate Change and MPP for Toronto Centre; Norm Kelly, Deputy Mayor; and Pam McConnell, Councilor, Ward 28 for the City of Toronto. We supplied key messages, a fact sheet, Q&A’s, event scenario, and a news release to help educate the government representatives about the park and revitalization progress. These materials ensured that our key messages were incorporated into the speeches and media interviews at the event.

We sent an electronic invitation two weeks prior to the event, followed by a reminder just in advance of the event. We also directly engaged key stakeholders and partners, including Dundee Kilmer, Urban Capital, and Friends of Corktown Common. We advertised on our website calendar of events, and promoted on our Facebook and Twitter accounts during the two weeks leading up to the event. The public and community were encouraged to attend.

We undertook a comprehensive media relations campaign that consisted of print, online, and broadcast networks in Toronto to secure positive media coverage and educate the public on our initiatives. We used key messages that framed Corktown Common as a must-see destination with an innovative design, unique landscape, and amazing city sightlines. We issued a media advisory two days prior and followed up directly with key reporters and news desks. The press release was issued to coincide with the official ribbon cutting with quotes from all government representatives and event photos.

Community celebration: In order to host a community picnic with complimentary food and entertainment, we reached out to our development partners to co-sponsor the event. Co-sponsor logos were included on all event materials to highlight their contributions. The event was promoted through our website, blog, e-newsletter, and social media channels (Facebook & Twitter).We also reached out to stakeholders, partners, and media to help promote the event.

The event included a live band and a DJ to entertain guests. A free BBQ with snow cones, cotton candy and other sweets were provided to over 300 people. In order to highlight park features - splash pad, playgrounds, swings and natural landscape - the event was strategically staged across the park. Soccer balls, bubbles, Frisbees and other freebies helped animate all areas of the park to demonstrate how it could be used throughout the year.

Post Event (August 2014 - November 2014)

We created a series of digital content that highlighted the events, the park and its features. A blog post with event images recapped the success of both events and was promoted through social media. A brief synopsis of the event was also included in our monthly e-newsletter.

A video highlighting both events was produced to further educate our key audiences. It featured government representatives, partners, community members and Waterfront Toronto staff. The video was sent to journalists, bloggers, community members, stakeholders, and our government partners. Promoting the video on social media helped generate more than 1,200 views within the first few weeks. We continued our media relations campaign, reaching out to targeted journalist in an effort to sustain coverage.


Budget: The original $30,000 budget included all event related expenses including: food, entertainment, audio visual support, event transportation, bike valet, photography, videography, portable washrooms, pre-event and post-event cleanup, and miscellaneous expenses. Through sponsorship, our development partners were able to absorb the cost of food and entertainment, reducing Waterfront Toronto’s total cost for the event to $20,000. Key Challenges Timing: We needed a date that worked for representatives from all three levels of government, including a federal minister, provincial minister and the deputy Mayor of Toronto. Budget: Waterfront Toronto is fully funded by all three levels of government and must be fiscally responsible. Because we are highly scrutinized, the event budget had to be minimal. As a way to deliver a good community event and offset our costs, we sought sponsorships with our development partners, Urban Capital and Dundee Kilmer, who are the developers in the area of the West Don Lands, adjacent to the park. This was a mutually beneficial agreement that provided profile for the partners and ensured the financial responsibility of Waterfront Toronto.

4 Weather: This was an outdoor event with no possibility of moving indoors that required a backup plan inclement of weather. As a precaution, we had tents on standby. No paid advertising: As a government organization, advertising is frowned upon. We relied solely on sponsorships, earned media, social media, our e-newsletter database, website and partners to promote both events. Location: With the neighbourhood still under construction, there were very few residents living in the community surrounding the park. We engaged with nearby communities (Distillery District and Corktown) to help drive event attendance. To overcome the lack of public transit access, a service disruption on the TTC route and very limited public parking, we offered a free continuous shuttle service with convenient parking from the nearby Distillery District. We encouraged cyclists to use the new access from the Don Valley Trail and offered complimentary bike valet service. 6. Measurement/Evaluation

Objective 1: After establishing a partnership with The Grid TO and launching the Naming Contest, we received 450 suggested names and more than 1,500 votes from across the city - 33 per cent more than our target.

Objective 2: We managed to secure several high-profile government representatives for the official ribbon cutting, including Ministers and the Deputy Mayor. For full list of government representatives in attendance, please see page 3.

Objective 3: Approximately 500 people attended the community celebration - 40 per cent higher than our goal of 300. Also, roughly 100 people used the shuttle bus service and approximately 100 people used the bike valet service. In partnering with Urban Capital and Dundee Kilmer, we were able to provide a range of food and entertainment and managed to come in 30 per cent under our original budget, with the total cost for Waterfront Toronto being $20,000.

Objective 4: Our media relations efforts resulted in 216 media stories about Corktown Common and a total of 163,057,928 impressions - more than three times our target goal of 50 million. We also managed to generate 1,775 social media engagements. The event and government partners were featured in each of our target publications including The Grid (former), Torontoist, Toronto Life, BlogTo, Urban Toronto, Toronto Star and Globe and Mail. In five of the stories, Waterfront Toronto or Corktown Common was mentioned in the first two pages of the publication or during peak broadcast times. In 48 of the stories, Waterfront Toronto or Corktown Common was mentioned in the headline, lead of an article or first five minutes of a news broadcast. Media highlights that captured our key messages about how Waterfront Toronto has created an innovative, sustainable landscape, adding a unique asset to the community and city include:

● BlogTO declared that Corktown Common had to set a new standard for Toronto Parks ● Toronto Life included Corktown Common in a list of Toronto’s 10 most inspiring green spaces ● Toronto Star cited Corktown Common as a peak moment in making Toronto better in 2013 ● The Globe and Mail named Corktown Common as best in architecture in the 2014 Best of Life ● Torontoist named Corktown Common one of the best places that influenced the city in 2013

All of our key messages were conveyed in at least 30 per cent of the 216 media stories from January 2013 to December 2014. Our prime key message that Corktown Common is a vital piece of infrastructure that is flood protecting more than 500 acres of Toronto’s eastern downtown was achieved in more than 40 per cent of all media stories. As a result of our successful media relations strategy, Popular Science awarded Corktown Common with a 2014 Best of What’s New award in the Green Category for its innovative and sustainable design.

Objective 5: Our Facebook page saw a 15 per cent increase in ‘likes’ during July and August 2014, while our average follower growth on Twitter increased from an average of 10 people/day to 15 (a 2 per cent monthly average growth increase). Traffic on our corporate website increased 18.5 per cent and traffic on the Corktown Common webpage increased a sizable 87.8 per cent - an additional 60 per cent more than our original objective.

1

2015 OVATION Awards Communication Skills and Communication Creative Division

Abbreviated Work Plan

Entrant: Jim Jackson Division/Category: Div. 3. Category 18: Other Graphic Design/3D

Organization: Intact Insurance Time period: 5/2014 to 11/2014 Entry title: Double Your Points Program

Entrant’s role: Sole graphic designer.

Your team members (if applicable): Project description: (100 words max) At the mid-point in a larger sales campaign, we needed a way to boost participation. Starting August 22, we provided double the rewards points to those who reached their goal. Each participant was sent a box that was filled with Dubble Bubble gum to play off the double points offer. The branded red box also included the bonus details. The gum was a great way to grab these busy brokers’ attention and cut through the usual promo clutter.

