2021 Award Winners

Congratulations to our 2021 award winners!

For 36 years, the prestigious OVATION Awards has celebrated excellence in communications in the Greater Toronto Area.

The year 2020 was challenging and changed everything. There were world-changing developments at every turn, political shifts, waves of social change and a global pandemic. Communicators rose to the challenge.

With more than 200 entries submitted, we are proud to celebrate the award winners whose work has been evaluated against the global standard of the communications profession using  IABC’s Global Seven-Point Scale of Excellence. 

Best of the Best Judges’ Choice Award 

Awards of Distinction

Awards of Excellence

Division 1: Communication Management

INTERNAL COMMUNICATION

• The Canadian Payroll Association: National Payroll Week 2020

EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT

• Astellas Pharma Canada, Inc.: Astellas Celebrates Movember
• Astellas Pharma Canada, Inc.: Employee Drive-In Event

MARKETING, ADVERTISING & BRAND COMMUNICATION

• Veritas and Labatt Breweries of Canada: Bud Light: Underplayed
• Unilever and Edelman Canada: AXE Project Wild
• Nathalie Noël, Strategy & Brand Coach and Cathy Ledden, Ledden Design iT: Shepherd Village Rebrand
• Strategic Objectives and Thermacell Repellents: #TurnItOnMosquitoesGone with Thermacell Repellents

MEDIA RELATIONS (BUDGET UP TO $50,000)

• Argyle and Earth Rangers: Earth Rangers App Launch: Empowering kids today, for a better environment tomorrow

MEDIA RELATIONS (BUDGET MORE THAN $100,000)

• CO-OP: WeRPN Nursing Week

GOVERNMENT COMMUNICATION PROGRAMS

• Ontario Energy Board: Power is Personal
• City of Markham: Protect Your Pipes! F.O.G. Clogs
• Argyle and Government of Canada: Federal Indian Day School Class Action

COVID-19 RESPONSE & RECOVERY MANAGEMENT AND COMMUNICATION

• Argyle and National Association of Friendship Centres: #TakeCareInCOVID – COVID-19 Communications for Urban Indigenous Peoples
• GoodLife Fitness & Edelman Canada: GoodLife @ Home & The GoodLife Standard
• Weber Shandwick and McDonald’s Canada: Reimagining the future of McDonald’s Canada
• Weber Shandwick and McDonald’s Canada: Community Connections
• Sheridan College: Sheridan’s Pandemic Response
• Ontario Chiropractic Association (OCA): COVID-19 Response: From Clinic Shutdown to Return to Practice

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

• Strategic Objectives and Maple Leaf Foods: Maple Leaf Foods Sustainability Program
• Strategic Objectives and Kruger Products L.P.: Kruger Products #RollingItForward

NON-PROFIT CAMPAIGNS

• Argyle and Lighthouse for Grieving Children: Kitchen Memories Project
• Lung Health Foundation and Edelman Canada: The Toker 2.0
• Jake’s House and Edelman Canada: ASD: Rockin’ the Spectrum
• Argyle and Labour Market Information Council: How much do they make? Report Launch
• The Canadian Payroll Association: National Payroll Week 2020
• Etobicoke Humane Society: Hope for the Holidays

DIVERSITY & INCLUSION – LGBTQ2

• Unilever and Edelman Canada: Dove Hair presents: The D Cut

DIVERSITY & INCLUSION – ACCESSIBILITY 

• Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital: Dear Everybody anti-stigma campaign

MARKETING COMMUNICATION 

• Weber Shandwick Canada: RMHC Giving Tuesday Campaign
• McDonald’s Canada and Weber Shandwick: Fries for Good

SOCIAL MEDIA PROGRAMS

• McDonald’s Canada and Weber Shandwick: Fries for Good

Division 4: Communication Skills

SPECIAL & EXPERIENTIAL EVENTS

• Weber Shandwick Canada: OREO What’s Your Stuf?: The Stuf Shoppe
• Canadian Tire Corporation: Canadian Tire Christmas Trail
• The Peter Gilgan Centre for Women’s Cancers at Women’s College Hospital and The Canadian Cancer Society: Breast Reconstruction Awareness Day
• Sheridan College: The 2020 Virtual Welcome Back Event

DIGITAL COMMUNICATION & COMMUNICATION FOR THE WEB

• Engineering Strategic Communications, University of Toronto: Back to Skule 2020
• CAA Club Group: myCCG: where the wild west was won

AUDIO/VISUAL

• City of Markham and Advantis Communications: Markham facilities reopen during COVID-19

SOCIAL MEDIA

• Paradigm and Playtex Baby: Playtex Baby Virtual Baby Shower
• Strategic Objectives and Groupe Marcelle Inc.: Lise Watier Holiday 2020 Campaign

Awards of Merit

Division 1: Communication Management

INTERNAL COMMUNICATION

• Sheridan College: Keeping connected while physically dispersed: Sheridan’s pandemic response
• BMO Financial Group: Activating Ambition 2025

MARKETING, ADVERTISING & BRAND COMMUNICATION

• Sheridan College: Learning, Uncompromised: Sheridan’s Fall Promise
• The Canadian Payroll Association: National Payroll Week 2020
• Unilever and Edelman Canada: Dove Hair presents: The D Cut
• UNHCR Canada & Principles: Tastes from Home: Lead Generation Campaign

