TORONTO, May 29 /CNW/ - The Toronto Chapter of the International
Association of Business Communicators (IABC) presented the 2009 OVATION Awards
last night and Toronto Hydro-Electric System Limited won the 2009 People's
Choice Award for its special events campaign "Take a Load Off Toronto." The
People's Choice Award is IABC/Toronto members' choice of the year for
favourite communication campaign. Votes were tabulated in an online poll.
This year's timely theme of "Word Gets Around" emphasized that today's
communications need to be stronger than ever in order for messages to be
heard. Louise Karch, BA, M.Ed., CMP, an acclaimed speaker and workplace
expert, explored this theme in her keynote address and presided as the gala's
guest emcee.
"I continue to be amazed by the high level of creativity and expertise
within by our communications community and am proud to see such stellar
results, especially in a market where competition grows increasingly fierce,"
says, Leslie Hetherington, APR, MBA, President of IABC/Toronto. "The
record-breaking numbers of entries attest to the extraordinary determination,
dedication and skill of communicators across the Greater Toronto Area."
This year a total of 55 awards were presented, including 17 Awards of
Excellence, 32 Awards of Merit and six awards of distinction. Awards of
Distinction winners included: Barrick Gold Corporation for the 2009
IABC/Toronto Corporate Communications Department of the Year; Strategic
Objectives for the 2009 IABC/Toronto Agency of the Year (10 or more
employees); and Diana Robinson & Associates for the 2009 IABC/Toronto
Independent or Small Agency of the Year (Nine or fewer employees).
The 2009 IABC/Toronto MAVERICK PR Student of the Year Award winner was
Jess Bennett, an emerging communicator graduating from Seneca College, whose
entry showed the advanced integration of social media developments into the
public relations tactical working toolbox.
The Bobbie Resnick Philanthropy Award winner was APEX Public Relations,
whose project "Charity starts at the Office - Creating on Your Bike" upheld
the philanthropic and community focus of the award. Judges observed, "The
program was a simple but very powerful idea that offered employees a great
opportunity to become involved and make a very meaningful contribution to the
community."
Senior IABC/Toronto member Eric Bergman, ABC, APR, MC, and principal of
Bergman and Associates presented the awards, which were classified into one of
four categories: Communication Management, Communication Skills, Communication
Creative, and the IABC/Toronto Awards of Distinction.
The OVATION Awards recognize communications excellence among IABC members
and non-members in the Greater Toronto Area. Judging was performed by a panel
comprising senior communications professionals, accredited practitioners and
technical specialists. Two separate judges carefully reviewed each entry
independently and then jointly reviewed the submissions and results.
The gala award dinner was held at the Liberty Grand in Toronto. This
year's generous sponsors were News Canada, MAVERICK PR, The Canadian Press
Images and Fusion Design Group Inc.
About IABC/Toronto
With more than 1,650 members, IABC/Toronto is the largest IABC chapter in
the world. The organization provides these members with multidisciplinary
resources and a global network of more than 16,500 communicators, in 70
countries, working in diverse industries and disciplines to identify, share
and apply the world's most effective communications practices. Website:
http://toronto.iabc.com.Complete Listing of OVATION Award Winners
AWARD OF EXCELLENCE - Communication Management
Social Responsibility including Economic, Societal and Environmental
Development
Title of entry: More Blue and Green for a Better Planet
Entrants: Samantha Booth, Carleen Carroll, John Watson, Shirley McLean,
Regional Municipality of Halton; Pier 8 Group
Entrant Company: Regional Municipality of Halton
AWARD OF EXCELLENCE - Communication Management
Customer Relations
Title of entry: The Allstream Global Forum: An Evening with Steve Forbes
Entrants: Christine E. Gerritse, JoAnne Tomasone, MTS Allstream
Entrant Company: Allstream
AWARD OF EXCELLENCE - Communication Management
