OVATION AWARDS 2013

Winning Entries Booklet

Table of Contents

3. Message from the IABC/Toronto President 4. Message from the OVATION Awards 2013 Organizers 5. OVATION Awards 2013 Sponsors

6. 2013 IABC/Toronto Awards of Distinction Boutique Agency of the Year (five or fewer employees) Small Agency of the Year (six to 20 employees) Mid‐Size Agency of the Year (21 to 50 employees) Large Agency of the Year (51 or more employees) Corporate Communications Department of the Year (includes Not‐For‐Profit organizations) People’s Choice Award 7. IABC/Toronto Student of the Year Award and Bobbie Resnick Philanthropy Award 8. Student of the Year entry 10. Bobbie Resnick Philanthropy Award entry

16. 2013 IABC/Toronto OVATION Award Winners

16. OVATION AWARDS – Communication Management 26. Community Relations 32. Media Relations with budget up to $50K 55. Media Relations with budget greater than $50K up to $100K 59. Media Relations with budget greater than $100K 78. Multi‐Audience Communications Marketing Communications with budget up to $50K (No work plans included) Marketing Communications with budget greater than $50K up to $100K (No work plans included) 87. Marketing Communications with budget greater than $100K Special Events with budget up to $50K (No work plans included) 113. Special Events with budget greater than $50K up to $100K Special Events with budget greater than $100K (No work plans included)

Issues Management and Crisis Communication (No work plans included) 118. Employee, Member or HR Communication 126. Brand Communication 130. Social Responsibility including Economic, Societal and Environmental Development Electronic, Digital and Interactive Communications (No work plans included) 134. Social Media

142. OVATION AWARDS – Communication Skills Writing (No work plans included) 142. Multimedia or Digital Content

149. 2013 OVATION Award Judges 163. Bobbie Resnick Philanthropy Award and Student of the Year Award Judges 164. IABC/Toronto Executive Board 2012‐2013 165. 2012‐2013 Awards Committee

167. About Us 167. Join Us

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Message from the IABC/Toronto President

On May 29th, we celebrated a night of outstanding achievement with our industry colleagues, friends, and clients to shine the spotlight on creative work and stellar results over the past year.

Winning an OVATION Award is no easy task. This year’s recipients rose to the challenge with entries that demonstrated strategic thinking, inspired solutions and outstanding metrics. You truly are A Cut Above! Congratulations as well to all of our Awards of Distinction recipients and to our People’s Choice Award winner.

I would also like to once again to thank the OVATION Awards team, including Vice President of Awards – Beverly Fairclough and Vice President of Accreditation & Professional Standards – Suzanna Cohen, ABC. Together with many dedicated volunteers, they put in long hours over many months to not only oversee the judging and entry process, but also to organize a wonderful gala celebration with great food and entertaining music (we have our former President Trell Huether to thank for the latter). Thanks also to the judges who so willingly gave their time to review the entries and select the winners who you will see in the following pages.

I would like to give a special shout out to our incredible emcee, Ron Tite, who kept us all in stitches and also kept the evening moving at a speedy clip (we wrapped up in world record time I believe!).

We also owe a big thank you to our sponsors who help make this evening possible: Speakers’ Spotlight, News Canada, J&A Media, Cision, The Canadian Press Images, Fusion Design Group and Walmart Canada. Your contributions and support are sincerely appreciated.

It has been my privilege to serve as the 2012/13 President of IABC/Toronto and I hope to see you all again at next year’s gala celebration!

Linda Andross, ABC President, IABC/Toronto 4

Message from the OVATION Awards 2013 Organizers

Each year, the IABC/Toronto OVATION Awards recognize communications excellence in the Greater Toronto Area. And this year is no exception. The OVATION Award winners, Bobbie Resnick Philanthropy and Student of the Year award winners have demonstrated some of the finest communications in the city, if not the world.

And it’s not just our award recipients who reflect this year’s theme – A Cut Above. It’s all of our entrants and the judges, sponsors and volunteers who made the 2013 IABC/Toronto OVATION Awards possible.

We would like to thank our many judges who spent countless hours reviewing this year’s submissions; Janet Wile, ABC, APR, MC, FCPRS, for conducting a comprehensive judging training seminar, and Stephanie Cloutier, Masoora Haque, and Lois Shaw for support with judging day logistics.

We also owe our thanks to an amazing team of award volunteers led by directors Monifa Colthurst, Randy Cooray and Libbi Hood. Your creativity, enthusiasm and hard work have gone a long way to make the entire OVATION Awards program a success.

Finally we extend our gratitude to this year’s sponsors for their support: Speakers’ Spotlight, News Canada, J&A Media, Cision, The Canadian Press Images, Fusion Design Group and Walmart Canada.

Suzanna Cohen, ABC IABC/Toronto VP, Accreditation & Standards

Beverly Fairclough IABC/Toronto VP, Awards

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OVATION Awards 2013 Sponsors We would like to acknowledge our generous sponsors:

Gold and Gala MC

Silver

Bronze

Official Gala Photographer

Official Designer of Record

Floral Sponsor

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2013 IABC/TORONTO AWARDS OF DISTINCTION WINNERS

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 point 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 of score of the Excellence Awards.

These results have been secretly tabulated and were announced for the first time at the OVATION Awards Gala on May 29, 2013.

Boutique Agency of the Year (five or fewer employees) Winner: Diana Degan & Associates

Small Agency of the Year (six to 20 employees) Winner: DDB Public Relations

Mid-Size Agency of the Year (21 to 50 employees) Winner: APEX Public Relations

Large Agency of the Year (51 or more employees) Winner: Edelman Public Relations

Corporate Communications Department of the Year (includes Not-For-Profit organizations) Winner: Toronto Hydro-Electric System Limited (Toronto Hydro)

People’s Choice Award

The People’s Choice Award is voted on by the IABC/Toronto membership in an online poll. Members vote for the program they believe was the most successful. All OVATION Awards of Excellence that meet the entry criteria are eligible.

Winner: Celebrating Everyday Canadian Moms: The Launch of the Walmart Mom of the Year Award Entrants: APEX Public Relations Inc.: Karen Krugel, Catherine Mitchell, Daina Astwood-George, Sonia Prashar, Alex Thomas; Morin Relations Publiques: Caroline Couillard Entrant Company: APEX Public Relations

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IABC/Toronto Student of the Year Award

Emily Getz, Seneca College View Entry

IABC/Toronto is pleased to award Emily Getz as the 2013 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. Getz is a recent grad of the Corporate Communications Program at Seneca. Her submission demonstrated a concise, engaging writing style as well as an exceptional commitment to contributing through volunteer work.

Bobbie Resnick Philanthropy Award View Entry Courage Canada National Blind Hockey Tournament by APEX Public Relations

IABC/Toronto is pleased to announce Courage Canada National Blind Hockey Tournament by APEX Public Relations as this year’s recipient. This program demonstrated an amazing commitment to bringing the sport to communities across the country.

Roberta (Bobbie) Resnick, ABC, APR, MC, IABC Fellow, co-founder of the Toronto chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators, is a trailblazer in public relations. Resnick holds over 50 years of successes as a communicator, consultant, entrepreneur, educator, mentor, award winner and volunteer. This prestigious award in her name recognizes outstanding leadership and service to the community.

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emily getz

NEW YORK CITY HIP-HOP DANCER WILL IMPACT THE FUTURE OF PUBLIC RELATIONS.

Toronto, Ont. - One would never think that a professional hip-hop dancer would be one of the most sought out corporate communication graduates of 2013. Emily Getz, 28, is a recent graduate of the Corporate Communications program at Seneca College. In 2005, not knowing a soul, Getz packed her bags and moved to New York City to pursue a career as a professional dancer. This risk has been the biggest asset to Getz’s achievements throughout her eight months at Seneca.

“ I feel that my past life experiences have given me a leg up on my competition. I have transferrable skills that I have learned from my time living in New York City as a striving artist. I know what it means to take risks, to fend for yourself and to self-motivate. My experience in

NYC and my opportunities thereafter, has been the first thing that pops off my resume to future employeers,” Getz says.

Getz has always taken her future into her own hands and this was no different during her time at

Seneca. With an opportunity to shine, Getz was nominated by her peers to be the project manager for the VOICES 2013 Speech Competition. VOICES is an intercollegiate public speaking competition, with participants from George Brown, Centennial and Seneca. The competition was not only a platform for the new generation of college students to voice their concerns and hopes for the future, but an opportunity for them to perform in a public and professional setting. The 9

event took place on March 28, 2013 at The Great Hall, located at 1087 Queen St. West. Getz lead a team of nice to successfully complete this project, which consisted of a comprehensive website, social media campaign and media hits, such as an interview on CBC’s radio program: Here and

Now.

Her artistic side allows Getz to have a fresh point of view and contribute to strategic planning with a creative mind and unique ideas. Combining her work ethic, past journeys and her perseverance, Getz plans to take the public relations industry by storm.

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Emily Getz Seneca College 10

2013 IABC/TORONTO OVATION AWARDS

Entrants’ Names: Mark DeMontis

Entrant’s Organization: Courage Canada / APEX Public Relations Inc.

Title of Entry: Bringing the Blind to the Ice, One Stride at a Time

Division / Category: Bobbie Resnick Philanthropy Award

Time Period: 2008 – Present

Summary: Courage Canada Hockey for the Blind is a national registered charity that leads the development of the sport of Blind Hockey and provides children and youth with the opportunity to learn to skate and try Blind Hockey.

THE OPPORTUNITY

Like many young Canadians, Mark DeMontis dreamed of playing in the National Hockey League. At the age of 17, he signed a one-year AAA hockey contract with hopes of playing in the NCAA on an athletic scholarship after high school. But just three months later, DeMontis’ dreams were suddenly derailed after doctors told him he would never play hockey again. One week before his senior year of high school, he was diagnosed with Leber’s Optic Neuropathy — a rare condition that took away the central sight in both of his eyes, leaving him legally blind. DeMontis didn’t let vision-loss in both his eyes stop him. He ended his senior year as the student council president and became one of 20 recipients from across Canada to receive the Terry Fox Humanitarian Award in 2005, which recognized his leadership within his community while overcoming adversity. The award gave him a full academic scholarship to the University of Western Ontario where he studied MPI – Media & The Public Interest. It was during his time at the University of Western Ontario that he discovered Blind Hockey.

Played by Canadians who are blind or visually impaired, Blind Hockey features an adapted puck that is bigger, slower, and makes noise, as well as a couple of simple rule modifications to help with game flow. DeMontis' passion for the game quickly grew and in 2008 he founded Courage Canada Hockey for the Blind so that youth who were blind or visually impaired could have the same opportunity to learn to skate and play hockey that he did growing up.

To launch the program, DeMontis embarked on an incredible journey, inline-skating 5000 km's from Toronto to Vancouver with a team of volunteers in his “Quest to the West” campaign. Courage Canada used funds from “Quest to the West” to establish its first learn to skate programs for youth who were blind or visually impaired. By 2011 the organization had doubled in size by adding programs in Toronto, Montreal, and Halton. It was at this point that DeMontis decided to inline-skate 2000 km across the rest of the country in the “Halifax 2 Toronto” campaign in support of Courage Canada. The success of the campaign facilitated more growth and by 2012 the organization was operating in 11 cities across four provinces.

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ENTRANTS’ ROLES IN THE PROJECT

In November 2012 Courage Canada partnered with APEX Public Relations who donated their services on a pro-bono basis to help drive awareness and media exposure for its first ever National Blind Hockey Tournament, which was to be held in Toronto from February 15-17, 2013. Mark DeMontis is the nephew of Rita DeMontis, National Lifestyle editor at the Toronto Sun, and a close personal friend to Alex Thomas, an APEX Consultant.

INTENDED AUDIENCE

Courage Canada has several target audiences:

1. Canadians and athletes who are blind or visually impaired or who have been directly affected by vision loss (e.g. family members, friends, medical staff) 2. Those who have no direct personal experience with blindness or visual impairment but who are committed to the fight of equal opportunity both on and off the ice 3. Media who can assist in raising awareness and attracting corporate sponsorship 4. Potential and existing corporate sponsors GOAL

To successfully launch and execute the first ever National Blind Hockey Tournament in an effort to lead the development of the sport of Blind Hockey and provide children and youth with the opportunity to learn to skate and try Blind Hockey.

OBJECTIVES

Between January 15, 2013, the tournament’s Opening Ceremonies (February 15) and the gold medal game (February 17), APEX was challenged with:

1. Creating strong local and national media interest in the Courage Canada story by leveraging the personal experiences of DeMontis and other blind hockey players o Secure one national broadcast interview before puck drop to generate pre-tournament buzz o Secure at least two major print and two broadcast pieces in tier one national media o Secure at least two broadcast pieces with regional media outside of Toronto o Secure at least two online pieces of coverage 2. Generate social discussion and lead 500 people to accept the Facebook event invite 3. Attract media and supporters to the tournament at the Mattamy Center (Maple Leaf Gardens) from February 15-17, 2013 o Secure at least two on-site interviews at the tournament o Attract at least 500 fans and supporters

SOLUTION OVERVIEW

The Tournament After successfully launching a number of learn-to-skate programs across the country for youth in schools as well as adult recreational sessions, Courage Canada knew it was time to elevate the status of the game. Along with their title sponsor AMI – Accessible Media Inc., Courage Canada developed a national 12

tournament that would see hockey players who are blind or visually impaired compete for the national title. What spawned out of the idea was Canada’s first ever National Blind Hockey tournament. What made the tournament interesting was that although the sport of Blind Hockey has been around for 40 years, the sport was relatively unknown amongst Canadians. Additionally, while Canada has been a global leader in the development of women’s hockey, the Paralympic sport of sledge hockey – even standing amputee hockey – no one event or game had put the sport on the map. In order to fill seats and generate donations and sponsorships, APEX leveraged its network of media influencers to help share the story, raise the profile of the game and amplify the tournament on a national level. With teams from Quebec, British Columbia and Ontario competing in a round-robin style tournament, media were exposed to the game, the adapted puck and the stories of the players. Strategic communications would play a vital role in sharing these experiences and helped propel the tournament to becoming a mainstream media sensation.

Strategic Communications As a registered charity Courage Canada is committed to donating as much of its generated capital back into the sport of Blind Hockey. As a result, the organization strives diligently to work as close to a zero- expense-budget as possible. By securing a pro bono partnership with APEX Public Relations, Courage Canada has been able to leverage media relationships to garner coverage that has enhanced the organizations reputation while raising awareness for the cause. The organization has also put a continued focus on building its social media presence in an effort to grow its community of supporters. The strategy and tactics proved effective as the Courage Canada was able to garner mainstream media coverage in the following outlets: CBC, CP24, Global News, CTV Canada AM, The Toronto Sun, The Toronto Star, and more. The Foundation also expanded its social media footprint by developing a Facebook group, YouTube channel, as well as a Twitter page. The Facebook group was used to keep supporters updated on news and events and to direct people to the website where they could learn more, donate and purchase tickets to the tournament. The team also developed a comprehensive database of names, contact information, and email addresses that has since been used to distribute information regarding news and upcoming activities.

Corporate Sponsorship As an operational charity, the team quickly learned that although ticket sales and monies acquired through fundraising activities were generating revenue, corporate donations were not abundant. To further develop its brand and keep costs low, Courage Canada needed to entice corporate sponsors to get involved. Courage Canada used its social network to reach out to supporters who might have relationships with large vendors and organizations. By implementing a word-of-mouth sponsorship program as well as a search via social media, the team was able to set up several meetings with organizations who in turn donated product, services and money. Most recently in 2012, Courage Canada partnered with AMI – Accessible Media Inc. to become its lead corporate sponsor and presenting sponsor for the tournament. Additional corporate sponsors include Real Wealth Group of Companies, CNIB and Reebok Hockey.

The Future Courage Canada remains committed to bringing the blind to the ice, one stride at a time. With an incredibly successful first national tournament under wraps, the plan is to make it an annual event. Courage Canada also has plans to expand and grow their learn-to-skate programs in youth schools across the country.

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BUDGET

All work provided by APEX Public Relations was completed on a pro-bono basis. By program end, APEX invested a total of 30 hours.

MEASUREMENT / EVALUATION

Objective: Create strong local and national media interest in the Courage Canada story by leveraging the personal experiences of DeMontis and other blind hockey players • Secure one national broadcast interview before puck drop to generate pre- tournament buzz • Secure at least two major print and two broadcast pieces in tier one national media • Secure at least two broadcast pieces with regional media outside of Toronto • Secure at least two online pieces of coverage

Results: Mainstream media coverage was secured in the following outlets: CBC, CP24, Global News, CTV, Canada AM, The Toronto Sun, The Toronto Star, and more. These pieces include 9 tier-one national print articles, 19 tier-one broadcast segment, 6 regional broadcast segments, and a number of online pieces. In total, the coverage has resulted in a reach of over 22 million. Key messaging, spokesperson quotes, and a call to action have been included in 100 per cent of the coverage to date, resulting in an MRP score of 95 per cent.

Objective: Generate social discussion and lead 500 people to accept the Facebook event invite

Results: Courage Canada utilized social media extensively to drive awareness for its cause. By developing a Facebook group that includes over 1,200 friends as well as a Twitter page with over 1,200 followers, The National Blind Hockey event page saw 566 accept the invitation. Courage Canada also utilized the page to keep supporters updated on news and events and to direct people to its website where they could learn more about the organization and donate online. The organization has also utilized social media to recruit volunteers and to proactively engage with media by developing and fostering relationships.

Objective: Attract media and supporters to the tournament at the Mattamy Athletic Centre (Maple Leaf Gardens) from February 15-17, 2013 o Secure at least two on-site interviews at the tournament o Attract at least 500 fans and supporters

Results: Six media attended the tournament over the course of the weekend, resulting in ten pieces of coverage. The total number of attendees during the duration of the tournament was just shy of 600.

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First Ever National Blind Hockey Tournament Calls Toronto Home Players from coast-to-coast converge to celebrate a growing sport

TORONTO, February 5, 2013 –Courage Canada today announced the launch of the 2013 Courage Canada National Blind Hockey Tournament presented by AMI – Accessible Media Inc. The tournament, which gets under way February 15th, will see hockey players that are blind or visually impaired from across Canada unite at the newly opened Mattamy Athletic Centre at the Gardens (formerly Maple Leaf Gardens).

Played by athletes who are blind or visually impaired, Blind Hockey features an adapted puck that is bigger, slower and makes noise as it travels. The game is played with traditional hockey rules with only a few modifications to assist with game flow and player safety, but remains fundamentally the same great game Canadians love.

“We’re thrilled with the way things are shaping up” explained Mark DeMontis, Founder and President, Courage Canada. “The last few years have helped propel our sport – one that was virtually unknown for 40 years – into a growing game that serves as an inspiration to a great number of people. When we all get together for these marquee events, it helps set the stage for getting the recognition and support we need.”

Marking their commitment to bringing Blind Hockey to communities across the country, Courage Canada currently operates over 20 learn to skate and ‘Play Blind Hockey’ programs annually with school boards coast-to-coast. These programs offer young Canadians who are blind or visually impaired the opportunity to take part in Canada’s most storied pastime while helping to raise the profile of Blind Hockey at a grassroots level. Courage Canada has worked with upwards of 250 blind and visually impaired players, some of whom will be playing in the national tournament.

“Providing children and adults that are blind or visually impaired the opportunity to play Canada’s game makes my role at Courage Canada that much more rewarding” continued Mark. “We’re proud to bring this tournament to Toronto – the city where I first strapped on a pair of skates - and I hope Canadians view this as an opportunity to learn more and get engaged.”

Courage Canada was founded in 2008 after Mark DeMontis was diagnosed with Leber’s Optic Neuropathy – a rare condition that left him legally blind. Since the charity’s inception, Mark has been awarded the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, he has inline skated from Halifax to Vancouver over two campaigns, carried the Paralympic torch during the Toronto leg for the 2010 Vancouver Games and has been recognized for outstanding community service in the Federal House of Commons.

Spectators can catch the action between February 15 and 17 at Mattamy Athletic Centre at the Gardens (formerly Maple Leaf Gardens). Four teams will compete with medal games taking place on Sunday. Admission by donation is accepted in support of Courage Canada.

For more information, please visit www.couragecanada.ca/2013-tournament

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About Courage Canada: Courage Canada Hockey for the Blind is a national registered charity that leads the development of the sport of Blind Hockey and provides children and youth with the opportunity to learn to skate and try Blind Hockey.

About Accessible Media Inc. Accessible Media Inc. (AMI) is a not-for-profit multimedia organization operating two broadcast services, AMI-tv, AMI-audio, and a website, AMI.ca. AMI serves more than five million Canadians who are blind or with low vision, deaf or hard of hearing, learning disabled, mobility or print restricted, or learning English as a second language by making print, broadcast, and online media accessible.

Media Contact: Alex Thomas, APEX Public Relations

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2013 IABC/TORONTO OVATION AWARDS WINNERS

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 tool within a larger campaign. Entrants must demonstrate: • how their project applied a full range of planning and management skills, while the Work Plan addresses how the entry relates to and affects the organization’s overall business strategies.

Community Relations

Award of Excellence Title of Entry: Online consultation series: Involving the community in The Crosstown Entrants: Daniel Tisch APR, Roanne Argyle, Misty Meeks, Taryn Wismer, Marc Budgell Entrant Company: Argyle Communications

Award of Excellence Title of Entry: OTS/OARA Annual Tire Take Back Events View Entry Entrant Company: Environics Communications and Ontario Tire Stewardship

Award of Excellence Title of Entry: Samsung Canada's Hope for Children: Passion for E-Recycling Challenge View Entry Entrant Company: Samsung Canada and North Strategic

Media Relations with budget up to $50K

Award of Excellence Title of Entry: Grand & Toy's ‘A Day Made Better’ Public Relations Campaign Entrant Company: Advantis Communications

Award of Excellence Title of Entry: Launch of Lifeline with AutoAlert Entrants: Philips Lifeline: Eric Sande, David Doyle, Tracy Griffin; Cowan & Company: Cathy Cowan, Katherine Clark; Cowan & Company/Girafe Communications: Ariane Tremblay Entrant Company: Philips Lifeline and Cowan & Company

Award of Excellence Title of Entry: The 24th Annual Beaches International Jazz Festival Entrants: Martine Lévy, Emily McCauley View Entry Entrant Company: DDB Public Relations

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Award of Excellence

Title of Entry: Media moves message, Seniors in need, caregivers in distress View Entry Entrants: Yeena Peng Entrant Company: Health Council of Canada

Award of Excellence Title of Entry: Credit Cards & You: TD Canada Trust educates Canadians about responsible credit card use Entrant Company: Paradigm Public Relations and TD Canada Trust

Award of Merit Title of Entry: UPS Canada Delivers the Holiday Rush Entrants: APEX Public Relations Inc.: Ken Evans, Natali Tofiloski, Erick Bauer, Alex Thomas; UPS Canada:

Steve Vitale, Robyn van Teunenbroek, Julie Ibrahim View Entry Entrant Company: APEX Public Relations Inc. and UPS Canada

Award of Merit Title of Entry: The Great Canadian Road Trip 2.0 Entrants: CTR Communications: David Gollom, Manager; Amy Cole, Associate Vice President, Corporate Communications; Jessica Culp, Communications Advisor; North Strategic: Justin Creally, Co-Founder; Nicole Grant, Senior Account Manager; Martha Heeney, Account Executive Entrant Company: Canadian Tire Corporation and North Strategic View Entry

Award of Merit Title of Entry: Dieppe: Uncovered Media Campaign Entrants: Meghan Paton, Jessica Gold Entrant Company: Shaw Media

Award of Merit Title of Entry: Kellogg's Rice Krispies cereal Holiday Program Entrants: Strategic Objectives: Judy Lewis, Tara McCarthy, Jordanna Shtal; Kellogg Canada Entrant Company: Strategic Objectives

Award of Merit Title of Entry: Staples Back-to-School Campaign Entrants: Daniel Tisch, APR, FCPRS Entrant Company: Argyle Communications

Media Relations with budget greater than $50K up to $100K

Award of Excellence Title of Entry: Kraft Food for Families Entrants: Tricia Soltys, Jennifer Zed, Kate Kernahan Entrant Company: Edelman Public Relations 18

Award of Merit

Title of Entry: D'Italiano: Bringing Passion to Everyday Meals View Entry Entrants: Daniel Tisch APR, FCPRS, Alison George, Monika Rola, Mackenzie Keller Entrant Company: Argyle Communications

Media Relations with budget greater than $100K

Award of Excellence Title of Entry: Celebrating Everyday Canadian Moms: The Launch of the Walmart Mom of the Year Award Entrants: APEX Public Relations Inc.: Karen Krugel, Catherine Mitchell, Daina Astwood-George, Sonia Prashar, Alex Thomas; Morin Relations Publiques: Caroline Couillard View Entry Entrant Company: APEX Public Relations

Award of Excellence Title of Entry: autoTRADER.ca: The Most Cars in One Place Campaign Entrants: Martine Levy, James Loftus, Gabrielle Totesau, Erin Bodley, Paul-Mark Rendon View Entry Entrant Company: DDB Public Relations

Award of Excellence Title of Entry: eBay Holiday 2012 Program Entrants: Sandra D'Ambrosio, Melissa Graham, Candi Jeronimo, Rosie Shipton, Andrea Lopez Entrant Company: Edelman Public Relations

Award of Excellence

Title of Entry: Canadian Tire's Winter Driving Preparation Campaign View Entry Entrants: CTR Communications: David Gollom, Manager; Amy Cole, Associate Vice President, Corporate Communications; Jessica Culp, Communications Advisor; North Strategic: Justin Creally, Co-Founder; Nicole Grant, Senior Account Manager; Martha Heeney, Account Executive Entrant Company: Canadian Tire Corporation and North Strategic

Award of Excellence Title of Entry: 100th Birthday of Oreo Entrants: Strategic Objectives: Judy Lewis, Patti Diamond, Jordanna Shtal; Mondelēz Canada Entrant Company: Strategic Objectives & Mondelēz Canada

Award of Merit Title of Entry: John Frieda Precision Foam Colour Canadian Launch Entrants: Elyn Kirby Arscott, Erin Hardy, Lauren Baswick, Kylee Berencsi, Lisa Elwin View Entry Entrant Company: APEX Public Relations

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Award of Merit Title of Entry: Delivra 2012 Media Relations Campaign Entrants: Martine Levy, Sharon Hayward Entrant Company: DDB Public Relations

Award of Merit Title of Entry: Making Natural Health Products Mainstream Entrants: Dina Vieira Entrant Company: dvCommunications

Award of Merit Title of Entry: Kraft Peanut Butter Truck Program Entrants: Robyn Adelson, Sandra D'Ambrosio, Angie Di Rezze, Jill de Larzac, Amanda Lazarovitz and Rosie Shipton Entrant Company: Edelman Public Relations

Award of Merit Title of Entry: LOFT Canada Launch Entrants: Sarah Brandon, Melissa Legaspi Entrant Company: Edelman Public Relations

Multi-Audience Communications

Award of Excellence Title of Entry: The Measure of our Commitment: Toronto Hydro's 2011 Corporate Responsibility Report Entrants: Karen Evans, Christina Basil, Gillian Earle, Thelma Hatzis, Chris Wong Entrant Company: Toronto Hydro-Electric System Limited View Entry

Award of Merit Title of Entry: ReFRESHing our Menu Entrants: Julie Dowdie, Anne Marie Males, Dave Bourne, Cindy Woods, Krista Luxton, Analiese St. Aubin Entrant Company: The Scarborough Hospital View Entry

Marketing Communications with budget up to $50K

Award of Merit Title of Entry: Find out how RECO helps Entrants: Kristina Rikunova, Sherri Haigh, Adam Hawkins, Lisa Scianitti, Kyle Rooks Entrant Company: Real Estate Council of Ontario

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Marketing Communications with budget greater than $50K up to $100K

Award of Excellence Title of Entry: Serious appliances for the serious cook: the Thermador experience Entrants: Entrant Company: Paradigm Public Relations and BSH Home Appliances

Marketing Communications with budget greater than $100K

Award of Excellence Title of Entry: Bioré welcomes you (back) to your 20's View Entry Entrants: Linda Andross, Elyn Kirby Arscott, Catherine Mitchell Entrant Company: APEX Public Relations Inc.

Award of Excellence View Entry Title of Entry: autoTRADER.ca: The Most Cars in One Place Campaign Entrants: Andrew Schulze, Pete Ross, Allan Topol, Luc Quartarone, Michael Davidson, Tony Johnstone, Peter Brough, Carly Sutherland, Lindy Scott, Keven McHugh, Daniel Bonder, Joe Dee, James Loftus, Gabrielle Totesau, Erin Brodley, Melissa Smich, Parker Mason. Entrant Company: DDB Canada

Award of Excellence Title of Entry: Caring for women's skin: The launch of Schick Hydro Silk Entrant Company: Paradigm Public Relations, BOOM Marketing, Real Interactive and Energizer Personal Care

Award of Excellence Title of Entry: Share the Future Entrants: Tenzing: Gary Lintern, Steve Priebe, Dan Rempel, Kate Rapson; Libro: Tina van Loon, Michael Ketelaars, Tania Goodine. Also: Brickhouse Productions, Chris Gardner at CIPHER Interactive Inc. and David MacNeill at Clarendon Technologies Inc. View Entry Entrant Company: Libro Financial Group AND Tenzing Communications

Award of Excellence Title of Entry: Allstate Canada Takes Action Against Distraction Entrants: Allstate Insurance Company of Canada: Karen Benner, Kevin Wilson; Thornley Fallis Communications: Jo Langham ABC, Diane Bégin APR, Katie Charbonneau, Andrea Smith, Jennifer Fox APR, Nick Edgar, Terry Appleby Entrant Company: Thornley Fallis Communications View Entry

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Award of Merit Title of Entry: Celebrating Everyday Canadian Moms: The Launch of the Walmart Mom of the Year Award Entrants: APEX Public Relations Inc.: Karen Krugel, Catherine Mitchell, Daina Astwood-George, Sonia

Prashar, Alex Thomas; Morin Relations Publiques: Caroline Couillard View Entry Entrant Company: APEX Public Relations

Award of Merit

Title of Entry: Peanuts and Diabetes: Peanut Power Eating View Entry Entrants: Alison George, Mackenzie Keller, Kyla Best, Anna Campbell, Mae Caldarelli Entrant Company: Argyle Communications

Special Events with budget up to $50K

Award of Merit Title of Entry: Green & Black's Organic 2012 Tasting Event Entrants: Strategic Objectives: Judy Lewis, Jordanna Shtal; Pangaea Restaurant: Chef Martin Kouprie; Green & Black's Organic Entrant Company: Strategic Objectives

Special Events with budget greater than $50K up to $100K

Award of Excellence View Entry Title of Entry: Sport Chek Big League Experience Entrants: FGL Sports Ltd.: Frederick Lecoq, Vice-President, Marketing and E-Commerce Wendy Robinson, AVP, Campaign Marketing, Brendon Arnold, Public Relations Specialist,; North Strategic: Justin Creally, Co-Founder; John Slighte, Account Manager; Martha Heeney, Account Executive; Beth McSherry, Account Coordinator Entrant Company: FGL Sports Ltd., North Strategic & Traffikgroup

Special Events with budget greater than $100K

Award of Excellence Title of Entry: 30% Off Ontario Tuition: A Student Engagement Program Entrants: Daniel Tisch APR, FCPRS, Roanne Argyle, Misty Meeks, Brendan Agnew-Iler (Argyle) Entrant Company: Argyle Communications

Award of Excellence Title of Entry: McCain Foods 2012 Global Leadership Conference Entrants: Mark Attard Entrant Company: Livewire Communications Inc.

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Award of Merit Title of Entry: IKEA Winnipeg Store Opening Entrants: Stephanie Nadalin, Amanda Shuchat, Kate Kurys, Kathleen Edmondson Entrant Company: Citizen Optimum

Award of Merit Title of Entry: Community building: Inside and Out. The Launch of MPAC's Strategic Plan. Entrants: Antoni Wisniowski, Laurette Sharpe, Liz McMullen, Cathy Ranieri‐Sweenie, JanKelley Marketing Entrant Company: Municipal Property Assessment Corporation

Issues Management and Crisis Communication

Award of Excellence Title of Entry: The Closing of the Strub's Brantford Pickle Plant Entrants: Diana Degan Entrant Company: Diana Degan & Associates

Award of Merit Title of Entry: Developing' Trust: Concord Adex's Proactive Balcony Mesh Wrapping Entrants: Angela Carmichael, Leslie Walsh, Samia Makhlouf, Zakary Paget Entrant Company: FleishmanHillard

Employee, Member or HR Communication

Award of Excellence Title of Entry: The CAKE blog Entrants: Brittney Ashley, Carlene Quildon, Jordan Simard, Diane Smith, Mike Miller, Derek Dobson Entrant Company: CAAT Pension Plan

Award of Excellence Title of Entry: iConnect View Entry Entrants: Lusine Stepanian, Izabella Couste Entrant Company: LoyaltyOne

Award of Merit Title of Entry: Grow your Mo for Movember Campaign at Toronto Hydro Entrants: Karen Evans, Blair Peberdy, Gillian Earle, Andrea Corkum, Henry Dera View Entry Entrant Company: Toronto Hydro‐Electric System Limited (Toronto Hydro)

Brand Communication

Award of Excellence Title of Entry: Bioré welcomes you (back) to your 20's Entrants: Linda Andross, Elyn Kirby Arscott, Catherine Mitchell View Entry Entrant Company: APEX Public Relations Inc.

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Award of Excellence Title of Entry: Panasonic Cooking Canada Entrants: Stacey Flowers, Liz Carson, Jordana Wolch, Andrew Kinnear, Kvi Guppta Entrant Company: Environics Communications

Social Responsibility including Economic, Societal and Environmental Development

Award of Merit Title of Entry: Hyundai Hockey Helpers Entrants: Chad Heard, Stephanie Nadalin, Amanda Singer, Josie Haynes, Nicole Brightling, Sybil Eastman, Erin Trnkus Entrant Company: Citizen Optimum

Award of Merit Title of Entry: Try To Look Pretty Without Poisoning Yourself! Entrants: Stephanie Kohls, Erin Charter, Aviva Friedman, Anne Ngo, Martin Beauvais, Christian Matthews, Maggie MacDonald, Rick Smith, Ian Carey View Entry Entrant Company: Environmental Defence Canada

Award of Merit Title of Entry: Creating cultural safety for Aboriginal people in urban health care Entrants: Shirley Hawkins, Deborah Bourk, Judy Irwin, Elaine Kachala, Fedra Hoxha, AMR Planning and Consulting, Leah Fontaine, Health Council Communications Team, HM&E Design Communications. Entrant Company: Health Council of Canada

Award of Merit Title of Entry: The Koodonation Online Throwdown Entrants: Deborah Weinstein, Michael Shipticki Entrant Company: Strategic Objectives

Electronic, Digital and Interactive Communications

Award of Merit Title of Entry: Advil Nighttime Year II Entrants: Environics Communications: Jennifer Glickman, Andrew Kinnear, Jaclyn Crawford, Sheba Zaidi, Stephanie Dale; Pfizer Consumer Healthcare: Lisa Ross Entrant Company: Environics Communications

Social Media

Award of Excellence Title of Entry: Don't clean the freezer. Avoid tennis. Watch out for sharks: Playtex Gentle Glide collects zany advice Entrant Company: Paradigm Public Relations and Energizer Personal Care

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Award of Merit Title of Entry: Parenting In Peel Facebook Page: Blending Social Media and Service Delivery in Public Health Entrants: Eileen Viloria‐Tan, Serena Dharani, Robin Hillier, Angela Garrison, Eva Loewenberger, Sarah Baker, Scott Fry, Domenic Storti, Rachel Mowat, View Entry Melanie Vidhushan, Shelleza Hussain, Zaheeda Nasser Entrant Company: Region of Peel ‐ Peel Public Health

Award of Merit Title of Entry: The Policy before the Page: York Region's Social Media Launch View Entry Entrants: Patrick Casey, Michelle Adlam, Lindsey Nigra, Masrine Guthrie‐Peart, Heather Holland, Diane Fearn Entrant Company: The Regional Municipality of York

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OVATION AWARDS – Communication Skills

These categories look at communication products that highlight such technical skills and expertise as editing, writing, design and photography. They recognize: • importance of project’s goals • demonstration of measurable results • strategic alignment with the organization’s business goals and emphasis on the creative process of project execution.

Writing

Award of Excellence Title of Entry: Free Trade Nation: Canada Beyond North America Entrants: David Abney, UPS, Bill Smith, UPS, Amgad Shehata, UPS Cristina Falcone, UPS Canada, Steven Vitale, UPS Canada Entrant Company: APEX Public Relations

Multimedia or Digital Content

Award of Merit Title of Entry: Vale Canada: Campus Recruitment - Dig Where You Work Recruitment Initiative Entrant Company: Vale Canada, Smithcom Limited, Yield Branding View Entry

Award of Merit Title of Entry: Different Drum's Rock star makes Canadians aware of the dangers of an irregular heartbeat Entrants: Diane Bégin, APR; Martin Waxman, APR; Mike Edgell; David Stulberg and Katie Charbonneau of Thornley Fallis; Lee Taylor of the Heart & Stroke Foundation View Entry Entrant Company: Thornley Fallis and Heart and Stroke Foundation

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2013 IABC/Toronto OVATION Award Winning Entries

OVATION Awards Winning Entry Communication Management Community Relations AWARD OF EXCELLENCE

Entrant’s Name – Melody Gaukel Organization’s Name – Ontario Tire Stewardship, Environics Communications, Ontario Automotive Recyclers Association Division/Category – Community Relations Title of Entry – OTS/OARA Annual Tire Take Back Events Time Period of Project – February 2012 to August 2012 Recognition Summary – OTS has partnered with the Ontario Automotive Recyclers Association (OARA) to host the Annual Tire Take Back Events. Across Ontario communities held tire collection to raise funds for the Sunshine Foundation of Canada and potentially win a legacy project for their community made of recycled tires. The program exceeded all goals and targets.

WORKPLAN

1. Business Need/Opportunity

Ontario Tire Stewardship (OTS) is an Industry Funding Organization (IFO) incorporated under Ontario's Waste Diversion Act. It was created to implement and operate the Used Tires Program: a province-wide scrap tire recycling initiative designed to divert used tires away from burning and landfilling to proper recycling, processing and, finally, to innovative uses for products made from recycled tire rubber. OTS’ key mandates are: to educate Ontarians about proper tire recycling, and to support the life cycle of the tire by encouraging development and usage of recycled tire products.

Working with partners has become a critical component of educating consumers and industry about the program. The partnership with Ontario Automotive Recyclers Association (OARA), one of the largest groups of collectors of recycled tires, is critically important to reaching smaller communities throughout the province. The engagement of the 100 plus membership helps to reinforce the ease of drop-off locations. Together OTS and OARA hold annual Tire Take Back events to create a moment in time to engage in a dialogue on proper tire disposal, as well as support the Sunshine Foundation through a monetary donation.

As the third year of the program approached, the team examined the previous events for key learnings on how to best provide materials and data to participants. Research was also done by assessing feedback of collectors and their preferred communication methods. One of the biggest obstacles of the third year was understanding how many tires would be available in Ontario after two very successful collection events.

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In addition, new OTS survey data was collected in 2012 indicating that awareness of the tire recycling program was at 72% while awareness of drop-off locations was at just 53%. Further, 89% of Ontarians thought that communities would benefit economically and environmentally by incorporating recycled tire products into community projects. We knew from research in 2011 that there was misinformation about the program – 57% incorrectly believed there were costs associated with disposal and 62% believed consumers are charged a tire tax when buying new tires.

Understanding the attitudes (and lower awareness) within the key regions (City of Toronto, East and Northern Ontario) allowed us to focus additional support and efforts during the events. In a highly charged political environment around waste management it was also important to find ways to educate local political officials on the value the program and these facilities were bringing to communities and the province. Finally, heading into the third year it was also critical to examine how to keep the program fresh to maintain engagement.

To support OTS’ key mandates, the collection events needed to accomplish the following: 1) events were to occur across Ontario, with emphasis where there was low awareness of tire recycling; 2) some local event organizers had experience with events, but all needed support and guidance with planning, execution and promotion; 3) create a legacy project (a new community prize) that would represent the local business, which would help drive participation and showcase recycled tire products in the community; 4) make Ontarians aware of OTS’ yearlong tire recycling program; and 5) enhance the relationship with the Sunshine Foundation by making the donation from previous years come to life in local communities.

2. Intended audiences

The primary audience for this program is Ontario drivers, male and female. Because of the breadth of potential reach (i.e. anyone who drives a vehicle in the province) the program used research results to target key regions (Northern Ontario, Eastern Ontario). It was also understood that the majority of the locations were in rural Ontario, so local engagement was key.

The secondary audience was political officials including local municipal contacts and the Minister of the Environment.

3. Goals/Objectives

Our communications goals built off the earlier successes of the program. With the research we knew that there were certain messages that would be critical to communicate through all outreach: • Raise awareness of OTS and OARA in communities across Ontario, showcasing the economic and community benefits the organizations bring and helping to eliminate misperceptions of the programs. • Showcase the ease of tire drop-offs and convenient locations to help to maintain the 95% diversion rate targets for OTS.

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Quantifiable Objectives: • Prepare and assist the 77 registered OARA member locations in executing successful used tire collection events in their communities. Success measure: Confirm communications support was delivered for successful events; secure media coverage with at least one key message in half the participating locations to generate local awareness. • Divert tires away from landfills and burning by motivating Ontarians to participate in the used tire collection events. Success measure: Maintain the collection rate by collecting at least 48,000 used tires during the events. • Raise funds for the Sunshine Foundation. Success measure: Exceed last year’s $123,000 donation.

4. Solution Overview

With key mandates to educate Ontarians about proper tire recycling, and to support the life cycle of the tire by encouraging development and usage of products made from recycled tires, the tire take back events are an important campaign for Ontario Tire Stewardship. The challenge in 2012 was to build off of the success of previous years and find new ways to inject energy into the program.

The Tire Take Back events have been occurring annually since 2010 across Ontario, with emphasis where there is low awareness of tire recycling. Each year the program aims to increase the number of tires that are dropped off, which in turn increases a donation made to the Sunshine Foundation.

The Sunshine Foundation is an organization that works to make dreams come true for children with severe disabilities and life-threatening illnesses. This year the team actively engaged with the organization to help emphasize how tire collection can help make dreams come true. This relationship actively engages local communities who often know children that have been the recipients of dreams.

This year, a new element was added to help drive collector engagement and showcase recycled tire products (a key component of OTS’s larger mission), a legacy project (the community prize) was created, so that the organization that collected the most tires would also win $15,000 worth of product made from recycled tires for a community project.

Key messages for this year included: • The Used Tires Program has implemented a managed scrap tire solution for on-road and off-road tires supplied into the Ontario market, diverting these tires away from burning and landfilling to 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) end uses. This industry-led program includes a network of collection locations across Ontario where people will be able to drop off their used tires for no charge, and be assured they will be reused, recycled or disposed of in an environmentally responsible way. • The OARA Tire Take Back event is now a 6 day tire recycling blitz, hosted by OARA and its members, with support from registered tire haulers. The event’s goal is to not only recycle thousands of tires across the province, but through these efforts, raise funds for the Sunshine Foundation of Canada. This year’s challenge is to raise over $100,000 for the Sunshine Foundation. • New to the event this year, OTS will be awarding a prize of $15,000 in tire derived products for a local, non-profit community project to the collection site that brings in the most tires.

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In order to meet the client’s objectives, the following communications strategies and tactics were implemented:

Develop easily-implementable communications packages that will prepare participating OARA locations in both executing and promoting their events, with an emphasis on key “mega” locations • Tactic 1: ECI created an event-in-a-box to guide collectors through event execution and promotion. To support event execution, the kit included: FAQ, backgrounder, consumer survey, flyers, Q&A, fact sheets, posters and banners. For promotions, the kit equipped participants to engage media and the public with: a template media advisory, a media relations “how-to” document, a working advertising template, social media guidelines, and template letters for community members and stakeholders. Materials were distributed to locations by mail and email one month prior to the event, with ongoing communication and reminders. • Tactic 2: In twelve key locations across Ontario, Environics led the media relations to help bolster support. • Tactic 3: Invited local political representatives to participate in activities. The event kit included a letter to send to local officials, and OTS and OARA also invited representatives. These contacts would support the event by encouraging community members to participate. Motivate community members to participate in the used tire collection events by partnering with a charity, which would directly benefit from each tire recycled, and employing a community prize • Tactic 1: ECI and OTS leveraged an existing relationship between OARA and the Sunshine Foundation. The charity would receive the collection allowance that the OARA members usually receive for collecting used tires. To help support the event and encourage participation, the Sunshine Foundation allowed the use of their logo on all promotional materials and also made spokespeople available for media. All communication assets that were developed emphasized that by recycling old tires, drivers were supporting the Sunshine Foundation. • Tactic 2: Offer a community prize. New to the campaign, the location that collected the highest number of tires during the events would be rewarded with a community prize valued at $15,000 in the form of recycled tire products. Designed to encourage collectors to participate and raise awareness in their communities, it also showed local residents that their communities could directly benefit by participating in these programs. Encourage tire recycling in Ontario communities by building awareness of the yearlong used tire collection program by making drivers aware of the event • Tactic 1: ECI coordinated pre-event advertisements and media relations in local community newspapers to target community members. Advertisements providing details (e.g. date, time, location, free tire drop-off and fundraising initiative) were placed in 45 community newspapers across the province two weeks before the collection events. Traditional media relations outreach also secured media coverage and event listings, informing people about the details of the events and the function of OTS. • Tactic 2: Media relations. Media were invited to each of the collection events to take photos and conduct interviews. All of the coverage mentioned OTS and its ongoing work to collect tires and/or the used tire program. Many articles were published after the events, which helped raise awareness of tire recycling among individuals who may not have attended. The primary event was the cheque ceremony, where the Sunshine Foundation received their donation. To promote this event, a press release and photo were sent to media securing coverage across the province. • Tactic 3: Social media engagement. Collectors were encouraged to use social media channels (Twitter and Facebook) as part of their event outreach (and also to build awareness of their 30

businesses apart from this event). OTS also made it a priority to post event updates, announcements and deadlines on their @GreenMyTires Twitter account and to engage online with the communities and collectors. • Tactic 4: Radio PSAs conducted by the Sunshine Foundation. ECI drafted phone and email scripts on behalf of the Sunshine Foundation, who then reached out to local media to promote the impact of the event. Having the recipient of the funds conduct the PSA outreach enhanced the credibility of the events.

ECI received a budget of $85,000 to develop the event-in-a-box including production of materials; providing support to the participating OARA locations; coordinating the advertisement design and placements; updating social platforms; conducting media relations; and providing strategic counsel and support.

5. Implementation and Challenges

ECI received a budget of $85,000 to develop the event-in-a-box including production of materials. The budget included providing support to the participating OARA locations; coordinating the advertisement design and placements; updating social platforms; conducting media relations; and providing strategic counsel and support. Given that the budget included helping the 77 locations coordinate events and media relations, this was an extremely effective use of budget. Additional challenges included: • Coordinating with the 77 collectors across the province with various levels of communications knowledge. A flexible approach was taken to each collector involved. An event-in-a-box kit was provided to them, along with templates for media advisories and how-to media relations guidelines. This also meant a decentralization of outreach which could have led to mixed messages in the media. • The winner’s announcement event fell on the Friday before a long weekend, meaning many media outlets were short-staffed and reporters were less likely to attend and cover the event. Following up with media after the events and providing them with event photos and local stories meant that media were still willing and eager to cover these stories.

6. Measurement/Evaluation

The third year of the program was an overwhelming success, exceeding all measurable objectives and in fact could have created an additional challenge because the donation was significantly more than budgeted for. The program continues to help raise awareness of OTS and OARA in communities across Ontario and allows for a regular dialogue with stakeholders and the public on the program. It also reminds consumers of the ease of tire drop-offs, helping maintain Ontario’s diversion rate.

