Updates from Profectio & PR In Canada
With their re-branding now in place, Mike Coates, President and CEO of Hill+Knowlton Strategies Canada has started to roll out some additional changes with the team in Ottawa including a number of promotions and new hires.
Tom Creary has been appointed Vice President and Group Leader in Ottawa for Public Affairs, previously he was Senior Associate with Hill+Knowlton Stratégies in Quebec. Tom has 35 years of experience in public affairs, government, sales and business development from various positions at SNC Group; a number of emerging Canadian new technologies companies; the American Chamber of Commerce in Canada where he founded the Quebec Chapter; and as co-founder /CEO of a well-respected public affairs agency. Prior to joining Hill+Knowlton Stratégies as an associate, Tom was chief of staff to a federal conservative cabinet minister.
Paul Moen joins Ottawa’s public affairs team as an associate. He has extensive experience in the global biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors – most recently at Amgen, where he was Director of International Government Affairs in Washington, DC. Paul’s record in the corporate sector is rounded out by his public service in Canada at the Department of Industry and as senior policy advisor to the minister of international trade, Jim Peterson. He also served as a corporate lawyer at EMD Serono in Geneva, Switzerland, and at Paladin Labs in Montreal.
Paul Benoit, also in H+K Strategies’ Ottawa office as an Associate, he has 25 years of federal-level experience that complements the existing team as a strategic advisor on trade and investment issues. Paul has worked on critical public policy issues from a range of perspectives: as senior policy advisor to Canada’s minister of international trade, where he engaged departmental officials in advancing Canada’s trade agenda including further trade liberalization; a parliamentary official; a senior departmental advisor; a candidate in a federal election; an academic; and as a representative of business interests and non-governmental organizations.
Kim Doran, who joins the firm as an Associate, and she brings in-depth understanding of the policy and regulatory frameworks for financial institutions and other industries, she provides advice on policy initiatives and regulatory challenges in the financial services and chemical industry sectors. Rounding out more than 18 years as a government relations professional, Kim worked for two of Ottawa’s major government relations consulting firms before joining the Liberal Party of Canada as its deputy national director of policy and organization, and later working as a principal with an Ottawa-based government affairs and public relations firm.
Popularity: 11% [?]
Tags: Hill+Knowlton Strategies, Kim Doran, Mike Coates, Paul Benoit, Paul Moen, Tom Creary
Category On the Move |
Consumers are faced with so many sources to help sway their minds as they open their wallets to go shopping, from advertising campaigns, celebrity endorsements and social media reviews, there is no shortage of voices whispering in the ear of consumers. The Canadian Council of Public Relations Firms (CCPRF) released some new research conducted by Angus Reid/Vision Critical, that looks at impact of influence on consumer’s shopping habits. For example, when asked whose opinion of a new product matters more – an editor’s or a celebrity’s – a full 42 per cent of Canadians reported caring more about an editor’s opinion, compared to only four per cent who felt a celebrity’s take mattered more.
“Our study delved into the dynamics of influence on Canadians’ shopping habits, examining media influences, ‘circles of trust’, and the impact of social media on our buying process,” said Carol Levine, chair of the CCPRF. “What we discovered is that hierarchy of influence is a much more complex force than people may expect.”
According to The Impact of Influence poll findings:
- Facebook trumps Twitter (21 per cent versus 15 per cent), but blogs trump Facebook (29 per cent versus 21 per cent)
- Company websites, however, trump blogs by more than a 2:1 ratio (68 per cent versus 29 per cent)
- Ultimately, traditional media sources – newspapers (86 per cent), TV (83 per cent), radio (78 per cent), and magazines (73 per cent) — still outrank all of the above as the go-to source for information
But this equation of influence changes dramatically for younger generations:
- Almost four in ten Canadians (38 per cent) aged 18-34 consider blogs to be one of their top research sources when purchasing a product or service, compared to less than half that (16 per cent) of Canadians aged 55 or older
- YouTube mirrored the same pattern, with 27 per cent of Canadians under 34 years of age reporting it as one of their top research sources versus only 15 per cent of the boomer generation (adults over the age of 55)
- Moreover, 18-34 year old Canadians were twice as likely as their older counterparts (aged 35-54) to list social media sources such as Facebook as credible news sources (22 per cent versus 12 per cent). Interestingly, they were also more trusting of company websites as credible news sources than boomer Canadians (23 per cent versus 10 per cent)
“A significant portion of our younger generation sees blogs, YouTube, Facebook and company websites as credible sources of news. This suggests to us, that in their minds – and in contrast to older Canadians – the boundaries of credibility between news, “circle of trust” conversations and marketing are blurring,” explained Levine. “In our social media world, where one individual’s opinion can stand out against a sea of other information, ‘exposure’ as we know it is passé; young Canadians are hand-picking who they want to pay attention to, no matter the source.”