Media Relations with budget of 51K to 100K
Title of entry: 40th Anniversary of the Caramilk Secret
Entrant Company: Strategic Objectives
AWARD OF EXCELLENCE - Communication Management
Media Relations with a budget of 51K to 100K
Title of entry: The Johnnie Walker Pillars of Responsibility
Entrant Company: Strategic Objectives
AWARD OF EXCELLENCE - Communication Management
Media Relations with a budget of 100K and up
Title of entry: Petro-Canada Canadian Athlete Family Program Announcement
Event
Entrants: Lisa Kimmel, Robyn Adelson, Stephanie Kohls, Melissa Graham,
Janice Keyes, Tanya Anand, Lisa Bruce, Andi Argast, Alicia Storey,
Mariane Leduc, Chantal Morin, Edelman Public Relations
Entrant Company: Edelman Public Relations
AWARD OF EXCELLENCE - Communication Management
Media Relations with a budget of 100K and up
Title of entry: New Stride Canadian Brand Launch
Entrant Company: Strategic Objectives
AWARD OF EXCELLENCE - Communication Management
Special Events with a budget up to 50K
Title of entry: Take a Load Off Toronto
Entrant Company: Toronto Hydro-Electric System Limited
AWARD OF EXCELLENCE - Communication Management
Special Events with a budget of 100K and up
Title of entry: Thermador Debuts in Canada 2007/08 Program
Entrants: Martine Lévy, Sarah Waldock, Emily Ward, DDB Public Relations
Entrant Company: DDB Public Relations
AWARD OF EXCELLENCE - Communication Management
Special Events with a budget of 100K and up
Title of entry: MONOPOLY Here & Now: The World Edition Launch Event
Entrants: Robyn Adelson, Sandra D'Ambrosio, Angie Di Rezze,
Alicia Storey, Mariane Leduc, Sarah Burgess, Edelman Public Relations;
Sandy Sinclair, Ginger Grcic, Michelle Sinclair, Marisa Pedatella,
Sandra Paulini, Hasbro
Entrant Company: Hasbro Canada and Edelman Public Relations
AWARD OF EXCELLENCE - Communication Management
Issues Management and Crisis Communication
Title of entry: Take a Load Off Toronto
Entrant Company: Toronto Hydro-Electric System Limited
AWARD OF EXCELLENCE - Communication Management
Employee or Member Communication or HR Communication
Title of entry: Discover Barrick
Entrants: Janet Wile, ABC, APR, MC, Barrick Gold Corporation
Entrant Company: Barrick Gold Corporation
AWARD OF EXCELLENCE - Communication Management
Employee or Member Communication or HR Communication
Title of entry: Perfect Fit: A Communications Strategy for KPMG
Recruiting
Entrants: Angie Andich, Gillian Welsh, Kim Murray, Janine Jorgensen,
Christobal Ramirez
Entrant Company: KPMG in Canada
AWARD OF EXCELLENCE - Communication Management
Employee or Member Communication or HR Communication
Title of entry: The MDS Advantage 2008 Pulse Survey
Entrants: Nadia Corbiere, Janet Ko, Barbara Moffat, Loris Parekh,
Shahin Bonakdar, MDS Inc.
Entrant Company: MDS Inc.
AWARD OF EXCELLENCE - Communication Skills
Writing
Title of entry: Nestlé asks, "Are you a Halloweenie?"
Entrants: Alison George, Janet Grdovich, Ashley Ballantyne, Daniel Tisch,
APR, Argyle Communications
Entrant Company: Argyle Communications
AWARD OF EXCELLENCE - Communication Skills
Writing
Title of entry: Announcing Barrick's Tire Management Strategy
Entrant: Janet Wile, ABC, APR, MC, Barrick Gold Corporation
Entrant Company: Barrick Gold Corporation
AWARD OF EXCELLENCE - Communication Skills
Publications
Title of entry: Barrick News
Entrants: Andy Lloyd, Janet Wile, ABC, APR, MC, Barrick Gold Corporation
Entrant Company: Barrick Gold Corporation
AWARD OF EXCELLENCE - Communication Creative
Publication Design
Title of entry: The Children's Wish Foundation of Canada Annual
Report 07-08
Entrant: George James, The Children's Wish Foundation of Canada
Entrant Company: The Children's Wish Foundation of Canada
Award of Merit - Communication Management
Community Relations
Title of entry: Active and Safe Routes to School (ASRTS)
Entrants: Anna Larson, Jennifer Jenkins, Grace Mendoza, Halton Region
Entrant Company: The Regional Municipality of Halton
Award of Merit - Communication Management
Brand Communication
Title of entry: Rebranding of Horizon Utilities Corporation
Entrants: Sandy Manners, Horizon Utilities Corporation; Robert Palmese,
Palmese Photodesign Group; Hilda Mackow, Mackow Energy & Marketing
Consultants
Entrant Company: Horizon Utilities Corporation