Quantifiable Measurement: • Prepare and assist the 77 registered OARA member locations in executing successful used tire collection events in their communities. Success measure: Confirm communications support was delivered for successful events; secure media coverage with at least one key message in half the participating locations to generate local awareness. ACHIEVED o Pre-and-post-event media relations secured 7,061,141 media impressions (up from 2.6 31

million in 2011) through more than 160 stories in more than half of the participating communities, all coverage included at least one key message. This media coverage secured over a three month period significantly helped to generate awareness and encourage tire recycling and the new life tires receive after they have been dropped off. o Based on feedback provided to OARA, all of the organizers agreed they received the support they needed to execute and promote their events. o Events were visited by several public officials across the province including Minister of the Environment Jim Bradley, who attended two collection events, an important audience. • Divert tires away from landfills and burning by motivating Ontarians to participate in the used tire collection events. Success measure: Maintain the collection rate by collecting at least 48,000 used tires during the events. ACHIEVED o Overall, 139,098 used tires where collected exceeding our goal by more than 50% and nearly tripling last year’s results of 48,000. This significant increase demonstrated the heightened awareness of drop-off locations. • Raise funds for the Sunshine Foundation. Success measure: Exceed last year’s $123,000 donation. ACHIEVED o The Sunshine Foundation received a donation of $360,000, nearly tripling our goal, and up from $123,725 in 2011! This increased donation is a demonstration of OTS & OARA’s commitment to the community legacy program. Combined with the new legacy projects numerous Ontarians will benefit from the program.

Conclusion: After three years of community collection events, the OTS & OARA Tire Take Back event continues to grow and build momentum for both organizations. Our initial assessment helped identify that by working closely with partners such as OARA and the Sunshine Foundation we could build relationships directly in the communities that needed to be reached. By empowering local organizations with a cohesive program we were able to engage the community into meaningful action. Communities are becoming more engaged and are actively finding new ways to participate as new elements of the program are added. Our goals went beyond educating the public about the events, tire recycling and tire derived products – they had a strong call to action. The result of this comprehensive program was a vast increase in number of tires collected from 2011, greatly exceeding the donation goal to the Sunshine Foundation and establishing a new installation of recycled tire products in Ontario.

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2013 IABC OVATION Awards Submission: Samsung Canada’s Passion For E-Recycling Challenge

Entrant’s Name: Paul Cartwright on behalf of Samsung Canada Organization: Samsung Canada Division/Category: 1. Communication Management: 1.) Community Relations Title of Entry: Samsung Canada’s Hope for Children: Passion for E-Recycling Challenge Time Period of Project: March 2012 – November 2012 Recognition Summary: Spring 2012 saw the launch of Samsung Hope for Children in Canada—a global campaign to promote the pillars of health, education and sustainability to Canadian youth. A major facet of this program for Samsung Canada (SECA) was the Samsung Passion for E-Recycling Challenge, with goals to educate and encourage Canadian youth to practice responsible recycling of their old electronics (e-waste). The Samsung Passion for E-Recycling Challenge was a runaway success, with more than 100,000kg of Canada’s electronic waste collected, and more than 8 million media impressions earned.

1. BUSINESS NEED / OPPORTUNITY

a. Opportunity: As the largest tech company in the world across mobile phones, TVs, and displays, Samsung is committed to reducing its environmental impact through responsible manufacturing, green design, and recycling leadership. To support Samsung’s global Hope for Children philanthropic program launch in Canada in spring 2012, the Samsung Passion for E-Recycling program was created. Samsung Hope for Children promotes initiatives in the area of childrens' health, education and sustainability. Samsung recognized a very real issue in Canada that they could ‘own’ through Hope for Children: the electronic waste or “e-waste” recycling conversation in the cause marketing industry.

An additional opportunity identified was to utilize the Samsung Passion for E-Recycling Challenge to leverage and promote the Samsung Canada Recycling Direct program. Already at work in Canada, Samsung Recycling Direct was only available for Samsung consumers, so an opportunity was seen to expand this for schools and other Canadian consumers.

b. Informal Research Findings: Research showed that 35% of Canadians (1 in 3 respondents) admitted they had old electronics spread throughout their house. The clincher? These dust absorbers were not being properly disposed of; One in 10 respondents admitted to throwing their e-waste out as trash rather than having it recycled properly at an e-waste facility.

2. INTENDED AUDIENCES

Audience Rationale Canadian youth and teachers This target audience would be able to participate in the from the grade three to five Samsung Passion for E-Recycling School Challenge’s level. learning module (*fully explained in Implementation section below) and would be the major program drivers. Parents of the Canadian youth With their children at school learning about e-waste, participating in the Samsung courtesy of Samsung, it was hoped that a conversation Passion for E-Recycling would be started at home that would spur parents into action School challenges regarding what e-waste was and how it could be properly recycled. Regional/National Canadian Targeted, coordinated media relations in regional outlets media 33

2013 IABC OVATION Awards Submission: Samsung Canada’s Passion For E-Recycling Challenge where Samsung Passion for E-Recycling Challenges were being held.

3. GOALS / OBJECTIVES

The business objective was to position Samsung and its Hope for Children program as leaders in the movement to educate Canadian youth on sustainability. Several communications goals were set out:

 Raise awareness around Canada’s e-waste issues and educate young Canadians on proper e-waste recycling procedures. Target 20 Toronto schools and 20 Edmonton schools to participate in each Samsung Passion for E-Recycling Challenges, respectively.  Collect 90,000kg of electronic waste for safe recycling via the Samsung Passion for E- Recycling programs in Toronto and Edmonton, diverting this waste from landfills.  Position Samsung Canada as a leader in sustainability, targeting 2 million media impressions (MRP) in Toronto and Edmonton. Further to MRP, achieve a cost per hit of $.09 per budget discussed below.

4. SOLUTION / OVERVIEW PROGRAM LAUNCH The Samsung Passion for E-Recycling Challenge ran from March 2012 and concluded in November 2012. The campaign was divided into two main phases:

Phase 1- March 2012 – June 2012: Initial Toronto launch of the Samsung E-Waste Recycling program in conjunction with the 2012 Green Living Show (GLS). Samsung Canada has been involved with the Green Living Show and Green Living Enterprises since 2007, and saw this event as the perfect opportunity to leverage its e-waste recycling platform.

Samsung Canada worked alongside Green Living Enterprises and Sears to deliver a compelling program that included: • GTA e-waste collection with GLS & Sears leading up to the show (March), as well as onsite during the Green Living Show show (April 13-15, 2012) • GTA school program designed to educate children about e-waste recycling, through a microsite & learning modules and the “Passion for E-recycling School Challenge.” • The second stage of this was a school collection drive and contest hosted at 28 GTA schools in the spring. Participating schools encouraged their students, parents and local communities to collect as much e-waste as they could with Samsung Canada offering a $10,000 technology grant to the winning school. • Samsung executives participated in panel discussion on energy leadership • Media outreach began on March 7th, with continued conversations and pitching throughout Phase 1 of the program. Pertinent lifestyle, education and broadcast channels were also invited to attend the Samsung Canada booth at the 2012 Green Living Show.

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2013 IABC OVATION Awards Submission: Samsung Canada’s Passion For E-Recycling Challenge Phase 2- June 2012 – November 2012: Kick-off of the Edmonton Samsung E-Waste Recycling Challenge was timed to coincide with National Waste Reduction Week (Oct. 15 – 21, 2012) as a key media driver. For additional media play and recognition, $50,000 in Samsung technology grants would be awarded to local Edmonton schools on National Philanthropy Day (Nov. 15, 2012). The Edmonton program included: • Launch of Edmonton’s Passion for E-Recycling School Challenge, designed to engage students in green / environmental stewardship education. Running from October 12 – 21st, a collection goal of 45,000kg was set. The top three Edmonton schools that collected the most e-waste weight (divided by the number of students at the elementary level at that school) would split $50,000 in technology grants donated by Samsung Canada • Team with The Brick as a program partner and community drop off location. Additionally, Samsung’s e-waste recycling partner, Global Electric Electronic Processing (GEEP) has an Edmonton-based flagship facility. GEEP would receive its own PR and brand boost directly in its own back yard through this program. . • Regional media outreach / pitching was made prior to the beginning of the Edmonton program, with cross-Canada outreach made around National Philanthropy Day.

5. IMPLEMENTATION AND CHALLENGES Budget: The total media relations campaign budget for both Toronto and Edmonton activations was $73,000, including fees and expenses related to all media relations activities.

Challenge: Ensure program participation from Toronto and Edmonton schools and communities Solution: In order to achieve e-waste collection goals of over 100,000kg, Samsung Canada provided over $60,000 in technology grants if collection goals were met by participating schools. For example, the Edmonton school which collected the most e-waste (weight per student at the elementary school level) would receive a $15,000 technology grant, courtesy of Samsung Canada, with the second and third place schools each receiving $7,500, respectively. Technology grants included Samsung computers and tablets for in-class usage and education.

Challenge: Reaching schools as a brand is extremely difficult. Solution: Worked with Green Living Enterprises and built a program using guidance from actual teachers to gain access and confidence from educators. Entitled the E-Waste Learning Portal, this online learning hub provides Canadian teachers with educational materials on a variety of e- waste related topics. Examples include an E-Waste Checklist (for children to identify e-waste material in their homes) to paper “dissections” of a computer and cell phone (to recognize recyclable elements of each device).

Challenge: E-waste is not well known as a term Solution: In order to inform and educate the Canadian public on e-waste (what it is, how and where to dispose of it), Samsung Canada coordinated a comprehensive PR campaign (link here). Additionally, the E-Waste Learning was a major program staple that spurred media recognition and discussion.

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2013 IABC OVATION Awards Submission: Samsung Canada’s Passion For E-Recycling Challenge

6. Measurement / Evaluation By all accounts, the launch of the Samsung Passion for E-Recycling program was a success.

Objective: Raise awareness around Canada’s e-waste issues and educate young Canadians on proper e-waste recycling procedures. Target 20 Toronto schools and 20 Edmonton schools to participate in each Samsung Passion for E-Recycling Challenges, respectively.

Result: 27 Toronto schools and 31 Edmonton schools participated in their city’s respective Samsung Passion for E-Recycling School challenges.

Objective: Collect 90,000kg of electronic waste for safe recycling via the Samsung Passion for E- Recycling programs in Toronto and Edmonton, diverting this waste from landfills.

Result: The Toronto and Edmonton Passion for E-Recycling program and School Challenges resulted in a whopping 174,000kg—or 383,000lbs of e waste being collected - and thus, diverted from landfill.

Objective: Position Samsung Canada as a leader in sustainability, targeting 2 million media impressions (MRP) in Toronto and Edmonton. Additionally, receive above a $.03 cost-per-hit relative to the $73,000 budget.per hit relative to $100,000 budget

Result: Received over 8 million media impressions from program launch through completion. Major media outlets included CTV, GlobalTV Edmonton, Breakfast Television Edmonton and the Edmonton Journal. This in turn resulted in a $.009 cost- per-hit relative to the $73,000 budget and a massive return on investment. 36

ENTRANT’S NAME: Martine Lévy ENTRANT’S ORGANIZATION: DDB Public Relations CLIENT ORGANIZATION: The Beaches International Jazz Festival TITLE OF ENTRY: The 24th Annual Beaches International Jazz Festival CATEGORY & SUBCATEGORY: Division 1: Communication Management; Category 4a: Media Relations with budget up to $50k TIME PERIOD OF PROJECT: May 2012 to July 2012

RECOGNITION SUMMARY: Generating an economic impact of $30 million for the City of Toronto, the Beaches International Jazz Festival has been a stalwart event on the city's cultural scene for over 20 years. Faced with a constantly evolving set of communications challenges, the Festival once again engaged DDB PR to develop and execute a program designed to maximize publicity, attract best-in-class sponsors and ultimately boost year-over-year attendance.

BUSINESS NEED/OPPORTUNITY With no advertising support, DDB PR has aided in growing the Beaches International Jazz Festival from a small, two-day event to a massive 10-day celebration of music with over one million people in attendance. Enhancing the Festival's profile has been pivotal in keeping this event top-of-mind among Torontonians and tourists alike. This is especially poignant considering the city's busy summer festival season presents fierce competition. The Festival competes for the public's mindshare and time against such mainstay events as the TD Toronto Jazz Festival, Scotiabank CHIN International Picnic, Honda Indy Toronto, the Taste of the Danforth, Caribana Scotiabank Caribbean Carnival, Scotiabank Buskerfest, and Canadian National Exhibition. While some of these events are held at different times from the Festival, summer event fatigue can impact attendance.

Over the past five years, the Festival has grown its attendance numbers by an average of 8% annually. Attendance is the number one performance indicator for the Festival, since on-site spending by festival-goers directly impacts the city's economy which in turn impacts the Festival organizers' ability to secure government funding for future years. The size of the Festival also attracts top tier performers, and allows the Festival to solicit greater sponsorship dollars. However, during the 2009-2010 recession, the precarious economic climate forced some sponsors to reduce their support based on marketing budget cutbacks, despite their overall satisfaction participating year after year. By 2012, this issue had become a key concern for the Festival because sponsorship revenue was in a steady decline now for two years in a row. A successful media relations program in 2011 was able to impact the trend, but Festival organizers knew they had to continue to accelerate their growth and increase Festival publicity in order to continue to establish a positive trend in attendance and ultimately, sponsorship revenue.

Entering its 24th year, the agency recognized the need to develop a niche, multi-tiered messaging strategy that would speak to the Festival’s audience through a multitude of diverse media outlets. It was imperative that the agency work efficiently to maximize its small budget and ensure top-notch results against the Festival’s strategic objectives.

INTENDED AUDIENCE/STAKEHOLDERS The Beaches International Jazz Festival is a free event held in a dynamic urban lakeside "Beach" community at the height of Toronto’s summer festivals. The Festival’s target market is wide and diverse, and from the its most recent evaluation in 2010, its demographic breakdown was identified as follows: • 53% male, 47% female • Age range: 23% from 25-34; 22% from 35-44; 25% from 45-54 • 25% of the audience has a household income of $100,000 or more annually

From a psychographic standpoint, the audience was also very diverse, ranging from serious jazz aficionados, to light-hearted festival lovers. Public relations, and more specifically, media

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relations, was therefore the ideal communications channel that could attract and engage such a wide-ranging audience.

GOALS/OBJECTIVES: To engage the media, and earn high quality editorial coverage, the agency developed targeted media pitches across beats that included: news/assignment, music/entertainment, lifestyle, city/community, ethnic media and charity. In 2012, the core quantifiable business objectives for the Festival were to: 1) Increase festival attendance by 15% from July 20-29, 2012 (almost doubling the 8% benchmark set over the past 5 years) 2) Ensure that top-tier sponsors maintain their support levels in the 2013 festival year (for competitive reasons, actual sponsorship revenue cannot be shared publicly)

The 2012 communications objectives were based on previous years’ performance benchmarks, but were augmented to directly support the Festival’s growth strategy: • Generate 300 media hits to promote the Festival from March to July 2012 (to drive awareness and traffic to the website and to encourage attendance) • Obtain 70 million media impressions from March to July 2012 using Canada's standardized Media Relations Rating Points (MRP) system. The messaging criteria was set by the agency and client as: 1) Festival mention, 2) key message inclusion, and 3) photo or logo insertion. The target qualitative MRP score was 75% (industry-standard) • The PR budget including fees and hard costs from March to July 2012 was $16,500. Therefore, the target cost-per-contact (budget over total target media impressions) was $0.0002.

SOLUTION OVERVIEW Leveraging previous years' post-event surveys to mine for insights, the agency developed a niche, multi-tiered messaging strategy to generate renewed editorial interest in the Festival. It was established that there had to be one over-arching emotional drive to this festival that could bring such diverse audiences together. In conducting a competitive analysis with other city festivals, the agency differentiated the Festival by leveraging its humble grass roots heritage. Whereas other festivals and events often focused on what attendees would be "doing" or "getting" at the festival (e.g. going on rides, experiencing a taste of international cultures, or seeing a great performance, etc.), the Festival went beyond this - to create a direct emotional connection for attendees to the Festival via media messaging and pitching. The agency's strategic thinking focused on making attendees feel like "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts": The Festival is for both the big guys and the little guys, boasting some of Canada's most- celebrated talent alongside new up-and-comers. As one of the last free music events in the city, it has a unique, circular give-back philosophy at its core. Ultimately, this Festival is about the jazz community coming together and connecting with the greater "public" community. That connection is what gives this Festival a competitive edge over others.

The campaign targeted GTA-focused media across all mediums including: print, television, radio, online news and city event websites/calendar listings, and bloggers. Media messaging focused on promoting city pride and celebrating our diverse jazz landscape, with key editorial messaging focused on the Festival’s sizable charitable component. Based on previous year’s economic impact studies, the agency highlighted in the media how this Festival brings in more than $30 million to the local community – another reason why government, corporate sponsors, and community organizations can take pride in this event.

The following tactics were executed as part of the over-arching media relations strategy:

1) Comprehensive media list development − The campaign began with extensive research to build a Toronto-focused media list that included all relevant print publications, radio and TV news, online sites and

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blogs. This was the foundation for the agency’s highly individualized media pitching approach 2) Event listings − To secure placement in long-lead publications and destination magazines, an event listing press release was distributed to key media for the outlet’s event pages. Next, daily and weekly entertainment bulletins were sent to newsprint and electronic listing editors 3) Radio drops and radio PSA − Branded packages were distributed to key GTA radio stations offering compelling DJ chatter points with facts and stats to help drive festival attendance − A radio PSA was disseminated to maximize publicity 4) Media relations − The agency developed a media alert and media release to attract print and broadcast media to come out and capture the Festival. The agency also proactively distributed tailored email pitches to target media to secure story features 5) Press conference − An annual press conference was held to officially launch the Festival, announce and promote the Festival’s musical guests and sponsors, and highlight its charitable support of Toronto East General Hospital Foundation 6) Event media relations − Throughout the Festival, the agency was on-site, proactively pitching editorials with unique story angles, encouraging media to come on-site, guiding reporters and camera crews through the Festival, and organizing interviews with the organizers, artists and attendees − Photo-opportunity alerts and special event bulletins were also sent to photo/assignment editors and special interest media

The agency effectively identified and collected creative, newsworthy, human interest stories from all of the Festival's activities (from performers, organizers, volunteers, sponsors, etc.) and shared them with media through the tactics outlined above.

IMPLEMENTATION & CHALLENGES 2012 was a year when many city festivals were beginning to recover from the impact of the recession. At best, many competing festivals were trying to remain flat, year over year. The Festival set its sights on aggressive growth, but did so using media relations as a strategic communications vehicle. Outside of this comprehensive PR program, no other advertising or communications support was used.

The amount of money invested into the 2012 campaign was very modest at $16,500. It was the same PR budget from previous years, but this year's creative and niched media relations approach was able to support a record-breaking audience growth of 33.3%.

MEASUREMENT/EVALUATION: The 2012 Beaches International Jazz Festival was a resounding success with PR results that far exceeded pre-set objectives on every count. Specifically: • Record-breaking 33.3% increase in public attendance (+18.3% vs. target) • Sponsorship dollars for the 2013 Festival has remained consistent among top-tier sponsors, while entry-level sponsors have increased by 10%

Media relations results far out-performed objectives: • Media coverage, including multiple hits on CTV, City TV, National Post, Metro Toronto and The Toronto Star, generated 394 media hits across print, TV, radio and online mediums (+31.3% vs. target) • Secured an unparalleled 145.33 million media impressions based on audited MRP data (+107.6% vs. target) and a qualitative MRP score of 77.41%

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• Program cost per contact was an unprecedented $0.00011

Moreover, post-event Festival surveys showed highly positive attendee responses. Sponsor satisfaction was also at an all-time high, based on the Festival staff’s phone follow-up evaluations. Finally, the record-breaking results, which directly delivered upon the business objectives, are all the more impressive when one considers the relatively small media pool in Toronto.

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OVATION Awards Winning Entry Communication Management Media relations with budget up to $50K AWARD OF EXCELLENCE

Entrant’s Name: Yeena Peng, Manager, Media Relations Organization Name: Health Council of Canada Division 1: Communication Management; Category 4a: Media relations with budget up to $50K Title of Entry: Media moves message, “Seniors in need, caregivers in distress” Time Period of Project: April 16, 2012 to December 31, 2012

Recognition Summary: Media relations supporting the Health Council of Canada’s report on home care gave governments, caregivers and providers a reality check on the situations of Canadian seniors receiving home care, the family caregivers who are lending support, and the challenges confronting home care planners in every health ministry. Based on data from five key regions, audiences learned that, clearly, Canadians who needed home care the most were not getting adequate care – at high personal cost to them, and at financial cost to a system that can do better.

1. BUSINESS NEED/OPPORTUNITY

Need: In the last decade, the number of Canadian seniors receiving home care has grown exponentially and one third of them have high or very high needs. Most seniors (93%) in Canada live at home and want to remain there as long as possible, so for those with high needs there is added demand for home care services and for family caregiver support to manage both daily activities and the seniors’ complex health conditions. For some seniors about to transition to long-term care, there are opportunities to divert them to home care and achieve better health, if the proper home care services are available to meet their needs. An Ontario report estimates that among the 3,000 patients waiting in hospitals to be placed into long-term care facilities, every 10% (300 patients) shift of these patients to home care could result in $35 million in savings. The question is, how are we doing at meeting the requirements of high needs seniors now, and how do we encourage governments to build the capacity to better assess seniors and plan to help them age well at home? The Health Council of Canada is mandated by Health Canada to monitor and report on health care in Canada, including home care. In April 2012, we released our home care report. It highlighted new data from five regions (Nova Scotia, Ontario, Manitoba, British Columbia and Yukon), and found that high need seniors were neither being adequately cared for nor planned for in the home care setting. And that, if governments and providers were to prioritize home care, strides could be made to provide the best possible seniors’ care, while relieving caregiver burnout and alleviating some financial pressures on the system.

Opportunity: There is no shortage of stories about the aging Canadian population and the needs of this population within the pages of Canadian media. During the development of the report, the Health Council conducted a media scan of all the news stories in Canada that talked about home care or seniors. We found no less than 30 stories appeared in Canadian news over the span of one month. The Health Council’s report also presented new data (RAI-HC data) on rating seniors’ needs that had not been presented publicly before. Furthermore, there was a groundswell of raised government awareness on the topic of home care. Jurisdictions across Canada had started to display keen interest in home care as it has wide-reaching implications for policy and possibly overall budget savings. Therefore, the 41

presence of existing media interest, the availability of new data and the underlying interest of our main target audience (government), provided a solid platform to launch our home care report with a strategy centred on earned media.

2. INTENDED AUDIENCE(S)

Primary Audience: Policy makers/government This refers to the federal, provincial and territorial governments, specifically the Ministries of Health. Policy makers and governments can affect change through legislation and funding for programs and services. Having this audience aware of the report and its data may help push home care to higher priority when it comes to health care planning within the governments. For this report, we specifically targeted the senior policy staff. These are the people that actually read the full report and draft briefing notes for the ministers and deputy ministers with recommendations from the report. These senior analysts are trusted with the facts and “have the ear” of those people (ministers, deputy ministers) that can and do make the final decisions on health care within the government.

Secondary Audience: Canadian public acting as caregivers to their loved ones 1. ‘Sandwich Generation’ usually women within the age of 40-60 who are caring for their own children but also caring for their parents. This group often experiences burnout as they tend to be mothers who have full time jobs as well as act as the primary caregiver for their families. 2. Spouses of the patients. They are often seniors themselves and are suffering from their own ailments and health issues. If a home care client is married, spouses are most likely to be the primary caregiver; if they are not married (single, widowed, divorced), an adult child is most likely to be the primary caregiver. Three- quarters of caregivers are aged 45-64, while one quarter are seniors themselves. Nearly 60% of these family caregivers are women and 57% of caregivers are employed.

Tertiary Audience: Frontline workers providing home care These are the personal support workers, nurses, social workers, occupational therapists, dieticians, etc. who work directly with the patient in their homes. They are more likely to be female, middle-aged or older, and many have other jobs in addition to their work in home care. Home care workers are subject to unpredictable work, most commonly part-time or casual work hours. Their work is often on-call and involves split shifts, pay-per-visit, and hourly pay without regular and guaranteed hours.

3. GOALS/OBJECTIVES

Goal #1: To encourage policy makers/governments to take a closer look at the current state of home care so that when decisions are made they are thinking of better solutions that support the client and the caregiver.

As mentioned before, we know that Canadians prefer to live at home. But to do so, many aging Canadians need assistance to manage their daily activities. Therefore, it is imperative that home care becomes a part of the continuing care strategy for all Canadians. OECD data from 2008 indicated that Canada spends much more on long term care (0.96% of GDP) than it does on home care (0.21% of GDP). It is clear that governments need to re-assess their long-term care needs including home care. This 42

demonstrates to key health care leaders and governments that the current state of home care needs to change.

Objectives: a) To obtain 100 participants from across Canada for the webinar. (Health Council of Canada webinars in the past have had approximately 100 participants) b) To reach 300 click unique clicks on the e-blast. c) To directly reach 250 health care leaders (e.g., policy makers, government officials) through the targeted distribution list.

Goal #2: To build support for a national family caregiver strategy by increasing awareness of the challenges of home care in Canada.

This report provides new evidence that suggests caregivers are under lots of stress when caring for the elderly at home. The new regional data found that those needing home care in Canada the most are not getting the care they need. By raising awareness of this issue, it may lead to easing the stress on caregivers while providing assistance to the seniors in need.

Objectives: a) To generate 5,500 downloads of the home care through promotional activity. (Based on other higher priority Health Council reports such as Aboriginal Maternal and Child Health, and Progress 2011, we have averaged about 5,000 downloads within the first two weeks of launch.) b) To generate 100 total media stories.

4. SOLUTION OVERVIEW

Communications efforts focused heavily on media relations as well as secondary tactics to build on the momentum of the media relations activity. Overall, having this strategy paid off, as earned media was not too costly on our budget and it allowed the additional tactics to “piggy-back” on its success.

Media Relations activity • On the day of launch, April 16, 2012, the Health Council distributed a multimedia release that included relevant hyperlinks and a video. This release was distributed nationally across the wire. The release was also sent with a personalized pitch to news, health, and trades (seniors publications/ publications targeted to support workers) media. The personalized pitches were sent to national media as well as local media where our spokespeople were based. One region we focused on was Newfoundland because our CEO/corporate spokesperson was in St. John’s during launch. John G. Abbott is not only a familiar face in Newfoundland because of his position with the Health Council, but he was also the former Deputy Minister of Health in the province. John is well known and highly credible within the Newfoundland/St. John’s media. Having John in St. John’s coupled with his past experience made for a compelling pitch to the news media in that province. • Since the release date was a Monday and given we believed this was going to be a big news story because of the new data and its human interest angle, the day before (Friday April 13, 2012) launch, select top tier national media (e.g.,Canadian Press, PostMediaNews, Toronto Star) were given the opportunity to preview the report under embargo. This allowed them extra time to 43

develop feature stories to be written over the weekend, to appear in papers and online the morning of launch. This strategy worked well for us and saw coverage the morning of in large outlets (like the Globe and Mail as well as those mentioned above). As the media feed off… …one-another, having larger media outlets run the story the morning provided greater spread of our story and allowed for greater opportunity for smaller media (local radio stations) to request interviews of our spokespeople the day of and days following launch. • A video was developed to support the media relations effort. Caregivers with compelling personal stories about how they cared for their loved ones was developed and attached to the media release. This indicated to interested media not only do we have corporate spokespeople; we also have real patient stories that put a face to the new data in the report. This strategy was successful, because when media called they already had a story in mind and had requested specific caregivers to deliver their message. • Along with pitches to traditional media, we also pitched this story out through social media channels. We tweeted about the story throughout the day, posted it on our Facebook page, as well as pitched to bloggers with an interest in seniors or home care, and pitched to organizations with e- newsletters who may have an interest in this topic. In our past work, we have seen a direct correlation between traditional media and social media. As traditional media coverage increases so does social media.

Additional tactics • On the Health Council’s corporate blog site, we featured guest bloggers from select leaders in health care with expertise in home care or seniors. These blogs were pre-written and posted on our corporate blog throughout the launch week. All blogs directed traffic back to the main Health Council website where the report was being featured. This activity allowed us to continue with upswing in momentum the media relations activity provided. The guest blogs worked well as we promoted them to through our digital channels (Facebook and twitter), and the leaders/guest bloggers drove traffic to our site by promoting their piece through their own marketing channels. • We also pursued advertisements in select media outlets that had readership of our primary target audience. We placed ads in Hospital News and Hill Times. • We also targeted our distribution of the report to policy makers. Personal emails were sent from Health Council staff, to a list of parties made up of our target audience. • An e-blast, sent to the Health Council’s over 3,000 subscribers was sent encouraging downloads of the report. • Following the release of the report, a webinar was held by the Health Council to facilitate discussion on the topic of home care. An international panel of experts on home care was brought in to discuss Australia’s home care strategy and what Canada can learn from it. This webinar was specifically targeted to the policy makers as it presented a best practice that they could possibly learn from and adapt within Canada.

5. IMPLEMENTATION AND CHALLENGES

The overall promotional budget for this campaign was $12,500. The actual spend was just under $12,000. 2,646.00 Release on the wire (Eng/Fr) 2,877.00 Video development - Includes filming and edits and final product 2,431.25 Media training 44

500.00 Webinar 505.00 Podcast 500.00 Advertisement (Longwoods) 1,394.10 Advertisement (Hospital News) 1,000.00 Design and layout for ads (x2) 11,853.35 Total spend

A challenge we faced with the launch of this report was the need to turn a 68 page report targeted to government and policy makers accessible and interesting to the general public. We did this through the use of taped client stories posted to our YouTube channel. Our caregiver stories allowed us to put real faces to the new data presented within the report. We also made extra efforts in our media materials to use language that was more accessible to the public.

6. MEASUREMENT/EVALUATION GOAL: To encourage policy makers/government to take a closer look at the current state of home care so that when decisions are made they are thinking of better solutions that support the client and the caregiver. OBJ RESULTS TO DECEMBER 2012 To obtain 100 participants 130 people participated online, on the webinar. These participants mainly comprised of our from across Canada for the target audience, stakeholders and policy makers who have a vested in interest in home care. webinar. This webinar was seen as a success because it provided and opportunity for the Health Council to directly connect with stakeholders and hold a discussion about the topic. To reach 300 click unique The report received 325 unique clicks of the e-blast, which means approximately 11% of the clicks on the e-blast. 2,844 subscribers that opened it, clicked on the e-blast and linked to our website to read more about the report. The 11% is higher than the industry standard of 4% conversion rate. To directly reach 250 health Over 400 health care leaders were reached through targeted distributions lists. Personalized care leaders (e.g.,policy emails from the Health Council’s CEO/stakeholder and government relations team were sent. makers, government Some samples of the groups we targeted were: officials) through the • Federal/Provincial/Territorial Ministers of Health / Seniors / Continuing Care targeted distribution list. • CEOs of Research/Policy/Data Organizations • CEOs of Home Care Providers • CEOs of LHINs and CCACs GOAL: To build support for a national family caregiver strategy by increasing awareness of the challenges of home care in Canada. OBJ RESULTS TO DECEMBER 2012 To generate 5,500 The report has received 9,600 downloads to date. This is almost double its original objective. downloads of the report. Within the first week of launch the report downloads amounted to over 2,550. To generate 100 total This report has been covered in 161 media stories in national, local and international outlets media stories. online, in print and broadcast. These stories translate to 33,422,446 media impressions (based on MRP scoring system). The stories have an average score of 99% brand mention and 65% inclusion of quote from a spokesperson. The cost per contact for the overall campaign was 0.000359. n/a 880 reads of the guest blogs n/a 1,341 views were generated by the patient video n/a 68,294 social media impressions received. These impressions are based on the number of tweets, retweets, FB activity, and external bloggers covering the report. 45

Along with the positive quantitative data noted above. Below are select qualitative results from this campaign: • Stakeholders publicly responded to the home care report; the Canadian Home Care Association and the Ontario Association of Community Care Access Centres posted formal releases on the newswire commenting positively. • Due to the local media coverage in Newfoundland, the Minister of Health publicly commented (on CBC and the Telegram) about their province’s own home care report, due to come out later in the year. • General feedback from Ministers recognized the value of our report, especially for future planning. Some informed us of the initiatives around seniors and home care. Others indicated that the findings of this report are being considered as they work on issues related to seniors and family caregivers. Ministers/Ministries that responded: Federal Minister of Health; Federal Minister of State (Seniors); Ontario Minister of Health and Long Term Care; Ontario Minister Responsible for Seniors; New Brunswick Minister of Social Development; Quebec Minister Responsible for Seniors; and the Quebec Ministry of Social Services. • Top tier, feature length, media coverage included: CTV News, Toronto Star, CBC.ca and radio (in select regions across Canada), the Globe and Mail (included images/graphs from the report and interview with patient and corporate spokespeople), and Zoomer radio (interview and call-in question and answer period).

Coverage in the editorial pages appeared in: Toronto Star, Toronto Sun, Sarnia Observer, etc.

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OVATION Awards Winning Entry Communication Management Media relations with budget up to $50K AWARD OF MERIT

2013 IABC OVATION AWARDS WORK PLAN

Entrants’ Names: Ken Evans; Natali Tofiloski; Erick Bauer; Alex Thomas: APEX Public Relations Inc. Steve Vitale; Robyn van Teunenbroek; Julie Ibrahim: UPS Canada Organizations’ Names: APEX Public Relations Inc. / UPS Canada Category / Subcategory: Division 1: Category 4: Media Relations - Budget Under $50,000 Title of Entry: UPS Canada Delivers the Holiday Rush Time Period of Project: October – December, 2012 Brief Description: The holidays are a busy time for all of us. Nowhere is this hustle and bustle more evident than in the world of transportation and logistics. In the month leading up to Christmas, UPS saw an increase of approximately 60 per cent over its normal daily delivery volume. In order to maximize business efficiency and provide stellar customer service during this demanding period, UPS knew that it would have to develop an effective communications strategy to inform customers about peak season forecasts, packing tips and pertinent shipping deadlines. To accomplish this, APEX developed and executed a public relations campaign to inform the target audience about the many potential hazards associated with shipping during the holiday season.

BUSINESS NEED / OPPORTUNITY

How would your business respond to a sudden 60 per cent surge in demand? While such an overwhelming increase has the potential to cripple a brand`s reputation, UPS has learned to harness the opportunity. In the month leading up to December 25, UPS delivered approximately 450 million packages around the world. On the busiest day of the year for UPS – Thursday, December 20 – the company delivered over 28 million packages worldwide, a nearly 60 per cent increase over its normal daily delivery volume of packages and documents. To handle this surge, the company hired roughly 60,000 seasonal workers globally. Additionally, the growth of e-commerce in recent years led UPS to implement new processes in order to maximize efficiency and provide stellar customer service. This year, last minute shoppers were able ship as late as Friday, December 21 using UPS Express services to have gifts arrive by Christmas Eve. UPS transportation and technology networks were leveraged to meet this demand.

The company added more than 400 additional flights per day and express shipment processing was given additional resources at the UPS Worldport international air hub in Louisville, KY. UPS knew that in 47

order to maximize efficiency and provide stellar customer service during this demanding period… --- (and protect its brand reputation) it would have to develop an effective communications strategy to inform customers about peak season forecasts, packaging tips and pertinent shipping deadlines. To achieve this, UPS Canada turned to APEX to develop a media relations strategy that would garner coverage in top-tier outlets across the country. In turn, UPS would be able to educate its target audiences about the potential complications associated with shipping during the holidays, thereby increasing its efficiency and customer service record.

INTENDED AUDIENCE

The target audience for this project was the mass consumer (men and women ages 25-50 who have friends and relatives in other parts of Canada and abroad). The target identified by UPS was segmented into two distinct geographical areas:

1) Major Urban Centres: These individuals are busy professionals with families. The holidays often imposes time constraints on these already busy individuals, which leads to procrastination, last-minute shopping, and a failure to consider the potential complications associated with shipping during the holidays (e.g. improper packaging and/or missing key deadlines).

2) Smaller Municipalities: These individuals are less influenced by national media and tend to seek out information from local sources (e.g. community newspapers). UPS wanted to reach both of these targets to inform them about packaging tips and pertinent shipping deadlines so that customer service issues could be avoided. By educating the target consumer UPS would be able to ensure that more packages would be delivered on time for the holidays.

GOALS / OBJECTIVES

1. Keep customer call centre volumes down year-over-year 2. Generate an overall program media reach of 8 million between Oct. – Dec. 2012 3. Secure an in-studio morning show interview for a UPS driver in the key GTA market between Dec. 1 - Dec. 20 4. Secure UPS Hub tour with CTV’s Pat Foran (Coverage on Consumer Alert segment was a top priority for the client) 5. Secure placement of matte stories in 15 community newspapers between Oct. – Dec. 2012 6. Leverage the UPS Black Friday survey to secure a minimum of two tier-one pieces of print coverage 7. Achieve an MRP rating score of 75 per cent (Canadian industry standard) and a cost-per-contact of less than $0.03 8. Secure a media ride-along (TV feature) with a UPS Driver in Western Canada between Dec. 1 and Dec. 20

SOLUTIONS OVERVIEW

To get a pulse on media sentiment, APEX took a sampling of mainstream media and local coverage from Nov. to Dec. 2011, which revealed that the media landscape was saturated with stories focused on gift giving during the holiday season. APEX also conducted research into the recent popularity of Black Friday and e-commerce vis-à-vis consumers in Canada. The conclusion was that the relatively strong 48

loonie, coupled with economic uncertainty south of the border, and the growing prevalence of online shopping had combined to create a news angle that would resonate strongly with media. The… … research also confirmed that small-town Canadians were relying on local media for information and advice. That said, there was still strong demand for conventional media, especially in dense urban areas. However, APEX knew that UPS would have to offer a unique, timely, relevant narrative if it were to capture the interest of these key media targets.

Given the research findings, APEX knew it would have to offer a different kind of holiday story — one less focused on what to give and more focused on how to give it — in order to cut through the holiday media clutter. This included focusing on key UPS messaging as well as emphasizing recent trends such as ecommerce. It also meant providing visuals of packaging tips and damaged boxes to complement bulleted lists of shipping deadlines. Given the visual nature of the packaging tips, the campaign would focus on top-tier television news outlets in major urban centres with high concentrations of target audience members. There was also a strong focus on reaching small market tier-two media in rural Canada.

In order to meet the target objectives and ensure that UPS’s messaging around the peak holiday season rang loud and clear, APEX’s multi-angled strategy leveraged several distinct tactics:

1. Black Friday Survey: In order to get a leg up on the competition, UPS had to initiate peak season dialogue as early as possible. To do so, APEX worked with Leger Marketing to design and execute a survey focusing on the habits of Canadian consumers during the holiday season. The results were strategically distributed on Black Friday – the official kick-off to the holiday shopping season. APEX distributed the results through strategic media relations with tier-one media.

2. Matte Stories: In an effort to reach the identified rural target audience, APEX had to take a strategic yet resourceful approach. After careful consideration, APEX recommended creating and distributing two matte stories. Since most small town media outlets rely heavily on News Canada for daily content, the matte stories allowed APEX to reach a large number of target media without having to undertake the daunting task of a full-fledged media relations campaign. This tactic ensured the results needed to meet client’s expectations, while at the same time saving APEX time and UPS money.

3. Driver Ride-Alongs: Determined to tell a different kind of holiday story, APEX recommended offering key media in select markets the opportunity to take part in a driver ride-along. The opportunity allowed the media to learn about UPS’ peak season activities first-hand by spending some time on the road with a UPS driver. APEX worked with UPS to identify Edmonton and Calgary as key markets that typically generate high return rates and thus present a difficult customer service challenge. These markets were also selected because they were mid-sized cities where the population was substantial but where the media culture was still very oriented toward feel-good human-interest stories. APEX media trained drivers who acted as spokespeople during ride-along interviews, and armed them with key messages and Q&A documents. APEX then developed a media invite that was distributed to a list of tier-one media targets. Follow-up was executed to confirm media participation.

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4. Toronto Hub Tour: In 2011 APEX was able to secure a facility tour with CTV’s Pat Foran for the network’s Consumer Alert segment. The spot aired nationally over 16 times over the course of two days and proved to be an excellent way to reach UPS’s target audience. APEX knew that securing the same type of coverage two years in a row would be difficult as the segment was highly sought after by all of UPS’s major competitors. Nevertheless, the team made securing coverage on Consumer Alerts a top priority for the 2012 peak season. APEX knew CTV would need images for their stories and want access to the distribution centre to get the best footage. But with limited access and the most compelling footage available only in the early morning hours, APEX had to take a pre-emptive approach. In 2010 APEX had recommended working with News Canada to create a short VNR focusing on the peak season. The VNR proved to be the perfect complement to media relations efforts during peak 2012; providing media with b-roll that could then be incorporated into broadcast coverage. APEX used the pre-recorded VNR to provide CTV with high quality visuals to help craft the dialogue around peak season. This footage allowed the production crew to conduct filming at a time convenient to them while still being able to capture visuals of the facility at its busiest period.

5. National Media Relations: Complementing the aforementioned tactics was a national media relations campaign. APEX distributed a press release to announce UPS’s peak season activities, as well as its volume predictions, seasonal hiring numbers and key deadlines. The release was distributed nationally via CNW in November. APEX continued to execute follow-up to media to help garner coverage of UPS’s peak season activities. Several interviews were secured, including a much sought after in-studio segment with Global News featuring a UPS driver. APEX then distributed a reminder release via CNW and targeted e-mail the week leading up to peak day and, finally, leveraged the VNR by providing it to key media as a way to offer insight into how the final story might look.

BUDGET

Budget was $42,000 of which $15,000 was for expenses (matte stories and survey) and $27,000 was fees.

IMPLEMENTATION AND CHALLENGES

APEX was faced with three distinct challenges in managing media relations. The first was the fact that access to distribution centres for media interviews was extremely limited due to security regulations and procedural constraints. Access to these centres was important because it was the place where broadcast media could acquire the best “action” shots for their news segments. Second, to capture the most interesting footage for interviews, media would be forced to visit the hub during its busiest time (between 3:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m.) — a timeframe that was not amenable to the editorial cycle. Third, the smaller community targets identified were difficult to reach. Community newspapers tend to have small editorial teams and limited resources, which makes securing placement difficult. Adding to this was the fact that the budget could not support a full-fledged media relations campaign focusing on the hundreds of small market outlets necessary to reach the target.

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RESULTS

The results of the campaign exceeded all of its goals:

1. Objective: Keep customer call centre volumes down year-over-year o Result: Although precise metrics are not available for public disclosure, the client did articulate that they had one of the lowest volumes in the past 5 years

2. Objective: Generate an overall program reach of 8 million o Results: The program garnered over 120 stories with a total reach of more than 32 million – an increase of over 300 per cent from the previous year

3. Objective: Secure an in-studio morning show interview for UPS driver in key GTA market o Results: Interview was secured with UPS driver for Global News Morning with a total reach exceeding 250,000

4. Objective: Secure UPS Hub tour with CTV’s Pat Foran o Results: Interview and tour were secured with UPS spokesperson. Total reach was nearly 6 million and the segment aired nationally, regionally, and online o 5. Objective: Secure placement of matte stories in at least 15 community newspapers o Results: The matte stories were picked up 52 times

6. Objective: Leverage Black Friday survey to secure a minimum of two tier-one pieces of print coverage o Results: The survey was covered in articles by The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, CBC, Canada.com, Calgary Herald, and Sun Media

7. Objective: Achieve an MRP rating score of 75 per cent and a cost-per-contact of less than $0.03 o Results: Achieved an MRP rating score of 96.12 per cent and a cost-per-contact of $0.001

8. Objective: Secure a ride-along with UPS in Western Canada o Results: Ride-along was secured featuring UPS driver on CTV in Edmonton and Calgary and included footage from the 2010 VNR

51 IABC/TORONTO OVATION AWARDS – The Great Canadian Road Trip 2.0

Entrant’s name: David Gollom, Manager, Communications at Canadian Tire Organization’s name: Canadian Tire Corporation Division/Category: Division 1 – Communication Management Category 4a – Media Relations with Budget up to $50K Title of entry: The Great Canadian Road Trip 2.0 Time period of project: July 10, 2012 – September 1, 2012 ------RECOGNITION SUMMARY On July 10, 2012 a bilingual college graduate began the Great Canadian road trip, re-imagined. As its 2012 spring- summer campaign, Canadian Tire wanted to stake its claim as a leader in road trips. The team deemed the best way to do so was to take the classic road trip and add a twist that has never been done before – add a social media tie- in. Bringing a third party onboard as the enthusiastic road tripper, the candidate, Greg Mountenay, visited hundreds of Facebook friends face-to-face over 32 days on The Great Canadian Road Trip 2.0. By supplying Greg with all the gear necessary for a road trip and backed by funds to support his travels, Canadian Tire was positioned as a true hero, automotive authority and destination for all the things Canadians need to make the most of the season while helping to make his dream of the ultimate Canadian summer road trip a reality. ------BUSINESS NEED/OPPORTUNITY This campaign was part of a multi-year plan to revitalize automotive – a core, heritage business for Canadian Tire – which has included numerous business initiatives designed to enhance the overall customer experience. These enhancements have included the opening of a new automotive concept store, the launch of the first Canadian Tire Driver’s Academy, and the “Canadian Tire Combustion Chamber”, a new vehicle for sourcing the latest and most innovative automotive products from around the world.

Comprehensive and robust Public Relations strategies have been a central part of this revitalization initiative. This campaign originated from a desire to align the Canadian Tire brand with summer road trips, keeping it top of mind with Canadians and making Canadian Tire synonymous with making the most of the summer season. The arrival of spring brings the promise of warm weather, longer days and family vacations. All these factors help renew Canadians’ love of driving; it is no longer worrisome, but rather something they look forward to – a gateway to adventure.

With numerous retailers all vying for share of voice during the summer season – there was an opportunity to develop a campaign that was both innovative, timely and authentic, while also providing an opportunity to raise awareness locally and nationally around the Canadian Tire brand (as Canada’s store) as well as our vast product assortment. As well, a campaign that would incorporate all arms of Canadian Tire retail into one initiative would provide the ideal business solution. ------INTENDED AUDIENCES The primary audience for The Great Canadian Road Trip 2.0 is parents with kids under the age of 18. These parents see themselves as “Co-CEO’s,” live in the suburbs and are, on average, 39 years of age. Family is the most important thing to these parents and they strive to raise a great family and enjoy life’s journey along the way.

As family road trips are a staple in many Canadian families’ summer plans, reaching out to the parents and familiarizing them with Canadian Tire’s road trip-ready products helped keep them top of mind when preparing for a road trip.

Canadian Tire worked with its agency, North Strategic (North), to develop and execute this earned media campaign to reach our target audience by targeting travel, auto, consumer and lifestyle reporters. This unique program was designed to ensure Canadian Tire stood out among competing retailers during a typically competitive spring and summer news period. 1

52 IABC/TORONTO OVATION AWARDS – The Great Canadian Road Trip 2.0

------GOALS/OBJECTIVES

 Align the Canadian Tire brand with summer road trips and everything Canadians need to make the most of the season, keeping Canadian Tire auto and retail top of mind with Canadians during summer  Position Canadian Tire as the go-to for road trip supplies by securing 20 million branded, on-message earned media impressions (based on Media Relations Rating Points)  Generate awareness of Canadian Tire’s involvement in this initiative by securing a Canadian Tire mention in 95 per cent of the stories in 5 of the 8 provinces scheduled to visit  Increase awareness of Canadian Tire’s road trip-appropriate cross-divisional products by securing specific product mentions in the majority of the coverage ------SOLUTIONS OVERVIEW

Background The Public Relations team looked at a variety of different approaches for cutting through the clutter to successfully position a brand as the “go-to” for spring and summer product. The team needed to find a way for Canadian Tire to stand out. In order to accomplish this, the campaign had to be engaging, timely and more than simply product- focused. We needed a compelling human interest story and a unique angle.

Planning and strategy Canadian Tire, in partnership with North, developed an industry-first campaign: strategically design a road trip, sourcing a willing third party, or “everyday Canadian”, to partake in the ultimate cross-Canada adventure. Capitalize on the common desire amongst Canadians to travel our country from coast-to-coast while positioning Canadian Tire as the retailer who can make the dream a reality.

Through a series of recommendations, the team connected with Greg Mountenay from Almonte, Ontario as a potential candidate for the adventure. As a recent Teachers College graduate, Mountenay had been planning to spend his summer visiting friends across Canada before transitioning into his professional career in Fall 2012.

Agreeing to accept Canadian Tire’s support, and to be part of the campaign, Mountenay’s aligned his summer plans to become Canadian Tire’s ‘everyday Canadian road tripper’. To add a twist on the age-old road trip – and a compelling news hook - Mountenay’s road trip adventure would be built around visiting all his Facebook friends face-to-face as he travelled. His route was determined by the locations of his Facebook friends while also taking into account sightseeing opportunities in key media markets across Canada.

