Congratulations to our Award of Excellence and Award of Merit winners! As we mark the milestone 40th anniversary of honoring communications excellence in the Greater Toronto Area, IABC/Toronto is proud to announce the winners of the 2025 IABC/Toronto OVATION Awards. This special year celebrates four decades of incredible work by professional communicators across our region.
Division 1: Communication Management |
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Category 02: Employee Engagement – Award of Excellence |
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| Entry | Organization |
| The Great Critter Chase for Change | TELUS |
Category 07: Marketing, Advertising & Brand Communication – Award of Excellence |
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| Entry | Organization |
| ’Care Closer to Home’ Campaign | Town of Whitby |
| Fly the Flag: Paris 2024 Olympic & Paralympic Games | Air Canada x Weber Shandwick Canada |
| Love Your Lunch Day | Zeno Group Canada + Newell Brands Canada |
| McDonald’s Canada – My McDonald’s Thing | McDonald’s Canada x Weber Shandwick Canada |
| Mighty o.b. Makes a Comeback with Gen Z | Paradigm and Edgewell Personal Care |
| SHT | IKEA Canada and Edelman Canada |
| Turkey Do It More Often | Zeno Group Canada + Turkey Farmers of Canada |
Category 07: Marketing, Advertising & Brand Communication – Award of Merit |
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| Entry | Organization |
| 30th Anniversary of Watier Neiges | Groupe Marcelle Inc. and Strategic Objectives |
| A Soaring Legacy: Air Canada x Vince Carter Jersey Retirement | Air Canada x Weber Shandwick Canada |
| Joy Sparks Here | Zeno Group Canada + Newell Brands Canada |
| Stop Mr. Sprawl | Environmental Defence Canada & Principles |
| STRONG Pilates Comes to Canada | STRONG Pilates and Strategic Objectives |
| Tetley Live Teas Launch – Redefining Resolutions | Tetley Tea and Strategic Objectives |
| UTM 2024 Summer Enrolment Campaign | U of T Mississauga |
Category 09A: Media Relations | Media Relations with budget up to $50K – Award of Excellence |
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| Entry | Organization |
| SHT | IKEA Canada and Edelman Canada |
Category 09A: Media Relations | Media Relations with budget up to $50K – Award of Merit |
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| Entry | Organization |
| Weber 2024 Media Relations Campaign | Weber Canada & Strategic Objectives |
Category 09B. Media Relations | Media Relations with budget > $50K up to $100K – Award of Merit |
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| Entry | Organization |
| KEEN Shoes Canada | KEEN Shoes & Strategic Objectives |
| LOTTO MAX Record-Breaking Jackpot | Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation x Weber Shandwick |
Category 09C: Media Relations | Media Relations with budget > $100K – Award of Excellence |
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| Entry | Organization |
| Maple Leaf Foods: ”Step Up for Sustainability” | Maple Leaf Foods & Strategic Objectives |
Category 09C: Media Relations | Media Relations with budget > $100K – Award of Merit |
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| Entry | Organization |
| ”Believe in Girls Like Me” Campaign | Children Believe & Strategic Objectives |
| 30th Anniversary of Watier Neiges | Groupe Marcelle Inc. and Strategic Objectives |
| A&W Burgers to Beat MS | A&W Canada and Strategic Objectives |
| Big Arch | McDonald’s Canada x Weber Shandwick Canada |
| Coca-Cola x Oreo – Besties…For A Limited Time | Coca-Cola x Oreo |
Category 11: Government Relations & Public Affairs – Award of Excellence |
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| Entry | Organization |
| ’Care Closer to Home’ Campaign | Town of Whitby |
Category 11: Government Relations & Public Affairs – Award of Merit |
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| Entry | Organization |
| Don’t be flooded with regret: funding the National Flood Insurance Program | Paradigm, Insurance Bureau of Canada, and True Media |
Category 12: Government Communication Programs – Award of Excellence |
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| Entry | Organization |
| ’Care Closer to Home’ Campaign | Town of Whitby |
Category 12: Government Communication Programs – Award of Merit |
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| Entry | Organization |
| Peel Region’s Early Years and Child Care Community Engagement Campaign | Peel Region |
| Vaccinate and Report: Protecting community health with student vaccinations | Region of Waterloo Public Health and Paramedic Services |