1. Describe the organization. (1200 characters)* Intact Insurance (Intact) is Canada’s largest provider of home and business insurance. We have grown over the years through several acquisitions and have been in the market as the Intact brand for just over five years. In the province of Ontario, Intact is a leading insurer in the Commercial Lines business with a large share of small and medium-sized enterprises and commercial auto insurance. These products are sold through more than 800 independent insurance broker offices (brokers) across Ontario. Within Ontario, there are five Intact regional offices that service the various Commercial Lines brokers. The business insurance industry in Canada is competitive with approximately five major competitors making up this industry. Intact is the market leader in the business insurance sector. Our marketing and communications team supports Intact Insurance’s Ontario division, and its five geographical regions. These regions support the brokers who operate in that area, providing them with underwriting and business development support.

2. Why was this project undertaken? (1200 characters)* Brokers in Canada don’t exclusively sell insurance products, so relationships between Intact and their brokers are critical. In 2014, the commercial lines business needed to generate more sales, as we were below target and brokers were moving business from us to our competitors. A campaign was launched enabling brokers to set sales goals and receive rewards for reaching their goals. Mid-way through the campaign, participation was below target. It was determined that the campaign needed a boost to help remind participating brokers about the campaign and to encourage brokers that had not participated to begin the program. The timeline on the project was tight with a little over a week. Since there was no specific budget assigned for a mid-program promotion, the project needed to take a low-cost approach. We wanted to ensure the message got to the participants, so we determined that a physical item that would stay in front of our audience prompting them to action. In response, a

2

“double-points promotion” was activated, and was communicated to brokers via a box of “Dubble Bubble Gum” and a printed card with details about the program.

3. Who was the audience(s) for this project? What do you know about the audience(s)? (1200 characters)* The target audience for this campaign was Intact Insurance Ontario Commercial Lines brokers who were the participants in this campaign. These individuals work in an insurance broker office (brokerage) in Ontario that sells Intact Insurance products as well as up to six other insurance companies’ products. This campaign focused on a select group of 100 Commercial Lines brokers who were selected by the regional offices, and were defined as recently disengaged from Intact, but had performed well for us in the past. According to our regional offices and internal data, these brokers are mostly male, over the age of 40 and traditional in their communications preferences. Extremely motivated by success and financial rewards, these brokers operate in a highly competitive and potentially lucrative industry. Anecdotally, we know that at minimum, these brokers make about $200,000 CAD per year. Where a personal home and auto broker might typically work in an office and as part of a team, commercial brokers are true independent sales people who are even competitive with others within the brokerage.

4. List up to three key measurable objectives for the project. How well did the project meet the objectives? (1200 characters)* The “Double Your Points Program” was intended to boost participation in the campaign at the half-way point and ensure participants were encouraged to reach their sales goal. Participation was as important as sales results, so we added the objective of decreasing the amount of participants who hadn’t sold anything or very little to ensure that people were engaged with the campaign. We had already met the campaign’s sales objective by the half-way point, so we added an objective to increase the total sales by an additional 30%. Decrease the number of participants who have sold 0-25% of their goal from 74 to 37 by campaign’s end. Result: Exceeded. 36 participants sold 0-25% of their goal by campaign’s end. Increase the participants who reached their goal so at least one third (31) reached their goal by campaign’s end. Result: Met. 31 participants reached their goal by campaign’s end. Increase the value of all policies sold by an additional 30% from the original sales objective of $1.3M (which was nearly met at that point) to $1.69M by campaign’s end. Result: Exceeded. Value of all policies sold by campaign’s end = $2.569M.

5. List up to three key messages for the project. (1200 characters)* - If you achieve your target by October 2, you will win double the award points! - Your commitment to Intact Insurance through Commercial Lines and Specialty Solutions business is a key element to the success of our organization. - We want to thank you for supporting us as we change our approach to Commercial Lines.

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6. Describe the resources (budget, time, others) available for the project and

how effectively they were managed. (1200 characters)* When the determination to produce a mid-campaign promotion was made, we wanted to maximize the opportunity for our participants to take advantage of the program. Therefore the timeline on the project was tight with a little over a week and since there was no specific budget assigned for a mid-program promotion the project needed to take a low-cost approach and leverage our in-house resources. The printing of the cards and the packing of the boxes were done in house. The boxes were ordered from a local supplier and the order was placed with a U.S. bulk candy supplier for the gum. Budget: Gum, boxes = $560.00 Shipping = $360.00 Timeline: Aug. 13: Decision to implement double points offer Aug. 14: Approval for double points. Target launch date: August 22 (six business days later) Aug. 15: Dubble Bubble and red boxes ordered Aug. 15: Insert card designed and printed in house Aug. 18: Red Display Boxes Delivered Aug. 19: Gum Delivered Aug. 20: Boxes assembled and filled Aug. 21: Distribution of Double Points promotion gum boxes to internal stakeholders Aug. 22: Produce mailing addresses labels to selected brokers Aug. 22: “Intact Double Points” boxes placed into distribution

*Character limit includes spaces. Please note: this entry has been formatted for the Winning Entries Booklet. Per new guidelines, all Communication Skills and Communication Creative entries are completed online using a submission form which is based on the above questions.

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Entrant: Kathryn Chopp Division/Category: Div. 2. Category 16: Multimedia or Digital Content

Organization: Electrical Safety Authority with Argyle Communications

Time period: Nov.14/14 -Jan.1/15

Entry title: The Electrical Safety Authority’s Holiday Electrical Safety Campaign

Entrant’s role: GM Communications & Stakeholder Relations: Managed campaign development and execution, including internal and external resources.

Your team members (if applicable): Electrical Safety Authority: Nancy Evans, Kathryn Chopp, Farrah Bourre, Kara Fraser, Carol Keiley Argyle Communications: Daniel Tisch, Roanne Argyle, Louis Payette, Marc Budgell, Ashley O’Connor Environics Research Group: Susan Seto, Jillian Barber Project description: (100 words max) With the holidays come festive lights and sparkling decorations – and electrical safety risks that could turn a joyful occasion into a tragedy. The Electrical Safety Authority's (ESA) holiday safety video shows Ontarians the importance of keeping electrical safety in mind during the holiday season. ESA's video highlights important electrical safety tips for installing and purchasing holiday decorations, information everyone should know as they deck their halls for the holidays.

1. Describe the organization. (1200 characters)* The Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) is an administrative authority of the Ontario government. Its role includes raising awareness of electrical safety issues and making Ontario a place where people can live, work and play safe from electrical harm. Ontario is a large market with more than 13.6 million adults who live in small, large and rural communities within more than one million square kilometres. The chief objective of ESA’s communications efforts is to ensure Ontarians are aware of key electrical safety hazards and behave in a safe manner around electrical systems and products.

2. Why was this project undertaken? (1200 characters)* ESA has a mandate to promote public electrical safety in the province of Ontario. ESA’s 2014 consumer research study reveals that electrical safety is not top of mind with consumers within the context of household risks and hazards. Ontarians have trouble identifying electrical safety hazards in their homes, and in qualitative research, participants could not describe the consequences of electrical hazards. The holiday season brings together many electrical hazards into a few short weeks. Stringing holiday lights on trees and their homes often brings people close to powerlines – with a fatal result in the case of one individual in 2012. In addition, numerous house fires are caused each year by faulty, deteriorated,

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damaged or misused electrical decorations. ESA designed its holiday electrical safety campaign to take advantage of the opportunity to bring electrical safety electrical safety top of mind with consumers by connecting it to the annual holiday decorating tradition in an engaging way. At the centre of ESA’s holiday safety campaign was a 100-second video ‘Put Electrical Safety at the Top of Your List this Holiday Season’.