His road trip began July 10, 2012 in Peterborough, Ontario. Using his own vehicle, but equipped with all the road trip-ready products anyone could want, including a full auto service tune up, all courtesy of Canadian Tire, Mountenay began the coast-to-coast journey. By the end of the 32-day road trip, Mountenay visited 332 Facebook friends, stopped in 25 cities, was interviewed by media 52 times and travelled over 17,000 km. Whether it was camping in Algonquin Park or a ghost tour in Halifax, Mountenay had the opportunity to experience the Great Canadian Road Trip, with a social media twist, with the support of Canadian Tire.

Key Messages – as developed by Canadian Tire for Greg Mountenay Canadian Tire is helping to make my dream of the ultimate Canadian summer road trip a reality, letting me experience the joys of the classic road trip adventure – but re-imagined. This is the Great Canadian Road Trip 2.0.  This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and the perfect time for me to do this  I planned my own route from coast to coast across the country for this adventure; I’ll be taking about 4 weeks to cross the country, stopping along the way to drop in on each one of my Facebook friends  We all keep in touch online, but there’s no better way to connect than face to face. Some of my friends are inviting me to stay over with them, others I am just seeing for a quick coffee, but my goal is to visit hundreds of them

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53 IABC/TORONTO OVATION AWARDS – The Great Canadian Road Trip 2.0

 Road trips are such an amazing Canadian tradition. There is no better way to see all that Canada has to offer than hitting the open road during the summer months  I couldn’t imagine a road trip without Canadian Tire; They've given me a gas card, GPS, Bluetooth/backup camera and everything else I need to keep me safe on the road, and stuff I needed for the adventure, like a sleeping bag, tent, sports/hiking gear… even bug repellant  Whether it’s a day trip or a 4 week cross-country adventure like mine I couldn’t imagine taking to the open road without a stop at Canadian Tire  Canadian Tire knows cars and life in Canada, and there is a Canadian Tire in almost every place I’m visiting Tactics  Equip him with the right stuff Prior to Mountenay’s departure, the Canadian Tire team equipped him with all the road trip essentials. From a full auto service tune up, to a gas cards, a portable barbecue, a 60-second pop-up tent and a Magellan GPS, among other items, Mountenay had everything he needed for a 17,000 km road trip. As oil changes are common practice when travelling such a far distance, Greg visited Canadian Tire auto service bays on four separate occasions as he made his way across the country. With a wide range of products and services tied into this adventure, there was a significant amount of cross-divisional (Automotive, Living, Playing & Fixing) promotion opportunity for the Canadian Tire brand.

 Media outreach: Build the story During and following his road trip, top tier national travel, auto and lifestyle media were engaged, while simultaneously reaching out to local outlets in smaller media markets. With every stop Mountenay made, he conducted interviews with local print and broadcast outlets either in-person or over the phone. After completing his road trip, Mountenay visited morning shows, such as Canada AM and Global Morning to recap his adventures.

 Taking the online friendship offline There is a fear our society is beginning to place too much emphasis on technology as a way to communicate, in turn forgetting about the importance of face-to-face conversations. Since the purpose of Mountenay’s road trip was to visit his Facebook friends in real life, this road trip took the concept and reversed it completely. Mountenay’s Facebook friendships had originated through face-to-face interactions, had transitioned online and now would be returning to real-time.

 Spread the word through social To document his trip and further engage with the social media community, Greg wrote a daily blog outlining his adventures. This blog was followed regularly and when combined with his other social media channels, Mountenay generating a total of 63,000 social media impressions. Mountenay engaged 394 users on social media channels and was supported by Canadian Tire’s social media team. ------IMPLEMENTIATION AND CHALLENGES

Budget: The budget for this project was $45,000, inclusive of all agency fees and hard costs.

Challenges: There were three main challenges Canadian Tire and North faced when developing The Great Canadian Road Trip 2.0: 1. Secure Canadian Tire mentions in coverage  In a story focused on the adventure and the third party spokesperson rather than the brand, there was a chance Canadian Tire’s connection could be left out of coverage. To increase likelihood of Canadian Tire inclusion in coverage, the team provided thorough media training for Mountenay, giving him the tool to organically weave Canadian Tire into his conversations with media. Additionally, the majority of the interviews took place at a local Canadian Tire to ensure there was a branding in

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54 IABC/TORONTO OVATION AWARDS – The Great Canadian Road Trip 2.0

any photos or footage captured. Canadian Tire also armed Mountenay with a still and video camera to record his adventures, integrating the products and his stops at local Canadian Tire stores across the country. Photos of Mountenay in the auto service bay ran in print media, while broadcast outlets used his own footage as b-roll – often even showing him using his GPS as he drove or pulling up to Canadian Tire gas bars across the country.

2. Battling the rest of the road trip stories  Road trips are signature activities for the summer season. As a result, numerous brands capitalize on this and tie road trips into their pitching schedule. The team had to find a way to stand out and make the story about more than just the road trip – it had to be personal and have a unique angle that could also resonate with national as well as local media in the cities and towns visited. The Facebook tie-in made the trip unique in an age where technology is the main medium by which we communicate. Media were intrigued at how these connections were coming full-circle.

3. Twenty-five cities in 32 days  Over the course of 32 days, Mountenay visited 25 cities. With such a tight timeframe, there was a strong need for strategic media relations. In the majority of the cities the window to conduct interviews rarely exceeded 24 hours. Despite the tight timeframe, the team successfully secured 52 interviews. ------MEASUREMENT/EVALUATION

The results of The Great Canadian Road Trip 2.0 greatly exceeded the initial objectives.

Objective: Align the Canadian Tire brand with summer road trips, while keeping Canadian Tire auto and retail top of mind with Canadians during the summer season Result: Through the vast range of coverage – national and local outlets and across all mediums – Canadian Tire’s brand message was conveyed to a broad consumer base. This exposure proved beneficial, as 61 per cent of auto part buyers perceived Canadian Tire as an authority in the automotive category in 2012 (compared to 2011 results at 58 per cent).T

Objective: Position Canadian Tire as the destination for road trip supplies and everything Canadians need to make the most of the season by securing 20 million earned media impressions with strong key message pull- through Result: Canadian Tire successfully generated 33,789,190 media impressions. With a total budget of $45,000, this equals a cost per impression of $0.00133.

Objective: Generate awareness of Canadian Tire by securing a Canadian Tire mention in at least 95 per cent of coverage in 5 of the 8 provinces visited Result: The Great Canadian Road Trip 2.0 generated 119 stories across 6 of the 8 provinces visited in print, online and broadcast outlets with the Canadian Tire brand receiving mention in 100 per cent of the stories. Broadcast outlets covering the story ranged from Canada AM, Global Morning Show and CBC Here & Now, to Rogers Daytime Ottawa, Radio-Canada Moncton and the local Fort Frances radio station. Print and online outlets included Canada.com, Toronto Sun and Metro News to the Peterborough Examiner, the Haliburton County-Echo and the Timmins Daily Press.

Objective: Increase awareness of Canadian Tire’s cross-divisional products by securing product mentions in the majority of the coverage Result: The majority of the 119 interviews featured either footage, photos or mentions of cross-divisional road trip-ready products, such as the Magellan GPS in CTV Northern Ontario and the 60-second tent in Metro News. With four oil changes and numerous gas tank fill-ups, Canadian Tire’s additional business units (auto service and Petroleum) outside of retail were also highlighted.

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2013 IABC Ovation Awards Submission D’Italiano: Bringing Passion to Everyday Meals

Entrant’s name: Daniel Tisch APR, FCPRS, Alison George, Monika Rola, Mackenzie Keller Organization’s name: Argyle Communications Client organization: Weston Bakeries Title of Entry: D’Italiano: Bringing Passion to Everyday Meals Time period of project: February 2012 – June 2012 Award Division and Category: Division 1) Communication Management 4b) Media Relations with budget greater than $50K, up to $100K

RECOGNITION SUMMARY

In 2011, Argyle Communications proactively approached its client, Weston Bakeries, with the idea of extending a promotion for D'Italiano bread through a media/blogger luncheon featuring recipes made with D'Italiano and hosted by a celebrity “home-chef.” In 2012, this simple tactic inspired an integrated communication and marketing program that gave everyday home-chefs the chance to shine on a national stage, earning entries from across Canada and 90 media stories – with universally positive coverage. The campaign helped grow summer sales by five per cent, demonstrating how public relations and communications can lead integrated delivery of a simple, powerful brand promise: bringing passion to everyday meals.

BUSINESS NEED/OPPORTUNITY

Weston Bakeries needed to elevate the D’Italiano brand among its many competitors in the crowded baked goods market. With no significant brand news, the company wanted to focus on establishing a closer consumer connection with its existing products, as well as seeking an opportunity to drive sales for a seasonal D’Italiano product, the Brizzolio Soft Roll.

Argyle’s strategic development process was based on research and all-agency collaboration.

1. Brand and consumer research: First, we reviewed Weston Bakeries' proprietary brand research so we fully understood the target consumer. We learned she is typically a woman aged 25 to 54 who is the primary grocery shopper for her household. This consumer lives a full and busy life, striving to balance career obligations with family time. (Source: Weston’s proprietary research).

Insight: In the kitchen, she is seeking easy-to-make, flavourful dishes that will add excitement to every day meals. This led to a key insight: D’Italiano was a brand for the everyday home-chef.

2. Media research: While the research suggested the target consumer would find a recipe contest relevant, the team’s review of media trends suggested this was a weak news angle.

Insight: We required a creative connection to a larger consumer trend – such as the “home-chef” movement exemplified by the popularity of television cooking shows and online recipe communities. We also saw potential in a highly targeted approach that would engage regional media in markets where contest competitors were based.

3. Partner research: Argyle needed to understand how Weston's other marketing partners were interpreting the challenge, so we could design a complementary PR program. We met with the advertising, media planning, online and promotional agencies to share ideas, and then independently reviewed their media plans and timelines.

Insight: Given the consumer research, the broader marketing/PR team wanted brand ambassadors who loved to cook with passion – but were famous for work done outside the kitchen. This led to the choice of comedian Colin Mochrie, who would both appear on the brand’s in-store point-of-purchase materials and also host the eventual national "D'Italiano Cook Off Challenge.”

1 56 INTENDED AUDIENCE(S)

Consumer audience: Our target consumers were female grocery shoppers aged 25-54 who is the primary grocery shopper for her household. This consumer lives a full and busy life, striving to balance career obligations with family time. As the Challenge centred on a cooking contest, we also needed to reach amateur chefs.

Media audience: As our success depended on generating media coverage, we targeted specific media as a conduit to consumers. Thus, Argyle targeted the following media as a conduit to reach these consumers (in order of priority):  Television and radio news and morning shows;  Lifestyle and consumer food media at national daily newspapers;  National food and lifestyle magazines;  Community and local print and online news media (given the regional focus of the contest); and  Online outlets (including food and lifestyle blogs).

Internal audiences: Argyle recognized that it would be essential to collaborate closely with our agency partners – advertising, marketing and digital agencies involved in our fully integrated program. Keeping this group informed and coordinated would be a key to success.

GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

Client's business objectives: The client’s overall objectives were to increase brand awareness and drive sales, as well as increase consumer awareness of the brand’s message about making ordinary meals more special.

Communications objectives:

(1) Quantity of coverage: The number of media impressions achieved (target: 15.9 million, based on results from an earlier media relations program with a similar budget);

(2) Quality of coverage: D'Italiano recipe contest message penetration (target score of 85 per cent, based on pre- determined criteria: coverage, tone, brand inclusion, key message inclusion, tier-one media coverage).

Note: Argyle measures media relations campaign effectiveness by using Media Relations Rating Points (MR2P), a Canadian PR measurement tool that allows agencies to evaluate the number of audience impressions achieved, the extent to which pre-established key messages penetrated the coverage, and the cost per impression for the overall campaign.

Other goals: While Argyle and Weston did not formally establish other communications objectives, since this was an integrated marketing campaign we also aimed to contribute to general social media traffic and achieve Facebook ‘likes,’ and to see a correlation with positive growth in sales.

We established the campaign measurement period -- from February to June 2012.

SOLUTION OVERVIEW

The core concept: The D'Italiano Cook-Off Challenge called on Canadians to submit their own original recipes using any D'Italiano product, along with a short video or photo. From the submissions, a panel of judges selected five regional finalists who put their cooking skills to the test in front of a live audience, hosted by comedian and home-chef Colin Mochrie. Consumers were also invited to enter D’Italiano product UPC codes for a chance to win one of 28 daily prizes consisting of a $100 grocery gift card. Argyle created a plan that amplified each phase of the campaign.

To provide maximum exposure for the contest and support translating the marketing effort into a sales-driver, we devised the following public relations campaign strategies:

1. Differentiate the brand – and the contest. The key opportunity from the brand and audience research was differentiating D’Italiano by using it to show that creativity in the kitchen does not have to be the domain of those in the culinary field. Hence the key message: Bring passion to everyday meals. 2. Rally the regions for media momentum. As the national finalists were selected, the team rallied regional and community media in support of the exceptional home chefs from their areas who had beaten out hundreds of contestants and claimed the final spots.

2 57 3. Demonstrate the brand benefit using imagery and text to highlight the crave-appeal of recipes created using D’Italiano products. 4. Integrate marketing and PR to create a 360-degree campaign that would touch the target consumer at the retail level, online, and through both professional and social media.

IMPLEMENTATION AND CHALLENGES

Budget Activity Fees Expenses Phase One: Recipe contest promotion $8,000 $3,200 Phase Two: Contest winner promotion 13,000 5,400 Phase Three: Recipe promotion 20,700 28,500 Management, planning, agency collaboration, measurement 7,500 1,500 TOTAL 49,200 30,600

Plans and Tactics:

Our approach was to identify the media most likely to embrace the topic of creativity in the home kitchen, and to develop a unique, compelling hook to engage them. Our tactics included: a) Researching and identifying target media. Criteria for selection included: success reaching D’Italiano target consumers, likelihood to report on recipe contests, opportunity for specific media placement, interest in food. b) Creating media materials designed to appeal to specific media target audiences: a. Our communications to regional and community media focused on local finalists singled out as some of the most creative and passionate home cooks in Canada. b. For broadcast outlets we created communications pieces that highlighted Colin Mochrie as an unlikely chef, showing that with a little imagination anyone can create exciting meals. c. For conventional tier one food media, we focused more on the appeal of D’Italiano recipes, positioning them as simple tools that can help anyone reinvent the passion in their kitchen. d. For online media outlets, where message delivery must be tight, we crystallized the campaign down to a breakthrough headline with original D’Italiano recipes, photography and consumer prizing likely to appeal to the outlet’s audience. c) Developing an electronic media kit. d) Distributing media materials and conducting focused media follow-up. e) Hosting a GTA broadcast media tour with celebrity “chef” Colin Mochrie hosting D’Italiano cooking segments on the air.

Challenges & solutions:

1. Access to "news": Due to the necessary timing of the contest, finalists were not selected in time for media interviews in phase two. To counter this ̶ and to secure coverage for the contest before the deadline passed ̶ we secured broadcast interviews for Colin Mochrie during phase one. (Originally, Colin was just the in-store and online face of the campaign; Argyle negotiated terms that had him conduct media interviews and judge the final cook-off). 2. Product newsworthiness: There were no product innovations to promote; D'Italiano is an established brand. We therefore focused on “creating” news through our celebrity spokesperson, recipe finalists and winning recipes. 3. Partnership with a media outlet: The media buying agency secured a paid partnership with Canadian Living that included the organization of the Cook-Off Challenge consumer event. This connection to Canadian Living made some other outlets resistant to cover the story. By focusing on the strength of the D'Italiano recipes and including a celebrity judge, the team mitigated and – based on the results – surmounted this challenge.

MEASUREMENT AND EVALUATION: Argyle’s strategy and program helped achieve:

 Quantity: More than 17 million impressions through 90 stories (a cost per contact of $0.005);

 Quality: An MR2P quality score of 109.6 percent – achieved by universally positive and on-message coverage, with bonus points for photography inclusion. We also generated superb content: 249 recipe submissions.

 Social reach: More than 11,000 new Facebook likes – a 62% increase; and more than 9,000 UPC entries.

3 58  Correlation with sales: During the 2012 summer grilling season, the campaign helped to grow unit sales of D’Italiano rolls by five per cent, versus the same period a year earlier (AC Nielsen MarketTrack, period ending Aug. 25, 2012). The campaign also helped to make the launch the D’Italiano Brizzolio Soft Roll, into a huge success. Originally a seasonal listing, Loblaws decided to make this SKU a permanent national listing.

By tapping into the brand research and giving everyday home-chefs the chance to shine on a national stage, this program achieved extensive on-message branding through earned media, strengthened D’Italiano’s connection with its consumers, and supported sales growth. It demonstrates how public relations and communications can both influence the development and lead the delivery of a simple, powerful brand promise – and a comprehensive, integrated communication and marketing campaign.

Just in case you were wondering, the winning recipe was for coconut pecan chocolate logs by Joanne MacDonald of Kentville, Nova Scotia -- and they are delicious.

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OVATION Awards Winning Entry Communication Management Media Relations with budget greater than $100K AWARD OF EXCELLENCE

2013 IABC OVATION AWARDS WORK PLAN

Entrants’ Name: Karen Krugel Organization’s Name: APEX Public Relations Inc. Division/Category: Division 1, Category 4c: Media Relations with budget greater than $100K

Title: Celebrating Everyday Canadian Moms: The Launch of the Walmart Mom of the Year Award Time Period: May – October 2012 Description: When Walmart Canada decided they wanted to celebrate everyday Moms, they launched a national Mom of the Year award. Canada’s largest retailer turned to APEX to bring awareness and media attention to the inaugural contest. The result? More than 50 million media impressions, almost 17,000 award nominations, and a program that garnered some of Walmart’s biggest media relations successes of the year.

1. BUSINESS NEED/OPPORTUNITY Being a mom is an active (and often exhausting) vocation. Though the job is a labour of love, it also carries the weight of the most important position on the planet: mothers are responsible for nurturing kind, confident children, building strong families and helping to shape the communities in which we live. In honour of this, Walmart Canada sought to reward moms by celebrating their achievements and giving them the recognition they deserve with a first ever national Walmart Mom of the Year Award. Through independent research, APEX, Walmart and their creative agency JWT uncovered that no national award existed in celebration of mom and all the hard work she does. Although brands and organizations occasionally engage with mom via recognition programs or in-store promotion/discounts, a national award with a monetary prize to both the recipient’s family and a charity of her choice was a first. Walmart’s creative agency also ran focus groups to confirm that moms were ripe for this type of recognition and that the idea would resonate with this target group. The intent of the program was to create an annual award and celebration as a thank you from Walmart to help transform the relationship with their core consumer – Canadian moms – into an emotional one. To help build this out, the campaign and promotion needed to be less about the transaction between mom and Walmart, and more about her family and her priorities. In order to effectively launch the program across all channels, nationally, Walmart Canada needed PR to ensure an integrated approach that married paid, owned and earned media.

2. INTENDED AUDIENCE There are more than nine million moms in Canada, according to Statistics Canada, and while this audience is quite broad, Walmart purposely wanted to target all Canadian moms, not just moms who shop at Walmart, since this program was not about driving sales but rather building a relationship with the brand. In order to maximize program effectiveness, any Canadian mom could be nominated by their 60

peers, family members, neighbours, colleagues and so on. APEX therefore identified mass media channels that these moms are tapped into including consumer, lifestyle, morning shows and online publications (short lead, blogs; women/parenting websites). Media relations efforts were utilized that targeted those outlets and contacts.

3. COMMUNICATIONS OBJECTIVES Qualitative objectives included:  Support Walmart in its efforts to recognize and celebrate mom  Raise awareness and encourage participation in the inaugural Walmart Mom of the Year Award  Reinforce Walmart’s relationship with mom, and help build/facilitate an emotional connection with her

Quantitative objectives included:  Generate 1,000 nominations and entries nationally during the nomination phase of May 13 to July 15, 2012  Secure 150 stories generating 32 million MRP impressions for the entire campaign, from May launch to October announcement  Obtain an overall campaign MRP Quality Score of 75 per cent (industry standard) with a Cost Per Contact of $0.03 (industry standard for excellence)  Reach a total of 900,000 social media impressions from 250 pieces of content (total number of followers per person who tweets) during the entire campaign  Achieve 80 per cent key message integration in all media placements during the campaign

4. SOLUTION OVERVIEW Insights & Research: Statistics Canada reports that there are a little over nine million moms in Canada, four million of whom have a child under the age of 18 living at home. Additionally, 79 per cent of moms who work outside the home have children under the age of 16. APEX used these statistics to underline the importance of moms in Canada, and in order to further inform the public relations tactics and overarching strategy, undertook the following research to help support this pre- existing data. First, an extensive media audit uncovered that although Mother’s Day as a celebration does receive media coverage, no national award of this kind existed. Secondly, APEX also conducted research to find appropriate spokespeople whose personalities reflected the brand and whose profiles could help raise awareness and create credibility. By offering up spokespersons, not just executives at Walmart, the chance of the award resonating with media and consumers would greatly increase. Finally, APEX deployed a national Omnibus survey about the important role a mom plays in the family dynamic and the influence they exert. Results of the survey included:  84 per cent of Canadians agreed that being a mom is one of the toughest jobs  80 per cent believe their mom had a significant influence on them becoming the person they are today

Resulting Strategy: To achieve the goals set forth in the campaign, APEX had to be strategic in its approach to drive nominations and sustain coverage over the duration of the program. A four-prong approach was taken to sustain coverage over six months. To provide a less promotional approach to the award, and an unbiased objective, APEX recommended the use of a spokesperson in each market. To add credibility and clout, APEX leveraged spokespeople Hayley Wickenheiser (Olympic athlete; Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver), Natalie Choquette (Opera Singer; Montreal) and Karine 61

Ewart (Editor-in-Chief, Today’s Parent; Halifax) for media opportunities and the judging panel. The three celebrity spokespeople conducted live interviews about their own stories of motherhood,… …how they manage their work-life balance and personal stories about their own mothers. In a time where material things are prevalent, APEX created messaging to remind Canadians they could do something to truly recognize mom on Mother’s Day beyond gifting: nominate her for the Mom of the Year award. By connecting emotionally with customers, Mom of the Year became about far more than just transactions and a bottom line. To further bolster the program, emphasis was placed on the grand prize including $100,000 to the winning mom’s charity of choice which shifted focus from being about Walmart retail transactions to rewarding moms and what they believe in.

5. IMPLEMENTATION AND CHALLENGES

Implementation After conducting extensive research and devising a public relations strategy and plan, APEX proceeded to roll out a number of tactics into four distinct program phases: 1) national PR launch; 2) media relations to encourage nominations; 3) targeted media relations for regional finalist announcements and; 4) gala Awards weekend celebration coupled with media relations to announce the award recipient.

Phase one employed a number of traditional tactics to start the conversation. APEX developed a national press release that included all pertinent and relevant program information and distributed it over the newswire as well as to all key lifestyle, consumer, broadcast and online contacts. To help drive home the importance of this contest, a nation-wide Omnibus survey was conducted to gain insight on Mother’s Day, how mothers celebrate, how their families feel about the day, etc. The survey used a news hook to create an emotional connection between moms and their day of praise. Simultaneously, APEX identified 45 key media targets for a national product drop which included a thank you card and in-store Walmart gift card bundled in a colourful, potted chrysanthemum (Mum) plant. Once these deliverables were in motion, extensive national media relations efforts were conducted to secure coverage.

Phase two focused on encouraging nominations. To generate coverage from coast-to-coast APEX conducted a media tour with the spokespersons. Each spokesperson was media trained and messaged to incorporate their own stories along with Mom of the Year award criteria, brand messages, survey statistics and key deadlines.

After extensive media relations and a successful nominations push, phase three was timed to announce the eight regional finalists. Targeted hometown media relations were conducted in an effort to grow contest buzz on a regional and hometown/grassroots level. Print and broadcast interviews were offered featuring each of the moms who explained their situation, how they were nominated, by who and why. The interviews offered a firsthand glimpse into the extraordinary stories of the moms that Walmart was seeking to celebrate.

The final phase, phase four, employed a national newswire release about the winning mom to all consumer, lifestyle, broadcast and online media. The release was accompanied by a photo of the mom and had details about her, her charity of choice and her personal story. The award culminated over a weekend celebration and a gala dinner in Toronto alongside the celebrity spokespeople, 62

where all the moms were recognized and their stories shared as the Mom of the Year was announced. Through a multi-phased approach and timeline, APEX piqued media and consumer interest by sending invitations to media to interview the finalists, to attend the gala, to conduct… …one-on-one interviews with the winner, and by distributing photos of the winner on the evening of the announcement.

Budget APEX was originally given a budget of $350,000 which was reduced to $320,000 which included fees and expenses. The expenses portion of the budget was used for:  Spokesperson fees*  Translation  National media drops  National media tour/travel/accommodations  National poll/survey  Video of Hayley  Newswire costs for release, media advisory and winner photo distribution

*An Olympic medalist and hockey icon of Hayley’s status required approximately one-third of the entire program budget. However, a spokesperson of Hayley’s status was required – not a Walmart representative which would have been too commercial - to add credibility and clout to the program. Given this reality and the fact that the program tactics were spread over six months, APEX was challenged to ensure that the budget could stretch from beginning to end.

Challenges Earning Credibility for A Contest: From their own research and focus group results, Walmart knew that, functionally speaking, they had a greater share of mom’s wallet than her heart. They designed the Mom of the Year Award to therefore build that emotional rapport and brand trust. However, the award’s contest format was a challenge for APEX because it was promotional in nature. As media in Canada are generally reluctant to feature news and interviews that are overly promotional, story ‘hooks’ like survey data, celebrity judges/spokespersons and the award prizing of charitable donations were critical to engage media. And while the use of celebrity spokespeople can help achieve results, APEX also knew access to spokespersons can sometimes create conflicts among competing outlets. In order to achieve maximum exposure across the country, three personalities were engaged to tell their stories.

Timing: With a suggested launch time of Mother’s Day, APEX knew many brands in Canada would be leveraging the same timing to engage with mom creating a competitive time to earn share of voice. However, being heard during the program launch phase was imperative to building awareness of the nomination process. APEX broke through the clutter with customized media drops and key news hooks like survey data and interviews with recognizable spokespersons. Additionally, as the program only began to take shape in March 2012 for a May launch, securing long lead coverage wasn’t realistic. Short lead media was therefore harnessed to drive coverage. Moreover, sustaining media coverage and interest over a six month period (from launch to award announcement) required strategic communications tactics and a phased media relations approach.

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When The Unexpected Happens: Less than 72 hours before the gala event was to take place, Hayley Wickenheiser was injured and hospitalized during a practice game. After reviewing her health condition with representatives of Hockey Canada, as well as Hayley’s agent and publicist, it was clear that for health reasons, her doctors needed to keep her in hospital under observation. Flying to Toronto and attending the gala was not an option. APEX knew it would be a major… …. disappointment to both the mom nominees and the client to not have Hayley at the event finale, so the agency found a solution. APEX worked through the weekend with the hockey icon’s team to script, plan and film a message from Hayley to play to the gala. APEX also worked with Hockey Canada and Walmart Canada to produce key messages to manage any questions around her injury and non-attendance.

6. MEASURMENT/EVALUATION

This communications program exceeded all goals. Mom of the Year Awards has become an annual program as a result. Objective: Generate at least 1,000 nominations and entries nationally during the nomination phase of May 13 to July 15, 2012 Result: Walmart Canada received close to 17,000 entries between May 13 and when nominations phase completed on July 15

Objective: Secure 150 stories generating 32 million MRP impressions for the entire campaign, from May launch to October announcement; Obtain an overall campaign MRP Quality Score of 75 per cent (industry standard) with a Cost per Contact of $0.03 (industry standard for excellence) Result: APEX achieved 52,722,173 MRP overall campaign impressions or 20 million+ more media impressions than industry excellence standards; the program secured 212 stories, or 70 per cent more coverage than the goal; The MRP Quality Score was 86 per cent, or 11 per cent above the goal and the Cost per Contact was $0.006

Objective: Generate 250 social media mentions totaling 900,000 impressions Result: In total there were 440 social mentions equaling 1.7 million impressions (total number of followers per person who tweets)

Objective: Achieve 80 per cent key message integration (contest, entries/nominations, online properties & Awards) Result: The program received 100 per cent key message integration with an emphasis on the contest, entries, award, and a monetary prize for charity and brand mention

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OVATION Awards Winning Entry Communication Management Media Relations with budget greater than $100K AWARD OF EXCELLENCE

ENTRANT’S NAME: Martine Lévy ENTRANT’S ORGANIZATION: DDB Public Relations CLIENT ORGANIZATION: Trader Corporation TITLE OF ENTRY: autoTRADER.ca: The Most Cars in One Place Campaign CATEGORY & SUBCATEGORY: Division 1: Communication Management; Category 4c: Media Relations with budget greater than $100K TIME PERIOD OF PROJECT: February 2012 to December 2012

RECOGNITION SUMMARY Acting as an extension of the 2012 “Most Cars in One Place” advertising campaign, a proactive media relations program was executed to generate buzz and awareness around autoTRADER’s new brand proposition and ultimately shift perception from a dated magazine to a new, exciting online destination.

BUSINESS NEED/OPPORTUNITY For over 25 years, in nearly every convenience store from Victoria to St. John’s, one magazine was the go-to-source for Canadians looking to buy and sell their used vehicles. A part of Canadiana culture, autoTRADER’s print publication business profited from car dealers who listed their used inventory in the magazines to expose their vehicles to a much wider audience. For many years, the formula worked. That is, until a little thing called the Internet came along. With the shift from print to digital, the autoTRADER magazine format started to become outdated. Suddenly, Canadians had thousands of vehicle listings at their fingertips. autoTRADER made the decision to augment their magazine offering with online, entering the daunting, un-familiar world of e-business.

But balancing print with digital was a delicate act, which together with lowered barriers to entry in the market, resulted in consumer market share being eroded to the benefit of pure plays: Craigslist and Kijiji. A turning point for autoTRADER came when Apax Partners purchased it from Yellow Media and decided to go 100% digital. Furthering the challenge, in 2011, autoTRADER.ca's traffic performance struggled as it steadily declined on an average of -4% on a monthly basis. Site traffic saw a drop of 1,750,000 in a mere 7 months (March 2011 – December 2011), a –31% decrease in total site traffic. On a downward spiral, autoTRADER.ca traffic decreased by as much as 16% in December 2011 alone. Thus, the need to quickly re-invigorate the brand and breathe life into its digital offering was critical.

INTENDED AUDIENCE/STAKEHOLDERS Utilizing DDB’s strategic planning process and insights gained through focus groups and proprietary market analysis, the target consumer audience was identified as a well educated, highly resourceful group within a broad demographic range; savvy researchers who look everywhere including newspapers, magazines, online communities and through social media for the latest on vehicle news and reports. For the media relations campaign, DDB worked with autoTRADER to identify target audiences including automotive, technology and business media as well as lifestyle media who covered relevant story angles. 65

GOALS/OBJECTIVES autoTRADER.ca’s main business objective was to attract a high volume and calibre of consumers to the newly revampled site. Based on this, the following communication goals were identified for the campaign to: • Generate quantitative and qualitative media coverage by identifying strategic story angles that complemented autoTRADER’s brand proposition and offering • Create brand advocates by positioning autoTRADER as experts in the eyes of media, influencers and consumers • Motivate consideration and shift brand perception through increased visibility in traditional media channels

To measure the campaign’s success a number of quantifiable objectives were also confirmed during the campaign’s planning process, including: • At least 100 media hits in mainstream and community-based print and online media outlets across Canada (automotive, technology, business and lifestyle beats) • Using the Media Relations Points (MRP) evaluation system, obtain a total audience reach of at least 60,000,000 and a cost-per-contact of $0.03 (based on budget spend to reach the industry standard of $0.03) • Under the MRP evaluation system, the target MRP score was set at 75 per cent (based on the industry standard). The predetermined rating criteria included: 1) company/brand mention 2) key message inclusion 3) target audience 4) spokesperson quote

From a business driver standpoint: • Support the autoLYZER Facebook application (detail of this tactic is outlined below) and drive traffic to autoTRADER.ca via editorial mentions to help generate an additional 500,000 visitors on a monthly basis • Assist in attracting +10 per cent more dealer listings and +25 per cent more private listings • Help to drive traffic growth by +5 per cent specifically in the Western region where traffic levels were lower due to this market being historically more ‘print’ focused

SOLUTION OVERVIEW With traffic to the site slowing dramatically and relentless pressure on the business from Kijiji, the need to re-vitalize autoTRADER.ca and make it relevant in the minds of Canadian car buyers and sellers (specifically dealers) was never more urgent. We needed consumers to quickly recognize autoTRADER as the No. 1 digital automotive destination in Canada and not just as printed automotive classifieds. With no time to waste, the challenge of achieving this dramatic change in the brand’s fortune would require clever thinking, exceptional creativity and a single focused message rooted in a compelling truth. Through a deep dive into the brand, it was discovered that autoTRADER.ca has the largest car inventory in the country. This was a surprising, relevant, distinguishing, superlative truth that could be used as a compelling, silver bullet for the overarching autoTRADER.ca campaign.

Qualitative research confirmed that a site with the most inventory was very motivating and psychologically reassuring to consumers because it made them feel that they had ‘left no stone unturned’ in their quest to find the perfect car. Having more cars than any other site means 66

autoTRADER.ca attracts the most buyers and sellers. More cars than the competition means the biggest marketplace for buyers and sellers. More cars than Kijiji means consumers and dealers could feel… …safe knowing that with autoTRADER.ca, they would be exposed to the most leads. This insight also proved to be newsworthy (people were surprised that autoTRADER could claim this fact) and it helped to differentiate the brand from its competitors.

DDB Public Relations (DDB PR) was brought on board to support an integrated campaign that focused on re-invigorating autoTRADER Canada in the minds of consumers, repositioning the brand from a print legacy to a solely digital proposition, and making autoTRADER.ca a compelling and irresistible ‘must visit’ destination for dealers, private consumers and anyone else buying or selling a used car in Canada. DDB PR developed a 11-month media relations program designed to maximize publicity for the brand across Canada. The program supported autoTRADER.ca’s renewed positioning, helped to improve brand perception and raised awareness of the insight that compared to anywhere else in the country, it has the most cars in one place. autoTRADER’s The Most Cars In One Place Campaign effectively engaged with key target audiences, built brand awareness and ultimately helped to stimulate website traffic and sales.

To satisfy the client’s objective to stay top-of-mind with media, consumers and influencers throughout the year, a robust autoTRADER-specific editorial calendar was created leveraging seasonal apertures, marketing initiatives, technological enhancements, autoTRADER-owned search and consumer data, and corporate announcements. To avoid media fatigue around the brand, individualized pitches were created to target press in the lifestyle, automotive, trade and tech segments was also implemented.

In addition to these tried and true media tactics, a bespoke campaign was launched to support autoTRADER.ca’s very first Facebook Application. Leveraging the insight that buying a car is a very social process with most buyers eliciting advice from friends and family, the agency harnessed the power of social media with the creation of the autoLYZER. The unique app helps Canadians discover three automobiles for sale on autoTRADER.ca, best suited to their personality and social life by analyzing real- time data via Facebook and looking at an individual's lifestyle, interests, social activities, and Facebook friends' opinions via existing posts, to help narrow down which cars would be the best fit for his or her personality.

DDB PR executed a media relations campaign that focused on the results of The Car Courting Report, a consumer poll commissioned by autoTRADER.ca and conducted among Angus Reid panel members across Canada. The poll examined Canadian sentiment on the social and emotional connections that come with car ownership and the purchasing process and resulting coverage featured the creative execution of the application, reinforced The Most Cars in One Place message and highlighted autoTRADER’s move to the digital world, providing greater brand relevance among the target audience.

Throughout the year, the ongoing news bureau helped to generate brand awareness and improve perception for autoTRADER.ca while simultaneously supporting the overall campaign message of The Most Cars in One Place over a sustained timeframe.

IMPLEMENTATION & CHALLENGES The PR-specific budget was set at $188,893 and included planning and development, media relations execution, program management, measurement and evaluation, reporting and all individual activities in 67

the program for both fees and disbursements. DDB PR’s greatest challenge was not budget related, it was securing coverage in mainstream publications in the cluttered automotive pages, with each outlet boasting its own experts, used car listings and automotive content. As an integrated agency client, the pressure to deliver outstanding results was palpable. With a fresh, creative editorial calendar isolating story angles by specific beats and targeting media outreach accordingly, the agency was able to deliver results that kept autoTRADER top of mind with media for a sustained period of time.

MEASUREMENT/EVALUATION Through impactful and innovative touch points, autoTRADER.ca was effectively able to interact with its target audiences, providing clear and consistent messaging that made a measurable impact on media, stakeholder and influencer awareness, knowledge and desire levels. The campaign far exceeded media relations, sales and awareness expectations. Key campaign results were as follows: • Garnered over 166 million media impressions; 194 editorial hits; a qualitative score of 77% and a total cost-per-contact of $0.001 (measured against the PR budget) • Over 273,000,000 social media and press impressions garnered around the launch of the autoLYZER Application • A +22% increase in positive sentiment towards the autoTRADER.ca brand, as measured through NetPromoter Score (NPS) surveys, to an NPS of 31% • Dealer listings increased +18% and private listings increased a staggering 169% (June 2012 vs. January 2012) and +113% on a year over year basis • Since launch, an increase in traffic to the site of 18%, with 3,622,000 incremental visits over the course of the campaign (February 1 to July 31) • An immediate spike in site traffic in specifically targeted areas (Edmonton and Calgary) with historically low brand awareness and low site traffic compared to the rest of Canada, with increases of 12.7% and 15%, respectively

In the end, Armed with the knowledge and insight that autoTRADER.ca had—and continues to have— the largest car inventory in the country, DDB PR set forward to lay this message, equipping individual vehicle sellers and even institutional dealerships nation-wide, with an ability to optimize their business efforts. Therefore, this program was intrinsically tied to the public interest. DDB PR used a multi-faceted media relations program to support autoTRADER.ca’s renewed positioning, helped to improve brand perception and raised awareness of the insight that compared to anywhere else in the country, it has the most cars in one place. AutoTRADER.ca’s The Most Cars In One Place Campaign effectively engaged with key target audiences, built brand awareness and ultimately delivered above and beyond the campaign objectives. 68 IABC/TORONTO OVATION AWARDS 2013 - Canadian Tire’s Winter Driving Preparation Campaign

Entrant’s Name: David Gollom, Manager, Communications at Canadian Tire Organization’s Name: Canadian Tire Corporation and North Strategic (agency) Division/Category: Division 1 - Communication Management (4c: Media Relations with budget greater than $100k) Title of Entry: Canadian Tire’s Winter Driving Preparation Campaign Time Period of Project: September 1, 2012 – December 31, 2012

------RECOGNITION SUMMARY Canadian Tire created a comprehensive media relations campaign to raise awareness around the importance of full vehicle preparation for winter driving, and position Canadian Tire as the automotive authority to help Canadians stay safe on roads this winter. Built on Canadian Tire Roadside Assistance data showcasing emergency correlations to severe cold weather, on-ice winter tire arena media demonstrations, and a proactive winter weather expert-on-call strategy, the campaign generated over 110 million impressions.

------BUSINESS NEED/OPPORTUNITY

For 90 years, Canadian Tire has been considered the natural choice for Canadians when preparing for the difficult driving conditions of winter. With a broad range of products – from winter tires to snowbrushes, batteries, wiper blades and more - and automotive service capabilities, Canadian Tire remains uniquely positioned to be the destination for winter driving preparation in Canada. A number of retail competitors, however, are aggressively pursuing the automotive category. This competitive environment, combined with widespread misconceptions around winter driving, drove the need to position Canadian Tire as the winter driving authority and the expert source for winter driving preparation.

A number of deep rooted winter driving misconceptions were prevalent amongst Canadians:

• Many drivers still believed all-season tires are a true four season solution for driving in Canada • Lack of awareness that winter tires should be installed when temperatures drop consistently below 7 Celsius • Belief two winter tires instead of all four will suffice • Myth that adjusting driving habits can provide enough safety benefit to negate a need for winter tires • Misconception that urban and city drivers do not need winter-rated tires • In Quebec, a lack of education exists around which type of winter tires should be purchased and when they should really be installed based on weather conditions versus the mandated December 15 deadline

------INTENDED AUDIENCES

Canadian Tire targeted three types of drivers with this campaign:

• Drivers with a proactive approach to preparing for winter – sending a strong message that Canadian Tire is the authority and one-stop shop for all things winter driving • Drivers who erroneously believe adjusting their driving habits in the winter is sufficient enough to keep them safe on the roads in winter conditions – highlighting that can be extremely dangerous • Urban and city drivers (GTA, Vancouver, etc.), where there is typically less sustained snow and lower winter tire use. Those drivers, usually all season tire users, who fell that an investment in a second set of tires just wasn’t worth it for the few days a year that they’d really need them.

Canadian Tire targeted both mainstream consumer media and core automotive media as well as bloggers/influencers. The urban cores of Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Calgary were targeted, along with smaller regional markets across the country.

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69 IABC/TORONTO OVATION AWARDS 2013 - Canadian Tire’s Winter Driving Preparation Campaign

------GOALS/OBJECTIVES The overall business objective was to position Canadian Tire as a leader and automotive authority in winter driving safety and preparation – simply the best place to shop for all your winter driving product and service needs. Several communications goals were outlined for the campaign:

• Dominate winter driving editorial coverage for 2012; increase awareness for winter driving preparation and Canadian Tire’s product offering in the category at the consumer level. Using the Media Relations Rating Points (MRP) evaluation system, reach a target of 80 million impressions and obtain a cost-per-contact of $0.01 (vs. the industry standard of $0.03) • Importance of winter tires is a central focus of the campaign, but an additional goal was to showcase the full complement of winter driving preparation products and services offered by Canadian Tire including: wiper blades, batteries / battery checks, accessories such as snowbrushes and roadside emergency kits and Canadian Tire Roadside Assistance services

------SOLUTIONS OVERVIEW

Data shows Canadian drivers’ lack of knowledge of effective preparation for winter driving: In order to shed light on Canadian winter driving habits, Canadian Tire’s own Roadside Assistance service data uncovered startling statistics about the correlation between severe winter weather and dramatic spikes in emergency responses. This research was used to back key message development and campaign strategies to position Canadian Tire as the automotive authority on winter driving preparation.

Canadian Tire’s winter driving campaign ran throughout the fall and winter, and included the following:

• Phase 1 – Early winter (November-December) o Creation of hands-on, visual media events on arena ice in Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver that would allow participants to feel and see the safety importance of winter tires versus all season tires, plus demonstrate the benefits of new wiper blades, battery checks and replacements, and emergency roadside safety kits. Supported by data gleaned from statistics from Canadian Tire’s Roadside Assistance, showing increases in emergency responses during severe cold weather incidents. Foam “walls” were put up as obstacles in braking avoidance tests, creating a dramatic and impactful behind-the-wheel experience for media on the arena ice. Following the Toronto event, the team shot, edited, and shared a video with media in less than 24 hours. The video provides information for Canadians on how to effectively prepare for winter driving. It also allowed us to engage media in those markets that we did not visit with our arena demonstrations. This helped leverage Canadian Tire as the automotive authority across the country. o In Quebec, a proactive awareness campaign was undertaken, urging drivers to get winter-ready before the December 15 tire change-over deadline. The campaign focused on a complete solution for winter driving preparedness – which extends beyond just winter tires – as well as highlighting the importance of temperature as a motivator for switching tires, rather than the date legislated by the provincial government. Outreach was complemented by promotional winter vehicle prep packages leveraged for media reviews and audience giveaways across Quebec media outlets.

• Phase 2 – Late winter (December) o Proactive winter weather ‘expert-on-call’ outreach targeting Canadian cities hit by extreme winter storms (in order to capitalize on existing, real-time news cycles). Media were connected with local Canadian Tire experts (dealers and auto service managers) to advise on how to prepare vehicles for safe winter weather driving, all supported by Canadian Tire Roadside Assistance data.

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70 IABC/TORONTO OVATION AWARDS 2013 - Canadian Tire’s Winter Driving Preparation Campaign

Canadian Tire Winter Driving Preparation – Key Messages

After 90 years, Canadian Tire knows life in Canada – and what it takes to help Canadians stay safe on the roads this winter. • Canadian drivers are not taking necessary measures to ensure safe winter driving. According to Canadian Tire Roadside Assistance data, on the first day last winter with temperatures in excess of -10 degrees Celsius, daily emergency dispatches in the GTA were 68% higher than the average daily dispatches prior to that day. • At 7 degrees Celsius all-season tires begin to harden and lose their grip while winter tires are designed to stay soft as the temperature drops. • Winter tires are made with a compound that retains elasticity which gives you better control and traction, not only on ice and snow but also on cold, dry pavement. • Modern winter tires offer up to 50% - or even more - winter traction than all-season tires. This year, redesigned Goodyear Nordic winter tires, designed specifically for life in Canada exclusively by Canadian Tire and Goodyear, stop an average of 45 feet shorter than Canadian Tire’s best-selling all-season tire.

While winter tires are the most important thing Canadian drivers can do to prepare their vehicle for winter driving, ensuring clear visibility is critical for staying safe on the roads this winter– 90% of driving decisions are made with your vision. • Wiper blades deteriorate over time from use and environmental factors. Worn out wiper blades reduce visibility and can lead to slower reaction times. Reflex Ice wiper blades can with withstand temperatures up to -40°C and has specially designed rubber blades to resist tearing and damage even in subzero temperatures. • Shorter days and slushy, snowy conditions can reduce visibility; new headlight bulbs like GE Nighthawk Platinum halogen bulbs can provide up to 90% more light on the road than standard halogen headlamps. • Over time, your vehicle’s headlights can become yellowish, cloudy and dull – this can reduce night time vision by 50%. Canadian Tire has easy DIY headlight restoration kits that will restore the lens for optimal clarity and make your vehicle visible to other drivers, especially at night and in inclement weather.

In the event drivers do get into trouble, it’s important to be prepared to get out of any situation. According to Canadian Tire Roadside Assistance data, emergency calls skyrocket during days of extreme cold winter weather. • Ease winter driving anxiety with a roadside kit and Canadian Tire roadside assistance. Canadian Tire offers a Roadside Safety Kit designed to help drivers prepare for the unexpected in the winter months. Essential components include jumper cables, flashlight, snowbrush/scraper, telescopic shovel, first-aid kit and more, plus a free one year membership in Canadian Tire’s Roadside Assistance program. • The average life of a car battery is just under five years. If your battery is older than three years then it should be tested annually; replace it so you don’t get stuck out in the cold.

------IMPLEMENTIATION AND CHALLENGES

Budget: The total media relations campaign budget was $158,500, including fees and expenses related to tire product testing, giveaways, arena demonstration event hard costs (rental space, vehicles, professional drivers, detailing, signage, branding and product) and all media relations activities.

• Challenge: You never know when winter will hit. Solution: To combat, a proactive weather pitching strategy was used. By having an arsenal of media pitches that included data obtained from Canadian Tire Roadside Assistance built out before the winter season began and by doing a daily scan of upcoming weather conditions in eight major cities across the country, the team was well equipped to know when a storm was going to hit. As soon as extreme conditions such as freezing rain, snow, temperatures in excess of -10 degrees occurred, Canadian Tire actively pitched local broadcast and general news media with a Canadian Tire “expert-on-call”. Appearances on local broadcast, radio and print media outlets resulted across Canada, speaking to benefits of vehicle preparation in the winter. On the off-

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71 IABC/TORONTO OVATION AWARDS 2013 - Canadian Tire’s Winter Driving Preparation Campaign

chance there was a sudden change in conditions, the team’s database of media lists and pitches proved beneficial as pitches could distributed immediately and follow-up with media soon thereafter.

• Challenge: Misconception that all-season tires will do the trick – why bother spending for two sets of tires? Solution: With the launch of the new Goodyear Nordic Winter tire, newly exclusive to Canadian Tire, it was critical to showcase the extreme difference in winter driving safety between this tire and the best-selling all- season tire. Canadian Tire needed to clearly communicate and demonstrate the key features and benefits of this winter-rated tire to consumers. Through a pitch rooted in Canadian Tire Roadside Assistance data, showing correlation between emergency services and winter weather, Canadian Tire clearly articulated the need to install winter-rated tires as soon as temperatures drop below 7 Celsius consistently and why all- season tires won’t cut it.