Category 15: Corporate Social Responsibility – Award of Excellence |
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| Entry | Organization |
| Bend the Curve for Biodiversity | 407 ETR |
| SHT | IKEA Canada and Edelman Canada |
Category 16: Non-Profit Campaigns – Award of Excellence |
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| Entry | Organization |
| Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking: Labour Trafficking Campaign | Canadian Centre to End Human Trafficking and Strategic Objectives |
| Our Lungs Make Our Lives | Lung Health Foundation and Edelman Canada |
Category 16: Non-Profit Campaigns – Award of Merit |
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| Entry | Organization |
| Let’s Talk About Sex Trafficking Campaign | Covenant House Toronto & ChangeMakers |
| No Piece Of Cake | Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital |
| The Landmark Study: The Many Faces of Dementia in Canada | ChangeMakers |
| Unboxing Hunger | Save the Children Canada |
| White Ribbon | Short Life Stories | Narrative XPR + Bensimon Byrne |
Category 17B: IDEA | LGBTQ2 – Award of Merit |
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| Entry | Organization |
| Our Lives, Our Stories: How The 519 is Fostering Respectful Trans Representation in Media | The 519 |
Category 17E: IDEA | Marketing Communication – Award of Excellence |
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| Entry | Organization |
| BIC Soleil Escape x PWHL Partnership | BIC Canada and Strategic Objectives |
| Mandarin Restaurant – Canada Day Free Buffet Event | Mandarin Restaurant and Strategic Objectives |
| Mighty o.b. Makes a Comeback with Gen Z | Paradigm and Edgewell Personal Care |
Category 17E: IDEA | Marketing Communication – Award of Merit |
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| Entry | Organization |
| Case of the Missing O’s | Mondelēz (OREO) X Weber Shandwick |
| OREO Space Dunk | Mondelēz (OREO) X Weber Shandwick |
| SENOKOT – Constipation Confessions Campaign | SENOKOT and Strategic Objectives |
Category 17F: IDEA | Social Media Programs – Award of Merit |
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| Entry | Organization |
| A&S applicant social media campaign | Faculty of Arts & Science, University of Toronto |
| Big Arch | McDonald’s Canada x Weber Shandwick Canada |
Division 4: Communication Skills |
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Category 20: Special and Experiential Events – Award of Excellence |
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| Entry | Organization |
| 2023 Inaugural All-Nations Powwow | The Regional Municipality of York |
Category 20: Special and Experiential Events – Award of Merit |
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| Entry | Organization |
| York Regional Forest 100th Anniversary Ceremonial Tree Planting and Forest Tour for Members of Regional Council | The Regional Municipality of York |
Category 21: Digital Communication/Communication for the Web – Award of Merit |
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| Entry | Organization |
| Performance Innovations: Building for a better world | Hatch |
Category 22: Audio/Visual – Award of Excellence |
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| Entry | Organization |
| Connecting the Gordie Howe International Bridge | Windsor-Detroit Bridge Authority |
| Performance Innovations: Building for a better world | Hatch |
Category 22: Audio/Visual – Award of Merit |
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| Entry | Organization |
| Our Lungs Make Our Lives | Lung Health Foundation and Edelman Canada |
Category 23: Social Media – Award of Excellence |
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| Entry | Organization |
| Kia Canada Ambassador Program | Kia Canada & Strategic Objectives |
| My Krew Canada | Novartis Pharmaceuticals Canada Inc., Golin Health and Edelman Canada |
| Weber – 2024 Social Media Campaign | Weber Canada & Strategic Objectives |
Category 24: Publications – Award of Excellence |
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| Entry | Organization |
| Performance Innovations: Building for a better world | Hatch |
Category 24: Publications – Award of Merit |
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| Entry | Company |
| University of Toronto Magazine, Autumn 2024 issue | University of Toronto |
Category 25: Writing – Award of Merit |
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| Entry | Organization |
| Performance Innovations: Building for a better world | Hatch |