3. Who was the audience(s) for this project? What do you know about the audience(s)? (1200 characters)* Audience: Consumers contemplating/undertaking holiday decorating Primary Audience: Segment #1 ‘Sensible Suburbanites’ - Very low awareness of and engagement with electrical safety and ESA. Communications priority: inform them; fill in substantial gaps in awareness and knowledge about electrical safety. Primary Audience: Segment #2 ‘Eager Urbanites’ - Somewhat higher awareness of/engagement with electrical safety, but not enough to differentiate between what looks safe and what is safe in all circumstances. Communications priority: Give them more reason and information to further support safe behaviours Secondary Audience: Segment #3 ‘Weekend DIYers’ - Discerning and relatively knowledgeable and well-versed. Communications priority: Collaborating -- work with them for informed DIY decisions. Secondary Audience: Segment #4 ‘Lawful Homekeepers’ - More engaged with electrical safety and can recognize electrical hazards. Communications priority: Advocating - provide means for them to advocate for their and others’ safety.

4. List up to three key measurable objectives for the project. How well did the project meet the objectives? (1200 characters)* Educate consumers undertaking holiday decorating about the electrical hazards associated with the products, their installation, use and storage. Measure and target: Video views (all clips/sources): 750 Result: 3,173 video views – target exceeded. Increase ESA’s presence and influence in earned and social media. Measure and target: Video interactions including likes, shares and comments (from social media): 414. Video referenced in stories in at least three regional news markets. Result: 525 video interactions – target exceeded. Video referenced in stories in seven regional news markets – target exceeded. Engage stakeholders to extend campaign reach. Measure and target: 20 partners sharing video with their networks. Result: 23 local electricity distribution companies promoted the video through social media and their websites; Ontario Fire Marshal’s Public Fire Safety Council distributed the video to all of its member fire services across Ontario for use in public education events – target exceeded.

5. List up to three key messages for the project. (1200 characters)* 1. Every year thousands of Ontario consumers purchase and install holiday lights and decorations without realizing the potential electrical hazards.

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2. How to decorate safely: ensure holiday decorations have a recognized certification mark – this proves they have been tested and meet safety standards; look for overhead powerlines when hanging outdoor lights and decorations and never use damaged extensions cords and remember not to overload outlets to avoid a fire. 3. Visit esasafe.com for more electrical safety information.

6. Describe the resources (budget, time, others) available for the project and how effectively they were managed. (1200 characters)* The budget available for ESA’s holiday safety campaign was $28,000 or approximately two per cent of the department’s annual budget for communications and stakeholder relations. ESA initiated the project in January 2014 with a mandate to create a seasonal campaign with multi-purpose creative assets that could be re-purposed and reused in subsequent years. ESA made the decision to invest $21,000 of the campaign budget into an animated video that could be re-purposed into other digital content including memes, e-cards and visual assets incorporated into ESA’s website. In addition, more than 23 organizations shared the video with their networks across Ontario, allowing ESA to reduce its spend to achieve reach. Finally, the investment in video content allowed ESA to make a compelling media pitch (including a video news release) to television stations who were eager to incorporate the visuals in their segments or link to the video from their websites. Media pick up resulted in 26 stories with the video mentioned in 81 per cent of these stories and when combined with social media distribution, the video drove campaign reach to more than 9.3 million impressions against a target of 2.7 mil


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Entrant: Jess Duerden Division/Category: Div. 2. Category 15: Publications

Organization: Institute for Canadian Citizenship

Time period: 08/2014 to 10/2014

Entry title: Institute for Canadian Citizenship's Annual Report 2013 - 2014

Entrant’s role: As the Director of Communications, Jess Duerden represents the voice of the Institute for Canadian Citizenship and was the driving force behind the 2014 Annual Report. She held the dual roles of project manager and main contributor. She provided the thematic vision and guided the designer through the creative process. She was also responsible for drafting content, gathering visuals and collaborating with multiple stakeholders including partners, volunteers and new citizens to ensure all voices were included.

Your team members (if applicable):

Project description: (100 words max) The Institute for Canadian Citizenship’s 2014 annual report was titled, Including the new Canadian voice. A theme that drove content while affirming the ICC’s position as connectors to — and for — Canada’s newest citizens. The report visually highlights the ICC’s success and stories: all photos are members of the ICC’s network (no stock images), and each section opens with a new citizen feature, followed by supportive quotes from ICC’s network of donors, partners and collaborators. The report was sent to 37,000 members of the ICC’s network and was featured in its monthly newsletter, reaching an additional 45,000 new citizen program members.

1. Describe the organization. (1200 characters)* The Institute for Canadian Citizenship (ICC) is a national, non-profit charity that helps accelerate new citizens' integration into Canadian life through original programs, collaborations and unique volunteer opportunities. While our focus is on encouraging new citizens to take their rightful place in Canada, we want all citizens – new or not – to embrace active citizenship in their daily life. The ICC is founded and co-chaired by the Rt. Hon. Adrienne Clarkson and John Ralston Saul.

2. Why was this project undertaken? (1200 characters)* The Institute for Canadian Citizenship’s Annual Report is an opportunity to highlight the successes of the past year. It provides an opportunity for us to reinforce our efforts to be connectors to — and for — Canada’s newest citizens by illustrating the numerous occasions and ways we’ve embraced this role. It provides a platform for us to thank those who support and echo our efforts of

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inclusion. It’s a tangible example of the breadth and depth of our work that we can share with our network of partners, donors, collaborators, volunteers, friends and new citizen program members. Lastly, it creates a space for us to introduce the rest of the country to the amazing new citizens we meet on a daily basis by sharing photos from their citizenship ceremonies and quotes about their participation in our programs, as well as the positive impact of that participation.

3. Who was the audience(s) for this project? What do you know about the audience(s)? (1200 characters)* This project is a chance for us to reach our full network and introduce others to us. Our new citizen program members are a key audience. Approximately 250,000 permanent residents settle in Canada each year, and 85% choose to become Canadian citizens. The majority are between 35 - 44 years of age, highly educated, and their cultural backgrounds mirror the top source countries of Canadian immigrants. Other target audiences include: Donors: current and potential Partners: including members from the arts and culture sectors — the leaders and the frontline employees of galleries, museums, parks and historic sites (approximately 1,200 across the country). Citizenship and Immigration Canada – a donor and major partner Our national network of volunteers: 221 committee members, uber volunteers who’ve been with us for an average of three years; many were once new citizen members of our programs. Roundtable Hosts: 725 community leaders who’ve volunteered at our special community citizenship ceremonies. Our internal team and Board of Directors: representing a variety of backgrounds and between the ages for 25-76, highly educated and passionate about citizenship, belonging and inclusion.

4. List up to three key measurable objectives for the project. How well did the project meet the objectives? (1200 characters)* Objective 1: Reach 20% of our network within one month from the report’s release date. Result: Achieved. PDF of the report sent to 37,116 with an open rate of 26%, and 200 hard copies were distributed to potential donors and collaborators. Objective 2: Secure a member from each of the four categories of ICC ambassadors to be featured in the report two months prior to the print date. Result: Achieved. One photo and one supporting quote from each category of ambassadors (new citizen, volunteer, donor and partner/collaborator) were collected and featured respectively. Objective 3: Produce the report within three months of the fiscal year end at an efficient cost of $11,000. Result: Achieved. Work on the report began on August 5 and it was shared with the ICC’s network on November 11. Project was under budget by approximately $1,000.

5. List up to three key messages for the project. (1200 characters)*

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- The ICC is the only organization dedicated to new citizens. We are the connectors to — and for — Canada’s newest citizens. - Canada is at its best when new citizens are fully included — culturally, politically, economically and socially. - New citizens are inspiring and engaging with much to contribute to our country’s success; many are simply looking for an opportunity to participate, to be heard.

6. Describe the resources (budget, time, others) available for the project and how effectively they were managed. (1200 characters)* Timeline: Aug – Oct, 2014 Resources were managed extremely well given the very tight timeline for the project. Outputs were produced in both English and French: print Annual Report, digital Annual Report, promotional web banners for the ICC’s website and social media channels. Jess Duerden, the ICC’s Director of Communications managed the project and produced the content, in addition to her other duties and the planning of a major event in October. Each Program Manager (3) contributed to the draft and final approval of their respective section. Additional support was sought for: design, translation and professional proofing. Here are the cost details: Design: $5,650.00 Staff Photo: $150.00 Translation: $1,374.35 Proofing EN: $640.00 Proofing FR: $180.00 Printing: $2,135.70 Total cost: $10, 130.05 The total budget allocated for the report was $11,000. Being a non-profit, everything was produced in a cost-efficient manner to get the most value out of limited available resources.