• Challenge: Delayed start to winter led to challenges in getting drivers to consider winter vehicle preparation. Solution: Canadian Tire sought to demonstrate the full effect of winter driving by hosting media-exclusive events indoors replicating the winter conditions that would inevitably hit Canada – even if it was later than anticipated. At events in Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver, consumer and automotive media got behind the wheel and tested vehicles on the ice in a series of exercises inspired by Canada’s Worst Driver, with the guidance of pro drivers. Whether it was the difference between running into a foam brick wall or stopping metres away, or the ability to effectively avoid various obstacles through greater traction control, these demonstrations effectively showcased the safety and handling benefits of cars with winter tires vs. cars with all-season tires in simulated winter conditions as well as the incredible stopping power of winter-rated tires. Additional demonstration stations throughout the event were designed to showcase the need for pre-winter battery checks and the importance of replacing worn wiper blades for improved winter driving visibility.

------MEASUREMENT/EVALUATION

Objective: Dominate winter driving editorial coverage for 2012; increase awareness for winter driving preparation and Canadian Tire’s product offering in the category at the consumer level. Using the Media Relations Rating Points (MRP) evaluation system, reach a target of 80 million impressions and obtain a cost-per- contact of $0.002 (vs. the industry standard of $0.03)

Result: Canadian Tire’s winter driving preparation campaign paid off, achieving total impressions of more than 111 million – 40% above the initial target of 80 million. MRP cost-per-contact was just $0.002, significantly better than the industry standard of $0.03.

Objective: Importance of winter tires is a central focus of the campaign, but an additional goal was to showcase the full complement of winter driving preparation products and services offered by Canadian Tire including: wiper blades, batteries / battery checks, accessories such as snowbrushes and roadside emergency kits and Canadian Tire Roadside Assistance services

Result: When conducting winter weather pitches, the team highlighted the various products needed, aside from strictly winter tires. As a result, coverage appeared nationally in top tier outlets. Segments such as CTV’s Pat Foran included the importance of winter wiper blades, The National Post discussed road side safety kits and the Ottawa Citizen discussed the importance of a fully functioning car battery. Other notable outlets covering Canadian Tire’s winter weather campaign include Salut! Bonjour, Journal Le Nord, Global, Marilyn Denis Show, CTV Vancouver, Rouge FM, Canada.com and Toronto Star among others.

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OVATION Awards Winning Entry Communication Management Media Relations with budget greater than $100K AWARD OF MERIT

2013 IABC OVATION AWARDS: WORK PLAN

Entrant’s Name: Elyn Kirby Arscott

Organization’s Name APEX Public Relations Inc. / Kao Canada Inc.

Division/Category Division 1: Communication Management Category 4c. Media Relations with budget greater than $100K

Title of Entry John Frieda Precision Foam Colour Canadian Launch Time Period of Project November 2011 to December 2012

Recognition Summary

In 2011, John Frieda Hair Care approached APEX PR with the opportunity to assist the brand in the launch of a new product – John Frieda’s Precision Foam Colour (PFC). In order to ensure major impact for the brand’s first foray into the highly competitive home hair colour category, APEX developed a program that focused on John Frieda’s brand pillars of professional hair heritage and innOVATION, while layering in the theme of colour and its importance in the many facets of life, be it beauty, fashion, décor or art.

Business Need/Opportunity

John Frieda, part of Kao Canada’s hair care portfolio, is one of the world’s leading premium quality hair care brands, and the seventh in market share in the Canadian hair care category. The brand, which originated in London, leverages its professional roots and revolutionized the hair care industry with the launch of its innovative Frizz-Ease® Hair Serum. While John Frieda has long experienced worldwide- recognition for its line of hair care products, the launch of Precision Foam Colour in February 2012 would mark the first foray into the Home Hair Colour category. Kao Canada challenged APEX to create a program for the product launch that would generate high impact when the product hit shelves as well as continue the momentum throughout the year. Extensive media outreach and research took place to determine recent launch activities for major competitors’ foam hair colour products. As well, media and consumer reaction to the products were also thoroughly monitored and compiled via online searches and social media monitoring services. Working to overcome the challenge of being last to market with a foam hair colour product, APEX utilized the knowledge gleaned from its media outreach, coverage results and consumer insights analysis to better frame the launch program. APEX also prepared the brand for media/consumer inquiries and feedback and further reinforced messaging around planned product demonstration to ensure successful application and return users. It quickly became apparent that demonstration improves trial experience, thereby reinforcing the goal to “show” (not tell) product benefits and usage tips.

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Intended Audience

APEX’s research determined that the target consumer – a hair-involved female, aged 18-64, who uses home hair colour and/or colours her hair at the salon at least once per year – turned to a specific pool of trusted advisors when making the decision on home hair colour purchase; thereby identifying the designated primary audience of key fashion and beauty media and influencers including: long and short lead magazine and website editors, bloggers, freelancers and broadcast producers. As the main conduit between John Frieda and its consumers, it was essential for these media and influencers to accept and endorse Precision Foam Colour, ultimately including the product in their beauty articles and round-ups, providing a credible recommendation upon which consumers would base their home hair colour purchases.

Goals/Objectives

1. Generate 35 stories and 25 million impressions from when product appeared on shelf in February 2012 to December 2012, the end of Kao’s fiscal year 2. Generate an overall Media Relations Rating Points (MRP) quality score of at least 75 per cent and a cost per contact of $0.03 between February and December 2012 3. Secure coverage in identified target consumer-focused national publications such as Flare, Fashion, Elle and Loulou as well as key online/blogs and lifestyle broadcast television outlets 4. Secure a total of 12 key beauty media editors from top-tier English and French women’s/fashion magazines, to attend the long lead media launch in London in Nov. 2011 5. Ensure live product demonstration plays a key role in media events, contributing to better trial experience

Solution Overview

APEX needed to establish and sustain Precision Foam Colour as the new kid on the block: positioning it as a viable third hair colour manufacturer in Canada, by successfully launching the brand in the Canadian marketplace when it appeared on shelf February 2012. APEX felt that there was the opportunity to learn from previous competitive launches and apply best practices, positioning Precision Foam Colour as a category game changer. Utilizing home colour category research, consumer feedback and proprietary Kao information, APEX felt there were several key product differentiators which would set Precision Foam Colour apart from its competitors: higher quality, longer lasting foam which provides for an easier user experience (less dripping, better coverage) as well as a more pleasant, milder scent which improves the user experience.

APEX wanted to ensure positive trial experiences by putting maximum emphasis on showing, not just telling, media and bloggers how to properly prepare and apply the product. APEX also believed it was important to leverage John Frieda’s House of Experts to deliver product benefits and usage tips while bringing cachet to communications efforts. In order to tie these elements together, APEX worked to develop an overarching campaign thematic that tied everything back to the colour category. But to reiterate, the theme and capacity to genuinely differentiate the brand rested on trial as we knew that would be a path of least resistance to secure the right editorial. APEX recommended a multi-pronged approach that touched both long and short lead, traditional and non-traditional media, which reaffirmed 74

John Frieda’s heritage of innOVATION and professional quality products while also building excitement around an overarching theme of colour.

Implementation/Challenges

CHALLENGES

The Competition & US Influence: The at-home hair colour category is a crowded one, essentially owned by two major players – Clairol and L’Oreal. Both competitors had already launched similar foam-based home hair colour products in the last year (Clairol Nice N Easy Colour Blend Foam Hair Colour and L’Oreal Sublime Mousse Hair Colour), making John Frieda’s product last to market in Canada. Precision Foam Colour was already available in the United States for almost one full year, and APEX also needed to overcome the hurdle of media’s prior knowledge of the product and their familiarity with the technology which was a key-selling feature from Kao Canada’s perspective.

Price Sensitivity: Precision Foam Colour was being launched at a premium price point of $14.99; two dollars more than in the United States and at the very highest end of home hair colour products available in Canada.

Coverage Opportunities & Trial: Familiar with the beauty category, APEX knew that there were several additional concerns which would need to be addressed in terms of media response. First, hair colour is a niche product with limited opportunities for inclusion in stories and product round ups. Unlike lipstick or nail colour, home hair colour typically gets covered in two periods per year – Spring books for lighter colour summer hair stories and Fall books for darker colours. In addition, home hair colour, particularly permanent products (vs. semi-permanent, wash-out varieties) pose a difficulty for beauty editor trial. Many members of the media are reluctant to test home hair colour on themselves for a variety of reasons (may already highlight their hair professionally, concerns over mistakes/damaging towels/ bathroom, dying their skin). The product itself also has several limitations that needed to be treated with care – issues with coverage, proper usage, and a limited number of shades available.

London Media Launch: As per Kao Canada’s request, APEX was tasked with the implementation of a media fam trip to London and securing 12 media from the major women’s lifestyle magazines to attend (see below). This posed several challenges in that such a large group was both extremely difficult tactically to secure and coordinate and left little room for exclusive content and was therefore difficult to sell in to each publication.

IMPLEMENTATION

Kao Canada indicated early on in planning stages that a return to brand roots was crucial as John Frieda took its first step into the category of home hair colour. APEX therefore developed a concept that kept brand heritage front and center.

Long Lead Launch: Kao Canada felt a literal return to the birthplace of the brand – London, England – would serve to reinforce John Frieda’s brand heritage and professional styling roots. In order to secure long lead coverage that would coincide with the February 2012 on-counter date, APEX conceptualized a media familiarization trip to London that would take place in November 2011. Kao Canada’s expectations 75

for coverage included all key English and French women’s lifestyle publications requiring this trip be executed on a larger scale than is often seen in the Canadian beauty industry, with 12 editors attending. Every element of the trip was carefully planned and executed with precision. Editors checked into the… …historic Regent Street landmark, The Langham Hotel where rooms had been secured to ensure an early AM check-in. After receiving personalized welcome gifts, including shade-appropriate hair care products along with London transit system Oyster cards, umbrellas, British sweets and city guidebooks, each editor was treated to pre-arranged hair blow-outs at the affiliated John Frieda London salon. Editors were then whisked away to a private dinner event at Mayfair hotspot, Sketch. Considered a destination for art, food, and music; the restaurant’s extravagant décor spoke to the brand’s major focus on all things colour. The product launch took place the following day in the nearby Kao sister-brand KPSS Salon and School. Editors were introduced to celebrity hairstylist and John Frieda expert, Nicola Clarke. A unique aspect of the product launch took place in the form of Nicola demonstrating the product use during the presentation – on herself. Along with two “real women” (not models/professionals), editors were able to see the product come to life first-hand, exactly as it would in their own home. Product benefits and usage tips were clearly communicated with real-time results that truly wowed editors. The live demonstration was crucial in showcasing key product differentiators including improved packaging/tools, refined product scent, longer lasting foam, uniform colour coverage and overall ease of use – items which had been identified in APEX’s research as lacking in competitors foam colour products. Following the London trip, media who had not attended were invited to one of two follow-up events.

French Market Focus: to ensure the Quebec market received a hands-on demonstration in French, a breakfast event for key French long lead media was hosted in Montreal in December 2011 with Montreal-based stylist and John Frieda Canadian Consultant Alain Larivée.

Short Lead & Influencer Launch: In addition, a short lead Toronto-based media event was hosted in February 2012 for remaining English and French media to ensure as many editors, bloggers and industry insiders (key account heads, cosmetics buyers) as possible had the opportunity to see the product in action. To add excitement and tie the campaign back to the colour thematic, the event in Toronto was executed as an art exhibition, taking place in one of Queen West’s top galleries. To differentiate from competitors, APEX created a custom exhibit of brightly coloured pop art canvas prints, produced from pictures provided in advance by the attending media. The colour theme was further reinforced with the incorporation of Tresa Varner, Director of Education at the Warhol Museum in Pittsburgh, who spoke on the importance of colour and how it is used in art and relatedly in beauty/fashion. To round out the presentation, APEX utilized Harry Josh, celebrity hair stylist and John Frieda expert to speak to the importance of colour in celebrity careers. As Harry presented, a live demonstration with ‘real women’ took place as in London. A brand hash tag shared on the invite helped drive online buzz and chatter as attendees snapped and shared pictures of the exhibit, spokespeople and presentation.

Mane-taining Momentum: To ensure that buzz for the product continued following the initial launch stage, the remainder of APEX’s program included ongoing media relations and product placement support, sponsorship of targeted industry events as well as broadcast giveaways. Harry Josh was tapped for a second time to conduct one-on-one “blonde focused” interviews with long lead media prior to the summer season. Media communication continued in the form of “Colour Blasts,” quarterly long and short lead communiqué, including a tip sheet on achieving the perfect Blonde Bombshell shade, a Fall Street Style Trend Report outlining the must-have warm brown and red shades as seen on real, fashionable Torontonians; and a GHOSTS (Grey Haired, Overstressed Twenty Somethings) survey and 76

media release which identified a trend amongst Canadian women who are greying earlier due to stress.

Measurement/Evaluation

BUDGET

The budget for John Frieda’s Precision Foam Launch program was $355,000, which while large was reasonable for a full year multi-pronged program that included several large events and resulted in a cost per contact of less than 0.01 cents. Specific requirements, such as the mandatory London media fam trip represented a sizable portion of the budget ($175,000). Overall, fees accounted for approximately $200,000 and expenses $155,000. Disbursements included all hard costs for the London trip (flights & transportation, accommodations, food & beverage, entertainment, on-site event rentals and catering) totaling over $98,000; and Toronto and Montreal event costs (including venue rentals, catering, spokesperson fees, flights and transportation, accommodations) totaling approximately $45,000. In order to ensure maximum return on the spend, APEX worked to structure each event and media communication tactic to reach as many editors, bloggers and influencers as possible, incorporating social media to extend online reach and carefully targeting follow-up mailing lists so as to reduce duplication within outlets.

RESULTS

The results of the campaign exceeded all of its goals within the program dates of February 2012 to December 2012:

1. GOAL: Generate 35 stories and 25 million impressions. RESULT: 44 stories and almost 29 million in reach 2. GOAL: Generate an overall Media Relations Rating Points (MRP) quality score of at least 75 per cent and a cost per contact of $0.03. RESULT: Achieved an 85% MRP Quality Score and a Cost per Contact of $0.01. 3. GOAL: Secure coverage in all Tier A consumer-focused national publications, key online/blogs and broadcast outlets. RESULT: Measured against event guest lists and media lists, coverage was achieved in every single publication targeted, many featuring the product numerous times 4. GOAL: Secure a total of 12 key beauty media editors to attend the long lead media launch in London in Nov. 2011. RESULT: 12 editors, all from Top Tier publications (FASHION, Flare, Elle Canada, Canadian Living, Chatelaine, Glow, The Kit, LOU LOU, More, Clin D'Oeil, Globe & Mail, Zoomer) attended the event and covered the product; many more than once. 5. GOAL: Ensure live product demonstration plays a key role in media events, contributing to better trial experience. RESULT: APEX was able to incorporate an impactful demonstration into the three key media events, ensuring stronger product usage and benefit messaging and thereby better trial and media buy-in.

Media feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with numerous tweets, thank you notes and emails shared with APEX:

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“Everyone raved about how beautiful and beautifully organized that trip was. Wow…seriously - I have never had anyone, unprompted, tell me how great a certain press trip was. And I heard about this one. Twice.” - Liza Herz-MacInnis, Beauty Freelancer/BeautyGeeks

“I just wanted to say thanks so much for inviting me on the JF trip – [the APEX team] were amazing hosts and everything was perfect. I had a really nice time, and can't wait to try the new products.” -Chantel Simmons, The Kit/Marilyn Denis Show

“Thanks again for everything, the trip was fantastic. You and your APEX gals did a great job.” - Julia McEwen, Canadian Living

“Thank you again for inviting me to the event. I thought the presentation from [John Frieda Spokesperson] Harry Josh was so informative and the portion on Warhol and art was a great touch. ” - Emily Gravile-Jackson, Sympatico

“I really, really enjoyed both Harry and [Warhol Spokesperson] Tresa's presentations - thank you for inviting me!” - Rebecca Perrin, Fashionmagazine.com

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WORK PLAN Entrant’s Name: Karen Evans Organization: Toronto Hydro Corporation (Toronto Hydro) Division/Cat: Division 1: Communication Management; Category 5: Multi-Audience Communications Title of Entry: The Measure of our Commitment: Toronto Hydro’s 2011 Corporate Responsibility (CR) Report Time Period: January-December 2012 Summary: Toronto Hydro developed a communications strategy to raise awareness about its (CR) initiatives and Report. The utility leveraged extensive stakeholdering, traditional media, direct-to-customer newsletters and social media tools to help raise awareness of our efforts and support our business needs.

BUSINESS NEED/ OPPORTUNITY Toronto Hydro’s distribution system is comprised of a complex combination of substations, overhead and underground equipment. Much of our electricity grid was built between 1940 and 1980, and service reliability is gradually worsening. We estimate that approximately 45 per cent of power outages in 2012 were caused by aging and defective equipment. Approximately 28 per cent of our assets are currently past end-of-life and in need of replacement, and a further 18 per cent of our equipment will reach this state by 2021. Since 2006, Toronto Hydro has invested approximately $1.7 billion to modernize our distribution plant. In 2011 alone, we invested $431.2 million primarily in infrastructure upgrades.

We recognized that significant capital investment was required to secure service reliability and to modernize the grid; we also knew the economy was struggling and rate payers were extremely sensitive to rising electricity costs. The media was commonly reporting on electricity prices, and the electricity industry was struggling to define value to ratepayers.

With this in mind, Toronto Hydro leveraged the 2011 CR Report to tell our infrastructure story, manage our reputation and shape stakeholder opinion, in the midst of the debate about rising electricity costs. We decided to use the report to formally demonstrate the value Toronto Hydro brings our shareholder, the City of Toronto, and to other stakeholders. We also saw the business need to raise awareness and educate them about why infrastructure investment is critical.

Research from a 2010 Delphi Energy Sector Sustainability Study noted that Toronto Hydro was leading the industry in stakeholder engagement. We acknowledged that some of our messages were complicated and saw an opportunity to improve relationships through face-to-face dialogue. To build off of past stakeholdering achievements, we conducted supplemental research in late 2011 and into 2012: • Two employee surveys were conducted to gather input. In late 2011, employees were surveyed regarding Toronto Hydro‘s Community Involvement (CI) program. In 2012, employees were surveyed again; this time about the broader CR efforts of the company. Surveys were distributed at new Community Involvement booths, strategically placed in high traffic locations at all six work locations. The surveys were accessible to all employees including a large outside workforce with limited computer access. • In order to enhance existing stakeholder engagement, annual face-to-face stakeholder sessions were implemented in 2012, creating a formal setting for dialogue and feedback that could be incorporated directly into our CR initiative. Hosted by executives, these meetings helped raise awareness about key business and community issues, demonstrated our sustainability efforts, and obtained relevant feedback from stakeholders. Formal surveys were also completed.

INTENDED AUDIENCES Primary Audiences: Stakeholders: • The City of Toronto is our sole shareholder with a vested interest in the value we offer Torontonians. In addition to the direct financial support we provide, Toronto Hydro is laying the electrical foundation for a modern city and a strong economy. We had to demonstrate we are delivering reliable service and managing the utility in a responsible manner. • Employees – Approximately 1,600, comprised of skilled trades, engineers and professionals. Approximately 70% are unionized. Skilled trades and customer service representatives are on the front lines and serve as brand ambassadors. We wanted to ensure we were educating staff about CR initiatives to help spread the word. We also sought to connect with our employees by illustrating the company is a positive force in the community, embodies values that reflect their own, and is a great workplace. • Business customers – Approximately 81,000 accounts generate approximately 80% of our revenue. Reliability is of utmost concern as outages can cost businesses significantly. We wanted to demonstrate to this important group our plan to maintain reliability and our need for investment. In 2011, Toronto Hydro implemented a key accounts strategy to improve customer service. 79 2 • Residential customers – Approximately 631,000 accounts. This group is extremely sensitive to rate increases and there was an opportunity to educate them about the need for investment and the value the utility adds across the City. We recognized that they are unlikely to read the report in its entirely so it was important to break it down into digestible pieces and focus on customer touch points like social media to communicate our key messages in an engaging manner. • The Ontario Energy Board is our regulator and has the power to approve or reject rate applications critical to our capital construction program. • Suppliers, contractors and building developers are heavily impacted by our capital construction work so there was a need to raise awareness about why investment in the distribution system is critical. These stakeholders also serve as allies in the industry. • Not-for-profit and community organizations, colleges and universities, industry associations – We collaborate with many organizations and wanted to highlight our CR initiatives to positively influence public perceptions about Toronto Hydro.

Secondary Audiences: • News media: city and environment reporters – As a conduit to all audiences.

GOALS / OBJECTIVES The overarching goal was to raise awareness of Toronto Hydro’s sustainability initiatives to improve audience perceptions of the utility. We also sought to gain external support for investment in the distribution grid. Success of the 2011 CR Report communications strategy was measured by the following: Objective 1: Generate awareness and secure support for the need for investment in Toronto Hydro’s distribution grid.

Objective 2: Increase yearly traffic to online CR website by 30 per cent.

Objective 3: Leverage social media for the first time to raise external awareness and achieve a reach of at least 15,000 people.

Objective 4: Raise awareness and educate 70 per cent of staff about the importance of CR initiatives in place from June 2012 (launch of report) to December 2012.

SOLUTION OVERVIEW Toronto Hydro has been producing CR reports since 2002. While significant resources are dedicated to producing the reports, until 2012, a comprehensive strategy to drive readers to the report and raise awareness among stakeholders was not considered. The communications strategy was previously limited to a highlights brochure distributed to our shareholder and employees, with a full report posted on our website.

In developing the solution, we recognized that CR reports are not top of mind for customers or employees and most stakeholders. They are lengthy documents and contain an overwhelming amount of information to digest. Our challenge was to not only produce a report that was easier to read, but to ensure that our key messages were being absorbed by all our audiences. We needed to reinvent how we looked at CR. That meant segmenting stories within the report, and communicating them through channels relevant to our target audiences and driving traffic back to the CR website and online report.

Key Messages: • At Toronto Hydro Corporation, we’re committed to providing safe and reliable service to our customers while delivering economic value to the City of Toronto. We strive to achieve this while upholding a business philosophy built upon honesty, transparency and accountability. These are the business principles that Toronto Hydro was founded upon a century ago. • Toronto Hydro’s vision is to continuously maximize customer and stakeholder satisfaction by providing safe and reliable service in an environmentally friendly way. We believe that incorporating CR into our day-to-day business practices will help us achieve this vision. • As part of its long-term grid renewal strategy, Toronto Hydro has invested approximately $1.7 billion to modernize its distribution plant. In 2011 alone, $431.2 million was invested, primarily in infrastructure upgrades. We estimate that 40 per cent of power outages in 2011 were caused by defective equipment.

Communications Tactics: CR Report and website improvements: The 2010 report was written in a very formal tone. It lacked an employee focus and detailed information about our construction program. There were few visuals and we recognized major changes were required to socialize the report to all of the identified audiences. After researching CR reporting best practices in PriceWaterhouseCoopers’ CSR Trends 80 3 2010 Magazine and conducting a competitive analysis of CR Reports both inside and outside of the electricity industry, we made the following changes to the structure, writing and design of the 2011 report: • Visuals - The cover image of the report featured an employee in the midst of the replacement of a 30-year-old transformer at Union Station. The photo is symbolic of the significant construction work undertaken to renew our aging infrastructure. We also added more images and larger photographs focussing on employees, and added infographics to break up text and improve understanding of data. • Tone - We switched the voice from third person to first person to give it a warmer, more personalized feel, and added “value statements” to each section. • Added section “Addressing our aging infrastructure” with detailed information about the state of our assets and capital construction work completed. • CR Website torontohydro.com/responsibility - We needed to overhaul the website. The report was previously accessible from a landing page that linked to sections of a PDF report. To update the site, we built the content in HTML pages so readers could access the entire PDF or view the information in HTML. We built the structure of the site to align with the report and created vanity URLs. This allowed targeted promotions of different business initiatives on collateral and other communications channels.

Raising external awareness: • Issued seven media releases/advisories promoting the launch of the report, Facebook contest, videos and community events generating more than 1.4 million views and a reach of more than 100 million persons. • CR report launch article in CityWise, a dedicated e-newsletter sent to 44 City Councillors. • Hosted eight stakeholder sessions with key groups representing environmental organizations; developers, builders, and property managers; commercial and industrial customers; suppliers and contractors; BOMA; grid modernization companies; municipal agencies, boards, commissions and departments; and educational organizations to raise awareness about our CR initiatives and discuss the state of our assets in an open forum. • Daily tweets and Facebook posts during launch week with interesting facts driving traffic to the report. • Promoted CR report in Bright Ideas, a customer newsletter distributed to all 712,000 customers via their bills. • To keep the conversation going after launch, we executed a weeklong CR Facebook Trivia Contest in September with prizes and promoted through Twitter to drive awareness and traffic to CR website. We gained 27 new Facebook fans and generated a 193% lift in traffic to CR Website. • Created 10 videos and posted on YouTube and Facebook to engage customers and to drive traffic back to CR site, generating more than 2,000 views. • Distributed E-Connect, an online customer newsletter with over 32,400 subscribers; open rate was 27.2 per cent. • Distributed Highlights brochure at stakeholder engagement sessions and to all City Councillors. • Distributed News Flash, a dedicated e-newsletter to approximately 440 stakeholders including government, industry and community partners.

Raising internal awareness: • Created three posters and placed in high traffic areas at all six buildings highlighting interesting facts and stories from the report. • Broadcast email to 1,600 employees to announce the launch of the report. • Included eight spots on THTV, our digital televisions – located in high traffic areas at all six locations with a potential reach of 1,600. • Included seven articles in our Watt’s Up online newsletter on our intranet site. This newsletter is printed weekly and posted on Power Stations (bulletin boards) for field staff with limited access to computers. • Hard copies of Highlights version available at all six locations at Community Involvement booths. • Included a feature article on CR in Spectrum, the company’s only employee print publication published bi-yearly, which is distributed to all employees. • Distributed a CR employee survey to gauge awareness and understanding of the CR Report.

Entrant’s Role: Karen Evans is the Manager, Communications and Public Affairs. From communication strategy development to detailed tactical planning, Karen oversaw all aspects of the development and launch of the CR Report.

IMPLEMENTATION & CHALLENGES Budget: The team had initially planned to engage an external agency to build a dynamic and interactive website highlighting our 100th anniversary (celebrated in 2011). When we began production in January, the company was in the midst of regulatory uncertainty following the rejection of a rate application, and it was no longer appropriate to produce a celebratory report. Our budget was also significantly reduced following the decision from the regulator. This meant that we had to do more with less. Our total budget was approximately $39,500. The writing, graphic design, social media 81 4 campaign and video production was executed largely by Toronto Hydro staff. We saved approximately $43,100 of outsourcing costs by bringing most of the work in-house.

Hard program costs: Agency costs to produce the linkable PDF $25,000 Printing highlights brochure $2,293.90 Media relations for seven releases $ 7,000 (approx.) External production costs for videos $3,600 (approx.) (Saved approx. $8,100 in production costs by filming and editing majority of videos in-house) Creative and prizing for Facebook Trivia Contest $1,700 (approx.) $39,593.90 Resourcing costs: We assigned four employees to the program (three communications officers and one in-house graphic designer). One communications role was to manage the stakeholdering process, another was to produce the content for the report, release, videos, etc. The last officer was responsible for the overall project management and to liaise with the agency, assist with fact-checking, and manage the disclosure review of all content.

Collaboration: We knew staff were making improvements and implementing sustainable changes in the workplace. We formed a CR Working Group Committee with subject matter experts to capture these achievements in the report. This committee is now ongoing, supported by senior management and the CEO, where all business units work together to bring their successes to the table, share learnings and drive our CR efforts from the shop floor.

MEASURING/ EVALUATION Objective 1: Generate awareness and secure support for the need for investment in Toronto Hydro’s distribution grid. • Met with over 140 stakeholders in face-to-face sessions. • Met with more than 75 City Councillors and 15 MPPs, providing CR highlights. Based on surveying at the sessions: o 99 per cent of stakeholders agreed that Toronto Hydro’s need for investment in infrastructure renewal is well- founded. • Research from a Strategic Counsel survey of residential customers conducted in late 2012 revealed that 93 per cent of respondents support investment in Toronto Hydro’s electricity distribution system; and 52 per cent support an increase in electricity rates to improve service and reduce outages (up from 35% in 2011)

Objective 2: Increase yearly traffic to online CR website by 30 per cent. • Generated 18,949 visitors to the website in 2012 which represents a 51% growth in yearly traffic over 2011 – 21% over our objective.

Objective 3: Leverage social media for the first time to raise external awareness and achieve a reach of at least 15,000 people. • Exceeded goal by 53%, generating a reach of approx. 22,974 people through the following social media tactics: • During launch week of report, issued seven tweets on Twitter, with a potential reach of 15,229 and posted five notes on Facebook, with a potential reach of 1,802. • Produced 10 CR videos about tree planting; transformer graveyard; Light the Night; Take Our Kids to Work and CIBC Run for the Cure generating 2,143 views collectively. • Ran a weeklong CR Facebook Trivia Contest which asked visitors to answer questions that surrounded our key messages. The contest generated 193 per cent lift in web traffic to CR site in September as compared to August; total campaign reach of 3,800 Facebook users; engaged 182 visitors and generated 42 conversations; nine tweets issued to promote contest were retweeted 24 times; we also gained 27 new Facebook fans.

Objective 4: Raise awareness and educate 70 per cent of staff about the importance of CR initiatives in place from June 2012 (launch of report) to December 2012. • Distributed 2011 CR Report via email and hard copies of highlights brochure to 1,600 employees. In our CR survey, 79 per cent of our employees surveyed indicated they were aware of the report and 80 per cent read/viewed the report.

Other Evidence of Success: Received honourable mention from Green Living’s Excellence in Corporate Responsibility Awards and short-listed as a finalist for the upcoming PR News Awards in the category of stakeholder engagement. 82

OVATION Awards Winning Entry Communication Management Multi-Audience Communications AWARD OF MERIT

Entrant’s Name Julie Dowdie Organization’s Name The Scarborough Hospital Division/Category Division One: Communication Management Category 5: Multi-Audience Communications Title of Entry ReFRESHing our Menu Time Period of Project August 2011 to March 2012 Brief Description ReFRESHing our Menu reinvigorated the patient menu at The Scarborough Hospital’s General campus with locally sourced ingredients and homemade dishes. The project was supported by a broad communication campaign that focused on key internal and external stakeholders.

Business Need/Opportunity Throughout North America, hospital food has a reputation for being substandard. Hospitals care for some of the most vulnerable members of our society, and therefore, serving patients fresh, healthy food should be a minimum standard. Sadly, for many institutions, it is not. In Canada’s publicly funded healthcare system, cost cutting bears much of the blame. As a result, although meals are prepared using Canada’s Food Guide, patient food averages just one percent of a hospital’s overall budget. The Scarborough Hospital was no exception. In 2011, inpatient meals at the hospital’s two sites were based on a seven-day menu cycle which offered no choice to patients. The meals – costing less than three dollars per person – included no fresh vegetables and just three servings of fresh fruit per week. In addition, about 40 per cent of patient food was returned uneaten on each patient tray – a tremendous waste and an indicator that many patients were dissatisfied with the food they received. Senior administration and kitchen staff members alike realized there was a unique opportunity to improve patient satisfaction with food, as well as re-establish the connection between the quality of patient food and patients’ health and recuperation. In the spring of 2011, The Scarborough Hospital launched ReFRESHing our Menu, a project to revamp the patient menu at our General campus with dishes cooked from scratch using locally sourced ingredients. Through the support of a $191,000 grant from the Ontario government and the Greenbelt Fund, the hospital was also able to hire a chef to help develop the new menu, upgrade its kitchen facilities, and introduce a new bedside ordering process that offered choice to patients.

The communications campaign for ReFRESHing our Menu was aimed at informing internal and external audiences about the exciting transformation in patient food happening at The Scarborough Hospital, as well as educating them about the importance of fresh, local food to wellness, and to our economy and environment. Communications was also an integral component of the Greenbelt Fund grant and our campaign delivered on the goals set out in the application.

Intended Audiences: Primary Audiences Inpatients at the hospital’s General campus who would be exposed to the new menu, as well as their family members and visitors, were certainly the most important audience. Patient satisfaction is something that all hospitals track regularly, so ReFRESHing our Menu not only provided an opportunity to improve on the hospital’s 83

approval rates with food, but also contribute to overall patient satisfaction. It was equally important that hospital staff, physicians and volunteers, especially those at the General campus, felt fully informed and excited about the changes so they could be our frontline ‘ambassadors’ for the new program. A survey conducted in the summer of 2011 showed that although many staff, physicians and volunteers agreed serving patients fresh, home cooked food could contribute to their recovery, there was not as much awareness about the economic and environmental impact of buying more Ontario-grown produce. In order to foster any systemic change, reaching the hospital and healthcare sector in Ontario was vital. Healthcare is undergoing an unprecedented transformation to provide patient centered care while containing rising costs. Demonstrating that it is possible – financially and logistically – to use scratch cooking and local produce to feed patients at the 300-bed General campus would be of great interest to other healthcare institutions and government officials alike.

In addition, while other hospitals were making similar changes in Ontario, none had designed their program to include extensive kitchen renOVATIONs and hiring a chef to redesign the menu. As such, we realized that both general media at the local, provincial and national level, as well as specific trade media that cater to the hospitality and food industry, were integral in helping us build awareness about ReFRESHing our Menu.

Secondary Audiences

The local food industry in Ontario, including farmers, food producers and distributors and non-profit organizations, would naturally have great interest in ReFRESHing our Menu. There were considerable economic benefits as The Scarborough Hospital redirected a proportion of its $1.2 million annual inpatient food budget towards buying fresh, locally grown food – not to mention the economic impact if even a small percentage of the other 211 hospitals in Ontario were inspired to add local foods to their menu, too.

In addition, we kept outpatients, our local community and donors to the hospital fully informed of the changes, as these groups also had regular contact with the hospital and took great interest in its activities.

Goals/Objectives:

Goal Our overall goal was to promote the importance of The Scarborough Hospital’s ReFRESHing our Menu project to patients’ health, the local food industry and the healthcare sector.

Objectives

1. Achieve at least 40 media stories which position The Scarborough Hospital as a hospital dedicated to improving patient food satisfaction. 2. Implement a successful campaign that achieves all the communication requirements of the Greenbelt Fund grant by the grant deadline of March 31, 2012. 3. Increase awareness with staff about the importance of fresh, home-cooked food to patients’ health and recovery, as well as the economic and environmental impact of buying food grown in Ontario, between August 2011 and March 2012.

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Solution Overview:

Our strategy made use of the hospital’s pre-existing communication vehicles, while also creating new ways to highlight the unique nature of the project. One of the most visible ways we distinguished the project within… … the hospital and externally was through creating the specific ReFRESHing Our Menu tagline and logo. The tagline spoke not only to the changes the hospital was making to its inpatient menu, but also was about returning the General campus kitchen to the way it was more than 20 years ago, when staff produced food so good that it won glowing reviews in newspapers.

The tactics addressed each of our audiences, as well as delivered on what was promised in our Greenbelt Fund grant application.

A series of marketing and information flyers for inpatient meal trays were developed to explain the project and promote the benefits of healthy, local food. The flyers accompanied the inclusion of fresh, in-season fruit from local farmers being added to patient meals (i.e., apples in the fall), as well as highlighting new menu items when added. Our internal communications program for staff, physicians and volunteers included regular updates in the hospital’s monthly staff newsletter, on the corporate Intranet, and through posters. In addition, two of our events for the project were designed specifically for staff. These included an event to launch an Asian ‘congee’ rice soup as the first new menu item in the fall of 2011 and then another special sampling event when more of the new menu was in place the following March. These events also allowed us to reach patients, family members and visitors. The staff events were also part of the media campaigns we conducted between August 2011 and March 2012.

Other events included:  The launch of the project, which included a feature interview on CBC radio’s top rated “Metro Morning” program with our Vice President of Patient Experience and the chef developing the new menu.  A ‘comfort food story contest,’ where people could share the stories behind their favourite comfort foods and be entered to win a $200 restaurant gift card grand prize.  The hospital’s General campus kitchen chef spending a day with the head chef at Canoe, one of Toronto’s top restaurants, to gain insights into scratch cooking using fresh, local ingredients.  Having a ‘guest chef’ from a successful Toronto restaurant cook a special lunch for inpatients using food from Ontario farmers.  Holding a public speakers’ series event with hospital experts talking about how food and nutrition impact health. Refreshments at the event were made with produce from Ontario farmers and non-profit organizations from the local food industry set up displays at the event.

In order to reach those in the hospital and healthcare sector, as well as the local food industry, we created a monthly ReFRESHing our Menu enewsletter. Additionally, external communications included documenting our challenges and victories on the hospital’s Transforming TSH blog, and posting information about special events and project milestones on our website and through our social media channels.

Key messages: 1. The Scarborough Hospital is improving patient food satisfaction by adding more local, fresh food cooked from scratch to inpatient meals. 2. Good food promotes good health, which decreases patient length of stay in hospital and ultimately reduces costs to our healthcare system. 3. Increasing the amount of fresh, local food served to patients at The Scarborough will have a positive economic 85

impact for local farmers and food producers, as well as on our economy and the environment. 4. Improving the food served to patients will contribute to increased patient satisfaction and ultimately a better care experience overall.

Implementation and Challenges:

The Greenbelt Fund grant for ReFRESHing our Menu required us to complete the communications indicated in our application by the end of the fiscal year on March 31, 2012. As we launched the project in August of 2011, it was initially challenging to schedule some elements of the campaign, such as finding dates when all the necessary staff were available for the special events. However, communications was part of the project’s leadership team and a representative was always present at biweekly status update meetings in order to continually track and fine tune the communications progress with the group.

Another initial challenge for us centered on the attitude of staff in the General campus kitchen. Many staff had worked at the hospital for years and were wary of what the project meant for their jobs going forward. In addition, Joshna Maharaj – the chef hired to develop the new menu – was well known among Canadian food media. In order to help overcome these issues, we ensured staff were consulted and included on major elements of the project, such as the creation of the logo, choosing the winner of our comfort food story contest, and as interview subjects in relevant media stories. As a result, the kitchen staff became some of our best ambassadors for the project.

The budget also presented a challenge. Financial support from the Corporate Communications budget was limited and the Greenbelt Fund grant was mainly to assist with implementing the project. However, along with leveraging our existing vehicles and creating innovative, cost-effective ways of reaching our audiences, many of the project partners were more than happy to assist us with donations, such as the fresh, local ingredients for our staff events and speakers’ series.

Tactics and Budget: In-house creation of ReFRESHing our Menu logo and tagline $0

Patient meal tray marketing and promotion flyers (12 promotional flyers x 300 beds each. Printed at $600 the hospital’s print shop.)

Staff event to launch the Asian ‘congee’ soup as first new menu item (Local produce and ingredients $0 donated. Communications materials produced in-house.)

Comfort food story contest ($200 restaurant gift card grand prize. Second and third prizes donated.) $200

General campus head chef visit with Canoe restaurant head chef (Canoe restaurant head chef’s time $0 donated. Communications materials produced in-house.)

Guest chef visit to General campus to cook lunch for inpatients (Chef’s time and local produce $50 donated. Informational flyer for inpatient meal trays printed at hospital’s print shop.) 86

Food and nutrition speakers’ series (Two ads in local newspapers paid by Corporate $1,600 Communications budget.)

Staff event to launch new menu items (Local produce and ingredients donated. Communications $0 materials produced in-house.)

Total: $2,450

Measurement/Evaluation: Our media relations campaign resulted in 55 stories which positioned The Scarborough Hospital as an organization dedicated to improving patient food satisfaction and had a total reach of more than 30 million as measured by the Media Ratings Points (MRP) database. These stories spanned print, broadcast and online media and included both general media, as well as trade and industry outlets.

In addition, by March 31, 2012 we had delivered, and in some cases exceeded, the communication goals promised in the Greenbelt Fund grant application, including holding an extra media event, and additional promotional information to patients and in-hospital displays. Our monthly ReFRESHing our Menu enewsletter had also resulted in a number of inquiries from other hospitals and healthcare institutions, including an onsite visit from a local hospital to learn more about the changes we were making to patient food.

Our follow-up survey with staff at the General campus in March of 2012 showed more than a three per cent increase in awareness about the importance of fresh, home-cooked food to patients’ recovery. Awareness about the economic impact of buying Ontario produce also increased by more than one per cent and awareness about the environmental impact increased by nearly one per cent.

87 2013 IABC OVATION AWARDS: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Entrants’ Names: Elyn Kirby Arscott: APEX Public Relations Inc. Organizations’ Names: KAO Canada/APEX Public Relations Inc. Category / Subcategory: Division 1: Communication Management Category 6c: Marketing Communications with budget greater than 100K Title of Entry: Bioré welcomes you (back) to your 20’s Time Period of Project: November 2011– Fall 2012 Recognition Summary: After years of product innovation and reinvention, Bioré turned to APEX to regain the “swagger” it once embodied in the 90s, to a new target of twenty-something women through the lens of beauty media (the majority of which were not in their twenties). With new packaging, a new innovative technology and new hero cleansing product, APEX invited beauty media and key influencers to step back in time and relive the age where women are “doing it in a 24/7, “always on” world.”

BUSINESS NEED / OPPORTUNITY

Bioré burst onto the scene 15 years ago with the launch of its revolutionary and now celebrated Deep Cleansing Pore Strips, which solidified the brand’s leadership in the acne-fighting cleanser category. The tiny blackhead-busting nose strips became an essential part of every beauty junkie’s skin care kit and even extended beyond its target, gaining cult status with men as well. The brand had ‘swagger’ and most importantly, dominance in a cluttered market.

In the years that followed, Bioré grew its market share by launching a number of skin-enhancing products, but lost some of its identity along the way. While the brand once embraced teens, it had expanded to focus on the skin care needs of women in their thirties, consequently confusing its core target and their influencers in the media.

In 2012, Bioré wanted to recapture some of the personality and prominence that defined it in the 90s and re-position itself as the holistic skincare solution for women in their twenties. In research, it was revealed that 69 per cent of the 20-29 year old female target, complained about combination skin as a problem, meaning they they had to choose between treating oily parts or dry parts of their skin, worsening the imbalance. Therefore the brand developed Skin Purifying Technology, which would target only dirt and impurities, leaving skin’s moisture in balance, making it a perfect fit for combination skin. The brand also uncovered that this target had the highest involvement and usage than any other age group in cleansing, with 80 per cent ranking cleansing as the most important part of their face care routine. Knowing that this target was underserved and needed a brand that understood their unique needs with a customized skin care solution, Bioré re-packaged and re-launched the entire collection of cleansers, strips and scrubs alongside a new product – Bioré Combination Skin Balancing Cleanser that included the unique and proprietary ingredient called Skin Purifying Technology (SPT).

As the agency of record for KAO Canada, the parent company for Bioré, APEX was tapped to develop a communications plan that would re-introduce Bioré to its newly-defined audience and educate them about the new Combination Skin Balancing Cleaner and its Skin Purifying Technology.

CHALLENGES

The main challenge for this program was how to clearly articulate Bioré’s re-positioning in a way that would resonate with beauty media and influencers who shed their acne outbreaks and anxieties years ago. This was a challenge since the majority were not in their twenties anymore, and they could not, unlike other beauty products, easily relate to the product claims. In order to become THE brand for women in their twenties, Bioré would have to bring the woman who lives 24/7 and in an “always on world” to life in an entirely different way so as to compel meaningful editorial from the media and influencer target.

88 Another challenge for this program was the relaunch timeframe. As part of Bioré’s objectives, APEX was asked to sustain interest in the brand for almost a year (from November 2011 to Fall 2012). This required a multi-phased approach that needed strategic planning to ensure the message could be sustained.

RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS

In preparation for plan development, APEX learned about the core target through online research and a focus group of twenty-something women that provided insights about the habits, lifestyle and interests of this age group. The focus group, which was held at the APEX office, emphasized some key aspects about a twenty-something female’s day-to-day, which we would be able to leverage for our plans and tactics. This included tough early mornings (and especially difficult Monday mornings after a weekend of socializing), ‘girls nights’ whether they were at home or out on the town were a big part of this demographics life and that key milestone celebrations such as birthdays, were an important part of their social life.

Also, as part of our main objectives, APEX was tasked with planning and executing a media launch event in Toronto that would enhance and clearly articulate the brand’s new positioning to the influential attendees. It was critical that APEX achieve a goal of 25 attendees, so the team reached out to key beauty and consumer-lifestyle media for an audit of dates and timing to ensure the best attendance turnout. Historically, February is a high time for beauty products to land on shelves and therefore, November is a heavy month of long lead media events (timed to drive February stories). Bioré’s new collection would be on-shelves in February, making the time of year for a launch event non-negotiable. However, after liaising with media to determine availability APEX confirmed that the best attendance would be achieved if the event was held outside of standard business hours in the evening to eliminate conflicting events and attendee drop-off.

AUDIENCE

The audience for this launch was very clearly defined by Bioré and influenced how targeted the media outreach would be.

Bioré wanted to reach all Canadian women in their twenties, including users of competitive products. Bioré defined this target as:  “A 20-something year-old woman who is well informed, opinionated, sarcastic, and smart. Like the generations that have come before, this is the time in life she’ll experience major milestones: establishing a career, falling in love, marriage, and maybe even babies. Unlike those generations, she’s doing it in a 24/7, “always on” world.” o This description rang true to the lifestyle habits (i.e. up late at night, out early in the morning, always busy and socializing) that were revealed in APEX’s focus group, which informed all of our plans and tactics.

As a conduit to the above target, and based on our research, APEX identified key media outlets and influencers that reach them with trusted beauty advice including:  Beauty and fashion magazines for women in their twenties including Fashion, Elle Canada, LouLou and Flare (i.e. Chatelaine and Canadian Living Magazine readership skewed too old)  Beauty bloggers and all online beauty/lifestyle content ranging in size and influence, from Thebeautynerd.com to the Huffington Post

COMMUNICATION GOALS / OBJECTIVES Qualitative Measures  Generate an overall Media Relations Rating Points (MRP) quality score of at least 75 per cent  Sustain media interest and coverage over a 12 month period

Quantitative Measures  Achieve an overall campaign MRP cost per contact of $0.03 by Fall 2012

2 89  Secure a total of 25 fashion and beauty media and influencers to attend a November 2011 launch event in Toronto  Secure 10 key influential beauty bloggers to host a Bioré Spa Party at their homes in the Spring of 2012 with: o No sponsorship cost o Dedicated editorial coverage and social media content  Achieve an overall campaign result minimum reach of 14.5 million by Fall 2012

SOLUTION OVERVIEW

Although the target media had long since moved beyond their twenties, APEX hypothesized that they would be nostalgic for that time in their lives when life was more carefree and spontaneous or even modestly traumatizing due to social awkwardness. Either way, we knew that by tapping into those memory pockets, powerful and explicit emotions would surface to help inform a more sympathetic, timely and relevant editorial. Based on the hypothesis APEX recommended outreaching to media (as the conduit to consumers) under one central theme: “Bioré welcomes you (back) to your twenties!” as the primary hook. Whether they were 35 or 65 years old, Bioré was going to bring them back to their milestone 20th birthday and celebrate the decade that followed, all over again, through a variety of tactics.

Through this approach, APEX strategized that Bioré would be able to clearly articulate its position as THE brand for the twenty-something woman (even to women who were not in their 20’s) and recapture the luster that the brand first embodied with the launch of the Pore Strips.

IMPLEMENTATION

With the strategy in mind, APEX developed a multi-level plan that would allow for engagement with top beauty media and influencers:

1. Happy 20th Birthday Launch Event – To stand out from the many other beauty launches, APEX recommended taking editors on an experience outside of a typical beauty launch event to demonstrate the spirit and new branding of Bioré. With the theme of “Welcome (back) to your Twenties”, APEX recreated a 20th birthday party in which attendees started the night out at a dinner party at Ki Restaurant, where the brand re-positioning and new product and technology were presented by a KAO spokesperson and Dr. Skotnicki, KAO Canada’s third-party dermatologist. To reinforce the “birthday message”, cupcakes with a candle and a personalized necklace – wrapped as a birthday present - were delivered to each attendee following dinner. Following the meal and presentation, editors were then whisked away on a party bus to a high end salon in the trendy Toronto neighborhood of Liberty Village where they each received a manicure and pedicure while sipping wine and enjoying each other’s company. At the end of the evening, all of the attendees were delivered to the Ritz-Carlton hotel for an overnight stay where they were encouraged to use the Bioré products and other essentials we provided (pajamas, Advil, healthy snacks and water) to recuperate for the next day - just as a twenty-something woman would do in her “always on” world.