In addition to generational differences, there is a wide gap between how all Canadians are influenced today, versus how self-identified socially engaged respondents are influenced on what to purchase. For example, The Impact of Influence study found:
- If a blogger posts a positive product review that is contradictory to a traditional news report (newspaper or magazine), average Canadians are more likely to believe traditional media according to the survey (32 per cent versus 13 per cent). In contrast however, self-identified influencers were almost twice as likely to believe bloggers over media (21 per cent versus 13 per cent)
- 41 per cent of self-identified “early adopters” of new products and services, and 41 per cent of avid smart phone app users count on blogs as one of their top research tools, when considering buying a product or service, compared to 29 per cent of the general population
- While one in five Canadians (21 per cent) rely on Facebook to research new product/service information, in advance of a purchase, that figure jumps to 30 per cent among self-identified social media savvy consumers
- 35 per cent of bloggers use YouTube for researching products and services they are considering buying whereas only 21 per cent of average Canadians do the same
- Just over six-in-ten poll respondents (62 per cent) who considered themselves to be the influencers among their social circles, said they would visit their favourite stores online to stay in the know. This figure drops to 52 per cent when looking at the national average
- Interestingly, almost 1 in 3 Canadians (31 per cent) admit conducting research simply as a means to justify their purchase
“The vast differences in media usage and social media credibility among socially engaged Canadians compared to other Canadians have great implications for PR professionals and marketers as a whole,” said Levine. “The mind map of the socially engaged Canadians in contrast to their counterparts shows us that the future of public relations lies in strategies that are inherently share-worthy by design.”
Popularity: 15% [?]
Tags: Canadian Council of Public Relations Firms, Carol Levine, CCPRF, Facebook, Social Media, Twitter
Category Knowledge Centre |
As a reader of PR In Canada you are well aware of the benefits of a press release, news distribution service mononews created this infographic that just might come in handy next time you are in front of a prospect that needs to better understand how a press release can benefit their business.
Popularity: 10% [?]
Tags: infographic, mononews
Category Knowledge Centre |
Environics Communications announced the addition of Shaday Livingston and Sabena Singh to the agency’s Toronto office. Shaday joins Environics’ healthcare team as a Consultant, Shaday previously worked at a Maverick Public Relations where she planned and managed campaigns for consumer, technology and corporate accounts. Shaday also worked as a Communications Specialist for well.ca, an online health and wellness retailer where she managed public relations and social media activities, developed privacy policies for the ecommerce site and media trained senior staff.
Sabena has been hired at Environics to join the public relations agency’s technology team as an Account Coordinator. Prior to Environics, Sabena completed an internship at MSL Group where she provided day-to-day support including result reports, presentation development and media/social media outreach.
Popularity: 15% [?]
Tags: Environics Communications
Category Features |
Foraco International SA, a global provider of diversified drilling services, announced today it has engaged Fleishman-Hillard, as their communications agency of record.
“We made the decision to engage Fleishman-Hillard not merely to highlight Foraco’s work but to raise awareness of the drilling industry and the intricacies of this business,” says Jean-Pierre Charmensat, Vice-CEO and CFO of Foraco. “The business of drilling is absolutely crucial to a successful mining project, and it’s rewarding work for our employees because they really have the opportunity to demonstrate their highly diverse and sophisticated skill sets.”
As part of their mandate, Fleishman-Hillard will cover Foraco’s key regions and will focus on internal and external communications. The company will be appearing at this year’s Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) Convention.
Popularity: 15% [?]