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Entrant: Tara Haselden Division/Category: Div. 2. Category 15: Publications

Organization: Manulife Time period: 05/01/2014 to 12/15/2015 Entry title: Solutions Entrant’s role:

Project manager Your team members (if applicable): Tara Haselden, Lisa Arnold, David Marcus, Stephanie Schweitzer, Carolyn Zaum Project description: (100 words max) Solutions is a personal finance and lifestyle magazine featuring articles that help motivate clients to speak with their financial advisor about the issues that matter to them. Articles are educational, free of product recommendation, and help to reinforce the value of advice.

1. Describe the organization. (1200 characters)* Manulife Financial is a leading Canada-based financial services group with principal operations in Asia, Canada and the United States. In 2012, we celebrate 125 years of providing clients strong, reliable, trustworthy and forward-thinking solutions for their most significant financial decisions. Our international network of employees, agents and distribution partners offers financial protection and wealth management products and services. These products and services include individual life insurance, group life and health insurance, long-term care services, pension products, annuities, mutual funds and banking products. We provide asset management services to institutional customers worldwide and offer reinsurance solutions, specializing in property and casualty retrocession.

2. Why was this project undertaken? (1200 characters)* Solut!ons magazine was launched in 2002. Manulife was looking for a new way to promote their annual fall retirement planning campaign. The result was Solut!ons magazine, a free marketing resource to help advisors share relevant financial planning information and strategies with their clients. Content is free of Manulife product mention allowing advisors the opportunity to engage clients in a conversation about their overall financial goals. These conversations help financial advisors deepen their client relationships, build trust and prospect new clients. In 2014, Solut!ons magazine was refreshed with a new design, updated branding, more content, and new writing consumer centric writing style.

3. Who was the audience(s) for this project? What do you know about the audience(s)? (1200 characters)* Solutions magazine has a unique two pronged target audience. The content is crafted and designed not only for financial advisors, but also for clients, meaning that our content must be crafted and designed to appeal to both groups. Each edition Solutions focuses on a different demographic of consumers and their unique needs:

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• Spring – aged 25 to 40: These consumers want to set financial goals and establish a budget. They are focused on their day to day finances, reducing and establishing an emergency fund while saving for a house /large purchase. Many are looking for a reliable advisor. • Fall – aged 55+: Their financial priorities include saving for retirement or generating a steady retirement income, paying off debt, reducing income tax and ensuring loved ones are financially secure (in event of their death). • Winter – aged 40 to 55: Their financial focus is to reduce debt, save for retirement, protect their loved ones or help aging parents with their finances.

4. List up to three key measurable objectives for the project. How well did the project meet the objectives? (1200 characters)* Project objectives: 1) Motivate prospects and clients to speak with their advisor about financial issues that matter to them. 2) Create stories that resonate with clients, aligned with financial solutions across all Manulife product lines. 3) Distribute a minimum of 90,000 copies of Solut!ons magazine per edition Surveys show us that overall satisfaction ratings retain high (over 90%) with both advisors and their clients. Circulation remains strong with an average distribution well over 95,000 copies per edition.

5. List up to three key messages for the project. (1200 characters)* 1) Get involved in the coversation about your finances 2) Work with a professional advisor 3) Keep informed when it comes to your finances. With so many choices when it comes to: saving, spending, insurance, borrowing and investing, developing financial literacy skills can help you make decisions with confidence.

6. Describe the resources (budget, time, others) available for the project and how effectively they were managed. (1200 characters)* Total annual budget for 3 issues/year = $250,000 (CAD). Promotion - $0 – all promotions were done using the internal resources: Repsource banner ads (advisor website portal), eNewsletters, articles and ads in Manulife produced publications (Advisor Focus, Fund Focus), social media and company sponsored conferences and seminars. Solutions magazine was delivered on time and under budget.


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Entrant: Jacqui d’Eon, ABC MC Division/Category: Div. 2. Category 15: Publications

Organization: the Communications Department

Time period: 03/2014 - 06/2014

Entry title: OASW 2013 – 2014 Annual Report

Entrant’s role: The Communications Department was engaged by the Ontario Association of Social Workers to write, design and produce their 2013-2014 annual report. This report also celebrated OASW's 50th Anniversary.


Project description: (100 words max) 2014 marked the 50th anniversary of the founding of the OASW which advocates for the social work profession and provides its members with the opportunity to share knowledge and enhance the influence of the profession. OASW wanted to break away from their traditional approach to communications beginning with their 2013/14 annual report. OASW engaged the Communications Department in March 2014. The report was printed for distribution at OASW's Annual General Meeting on May 30, 2014. Report recipients were asked to complete a survey about the report following the meeting. Based on survey results, the report exceeded all of its objectives.

1. Describe the organization. (1200 characters)* On behalf of its 4636 members the Ontario Association of Social Workers (OASW): • advocates for the profession and social justice; • continually ensures the social work profession is recognized by law as part of the medical profession in Ontario; • provides professional development and networking opportunities; and • gives its members access to a range of services. As membership in the OASW is not a prerequisite for practicing social work in Ontario, the association needs to consistently prove its membership value to attract and retain members. 2014 marked the 50th anniversary of the association.

2. Why was this project undertaken? (1200 characters)* The OASW wanted to use the 2013-2014 annual report to; celebrate its achievements over the past 50 years, prove its value to members, re-engage members and attract new members. In February 2014, OASW completed a member survey. Overall, members were very satisfied with the services they received from their association. However, many members were unaware of the scope of services and activities of the association. The 2013-2014 annual report was an opportunity to showcase the association as the sum of its parts and highlight the tremendous achievements of the OASW

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over the past half century. Previous annual reports had been text dense without any illustrations. The 50th anniversary was a perfect occasion to make a major demarcation in tradition for the association and mark the beginning of a new era. OASW wanted this report to be have a polished appearance but not appear too expensive or “flashy”, as members might see that as extravagant and wasteful. The content of the report, in addition to providing a synopsis of the year’s achievements was shaped by the information needs identified by members in the member satisfaction survey completed in February.

3. Who was the audience(s) for this project? What do you know about the audience(s)? (1200 characters)* OASW members are highly educated and predominantly female. They work in a variety of social service roles in hospitals, government agencies, private practice, schools, etc. in both urban and rural areas across the province. 34% have belonged to the association for less than five years and 53% are between the ages of 40 and 59. Social workers work with socially disadvantaged individuals or groups and are therefore highly critical of wasteful spending. As membership in the Ontario Association of Social Workers is not a prerequisite for practicing social work in Ontario, the association needs to consistently prove its membership value to attract and retain members.

4. List up to three key measurable objectives for the project. How well did the project meet the objectives? (1200 characters)* We used this 50th anniversary report to get baseline feedback from the members who received the report at the annual meeting. With a 91% response rate (41 responders) recipients enthusiastically and overwhelmingly proved the report had achieved its three main objectives: 1. Enhance the pride of being a member: 97.4% agreed the report made them proud to be a member of OASW 2. Reinforce the value of membership: 94.9% agreed the report demonstrates the value of the association to its members 3. Improve understanding of the services of OASW: 97.4% agreed that the report gave them a better understanding of OASW

5. List up to three key messages for the project. (1200 characters)* Our goal was to reinforce three themes: pride, value of membership and understanding the range of OASW services. • Pride: OASW has a proud 50-year history of achievement. • Value of Membership: OASW offers members a range of valuable services relevant to their professional practice. OASW spends members' dues judiciously. • Understanding of OASW: OASW services can benefit every social worker and include: advocacy for social justice; promotion of the profession; professional development; practice insurance; job searches, etc.