2. Party in a Box Mailing – To reach editors and influencers who live outside of the GTA and could not attend the event, APEX recommended sending a package to media and bloggers/influencers (including French media) that encapsulated the event. The package included a personalized birthday card with the title “Happy 20th Birthday…. Again!” and included a helium Happy Birthday balloon which popped out of the box upon opening. In addition to this, product samples, press materials and items one would typically use to celebrate a 20th birthday (such as a martini glass) were included. Following the mailing, APEX followed up with every recipient to explain Bioré’s new positioning and offer interviews with Dr. Skotnicki on the new product and/or technology.

3. ‘Girl’s Night In’ Blogger Spa Parties – As part of our research, it was uncovered that women in their twenties relish the opportunity to stay home with their girlfriends for DIY spa parties (manicures, pedicures, etc.) and share the experience on social media platforms from Twitter to Instagram and Facebook. To capture the spirit of these events and earn editorial reviews on noted websites where the target turns to for information, APEX recommended offering in-home spa parties to 10 top beauty bloggers and five of their friends. APEX created customized invitations 3 90 for the bloggers to share with their friends and partnered with mobile Wright Spa to deliver manicures, pedicures and facials with the Bioré product as well as present the new positioning and technology with the entire influential group. Branded Bioré cupcakes were also sent to enhance the experience. In return, each blogger posted a review of the products (all of which were positive) and shared photos and comments of the experience on their social media platforms, effectively reaching a much larger audience.

4. Monday Morning Rescue Mailings – The focus group APEX held with target women also highlighted Monday as a difficult day of the week for them to get through. Using that insight, and to encourage coverage on the product throughout the year, APEX recommended sending quarterly mailings from Bioré to media and influencers that included a note card tapping into the social habits of twenty-something women (i.e. patio season) along with a product from the collection and a gift to help them get through their Monday. Gifts ranged from Starbucks gift cards for a little pick-me-up to a yoga class pass.

BUDGET

The total budget for the Bioré re-launch was $115,000 in fees and expenses which broke out as follows:  Happy 20th Birthday Launch Event: $50,000  Party in a Box Mailing: $14,000  ‘Girl’s Night In’ Blogger Spa Parties: $20,000  Monday Morning Rescue Mailings: $19,000  Program Management: $12,000

MEASUREMENT/EVALUATION

 Generate an overall Media Relations Rating Points (MRP) quality score of at least 75 per cent and a cost per contact of $0.03 by Fall 2012. o Achieved a 95.24% MRP Quality Score and a Cost per Contact of $0.01.  Sustain media interest and coverage over a 12 month period. o Due to staggered tactics, media coverage continued to run from November 2011 through to Fall 2012.  Secure a total of 25 fashion and beauty media and influencers to attend a November 2011 launch event in Toronto. o A total of 25 media attended the launch event and shared overwhelmingly positive feedback, which is a considerable task given the attendees are known to be a fickle media group with varied opinions.  Secure 10 key influential beauty bloggers to host a Bioré Spa Party at their homes in the Spring of 2012 with:  No sponsorship cost  Dedicated editorial coverage and social media content o 10 tier-one beauty bloggers such as Lucky Penny Daily and Spiced Beauty were secured to hosted an in- home spa party. Every blogger participant was involved with no sponsorship cost and all featured the product in both editorial and social media posts.  Achieve an overall campaign result minimum reach of 14.5 million by Fall 2012. o Reach of over 15 million achieved in 35 tier one outlets.

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OVATION Awards Winning Entry Communication Management Marketing Communications with budget greater than $100K AWARD OF EXCELLENCE ENTRANT’S NAME: Martine Lévy ENTRANT’S ORGANIZATION: DDB Public Relations CLIENT ORGANIZATION: Trader Corporation TITLE OF ENTRY: autoTRADER.ca: The Most Cars in One Place Campaign CATEGORY & SUBCATEGORY: Division 1: Communication Management; Category 6c: Markeing Communications with budget greater than $100K TIME PERIOD OF PROJECT: February 2012 to December 2012

RECOGNITION SUMMARY To generate buzz and awareness around autoTRADER’s new brand proposition and ultimately shift perception from a dated magazine to a new, exciting online destination a fully integrating marketing communications campaign was executed leveraging the creative execution “Most Cars in One Place.”

BUSINESS NEED/OPPORTUNITY For over 25 years, in nearly every convenience store from Victoria to St. John’s, one magazine was the go-to-source for Canadians looking to buy and sell their used vehicles. A part of Canadiana culture, autoTRADER’s print publication business profited from car dealers who listed their used inventory in the magazines to expose their vehicles to a much wider audience. For many years, the formula worked. That is, until a little thing called the Internet came along. With the shift from print to digital, the autoTRADER magazine format started to become outdated. Suddenly, Canadians had thousands of vehicle listings at their fingertips. autoTRADER made the decision to augment their magazine offering with online, entering the daunting, un-familiar world of e-business.

But balancing print with digital was a delicate act, which together with lowered barriers to entry in the market, resulted in consumer market share being eroded to the benefit of pure plays: Craigslist and Kijiji. A turning point for autoTRADER came when Apax Partners purchased it from Yellow Media and decided to go 100% digital. Furthering the challenge, in 2011, autoTRADER.ca's traffic performance struggled as it steadily declined on an average of -4% on a monthly basis. Site traffic saw a drop of 1,750,000 in a mere 7 months (March 2011 – December 2011), a –31% decrease in total site traffic. On a downward spiral, autoTRADER.ca traffic decreased by as much as 16% in December 2011 alone. Thus, the need to quickly re-invigorate the brand and breathe life into its digital offering was critical.

INTENDED AUDIENCE/STAKEHOLDERS Utilizing DDB’s strategic planning process and insights gained through focus groups and proprietary market analysis, the target consumer audience was identified as a well educated, highly resourceful group within a broad demographic range; savvy researchers who look everywhere including newspapers, magazines, online communities and through social media for the latest on vehicle news and reports. For the media relations campaign, DDB worked with autoTRADER to identify target audiences including automotive, technology and business media as well as lifestyle media who covered relevant story angles.

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GOALS/OBJECTIVES In the face of stiff competition from Kijiji and Craigslist, we needed to attract a high volume and high caliber of consumers to the newly revamped autoTRADER.ca. Our objective was to not only be the go to place for consumers looking to buy, but for dealers as well.

A number of quantifiable core business objectives were identified, including:

• Support the autoLYZER Facebook application and attract an incremental 500,000 visitors per month in 2012 to supplement the existing traffic • Increase private seller listings to the site by +25% during the campaign period • Increase dealer listings to the site by +10% during the campaign period • Drive traffic growth by +5% specifically in the Western region where traffic levels were lower due to this market being historically more 'print' focused

In addition, the following communication goals were identified for the campaign to: • Generate quantitative and qualitative media coverage by identifying strategic story angles that complemented autoTRADER’s brand proposition and offering • Create brand advocates by positioning autoTRADER as experts in the eyes of media, influencers and consumers • Motivate consideration and shift brand perception through increased visibility in traditional media channels

To measure the campaign’s success from a media relations standpoint, the following quantifiable objectives were also confirmed during the campaign’s planning process, including: • At least 100 media hits in mainstream and community-based print and online media outlets across Canada (automotive, technology, business and lifestyle beats) • Using the Media Relations Points (MRP) evaluation system, obtain a total audience reach of at least 60,000,000 and a cost-per-contact of $0.03 (based on budget spend to reach the industry standard of $0.03) • Under the MRP evaluation system, the target MRP score was set at 75 per cent (based on the industry standard). The predetermined rating criteria included: 1) company/brand mention 2) key message inclusion 3) target audience 4) spokesperson quote

SOLUTION OVERVIEW With traffic to the site slowing dramatically and relentless pressure on the business from Kijiji, the need to re-vitalize autoTRADER.ca and make it relevant in the minds of Canadian car buyers and sellers (specifically dealers) was never more urgent. We needed consumers to quickly recognize autoTRADER as the No. 1 digital automotive destination in Canada and not just as printed automotive classifieds. With no time to waste, the challenge of achieving this dramatic change in the brand’s fortune would require clever thinking, exceptional creativity and a single focused message rooted in a compelling truth. Through a deep dive into the brand, it was discovered that autoTRADER.ca has the largest car inventory in the country. This was a surprising, relevant, distinguishing, superlative truth that could be used as a compelling, silver bullet for the overarching autoTRADER.ca campaign.

Qualitative research confirmed that a site with the most inventory was very motivating and 93

psychologically reassuring to consumers because it made them feel that they had ‘left no stone unturned’ in their quest to find the perfect car. Having more cars than any other site… …. means autoTRADER.ca attracts the most buyers and sellers. More cars than the competition means the biggest marketplace for buyers and sellers. More cars than Kijiji means consumers and dealers could feel safe knowing that with autoTRADER.ca, they would be exposed to the most leads. This insight also proved to be newsworthy (people were surprised that autoTRADER could claim this fact) and it helped to differentiate the brand from its competitors.

This strategic insight translated creatively into The Most Cars In One Place and quickly became the lifeblood of the brand and the driving force behind making the autoTRADER brand compelling and relevant again. No matter where or how the brand was going to be communicated, it would always be clear, that autoTRADER.ca was the online destination with The Most Cars In One Place.

To drive interest in the new autoTRADER.ca and contemporize the brand, we launched a break-through communications campaign driven by our core differentiator: The Most Cars In One Place. The National campaign included Television, Online, Social, Public Relations, B2B, and Radio. The creative executions needed to break through, attract attention and give consumers a reason to visit the site.

As the first major brand push for autoTRADER.ca in many years, the decision to launch the brand message of The Most Cars in One Place to the Canadian market with a big television push made perfect sense. The immediate priority was to ensure Canadians associated the brand as being both online, and having the largest inventory of vehicles.

Once television launched, a robust public relations campaign began to maximize publicity for the brand and improve perception with consumers using media as a conduit. As the dealer network is a crucial element to autoTRADER.ca’s business success, a landing page and brochure were created to promote The Most Cars in One Place message to dealers, introducing them to the new messaging, the brand and how it would add value to their business.

Online quickly followed with standard banners, high-impact and page takeovers. The executions helped to both dramatically increase traffic, as well as further the messaging of The Most Cars in One Place in the online space.

As buying a car is a very social process with most buyers eliciting advice from friends and family, we harnessed the power of social media with the creation of autoTRADER.ca’s very first Facebook Application. Dubbed The autoLYZER, the unique app helps Canadians discover three automobiles that are for sale on autoTRADER.ca at that moment in time, best suited to their personality and social life. The app analyzes real-time data via Facebook, looking at an individual's lifestyle, interests, social activities, and Facebook friends' opinions via existing posts, to help narrow down which cars would be the best fit for his or her personality. The creative execution of the app re-enforced The Most Cars in One Place messaging, highlighted autoTRADER’s move to the digital world and provided greater brand relevance among our target-set. A tailored media relations campaign, social seeding and cultivation pushed the App and brand message to the online masses, while Facebook ads drove participation with specific target groups.

Radio launched in early July, with :10 Television, Public Relations and The autoLYZER all pushing the 94

brand message online and offline throughout the typically soft vehicle purchasing Summer months.

IMPLEMENTATION & CHALLENGES With an ambitious objective of bringing an additional 500,000 visitors to the site on a monthly basis and a conservative budget of $3.2M on a national campaign including all program elements and production costs, The Most Cars in One Place campaign exceeded all pre-set objectives. In addition to budget challenges, Kijiji Autos (the #1 competitor to autoTRADER.ca) was also engaged in a multimedia campaign that included national television and online executions.

MEASUREMENT/EVALUATION Since launch, traffic to the site is up +18% with 3,622,000 incremental visits to the site over the campaign period (February 1 to July 31) on a year-on-year basis. With +27% growth in monthly unique visitors since campaign launch (6,300,000 UMVs in July 2012 alone), the results are continuously climbing. Not only are more consumers visiting the site, but the results prove they are interested in what we have to offer with page views up +76% year-on-year (a significant statistic for our private sellers and dealers). Unaided awareness of the autoTRADER.ca brand has also increased by 4% points and awareness that it is free to post on autoTRADER.ca increased by 8% points amongst Canadians surveyed post-campaign (Hotspex, May 2012 report).

Through impactful and innovative touch points, autoTRADER.ca was effectively able to interact with its target audiences, providing clear and consistent messaging that made a measurable impact on media, stakeholder and influencer awareness, knowledge and desire levels. The campaign far exceeded media relations, sales and awareness expectations. Key campaign results were as follows:

• Garnered over including 166 million media impressions; 194 editorial hits; a qualitative score of 76% and a total cost-per-contact of $0.001 (measured against the PR budget) • Over 273,000,000 social media and press impressions garnered around the launch of the autoLYZER Application • A +22% increase in positive sentiment towards the autoTRADER.ca brand, as measured through NetPromoter Score (NPS) surveys, to an NPS of 31% • Dealer listings increased +18% and private listings increased a staggering 169% (June 2012 vs. January 2012) and +113% on a year over year basis • Since launch, an increase in traffic to the site of 18%, with 3,622,000 incremental visits over the course of the campaign (February 1 to July 31) • An immediate spike in site traffic in specifically targeted areas (Edmonton and Calgary) with historically low brand awareness and low site traffic compared to the rest of Canada, with increases of 12.7% and 15%, respectively

In the end, armed with the knowledge and insight that autoTRADER.ca had—and continues to have— the largest car inventory in the country, DDB set forward to lay this message, equipping individual vehicle sellers and even institutional dealerships nation-wide, with an ability to optimize their business efforts. Therefore, this program was intrinsically tied to the public interest. DDB used a multi-faceted marketing communciations program to support autoTRADER.ca’s renewed positioning, helped to improve brand perception and raised awareness of the insight that compared to anywhere else in the 95

country, it has the most cars in one place. AutoTRADER.ca’s The Most Cars In One Place Campaign effectively engaged with key target audiences, built brand awareness and ultimately delivered above and beyond the campaign objectives.

96 Entrant’s Name: Gary Lintern, Tenzing Communications Inc. Organization’s Name: Libro Financial Group Division/Category: Division 1, Category 6c – Marketing Communications with budget greater than $100K Title of Entry: “Share the Future” Time Period of Project: September to December, 2012 Recognition Summary: Libro's Share the Future is a blend of advertising for new customer acquisition and positioning through corporate social responsibility. The campaign is integrated from the inside out to all external media, through all communications disciplines. In just under 4 months, Share the Future out-performed all Libro management expectations and past programs.

Business Need / Opportunity

Almost 60,000 consumers and small businesses in southwestern Ontario trust Libro Financial Group (a credit union) with over $2 Billion in assets and banking services. They are considered among the most successful credit unions in Canada. That said, Libro also competes with Canada's largest banks, offering the same services, and as such, they remain a niche player by comparison.

Libro's primary business need is differentiation. Closely followed by the need for full-service customer growth. They need to engage customer-service staff in sales support - a task they often find challenging. They need to attract the right kinds of customers; younger families with early stage borrowing requirements. They need to create market buzz to level the playing field with larger competitors and their deeper pockets.

Those needs drive Libro's communications and public relations efforts every year. And while the majority of Libro marketing efforts are deemed successful based on quantified results, we were convinced even more could be done; that we could get beyond traditional promotions and attract more business.

To that end in early 2012, Libro and we, Tenzing Communications, decided to step back from the tried and true. We believed that establishing a more emotive point of difference would make subsequent sales campaigns more effective.

The Libro team reviewed proprietary research and national credit union system research that focused on value drivers and consumer preferences. We reviewed available financial services sector studies for additional clues. The usual suspects were always at the top. Price and convenience. Both lacked the emotive differentiation we wanted. And we weren't about to out-price or out-tech the banks. So we looked deeper. We found the answer in a national study that revealed credit union profit sharing as a solid value driver. And even better, Libro remains one of the few credit unions that shares its profits with its customers.

There was our emotive win. Banks only share their profits with 'investors'. Libro shares success with everyone. We had our idea: Promote profit-sharing. And it gets better. Libro is all about sharing throughout its business model:

• They share 5% of net profits with youth-lead community work (5x the national average Imagine standard). • They support local businesses and share community prosperity (helping to create local employment). • They share high-touch financial advice and Coaching with all customers regardless of income levels. • Their focus on local youth leadership and community prosperity is Libro's way to share greater economic stability in SW Ontario.

Share became the operative word for Libro in the Fall of 2012. Share became the essence of the most successful Fall launch in the history of Libro Financial Group.

Audiences

• Staff: - about 270 customer service / advice staff, in branches - 70% female, age ranging between 30 and 55.

• Consumer Prospects: - younger families with higher borrowing needs. - focus media more on urban markets than rural (efficiency).

• Local Businesses - small business and farm owner/operators.

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Objectives

(1) Using the first quarter (Q1) of the past two fiscal years as a performance baseline, exceed previous best customer acquisition results by more than 10%, with a focus on younger families.

(2) Generate positive staff feedback for the campaign (measured by staff intranet review process).

(3) Engage more visitors online and kick-start stagnant social media (almost zero meaningful traffic). - measured by Google analytics and Libro annual standards.

(4) Continue to grow and expand regional awareness based on year-over-year comparisons. - exceed 2011 4% awareness increase (8% growth).

Solution Overview

In the Fall of 2012, Libro launched an integrated communications program called Share the Future. It included social media, advertising, video, incentives for new prospects, staff engagement and Libro's new, younger President as the spokesperson in all media. The word 'share' was dominant throughout.

WHAT DETAILS WHY The Incentive We invented an offer called Giving new prospects the opportunity Get $50 2 Give. This offer was to financially support local youth promoted in all media and by groups and teams with $50 fit staff-focused Share Cards perfectly with Libro's core values; we (handouts for local community let new members experience 'being and sports events). Every new Libro' and rewarded them at the customer triggered a $50 same time. The youth connection donation to a youth group or was selected to attract younger family cause of their choice. interest. Advertising Television creative focused on We didn’t need to reinvent television the lives of young families and creative which had proven their affinity for Libro financial successful. But we did need to adapt coaching. TV tags and radio it to connect with the new messaging. commercials featured Libro We decided to link the TV tags (last CEO Steve Bolton and his 17 seconds of a 60-second spot), Share-the-Future message new radio commercials and the (graphic support for Get $50 to online microsite content, by featuring Give). a message from Libro CEO Steve Bolton (young, genuine, passionate). Online Advertising We used real-time bidding to Real-time bidding and online acquire a lower-cost inventory advertising, in our markets for our of online banners and big purposes, achieves two key boxes. We were able to outcomes: 1) Dramatically-reduced reduce costs by improving costs per impression to boost the behaviour-based efficiency of all media; 2) segmentation. The creative Dramatically-improved connectivity of was focused on two key the advertising to online campaign topics: Libro Profit Sharing and tools and contact. Get $50 to Give. Social Media Libro CEO Steve Bolton Libro had not had great success with started a Twitter campaign social media outside of contests (the based on sharing stories of usual). We decided to get truly social local success, all designed to and support the share campaign. change the economic Libro’s Twitter campaign about local momentum of the region. The economic success featuring CEO messaging was tailored to Steve Bolton and other members of Share the Future. the Libro team reinvented Libro’s social media presence. Microsite A microsite was created to The Share the Future microsite promote 3 ways for visitors to allowed us to see where visitors went 2 98 share the future: Get $50 to and determine their interest for future Give, Success Stories and adaptations. It allowed us to post Advice Sharing (through fresh information every day that was Libro's Money School video focused on youth groups and the series). Charities that were future we all share. It allowed us to supported by new customers connect via social media and link the were also featured on the site. results back to the main program. Staff Communications We shared all campaign tools Libro branch staff are not hyper-sales internally prior to the campaign personality types. They are service- launch. We also created a focused, nurturing personalities. We marketing team video that also know the success or failure of delivered an in-depth view of most campaigns in service-based the campaign, Share the industries (like banking) depends on Future, and how to use it. This staff follow-through. We created included the development and Share the Future and the mix of printing of 10,000 Share the branch-level support to ensure Libro Future Post Cards; handouts staff had time to understand, get for community events. comfortable and get excited.

Implementation

Share the Future was launched to staff shortly after the Labour day weekend in early September. It was launched to the public in October and tracked into December 2012.

October November Media 1 8 15 22 29 5 12 Impressions

TV 2,425,000 Radio 2,450,000 Online 7,840,600 Total: 12,715,600

• Challenges / Solutions

(1) Getting campaigns in front of staff prior to launch is a huge challenge in all retail environments. We created an internal Road Show that encouraged staff input and ideas. This promoted buy-in long before we got to market.

(2) Inviting a new CEO to become a spokesperson for the brand in his first year in the position was challenging for everyone including Steve Bolton, the CEO. The best solution was in Coaching him to simply be himself, allowing his genuine passion for SW Ontario to shine through.

(3) We wanted to promote the youth groups and charities that new Libro owners were supporting. We met this challenge by creating technology that loads the youth group logo and description on Libro's Share the Future microsite. When someone gives a donation, the charity logo and description move to the top of the microsite display.

Measurement & Evaluation

The Libro Share the Future campaign has met or exceeded all objectives and is deemed the most successful attempt yet to both differentiate Libro's market positioning and grow their customer base.

Objective: Using the first quarter (Q1) of the past two years as a performance baseline, exceed previous best customer acquisition results by more than 10%. Younger families; urban markets focus.

Results: The Share the Future campaign has generated new customer growth that exceeds expectations and is on track to exceed annual targets. 3 99

• Increase: New customers per month

2011 311 per month 2012 315 per month 2013 400 per month

Average Increase - 21%+ per previous best Q1. (200% of target)

• There was a 4% increase in younger customers indicating young family growth. Four percent is a significant trend indicator.

Objective: Generate positive staff feedback and support for the campaign. Measured by the Libro-net (staff intranet) review process.

Result: The Intranet staff satisfaction measurement system rated Share the Future the best campaign to date with high scores across all factors.

• The staff used and were comfortable distributing the information. • Staff distributed the initial run of 10,000 Share Cards early in the program and an additional 10,000 cards had to be printed. That means they got used. • Staff feedback was extensive and suggestions were numerous; staff were engaged.

Objective: Engage more traffic online and kick-start Libro's stagnant social media (very little meaningful traffic prior to the campaign).

Results All Libro web traffic increased (year over year) and was directly attributable to the Share the Future Campaign.

• Page views Up 40% • Unique page views Up 50% • Time on site 30% increase • Bounce rate 20% decrease

All four results indicate online success, better traffic quality, and more engagement on site.

Objective Continue to grow and expand regional awareness based on year-over-year comparisons. - exceed 2011 result: 4% awareness increase.

Results Libro awareness growth (aided and unaided) grew by 6% in year over year; 50% better than the growth a year earlier.

Other Measures:

• Media Efficiency: Standard multi-media campaign costs per thousand (CPM). Impressions range between $30 and $50. Libro's Fall campaign (TV, radio, online) achieved a CPM of $18.04.

• Product Sales: The number of products per new customer remained consistent with previous years. This is positive result in that promotions like Share the Future typically reduce products-sold per customer.

• 72 tweets about business and local successes were generated in the measurement period (up from almost zero).

• 369 tweets in total featured the #ShareFuture hashtag.

• 1,116 donations were shared with local youth groups and charities. $55,800 was distributed.

• Unique visitors to Libro's primary web site (Libro.ca) is up 22% year over year (Q1). 4 100

Summary: Through a mix of earned, paid and owned communications, Thornley Fallis and Allstate Canada created a campaign that asked teen drivers to take Action Against Distraction and to share their solutions to the problem of distracted driving.

Business need/opportunity: Allstate Insurance is the second largest insurance company in the United States; however, according to Canadian Underwriter, Allstate Insurance Company of Canada is ranked as the 13th largest insurer for home and auto insurance in the country and has a much lower awareness rate. Research done by Allstate Canada shows that 50 per cent of people shopping for insurance purchase their policy from the first company they call, which means high awareness of a company leads to high purchase consideration. Thornley Fallis therefore works with Allstate Canada to improve awareness in its five Canadian markets (Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia) by positioning the insurer as an expert in preparedness and prevention and a leader in community safety issues.

Early on, Thornley Fallis recommended as a communications strategy that Allstate Canada take ownership of an issue in order to stand apart from competitors in the cluttered insurance market. In 2010, Allstate Canada agreed to invest a large portion of its communications budget against the communication of the dangers of distracted driving. Combating distracted driving is a high-profile focus for many organizations, including government, police forces and advocacy groups because of its prevalence. Distracted driving still persists regardless of legislation to deter the offense in all Canadian provinces (all provincial governments have legislation banning hand-held devices while driving). In February 2012, the Toronto Police Service held a week-long enforcement blitz to crack down on distracted driving offences, and by the end of the week had issued 9,876 tickets. This was up from the year before when 8,758 tickets had been issued during a blitz.

For Allstate Canada, the high rate of distracted driving is not only a safety issue, but also contributes to 80 per cent of collisions, which leads to more insurance claims. By allocating resources to raising awareness about the dangers of distracted driving, Allstate Canada is positioned as a socially responsible insurer while working to reduce collision claims.

In 2010, Allstate Canada’s Action Against Distraction initiative launched with a media relations campaign about the dangers of distracted driving that targeted parents of young drivers as the primary audience, since parents make the insurance decisions for their households. In the program’s second year, we focused some activities at high school students by organizing distracted driving tally events (students would count distracted drivers at busy intersections near their high schools) in three markets so students could see first-hand risky driving behaviours. We invited media to attend these events to earn coverage. In 2012, given that research showed a large proportion of teenagers were still practising distracted driving (see research below) we recommended that teenagers (future policyholders) become the primary audience. Allstate Canada’s agreement to this change led to a reimagining of the program to gain the interest of this new audience.

Intended audiences In past years, the main focus of the Action Against Distraction program was to get parents of young drivers to talk to their teens about the dangers of distracted driving rather than speak to the teens directly. But given the high risk of collisions for young drivers and the amount of time teens spend on their cell phones, Allstate Canada and Thornley Fallis decided to put more focus on young and future drivers and make their parents a secondary audience.

Our research phase found that despite safer cars, better roads and countless driving programs, for more than a decade Transport Canada yearly traffic statistics remain fairly consistent in teenage deaths and injuries. The Insurance Bureau of Canada also reports that drivers aged 21 and under with less than six months of driving experience have more collisions, drive at higher initial speeds, follow the car ahead more closely and talk on their cell phones more than drivers with 10 or more years of driving experience.

Review of relevant research about this group indicated a perfect storm: car crashes are the leading cause of death among Canadian youth, who are the least experienced drivers and who are the most frequent users of distracting applications on their mobile devices. According to Ipsos Research, Canadian teens’ most frequent methods of communication are texting (54%) and online social networking (48%). Studies show that using a cell phone reduces the amount of brain activity 101 associated with driving by 37 per cent. Furthermore, research shows that while people believe that distracted driving is dangerous or unacceptable for others, they don’t believe it’s dangerous for them.

Allstate Canada’s own research in 2010 found that 75 per cent of Canadians admit to driving while distracted and the younger you are the more likely you are to commit the offense. Some 56 per cent of Canadians aged 65+ admitted to driving distracted, while 76 per cent of teenage to 34 year olds admitted the same. A 2009 study shows the leading cause of adolescent deaths is auto collisions; two-thirds of these deaths occur when another teen is at the wheel.

Teens are not only some of the most dangerous drivers they are also future Allstate customers. Young drivers rarely make insurance purchase decisions but are added onto their parents’ policy. However, by their mid-20s these youth will typically need to make an insurance decision. Allstate Canada research shows that 46 per cent of customers come to the company based on a recommendation by a family member, friend or colleague. Therefore, we recommended that parents of teen drivers should remain a key stakeholder for the campaign, as they are the ones who buy insurance now and will influence their child’s insurance purchase in the future.

Goals and objectives The business goal of any Allstate Canada campaign is to increase awareness of the brand in order to drive purchase consideration.

There were two primary objectives for the Action Against Distraction program:

1. Raise awareness of the importance of reducing distractions with young drivers and their parents: • Increase MRP score of Allstate coverage by 5% compared to 2011. • Make goodhandsadvice.ca a central space to educate consumers. Increase visits to the website by 5% over 2011 (goal of 8,851 visits from Canada). • Receive a minimum of 30 entries in the Just Drive Canada contest. • Receive 450 shares on Facebook and Twitter and 6000 votes on contest entries.

2. Contribute to Allstate Canada’s business goals of increased sale of policies, as measured by the following: • Contribute towards an increase in sales of policies by 5% in 2012 over 2011. • Increase top-of-mind (first insurance company respondent names) awareness in key markets (Ontario and Alberta) by 5%

Solution overview Building on experience gained in 2010 and 2011, the 2012 Action Against Distraction campaign incorporated paid, earned and owned media strategies in a marketing communications program to engage with Allstate Canada’s target audience.

The key messages for this year’s campaign illustrate Allstate Canada’s commitment to the issue of distracted driving as well as the organization’s motivation for devoting resources to this cause: • Since 2010, Allstate Canada’s Action Against Distraction campaign has helped to educate and raise awareness about the risks and consequences of distracted driving. • Allstate Canada is committed to making a positive difference across the country by advocating for safety and social responsibility and by giving back to the people and communities in which it operates. • Car crashes are the number one cause of death among teens, and teens are the most frequently distracted drivers. • Distracted drivers are a risk to everyone on the road.

Thornley Fallis determined the campaign should focus on engaging youth across Canada, but should also include a collaborative learning element supported through digital communications to provide educational opportunities. Research shows that active participation and collaborative learning about an issue leads to increased critical thinking about that issue as well as better retention of relatively unique concepts. Additionally, collaborative learning is also believed to present the best solutions. Thornley Fallis wanted to provide an opportunity for youth to collaborate in a way familiar to them through online content creation and with the help of social media. Our solution focused on getting teens to develop their solutions in order to personalize distracted driving as a safety issue.

The campaign focused around an online contest that asked high school students across Canada to submit a picture/poster, song/audio or video that would serve as an example of solutions to stop distracted driving. Called “Just Drive Canada,” the contest gave students different creative outlets, some more time intensive than others, to think about the consequences of distracted driving and provide a solution that they believed would be relevant to their peers. Rather than adults telling teens how to behave, the contest entries would have peers sharing ideas and discussing safe driving 102 behaviours. Thornley Fallis developed a website (combined French and English) linked to Allstate Canada’s existing goodhandsadvice.ca site as the central platform for contest registration, rules and regulations, voting on entries, materials for parents and guardians to share with teens and distracted driving facts and statistics.

We also decided to repeat the high school driver tally events, students counting distracted drivers at intersections near their school from 7:30 AM to 8:30 AM, as the events were a cost effective way to get students and schools to take up the cause and to create a media opportunity. The tallies would also act as the launch day of the Just Drive Canada contest. The results from all participating communities were combined for a national media release placed on the news wire (English and French) later that day. Thornley Fallis team members pitched the results to media contacts and secured interviews for Allstate Canada spokespeople to discuss the campaign and the key messages about the dangers of distracted driving.

In preparation for the driver tally events, we created tools to help a group of Allstate Canada Agency Managers to organize and host the events at the high schools and to organize a school assembly following the tally with local police to educate students on the risks and consequences of distracted driving. We created an “event in a box” electronic package for Allstate Canada agents across the country, which included training on key messages and event management, event materials (including permission slips, tally forms, etc.), tips on establishing relationships with local partners (e.g. schools and police), the presentation and speaking notes and tips for contest promotion.

In order to promote the contest, Thornley Fallis developed a promotional poster and distributed it through an email campaign to high schools across the country to ask for participation by their students. We also secured MuchMusic VJ Phoebe Dykstra as the spokesperson for the contest and produced a video where she talked about the dangers of distracted driving. We wanted to include a well-known figure the students could relate to and trust and who could promote the contest to a large social network. We used targeted Facebook advertising for the video, which directed students to the contest site, www.justdrivecanada.ca.

Once the entry period closed, students who had participated were encouraged to share their entry with their social networks in order to get votes for their “solution.” We built the website with a mobile-first strategy that made it easy to share and vote with a mobile device, since teens are more likely to use their cell phones to share content. Once the voting period ended, the ten entries from each category that received the most votes advanced to the final round where a panel of judges (including our celebrity spokesperson, representatives from stakeholder groups such as the RCMP and Young Drivers of Canada and Allstate Canada staff) chose the winners and runners-up in each category. In addition to cash prizes in each category (for both winner and the winner’s school), Thornley Fallis promoted engagement and sharing of the contest by rewarding the most engaged school with a $2500 cash prize.

Adhering to the hub and spoke model of marketing communications, Thornley Fallis created a social media strategy for the campaign that not only promoted the Just Drive Canada contest, but also created opportunities for Allstate Canada to be a thought leader on this issue. We created Just Drive Canada Twitter (@JustDriveCanada; @attentifvolant) and Facebook accounts in both English and French, which Allstate managed, and through which they shared information not only about their materials, but studies, articles and videos about the issue from other stakeholders. All social channels drove people back to the Just Drive Canada website and encouraged sharing to spread the word through digital communications.

We announced the contest winners in January 2013 through a wire release and targeted media pitch, which included data from the online poll that was conducted on the Just Drive Canada website in order to place the “solutions” in the context of people’s understanding of distracted driving behaviour and to make the announcement relevant to news outlets.

Budget: The total budget for the 2012 Action Against Distraction campaign was $149,717 including both fees and expenses, broken into seven categories: Account management and media relations, $28,733; Event in a box creation, $18,810; Driver tally events, $4,560; Contest website design and development, $54,264; Contest management, $12,408; Contest promotion, $18,012 and Announcement of contest winners, $12,930. The budget does not include prize money to students and schools and spokesperson fee to Phoebe Dykstra. These items came from an internal Allstate budget. Expenses included CisionWire costs, a professional photographer at Toronto tally event, printing and postage of the contest poster; licensing fees and training expenses.

Timeline: Thornley Fallis worked on the Event in a Box preparation and Agency Manager training from April to June 2012, built the contest website starting in May and launched September 4, held the tally events and shared results with media on September 20, managed contest promotion and entry submissions September 20-November 2, and announced the winners on January 31, 2013.

103 Implementation and challenges Managing Agency Managers: In previous years Thornley Fallis organized and attended all the Action Against Distraction school events, which limited the number we could hold due to budget constraints. This year, in order to expand the reach of the campaign, we assigned responsibility for event execution and media relations at the events to Allstate Agency Managers. Our “event in a box” kit, plus an event management seminar held with agents, prepared them for taking on this responsibility and was an effective use of the budget. Having agents coordinate the events also meant we were able to have more schools involved in more markets than before. Some agents who were not able to coordinate a school event were encouraged to do their own morning tally so we could include more communities in the national news release.

Organizing school contest participation: Because we couldn’t launch the contest before the summer break, we were concerned that we would miss the opportunity to have teachers incorporate the contest into their class projects in the fall since many teachers prepare their lesson plans during over the summer. With this in mind, we first made contact with schools in June, before the launch of the website, to inform teachers about the contest and ask them to make creating entries a fall class project. Once school resumed, we sent teachers a follow-up email to remind them of the contest. In the end, there were a number of teachers that did assign a contest entry as a class project, and we received dozens of submissions from these students.

Ensuring a safe environment during the tallies: To make the tallies “fair” to drivers, we needed to make sure the students did not act as a distraction during the intersection counts. We chose to only have pairs of students on each corner counting distractions, rather than larger groups, and have the rest of the students back at the school handing out materials about distracted driving to their peers. This way more students could participate in the event, without disrupting the drivers. We also prohibited media from joining the students on the corners while they counted distractions.

Measurement and evaluation As a result of the Action Against Distraction campaigns, Allstate Canada has become an industry leader in raising awareness about distracted driving. Searches for “distracted driving Canada” demonstrate that Allstate Canada’s program appears in the top three search results and is the only insurance provider in the first page of search results.

Objective: Raise awareness of the importance of reducing distractions with young drivers and their parents Goal Performance Outcome Increase MRP score by 5% MRP Quality Score 2011: 78.20% Achieved MRP Quality Score 2012: 83.09% = 6.25% increase Make goodhandsadvice.ca a central There were 106,732 page views from Canada for Achieved space to educate consumers. the Just Drive Canada contest pages on Increase visits to the website by 5% goodhandsadvice.ca during campaign time period. over 2011 (goal of 8,851 visits from (1143% above objective) Canada). Receive a minimum of 30 entries 142 entries from 37 schools (473% above objective) Achieved Receive 450 shares on Facebook 2372 shares and likes on Facebook and Twitter Achieved and Twitter (527% above objective) Receive 6,000 contest votes on 53,000 votes (883% above objective) Achieved entries

Objective: Raise awareness of Allstate Canada as taking action against distraction Goal Performance Outcome Contribute towards an increase in Sales of policies increased by 10.5% in 2012 over Achieved sales of policies by 5% in 2012 over 2011 (110% above objective) 2011. Increase top-of-mind (first insurance Top-of-mind awareness for Allstate grew from 8% in Achieved company respondent names) Ontario at the beginning of 2012 to 16% by the end awareness in key markets (Ontario of 2012 (100% increase) and in Alberta from 4% to and Alberta) by 5% 7% (75% increase).

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OVATION Awards Winning Entry Communication Management Marketing Communications with budget greater than $100K AWARD OF MERIT

Entrants’ Name: Karen Krugel Organization’s Name: APEX Public Relations Inc. Division/Category: Division 1, Category 6c: Marketing Communications with a budget greater than $100K Title: Celebrating Everyday Canadian Moms: The Launch of the Walmart Mom of the Year Award Time Period: May – October 2012 Description: When Walmart Canada decided they wanted to celebrate everyday Moms, they launched a national Mom of the Year award. Canada’s largest retailer turned to APEX to bring awareness and media attention to the inaugural contest. The result? More than 50 million media impressions, almost 17,000 award nominations, and a program that garnered some of Walmart’s biggest media relations successes of the year.

1. BUSINESS NEED/OPPORTUNITY Being a mom is an active (and often exhausting) vocation. Though the job is a labour of love, it also carries the weight of the most important position on the planet: mothers are responsible for nurturing kind, confident children, building strong families and helping to shape the communities in which we live. In honour of this, Walmart Canada sought to reward moms by celebrating their achievements and giving them the recognition they deserve with a first ever national Walmart Mom of the Year Award. Through independent research, APEX, Walmart and their creative agency JWT uncovered that no national award existed in celebration of mom and all the hard work she does. Although brands and organizations occasionally engage with mom via recognition programs or in-store promotion/discounts, a national award with a monetary prize to both the recipient’s family and a charity of her choice was a first. Walmart’s creative agency also ran focus groups to confirm that moms were ripe for this type of recognition and that the idea would resonate with this target group. The intent of the program was to create an annual award and celebration as a thank you from Walmart to help transform the relationship with their core consumer – Canadian moms – into an emotional one. To help build this out, the campaign and promotion needed to be less about the transaction between mom and Walmart, and more about her family and her priorities. In order to effectively launch the program across all channels, nationally, Walmart Canada needed PR to ensure an integrated approach that married paid, owned and earned media.

2. INTENDED AUDIENCE There are more than nine million moms in Canada, according to Statistics Canada, and while this audience is quite broad, Walmart purposely wanted to target all Canadian moms, because this initiative wasn’t about driving sales but rather building a relationship with the brand. In order to maximize program effectiveness, any Canadian mom could be nominated by their peers, family members,… …neighbours, colleagues and so on. To help Canada’s largest retailer look beyond their primary target of 105

moms who shop at Walmart, APEX therefore identified mass media channels that these moms are tapped into including consumer, lifestyle, morning shows and online publications (short lead, blogs; women/parenting websites). Media relations efforts were utilized that targeted those outlets and contacts.

3. COMMUNICATIONS OBJECTIVES Qualitative objectives included:  Support Walmart in its efforts to recognize and celebrate mom  Raise awareness and encourage participation in the inaugural Walmart Mom of the Year Award  Reinforce Walmart’s relationship with mom, and help build/facilitate an emotional connection with her

Quantitative objectives included:  Generate 1,000 nominations and entries nationally during the nomination phase of May 13 to July 15, 2012  Secure 150 stories generating 32 million MRP impressions for the entire campaign, from May launch to October announcement  Obtain an overall campaign MRP Quality Score of 75 per cent (industry standard) with a Cost Per Contact of $0.03 (industry standard for excellence)  Reach a total of 900,000 social media impressions from 250 pieces of content (total number of followers per person who tweets) during the entire campaign  Achieve 80 per cent key message integration in all media placements during the campaign

4. SOLUTION OVERVIEW Insights & Research: Statistics Canada reports that there are a little over nine million moms in Canada, four million of whom have a child under the age of 18 living at home. Additionally, 79 per cent of moms who work outside the home have children under the age of 16. APEX used these statistics to underline the importance of moms in Canada, and in order to further inform the public relations tactics and overarching strategy, undertook the following research to help support this pre- existing data. First, an extensive media audit uncovered that although Mother’s Day as a celebration does receive media coverage, no national award of this kind existed. Secondly, APEX also conducted research to find appropriate spokespeople whose personalities reflected the brand and whose profiles could help raise awareness and create credibility. By offering up spokespersons, not just executives at Walmart, the chance of the award resonating with media and consumers would greatly increase. Finally, APEX deployed a national Omnibus survey about the important role a mom plays in the family dynamic and the influence they exert. Results of the survey included:  84 per cent of Canadians agreed that being a mom is one of the toughest jobs  80 per cent believe their mom had a significant influence on them becoming the person they are today

Resulting Strategy: To achieve the goals set forth in the campaign, APEX had to be strategic in its approach to drive nominations and sustain coverage over the duration of the program. A four-prong approach was taken to sustain coverage over six months. To provide a less promotional approach to the award, and an unbiased objective, APEX recommended the use of a spokesperson in each market. To add credibility and clout, APEX leveraged spokespeople Hayley Wickenheiser (Olympic athlete; Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver), Natalie Choquette (Opera Singer; Montreal) and 106

Karine Ewart (Editor-in-Chief, Today’s Parent; Halifax) for media opportunities and the judging panel. The three celebrity spokespeople conducted live interviews about their own stories of motherhood, how they manage their work-life balance and personal stories about their own mothers. In a time where material things are prevalent, APEX created messaging to remind Canadians they could do something to truly recognize mom on Mother’s Day beyond gifting: nominate her for the Mom of the Year award. By connecting emotionally with customers, Mom of the Year became about far more than just transactions and a bottom line. To further bolster the program, emphasis was placed on the grand prize including $100,000 to the winning mom’s charity of choice which shifted focus from being about Walmart retail transactions to rewarding moms and what they believe in.

5. IMPLEMENTATION AND CHALLENGES

Implementation After conducting and reviewing Walmart/JWT research and devising a public relations strategy and plan, APEX proceeded to roll out a number of tactics into four distinct program phases, timed to support integration with other partner agencies (Twist, Mindshare and JWT) to handling paid and owned media. PR phases were: 1) national PR launch; 2) media relations to encourage nominations; 3) targeted media relations for regional finalist announcements and; 4) gala Awards weekend celebration coupled with media relations to announce the award recipient.

Phase one employed a number of traditional tactics to start the conversation. APEX developed a national press release that included all pertinent and relevant program information and distributed it over the newswire as well as to all key lifestyle, consumer, broadcast and online contacts. To help drive home the importance of this contest, a nation-wide Omnibus survey was conducted to gain insight on Mother’s Day, how mothers celebrate, how their families feel about the day, etc. The survey used a news hook to create an emotional connection between moms and their day of praise. Simultaneously, APEX identified 45 key media targets for a national product drop which included a thank you card and in-store Walmart gift card bundled in a colourful, potted chrysanthemum (Mum) plant. Once these deliverables were in motion, extensive national media relations efforts were conducted to secure coverage.

Phase two focused on encouraging nominations. To generate coverage from coast-to-coast APEX conducted a media tour with the spokespersons. Each spokesperson was media trained and messaged to incorporate their own stories along with Mom of the Year award criteria, brand messages, survey statistics and key deadlines.

After extensive media relations and a successful nominations push, phase three was timed to announce the eight regional finalists. Targeted hometown media relations were conducted in an effort to grow contest buzz on a regional and hometown/grassroots level. Print and broadcast interviews were offered featuring each of the moms who explained their situation, how they were nominated, by who and why. The interviews offered a firsthand glimpse into the extraordinary stories of the moms that Walmart was seeking to celebrate.

The final phase, phase four, employed a national newswire release about the winning mom to all consumer, lifestyle, broadcast and online media. The release was accompanied by a photo of the 107

mom and had details about her, her charity of choice and her personal story. The award culminated over a weekend celebration and a gala dinner in Toronto alongside the celebrity spokespeople, where all the moms were recognized and their stories shared as the Mom of the Year was announced. Through a multi-phased approach and timeline, APEX piqued media and consumer interest by sending invitations to media to interview the finalists, to attend the gala, to conduct one- on-one interviews with the winner, and by distributing photos of the winner on the evening of the announcement.

Budget APEX was originally given a budget of $350,000 which was reduced to $320,000 which included fees and expenses. The expenses portion of the budget was used for:  Spokesperson fees*  Translation  National media drops  National media tour/travel/accommodations  National poll/survey  Video of Hayley  Newswire costs for release, media advisory and winner photo distribution

*An Olympic medalist and hockey icon of Hayley’s status required approximately one-third of the entire program budget. However, a spokesperson of Hayley’s status was required – not a Walmart representative which would have been too commercial - to add credibility and clout to the program. Given this reality and the fact that the program tactics were spread over six months, APEX was challenged to ensure that the budget could stretch from beginning to end.

Challenges Earning Credibility for A Contest: From their own research and focus group results, Walmart knew that, functionally speaking, they had a greater share of mom’s wallet than her heart. They designed the Mom of the Year Award to therefore build that emotional rapport and brand trust. However, the award’s contest format was a challenge for APEX because it was promotional in nature. As media in Canada are generally reluctant to feature news and interviews that are overly promotional, story ‘hooks’ like survey data, celebrity judges/spokespersons and the award prizing of charitable donations were critical to engage media. And while the use of celebrity spokespeople can help achieve results, APEX also knew access to spokespersons can sometimes create conflicts among competing outlets. In order to achieve maximum exposure across the country, three personalities were engaged to tell their stories.

Timing: With a suggested launch time of Mother’s Day, APEX knew many brands in Canada would be leveraging the same timing to engage with mom creating a competitive time to earn share of voice. However, being heard during the program launch phase was imperative to building awareness of the nomination process. APEX broke through the clutter with customized media drops and key news hooks like survey data and interviews with recognizable spokespersons. Additionally, as the program only began to take shape in March 2012 for a May launch, securing long lead coverage wasn’t realistic. Short lead media was therefore harnessed to drive coverage. Moreover, sustaining media coverage and interest over a six month period (from launch to award announcement) required strategic communications tactics and a phased media relations approach. 108

When The Unexpected Happens: Less than 72 hours before the gala event was to take place, Hayley Wickenheiser was injured and hospitalized during a practice game. After reviewing her health condition with representatives of Hockey Canada, as well as Hayley’s agent and publicist, it was clear that for health reasons, her doctors needed to keep her in hospital under observation. Flying to Toronto and attending the gala was not an option. APEX knew it would be a major disappointment to both the mom nominees and the client to not have Hayley at the event finale, so the agency found a solution. APEX worked through the weekend with the hockey icon’s team to script, plan and film a message from Hayley to play to the gala. APEX also worked with Hockey Canada and Walmart Canada to produce key messages to manage any questions around her injury and non-attendance.

6. MEASURMENT/EVALUATION

This communications program exceeded all goals. Mom of the Year Awards has become an annual program as a result. Objective: Generate at least 1,000 nominations and entries nationally during the nomination phase of May 13 to July 15, 2012 Result: The number of nominees for the program surpassed the goal in the first 48 hours. Walmart Canada received close to 17,000 entries between May 13 and when nominations phase completed on July 15

Objective: Secure 150 stories generating 32 million MRP impressions for the entire campaign, from May launch to October announcement; Obtain an overall campaign MRP Quality Score of 75 per cent (industry standard) with a Cost per Contact of $0.03 (industry standard for excellence) Result: APEX achieved 52,722,173 MRP overall campaign impressions or 20 million+ more media impressions than industry excellence standards; the program secured 212 stories, or 70 per cent more coverage than the goal; The MRP Quality Score was 86 per cent, or 11 per cent above the goal and the Cost per Contact was $0.006

Objective: Generate 250 social media mentions totaling 900,000 impressions Result: In total there were 440 social mentions equaling 1.7 million impressions (total number of followers per person who tweets)

Objective: Achieve 80 per cent key message integration (contest, entries/nominations, online properties & Awards) Result: The program received 100 per cent key message integration with an emphasis on the contest, entries, award, and a monetary prize for charity and brand mention.

