CPRS REVEALS AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE WINNERS SHOWCASING THE BEST IN CANADIAN PUBLIC RELATIONS AND COMMUNICATIONS

BANFF, AB, May 28, 2025 /CNW/ - The Canadian Public Relations Society (CPRS) is proud to announce sixty-three winners of the 2025 CPRS National Awards of Excellence, celebrating the exceptional work of public relations and communications professionals across the country.  

"On behalf of the Board of Directors of CPRS, I extend our heartfelt congratulations to all the recipients of this year's Awards of Excellence," said Claire Ryan, MCM, APR, National President of CPRS.  

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"Each year, we are inspired by the calibre of submissions from across Canada and across sectors, which demonstrates the vital role strategic communications plays in our society. Our winners exemplify professionalism, creativity, and purpose," added Ms. Ryan. "We hope these awards serve not only as recognition of their achievements, but as lasting reminders of the impact that thoughtful, ethical communications can have." 

Presented during a gala ceremony at the ELEVATE 2025 CPRS National Conference, this year's awards recognize outstanding achievements in strategic communications, innovation, and leadership.

"Not all submissions receive an award here at CPRS National Awards of Excellence, so the competition is intense," said Lisa Covens, MA, CAIP, board liaison to the CPRS National Major Awards and the Awards of Excellence Committee. "Presenting so many awards in person at the Awards Gala is a highlight of the conference for me."

From bold campaigns which sparked national conversations to behind-the-scenes efforts building lasting trust, this year's winners are setting the pace for the future of public relations and communications in Canada. 

"Those who submit entries, and those who evaluate them, are helping define the very standards that shape excellence in public relations," said Julien Baudry, APR, MBA, Presiding Officer of the CPRS National Awards Committee. 

"Our profession has long been focused on managing the reputations of others, and too often we've neglected our own. Yet there is so much talent here, so many storytellers," added Baudry. 

"Building Trust in a Shifting World" was this year's conference theme, and attendees explored the evolving role of communicators in a time of complexity and change. From AI to activism, misinformation to media relations, ELEVATE 2025 brought together the profession's leading voices to tackle today's toughest communication challenges. 

The 2025 conference and awards gala were made possible with the generous support of our sponsors and partners: ChangeMakers, Notified, Leger, Cision, McMaster University's Masters of Communications Management Program, Royal Roads University, The Canadian Press and Aspen Films. 

CPRS National is pleased to announce the full list of winners of the 2025 Awards of Excellence:

Best Corporate Social Responsibility Campaign
SILVER – Simon Falardeau, Strategic Communications Consultant, "The April 8, 2024 Eclipse: Protect Your Eyes and Enjoy." 
BRONZE – IKEA Canada with Edelman Canada, "SHT" 

Best Influencer Campaign 
GOLD – Paradigm, Edgewell Personal Care, "Mighty o.b. Makes a Comeback with Gen Z"
SILVER – McDonald's Canada x Weber Shandwick Canada, "It's a McDonald's Thing"
BRONZE – GSK + Porter Novelli, "AsktoBsure" 

Best Integrated Communications
GOLD – Town of Whitby Communications and Creative Services, "Whitby's 'Care Closer to Home' Campaign"
SILVER – Proof Strategies & Electrical Safety Authority, "Your EV Deserves Better"
BRONZE – University of Toronto, "U of T Communications for celebrating Geoffrey Hinton's Nobel Prize in Physics" 

Best non-profit/NGO Campaign
GOLD – Proof Strategies & Electrical Safety Authority, "Your EV Deserves Better"
SILVER – Movember Canada x Weber Shandwick Canada, "Moustache Mission"
BRONZE – Lung Health Foundation and Edelman,  "Our Lungs Make Our Lives" 

Best Use of Media Relations – Large Budget (More than $50,000 CAD)
GOLD – Rethink PR and Molson, "See My Name"
SILVER – IKEA Canada, "SHT"
BRONZE – Zeno Group Canada, "Philadelphia Bagel Wholes" 

Best Use of Media Relations – Medium Budget ($10,000 – $50,000 CAD)
GOLD – Mila and TACT, "Pause Giant AI Experiments"
BRONZE – Securian Canada and Kaiser & Partners, "Behind the Gig: Securian Canada Insights" 

Best Use of Media Relations – Small Budget (less than $10,000 CAD)
SILVER –  CAA & CAA Insurance "Auto-Theft Strategy 2024" 

Brand Development Campaign of the Year
GOLD – Craft Public Relations, "Atypique's Sober Dance Party, Featuring AJ McLean"
SILVER – Craft Public Relations & Tim Hortons, "The Last Timbit, A Tim Hortons 60th Anniversary Musical"
SILVER – Paradigm, Edgewell Personal Care, "Mighty o.b. Makes a Comeback with Gen Z" 