6. Describe the resources (budget, time, others) available for the project and how effectively they were managed. (1200 characters)*

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With a budget of only $10,600 and a short ten-week timeline to write, translate, design and print 300 copies of the English version and 50 copies of the French, this project needed to be executed effectively and efficiently. The project team included three members of the association’s staff, two professional communicators and a graphic designer. The project was completed a week early and under budget by $750! The surplus was applied to measuring the impact of the report with its initial recipients. We set our timeline, review/approval process and budget at the outset (see table below). Next we determined the overall vision for the report, the important areas for emphasis, what to keep from previous reports, and what new things should be added. Then we set the design criteria including colour scheme and number of pages. From that point, work progressed on the writing and layout of the final report.


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Entrant: Sharon Bray Division/Category: Div. 2. Category 16: Multimedia or Digital Content

Organization: Sun Life Financial Time period: 11/2013 to 03/2014 Entry title: It's your move! The Rogers Communications Wealth Accumulation Plans transition--video podcasts

Entrant’s role: Sun Life and Rogers collaborated on the production of the video podcasts, with Sun Life writing the scripts and directing the shoots, and Rogers providing the talent, crew and locations, and also providing the editing services. The moving text graphics were created by an animator, contracted by Sun Life.


Project description: (100 words max) Transitioning the Rogers wealth accumulation plans to Sun Life from the previous provider was a Herculean undertaking that affected 27,000 Rogers employees across Canada. Employees received communications in phases, with pre-transition information rolling out in November 2013 prior to the transition the first week of January 2014. With past participation in the plans lower than Rogers wanted to see, education was an important component of the transition communications, which were developed to provide information in a variety of ways that would resonate with all employees--a diverse group with an average age of 37.4 years.

1. Describe the organization. (1200 characters)* Rogers, a leader in the Canadian telecommunications and media industry, went to market in late 2012 to find a new provider to administer their wealth accumulation plans (pension and savings plans) and provide financial communications to their 27,000 employees located across Canada. After a rigorous RFP process, Rogers chose Sun Life Financial as the new record keeper (the Defined Benefit pension plan stayed with the previous provider, but Sun Life was engaged to promote the importance of enrolling in that plan as part of the overall communications strategy since enrolments into the plan were much lower than Rogers wanted to see). As an employer, Rogers prides themselves as being among the very best in Canada, particularly in terms of giving opportunity to young Canadians starting their careers, and to people from all ethnic groups, including new Canadians. In 2014, they received the Canada’s Top Employee for Young People award for the 5th straight year. They were also recognized as Canada’s Best Diversity Employer for 2014, and in 2013, were listed among the 50 most engaged workplaces across Canada. A critical component of the Rogers employee value offering is their Wealth Accumulation Program (WAP). With the majority of their employees under the age of 40 (the average age is 37.4), the Rogers large, ethnically diverse, young employee base is made up of widely varying roles and income levels.

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2. Why was this project undertaken? (1200 characters)*

While Rogers offers a leading wealth accumulation program, they wanted to take participation to a new level by offering an education program to assist employees with decision-making and sound planning that would help them reach their financial goals. It was important to inspire them to learn to use the WAP effectively. Industry benchmark studies were conducted by Rogers with a consultant to help set ambitious but realistic targets. Rogers had challenges similar to those across other industries, such as: • low participation in voluntary savings plans • employees not maximizing employer matching contributions • employees not taking advantage of online planning tools • low enrolment in the Defined Benefit pension plan Communicating the move to Sun Life offered an opportunity to leverage communications in a way to raise general plan awareness and understanding about the WAP among employees. Rogers has a fiduciary responsibility to educate employees about investing. It was essential to communicate details about the plans and provide clear messages around how the plans in the WAP, including the Defined Benefit plan, all work together for a total savings strategy to fulfill this

3. Who was the audience(s) for this project? What do you know about the audience(s)? (1200 characters)* The campaign was directed company-wide at 27,000 Rogers employees across Canada. The campaign took into account the diversities within the employee group including varying ages, ethnicity, income levels and investment knowledge, as well as the varied work roles and schedules: Call centre, cable technicians, Toronto Blue Jays baseball club, stadium staff, television and radio, corporate, store and kiosk workers, and both union and non-union groups. Demographics All Employees Customer Care & Retail Excluding Customer Care & Retail Full-time employees 23920 6695 17225 Part-time employees 4609 3181 1428 Average age 37.4 yrs 31.66 yrs 40.34 yrs Average salary $58,910 $36,665 $70,668 Average yrs of service 7 yrs 4.3 yrs 8.44 yrs # of salary employee 23705 6693 17012 # of hourly employees 4824 3183 1641 Male 16490 4970 11520 Female 12039 4906 7133 Union 1951 0 1951 Non-Union 26578 9876 16702 Research has shown that GenY employees (those in their 20s and 30s) want easy access to information that’s easy to understand. Working for an electronic leader in communications, we knew that they had access to digital channels. An effective, integrated communication approach wa

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4. List up to three key measurable objectives for the project. How well did the

project meet the objectives? (1200 characters)* Three measureable objectives: • Transition 100% from previous provider by transition date • Maximize participation to targets—40% (Actual: 106%) increase over same time period in previous year in Defined Benefit pension plan enrolments, 60% (actual 105%) in stock plan enrolments, 25% (actual: 50%) in Global RRSP enrolments, 40% (actual: 73%) in Blue Jays pension enrolments and 5% (actual: 4.7%) in the new Global TFSA • See podcast views rank in the top 10 of Rogers news items during launch periods The level of complexity of this plan move demanded a Herculean effort by people involved to ensure that timelines were met. All employees were migrated to Sun Life’s systems on time and without issue. Between January 7 and the end of February, Sun Life’s member site had more than 80,000 visits from Rogers employees! They were accessing the site from multiple devices, and not just from their work computers. Usage was so high that it vaulted this new client to the #2 position in terms of website activity among all of Sun Life’s 5,000 clients. Clearly our strategy around providing easy access to information electronically had been the right call.

5. List up to three key messages for the project. (1200 characters)* 1. Your wealth accumulation plans are moving to Sun Life. 2. Enrol in the plans 3. Use the tools and information sources available to develop savings behaviours that will lead to a secure financial future.

6. Describe the resources (budget, time, others) available for the project and how effectively they were managed. (1200 characters)* The video podcasts were taped and edited in-house by CityTV staff (Rogers employees) around their regular production schedules. The CityTV building in Toronto was also offered up and we literally had the run of the place in terms of set selection, with top-notch lighting and technical capabilities at out fingertips—absolutely fabulous! CityTV newscasters Melanie Ng and Adrian Ghobrial also worked around their on-air schedules for taping. Scripts were written in-house at Sun Life, in collaboration with Rogers pension experts. The only hard costs associated with the video podcast production covered the animation that was produced to demonstrate some of the information being discussed by the hosts. Graphics were cleverly used to tie the Rogers and Sun Life branding together, nicely showcasing the partnership between the two companies. The total cost of the animation for all five podcasts was $10,000. This included both the English and French versions.

*Character limit includes spaces.

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Please note: this entry has been formatted for the Winning Entries Booklet. Per new guidelines, all Communication Skills and Communication Creative entries are completed online using a submission form which is based on the above questions.

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Entrant: Al Albania Division/Category: Div. 3. Category 18: Other Graphic Design/3D

Organization: Acart Communications and York Region Transit (YRT/Viva)

Time period: 5/2014 to 11/2014

Entry title: Superhero Entrant’s role: Acart Communications is the creative agency that worked on this campaign. York Region Transit (YRT/Viva) is the client, and The Regional Municipality of York is the government body which YRT/Viva falls under.