109 Ovation Awards 2013 Peanuts and Diabetes: Peanut Power Eating

Entrant's Name: Alison George, Argyle Communications Organization Name: Argyle Communications on behalf of the American Peanut Council Division: 1) Communications Management Category: 6c) Marketing Communications with budget greater than $100K Title of Entry: Peanuts and Diabetes: Peanut Power Eating Time Period: February – November 2012 Recognition Summary: This multifaceted program promoted the benefits of peanuts and peanut products in the management of diabetes. Market research showed that the program helped achieve an increase in peanut and peanut butter consumption, and improve Canadians’ attitudes about American peanuts.

Situation Analysis: On behalf of the American Peanut Council (APC), Argyle Communications is responsible for promoting the health benefits, nutritional value and quality of U.S.-grown peanuts in Canada ̶ a market where peanut consumption already is very high. In order to move the needle, we develop creative ideas – backed by research – that reach very specific new audiences. We carefully track international trends and scientific research to inspire campaigns. We saw our opportunity when a leading medical journal featured a study concluding that nuts as a carbohydrate replacement can help control blood sugar. We had sound, Canadian research backing a clearly identified need, as the Canadian Diabetes Association reports more than nine million Canadians are living with type 2 diabetes or prediabetes. With this in mind, Argyle conceived a creative, multifaceted strategy for roll out in 2012 that promoted the benefits of peanuts and peanut products in the management of diabetes.

1) BUSINESS NEED/OPPORTUNITY: The American Peanut Council represents all segments of the U.S. peanut industry, with the objective of increasing exports of all types of U.S.-grown peanuts and peanut products. The APC’s core business need in Canada is to maintain and gradually increase peanut imports. Canada is the largest single country importer of U.S. peanuts, and is considered a “maintenance” market, critical to overall demand for U.S. peanuts. In order to meet this business need, it is necessary for the APC to effectively promote the health, nutrition and quality of U.S.-grown peanuts to Canadian consumers and key influencers – and to increase consumption.

Research: To best understand Canadians’ consumption habits and attitudes toward peanuts and peanut butter, and to identify opportunities to promote the health benefits of this mighty legume, Argyle carefully reviewed and analyzed available research and information offering insights that drove our communications strategy. Research Insights and analysis 96% of Canadians say they consume peanuts and Canadians already consume a lot of peanuts and peanut butter (Leger Marketing 2012 attitudinal  peanut butter. We needed to give them a reason to research). consume more. A study, led by David Jenkins and Cyril Kendall at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto, concluded that nuts as People who live with diabetes or prediabetes may a carbohydrate replacement can help control blood benefit from incorporating nuts and peanuts into their  sugar. (August 2011 issue of medical journal Diabetes diets. Care). More than nine million Canadians are living with Argyle needed to find credible, cost-effective ways to diabetes or prediabetes (Canadian Diabetes  reach this community directly, as well as delivering the Association). We reviewed risk factors and symptoms general health messages to a wider national audience. on diabetes.ca to better understand this audience.

2) INTENDED AUDIENCES: The peanut industry’s target audience for promotions in Canada comprises health-conscious consumers, nutrition professionals and the media, who function as influencers.  Consumers: Primarily women who buy peanuts and peanut butter for their families. Demographics were also considered: 81% of all men and 79% of all women surveyed consume peanuts (likelihood of consumption increases with age); and 78% of men and 79% of women consume peanut butter (likelihood of consumption is somewhat consistent among ages).  People living with diabetes or prediabetes (per the information researched on diabetes.ca).  Key influencers: Dietitians and nutritionists who influence the food choices of Canadian consumers.  Media: As a conduit to all target audiences, with a focus on mainstream food, health and lifestyle journalists.

1 110 3) GOALS/OBJECTIVES: Our goals were framed directly by the APC’s funding application submitted to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Market Access Program (MAP). The application includes a problem statement that is referred to as a constraint. The APC’s consumer-focused constraint is: Lack of consumer awareness of APC’s key messages regarding the nutrition, flavour and quality of U.S. peanuts. That pointed to our goal.

2012 Goal: To reinforce key messages about the nutrition, flavour and quality of U.S. peanuts, and ultimately to help increase usage and sales of quality U.S. peanuts and peanut butter.

The MAP application also sets precise performance measurement objectives, evaluated through national research at the end of the contract year. The quantified 2012 performance objectives and the 2007 baseline measure are summarized below: 2007 2012 Description Baseline Objectives % Canadians consuming peanuts at least weekly; consuming peanut butter at least weekly 44/69 49/73 % Canadians consuming peanuts less than once a month 38 31 % Canadians who believe peanuts/peanut butter are healthy 90 93

Media relations objectives: With that goal and past media relations results in mind, Argyle set the following media relations objectives: Quantity of coverage: Surpass 5 million audience impressions. Quality of coverage: Exceed 75% using the Canadian Public Relations Society’s Media Relations Rating Points system.

4) SOLUTION OVERVIEW: Strategies: We nicknamed this campaign “Peanut Power Eating” and our strategies included:  Reach Canadians living with diabetes, emphasizing the positive nutritional attributes of peanuts through channels aligned with consumers’ main nutrition education sources — i.e., mainstream health and lifestyle media; community media; websites; and social media  Broaden knowledge about the health profile of peanuts and peanut butter by sharing information about the role they play in diabetes management - and to a broader consumer audience  Engage nutrition professionals who act as credible and valued information resources for consumers looking for health and nutrition guidance  Build a relationship with the Canadian Diabetes Association, as a key influencer audience

Tactics: Argyle undertook the following tactical activities:  Recipe development: Argyle oversaw the development of three original recipes, created specifically with the dietary needs of individuals with diabetes. Professionally photographed, these recipes were the focal point of our consumer-targeted communications. Full nutritional analysis was completed for each of the three recipes: Salmon with Peanut Cucumber Relish, PB and Roasted Strawberry Canapés, and Overnight Peanut and Pear Muesli.  Media relations with comprehensive media kit: We executed a national media outreach campaign to coincide with Diabetes Awareness Month in November, targeting key print and online media outlets in both English and French Canada. Our activities included: - Creating newsworthy key messages to support the diabetes-friendly recipes - Researching and developing a comprehensive national media list of print, broadcast and online media - Developing, designing and translating media materials, including a custom package outlining key research about diabetes and diet management - Packaging recipes and diabetes-specific information in creative, attractive media kits. Recipes were provided on custom recipe cards, as well as in electronic format, complete with photos  Spokesperson media tour: Upon identifying and securing registered dietitians Sue Mah (English Canada) and bilingual RD Caroline Allen (French Canada) as a third-party campaign spokespersons, the Argyle team secured interviews with target outlets across Canada. Both delivered valuable key messages about U.S. peanuts and diabetes with great credibility.  Community newspaper program: To reach an extended audience, we disseminated the campaign recipes to grassroots (community) media.  Social media and web integration: To further the reach of the campaign recipes and key messages about the nutrition benefits of peanuts, we designed tactics to drive consumers and influencers to the website and social media channels of the Peanut Bureau of Canada, the consumer-facing marketing branch of the APC in Canada. - We posted each recipe on peanutbureau.ca, and also shared them through the Peanut Bureau’s social media channels 2 111 - We scripted and produced two short, catchy digital videos for placement on the Peanut Bureau website and YouTube channel, profiling peanuts as part of a healthy lifestyle. Each video featured spokesperson Sue Mah demonstrating a diabetes-friendly recipes, and speaking about the health benefits of peanuts  Diabetes-focused media partnership: Argyle negotiated a partnership with TC Media to participate in a unique editorial supplement and electronic communication about diabetes. Delivered directly to a database of Canadians with diabetes or prediabetes, and to a larger consumer audiences through magazine inserts, this program allowed us to cost-effectively provide credible information directly to key target audiences.  Dietitian engagement: As part of our ongoing engagement with Canadian dietitians on behalf of the APC, we integrated the “Peanut Power Eating” campaign into our communications materials: - In order to deliver relevant, scientific information directly to dietitians and nutrition professionals, we worked closely with dietitian Sue Mah to develop a comprehensive package highlighting recent research about the role of peanuts in managing diabetes. This package was distributed at the Dietitians of Canada Annual Conference in June, which had more than 1,000 attendees. Sue was on-site at the conference, talking one- on-one with these key influencers about the health and nutrition benefits of peanuts and peanut products. - The role of peanuts in managing diabetes was also a focus of the APC’s fall 2012 In a Nutshell e-newsletter distributed to the dietitian community. Argyle researched, wrote and electronically distributed the bilingual newsletter, featuring new research, nutrition information and the campaign recipes.  Working with Canadian Diabetes Association: Though we did not negotiate a paid sponsorship with the Canadian Diabetes Association, we briefed them on the campaign and were able to secure placement of the APC recipes on the CDC website.

5) IMPLEMENTATION AND CHALLENGES Budget: The total program budget to execute the tactics outline above was $125,190, broken down as follows: Activity Fees Expenses Recipe development: Conceiving recipe concepts, briefing recipe developer, organizing $1,250 $6,500 nutritional analysis and arranging food styling and photography for three recipes Media outreach campaign and spokesperson media tours: Activities include developing 30,000 7,000 and executing national French and English consumer-focused media outreach program, training spokespersons, securing and overseeing interviews in four cities Community newspaper story program: Developing content and organizing distribution 2,500 4,840 Media partnership: Fees include negotiating TC media partnership, providing direction and 7,000 15,000 materials required for content development, and managing review and approvals process Digital videos: Script, produce and post two web videos 6,000 15,600 Dietitian engagement: Managing participation at the Dietitians of Canada conference, 11,000 11,000 preparing conference materials, securing and briefing Sue Mah, and staffing conference booth Researching and writing, obtaining approvals, managing translation, formatting, and 4,000 3,500 distributing dietitian e-newsletter. Expenses include dietitian fee for content consultation. TOTAL $61,750 $63,440

Timeline: Activity Executed Recipe development and photography February – March 2012 Identification of spokespersons March 2012 Research and identification of video production team March 2012 Dietitians of Canada conference coordination and material creation April – June 2012 Participation at Dietitians of Canada conference June 2012 Negotiation and coordination of media partnership June – September 2012 Digital video development July – September 2012 Community newspaper story preparation August 2012 Preparation of media materials September – October 2012 Media outreach (broadcast outlets for media tours) September – October 2012 Community newspaper story distribution Sept (online) and Nov (print) 2012 Liaison and briefing of the Canadian Diabetes Association October 2012 Dietitian newsletter creation and distribution October – November 2012 Media outreach (print and online outlets) November 2012 Spokesperson media tours November 2012 Online video placement November 2012

3 112 Challenges: Argyle faced two challenges in the execution of this campaign:  Balancing science and understanding: While the focus of all our marketing communications efforts was the role of peanuts in managing diabetes, effectively speaking to the knowledge base of our different key audiences proved to be challenging. The information about diabetes that was considered to be of greatest value to the dietitian audience was highly scientific and research-based. This same information, however, was not media- or consumer- friendly, as it was far too technical. To address the different needs of the APC’s audiences, Argyle enlisted the help of dietitian spokesperson Sue Mah to identify the level of detail expected from the dietitian community. This collaboration ensured we were able to effectively communicate with this key influencer audience, and also deliver valuable information about peanut products to media and consumers in an understandable and approachable way.  Media concern about allergies: Unfortunately, the issue of food allergies provided a challenge in the planning of one key broadcast interview booked for the APC’s dietitian spokesperson. After confirming a segment with Sue Mah to talk about diabetes management and to demonstrate the campaign recipes, the national outlet cancelled the day before the interview. Despite providing the producer with our media materials and full recipes prior to confirming the segment, they cited a concern that the recipes were made with peanuts, and indicated that they just weren’t ready to do a full segment featuring peanuts – even if the primary focus was diabetes management. Argyle immediately recognized that the producer was concerned about allergies, and shared some insight about peanuts as just one of the nine primary allergens in Canada. Despite the initial disappointment of the interview cancellation due to lack of allergy awareness and education, we saw it as an opportunity to share valuable information about food allergies. Argyle has now built a stronger relationship with this key media outlet and has laid the groundwork for future allergy awareness and education segment with the APC.

6) MEASUREMENT/EVALUATION: On many levels, and using multiple measurement tools, the American Peanut Council’s “Peanut Power Eating” campaign was a great success. The annual Canadian-market Leger survey confirmed 2012 results exceeded stated goals: 2007 2012 2012 Description Baseline Objectives Results % Canadians consuming peanuts at least weekly; consuming peanut 44/69 48/73 58.2/74.5 butter at least weekly % Canadians consuming peanuts less than once a month 38 31 24 % Canadians who believe peanuts/peanut butter are healthy 90 92 93.6

Quantity of coverage: Media relations efforts generated more than 5.4 million audience impressions and 44 media stories through media outreach, spokesperson media tours and the community newspaper campaign. With interviews featuring spokespersons Sue Mah and Caroline Allen, our media tours targeted key APC markets, including the Greater Toronto Area, Ottawa, Calgary and Montreal. Through the APC’s media partnership with TC Media, our diabetes messaging also reached approximately 3.4 million consumers through magazine inserts and e-blast communications.

Quality of coverage: The MR2P content quality score for the media relations campaign was 96.59%.

Social benefits: During Diabetes Awareness Month in November, our activities on the Peanut Bureau of Canada social media channels spurred significant growth and engagement. Adding 836 new Facebook fans in the month of November, this diabetes-focused push helped us to surpass our goal of adding 10,000 fans by the end of 2012. Many Facebook users expressed thanks for sharing the diabetes-friendly recipes, with comments such as “Thanks for thinking of diabetics like me. More choices!!! Yeh!” As well, the two recipe demonstration videos featuring Sue Mah have received more than 110 views on YouTube.

Finally, our involvement with the Dietitians of Canada Annual Conference not only allowed us to interact directly with more than 1,000 dietitians who attended the conference, but also provided an opportunity for us to deliver APC messaging to more than 6,000 dietitians across Canada, who received information about the conference. To further this engagement, our fall In a Nutshell e-newsletter was distributed to approximately 1,350 dietitians and health professionals.

4 113

OVATION Awards Winning Entry Communication Management Special Events with budget greater than $50K up to $100K AWARD OF EXCELLENCE

Entrant’s name: Beth McSherry, Account Coordinator, North Strategic (for FGL Sports Ltd.)

Organization’s name: FGL Sports Ltd. (Sport Chek) and North Strategic (agency)

Division/Category: Division 1: Communication Management Category 7b - Special events with budget greater than $50K up to $100K

Title of entry: Big League Experience

Time period of project: October 20, 2012

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RECOGNITION SUMMARY

On October 20, Sport Chek, in partnership with the Toronto Maple Leafs and Calgary Flames, opened the Air Canada Centre and Scotiabank Saddledome to local minor hockey clubs to take advantage of the empty arenas during the NHL lockout. The kids were given the full big league experience with in-game announcers, highlights on the big screen, player introductions and the national anthem playing before each game.

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BUSINESS NEED/OPPORTUNITY

With the NHL lockout in effect, arenas were sitting empty and dark. This campaign originated from a desire to keep the hockey momentum alive by bringing the energy and passion of youth hockey to the arenas. Sport Chek knows how important hockey is to Canadians and wanted to find a way to give back to the hockey community with a newsworthy and heartwarming campaign that would boost Canadian hockey morale and encourage young hockey players to achieve their ‘better.’

As a result of the lockout, many corporate sponsors had to reconsider their strategy in the face of a threatened NHL season. With its sponsorship dollars sitting idle, Sport Chek wanted to show Canadians hockey was still thriving by shining light on the game at the grassroots level. The company recognized a PR campaign would take advantage of the buzz and conversation happening around the lockout.

It also gave Sport Chek the opportunity to increase enrollment in its Team Assist program among participating teams. Teams enrolled in the program receive discounts on sporting gear and receive funds to offset the costs of ice time, tournament registration fees and other costs.

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INTENDED AUDIENCE

The primary audience for the Big League Experience campaign was hockey parents of children between seven and 11 at the atom and novice levels. This target group is likely to attend their children’s sporting events and purchase sporting equipment. Additionally, Canadian hockey fans in general were identified as a broader audience, with a specific focus on adults aged 18-65, specifically men who are hockey fans. Sport Chek created this earned media campaign to reach the target audiences through sports and lifestyle reporters who influence them.

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GOALS/OBJECTIVES a) Establish Sport Chek as the brand to own the conversation on the effective use of NHL sponsorship dollars during the lockout.

• Increase public awareness of Sport Chek’s positive use of NHL sponsorship dollars during the lockout by securing 10 million branded, on-message, earned media impressions and generating at least 40 stories

• Utilize the video from the event as part of Sport Chek’s content strategy to increase hockey- specific conversations on its Facebook page by 50 per cent within a week of the video launch

b) Highlight Sport Chek’s dedication to Canadian hockey at all levels and reinforce its position as the preferred destination for all hockey needs.

• Secure Team Assist registration from 100 per cent of the minor hockey league teams participating in the Big League Experience as of October 20, 2012

• Contribute to increased foot traffic in-store between October 21, 2012 and October 28, 2012 by driving 50 per cent of the participating teams in-store to pick up team photos

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SOLUTIONS OVERVIEW

Background

Due to the lockout, many Canadian brands felt the need to reinforce their connection to hockey. Brand sponsors were trying to find ways to redirect their sponsorship dollars without hockey if necessary. Sport Chek approached the situation as a way to keep hockey alive by bringing attention back to hockey at the grassroots level. The empty arenas provided the perfect opportunity to remind its target consumers that Sport Chek is the destination for their hockey needs in a way that emotionally connected with their passion for hockey. 115

Planning and strategy

Sport Chek wants to inspire Canadians to always strive for their best and live healthy, active lives. By having young kids play on the big ice, they would get to preview what it would be like to play at the highest level and see how hard work gets results. The empty rinks also gave the retailer a way to elevate recognition of the Team Assist program and its efforts to support and celebrate minor league hockey.

Sport Chek reached out to its existing partners, the Toronto Maple Leafs and Calgary Flames. Both NHL franchises jumped at the opportunity to build a positive campaign out of the negative dialogue surrounding the lockout. The Leafs and Flames sent letters to minor hockey league organizations two weeks in advance to invite teams to participate. These organizations then reached out to individual teams and confirmed the participation of 16 teams in Calgary and 10 in the Greater Toronto Area.

Sport Chek began media outreach in the week leading up to the event. It worked closely with both NHL franchises on event day to organize the arrival of teams, parents and media, to post social media content and to secure event footage for the video.

Tactics that helped Sport Chek surpass its goals, included:

Media relations outreach Sport Chek drafted and distributed alerts and media releases to targeted top tier sports and lifestyle media from Calgary and the Greater Toronto Area, while reaching out to community outlets of participating hockey teams.

Social media Images and content were shared through Sport Chek’s Facebook and Twitter profiles as well as the Toronto Maple Leafs and Calgary Flames social properties before, during and after the campaign.

Online video To fully integrate the Big League Experience, footage was secured to create engaging branded digital content that lives online and connects with consumers on an emotional level.

Team Assist registration forms and swag bags Sport Chek provided teams with forms to register for Team Assist. Teams enrolled in the free program receive discounts on sporting gear and funds to offset the costs of ice time, tournament registration fees and other costs. Each child also received a Team Assist swag bag including branded material and coupons.

Photo souvenirs To drive participants to the store, families were encouraged to pick up team photos at their local Sport Chek locations.

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IMPLEMENTIATION AND CHALLENGES

The budget for this project was $70,000. It covered the cost of event planning, public relations, venue fees, team transportation, on-site execution, video production and Team Assist swag. However, making efficient use of the budget was not the main challenge. Instead, it was leading the brand-related conversation surrounding the lockout.

There were three main challenges Sport Chek faced when developing the Big League Experience.

1. Timeline: With the risk of the lockout ending at any time due to ongoing talks, Sport Chek had to act quickly. The company had to be prepared to work with this unknown variable and go forward with the understanding that it could change at any time. This event was planned and executed within a short time frame in October in order to create a timely activation during the lockout.

2. Messaging: As the success of this PR campaign was dependent on Sport Chek’s collaboration with the two NHL franchises, it had to ensure its messaging and overall campaign was in line with their interests too. Sport Chek worked to ensure messaging around the NHL teams did not bring up negative lockout sentiment. From event day communications to filming content for the online video to using proper messaging on social channels, Sport Chek worked in tandem with the Leafs and Flames throughout the process.

3. Media attendance: Initially, it was difficult to secure media attendance prior to the event because it took place on a Saturday, when media staff is limited. Sport Chek was also unable to leverage NHL athletes as a media draw due to lockout restrictions. As a result, the retailer focused more on hockey at the grassroots level and the kids’ passion for the game. By positioning the campaign as a way to keep the momentum of hockey season going with young players, it created a positive, timely storyline around the lockout. ------

MEASUREMENT/EVALUATION

The results of the Big League Experience exceeded the initial objectives, making it a successful campaign from a PR perspective.

Objective: Increase public awareness of Sport Chek’s positive use of NHL sponsorship dollars during the lockout by securing 10 million branded, on-message, earned media impressions and generating at least 40 stories.

Result: The campaign generated 65 stories in Calgary, Toronto and nationally and earned 18,337,873 media impressions (MRP). This exceeded the target by 83 per cent. Stories ran in all mediums: print, online, television and radio. Significant coverage came from top tier outlets including Global National, CTV News, CBC News and the Globe and Mail and 100 per cent of 117

coverage included quotes from Sport Chek spokespeople.

Objective: Utilize the video from the event as part of Sport Chek’s content strategy to increase hockey- specific conversations on its Facebook page by 50 per cent within a week of the video launch.

Result: The online video helped to increase hockey-specific conversations on Sport Chek’s Facebook page by 195 per cent within one week of the video launch. The majority of comments were extremely positive, with people thanking Sport Chek, celebrating youth hockey and remarking on the experience as an effective use of NHL arenas during the lockout.

Objective: Contribute to increased foot traffic in-store between October 21, 2012 and October 28, 2012 by driving 50 per cent of the participating teams in-store to pick up team photos.

Result: The campaign effectively drove the intended target, 50 per cent of participating teams, to local Sport Chek locations to pick up team photos between October 21, 2012 and October 28, 2012.

Objective: Secure Team Assist enrollment from 100 per cent of minor hockey league teams participating in the Big League Experience as of October 20, 2012.

Result: Team Assist packages were given to approximately 500 young hockey players and their families resulting in 100 per cent Team Assist sign-up for participating teams.

Feedback from participating parents and children included: • “Thank you so much for this amazing opportunity!” • “I’m so happy all our family is here to watch this, because it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for these guys.” • “This is the best day of my life!” • “It felt like we were a real NHL hockey team.”

118 Entrant’s Name: Lusine Stepanian Title of Entry: iConnect Organization’s Name: LoyaltyOne Time Period: April – December 2012 Division: Communication Management Recognition Summary: iConnect is a campaign created Category 9: Employee, Member or HR/Benefits to increase associate engagement. Our tagline reads Communication iConnect -to the business, to my team, to my manager. BUSINESS NEED / OPPORTUNITY

Research shows that organizations with associates who are engaged are more likely to excel in terms of organizational performance and business results. Our LoyaltyOne AIR MILES Reward Program Customer Care call centre provides very high level customer service to thousands of Collectors every day. From non-travel reward bookings to all-inclusive vacations, our associates pride themselves on exceeding Collector expectations. The call centre is divided into two offices (438 University Avenue, Toronto and 6696 Financial Drive, Mississauga) and also includes a rapidly growing Work at Home (W@H) population.

Our survey asked associates “Where would you most like to affect change in Customer Care?” 36% chose Associate Engagement as their number one area of improvement. This was the second top choice after Job/Career Opportunities (56%). Keeping a fast-paced, high volume call centre fun and engaging can be challenging, particularly when it comes to W@H associates. Therefore, the need for a strong, connected culture and a social environment where work/life balance is paramount, has become vital in keeping our employees happy, healthy and engaged.

In order to meet our business needs and increase associate engagement, iConnect was born. What is iConnect? Our tagline reads iConnect – To the Business, To my Team, To my Manager. In 2012, iConnect was a campaign that consisted of various fun and interactive ways for associates to connect with each other, with their managers and the overall business. It included business related quizzes, creative contests and engaging activities where everyone got involved to create the final iConnect logo. We also had a video booth where associates could share how they connect. Both the final logo and video were presented at our year-end Town Hall celebration. The effectiveness of the campaign was measured through our Associate Engagement Survey (AES) and Contact Centre Employer of Choice (CCEOC) survey. The scores hit all-time highs in 2012. This provided hard proof that the iConnect campaign was successful at keeping associates engaged throughout the year. The first communication focused on the reasoning behind why engagement matters in our business, and how we all make a difference. See work sample Have you connected today.

INTENDED AUDIENCE

AUDIENCE CHARACTERISTICS: Our Customer Care associates are multicultural and highly educated. They come from various demographics and age groups. Here are some numbers pulled from our annual CCEOC survey:

 Number of associates – 505 associates, 65% W@H  Type of industry - Travel/ transportation  Type of skill/experience required - Customer Service, Sales and experience in the Travel Industry  Age – average age bracket lies between 30 – 54 years of age. (30-34 25%, 35-44 41%, 45-54 18%)  Gender - 69% Female, 31% Male  Education – 66% hold a College diploma or University degree, 32% are high school graduates or hold a College certificate  Psychographics – our associates are recognized for many positive, people-focused attributes. The stand out attributes from management’s perspective are energetic, friendly and dynamic; willing to engage in respectful two-way information sharing; make use of open-door policy.  Culture and social environment – The AIR MILES Customer Care environment is fast-paced, high energy and enjoyable for associates, who widely advocate the motto “Have fun”. Special events include Family Day, Movie Day, Volunteer Day and staff barbecues. In addition, we host a Winter Gala, and several events for the children of associates, including an annual Santa Claus Parade event, and a Holiday Party. Smaller scale celebrations include Valentine’s Day, St Patrick’s Day and Halloween. Potlucks and regular birthday celebrations are also organized among teams and really help to promote a sense of community. Dress code is casual.

AUDIENCE PREFERENCES AND NEEDS: Our survey results show that our audience is motivated by internal communication (verbal and written), and regular recognition for a job well done. They are excited by new incentives and contests, social events, potlucks, and team outings. They are motivated by our focus on development and growth as shown through regular feedback/ performance reviews, training and development, and bonuses that are directly tied to performance results. Last year, we conducted research with both in-office and W@H associates to understand their engagement levels, the importance of associate engagement, as well as how they would like to be engaged. Here are some relevant learnings: 119  What do you enjoy about in-office events? - 73% said Peer Interaction.  How would you suggest we gain more participation from W@H associates? (W@H associates only) - Keep us in the loop by sending us invites and telling us what’s happening; hold contests where we can send in photos and stories from home via email.

Audience Attitude – Our associates look for fun, engaging communication messages that will quickly grab their attention. 70% of our associates work in the call centre environment where their productivity time is very restricted with limited breaks. Given the nature of their job, they don’t have the time to read through long emails. They want information that gets to the point very quickly.

The iConnect project helped us close some of the gaps mentioned above. Through this fresh, and innovative project, we succeeded in getting both in-office and W@H associates involved and engaged through various campaigns. We used tactics based directly on suggestions gathered from our surveys. By the end of the project, all levels of leadership and associates alike were using the iConnect strategy to engage their teams and colleagues.

GOALS / OBJECTIVES

GOAL: The 2012 desired end state was to create a vision for engagement in Customer Care that went beyond surface expectations. Employee engagement is the extent to which employees feel passionate about their job, and are committed to their team. The connection that associates feel towards their manager, and the organization as a whole, has a direct correlation with the discretionary effort put into each individual’s work. Our goal was to build a culture of emotional connections that would result in employees knowing why their work matters. Through associates realizing that they can grow and develop at LoyaltyOne, and that their manager is their best advocate, we would foster an overall theme of “together, we can do anything”.

OBJECTIVE: Our overall objective was to reach >85% score in the Associate Engagement Survey (AES) and Platinum level (90%) Contact Centre Employer of Choice (CCEOC) certification. The AES is an INTERNAL survey that provides feedback to our leadership team to help measure associate satisfaction. The survey drives continuous improvement not only for our business, but for our workplace as well. The CCEOC survey is an EXTERNAL survey that helps us benchmark ourselves against Customer Care Centres as an associate-focused organization. This is important because it acknowledges the work that we've done together to make this a "great place to work" and helps us continue to attract, retain, and engage the brightest talent.

Below is a summary of survey outcomes we strived to achieve as a result of our iConnect campaign: AES Results: Due to a change in survey vendors, we did not have a full AES Survey in 2011. As a result, our goal was to increase overall Associate Engagement Survey scores from the 81% achieved in 2010 to 85% in 2012. In particular, we liked to see the following questions related to associate engagement increase:

 I am proud to work for LoyaltyOne (2010 - 86%).  I would recommend LoyaltyOne as one of the best places to work (2010 - 80%).  I feel motivated to go beyond my formal job responsibilities (2010 - 84%).  LoyaltyOne supports me in achieving a reasonable balance between my work life and personal life (2010 - 56%).

CCEOC Results: We have achieved Gold CCEOC certification for 3 years in a row (2008 – 2009, 2009 - 2010, and 2010 - 2011). For our 2011 – 2012 results, we aimed for Platinum CCEOC certification by reaching 90%.

SOLUTION OVERVIEW

We used the iConnect campaign to engage associates and prepare them for the AES (May 8-25) and CCEOC (July 9-20) surveys. Weekly communications went out with various contests and activities to inspire associate engagement. The following in-house communication channels were used for this purpose: email, Kaleidoscope (bi-weekly e-newsletter), Guru page (intranet site), Symon (in-house digital LCD boards), vBlog (weekly online blog), Spirit 92.3 (in-house radio recordings 4 x per year), communication sessions (twice per year).

To gage associate awareness for our two annual surveys (AES and CCEOC) this year, we decided to try a new communication concept. In the past, we used our communication plan to promote the dates and the importance of reaching high scores in these surveys. This year, we set out to create a campaign that would engage associates through various activities and contests. We believed that if we could encourage connections with the business, managers and peers, our survey scores would increase in a natural way. We received a positive response from our audience. In particular to note, over 100 associates participated in the ‘What’s your i?” contest including W@H associates. Below is a 120 brief overview of our key messages. The full plan including the purpose, tactics, audiences, timeline and vehicles is included in the work sample: iConnect Communication Plan. All creative work is also linked in the communication plan and attached under work samples.

Activity Key Messages Email: Introduction to iConnect Define engagement and its purpose; review what we have done in 2011 to support engagement. Contest #1: Five for 100 Tell us five ways in which we connected as a business in 2011, and you could win one of five 100 AMRM. Contest # 2: What’s your ‘i’? Build or draw an ‘i’ using crayons, coloured paper, markers etc. Be as creative as you can be. Radio Recordings Associates to record a few personal statements about how they connect at work. Activity #1: We want your Associates to submit stories and photos of their team to encourage and promote photos/stories associate engagement. Activity #2: Speakers’ Corner Looking for associates to film 30 second messages about how they personally connect with their team, manager and the business. Email: Customer Satisfaction Review of business updates and ways we connect with our collectors. Email: Rewards & Recognitions Review of all the rewards and recognitions we have achieved so far in 2012. Email: Our CCEOC results are in! Email from Sharmane (SVP) to review survey results. Email: iConnect – a year in review Review of what we have accomplished together this year.

IMPLEMENTATION AND CHALLENGES

BUDGET: Overall we had a budget of $30 000. In an effort to effectively allocate our limited budget, the creative work was done using mainly free online programs. I used a program called Prezi to create the iConnect presentation which revealed the final logo. It was then captured as a video using Camtasia, which was available on a free 30 day trial. The Speakers’ Corner video was filmed on a camcorder available in our Communications department and edited on my home computer using Windows Movie Maker. Craft utensils such as markers, glitter and coloured papers used for ‘What’s your i” contest only cost us $10 dollars. They were available in a common area at both offices to be shared when creating their ‘i’ drawings. Roughly $300 was spent on iConnect contest prizes, posters, paper and drawing props. The rest was dedicated to the year-end Town Hall celebration called iCelebrate during which the iConnect video and logo were revealed. This celebration brought together all associates to review our high CCEOC survey scores, to recognize our great achievements and to celebrate the great work we have done together. This event was organized by our Rewards and Recognitions committee and was not part of our communication plan.

CHALLENGES: Engaging W@H associates was a challenge. We made sure there was a W@H component in all contests and activities. This included the option to use online tools to create their ‘i’ as opposed to in-house craft supplies. As well, since the majority of our audience works in a call centre, it was challenging to take them out of the phone queue to participate in fun activities. Therefore, contests and activities came with small incentives in order to entice associates to participate during their breaks. Many associates shied away from being in the Speakers’ Corner video. As encouragement, we asked their leaders to nominate those with high performance scores and be given extra time to record. This served as an opportunity to appropriately recognize these associates and their accomplishments. The concept of participation as recognition was very well accepted.

IMPLEMENTATION: A rough overview of the communication plan was presented to management and the AES Committee. I approached the plan by painting a mental picture of what the implementation would look like. The biggest selling point was the creation of iConnect logo, which involved participation from all associates. That activity alone drew over 100 participants on an almost exclusively volunteer basis. My personal involvement in the project concentrated on the creative part of developing and implementing the communication plan. My tasks included suggesting the logo name, creating the logo, and developing an implementation plan for fun contests and activities. Specific activities included the Speakers’ Corner video, the organization and photography of all iConnect ‘i’s, and creation of the final logo presentation which was unveiled before an audience of 500+ at our iCelebrate event. I also drafted and obtained final sign-off from management on all of the emails that were sent to support the campaign.

MEASUREMENT / EVALUATION

The positive outcome of the iConnect project was visible in our associates’ behavior on a daily basis. There was a greater emotional connection between associates which was witnessed in the hallways and during team meetings. In measurable terms, the outcome was greatly visible in our post-iCelebrate feedback survey results and in our high AES and CCEOC survey scores. Here are a few highlights: 121 Town Hall iCelebrate feedback: 81% of associates agreed with “The session helped me connect to the business in an engaging way”. When asked “What did you enjoy most?” one of the top answers we received was “The iConnect stories from the associates was most enjoyable”.

AES survey results: Based on 88% associate participation, we reached a score of 87% for associate engagement. This is a six percent increase from 2010, and exceeded our objective of 85%. Full survey results are available in the work sample called AES 2012 Results. Here are some highlights:

Associate Engagement questions: 2012 2010 I am proud to work for LoyaltyOne. 91% 86% I would recommend LoyaltyOne as one of the best places to work. 87% 80% I feel motivated to go beyond my formal job responsibilities. 84% 84% LoyaltyOne supports me in achieving a reasonable balance between my work life and personal life. 79% 56% * Due to a change in survey vendors, we did not have a full AES Survey in 2011. As a result, 2012 results were measured against 2010.

The survey results show that our associates are considered above average in regards to workplace engagement. The result to the following question is significantly higher than other high performing (HP) companies:

Engagement Statement: LoyaltyOne HP Norm I am not only enabled to be productive, but highly engaged as well. 71% 51%

CCEOC: For the fourth year in a row we once again achieved a GOLD Contact Center Employer of Choice certification with 87%. We have been CCEOC certified for five years, which also earned us a Five Year Certification Award. Even though we did not reach our goal of PLATINUM this year (90%), we are extremely proud of our accomplishment given the many changes we witnessed in the company in 2012. We underwent some drastic changes to our business structure which resulted in 5% higher escalation calls and longer average handle times throughout the year. In total, 20% of calls were related to our program changes. There were a few alignment changes as well, including new growth opportunities and new hires. Due to the resulting increased stress levels throughout the organization, 87% is an amazing accomplishment. Below are some numbers regarding associate engagement. The full report is also available in the work sample called CCEOC 2012 Results.

 My Contact Centre encourages a supportive team culture - 91%.  My Contact Center encourages fun and enjoyment - 86%.  I am proud to be working here - 85%.

We also took into consideration our Stakeholder Analysis results and implemented them into our iConnect plan:

Survey question: Survey result: Action taken: What do you enjoy 73% said Peer Our quarterly Town Hall brought all associates together to celebrate our about in-office Interaction great achievement and the high CCEOC scores. At this time we events? premiered the iConnect campaign of all the ‘i’ drawings by revealing the final iConnect logo, as well as the Speakers’ Corner video.

How would you Keep us in the loop We engaged W@H associates in giving them the option of electronically suggest we gain by sending us invites creating and emailing us their ‘i’ drawings. Four out of our 16 Speakers’ more participation and telling us what’s Corner participants were W@H associates who came into the office to from W@H happening. Hold record (they have been recognized by their managers as some of the associates? contests where we highest performing associates). In total we had over 100 participants with can send in photos approximately 10 being W@H associates. and stories from home via email. Do you prefer 95% said yes. In our emails we include a special note for W@H with options on how W@H specific they can participate from home or attend in-office event. emails as invites for in-office events? iConnect: The project manager of our Associate Engagement team received a 2012 Customer Care Leadership Team (CCLT) Recognition Award for the success of iConnect. Overall, iConnect was a success in engaging associates and creating a staple in Customer Care. The impact is visible to date in other initiatives that were influenced by iConnect such as iExcel, iCelebrate and iCare. 122 1

ENTRANT: Karen Evans ORGANIZATION: Toronto Hydro-Electric System Limited (Toronto Hydro) DIVISION/ CATEGORY: Division 1: Communication Management; Category 9: Employee, Member or Human Resources/Benefits Communications TITLE OF ENTRY: Grow your Mo‟ for Movember Campaign at Toronto Hydro TIME PERIOD OF PROJECT: October – December 2012

SUMMARY: Movember is an annual moustache growing event held in November to promote men‟s health – both prostate cancer and men‟s mental health. For the first time, Toronto Hydro created a Movember team and employees from across the company came together to raise funds and awareness for the cause.

1. THE OPPORTUNITY

Since 2003, Movember has grown into a hugely popular global phenomenon for the men‟s health movement. Men around the world grow a moustache in the month of November to raise funds and awareness for prostate cancer initiatives and new for 2012, men‟s mental health.1

Men tend to ignore their health needs when compared to their female counterparts. As such, men‟s health issues, like prostate cancer, do not receive the same attention and funding as some other causes.2

This trend is reflected at Toronto Hydro. The utility has an extensive Community Involvement (CI) program supporting many charities and events including the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation (CBCF) CIBC Run for the Cure, which has set internal fundraising records over the past two years. Employees enthusiastically join together for breast cancer research and awareness, but Toronto Hydro has never supported a cause aimed at men‟s health, despite having a male-dominated workforce. Since 75 per cent of Toronto Hydro‟s workforce is comprised of men, supporting men‟s health is a logical focus for the utility.

Also, the health need is there; one in seven men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in his lifetime and four times as many men commit suicide compared to women.3

In 2011, a small group of 30 Toronto Hydro employees participated in Movember and they raised close to $7,000 for the cause without corporate support. That same year, the CI team surveyed employees to determine what causes they would want the company to support. Movember was identified as a priority for them.

Based on the grassroots efforts of that small group of employees in 2011, along with the feedback from the employee survey and the gap that was identified in supporting men‟s causes, Toronto Hydro adopted Movember as a corporate initiative and launched the utility‟s first official campaign in 2012.

2. INTENDED AUDIENCES

Primary Audience: Employees (Toronto Hydro has approximately 1,600 employees): - All departments, targeted as „teams‟ – 87 different departments at Toronto Hydro - Unionized employee base (approximately 1,100) – represents 70% of the employee base - Female employees – represents 25% of the employee base

Secondary Audience: Stakeholders, including customers and industry peers.

1 http://ca.movember.com/uploads/files/Annual%20Reports/Movember_AnnualReport_2012_02.pdf 2 http://ca.movember.com/mens-health/ 3 http://ca.movember.com/mens-health/ 123 2

Entrant’s Role: Karen Evans is the Manager, Communications and Public Affairs. Karen oversaw all aspects of the campaign planning and execution, including manager and supervisor engagement to ensure support at all levels. She even donned a (stick-on) mo‟ along with her team of female employees during the campaign.

3. GOAL/OBJECTIVES

The clean-cut goal was to create a fun, educational and engaging employee campaign to raise money and awareness for men‟s health issues.

Objective 1: Achieve 100 employee registrations in Toronto Hydro‟s Movember Network. a. Of those registered, have representation from at least 25 per cent of Union members. . Although 70 per cent of employees belong to a Union, there is generally higher participation from management employees. b. Achieve 10 per cent participation from female employees. . Even though they can‟t grow a moustache, they can raise money, support their male counterparts and help spread awareness. Objective 2: Have at least 10 different departments (out of 87 total departments) represented on different Movember teams and establish Movember participation from all six Toronto Hydro office buildings.

Objective 3: Raise $10,000 as a Corporate team (with matching*) for Movember Canada – a reasonable target based on the $10,000 fundraising goal from a similar campaign, the CBCF CIBC Run for the Cure. *Toronto Hydro offers employees a Matching Program: employees who make a financial donation to a registered charity or participate in a fundraising event, can have their donation matched to a maximum of $200 per year.

4. SOLUTION OVERVIEW

Strategy: Leverage employees‟ creativity and enthusiasm to create a groundswell and encourage participation, while providing education and raising money for the cause. Leverage: - An Executive Sponsor to draw attention and pique interest, while demonstrating corporate support. - The 2011 grassroots Movember team to act as ambassadors and canvassers for 2012. - A fun contest for employee‟s to show off their mo‟s and win prizes. - Females, who are historically more engaged in events and campaigns to encourage and support their male counterparts. - Other events and ambassadors, to generate more attention and raise more funds; - The moustache, for all it‟s worth.

Promotional Tactics for Movember: - Movember Executive Sponsor, the Vice President Communications & Public Affairs, kindly donated a „70s picture of himself sporting a moustache. Employees were asked to guess who it was and visit the Movember intranet page for the answer. Once staff was on this intranet page they were presented with the answer, plus a link to register. This was communicated via email and on a „Guess Who’ paystub attachment to every employee. - Ambassadors held a registration blitz during the last week of October in high-traffic areas at each Toronto Hydro building, speaking with employees one-on-one about the Movember cause and using a laptop to enable interested employees to sign up on-the-spot. The blitz events took place during early morning hours ensuring that Toronto Hydro crew workers would be in the buildings, before they left for their worksites across the city. 124 3

- A Movember contest was held for employees with categories such as: Best Moustache, Best “Effort” Moustache, Best Team Picture, and Most Money Raised by both a male and female employees. o An all-female "Moustache Judging Panel" of employee volunteers narrowed down the photo submissions for the Movember Mo‟ Contest categories. The top five pictures chosen for each category were then presented to all employees to select the winners. - Movember was promoted at other CI events, encouraging those ambassadors to participate and spread the word i.e. stick-on moustaches were brought to Take Our Kids to Work Day and grade nine students could wear the moustaches throughout the day as they toured our largest service centre. - A public speaking event at the Royal York Hotel featuring Toronto Hydro‟s CEO Anthony Haines was themed by placing moustaches at every place setting and including a Movember shout out at the beginning of Mr. Haines‟ address. The 328 attendees were made aware of the employee campaign and encouraged to support Movember. - Giant moustaches were secured to the front grill of 12 Toronto Hydro vehicles. As part of an external social media Movember campaign, customers were asked to 'Spot the Moustache' by taking a picture of the vehicle and tweeting it to @TorontoHydro on Twitter, to be entered into a draw to win a $100 gift card. - Giant moustaches were also attached to CI booths in high-traffic areas within Toronto Hydro buildings.

Supporting communication tactics included: - Posters were created and placed in 50 high traffic areas around every Toronto Hydro building. - For the first two weeks of Movember, every employee with a computer received a Movember message when they logged in, and were reminded to register with a call to action to Toronto Hydro‟s intranet site. - Six broadcast emails were sent to all employees with links to register for Movember. - To reach outside employees who can‟t easily access a computer, emails or the intranet site: o Each employee had a Movember attachment on their October 23 pay stub. o Four articles were included in the online employee newsletter. The newsletter is printed weekly and posted on bulletin boards for outdoor employees. o Promotions ran continuously on Toronto Hydro television (THTV) along with men‟s health messages throughout the month of November. The screens also featured progress pictures submitted by employees and team pictures to increase the competition. THTV internal digital screens are located in high traffic areas at all six buildings. o Hang tags promoting Movember were placed in all Toronto Hydro fleet vehicles.

5. IMPLEMENTATION AND CHALLENGES

Budget: The campaign budget was $2,500 (not including matching of funds raised). Handling creative in-house, Toronto Hydro came in under budget, spending $1,880 which consisted of the giant moustaches, printing, stick-on moustache giveaways, and prizing for the Movember Mo' Contest. An additional $7,670 was matched through Toronto Hydro's Matching Program for the employees who raised money for the cause.

Many of the campaigns and events Toronto Hydro participates in are legacy events that the organization has supported for years. Employees know about these events and less communication is necessary to promote them. Making sure employees were aware of Movember and the causes it supports was a challenge. Also, 35 per cent of employees work in the field and don‟t have easy access to email, a computer or Toronto Hydro‟s intranet – all the tools used to drive people easily to online registration. It is always a challenge to effectively communicate with outside workers. - By using extensive and diverse communication tactics described above, combined with the face-to-face work of ambassadors, the campaign launched loudly and effectively. - The continuous posting of competitive team moustache progress photos on THTV along with the moustached trucks and booths served as continuous reminders throughout the month. - Managers, supervisors and administration staff were engaged and helped by registering outside workers, and collected and sent in their moustache photos. 125 4

The timing of Movember represented a challenge for Toronto Hydro and CI. The fall season is the busiest time of the year for the small CI team, which organizes the CIBC Run at the end of September, orchestrates an annual company-wide United Way campaign in October, a Quarter Century Banquet for long-term employees, plus Take Our Kids to WorkTM Day, Remembrance Day tributes, and an employee family Holiday Party in November. Communicating about a new campaign in the midst of all of the planning, execution and communication of these other events was difficult. To make sure the Movember campaign stood out in the midst of all of this activity, Movember focused on fun, with lots of good-natured humour. - The tongue-in-cheek tone helped make the educational communications about health check-ups and stark cancer statistics easier to manage. - The launch of the campaign, featuring the mysterious Executive Sponsor photo was included on posters, emails, paystub attachments and computer login screens asking employees to “Guess Who?” and driving them to the Movember intranet page for the answer. - Another element of fun was the Movember Mo‟ Contest held at the end of the month. Movember participants were asked to submit pictures to win in five categories. Prizes included a $10 Starbucks gift card, a digital photo frame, a shaving kit and a professional barbershop shave. Once the pictures were submitted they were narrowed down to the top five best photos and employees voted on their favourites. More than 70 pictures were collected and over 170 votes were received to determine the winners.

Although Movember is focused on growing moustaches for men‟s health, women can be just as involved by raising money and awareness. To get female employees more involved with the campaign: - They were asked to volunteer to judge the Best Moustache, Best Effort, and Best Team Picture category. Originally, the campaign asked for five female judges but after receiving so many volunteers, 12 were offered the role of judge, and they took the job seriously! In the call centre, a whole team worked together to narrow down the photo submissions for the contest. - They were targeted directly with communications that encouraged them to sign up as Mo‟ Sistas. This also worked to gain female participation, and even resulted in three all-women teams registered.

6. MEASUREMENT AND EVALUATION

The team overachieved on every objective ensuring that the first year of Toronto Hydro‟s Movember campaign will not be the last.

Objective 1: Minimum of 100 employees registered to participate in Movember. a. Have representation from at least 25 per cent of Union members. b. Have at least 10 per cent of participation from female employees. Outcome: Achieved 186 employee registrations, almost double the goal. a. 49 per cent participation came from union members, again almost double the goal. b. 14 per cent of female employees registered for the campaign. On top of that, 20 females donned moustaches for the photo contest and 12 females volunteered for the Judges panel.

Objective 2: Have at least 10 different departments (out of 87 total departments) represented on different teams and establish participation from all six Toronto Hydro office buildings. Outcome: Achieved employee participation from every building. Sixteen teams in total registered under Toronto Hydro‟s network representing 48 per cent of the departments (42 departments out of 87), including Asset Management, Information Technology, Finance, Control Room, Customer Care, Stations, Engineering - even students created a team.