Canadian Advocacy and Social Marketing Campaign of the Year
SILVER – ChangeMakers & Government of Nunavut, "Escape the Vape" 

Canadian Digital Communications Campaign of the Year
GOLD – Zeno Group Canada, "Love Your Lunch Day"
SILVER – Proof Strategies & Electrical Safety Authority, "Your EV Deserves Better"
BRONZE – Novartis Canada and Golin Health x Edelman Canada,  "My Krew Canada" 

Canadian Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Campaign of the Year
BRONZE – Victoria Police Department, "Women Of VicPD" 

Canadian Government Relations Campaign of the Year
GOLD – Town of Whitby — Communications and Creative Services, "Whitby's 'Care Closer to Home' Campaign"
SILVER – Club des petits déjeuners and TACT, "L'explosion des besoins alimentaires dans les écoles du Québec" 

Canadian Health Care Campaign of the Year
GOLD – Lung Health Foundation and Edelman, "Our Lungs Make Our Lives"
SILVER – Obesity Canada, Eli Lilly Canada and GCI Canada, "Reshaping the obesity narrative: The cost of inaction and impact of stigma"
SILVER – Interior Health Communications & Engagement, "Give your kids their best shot"
BRONZE – GSK + Porter Novelli, "AsktoBsure" 

Canadian Issues / Crisis Management Campaign of the Year
SILVER – Munro/Thompson & Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ Government, "Cold Chain Incident Issue Management"
BRONZE – The City of Red Deer, "Canada Post Strike" 

Canadian Marketing Communications Campaign of the Year
SILVER – Proof Strategies & Electrical Safety Authority, "Powerline Safety"
BRONZE – Craft Public Relations, "Nintendo Switch x Maitreyi Ramakrishnan" 

Employee Engagement / Internal Communications Campaign of the Year
GOLD – Northland Power, "Transforming Internal Communications with The Pulse" 
SILVER – British Columbia Institute of Technology, "BCIT Don't Get Hooked Campaign"
BRONZE – Alberta Blue Cross, "2024 Employee Giving Campaign" 

External Communications
SILVER – Town of Whitby — Communications and Creative Services, "Whitby's 'Care Closer to Home' Campaign"
BRONZE – Apostrophe, "Community-Led Collaboration Project" 

New Product or Service Launch
GOLD – Craft Public Relations & Rakuten Kobo, "The Canadian Launch of Kobo Colour eReaders"
SILVER – Mondelez x Weber Shandwick Canada, "OREO Space Dunk"
BRONZE – Craft Public Relations, DDMG & Tim Hortons, "The Launch of Flatbread Pizza" 

Best Publication
GOLD – Cooke Inc., "Cooke Newsletter - Spring 2024"
SILVER – City of Welland, "Wonders of Welland"
BRONZE – Town of Okotoks, "Town of Okotoks 2023 Annual Report" 
BRONZE – University of Toronto, "University of Toronto Magazine" 

Best Special Events Projects
GOLD – Craft Public Relations & Tim Hortons, "Tim Hortons Pet Merch Collection Event"
SILVER – Paradigm, Edgewell Personal Care, "Come Alive with Hawaiian Tropic"
BRONZE – McDonald's Canada x Weber Shandwick Canada, "Toronto Raptors: Power of 3's"  

In House Team of the Year
GOLD – City of Leduc: Communications and Marketing Services
SILVER – Alberta Energy Regulator: Engagement and Communication Branch
BRONZE – British Columbia College of Nurses & Midwives: BCCNM Communications Team 

Agency Team of the Year – Small
GOLD – Monogram Communications
SILVER – Apostrophe
BRONZE – Coldwater Communications 

Agency Team of the Year – Medium
GOLD – Casacom
SILVER – Zeno Group Canada 

Agency Team of the Year – Large
BRONZE – ChangeMakers
BRONZE – Proof Strategies Inc. 

Best Sustainable Development Initiative
Cooke Inc., "Cooke Newsletter - Spring 2024"

Best Creativity and Innovation
Zeno Group Canada, "Love Your Lunch Day" 

Best In Show
Zeno Group Canada, "Love Your Lunch Day" 

About CPRS

Founded in 1948, the Canadian Public Relations Society is a not-for-profit association of professionals dedicated to the practice, management, and teaching of public relations and communications. Comprising 13 local societies, CPRS' mission is to build a national public relations and communications management community through professional development, accreditation, collaboration with thought leaders, a commitment to ethics and a code of professional standards, advocacy for the profession, and support to members at every stage of their careers.

SOURCE Canadian Public Relations Society

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