Your team members (if applicable): Acart Communications and York Region Transit (YRT/Viva) Project description: (100 words max) How do you engage an audience with basic, common sense safety messaging? It’s not a small task, but it is possible as was proven with YRT/Viva’s “Superhero” campaign (2013). It’s well-known that a “preachy” or condescending tone can turn off audiences. But instead of avoiding this tone, we played it up in an entertaining way by putting the words in the mouth of an ironic do-gooder. Inspired by vintage comic book PSAs, York Region Man relays transit safety messages through colourful illustrations and memorable scenarios. The objective was to influence students to seek out more information by going to yrt.ca/safety.

1. Describe the organization. (1200 characters)* This project was a collaborative effort between Acart Communications and York Region Transit (YRT/Viva). Acart Communications is an Ottawa advertising agency that specializes in social issues marketing. This includes the disciplines of social marketing, cause marketing and corporate social responsibility marketing in the private, not-for-profit and public sectors. Our understanding of the bigger motivations behind customer behaviour informs our strategic marketing and creative services. YRT/Viva (our client) offers local and rapid transit services in all nine York Region municipalities. More than 120 routes keep residents connected within York Region, as well as connecting services in the City of Toronto and the Region of Peel. In addition, Mobility Plus provides door-to-door shared-ride accessible public transit service for people with disabilities.

2. Why was this project undertaken? (1200 characters)* YRT/Viva is very proactive about rider safety and security. Having identified potential pedestrian hazards in and around the system, YRT/Viva set out to remind riders of what they need to do (and not do) in and around buses in order to use transit safely.

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Basic, common sense safety precautions – such as crossing at crosswalks, holding the handrail when the bus is moving, and not blocking exits – riders have heard before. It was our challenge to relay these common-sense safety messages in a fun, creative way that would get riders to pay fresh attention.

3. Who was the audience(s) for this project? What do you know about the audience(s)? (1200 characters)* The campaign was directed at youth (15 to 24 years old) – specifically high school, college, and university students. Attaining the attention of this tech-savvy, social audience can be challenging – especially when it comes to “preachy” safety messaging they have heard again and again. They are old enough to have a basic knowledge of standard safe transit procedures, but they may not always keep this information top-of-mind when they are hurrying to catch a bus or if they are distracted by their smartphone or a book. This audience is using YRT/Viva for many reasons including getting to and from school and work and to attend activities and events. We kept the audience’s characteristics, mindset, behaviours, and preferences in mind when we were developing concepts and choosing media outlets for the campaign.

4. List up to three key measurable objectives for the project. How well did the project meet the objectives? (1200 characters)* Specific objectives to indicate audience awareness and engagement included surpassing the following industry benchmarks by November 10, 2014: • 0.02% – average Facebook newsfeed ads CTR • 0.29% – average mobile geo-fence banner ad CTR By measuring impressions and click-throughs to the campaign landing page (yrt.ca/safety), we could evaluate if our ads were successful or not. Results are listed below. York University Digital Screens • 15-second spot on 11 screens • 2.2M impressions Online Banners • 120,000 planned impressions / 120,017 impressions delivered (0.03% CTR) Facebook Newsfeed Ads • 1,184,390 impressions • 0.855% CTR (vs. 0.02% benchmark) Mobile Geo-fencing • 1 km geo-fence around 47 high schools serving banner ad Flight 1:

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• 1,044,245 impressions • 0.45% CTR (vs. 0.29% benchmark) Flight 2: • 1,002,476 impressions • 0.58% CTR (vs. 0.29% benchmark) By achieving awareness and above-average CTRs we were able to show our campaign was successful in influencing the audience to learn more. Moving forward, this campaign will continue to live online and help riders use YRT/Viva’s system safely and confidently.

5. List up to three key messages for the project. (1200 characters)* The three main safety messages we focused on were to: • Cross at the crossing walk (wait for the crossing signal) • Hold the handrail while the bus is moving • Don’t chase after the bus through traffic

6. Describe the resources (budget, time, others) available for the project and how effectively they were managed. (1200 characters)* The budget for this campaign was approximately $100,000; this includes the media buy and agency fees. From start to finish, this project took three months to conceptualize and design. Due to the important nature of the content, an extensive and diligent approval process (lasting just over a year and a half) was required. Industry experts at YRT/Viva worked closely with the design team at Acart Communications to ensure the messages and depictions were on-point and accurate – this included many stakeholder presentations. Technical equipment and resources that were used to create this campaign include Mac computers, a team of professional designers, writers, editors and programmers, as well as a media planning and buying team.


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Entrant: Julia Oosterman Division/Category: Div. 3. Category 17: Publication Design

Organization: Toronto Central CCAC Time period: 04/2014 to 06/2014 Entry title: Toronto Central CCAC’s 50th Anniversary Annual Report Design

Entrant’s role: Involved in all aspects of final product, including: design, content, structure, layout, verbiage, sourcing photography. Oversaw all information architecture with regards to the annual report.

Your team members (if applicable): Julia Oosterman, Director; Brent Long, Fusion Design Group Project description: (100 words max) The Annual Report is TC CCAC’s only high-level reporting tool and an opportunity to reach the TC CCAC’s diverse stakeholders, contrasting the organization of 50 years ago with the one of today. Design emphasized the historical aspect of the report by using black and white photos of real clients and employees and combining them with historical photos. By reducing text, creating infographics and distributing as an interactive annual report with access to five videos and other content, the Annual Report has been used widely – including by influencers such as Members of Provincial Parliament.

1. Describe the organization. (1200 characters)* TC CCAC delivers homecare, placement into long-term care homes and connects our clients to other services in our community. Our caring and knowledgeable professionals work with people of all ages to determine what services they need to live independently and enjoy the best possible quality of life. Our services include: care coordination; in-home nursing; in-home pharmacy; physiotherapy; occupational therapy; mental health and addictions support; over-the-phone information and referrals to community services and matching people with a family doctor. In recent years, TC CCAC has overcome a number of challenges. There has been a general perception of CCACs as bureaucratic ‘middle men’ in the health care system. Yet, at the same time, TC CCAC has won a number of prestigious awards for innovative client-centred care.

2. Why was this project undertaken? (1200 characters)* The Annual Report is not a strict financial requirement, as it is for a public company, instead it is the TC CCAC’s only formally produced public-facing report. As such, it needs to offer a high-level view of where we’ve come from and where we’re going, aimed at multiple internal and external audiences. The Annual Report was originally planned knowing that a provincial election would be coming up – although not expecting it as soon as June. Since the

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Opposition party’s platform included dismantling the CCAC, it was more important than ever to convey our value as a healthcare organization. The Annual Report was conceived to have a very clean and simple look this year – respectful of the current fiscal climate and desire to show value for money. It would rely on photos, pull quotes and infographics to tell much of the story and text content would be limited per page. Photo heavy, with lots simple clean lines and digitally-delivered, this annual report would feel significantly different from previous years’.

3. Who was the audience(s) for this project? What do you know about the audience(s)? (1200 characters)* Primary audiences: External audiences were Toronto Central Local Health Integration Network (LHIN), MPPs, MPs and City Councillors. As a charitable organization that receives the majority of its funding from the provincial government and exists because of provincial legislation, the Ontario Ministry of Health, Toronto LHIN, and local MPPs are key stakeholders. Although we receive no funding from Federal MPs and City Councillors, clients may nonetheless contact their MP or City Councillor with questions or concerns. Hospital CEOs, important partners for our work and important influencers within our LHIN were also targeted. Secondary audiences: Externally, stakeholder associations such as the Ontario Association of CCACs and Ontario Medical Association, as well as community partners like Meals on Wheels. Many of our services are delivered by 26 contract service providers. It was important that all understand our priorities, as well as see evidence of the successes we were achieving. Internally, employees, especially new ones, needed to hear the key messages in order to increase their own engagement.