Objective 3: Raise at least $10,000 as a team (with matching) for Movember Canada. Outcome: Raised $23,212 for Movember. Toronto Hydro employees raised $15,542 and Toronto Hydro matched the network‟s fundraising with $7,670. 126 2013 IABC OVATION AWARDS: EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Entrants’ Names: Elyn Kirby Arscott: APEX Public Relations Inc. Organizations’ Names: KAO Canada/APEX Public Relations Inc. Category / Subcategory: Division 1: Communication Management Category 10: Brand Communication Title of Entry: Bioré welcomes you (back) to your 20’s Time Period of Project: November 2011– Fall 2012 Recognition Summary: After years of product innovation and reinvention, Bioré turned to APEX to regain the “swagger” it once embodied in the 90s, to a new target of twenty-something women through the lens of beauty media (the majority of which were not in their twenties). With new packaging, a new innovative technology and new hero cleansing product, APEX invited beauty media and key influencers to step back in time and relive the age where women are “doing it in a 24/7, “always on” world.”

BUSINESS NEED / OPPORTUNITY

Bioré burst onto the scene 15 years ago with the launch of its revolutionary and now celebrated Deep Cleansing Pore Strips, which solidified the brand’s leadership in the acne-fighting cleanser category. The tiny blackhead-busting nose strips became an essential part of every beauty junkie’s skin care kit and even extended beyond its target, gaining cult status with men as well. The brand had ‘swagger’ and most importantly, dominance in a cluttered market.

In the years that followed, Bioré grew its market share by launching a number of skin-enhancing products, but lost some of its identity along the way. While the brand once embraced teens, it had expanded to focus on the skin care needs of women in their thirties, consequently confusing its core target and their influencers in the media.

In 2012, Bioré wanted to recapture some of the personality and prominence that defined it in the 90s and re-position itself as the holistic skincare solution for women in their twenties. In research, it was revealed that 69 per cent of the 20-29 year old female target, complained about combination skin as a problem, meaning they they had to choose between treating oily parts or dry parts of their skin, worsening the imbalance. Therefore the brand developed Skin Purifying Technology, which would target only dirt and impurities, leaving skin’s moisture in balance, making it a perfect fit for combination skin. The brand also uncovered that this target had the highest involvement and usage than any other age group in cleansing, with 80 per cent ranking cleansing as the most important part of their face care routine. Knowing that this target was underserved and needed a brand that understood the their unique needs with a customized skin care solution, Bioré re-packaged and re-launched the entire collection of cleansers, strips and scrubs alongside a new product – Bioré Combination Skin Balancing Cleanser that included the unique and proprietary ingredient called Skin Purifying Technology (SPT).

As the agency of record for KAO Canada, the parent company for Bioré, APEX was tapped to develop a communications plan that would re-introduce Bioré to its newly-defined audience and educate them about the new Combination Skin Balancing Cleaner and its Skin Purifying Technology.

CHALLENGES

The main challenge for this program was how to clearly articulate Bioré’s re-positioning in a way that would resonate with beauty media and influencers who shed their acne outbreaks and anxieties years ago. This was a challenge since the majority of who were not in their twenties anymore, and they could not, unlike other beauty products, easily relate to the product claims. In order to become THE brand for women in their twenties, Bioré would have to bring the woman who lives 24/7 and in an “always on world” to life in an entirely different way so as to compel meaningful editorial from the media and influencer target.

127 Another challenge for this program was the relaunch timeframe. As part of Bioré’s objectives, APEX was asked to sustain interest in the brand for almost a year (from November 2011 to Fall 2012). This required a multi-phased approach that needed strategic planning to ensure the message could be sustained.

RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS

In preparation for plan development, APEX learned about the core target through online research and a focus group of twenty-something women that provided insights about the habits, lifestyle and interests of this age group. The focus group, which was held at the APEX office, emphasized some key aspects about a twenty-something female’s day-to-day, which we would be able to leverage for our plans and tactics. This included tough early mornings (and especially difficult Monday mornings after a weekend of socializing), ‘girls nights’ whether they were at home or out on the town were a big part of this demographics life and that key milestone celebrations such as birthdays, were an important part of their social life.

Also, as part of our main objectives, APEX was tasked with planning and executing a media launch event in Toronto that would enhance and clearly articulate the brand’s new positioning to the influential attendees. It was critical that APEX achieve a goal of 25 attendees, so the team reached out to key beauty and consumer-lifestyle media for an audit of dates and timing to ensure the best attendance turnout. Historically, February is a high time for beauty products to land on shelves and therefore, November is a heavy month of long lead media events (timed to drive February stories). Bioré’s new collection would be on-shelves in February, making the time of year for a launch event non-negotiable. However, after liaising with media to determine availability APEX confirmed that the best attendance would be achieved if the event was held outside of standard business hours in the evening to eliminate conflicting events and attendee drop-off.

AUDIENCE

The audience for this launch was very clearly defined by Bioré and influenced how targeted the media outreach would be.

Bioré wanted to reach all Canadian women in their twenties, including users of competitive products. Bioré defined this target as:  “A 20-something year-old woman who is well informed, opinionated, sarcastic, and smart. Like the generations that have come before, this is the time in life she’ll experience major milestones: establishing a career, falling in love, marriage, and maybe even babies. Unlike those generations, she’s doing it in a 24/7, “always on” world.” o This description resonated very closely to the lifestyle habits (i.e. up late at night, out early in the morning, always busy and socializing) that were revealed in APEX’s focus group, which informed all of our plans and tactics.

As a conduit to the above target, and based on our research, APEX identified key media outlets and influencers that reach them with trusted beauty advice including:  Beauty and fashion magazines for women in their twenties including Fashion, Elle Canada, LouLou and Flare (i.e. Chatelaine and Canadian Living Magazine readership skewed too old)  Beauty bloggers and all online beauty/lifestyle content ranging in size and influence, from Thebeautynerd.com to the Huffington Post

COMMUNICATION GOALS / OBJECTIVES Qualitative Measures  Generate an overall Media Relations Rating Points (MRP) quality score of at least 75 per cent  Sustain media interest and coverage over a 12 month period Quantitative Measures  Achieve an overall campaign MRP cost per contact of $0.03 by Fall 2012

2 128  Secure a total of 25 fashion and beauty media and influencers to attend a November 2011 launch event in Toronto  Secure 10 key influential beauty bloggers to host a Bioré Spa Party at their homes in the Spring of 2012 with: o No sponsorship cost o Dedicated editorial coverage and social media content  Achieve an overall campaign result minimum reach of 14.5 million by Fall 2012

SOLUTION OVERVIEW

Although the target media had long since moved beyond their twenties, APEX hypothesized that they would be nostalgic for that time in their lives when life was more carefree and spontaneous or even modestly traumatizing due to social awkwardness. Either way, we knew that by tapping into those memory pockets, powerful and explicit emotions would surface to help inform a more sympathetic, timely and relevant editorial. Based on the hypothesis APEX recommended outreaching to media (as the conduit to consumers) under one central theme: “Bioré welcomes you (back) to your twenties!” as the primary hook. Whether they were 35 or 65 years old, Bioré was going to bring them back to their milestone 20th birthday and celebrate the decade that followed, all over again, through a variety of tactics.

Through this approach, APEX strategized that Bioré would be able to clearly articulate its position as THE brand for the twenty-something woman (even to women who were not in their 20’s) and recapture the luster that the brand first embodied with the launch of the Pore Strips.

IMPLEMENTATION

With the strategy in mind, APEX developed a multi-level plan that would allow for engagement with top beauty media and influencers:

1. Happy 20th Birthday Launch Event – To stand out from the many other beauty launches, APEX recommended taking editors on an experience outside of a typical beauty launch event to demonstrate the spirit and new branding of Bioré. With the theme of “Welcome (back) to your Twenties”, APEX recreated a 20th birthday party in which attendees started the night out at a dinner party at Ki Restaurant, where the brand re-positioning and new product and technology were presented by a KAO spokesperson and Dr. Skotnicki, KAO Canada’s third-party dermatologist. To reinforce the “birthday message”, cupcakes with a candle and a personalized necklace – wrapped as a birthday present - were delivered to each attendee following dinner. Following the meal and presentation, editors were then whisked away on a party bus to a high end salon in the trendy Toronto neighborhood of Liberty Village where they each received a manicure and pedicure while sipping wine and enjoying each other’s company. At the end of the evening, all of the attendees were delivered to the Ritz-Carlton hotel for an overnight stay where they were encouraged to use the Bioré products and other essentials we provided (pajamas, Advil, healthy snacks and water) to recuperate for the next day - just as a twenty-something woman would do in her “always on” world.

2. Party in a Box Mailing – To reach editors and influencers who live outside of the GTA and could not attend the event, APEX recommended sending a package to media and bloggers/influencers (including French media) that encapsulated the event. The package included a personalized birthday card with the title “Happy 20th Birthday…. Again!” and included a helium Happy Birthday balloon which popped out of the box upon opening. In addition to this, product samples, press materials and items one would typically use to celebrate a 20th birthday (such as a martini glass) were included. Following the mailing, APEX followed up with every recipient to explain Bioré’s new positioning and offer interviews with Dr. Skotnicki on the new product and/or technology.

3. ‘Girl’s Night In’ Blogger Spa Parties – As part of our research, it was uncovered that women in their twenties relish the opportunity to stay home with their girlfriends for DIY spa parties (manicures, pedicures, etc.) and share the experience on social media platforms from Twitter to Instagram and Facebook. To capture the spirit of these events and earn editorial reviews on noted websites where the target turns to for information, APEX recommended offering in-home spa parties to 10 top beauty bloggers and five of their friends. APEX created customized invitations 3 129 for the bloggers to share with their friends and partnered with mobile Wright Spa to deliver manicures, pedicures and facials with the Bioré product as well as present the new positioning and technology with the entire influential group. Branded Bioré cupcakes were also sent to enhance the experience. In return, each blogger posted a review of the products (all of which were positive) and shared photos and comments of the experience on their social media platforms, effectively reaching a much larger audience.

4. Monday Morning Rescue Mailings – The focus group APEX held with target women also highlighted Monday as a difficult day of the week for them to get through. Using that insight, and to encourage coverage on the product throughout the year, APEX recommended sending quarterly mailings from Bioré to media and influencers that included a note card tapping into the social habits of twenty-something women (i.e. patio season) along with a product from the collection and a gift to help them get through their Monday. Gifts ranged from Starbucks gift cards for a little pick-me-up to a yoga class pass.

BUDGET

The total budget for the Bioré re-launch was $115,000 in fees and expenses which broke out as follows:  Happy 20th Birthday Launch Event: $50,000  Party in a Box Mailing: $14,000  ‘Girl’s Night In’ Blogger Spa Parties: $20,000  Monday Morning Rescue Mailings: $19,000  Program Management: $12,000

MEASUREMENT/EVALUATION

 Generate an overall Media Relations Rating Points (MRP) quality score of at least 75 per cent and a cost per contact of $0.03 by Fall 2012. o Achieved a 95.24% MRP Quality Score and a Cost per Contact of $0.01.  Sustain media interest and coverage over a 12 month period. o Due to staggered tactics, media coverage continued to run from November 2011 through to Fall 2012.  Secure a total of 25 fashion and beauty media and influencers to attend a November 2011 launch event in Toronto. o A total of 25 media attended the launch event and shared overwhelmingly positive feedback, which is a considerable task given the attendees are known to be a fickle media group with varied opinions.  Secure 10 key influential beauty bloggers to host a Bioré Spa Party at their homes in the Spring of 2012 with:  No sponsorship cost  Dedicated editorial coverage and social media content o 10 tier-one beauty bloggers such as Lucky Penny Daily and Spiced Beauty were secured to hosted an in- home spa party. Every blogger participant was involved with no sponsorship cost and all featured the product in both editorial and social media posts.  Achieve an overall campaign result minimum reach of 14.5 million by Fall 2012. o Reach of over 15 million achieved in 35 tier one outlets.

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Entrant's Name: Stephanie Kohls Organization's Name: Environmental Defence Canada Division: Communication Management Category: Social Responsibility Including Economic, Societal and Environmental Development Title of Entry: Try to Look Pretty Without Poisoning Yourself Time Period of Project: January – April 2012 Recognition Summary: Environmental Defence raised awareness of the toxic, cancer-causing chemicals in Canadians’ makeup and personal care products with a multi-tiered campaign featuring a video of a mock game show, Try To Look Pretty Without Poisoning Yourself. In the “game show”, a contestant is asked to select the product from a display of makeup items which does not contain cancer- causing chemicals, but she doesn’t have a chance, since all of the products available are toxic. The campaign asks Canadians to get toxins out of their makeup by reading labels, and asking Health Canada to give the cosmetics industry a makeover.

1. Business Need/Opportunity While our work spans a broad array of national issues, Environmental Defence sets itself apart for its work on health issues by addressing body pollution—the accumulation of toxic substances in our bodies from the environment and the products we use. Our groundbreaking research on this subject includes testing fragrances for hidden ingredients, testing canned food for bisphenol A (BPA) contamination, testing makeup for heavy metal contamination, and testing testing Canadians for body pollution. We have a number of successes on this front, including getting toxic BPA recognized as a toxic substance and banned from baby bottles in Canada, upgrading Canada's consumer product safety legislation, getting phthalates out of toys, and releasing a bestselling book about pollutants in consumer products, co- authored by former Executive Director Dr. Rick Smith. Many of these successes were achieved by raising awareness among Canadian consumers, who then demanded safer products of industry.

Canada’s cosmetic industry presents an opportunity in that thousands of toxic substances, which have been banned or restricted in Europe, are still found in personal care products in Canada. And, many products are sold without adequate labelling, so that Canadians don’t even know what’s in the products they use. In 2011, the Canadian government announced its intention to review the laws which govern what manufacturers are allowed to put in cosmetics and personal care products and what consumers are told about what is in these products. The challenge presented to us was to ensure the government enacts strong legislation, and to find a way to encourage manufacturers not to include toxic ingredients in their products, and to do so while remaining working within non-profit budgetary and legal constraints, which limit the amount of “lobbying” that can be done.

2. Intended Audience The Try to Look Pretty Without Poisoning Yourself campaign targeted consumers, with a focus on socially engaged Canadian women aged 30-45 and professionals with kids. The campaign used humour to inform and engage audiences on a little-known, important issue which nevertheless affects most Canadians, and which most people are not aware of. The campaign also targeted the cosmetics industry, which sells products containing toxic ingredients, and in many cases, have less toxic versions of the same products for sale in Europe. By getting the attention of consumers, our hope was that cosmetics manufacturers would hear this demand, and change their practices. We followed a similar strategy to those successfully realized in other consumer campaigns (e.g. when educating Canadians about BPA). Finally, we targeted Health Canada, which have the power to restrict or ban chemicals from use in Canadian products, taking the burden off the consumer.

3. Goals/Objectives To reduce Canadians’ body pollution from personal care products, we outlined five campaign goals:  To alert Canadians to the cancer-causing toxins in commonly-used products. 131

 To capitalize on the government’s plans to review cosmetics legislation, and ensure that new legislation clearly bans toxic substances, requires clear labelling of all ingredients, and ensures safer products for all Canadians.  To encourage the cosmetic industry to voluntarily eliminate toxic ingredients from their products.  To work with consumers to ask for better cosmetic laws in Canada.  To increase Environmental Defence brand awareness.

Executing an engaging campaign that utilized creativity and humour helped us do a lot with a little budget. The goals outlined helped us meet current needs (raised awareness on one of our issues, engaged consumers and the cosmetic industry, and raised our brand profile) and future needs (helped build our supporter base).

We measured awareness of toxins in personal care products in several ways, which are expanded on under Question 6, via: video views, social media buzz, website traffic, email list subscriptions, petition signatures, downloads of our personal care product shopping guide, industry inquiries about our manufacturers’ pledge, and earned media coverage. To measure increased Environmental Defence brand awareness, we focused on our branded real estate, via: increased Environmental Defence twitter followers and Facebook likes, EnvironmentalDefence.ca web traffic, and email signups.

4. Solution Overview Recognizing that our message would compete with industry campaigns and their large budgets, we wanted to use humour to cut through a noisy landscape. The game show elements of the spot—the flashy set, the smarmy host, his lovely assistant—make a nod to real life game shows, but also create an energetic satire, wherein a serious message is delivered sarcastically. The parody injects humour into the campaign, while indicating the stakes that these decisions carry for consumers, who are wittingly or unwittingly forced into this gamble daily.

We also needed to reach out to the consumer on a personal level. The concept of the average woman who has no hope of selecting the right product because these options do not exist in conventional stores was meant to resonate with Canadian consumers, who are faced with this lack of choice every day. To balance this feeling of helplessness on the part of consumers, we planned a campaign that would raise the issue with consumers and provide them with clear actions and alternatives to toxic personal care products, and also provided further details at the end of the spot for consumer to better equip themselves by visiting our website.

The key messages of the campaign were: . There are toxins and cancer-causing chemicals in the makeup women use every day. . Labelling laws for cosmetic products are inadequate, leaving Canadians with a lack of information about the ingredients in the products they put on their skin. . Environmental Defence is working to get toxins out of personal care products.

We approached ad agency Open to help us raise awareness of the issue of toxins in personal care products, and to help us increase brand awareness. We did not just want to speak to people who are already engaged in environmental issues, so we challenged them to take the concept of body pollution, or “pollution in people,” and make it more accessible to the masses. Most of the agency team, production company, studio, editing staff, and the cast volunteered their time and other assets to the production of the spot, which significantly reduced our costs. We also received TV advertising space at charity pricing, which meant we were able to acquire $46,000 of advertising inventory for $10,000. At full price, the ad space alone would have made up for most of our $70,000 total campaign budget. We leveraged relationships with influencers and mom bloggers, including Sarah Harmer and Gillian Deacon, and Erica Ehm (Yummy Mummy Club), to spread the word about the campaign and the video. And, we planned and produced the campaign less than two months before it launched, making it both time- and cost-effective. 132

The video launched on January 9, 2012. Along with the video, we announced a pledge program, wherein cosmetic manufacturers and retailers could pledge to list all ingredients on labels, and that the products they manufacture or sell are free of the ten most toxic ingredients. Finally, our video played on a big screen outside the main venue at Toronto Fashion Week, screening at least once per hour every day from 10 am – 11 pm. Our outreach staff were on the ground, asking participants to play a version of the Try To Look Pretty Without Poisoning Yourself game, garnering petition signatures, and handing out QR code cards with more information (see work samples).

The campaign helped to make changes to both toxins regulations and industry practice. Following the launch of Try to Look Pretty Without Poisoning Yourself, we’ve had an overwhelming response from consumers seeking advice on reducing toxins in their bodies. Over 40 personal care products manufacturers have pledged to clearly label all ingredients in their products, and to avoid using the “toxic ten” ingredients in their products, while some of Canada’s largest manufacturers in retailers have expressed interest in reducing toxins in their products. Also following the launch of the campaign, the Canadian government has declared one of these ingredients, triclosan, toxic to the environment, and is studying its effects on human health. It has announced a second phase of the Chemicals Management Plan, which exists to systematically examine toxic chemicals in consumer items and industry practices, and has invited our experts to participate on the advisory board.

The campaign materials: . Advertising – The video (see work samples) launched on January 9, with PSA distribution for TV through Canada News Wire, and an advertising buy including TV, online and social media. During the month of January, the spot aired on MTV, CBC Documentary, W Movies, CP24, CTV 2, Bravo, and the National Geographic channel. We also did small ad buys on Facebook, YouTube, and mom blogs Yummy Mummy Club, Help, We’ve Got Kids, and Bamboo Magazine (see work samples). The video lives on our YouTube channel, with links to it from our website and social media channels. . Campaign website – JustBeautiful.ca (see work samples) contains further information about the “toxic ten,” and the health effects associated with these chemicals. It elaborates on the pledge, and lists all companies who have taken it, with links to their products and ingredient lists. . Personal Care Products Pocket Guide – To help consumers avoid toxins, we developed a list of the “toxic ten,” or the ten worst chemicals found in personal care products in Canada. We created a pocket guide (see work samples), listing these chemicals, which consumers could keep in their wallets to have on hand when shopping for cosmetics. The pocket guide is available for download on our website, and at Environmental Defence events, from pledge retailers, and from campaign supporters. . Online Game – To ramp up our existing social media efforts, we launched an online version of the game show (see work samples), where users could check off all of the products they use, and would receive a score for how many toxins they are exposed to daily, and information on the health effects of these products. . Petition – A petition on our website asks the cosmetics industry to remove the “toxic ten” ingredients from their products, and clearly label all ingredients. . Earned Media – Two press releases were crafted about the campaign, one for marketing publications, and the other for lifestyle and health media (see work samples). A full list of earned media can be found under Question 6.

5. Implementation and Challenges The Try To Look Pretty Without Poisoning Yourself campaign presented several challenges: . Lack of Brand Awareness – While Environmental Defence is the organization most suited to take on the issue of body pollution, other environmental organizations, in some cases those with better brand recognition, have seen the potential of this issue for gaining new supporters. 133

. Competition – The impetus for the campaign idea (i.e. using humour) was to raise the profile of our organization and our issues, amidst seemingly unlimited competition from cosmetic companies and their much more substantial budgets. Most major networks rely on advertising dollars from conventional cosmetic companies, and as a result, many of these were unwilling to play our PSA on television. . Budget – As a non-profit, charitable organization, we needed this campaign to be highly impactful while working on a shoestring budget. All of the purchased TV space for the ad was purchased at a discount, and at a cheaper time of year, or acquired by PSA distribution at no cost. And, most of the agency team, production company, studio, editing staff, and the cast volunteered their time and other assets for the production. We also chose to focus some of our budget on small ad buys on Facebook and YouTube. . Charitable status – As a non-profit charity, we are mandated to limit the amount of political activity we undertake. As a result, the campaign and the petition are more focused on industry and their ability to change their products, instead of a change to legislation to restrict the use of toxic ingredients in Canadian products. . Special circumstances – Because most people are unaware of the fact that there are toxins in the products they use every day, our message ended up being too complicated for a 30 second spot and instead we opted for a 60 second spot. As a result, we needed to change our ad buying strategy to play the ad in January (when broadcast time is cheaper), so as not to significantly decrease the frequency at which the ad was played.

6. Measurement/Evaluation We analyzed website traffic, video views, social media and media coverage of the campaign to help demonstrate success in reducing toxins in personal care products. . Video views and social media activity – To date, the video (see work samples) has been viewed 164,000 times on YouTube (87,000 in January alone), and shared thousands of times on Facebook and twitter. With an online ad buy of only $3,000, we are confident that the video went “viral.” The video helped us meet our goals of raising awareness about the issue and our organization and driving people to EnvironmentalDefence.ca, where they could sign a petition, or learn more about toxic ingredients. In the month following the campaign, Environmental Defence twitter followers increased by 25%, and Facebook likes increased by 129%, indicating that people had learned about our organization from the campaign and opted to follow and become more engaged with it. . Website traffic and email signups – Over the course of the campaign, traffic to environmentaldefence.ca more than doubled the average monthly site traffic. A lower-than-usual bounce rate suggests that people were not only clicking through to the site, but also delving into the campaign and consumer information available. With over 1,000 new email signups, readers also chose to stay connected with us as an organization. . Awareness – Over 1,000 people signed the petition asking the cosmetic industry to remove the “toxic ten” ingredients from their products, and 6,000 people downloaded the pocket guide to help them avoid those ingredients while shopping. Many of those also asked to receive our email newsletter, indicating they were interested in the organization as well as the issue. Since the launch of the campaign, 40 manufacturers have pledged (see work samples) to eliminate the toxic ten ingredients from the products they make or sell, and we have received inquiries from some of Canada’s largest manufacturers and retailers about reducing toxins in their products. . Media coverage – With a small budget and a goal of increasing awareness, earning media coverage was vital to the success of the campaign. Media coverage was tracked throughout the campaign. Here is a list of media outlets which covered the campaign: Financial Post (see work samples), CHCH Morning Show, CTV News Express, Global TV Saskatoon, Marketing Magazine, Montreal Gazette, Ottawa Citizen, The Rose Sheet, Yahoo Voices, Fanshawe College radio, and CBC Maritime Noon. . Policy change – Health Canada has announced a second phase of the Chemicals Management Plan, which exists to systematically examine toxic chemicals in consumer items and industry practices, and has invited our experts to participate on the advisory board. 134 Blending Social Media and Service Delivery in Public Health

AN OVATION AWARD ENTRY FROM PEEL PUBLIC HEALTH – Work Plan ENTRANT’S NAME

Scott Fry – Communications Specialist, Region of Peel

ORGANIZATION’S NAME

The Region of Peel – Peel Public Health DIVISION/CATEGORY

Division 1: Communications Management Category 13: Social Media

TITLE OF ENTRY

Blending Social Media and Service Delivery in Public Health TIME PERIOD OF PROJECT

Planning: November 2010 – May 2011 Implementation: May 2011 – December 2012

RECOGNITION SUMMARY

Rarely is social media used to go beyond its role as an effective, two-way communications tool. Peel Public Health utilized Facebook not only to promote health information and programs while engaging parents in meaningful conversation, but to deliver on a key mandate of Public Health: providing parents with the support they need to raise healthy children. The Parenting In Peel Facebook Project is a unique example of the power of integrating communications and customer service to affect meaningful change.

BUSINESS NEED/OPPORTUNITY

The Family Health Division at Peel Public Health delivers pregnancy and parenting programs, services and information to individuals and families in Peel; a diverse, rapidly growing region of over 1.2 million residents. With a younger and more culturally diverse population than the rest of Ontario, the Family Health Division constantly explores creative ways to promote healthy practices to the parents of over 16,000 new children born each year.

A Changing Landscape: Peel Public Health recognized that parents were increasingly turning to online methods of obtaining health information. The tremendous popularity of the Parenting In Peel website (ParentingInPeel.ca) and the increasing utilization of a new e-learning prenatal program helped inform this realization as did a marked decline in usage of more traditional methods such as the Family Health Contact Centre (a telephone-based support service for parents). It was understood that new methods of reaching young, tech-savvy parents and parents-to-be were required.

Information Competition: Finding trustworthy sources of health information online is complicated by the countless variety of available websites. Commercial interests, lack of research evidence, and various biases and opinions can cause parents to access information that may not promote optimal behaviours. ParentingInPeel.ca, the Region of Peel’s pregnancy and parenting website, contains evidence-informed information presented in a friendly, accessible format. Ensuring parents find this information is crucial to achieving the goals of the Family Health Division. Opening avenues to drive our audience to the website was an important objective of all marketing and communications activities as it was shown to lead to health improving behaviours such as program/class participation.

The Research: The Family Health Division conducted a needs assessment of Peel parents in November 2010 through paper and online surveys. A total of 865 Peel parents completed the survey. The team also conducted an environmental scan of the current use of social media in public health, and consulted a review of literature about its effectiveness. This research yielded the following findings, among others:

• The use of social media in promoting health information is trending upward and evaluation has shown effectiveness135 • Almost 75 per cent of parents surveyed used the internet to find information on health, pregnancy and parenting • Almost 80 per cent used social media with Facebook being the most popular platform amongst respondents • Over half said they would become a fan of a Peel Public Health Facebook page • The majority preferred to receive health information from Peel Public Health via a website, followed by e-newsletters and social media

INTENDED AUDIENCE(S)

The research noted above provided basic information on the activities and actions of health information-seeking parents in Peel. Further evaluation was needed, however, to understand what parents need and how best to deliver it. Peel Public Health conducted formal and informal (anecdotal) analysis to understand the characteristics of each of its target audiences. This evaluation continues through analysis of sentiment and topics of interest, which helps to inform project planning. The team also analysed health status and demographic data (collected by the organizations Epidemiologists) to inform how the page would be operated including issues related to language, education level, family structure, etc.

Primary Audience: New parents and parents-to-be Characteristics: • Receive health information from a variety of sources (friends, family, health care professionals, media, etc.) and desire information that is useful and credible. • Want a variety of options from which to obtain health information, as to find a method that suits them. • Want the health information they need, when they need it, in a format that is convenient to them. • Enjoy interactive, social opportunities to share experiences and learn from peers. • Search for information on topics such as prenatal education, breastfeeding, introduction of solid foods, sleep, crying, labour and delivery, attachment and bonding. • Are diverse in almost every way, including ethnicity (high proportion from South Asian dissent), age (growing number of older parents), socioeconomic status (higher median household income) and more.

Secondary Audience: Parents of children age 1-6 Characteristics: • Enjoy sharing information and resources. • Face a variety of pressures including time famine. • Search for information on topics such as immunization, starting school, behaviour, play and nutrition. • Are diverse in almost every way, including ethnicity (high proportion from South Asian dissent), age (growing number of older parents), socioeconomic status (higher median household income) and more.

Tertiary Audiences: Individuals of child bearing age, community partners/service providers (referral opportunities), healthcare providers, Region of Peel staff, government/policy makers GOALS/OBJECTIVES

Goals: 1. Provide Peel parents with quality health information 2. Promote Family Health programs and services 3. Provide parents with the opportunity to interact with Public Health Nurses and other health professionals in a convenient, online location 4. Promote job satisfaction through the utilization of new and existing skills 5. Gather feedback to inform future website content and program planning Objectives: 1. Reach 400 likes in six months and increase by 50 new likes each month thereafter 2. Assist in increasing traffic to the ParentingInPeel.ca website by 10 per cent year-over-year (website traffic has been shown to increase participation in programs, which promotes positive behaviour change) 3. Achieve positive employee engagement among participating staff as exemplified by the results of a employee engagement survey, to be conducted six months after launch of the page 4. Maintain a high level of engagement (as represented by a “People Talking About This,” a Facebook metric evaluating engagement score averaging over 100) SOLUTION OVERVIEW 136

Facebook.com/ParentingInPeel The Family Health Division at Peel Public Health started a Facebook page to meet the needs of its changing audience. The page would embrace the two traditional roles of social media, one-way promotion and two-way conversation; but would also aim to bridge communications and service delivery by offering parents in Peel direct access to Public Health Nurses and other health professionals, right on Facebook. The Facebook page, titled Parenting In Peel, would thus become a convenient option for parents looking for information and guidance, and would support the Region of Peel’s traditional tactics (contact centre and in-person programs).

Launching the page involved creating personal accounts for each representative that would be active on the page. The page was then created, which involved writing compelling landing page content, choosing a strong profile image and drafting a detailed disclaimer which reflected the terms of use. With the launch of cover photos, the team decided to rotate the cover photo monthly based on current events and topics, always considering diversity when choosing the image. Staff were guided by a social media policy drafted in consultation with other health units.

The Parenting In Peel Facebook page is operated by two staff daily. Public Health Nurses staff the page most frequently and are joined by Registered Dietitians, fathering experts and other specialists. Each expert is identified by name to promote familiarity and is encouraged to act naturally to increase user comfort. Staff on the page post a variety of content and encourage fans to ask questions and share experiences for the benefit of other parents. Answers to questions are provided within one hour of posting and often link to useful online content and resources from Peel Public Health websites and other reputable websites. Staff also engage fans through a variety of fun and thought provoking tactics aimed at increasing interaction.

Key Messages (for promotion, content key messages are based on health messages): • The Public Health Nurses on the Parenting In Peel Facebook page are there the help you with all your pregnancy, breastfeeding and parenting questions. • Parenting In Peel is a network of parents and parents-to-be who share their stories and experiences. • Find us on Facebook by searching for Parenting In Peel or visit ParentingInPeel.ca for a link and more information. IMPLEMENTATION AND CHALLENGES

Implementation Budget Advertising: $10000 Prizes/Incentives: $500 Staff allocation: the equivalent of two full-time staff (divided between 7-8 different staff-representatives on the page) Research: Utilized internal resources

Timelines Six month pilot phasewith evaluation (May – Oct 2011). After evaluation the Facebook page was implanted into regular programming

Obtaining fans The page was initially promoted to staff who were encouraged to share it with their friends and family. The Facebook URL was then added to the Region’s website, promotional materials and was promoted at programs and services.

Media/blogger relations: local mommy/parenting bloggers were identified as an audience that had high potential for amplifying promotion of the Facebook page. Several ads purchased on local blogs along with relationship building activities resulted in guest postings and numerous mentions on both the blogs and their related social media sites (Twitter, Facebook). Outreach was also directed at local print and online media. This resulted in several published articles about the page in the Region’s key print publications, including a major story in the Toronto Star during a special segment for Nursing Week.

Facebook ads: the team purchased geo-targeted, cost-per-click advertisements on Facebook aimed at specific target audiences of the Parenting In Peel Facebook page, including pregnant women, new moms, and dads. Strategic timing and placement of the ads saw dramatic increases in fan numbers while efforts were made to retain those new fans through the increased use of engagement tactics.

Engaging fans Staff use a variety of tactics to engage fans. Tactics have evolved since the page’s inception as staff keep a constant monitor on the effectiveness of each tactic and change tactics frequently to ensure the page remains fresh and fun. Several effective tactics have been explored below, which represent just a sample of those used. 137 Theme days/weeks: theme days were the result of a trial where a Registered Dietitian was introduced to answer questions on infant, child and parental nutrition which resulted in a strong response from parents on the page. Recognizing the immense success of this trial, staff responded by giving each day of the week a theme, based on the highest areas of user interest. The result has been a steady increase in questions and much higher levels of interaction. Theme days on fathering, parenting, breastfeeding and reproductive health now rotate weekly or monthly.

“Like” my status: staff often encourage users to like a post to receive tips or information on a certain topic. For each “like” a post receives, staff post a comment containing useful information. This creative way to delve more deeply into a topic than typical to a traditional Facebook post has received strong participation from users and an increased level of feedback and conversation.

Current events/media topics: staff on the page use current events and hot or controversial media topics to exemplify topic areas and promote conversation around issues relevant to parents. Staff avoid passing judgement on such events/topics but respond to user comments with related links to health information.

Challenges Skill building/training: the Public Health Nurses, Registered Dietitians and other experts on the page had varying degrees of skill pertaining to social media. None had used social media in a professional environment. The team utilized seminars, independent learning and training to overcome these barriers while also consulting support services such as the Region’s Communications Specialists on audience analysis, engagement tactics and other considerations.

Messaging: like many organizations, Peel Public Health traditionally relied on carefully crafted messaging for communicating health information. The use of Facebook to disseminate health information and to provide individualized support required some loss of this traditional control. To overcome this barrier, the team relied on pre-approved content from their robust website, ParentingInPeel.ca, to craft their posts and responses.

Privacy/documentation: privacy concerns also presented a barrier, particularly as it pertained to the strict charting requirements of the College of Nurses and the safeguarding of personal health information. Staff consulted with the College to create procedures to ensure all necessary documentation and privacy requirements were met.

Lack of guiding principles and examples: the Region of Peel did not have a social media policy or procedures for undertaking a social media strategy, nor were there any significant examples from which to draw best practices. The team consulted with other organizations and internal support services to develop policies and procedures to govern their use of social media. These policies would later become the basis for centralized policies and procedures developed to guide the use of social media for all Regional employees. The team now provides regular consultation with others in the organization who are thinking of embarking on a social media strategy.

MEASUREMENT/EVALUATION

Outcomes: • User analysis found that individuals using the Facebook page to get health information were different than those using the contact centre. This means the page allowed Peel Public Health to help more parents. • The Region of Peel is seen as a leader in using social media to extend service delivery, as exemplified by numerous requests for consultation from other Public Health units and organizations interested in embarking on social media strategies. Staff have also been invited to present on the project at various conference, including the Dietitians of Canada, Pediatric Nurses Interest Group (Registered Nurses of Ontario), and Community Health Nurses of Canada. • Client sentiment/interest analysis has informed new content for the Parenting In Peel website including information on newborn care, attachment, nutrition and labour and birth. • Staff found the extension of their skills to the social media platform to be a positive development experience. Staff working on the project completed weekly surveys and face-to-face interviews to evaluate their satisfaction. • Maintained an average “People Talking About This” score over 140 • Engaged over 50 users per day, on average Outputs: • Significant increase in web traffic – 253,934 views in 2011 to 315,845 in 2012 an increase of 24% (or 61,911 views) • Exceeded 800 likes six months after launch (more than doubling project targets). Topped 2,202 likes by Dec. 31, 2012, an average of 115 new likes per month (page currently has over 2,341 likes) • Achieved coverage in the Mississauga News and Brampton Guardian (the region’s two largest media outlets), the Toronto Star (full page editorial), three mommy blogs and various other publications

138 IABC Ovation Award 2013

Entrant: Patrick Casey, Director, Corporate Communications Organization: The Regional Municipality of York Division/Category: Division 1: Communication Management, Category 13: Social Media Title of Entry: The Policy before the Page: York Region’s Social Media Launch Time Period of Project: January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2012 Recognition Summary: Tasked with developing a social media presence for York Region, Corporate Communications led the development and implementation of a comprehensive social media Policy, Guidelines and training program. The Region’s approach to social media proved effective, establishing a strong foundation that would successfully guide issues management and set the stage for social media results that far exceeded internal objectives.

Business Need and Opportunity The Regional Municipality of York is a confederation of nine municipalities and provides services to 1.1 million residents and 41,000 businesses that employ 516,000 people. The Region’s services include transportation services, transit, water, wastewater, solid waste management, policing, emergency services, human services and planning services. York Regional Council sets policies, direction and budgets for York Region.

As York Region continues to grow, the needs of our customers continue to evolve. With technological advancements changing the way our customers interact and receive information, Regional Council identified the need to “Increase public awareness of Regional services and programs through effective use of multiple communication channels”, including social media, as one of the key priorities in its 2011 – 2015 Strategic Plan to ensure York Region remains user-friendly to meet the needs of the communities we serve.

Initial research indicated individuals were talking and seeking information about York Region’s services on social media. Without a Regional social media presence, the comments were unacknowledged and inaccurate information was often provided. On social media, people were talking about York Region, but we were not a part of the conversation. Early on, this identified the need to establish a social media presence on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Linkedin.

The Region continues to be recognized as one of Canada and the GTA’s top employers. This recognition demonstrated that York Region residents and businesses continue to be well served by York Region staff and the high quality programs and services they receive. York Region acknowledged that future recognition as a top employer will rely on our ability to communicate our services in new ways and through the advancement of innovative corporate and human resource initiatives, including social media.

In 2010, the need to develop a policy to guide the launch of York Region social media channels was reinforced by informal and formal research:  Five of York Region’s nine local municipalities were already dabbling in social media, but a Regional presence/voice was lacking  Informal surveys with other municipalities showed they were on social media (The Region of Waterloo, City of St. Catharine’s, City of Calgary)  Assessment from a third-party consultant demonstrated the need and potential to use social media to deliver business value  Declining number of York Region media outlets in York Region made sharing information about York Region services more challenging than ever. This solidified the need to launch social media channels enabling us to engage directly with residents with two-way communication

Intended Audience (s)  External: 1.1 million residents across nine local municipalities, spanning 1756 km2 ; media (local, GTA); 41,000 businesses; visitors  Internal: York Region Senior Management Team (includes Chief Administrative Officer and six Commissioners representing six Regional departments); 3,900+ employees; 17 site moderators (employees authorized to post on behalf of York Region on corporate social media channels); 21 members of Regional Council

139 Goals/Objectives

Goal: To establish a Regional presence on social media to increase public awareness of York Region’s services and programs.

Objectives: 1. Obtain corporate approval to launch social media sites (Facebook and Twitter) in 2011 2. Develop Social Media and Collaboration Policy and Guidelines by end of Q2 2011 3. Launch corporate Facebook and Twitter pages summer 2011 and achieve 500 followers in the first six months (June 30 to December 31 2011) 4. Launch YouTube channel in 2012 5. Launch LinkedIn page in 2012 to support recruitment and retention 6. Increase Facebook and Twitter following by 1,000 on each channel by the end of 2012

Solution Overview York Region took a conservative, multi-phase approach in establishing a Regional presence on social media. When answering “What comes first, the Page or the Policy?” we chose the policy. Establishing and implementing a comprehensive Policy and Guidelines helped alleviate senior-level concerns about social media participation and established a strong foundation for the organization’s social media participation.

Phase 1 – Planning and Development  York Region opted to have representatives (i.e. Site Moderators, individuals who have permission to post on behalf of the organization) from each department post on behalf of York Region because there was not a dedicated resource to support social media on behalf of the entire organization  In partnership with key internal stakeholders (IT, Legal, Human Resources, Information Records Management), Corporate Communications developed a Social Media and Collaboration Policy (rules that articulate York Region’s position on social media and govern staff use and behaviour) (WS#1) and Guidelines (rules that provide site-specific procedures) (WS#2)  York Region’s policy focuses on commonly used applications (Facebook, Twitter and YouTube), however was developed so that other social media applications must still follow the terms laid out in the policy and guidelines  Corporate Communications also created a Corporate Social Media Application Form for departments wishing to explore social media channel for a specific Regional service (i.e. YRT/Viva, York Region’s transit service) (WS#3); The application helps ensure there is enough information to warrant a social media account for a specific service and requires departments to establish a business case and answer questions, including: Does your department have the resources to manage it? What is your plan for content? What are the timelines? Is this an ongoing initiative or is there an end date?  Social Media Policy and Guidelines were made available to all Regional staff and have been incorporated as part of new employee training  Social Media Guidelines were shared with all site moderators

Phase II – Educating and Training Staff on Social Media  Educating and training employees on the Policy/Guidelines and the role social media plays in enhancing communications was a major component of this phase  Corporate Communications developed mandatory social media training (WS#4) for all site moderators that aligned with the Guidelines  Across the organization, 17 site moderators have been trained and participate in monthly meetings to discuss key learnings, best practices, changes to social media platforms  The corporate Policy, Guidelines and training incorporated tips on how to conduct yourself online on behalf of York Region and things to be mindful of when posting content  Training and guidelines are established to help, not hinder, and give confidence when participating in online discussions  Site moderators and Corporate Communications are the only employees authorized to speak on behalf of York Region on social media  Site moderators are responsible for creating and uploading content, monitoring posts, correcting/removing misinformation and responding to queries/concerns  Guidelines were developed to provide site moderators with appropriate terms of use; requirements to be aware of and comply with all applicable laws, regulations and policies, terms of service of social networking sites, and all administrative/HR policies (i.e. Code of Conduct, Information Records Management policies)  Social media is always changing and York Region guidelines and training are adaptable for future use

Phase III – Implementation and Monitored Participation 140  Created and prepared corporate Facebook (www.facebook.com/yorkregion) (WS#5A) and Twitter (www.twitter.com/yorkregiongovt) (WS#5B) pages  Researched and purchased HootSuite account for all site moderators to access to streamline posting and monitoring  Launched corporate Facebook and Twitter pages on June 30, 2011, officially marking York Region’s entrance into social media. In 2012, York Region created/published corporate YouTube page (www.youtube.com/YorkRegionGovt) (WS#5C) and corporate LinkedIn page (www.linkedin.com) (WS#5D)  Issued news release to encourage media followers (WS#6)  Policy and Guidelines proved successful and provided direction on how employees are expected to govern themselves on behalf of York Region and helped guide the nature of public participation, providing guidance on managing confrontation, obscene language, online solicitation etc.  Since launch, site moderators have effectively posted content to York Region’s social media pages in a tone and manner reflective of York Region and consistent with corporate key messages  To comply with Information Records Management (i.e. the need to save all social media content in accordance with municipal standards), Corporate Communications worked with the records management team and developed site moderators archiving process for Facebook and Twitter posts (WS#7)

Implementation and Challenges York Region’s foray into social media was not without its challenges. Challenges include establishing a social media presence with limited resources and amassing followers despite the fact that internal access to social media is blocked. York Region’s strong foundational policy proved effective in guiding social media participation in the face of significant challenges including a lengthy labour disruption.

Limited resources and budget  Challenge: $0 budget from 2010 – 2011 (it took a year and a half of staff time to prepare and establish York Region presence on social media; Corporate Communications Director and two Communications Specialists worked on planning, educating and implementing the social media strategy, in addition to their regular workload  Solution: Corporate Communications reallocated $3,200 in the department budget to pay for HootSuite subscription; used corporate resources wisely, by empowering 17 site moderators to collect, post, monitor and archive content; with no advertising budget, York Region added social media handles on all Corporate Communications materials to promote channels and increase following (media materials, giveaway merchandise, etc.)  In 2012, Corporate Communications set aside $7,000 for HootSuite subscription, $3,200 for Facebook Sponsored Stories and $14,000 for banner advertising on York Region Media Group (www.yorkregion.com) (WS#8)  In 2012, Human Resources allocated $32,000 to support the Corporate LinkedIn page

Restricted access for employees (perception of lost productivity)  Challenge: Senior Management Team is hesitant about opening social media access to all employees, with the perception of loss productivity; only site moderators and Corporate Communications have access to social media on work computers and BlackBerries  Solution: Corporate Communications recognizes that employees are York Region’s strongest ambassadors and has submitted a 2013 business case to open access to all staff; If open access is approved, this is a cost-free option to increase following exponentially in 2013, providing exposure to 3,900+ employees

Special Circumstance: 2011/12 YRT/Viva Transit Strike  Challenge: Four months after launching York Region’s social media channels, 60 per cent of the Region’s transit drivers and mechanics were on strike. The strike lasted three months and affected 44,000 riders daily  Solution: Use social media channels as a key resource for real-time updates to the public and media  Social media became a powerful tool to communicate in a crisis situation  A minimum of once per day, daily strike status update were posted to Facebook and Twitter regarding alternate service info, status of negotiations, delay expectations based on picketing activity, links to FAQs and news articles of interest  Daily posts became starting points for lengthy debates between riders, residents, picketing bus drivers and union officials; media also made their presence known and visited York Region’s pages for updates and to solicit interviews with key contributors to the conversation  Riders experienced significant hardships throughout the strike and social media provided opportunities to vent, give/receive support, pose questions and obtain information from York Region  Social media also served as a strong indicator of the current state of public opinion regarding York Region’s position in the dispute, providing helpful insight in developing media key messaging  At the height of the strike, traffic to the Facebook page generated 1,200+ comments per week, providing valuable two- way communications between the community and York Region  Facebook and Twitter gained several hundred new followers over the course of the strike  Facebook grew from 285 to 984 likes; Twitter grew from 682 to 1,261 followers 141  Although new users may have joined with a strike focus in mind, regular postings concerning other business areas allowed for cross-sectional education on York Region programs/services  The strike was York Region’s first opportunity to communicate crisis information over social media and York Region’s planning and development phase proved useful as staff referred to the policy when dealing with offensive or profane comments, etc. (WS#9)  Strike engagement on social media resulted in the top Facebook post for 2012 and the top three most popular tweets on Twitter based on clicks for 2012  Corporate Communications received correspondence from the Province of Ontario following the strike commending us for our social media use. At the provincial level, our communications are being viewed as a case study for successful application of social media in a crisis

Measurement/Evaluation

2011 Results  Based on extensive planning and development, Corporate Communications obtained necessary corporate approval and support to launch Facebook and Twitter in 2011  Since our 2011 launch, York Region has achieved significant, steady growth and engagement on all social media channels (Note: York Region uses Facebook analytics and HootSuite to measure and evaluate results)  Channels have housed thousands of postings, generated thousands of comments and messages have been shared above and beyond our traditional base audience  York Region developed social media Policy and Guidelines and posted them to intranet; policy and guidelines especially deemed effective during YRT/Viva strike  In the first six months of launching, the York Region Facebook page had 836 likes (exceeded objective by 336 likes or 67%) and Twitter had 1,100 followers (exceeded goal by 600 or 120%)  York Region initially achieved a significant following using low-cost or no-cost grassroots promotion methods

2012 Results (WS#10)  Launched YouTube channel in 2012 resulting in 30 videos, 7320+ video views, 5700+ minutes watched  Launched LinkedIn page through HR in 2012 to support recruitment and retention  HR feedback: In a short period of time LinkedIn has proven to be a valuable tool for advertising a variety of positions and profiling York Region as a great place to work. While it was only introduced in 2012, we have seen that a large number of candidates are hearing about our vacancies through LinkedIn. It is a cost effective way to advertise our positions relative to other forms of advertising.  Facebook following increased by 2,078 likes (exceeding objective by 1,078 or 108%); Twitter following increased by 1,220 (exceeding objective by 220 or 22%) with Klout score of 53  York Region achieved increased followings with effective use of Facebook sponsored stories  Social media updates about York Region road conditions are frequently RT by Amber Payie @AmberTraffic (traffic reporter for CP24, 104.5, Chum FM, Flow 93.5, TSN Radio 1050) and @680NewsTraffic RTs our info to 11,000+ followers  Obtained celebrity endorsement on a York Region Public Heath video (i.e. Annie Clark, Degrassi star)  In 2012, with Senior Management Team approval and due to the demonstrated success of social media, Corporate Communications converted a vacant Communications Specialist position into a Media and Design Manager position to oversee corporate social media development in 2013 (budget: $180,000 annually)

Overall Results  York Region’s strong social media Policy, Guidelines and training, effectively supported the launch of our corporate Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn accounts. Under the direction of Corporate Communications, with the support of York Region’s Senior Management Team and the assistance of 17 dedicated Site Moderators, the Region’s social media presence has proven successful and has generated results that support Regional Council’s objective to “Increase public awareness of Regional services and programs through effective use of multiple communication channels.” 142 Entrants Name: Joanne Kearney Organization Name: Vale Canada Division Two: Communication Skills Category Sixteen: Multimedia or Digital Content Title of Entry: Vale Canada: Campus Recruitment – Dig Where You Work Recruitment Initiative Time Period Of Project: September 2012 – December 2012 Recognition Summary: The Dig Where You Work Campus Recruitment Initiative was designed to build awareness of career opportunities at Vale for engineering and geology graduates. Graduates were offered a glimpse into life at Vale in Canada through a series of light-hearted videos hosted on a mobile landing page accessible anywhere and anytime utilizing the technology best known to students – hand held devices.