Award of Merit - Communication Management
Social Responsibility including Economic, Societal and Environmental
Development
Title of entry: Save the Leopard Frog: It Can Be Easy To Be Green
Entrants: David Gordon, Cohn & Wolfe; Bernadette Fernandez, Credit Valley
Conservation
Entrant Company: Cohn & Wolfe
Award of Merit - Communication Management
Social Responsibility including Economic, Societal and Environmental
Development
Title of entry: The Henkel Play Fair...Play Clean Hockey Contest
Entrant: Diana Robinson, Diana Robinson & Associates
Entrant Company: Diana Robinson & Associates
Award of Merit - Communication Management
Social Responsibility including Economic, Societal and Environmental
Development
Title of entry: Brita FilterforGood
Entrants: Lisa Kimmel, Stella Mok, Andi Argast, Michelle Easton,
Edelman Public Relations
Entrant Company: Edelman Public Relations
Award of Merit - Communication Management
Social Responsibility including Economic, Societal and Environmental
Development
Title of entry: Earth Hour in Ontario's Schools: Using Earth Hour to
Promote Environmental Education
Entrants: Lisa Gibbens, Rene Vidulin, Christina Mottola, Ontario Ministry
of Education
Entrant Company: Ontario Ministry of Education
Award of Merit - Communication Management
Electronic and Digital Communication
Title of entry: Neilson Dairy gets Savvy with Ontario Moms
Entrants: Roanne Argyle, Kerry Collings, Ashley Ballantyne, Daniel Tisch,
APR, Argyle Communications
Entrant Company: Argyle Communications
Award of Merit - Communication Management
Electronic and Digital Communication
Title of entry: A savvy way to talk about travel insurance: The creation
of SavvyTraveller.ca
Entrants: Tracey Bochner, APR, Anne Locke, Gina Kohn, Paradigm Public
Relations; Joel Donin, Jonathan Bolton, Travel Guard
Entrant Company: Paradigm Public Relations
Award of Merit - Communication Management
Electronic and Digital Communication
Title of entry: The transformation of sunlife.com (www.sunlife.com)
Entrants: Sabita Singh, ABC, Lorraine Dal Cin, Wendi Phillips,
Marilyn Whittingham, Jeannette Cantin, Bev Sauder, Sun Life Financial;
Katherine Fletcher, iStudio; Dan Skeen, Quarry
Entrant Company: Sun Life Financial
Award of Merit - Communication Management
Media Relations with budget up to 50K
Title of entry: Franklin Templeton Investment Outlook and Opportunities
Forum
Entrants: Daniel Tisch, APR, Jason Graham, Kaleigh Sainthill,
Laura LaMontagne, Argyle Communications
Entrant Company: Argyle Communications
Award of Merit - Communication Management
Media Relations with budget up to 50K
Title of entry: L'Oréal Paris Beauty Tubes on YouTube
Entrants: Anik Gagnon, Julie Tremblay, L'Oréal Paris; Cathy Cowan,
Margaret Batuszkin, Sonja Andic, Cowan & Company; Bruce Parlette,
Tantara Multimedia
Entrant Company: Cowan & Company
Award of Merit - Communication Management
Media Relations with budget of 51K to 100K
Title of entry: Canadian Tourism Commission: Canada, The World's Second
Most-Powerful Tourism Brand: A Rise to the Top
Entrants: Martine Lévy, Keka Dasgupta, Sarah Waldock, DDB Public
Relations
Entrant Company: DDB Public Relations
Award of Merit - Communication Management
Media Relations with budget of 51K to 100K
Title of entry: Amp Your Game National Gaming Tour Media Relations
Entrants: Paula Oreskovich, Maureen Juniper, Liz Luzza, Lauren Grant,
Matthew Juniper, PraxisPR; Hélène Reeves
Entrant Company: PraxisPR
Award of Merit - Communication Management
Media Relations with budget of 100K and up
Title of entry: The Henkel Play Fair...Play Clean Hockey Contest
Entrant: Diana Robinson, Diana Robinson & Associates
Entrant Company: Diana Robinson & Associates
Award of Merit - Communication Management
Media Relations with budget of 100K and up
Title of entry: Lucy Waverman Allergy-Friendly Recipes for EpiPen
Entrants: Saskia Brussaard, Ron Hall, Alison Crocker, Porter Novelli
Canada
Entrant Company: Porter Novelli Canada
Award of Merit - Communication Management
Marketing Communications with budget of 100K and up
Title of entry: Crock-On: Revitalizing the Crock-Pot Brand
Entrants: Dita Zemanek, Nicole McKnight, Elizabeth Stunt,
Genevieve Chalifour, Cohn & Wolfe; Jamie Libregts, Jarden Consumer
Solutions Inc.