4. List up to three key measurable objectives for the project. How well did the project meet the objectives? (1200 characters)* a. Mark TC CCAC’s 50th Anniversary by highlighting changes to the organization in that time. Achieved: Historical details and photos were included, as was the TC CCAC 50th Anniversary logo. These are often commented on by external readers. b. Make the Annual Report interactive and easy to scan for busy people. Achieved: Five videos were incorporated which had not been seen by important thought leaders and others in the primary audience – this was a great way to entice them to view these well-produced, engaging and emotional videos, elaborating on some of TC CCACs prime innovations and objectives. Additional online content (e.g., a list of all TC CCAC’s 20+ service providers) was also included. Based on an employee survey, 72% of those who read the Annual Report used its interactive elements. c. Achieve 1000 unique views of the Annual Report in one year. Achieved: A link for the annual report was placed on the external website homepage. Click-through rates are at 1493. It is clear that media have been

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accessing the Annual Report this way, as references have appeared in media reports that were only available in the Annual Report.

5. List up to three key messages for the project. (1200 characters)* a. Home is where people want to be and homecare is the backbone of helping people heal, recuperate or die with dignity at home. We are an integral part of Ontario’s healthcare landscape. b. Over the past 50 years, our success has been because of the dedicated people who work for us, and the partners we work with in our community. c. Much has happened in healthcare over the past 50 years. We’ve gone from a focus on short-term nursing services for newly discharged acute care patients, to providing a complete range of support services designed to keep clients in their homes and out of hospital for as long as possible.

6. Describe the resources (budget, time, others) available for the project and how effectively they were managed. (1200 characters)* The budget was $8500 for design, including interactivity, and 45 hours of internal Communications employee time for planning, gathering materials and writing. Getting the annual report out in a reasonable timeframe, to use the past year’s statistics while remaining relevant, is always a challenge. Much of the work was done internally and coincided with major events like the 50th Anniversary Kick-off and Heroes in the Home, so it was a challenge just to keep the project moving and not allow it to get sidelined. For budgetary reasons, we used photos taken the year before. These photos were made black and white – this disguised great photos that readers may have seen in other communications materials (although most had not been used before). Historical photos were also used. Using black and white unified all these photos. And as the designer emphasized, using large, black and white photographs put the emphasis on the subjects: real clients, Care Coordinators and other TC CCAC staff. Other design decisions were that text was kept to a minimum, with call outs, bullet points and infographics delivering most of the information, and larger fonts to make it easier to read.


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Entrant: Julia Oosterman Division/Category: Div. 2. Category 14: Writing

Organization: Toronto Central CCAC Time period: 03/2014 to 04/2014 Entry title: Golden Words: Writing TC CCAC’s 50th Anniversary Celebration Speech

Entrant’s role: Provided strategic direction regarding the theme, important elements and key highlights that were to be included in the speech.

Your team members (if applicable): Julia Oosterman, Director; Bridget Newson, Writer Project description: (100 words max) In a year when the organization faced threats to its very existence from a number of quarters, we decided to make celebrating the 50th anniversary of our precursor organization a major focus for employee communications. The kick-off event was a celebration but also educational, nostalgic and reassuring. The speech, delivered by senior managers, needed to engage employees by telling the story of a resilient organization that had undergone many changes, but had survived in its essential services. The speech also reinforced how the organization had consistently grown and innovated, providing more services to more people with each passing decade.

1. Describe the organization. (1200 characters)* TC CCAC delivers homecare, placement into long-term care homes and connects our clients to other services in our community. Our caring and knowledgeable professionals work with people of all ages to determine what services they need to live independently and enjoy the best possible quality of life. Our services include: care coordination; in-home nursing; in-home pharmacy; physiotherapy; occupational therapy; mental health and addictions support; over-the-phone information, referrals to community services and matching people with a family doctor. There has recently been a perception of CCACs as bureaucratic ‘middle men’ in the healthcare system from some quarters, which threatens the morale of our employees. At the same time, TC CCAC has won a number of prestigious awards for innovative client-centred care.

2. Why was this project undertaken? (1200 characters)* In a year when a provincial election was anticipated and the Opposition party’s platform included dismantling the CCAC, we were committed to conveying our value as a healthcare organization, especially to our staff. TC CCAC Communications and senior management agreed that the 50th Anniversary of the founding of our precursor organization, The Home Care Program for Metropolitan Toronto, was an important milestone to celebrate. A kick-off event at the start of the year was a fun celebration but also educational, nostalgic and reassuring. A key element was the speech given by senior management that told the story of a resilient organization that had undergone many changes in name

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and territory served, but had survived in its essential services to clients. The speech also reinforced how the organization had consistently grown and innovated, providing new services to more people with each passing decade. And it needed to sometimes be funny – a tall order!

3. Who was the audience(s) for this project? What do you know about the audience(s)? (1200 characters)* The audience was all TC CCAC employees. This is a diverse group in terms of ages, backgrounds and training. None of them are old enough to remember 50 years back, and most are unaware of the history of our organization or the healthcare contexts of the past five decades. In this way, the pop culture references were important touchstones that unified many employees and helped orient them in time. Many employees perceived external threats to the organization, and had concerns about their own jobs. In particular, the looming provincial election and the possibility of a hostile party forming the government caused anxiety for many.

4. List up to three key measurable objectives for the project. How well did the project meet the objectives? (1200 characters)* a. Increase employee pride in organization. Achieved: We surveyed attendees, and 71.4% said the event (with the speech as its key communication element) increased their feelings of pride in TC CCAC. b. Improve employee knowledge of milestones in the organization’s history. Achieved: We surveyed attendees, and 71.4% said the event (again, with the speech as its key communication element) increased their awareness of TC CCAC history. c. Create a fun event that employees will enjoy. Achieved: A lot of laughter indicated the humorous elements were working; people lingered for cake afterwards, indicating enjoyment.

5. List up to three key messages for the project. (1200 characters)* • The organization has been through many changes (and many provincial governments), but has survived; the need for our services has increased. • We have always been a resilient and innovative organization (e.g., pioneering work with AIDS patients). • TC CCAC is a reflection of its incredible people, who are behind the “50 Years of Caring” this anniversary represents.

6. Describe the resources (budget, time, others) available for the project and how effectively they were managed. (1200 characters)* • The organization has been through many changes (and many provincial governments), but has survived; the need for our services has increased. • We have always been a resilient and innovative organization (e.g., pioneering work with AIDS patients). • TC CCAC is a reflection of its incredible people, who are behind the “50 Years of Caring” this anniversary represents.

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Entrant: Christina Basil Division/Category: Div. 2. Category 16: Multimedia or Digital Content

Organization: Toronto Hydro Time period: 07/2013 to 03/2014 Entry title: How we’re building an “invisible” transformer station

Entrant’s role: Christina, with the help of project leads, drafted the video script and managed its production with the agency. She also developed the strategy and oversaw the execution of the campaign.

Your team members (if applicable): Andrea Corkum, Jennifer Link, Matrix Post, Tom Odell, Shaun Pinard Project description: (100 words max) Toronto Hydro is investing in a new transformer station in downtown Toronto to help alleviate the strain on the neighbouring stations and better service our customer base. Toronto Hydro created an animated video to increase awareness about the project, showcasing its impressive engineering and construction, while educating viewers about the need for the station.

1. Describe the organization. (1200 characters)* Toronto Hydro owns and operates an electricity distribution system, which delivers electricity to approximately 736,000 customers located in the city of Toronto, the fourth largest metropolis by population in North America. We’re the largest municipal electricity distribution company in Canada and distribute approximately 18% of the electricity consumed in the province of Ontario.