Business Need/Opportunity Vale Canada is the third largest mining company in Canada. Headquartered in Toronto, Vale Canada is home to Vale’s global Base Metals business, the second largest nickel producer in the world. Vale employs over 15,000 people at its base metals operations in Canada and around the world.

Over the course of 2011 and 2012, Vale’s number one business priority was recruitment and retention. With operations in the northern, and often remote, communities of Thompson, Manitoba, Voisey’s Bay, Newfoundland and Sudbury, Ontario, Vale could not find enough candidates to fill vacant positions. This issue was not unique to Vale. The entire Canadian mining industry faced severe labour market challenges and tens of thousands of skilled positions would be vacant in the next decade to keep the industry robust. Research from the Mining Industry Human Resources Council (MiHR) indicated that even with the most pessimistic forecast, the industry would need to hire nearly 60,000 workers by 2020 to meet demand. A period of relative stability in the sector would see hiring requirements balloon to 100,000.

Vale Canada developed a strategy for talent acquisition that aimed to attract skilled workers to the organization in the short, medium and long term. A key pillar of this strategy was to “Grow Our Own” talent pool and fill the talent pipeline with recent graduates. The “Grow Our Own” strategy targeted graduate students at Canada’s leading mining universities and encouraged them to apply for Vale Canada’s world-class Engineer-in-Training (EIT) and Geologist-in-Training (GIT) program. This program offers recent graduates the experience needed to complete their designation and define their own career path. With a goal to position Vale Canada as the mining company with the best opportunity to build a big sustainable career, the company set it sights on engaging students on campuses across Canada in an innovative, cool and accessible way. We did this through the Dig Where You Work campus recruitment initiative – a video series, interactive career quiz and mobile landing page.

Research To prepare for the campus recruitment season, extensive research was conducted with the target audience – Engineering and Geology students and recent graduates. This involved telephone and face-to-face interviews with students from across Canada in order to capture the mindset of young graduates and understand how they make career decisions. Discussions stemmed from qualitative questions, such as: § Impressions of the heavy industrial field as a promising area of employment. § Impressions of Canada’s natural resources and mining sector. Key strengths and weaknesses. § Personality traits of engineering and geology students. § Employment opportunities and threats. § Methods of communication and consumption of media.

Our findings were extensive. Students identified the industrial and natural resources sectors as industries where one can make a good salary and live in many different locations in Canada and abroad. Insights proved that students and graduates are very conscious of a company’s safety and environmental sustainability record and will choose not to work for a company that has a tarnished reputation. Interviewees stated companies should increase their presence on Canadian campuses through branding, information tools and recruitment sessions. They identified that they searched for jobs at the university career centre and through recruitment sessions. Students were eager to fully understand what it would be like working for a large mining company. Not surprisingly, this audience consumes information via the Internet; spends a significant amount of time online reading the news and being social; and likes to receive information ‘on the go’.

In addition to research interviews, the team attended a variety of campus recruitment conferences that offered insights into attracting recent graduates. We learned that students enjoy testimonials from recent graduates; crave videos that are attention grabbing as well as insightful into the organization; and seek easy access to applying for job positions. 143

Intended Audience The intended audience was students and graduates enrolled in engineering or geology programs at Canada’s best mining universities. Communication efforts targeted male and females equally, with a focus on the 19 to 25- age range. The psychographics of this audience included: § Understanding that career growth depends on what employers can offer in terms of experience, mentorship and corporate success factors. § Sensitivities to an employer’s environmental and safety record. While CSR is not a motivator to join a company, without a proactive commitment to constant social responsibility improvement, graduates would discard the company as a viable option. § The desire to have a stable and sustainable career, despite uncertainty in the markets.

Goals/Objectives The overall goal was to attract recent graduates from engineering and geology programs to Vale’s world-class EIT and GIT training program.

The following objectives aimed to achieve the above stated goal: § Increase the awareness of Vale as a first choice employer for engineering and geology graduates by receiving over 2,500 visitors to the mobile site and Recent Graduates page § Increase Vale Canada’s attractiveness by over 15% as the resource company offering graduates the best opportunity to build big sustainable careers § Build a simple, innovative and engaging tool to provide the necessary information to interested candidates § Increase the number of engineering and geology graduates applying to the Geology-in-Training (GIT) and Engineer-in-Training (EIT) programs at Vale and receive over 500 applications

Solution Overview

The Dig Where You Work recruitment initiative was developed based on the insights gathered through research. Keeping in mind audience psychographics, content of the videos and the mobile site was designed to build awareness of career opportunities at Vale for engineering and geology graduates. The tools actually showed graduates what their career could look like: 1. Create a Video Series to show, rather than tell, graduates what their career at Vale could look like. § The Dig Where You Work Video Series brought viewers 7,940 feet underground at Creighton Mine in Sudbury to examine engineering ground control and see with their own eyes the nickel deposit; explored the Copper Cliff Smelter to oversee the process behind skimming and tapping; explored for new nickel deposits in the wilderness surrounding Greater Sudbury; and participated in the R&D process behind nickel refining at Vale’s Technology Development Centre in Mississauga, Ontario. 2. Create a tool that graduates are familiar with and that is easily accessible while on-the-go § A mobile landing page [http://www.valejobs.ca/grads], accessible through hand-held devices, hosted the videos for easy-access on the go. Upon watching the videos, graduates received more information through the Dig Where You Work Career Quiz. Using real-life Vale career examples, graduates were encouraged to envision where a career at Vale could take them. 3. Provide many opportunities for graduates to easily apply to the program § Apply Now button on every page of the mobile landing page and the student page on Vale’s recruitment website, provided a link to the Vale job board that allowed graduates to immediately apply for a EIT/GIT position. 4. Make the tools accessible and provide frequent opportunity to inform § The URL was included on every piece of campus recruitment communication, as was a QR code that graduates could scan to gain direct access to the mobile site. § Created Vale at the Movies at our career fair booths and recruitment information sessions that featured our Dig Where You Work video series, complete with show times posters, movie tickets and Vale-branded popcorn. § Transported Vale at the Movies across Canada, attending over 15 on-campus career fairs and information sessions. § Posted a calendar of events so students could find us anywhere, anytime across Canada. § Utilized recruitment partner websites - Workopolis, TalentEgg and LinkedIn - to build awareness of the tools and share virally through their existing social media channels.

2 Vale Canada: Campus Recruitment – Dig Where You Work Recruitment Initiative 144 Budget: § The total budget for the Dig Where You Work recruitment initiative was CDN $150,000. This included: research, strategy and communications tools management; video production; website and mobile tool development; communication materials to market the tools (show times posters, ticket stubs, popcorn and branded bags) and execution across career fairs.

Implementation and Challenges Throughout the execution of the recruitment initiative we faced a couple key challenges: § The QR code that was designed as a quick way for students and graduates to access the Dig Where You Work tools did not pick up in popularity. We found that most students and graduates did not use QR codes on a day-to-day basis and that the gadget was obsolete to our target audience. In the middle of the execution, we refined the emphasis we placed on accessing the tools via QR code and reverted to the traditional URL. § As we launched our Dig Where You Work tools, the mining industry in Canada and globally faced economic instability. With market fluctuation causing this instability in the sector, Vale Canada scaled back the number of EIT/GIT positions available. As a result, we also scaled back the number of campus recruitment events we attended. This meant we had to rely less on word-of-mouth and more on promoting the tools via viral means.

Measurement/Evaluation The overall communications goal was met by achieving the key communications objectives. Using Google Analytics and tracking the attendance to the Vale Canada booth and information sessions, we achieved the following results:

§ Objective: Increase the awareness of Vale as a first choice employer for engineering and geology graduates by receiving over 2,500 visitors to the mobile site and Recent Graduates page Result: 4,927 visitors to the mobile site and Recent Graduates page

§ Objective: Increase Vale Canada’s attractiveness by over 15% as the resource company offering graduates the best opportunity to build big sustainable careers Result: The videos were viewed 7,445 times online and by students who visited the Vale Canada booth and attended information sessions at career fairs. According to Randstad Canada, Vale’s attractiveness relative to name awareness increased from 28% (2010) to 45% (2012).

§ Objective: Build a simple, innovative and engaging tool to provide the necessary information to interested candidates Result: Testimonials o "The Vale Dig Where You Work Videos were funny and refreshing – I couldn't wait to watch more!" - Queen's Student

o "I loved how interactive the videos were. They really showed me what real-life would be like if I got a job working for Vale." - U of T Campus Career Fair Attendee

o "The Vale videos and Dig Where You Work materials were truly the most unique tools at our career fair. Their approach was unique and made them stand out from other companies." - Dalhousie Career Office representative

o "I attended the Vale Information Session at U of M where they showed us some of the Dig Where You Work videos. I enjoyed them so much that I went back to their booth at the Career Fair to watch more!" - U of M student

o "We were so thrilled to have Vale back at our Career Fair after a few years hiatus. Their Dig Where You Work video series and marketing materials created immense buzz. They were the shining star of the Career Fair!" - Lakehead University Career Office

§ Objective: Increase the number of engineering and geology graduates applying to the Geology-in-Training (GIT) and Engineer-in-Training (EIT) programs at Vale and receive over 500 applications Result: 1,482 applications to the EIT and GIT program

3 Vale Canada: Campus Recruitment – Dig Where You Work Recruitment Initiative 145

Entrant’s name: Diane Bégin, APR Organization’s name: Thornley Fallis Communications for the Heart & Stroke Foundation Division and category: Division 2: Communication Skills, Category 16: Multimedia or Digital Content Title of entry: Different Drum – Rock star makes Canadians aware of the dangers of an irregular heartbeat Time period of project: May-December 2012 Recognition summary: Atrial Fibrillation (AF or A-Fib) is a condition involving an irregular heart rhythm, known as an arrhythmia. It is the most common type of arrhythmia, affecting approximately 350,000 Canadians, with about 1,000,000 additional Canadians unaware they may also be at risk. In 2012, the Heart & Stroke Foundation approached Thornley Fallis to put together an online campaign to create awareness around the issue.

1. BUSINESS NEED/OPPORTUNITY

Atrial Fibrillation (AF or A-Fib) is a condition involving an irregular heart rhythm, known as an arrhythmia. It is the most common type of arrhythmia, affecting approximately 350,000 Canadians. The Heart & Stroke Foundation (HSF) estimates that an additional 1,000,000 Canadians may have it and may not be aware which presents imminent danger given that those with Atrial Fibrillation also have a risk of stroke that is three to five times greater than those without AF.

In 2012, the Heart & Stroke Foundation approached Thornley Fallis to put together an online campaign to create awareness around the issue. HSF already had a strong online presence with a resource-filled website, including patient story videos about the condition. They also had French and English social media channels including Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, where HSF content was regularly being shared.

The purpose of this AF online campaign was to attract additional traffic to the AF website resources and to support concurrent HSF promotional efforts including nurse-staffed booths at events across Canada, AF presentations to community groups and marketing collateral distributed through existing AF channels.

2. INTENDED AUDIENCE(S)

The markets were French and English Canada with target audiences including:  Primary 60+ men and women  Secondary 50+ adult children concerned and involved in their parents‟ health

In general, these two audiences were not aware of AF, its impact on stroke risk or the symptoms that may indicate the presence of AF. The following characteristics generally define these audiences  Interested in health, for themselves and for friends and loved ones  Strong predisposition to share their new knowledge with others  Strong predisposition to talk to their doctors about AF  Active users of email to communicate  Actively search for health information online with greatest interest in specific disease/condition information, followed by information on medication and symptoms

According to Forrester‟s technographic profiles the largest group of online Canadians aged 55+ are spectators (46 per cent). This means that they are most likely to simply consume content as opposed to create or comment.

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3. GOALS/OBJECTIVES

The goal of the campaign was to increase awareness of Atrial Fibrillation as a risk factor for stroke by • Educating Canadians on the signs and signals of AF and the urgency to see a doctor • Closing the gap of those 1,000,000 individuals unaware of the risk and undiagnosed with AF by driving them to the website to get informed • Motivating those “diagnosed” with AF but not acting on it to take action

Recognizing it is difficult to measure the outcome of increased awareness and increased doctor visits, the measures to track success of the videos (May to December 2012) were defined as the following outputs:  Reaching 20,000 video views on YouTube  Driving 6,790 views for the English website and 9,170* views for the French website (*French site had more views than the English, which was not representative of the population)  Generating 151,380 overall impressions based on all types of media platforms (combined paid, earned and owned tactics used for the campaign)

4. SOLUTION OVERVIEW

Creating meaningful and informative online content is important. It can lead Canadians down the right path and can influence crucial life decisions. It can also help to save lives, particularly for those who don‟t know they‟re living on borrowed time.

Getting people to read, watch or listen to something that‟s “good for them” however is a different matter. Clearly, the Heart & Stroke Foundation recognized the dilemma so the challenge was to find an approach that would capture people‟s attention so that they would want to consume the information being created for the campaign. We needed to create a hook, while ensuring the content was clinically acceptable and credible. Content that is funny, shocking, embarrassing or candid is often what gets shared online. The challenge was therefore attracting some attention without compromising the message or the brand itself.

The objective of the digital campaign was to raise awareness directly and drive traffic to the HSF webpage for AF, where the user sees comprehensive and engaging content that makes them feel supported and empowered to self-manage their condition more effectively. (www.heartandstroke.ca/bepulseaware and www.fmcoeur.ca/attentionaupouls) After reviewing the research, the objectives and goals for the program, the Thornley Fallis team decided that video would be the best tool to proactively create more awareness and to attract traffic to the resources available. Thornley Fallis would create two “flare videos” (French and English) to promote AF. These high impact creative „showpiece‟ videos could be promoted and act as a funnel to the other pool of Heart & Stroke Foundation AF online content. This would then be supplemented with earned, owned and paid media tactics.

March 2012 data from Ipsos Media CT confirmed that almost half of Canadians watched more videos online than they had the previous year. On average Canadians watched eight videos per week. The same research also reported that while Canadians watch video for entertainment, videos also help drive action. The top reported action was to search for more information (18 per cent). This confirmed our proposed approach to use video.

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After discussing a few scenarios to determine what would be possible with talent availability and budget restrictions, TF and HSF arrived at the humorous “Different Drum” concept.

The concept was a creative play off the “irregular‟ characteristics of Atrial Fibrillation and a parody of a medical research video.

The video starts with a doctor (played by an actor) introducing viewers to a stubborn patient who, like so many Canadians, ignores A-Fib. The MD‟s solution is to have the patient physically tethered to a quirky drummer - a human heart monitor - who plays off rhythm whenever the patient‟s heartbeat is irregular. We see the patient in various everyday scenarios with the drummer in tow.

The drummer was Jeremy Taggart @taggart7 from Our Lady Peace, an added celebrity component would also get attention from music related media. Jeremy agreed to perform in the video pro bono because he believed in the awareness initiative.

See the videos in English http://bit.ly/bepulseawarevideo and in French http://bit.ly/attentionaupoulsvideo.

The total budget for the online awareness campaign was $72,675 including planning, video production in French and English and some paid, earned and owned promotional tactics.

5. IMPLEMENATION AND CHALLEGES

Shortly after the project and budget were approved, it was established that the video would have to be available both in French and English. Knowing that subtitling would not be sufficient to capture a French Canadian audience, the script was instead written so that it could be delivered in both languages with minimal editing.

A bilingual actor was hired to play the doctor and his scenes were shot in both languages. The bilingual scenes were then edited with the dialogue free shots to deliver very similar end products for both languages.

In order to build the awareness around A-Fib and drive views of the videos, a number of initiatives were taken leading up to the release of the videos, including the following earned, owned and paid initiatives:  Wrote email pitch to bloggers/online media that would also serve as copy for HSF e- newsletter communications  Wrote sample Facebook posts and tweets (with appropriate keywords and hashtags) to be posted by HSF in May/June  Planned Facebook and YouTube paid promotions including development of ads and placement considerations

The videos were first previewed through a pitch to a select list of bloggers in advance of stroke month in June. Although A-Fib was not a main focus during stroke month, we were able to use the theme to promote the video to bloggers and online news media. The videos were launched in concert with Heart and Stroke‟s Ride for Heart program. At the outset of our promotion, much of the “official” heart and stroke voice was missing from the conversation on social channels. As the video started gaining momentum and getting attention the HSF voice became the most powerful and resulted in the most retweets of the video on Twitter. The HSF was the key driver of volume on Twitter.

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The French speaking social media audience for A-Fib was very small so demographics for the ads on YouTube and Facebook had to be extended to the entire French-speaking social media audience. Clearly the ads still resonated with the expanded audience that was not immediately at risk for the condition. This finding would make us consider expanding the English ad spend on future projects, in order to also capture the children and grandchildren of those over the age of 65.

Throughout May and June, the TF team sought opportunities to share the content through various online means including reaching out to health organizations and online health media.

6. MEASUREMENT AND EVALUATION

By the end of Dec. 2012, the objectives were achieved as follows:

Educating Canadians on the signs and signals of AF and the urgency to see a doctor, as measured by those whose attention was captured by the “flare video” that spoke of the symptoms.  37,291 video views (86% above the objective of 20,000 views) including o 30,681 views (English) o 6,610 views (French) The videos had a call to action to visit the website for more information, which contributed to a significant increase in views to the AF pages.

Motivating those “diagnosed” with AF but not acting on it to take action, as measured by those taking action by getting more informed about the condition.  63,259 unique views (296% above the objectives of 6,790 views for the English website and 9,170 views for the French website) including o 42,836 unique views (English) o 20,423 unique views (French)

Closing the gap of those 1,000,000 individuals unaware of the risk and undiagnosed with AF by driving them to the website to get informed, as measured the number of people overall made aware of the risk.  1,018,200 impressions based on all types of media platforms used for the campaign including Facebook and YouTube ads, social sharing, blog coverage etc. (573% above the objective of 151,380 impressions)

Other noted successes of the program included  By mid-July the videos had already well surpassed their objectives for viewership.  An average cost per click of $0.28 on the YouTube video campaigns (target was $0.50 or lower). The lowest cost per click occurred in PEI at $0.19 per click.  The use of a celebrity rocker in the video helped provide some additional coverage through social media (Jeremy Taggart, drummer for Our lady Peace @taggart7 and Our Lady Peace @OurLadyPeace) and traditional media including Yahoo Music.  Health outlets (WebMD/TheHeart.org) and health organizations (Canadian Patient Safety Institute) also shared these resources via their social media channels.

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2013 OVATION Award Judges

Linda Andross, ABC President, APEX Public Relations IABC/Toronto President Linda (@APEXLinda) is the President of APEX PR (www.apexpr.com), an award‐winning, Canadian 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 is actively involved with IABC as 2012‐13 President, as well as with the ABC Accreditation College. 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.

Maliha Aqeel, PMP Director, Member Engagement Institute of Corporate Directors With over 12 years' experience in corporate and financial communications, Maliha Aqeel heads Square Mile Communications. A global practitioner, she has worked extensively on capital market transactions and market entry campaigns in EMEA, South East Asia and North America. Her portfolio includes national and global programs in the areas of brand positioning, reputation management, stakeholder relations, CSR, internal communications, executive positioning and media relations for several prestigious clients such as NASDAQ Dubai, NASDAQ OMX Group, Dubai Group, GlaxoSmithKline, Cathay Pacific, Noor Investment Group, and Dubai International Capital, among others. She holds a masters in Strategic Marketing from University of Wollongong, Australia and certificates in Investor Relations, Reputation Management and Advanced Social Media. She is also a licensed Project Management Professional.

Iliana Arapis, ABC, MA Senior-level Communications and PR Professional With over 20 years experience in Corporate Communications, Iliana 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 enjoying a leave from corporate life to be with her son and is volunteering with both the IABC and the AFP. 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.

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Louise Armstrong Senior Writer, Corporate Marketing, Foresters IABC/Toronto Executive Vice President Louise 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. Currently, Louise is a Senior Writer at Foresters where she creates content for print and online marketing materials. A long-time industry volunteer, Louise is the incoming President of IABC/Toronto. 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, www.acallforclass.com. Louise graduated from Humber College in Toronto with an Honours Diploma in Public Relations.

Jennifer Arnott, ABC Communications Manager Revera Inc. Jennifer has more than a dozen years of professional communications experience in the not-for-profit, corporate, and government sectors, including 5 years with Canada Post. While 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 representing the company as corporate spokesperson on many occasions, and gained a reputation within the Canada Post GTA operations team as someone who could successfully develop and deliver strategic communications that helped the operations team meet their key performance indicators. Jennifer recently joined Revera, one of Canada’s leading providers of seniors accommodation, care and services. 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 a Certificate in Spanish Language and a Certificate in Horticultural Science from Humber College.

Kimberley Bates, APR, BJ Director of Communications Ministry of Transportation Kimberley Bates, BJ APR, is currently Communications Director for the Ministry of Transportation’s Communications Branch, an award-winning, full service department that provides strategic advice, counsel and support to senior executives on matters of road safety, infrastructure, drivers and vehicles and transit. Kimberley brings to her job a passion for helping the government communicate in a clear understandable way to stakeholders, on issues of importance to them. A commitment to being a life- long student of the communications field, her experiences have led her to take on a broad range of assignments with increasing responsibility: municipal governments, the Ontario Bar Association, Tim Horton Donut Ltd., Rogers Media, the Attorney General of Ontario, Urban Pest Management Council, Management Board (now MGS), Ministry of Economic Development and Trade and the Ontario Media Development Corporation. Kimberley trained as a journalist at Carleton University and obtained an Honours BJ in Journalism (english and economics). She has volunteered on a number of association and industry committees including publicity, judging and programs. She was nominated Executive Coach of the Province’s (and currently) the Ministry’s Developing Leaders Program. She is a long time mentor for IABC and the Province’s New Canadians program. 151

Priya Bates, ABC, MC Senior Director, Internal Communications, Loblaw Companies Limited IABC/Toronto Past President 2001/2002 Priya Bates is professional business communicator who helps employees support their organization’s objectives through awareness, understanding, belief and action. At present, Priya is Senior Director, Internal Communications at Loblaw Companies Limited (Loblaw) and helps the Company demonstrate best-in-class communications that engage employees and result in more effective outcomes for the business. Prior to Loblaw, Priya spent close to eight years at Hewlett Packard (HP) Canada and Compaq Canada where she led Internal Communications and Corporate Philanthropy. Priya is accredited by the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) and was recently recognized as a Master Communicator, a lifetime achievement awarded by IABC Canada. Priya has a Bachelor of Science from the University of Western Ontario, and is a graduate of the Humber College Public Relations Program.

Darlene Bullard, MA Director, Corporate Communications Darlene is a seasoned communications professional with a proven track record managing and implementing corporate communications programs for organizations ranging in size from small association groups to large global organizations. Most recently she worked in financial services where she lead a team responsible for communications, marketing, event planning, web communications, strategic planning and brand development. Darlene holds a Masters Degree in English Literature from the University of Waterloo.

Brent Carey, ABC Director, Communications, Mattamy Homes Limited IABC/Toronto Past President 2009/2010

Richard Chartash Senior-level Communications and PR Professional

Suzanna Cohen, ABC Senior Manager, Global Compliance Reporting and Communications, TD Bank Group IABC/Toronto VP, Accreditation & Standards Suzanna Cohen, ABC, has more than 15 years of broad experience in corporate communications, media relations, event management, and marketing in a number of industries. She currently manages global communications, reporting and employee initiatives for TD Bank Group’s compliance function and has also worked for the bank’s Corporate and Public Affairs department. Suzanna currently serves on the IABC/Toronto board as Vice President, Accreditation and Standards. She has extensive experience in IABC Awards judging, having served as a Director of the IABC/Canada Silver Leaf Awards and OVATIONS Director of Judging. Suzanna also volunteers with Habitat for Humanity Toronto providing communications counsel to the CEO and training to its partner families.

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Janet Comeau, ABC Principal, Corporate Communications solutions, ALTkey Solutions Inc. IABC/Toronto Past President 2007/2008 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 volunteer for the chapter, most recently as chair of the Communicator of the Year judging panel.

Jennifer Conron, BA, BArch, LEED AP Marketing Manager DTAH Jennifer is a key member of the business development team at DTAH, an architecture, landscape architecture, and urban design firm. With over 20 years of experience managing communications in the design and construction industry she has a strategic understanding of the many factors that influence development. Along with experience in the architecture, engineering and legal sectors, Jennifer also managed communications at the Ontario Association of Architects where she collaborated on the OAA's quarterly journal Perspectives, the Honours and Awards program, and the redesign of the OAA website. Jennifer has a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Toronto, a Bachelor of Administrative and Commercial Studies from the University of Western Ontario, and is a LEED Accredited Professional.

Jacqui d’Eon, ABC, MC, P. Eng., CMC Principal the Communications Department Jacqui is an active volunteer with IABC who was honoured with the Master Communicator designation in recognition of her professional accomplishments and contributions to our profession. Together with a long-time business associate, in 2011 she founded, the Communications Department, dedicated to helping organizations meet their strategic growth objectives with professionally managed communications. Jacqui also is a facilitator for the The Executive Roundtable, a professional engineer and a certified management consultant. She enjoyed a 20 year career with P&G before starting her first business, JAd’E Communications Ltd. which she successfully operated for five years before joining Deloitte, one of her clients, as their Chief Communications Officer - a position she held for nine years. Jacqui’s value as an advisor lies in her ability to grasp the subtle and broader implications of a situation through listening and insightful probing, and to apply her experience and analytical skills to identifying the most strategic solutions.

Dana Dean, APR, BPR Senior Manager, Sales Communication Royal Bank of Canada Dana Dean, APR, is a certified change management and accomplished communications professional with a proven track record of designing, implementing and managing all aspects of outstanding public affairs, corporate and sales communications programs that drive business results. At RBC, Dana develops strategic change communications strategies to ensure employees understand and deliver on RBC’s value proposition and brand. She also creates innovative communications strategies that drive revenue 153

growth for RBC shareholders. Her areas of expertise include: organizational change communications, employee communications, crisis and issues management and social media. Prior to joining RBC, Dana worked for leading international communications agencies providing strategic communications counsel to a wide variety of clients including: Proctor & Gamble, IBM, Mattel, California Wine Institute, Hong Kong Economic & Trade and Japanese External Trade Organizations. She has won numerous communications Awards and is an active member of both the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) and Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS). She holds an APR accreditation and is a past-president of the CPRS Toronto chapter and served on the CPRS National board.

Stephanie Engel, ABC Vice President, APEX Public Relations IABC/Toronto VP, Professional Development A seasoned PR professional with more than 18 years communications experience, Stephanie has a strong background in both the consumer packaged goods and health and wellness fields. Within these areas, she applies her expertise in media relations, event management and stakeholder relations, in helping her clients drive their business development goals. As a Vice President at APEX, she is involved in the strategic planning and execution of consumer campaigns for a number of leading brands including Walmart, Nestle and Johnson & Johnson. Prior to joining APEX, Stephanie ran the consumer practice at a Toronto‐based agency where she led major accounts, such as Evian, Coca‐Cola and Robin Hood. She also spent several years as PR Manager for a major pharmaceutical firm, managing both corporate and product communications. Stephanie holds a B.A. Honours in English Literature from McGill University, and is a graduate of the post‐secondary program in public relations at Humber College. She is also VP of the Professional Development portfolio on the IABC/Toronto Board.

Katy Francis, ABC Senior Strategic Communications Advisor University of Toronto Katy Francis is the Senior Strategic Communications Advisor for the Division of Human Resources & Equity at the University of Toronto. An accredited and award-winning communications professional with over 15 years progressive experience in the communications field, Katy specializes in internal communications, with a particular focus on process improvement, change and issues management, employee engagement and crisis communications. Katy holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from Queen’s University at Kingston, a diploma in Print Journalism from Sheridan College and a Master’s Certificate in Project Management from the George Washington University. Prior to joining U of T in 2011, Katy worked in various communications roles including Manager, Internal Communications at Durham College (Oshawa, Ontario), Manager, Internal Communications at Hudson’s Bay Company (Toronto, Ontario). An active member of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) since 2000, Katy attained her Accredited Business Communicator (ABC) designation in 2005.

Trell Huether Media Relations Specialist, Office of the Information & Privacy Commissioner/ Ontario IABC/Toronto Past President 2011/2012 Trell Huether is a creative communications strategist with many years of public relations agency experience, Trell specializes in media relations, project management and stakeholder engagement. Currently, he is a Media Relations Specialist for the Office of Ontario’s Information and Privacy Commissioner, as well as, IABC/Toronto’s Immediate Past President. Trell has been involved with the 154

chapter for many years leading various portfolios including Awards, Marketing, Volunteers and served as chapter President in 2011/2012.

Jessica Hume, ABC Communications Manager Toronto Region Immigrant Employment Council Jessica 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 Manager from the University of Pretoria, South Africa, where her thesis focused on strategic internal communication in international non-govermental organizations. Originally from Vancouver, she has a BA in Communications from Simon Fraser University.

Amalia Kyriacou Manager, Corporate Communications & Public Affairs Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation Amalia Kyriacou is a strategic communicator with almost 20 years experience creating communications and public relations programs for a variety of industries, including consumer packaged goods, food and nutrition, tourism, economic development and magazine publishing. Since 2007, Amalia has led strategic communications and public relations for the Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership Corporation to build the organization’s reputation for marketing excellence and to engage tourism industry partners. Amalia first joined the Ontario government in 2006 as a Marketing Consultant for the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development & Trade. Prior to working in the Ontario government, Amalia spent nine years as Director of Communications with the Food & Consumer Products of Canada, an industry association representing Canadian-operated companies that make and market food and consumer products. Amalia holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Wilfrid Laurier University and a post- graduate certificate in Public Relations from Humber College.

Grace Lake Principal Lake Communications Grace, 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.

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Anna Larson, ABC Communications Specialist Halton Region Anna Larson joined Halton Region as a Communications Specialist in 2008. At the Region, she works with clients to develop and implement innovative communication strategies. Prior to joining the Region, 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 and OVATION Award winner.

S. Ellen Leesti, ABC Communications, Toronto Water City of Toronto

Andrea Lekushoff, MBA President Broad Reach Communications A leader in the Canadian public relations industry, Andrea Lekushoff has more than two decades of experience making clients look good through the development and execution of award-winning PR and communication programs. Andrea has a track record of building strong reputations and delivering business results for many of the world’s most respected brands. She was among the first PR agency leaders in Canada to exclusively use senior associates to deliver services in a lifestyle-driven work environment. Committed to giving back to businesswomen around the world, Broad Reach provides microfinancing to 10 women entrepreneurs in Tanzania through FINCA Canada. Andrea holds a MBA from the Richard Ivey School of Business, a BA in French language and literature from Western University, and is fluent in English and French. Her love for travel and adventure led her to successfully climb Mount Kilimanjaro in 2004.

Jennifer Leonard Professor Humber College School of Media Studies Jennifer Leonard is a professional communicator with over 20 years of public relations experience in such diverse sectors as banking, publishing, telecommunications and government. Her expertise is in the area of internal communications and employee engagement. She has been teaching full-time at Humber College since 1991. Currently she is the co-ordinator of the three-year public relations advanced diploma program. In addition to teaching communications, Jennifer develops curriculum and provides training to college professors improving their teaching skills and techniques. A journalism graduate from Sheridan College, Jennifer also holds a BA from the University of Alberta and an MA from Central Michigan University. She is a member of the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) and served on the Toronto chapter executive board. Awarded Humber College’s Distinguished Faculty Award, Jennifer is also the recipient of the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development (NISOD) Excellence Award. 156

Judy Lewis Co-Founder & Executive Vice President Strategic Objectives Judy Lewis is Co-Founder and Executive Vice President of Strategic Objectives, and has been recognized with numerous IABC Gold Quill and OVATION Awards of Excellence. A communications strategist with exception experience, Judy provides counsel to many of Canada’s and the world’s leading brands. A thought-leader on marketing and brand PR, Judy and the Strategic Objectives team have won many of the world’s most prestigious Awards for remarkable, results-oriented campaigns and recognition for their break through approach to as well as media blogger relations, special events, community relations and social responsibility. Judy has been awarded with the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal for her Outstanding Contributions to Canada including advancing social responsibility and excellence in the communications industry.

Ruth Lewkowicz Principal Communications Advantage Ruth helps organizations with complex, challenging and comprehensive communications needs effectively connect with the audiences they need to reach. Specializing in health care, she has extensive experience in the public, private and nonprofit sectors.

Sylvia Link, ABC, APR Head, Strategic Communications and Stakeholder Relations, Early Learning Division Ministry of Education Sylvia Link leads communication and stakeholder engagement for child care and the new full-day kindergarten program in Ontario. Before joining the Ontario Ministry of Education, Sylvia served as manager of communications for one of North America's largest public school districts. Prior, she worked as a health care PR. Sylvia teaches teaches Communications Management in the School Board Administration program at Guelph University. As well, she has taught internal communications in the Corporate Communications post-graduate program of Sheridan College. She also conducts communication audits for Canadian school boards and educational associations. Sylvia is the recipient of numerous professional Awards, including the Gold Quill Award of Excellence and Business Issue Award (top international award) from IABC.

Maureen Lynch, ABC, BAA-Journalism, BES-Geography, BA-English Maureen 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).

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Carrie MacAfee Communications Specialist, Ontario Power Generation IABC/Toronto Past President 2010/2011 Carrie MacAfee develops and delivers strategic employee communication at Ontario Power Generation and is an enthusiastic past president and volunteer with IABC/Toronto. Whether at work or volunteering, Carrie enjoys using her communication and project management skills to build understanding, discover new solutions and improve processes.

Maryjane Martin, APR President M.J. Martin & Company

Cyrus Mavalwala, ABC Founding Partner Advantis Communications Inc. Cyrus Mavalwala, ABC is an accredited and award-winning communication professional, trainer and IABC All-Star Speaker who has been helping organizations achieve their business objectives for 20 years. Experienced with small, medium and enterprise organizations, Cyrus has traveled the U.S., Europe and Canada while on assignment. In 2002, Cyrus founded Advantis Communications Inc., a business-to- business focused public relations and content marketing agency. In 2009, Cyrus co-founded Act Like An Agency, a global training and development organization. Cyrus also develops curriculum and teaches social media strategy and communications management at the University of Toronto School for Continuing Studies. Cyrus is a three-time IABC/Toronto board member and also volunteers at the international level. He’s received Awards related to media relations, video production, business and internal communications. Cyrus also judges local, national and international Awards, including participating on the IABC Gold Quill and Silver Leaf Blue Ribbon Panels in San Francisco, Calgary and Toronto.

Kelly Mills Manager, Marketing & Communication Parachute Kelly Mills is a strategic and seasoned communications leader with expertise in all facets of communications as well as marketing, government relations and fund development. Kelly has held a variety of positions in public, corporate and not-for-profit organizations, including: Esso, Shell, Manulife Financial, The University of Western Ontario, Sir Sandford Fleming College, Osteoporosis Canada and Safe Kids Canada, the national injury prevention program of the Hospital for Sick Children. Kelly also ran her own firm Choice Words Communications for several years while living in Peterborough, serving both local and Toronto-based clients. Kelly has also lent her professional expertise as a volunteer with several not-for-profit organizations. She served as the President of the Board for 4th Line Theatre, helping to earn the theatre a provincial sustainability award. An IABC member since 1985, Kelly often hires student interns and truly enjoys coaching new recruits to the field of communications.

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Roger Morier Principal Morier Communications Roger Morier is a veteran international communications strategist working with organizations in Canada and elsewhere to analyze and improve their corporate communications and stakeholder outreach. Recently relocated to Toronto, he previously held senior communications positions with the World Bank in Washington, D.C., acting as a spokesperson as well as managing corporate communications for the large Sustainable Development department. Roger joined the World Bank in 2000 after a career first in broadcast journalism with the CBC, subsequently in corporate communications for government and the private sector, in Canada and France. His work over 30 years has taken him to more than 50 countries. He holds degrees in Journalism, Political Economy, and International Relations from universities in Canada and the United States.

Wendy Orton, ABC Team Lead, Women's Issues Ontario Public Service Wendy Orton ABC, CAPM is the communications lead for the Ontario Women's Directorate. As part of the Ontario Government (Ontario Public Service), she oversees the strategic communications planning for women's issues focusing on ending violence against women, helping women achieve economic independence and security and women in leadership. Wendy also holds her associate certification in project management.

Michela Pasquali, ABC Writer, editor and communications consultant Michela is a freelance writer and editor with more than 15 years experience writing and editing for newspapers, magazines, and corporate communications. She provides professional, stress‐free writing, editing and communications consulting services that help clients meet their business goals, budgets and deadlines. Michela absolutely loves writing white papers, website content, marketing copy, press releases, articles and brochures for her clients, which include insurance, law, professional services and financial services firms. When she’s not writing, Michela can be found trying to grow organic vegetables in her garden, baking cupcakes, or traveling off the beaten track with her husband and their four-year- old son.

Janet Patterson, ABC Program Coordinator - Smart Commute Metrolinx Janet Patterson, ABC, has been practising public relations in a variety of industry sectors for the last 25 years, ranging from a commercial property development company to The College of Naturopathic Medicine. In her current role at Metrolinx, she leads communications and marketing activities for the Smart Commute program, which has 12 affiliate offices across the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area. She considers herself a generalist, and has enjoyed keeping pace with all the advances in technology and social media marketing that continue to impact the way we work.

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Laura Quinn, ABC Senior Manager of Communications Toronto Symphony Orchestra As Senior Manager of Communications with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Laura Quinn manages the media relations and corporate communications efforts at one of Canada’s major cultural institutions. She also is also a board member of of the Artists' Health Alliance, promoting the health and well-being of professional performing and creative artists. Laura's previous work includes leading public affairs for broadcaster TELETOON, managing PR campaigns for Kiehl’s and the CONTACT Photography Festival through her work with Toronto PR agency NKPR, and Publicity and Promotions Manager at Alliance Atlantis Film Distribution. An IABC Accredited Business Communicator, Laura holds a B.A. from McGill University and a Masters Certificate in Marketing Communications Leadership from Schulich School of Business.

Chitra P. Reddin, PhD President, Communications Solutions Founding President, IABC/Maritime Canada 1985/86, 1986/87 Chitra’s two passions are communicating for results and thought leadership. Her 30-year career spans both as a management and change communication executive, consultant and educator. A senior corporate strategist, she has managed award-winning internal and external communications for global and national organizations PWC, KPMG, CIBC and the CICA. Chitra has worked as a senior consultant with Towers Watson with clients 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 and on the National Education Council of CPRS. Chitra planned and designed the four-year Bachelor of Public Relations degree for Humber College, launched 2011 and introduced timely courses in CSR, Social Media and Change Management to all its PR programs. She has also taught full-time in the Ivey MBA and Mount Saint Vincent University’s Bachelor of Public Relations. She enjoys serving on boards and is currently research chair and member of the board of directors of the Canadian Communications +Public Relations Foundation.

Anna Relyea, BA, MA Director, Strategic Communications Ontario Science Centre IABC Canada East Region, Communications Director Anna 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 is a member of the board of IABC’s Canada East Region.

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Roberta Resnick, ABC, APR, MC, Fellow Principal Roberta Resnick & Associates Bobbie 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 27 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, FCPRS Senior Manager, Organizational Communications Tim Hortons Inc. A former journalist, David has been in leadership roles in corporate communications for more than 20 years, for engineering, accounting and insurance firms. He has received national awards from IABC and CPRS and as well is a frequent judge and accreditation examiner. Currently he is with Tim Hortons, responsible for internal communications.

Susan Scott, ABC Owner/Operator Full Circle Communications

Sabita Singh, ABC National Director, Digital Marketing KPMG Sabita is a seasoned Accredited Business Communicator with over 20 years of experience in diverse industries including professional services, pharmaceutical and financial services. She has specialized in digital marketing and communications over the past 10 years. Sabita is currently the National 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.

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Lorraine Smith, ABC, MPA Senior Policy Coordinator Ontario Ministry of Education Lorraine Smith is a public sector leader with communications and public policy development experience in the education sector. As an accredited, award‐winning communicator, she has extensive experience in developing and implementing communications and issues management strategies for the Ministry of Education and the Peel District School Board. Currently, she is responsible for oversight of a multiphased operational review process designed to build management capacity of Ontario school boards. Lorraine has earned 15 awards for communications excellence including IABC Gold Quill and Silver Leaf awards, and an Ontario Government Spotlight Award. She also serves as a volunteer on the Toronto Humane Society’s Governance and Nominating Committee. Lorraine holds a Masters degree in Public Administration from Queen’s University, a degree in Communications from Athabasca University and diploma in Public Relations from Humber College.

Diana Spremo, BA, APR Principal Spremo Communications Diana Spremo, APR, is a public relations veteran who brings more than 15 years of experience to her clients. With a strong agency and corporate background, she now works as a consultant specializing in corporate communications, media relations, special events, marketing communications and project management. Diana applies her strategic thinking to create successful events, programs and campaigns designed for an organization's customers, employees or community. Spremo Communications enjoys working closely with clients as a team member to achieve desired results. During her career, Diana has volunteered her expertise to the promotions of air shows. First at the Canadian International Air Show at the CNE and now for the Waterloo Air Show, Diana has entered the world of aviation with great enthusiasm. And the perks are good – flights in really cool planes.

Daniel Tisch, APR, FCPRS President & CEO, Argyle Communications Chair, Global Alliance for PR & Communication Management Daniel Tisch, APR, Fellow CPRS, is CEO of Argyle Communications and Chair of the Global Alliance for Public Relations and Communication Management, the confederation of the world’s major public relations and communications professional associations, including CPRS and IABC. In the last 10 years he has led Argyle’s growth into one of Canada’s largest and most acclaimed independent public relations firms, with more than 130 major industry awards and thriving practices in consumer marketing, health and wellness, corporate communications and government. Dan’s specialties include strategy, reputation and crisis management, executive coaching, stakeholder engagement and creative message development. Earlier in his career, Dan held senior communications roles in the Canadian government, including serving as Senior Advisor and Acting Chief of Staff to Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. He has lectured on public relations at Queen’s University School of Business since 1996 and is a member of the Queen’s University Board of Trustees.

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Brett Tremblay Communications Specialist Livingston International Brett Tremblay is a Toronto-based corporate communications specialist with nearly 20 years of experience educating, persuading and motivating audiences. Brett has worked in the financial, healthcare and logistics industries providing expertise and advice for communications regarding training and development, employee engagement, public relations, media relations, mergers and acquisitions and social media. A past IABC OVATION Award of Excellence and IABC OVATION Award of Merit recipient, he applies his craft at the office, through Toastmasters International and as a Scouts Canada leader. Brett has judged for IABC Silver Leaf and OVATIONs Awards.

Janet Wile, ABC, APR, MC, FCPRS Director, Internal Communications Barrick Gold Corporation Janet Wile is Director of Internal Communications with Barrick Gold Corporation in Toronto, where she is responsible for developing and implementing global communications programs. She has more than 20 years of experience in internal and external communications with organizations such as Honeywell, Siemens, Burson-Marsteller Public Relations, and provincial governments. She is an active grader and examiner in the Accreditation programs for IABC and CPRS. 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.

Margaret Woodruff Project Manager, Marketing and Communications ENCON Group Inc. Margaret is a senior marketing and communications professional in the insurance industry with more than 20 years’ experience delivering results in a broad range of areas, including change management, branding, business development, B2B and B2C marketing. At the core of her communications philosophy is a strong belief in fostering creative ideas that go beyond the expected and in developing initiatives that truly inspire, and help people live and work better.

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IABC/Toronto Student of the Year Judges

Paulina Callaghan, ABC Manager, IT Marketing and Strategic Communications, Ontario Ministry of Government Services IABC/Toronto VP, Membership,

Melissa Gibson Communications and Research Manager, Financial Executives International Canada Director, Membership, IABC/Toronto

Trell Huether Media Relations Specialist, Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner/Ontario IABC/Toronto Immediate Past President

Bobbie Resnick Philanthropy Award Judges

Suzanna Cohen, ABC Senior Manager, Global Reporting and Communications, Global Compliance Business Management, TD Bank Group IABC/Toronto VP, Accreditation and Standards

Trell Huether Media Relations Specialist, Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner/Ontario IABC/Toronto Immediate Past President

Roberta (Bobbie) Resnick, ABC, APR, MC, IABC Fellow Principal Roberta Resnick & Associates

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IABC/Toronto Executive Board 2012-2013

President Linda Andross, ABC

Immediate Past President Trell Huether

Executive Vice President Louise Armstrong

Accreditation & Standards Suzanna Cohen, ABC

Advertising & Sponsorship Mary-Ellen Hynd, MBA

Association Management Natasha Renaud, MBA, MS Mass Comm

Awards Beverly Fairclough

Finance Christine Andrew, MBA

Marketing Communications Ashley Weinhandl

Member Communications Gabrielle Scheliga

Membership Paulina Callaghan, ABC

Networking & Special Events Lindsay Falt

Professional Development Stephanie Engel, ABC

Volunteer Services Amanda Flude

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2012-2013 Awards Committee

Beverly Fairclough IABC/Toronto VP, Awards Assistant-Public Affairs and Communications, Purchasing Management Association of Canada

Directors Monifa Colthurst Director of Marketing Advisor, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario

Randy Cooray Director of Gala Event Coordinator & Communications Specialist

Libbi Hood Director of Materials Senior Communications Officer, Town of Richmond Hill

Gala Krystal Carter Public Relations & Communications Freelance

Masroora Haque Marketing and Communications Coordinator

Lerri-Ann Kelly Student, Humber College Public Relations Advanced Diploma

Marketing Kent Anjo OIP Communications, Communications Branch, Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing

Melissa Lee Account Executive, Cohn & Wolfe

Aneesha Ramanan Senior Coordinator, endMS Network, Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada

Materials Steve Didunyk Internal Communications, Writing & Research Professional

Amy Greenshields Freelance Communications Consultant

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Melika Ramkissoon Freelance Communications Consultant

Sponsorship Mary-Ellen Hynd, MBA VP, Advertising and Sponsorship

Lindsay Falt VP, Networking and Special Events

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About Us As the largest chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators, we provide access to products, services, activities and networking opportunities inToronto and around the world. We help people and organizations achieve excellence in corporate communications, public relations, employee communication, marketing communication, public affairs and other forms of communication.

Visit http://toronto.iabc.com/awards for more information on the OVATION Awards.

Join Us IABC, the International Association of Business Communicators, is a global network of communications practitioners committed to improving organizational effectiveness through strategic communications. With more than 100 chapters, IABC serves more than 16,500 members in over 70 countries and 10,000 organizations. IABC/Toronto, the largest chapter in the world, is the leading resource for effective communication practice for its more than 1,650 members.

Once you join IABC, you immediately gain access to a wide variety of services designed to enhance your professional development and your role as a communicator.

IABC/Toronto 296 Jarvis St., Unit 7 Toronto, ON M5B 2C3 416.968.02 64 toronto.iabc.com E-mail: [email protected]

IABC International 601 Montgomery Street, Ste 19 00 San Francisco, CA 9411 1 1.800.776.42 22 www.iabc.com