MEDIA RELATIONS (BUDGET UP TO $50,000)

• Argyle and Labour Market Information Council: How much do they make? Report Launch
• Weber Shandwick Canada: Shoppable Girls
• IKEA Canada: IKEA Canada Black Friday Campaign
• No Fixed Address Inc.: Heinz by Nature: Lockdown Lovebaby Collection

MEDIA RELATIONS (BUDGET MORE THAN $50,000 & UP TO $100,000)

• McCormick Canada: Club House Uncovers Twists on Traditional Thanksgiving Menus
• Zeno Group Canada: Think Turkey
• Agnostic: Truss Portfolio Launch
• Weber Shandwick Canada: Caramilk Unlock the Secret Contest
• Swerve Public Relations Inc., Rubik’s and Kroeger Inc.: Rubik’s 40th Anniversary

MEDIA RELATIONS (BUDGET MORE THAN $100,000)

• CO-OP: autoTRADER.ca COVID-19 PR Pivot
• Craft Public Relations: Champion the Truth: National Newspaper Week 2020

GOVERNMENT COMMUNICATION PROGRAMS

• Argyle and Ontario Association of Optometrists: Save Eye Care

COVID-19 RESPONSE & RECOVERY MANAGEMENT AND COMMUNICATION

• McDonald’s Canada and Weber Shandwick: COVID-19 Recovery Response
• Broad Reach Communications: Helping Canadian Business Leaders Communicate During COVID-19
• IKEA Canada: Caring for People: Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic
• Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority: WDBA: COVID-19 Response
• Fix Network World: Recovery & Resilience: COVID-19 Business Continuity Plan

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

• IKEA Canada: COVID-19 Community Relief Program

NON-PROFIT CAMPAIGNS

• Weber Shandwick Canada: Shoppable Girls
• CIFAR: Turning lemons into lemonade: attracting global scholar candidates during a pandemic
• Ontario College of Pharmacists: Ontario College of Pharmacists Public & Patient Content Strategy
• Argyle and National Association of Friendship Centres: #TakeCareInCOVID – COVID-19 Communications for Urban Indigenous Peoples

MARKETING COMMUNICATION

• McDonald’s Canada and Weber Shandwick Canada: McDelivery Moments
• Sheridan College: Learning, Uncompromised: Sheridan’s Fall Promise
• Veritas Communications: Dexcom National Diabetes Awareness Month

SOCIAL MEDIA PROGRAMS

• Argyle: Talk over RA
• The Canadian Payroll Association: National Payroll Week 2020

Division 2: Communication Research

• RTOERO: 2020 Renaissance Readership Survey

Division 3: Communication Training & Education

• RTOERO: Create and Communicate

Division 4: Communication Skills

SPECIAL AND EXPERIENTIAL EVENTS

• Strategic Objectives and Kruger Products L.P.: The 2020 Cashmere Collection
• Pomp & Circumstance PR: Mercedes-Benz #GLAmping (#MBGLAmping)

DIGITAL COMMUNICATION/COMMUNICATION FOR THE WEB

• Insurance Bureau of Canada, Paradigm, True Media and VMG: Alberta Auto Insurance Reform
• The Canadian Payroll Association: National Payroll Week 2020

AUDIO/VISUAL

• Engineering Strategic Communications, University of Toronto: The Twelve Days of Skule
• McDonald’s Canada and Weber Shandwick Canada: Back to 100% Canadian Beef
• University of Toronto: Arts & Science Breadth Requirements Video
• Sheridan College: Art against all odds: Alumna blends talent and determination to pursue her passion
• City of Markham: Protect Your Pipes! F.O.G. Clogs Campaign Videos

SOCIAL MEDIA

• University of Toronto: University of Toronto’s Faculty of Arts & Science Virtual Convocation Celebration
• Strategic Objectives and Groupe Marcelle Inc.: Lise Watier Revamped Portfolio Professional Correctors Launch
• Strategic Objectives and Kia Canada: Kia Canada Ambassador Program

PUBLICATIONS

• IKEA Canada: IKEA Canada Annual Summary Report for Fiscal Year 2020

WRITING

• Sheridan College: Pioneers of Pedagogy and Practice

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OVATION Awards Winning Entries Booklets

OVATION Awards Winning Entries Booklets

IABC/Toronto members have FREE access to OVATION Winning Entries booklets for years 2005 to 2010, 2012 to 2015, and 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021. Non-members can purchase access to these booklets for $40 plus HST by calling IABC/Toronto’s office at 416-968-0264.

About the OVATION Awards

The IABC/Toronto OVATION Awards began in 1985 when Master Communicator, Ken Cherney was asked to lead a team from the IABC/Toronto chapter to examine the existing awards program, which was then called the Toronto Accolades Program. 

After some consideration, the team determined the rules and regulations upon which the OVATION Awards program was based.

The IABC/Toronto OVATION Awards offers the Greater Toronto Area communications profession an opportunity to present its best work. It celebrates and promotes excellence from the communications profession and fosters a greater appreciation of it.

2021 Sponsors