2. Why was this project undertaken? (1200 characters)* Toronto Hydro operates five transformer stations in downtown Toronto. As a result of new development and population growth, the electrical load handled by some of these stations are nearing capacity. Between 2006 and 2011, the population in Toronto’s downtown increased by over 50%, while the population in the city as a whole increased by just over 9%, putting more and more pressure on the existing stations. To address this issue, Toronto Hydro is building a new transformer station, Copeland Station, near the historic Roundhouse north of Lakeshore Boulevard. Due to the scope of the project and location, there’s a natural interest in the project, especially since it’s disruptive to local businesses, vehicle and pedestrian traffic. It’s the first station to be built downtown since the 1950s and is Canada’s second underground transformer station. Copeland Station should be recognized as an important piece of Toronto’s infrastructure and a smart investment in the grid. We created an animated video to increase awareness about the project, showcasing its impressive engineering and construction, while educating viewers about the need for the station.

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3. Who was the audience(s) for this project? What do you know about the audience(s)? (1200 characters)* • Key stakeholders and businesses located near the construction site – including Leon’s Furniture, Toronto Railway Historical Association and Steam Whistle Brewery • Customers: o Residential - Approximately 654,000 accounts. The station is located in a high-traffic area, and many customers might have questions about the project and the potential impact to their bill o Business – Approximately 82,000 accounts generate approximately 80% of our revenue. Many key accounts are located downtown and will be served by the new station • City of Toronto staff and councillors - As the sole shareholder of the utility, the City of Toronto has a vested interest in our operations. Electricity has become an electoral issue, and councillors are an important audience because they are both potential supporters and critics • Employees – Approximately 1,600 comprised of skilled trades, engineers and professionals. Our employees serve as brand ambassadors, so it’s important to align and deliver consistent messaging, and educate this group about major projects and grid investment • Media – As a conduit to all audiences

4. List up to three key measurable objectives for the project. How well did the project meet the objectives? (1200 characters)* Objective 1: Reach 5,000 video views through Toronto Hydro’s social channels by the end of 2014. Results: Video has generated over 14,000 views to date on YouTube and Facebook Objective 2: Achieve a total reach of over 500,000 through social and media channels. Results: Achieved a reach of approximately 678,000 through social and media channels, such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, CNW and Urban Toronto.

5. List up to three key messages for the project. (1200 characters)* a. Copeland Station will serve as a much needed backup supply of power for high profile customers in the financial district, and will provide the downtown core with additional electrical capacity to sustain the equivalent of approximately 70 condo buildings. b. Should a severe storm blow through, the station is designed with flood prevention measures. c. The $195-million project is only the second underground station to be built in Canada, and when it’s complete, it will be virtually undetectable to the hundreds of thousands of visitors the area receives each year.


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Timeline: Began working on the script in the beginning of September 2013 and launched the video in February 2014 to coincide with a major project milestone – the arrival of the tunnel boring machine. We promoted the video through social and digital channels and had much success: • Copeland web traffic increased by 112% in the month of February • Promotional tweets generated over 50 retweets • Discovery Channel used the animation for b-roll in a feature about the project • Video received 467 likes and 224 shares Total Budget: Approx. $41,700 Script development – in-house Agency costs to produce animation – $40,700 Social media ads – $500 Creative for ads – in house Release - $500


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Entrant: Catherine Riddell Division/Category: Div. 3. Category 17: Publication Design

Organization: Toronto Central CCAC Time period: 05/2014 to 09/2014 Entry title: Discover Engineering Entrant’s role:

Department supervisor and senior editor. Submitting the entry on behalf of Raymond Cheah who should be recognized as the lead entrant.

Your team members (if applicable): Art director/Graphic designer: Raymond Cheah RGD Project manager: Jen Hsu Principle photographer: Neil Ta Additional photographers: Jacklyn Atlas, Roberta Baker, Sara Collaton, John Guatto, Mike Hawkins, David Moll and Blue Sky Solar Racing team. Copywriters: Jen Hsu, Michelle Beaton, Shilpa Gantotti, Micah Stickler and Liz Wolfe Editors: Jen Hsu, Sydney Goodfellow and Liz Wolfe Senior Editors: Althea Blackburn-Evans and Catherine Riddell Printer: Annan & Sons Ltd. Project description: (100 words max) "Discover Engineering" is an annual viewbook that is published for prospective undergraduate students by the Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering at the University of Toronto. Communication throughout the recruitment/admissions cycle is an important part of building relationships with our potential applicants and future students. Discover Engineering is the first publication many students receive in that cycle. The Discover Engineering brochure sets the aesthetic tone and key messages that will be repeated in many ways across the recruitment cycle; not just in print, but on the website, posters, through presentations, electronic communications (digital displays) and so on.

1. Describe the organization. (1200 characters)* The Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering at the University of Toronto is the #1-ranked Engineering School in Canada and has an international reputation for excellence in engineering education and research. It is a centre of immense inspiration, remarkable innovation and endless possibilities. Through collaborative and inter-disciplinary research, we address some of the world's greatest challenges and concerns, from finding sustainable solutions for transportation to increasing personal electronic security. Our students and professors come together to share knowledge and benefit from a creative environment where great ideas and innovative technologies are born.

2. Why was this project undertaken? (1200 characters)* The project was undertaken to better showcase our exceptional learning community located in downtown Toronto, one of the world’s greatest cities. We

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wanted to do this through increased visuals featuring current undergraduate students and effective info-graphics. Our user friendly content vividly describes the student life experience, curriculum and opportunities available in our Faculty and departments.

3. Who was the audience(s) for this project? What do you know about the audience(s)? (1200 characters)* • Primary Audience: Top high school students in Canada and across the world with an emphasis on women and international students • Secondary Audience: Parents and educators of high school students We know these prospective students possess strong analytical aptitude, attention to detail, show ability to think logically, and are mathematically inclined. They have great problem-solving skills and excellent technical knowledge, and are highly creative and socially aware. These students are high-achievers/go-getters who weigh all their options to make informed decisions.

4. List up to three key measurable objectives for the project. How well did the project meet the objectives? (1200 characters)* 1. Design a viewbook that is distinguish and superior to other publications. 2. Create and design a visual language that can be carried across different print, digital and social media platforms with an emphasis on design that utilizes more white space juxtaposed with a vibrant image on the main spreads. 3. Commission staged photography to reach our target audience and feature our world-class facilities. A gloss spot UV varnish was applied on the images to help enhance the cover so that it can be visible from a far distance at student fair settings. The publication was launched during Ontario Universities Fair. A record breaking 8,000 books were sought out and distributed marking a successful launch. Overall, the project exceeded its objectives. The visual language was adopted immediately by other departments for recruitment-based projects. It was very well-received at the fairs. The photos that were commissioned provided the strategic communications team with a fresh new catalogue of material to use in other recruitment materials.

5. List up to three key messages for the project. (1200 characters)* * The University of Toronto’s Engineering graduate studies program is an exceptional community with world-class facilities. • All categories of faculty are engaged with our teaching mission. They strive to nurture inquiring minds and build the creative and analytical capacity of our students at all levels. • Reinforce our strengths in research and scholarship through our enrolment and recruitment strategies; maintain our leadership position in graduate and secondary professional education.


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With a print budget of $30,000, the printing cost was $25,000 which came in well under the projected budget. This was accomplished by reducing the size of the brochure to 8.5” x 11” which helped to maximize the number of pages that could fit on a single press sheet. Not only did this reduce paper cost, it also decreased press time. Launched in time for the Ontario Universities Fair, the project went through an extensive redesign coupled with new photography to better reflect the content. Orchestrating students, content partners and approval by senior leaderships was seamless and took place over a three month period. The pre-press portion the project ran smoothly and no reprints were needed and the final brochures were on time and on target.


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