Entrant Company: Cohn & Wolfe
Award of Merit - Communication Management
Marketing Communications with budget of 100K and up
Title of entry: Thermador Debuts in Canada 2007/08 Program
Entrants: Sarah Waldock, Martine Lévy, Emily Ward, DDB Public Relations
Entrant Company: DDB Public Relations
Award of Merit - Communication Management
Marketing Communications with budget of 100K and up
Title of entry: Agent Provocateur comes to Canada
Entrants: Martine Lévy, Sarah Waldock, Elyn Kirby, Sally Byun, DDB Public
Relations
Entrant Company: DDB Public Relations
Award of Merit - Communication Management
Marketing Communications with budget of 100K and up
Title of entry: Engaging the Customer: Property Assessment in Ontario
Entrants: Michael Jacoby, Cathy Ranieri Sweenie, Laurette Sharpe,
Elizabeth McMullen, Paul Galaski, Municipal Property Assessment
Corporation (MPAC)
Entrant Company: Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (MPAC)
Award of Merit - Communication Management
Marketing Communications with budget of 100K and up
Title of entry: Take a Load Off Toronto
Entrant Company: Toronto Hydro-Electric System Limited
Award of Merit - Communication Management
Special Events with budget up to 50K
Title of entry: Philips Canada Movember Campaign 2008
Entrants: Paul Keable, Jessica Kasparian, Natalie Little, Elpi Klapas,
Veronica Langvee, Samantha Shecter, MS&L; Court Elliott, Philips Canada
Entrant Company: MS&L
Award of Merit - Communication Management
Special Events with budget of 51K to 100K
Title of entry: Back to Work: An Interactive Workshop on Workplace Safety
Entrants: Melanie Rego, Lori Cooper, Jennifer Thompson, Megan McCann,
elevator communications inc.
Entrant Company: elevator communications inc.
Award of Merit - Communication Management
Special Events with budget of 51K to 100K
Title of entry: The Passion behind PawsWay: Launching Canada's First Pet
Discovery Centre
Entrants: Jennifer Duggan, Environics Communications; Mary Siemiesz,
Jenine LaFayette, Nestlé Purina PetCare Canada
Entrant Company: Environics Communications
Award of Merit - Communication Management
Special Events with budget of 100K and up
Title of entry: Agent Provocateur comes to Canada
Entrants: Martine Lévy; Sarah Waldock, Elyn Kirby, Sally Byun, DDB Public
Relations
Entrant Company: DDB Public Relations
Award of Merit - Communication Management
Employee or Member Communication or HR Communication
Title of entry: CH2M HILL - It's a Hero's Work
Entrants: Chris MacEachern, Pauline Graf, Samuel Cheung, Flora Gordon,
Beth Duthie, CH2M HILL Canada Limited
Entrant Company: CH2M HILL Canada Limited
Award of Merit - Communication Management
Employee or Member Communication or HR Communication
Title of entry: Trust, Quality and Excellence - Living Our Corporate
Values
Entrants: Gary Williams, ABC, Ivana Di Millo, Gary Kent, City of
Mississauga
Entrant Company: City of Mississauga
Award of Merit - Communication Skills
Writing
Title of entry: Address to the Calgary Chamber of Commerce
Entrants: Linda Andross, ABC, Ken Evans, Tanya Elliott-Briden,
Shannon Morton, Dan Ovsey, APEX Public Relations; Steve Vitale,
Tara Smith, UPS Canada
Entrant Company: APEX Public Relations
Award of Merit - Communication Skills
Writing
Title of entry: Gold Security Standards
Entrant: Janet Wile, ABC, APR, MC, Barrick Gold Corporation
Entrant Company: Barrick Gold Corporation
Award of Merit - Communication Skills
Publications
Title of entry: Beyond Borders
Entrants: Nancy White, Andy Lloyd, Barrick Gold Corporation
Entrant Company: Barrick Gold Corporation
Award of Merit - Communication Skills
Electronic and Interactive Communication
Title of entry: Enermodal's Signature Green Education Kiosks
Entrants: Caitlin Carpenter, Donna Carpenter, Enermodal Engineering
Entrant Company: Enermodal Engineering
Award of Merit - Communication Skills
Audiovisual
Title of entry: Mississauga: Location of Choice for the Life Sciences
Industry
Entrants: Marie Fitzpatrick-Hall, ABC, Kevin Mellors, Richard Stone,
Alex Lo-Basso, City of Mississauga
Entrant Company: City of Mississauga
Award of Merit - Communication Creative
Photography
Title of entry: Fashion with Compassion: The Rollout of New Pink Cashmere
Bathroom Tissue for Breast Cancer Awareness
Entrant Company: Strategic Objectives
/NOTE TO PHOTO EDITORS: A photo accompanying this release is available on
the CNW Photo Network and archived at http://photos.newswire.ca.
Additional archived images are also available on the CNW Photo Archive
website at http://photos.newswire.ca. Images are free to accredited
members of the media/
For further information: Anna Relyea, VP, Marketing Communications,
IABC/Toronto, Phone: (416) 696-3273, Email: toronto-marketing@iabc.com