Tags: Fleishman-Hillard, Foraco
Category Account Wins |
With a new brand identity revealed just last week, PRAXIS continues its upward momentum with the promotion of an Account Director. Rebecca Fair has been promoted to Account Director, she was previously a Senior Account Executive after joining the communications agency in 2010.
During her time at PRAXIS, Rebecca has worked as a team leader on a number of clients, providing excellent results for BEAM Global Spirits (The Macallan Scotch, Highland Park Single Malt Scotch, Famous Grouse, Laphroaig, Courvoisier, Cruzan Rum, Canadian Club and Red Stag portfolios), as well as PepsiCo (Aquafina Plus+ Vitamin 10 CAL and Health & Wellness).
Popularity: 15% [?]
Tags: PRAXIS, Rebecca Fair
Category On the Move |
Quick – who’s the first person you think of when I say: Apple, Ford, Sprouter, Deloitte. For me I think of the following – Apple – Steve Jobs, Ford – Scott Monty, Sprouter – Erin Bury, Deloitte – Peter McNeil. These are all people who come to mind as soon as I mention the brand and I have noticed come to mind for many others as well.
Steve Jobs needs no introduction, simply he is the guy who turned around Apple and put it on the global map – probably for ever.
Scott Monty is the Head of Social Media for Ford, he is the guy who showed the world how a car company can be “cool” and often used as examples of how to do social media right. Ford has engaged in many social media programs, often calling upon skeptics and turning them into brand ambassadors of Ford.
Erin heads up social media at Toronto-based Sprouter, while many may not fully understand what the business does, they certainly have heard the name due to Erin’s passion and tireless efforts to engage with audiences online and offline, and that passion for the brand has turned into a new opportunity for the company.
Although he left over a year ago, Peter McNeill was heading up marketing for Deloitte, but during that time he was the brand champion of consulting firm, the guy that every knew and you wanted to work with Deloitte “because” of Peter. He took what was once a very conservative brand who used a lot of old-school marketing tactics and showed them how to embrace the “new-school” and that customers can be found offline and online.
Just a few examples and people that come to top of mind, feel free to share any other examples that you have come across. Of course I’m not suggesting that social media is a must have for your company, it was just something helped the people above share their passion for the company’s they work for in a much broader way.
Popularity: 28% [?]
Category Branding |
Weber Shandwick released some new data based on a study they commissioned that found that the company behind the brand is critical to consumer purchasing decisions. Seventy percent of consumers surveyed avoid buying products if they do not like the parent company. Executives agree — in fact, 87 percent say that “a strong corporate brand is just as important as strong product brands.”
The Company behind the Brand: In Reputation We Trust illustrates the challenging consumer landscape facing today’s marketing and communications executives. The research identifies six key insights revealing a world where consumers no longer just buy products based on their own merits but also shop by company reputation.
“Consumers are using their dollars as a vote of confidence in companies they trust,” said Weber Shandwick’s Chief Reputation Strategist Leslie Gaines-Ross. “As our research confirms, corporate and brand reputations are now nearly indivisible. The company standing behind the brand assures consumers that they can trust the quality, ethics and safety of the brands they are buying.”
The New Realities of Corporate Reputation
The importance of a company’s reputation matters more than ever and when unified with the reputation of its product brands creates one powerful “enterprise” brand. As Weber Shandwick’s Global Corporate Chair Micho Spring said, “A strong corporate reputation is essential to unlocking the full value of the enterprise and strengthening its brands, products and services as a result.”
Weber Shandwick’s 6 New Realities Of Corporate and Brand Reputation:
1. Corporate brand is as important as the product brand(s). The leading reasons the vast majority of executives (87 percent) believe that a strong corporate brand carries as much weight as strong product brands is their recognition that product brands benefit from the overall reputation of the company (65 percent) and that people care about the companies behind the brands they buy (55 percent). Executives in China and Brazil are even more likely to agree in the equal prominence of corporate and product brands (96 percent and 93 percent, respectively).
2. Corporate reputation provides product quality assurance. Products are the beneficiaries of strong corporate reputations. Over two-thirds of consumers report avoiding products made by companies they do not like and checking labels to see who the parent company is.
- 70 percent avoid buying a product if they don’t like the company behind the product
- 67 percent are increasingly checking product labels to see what company is behind the product
- 61 percent get annoyed when they can’t tell what company is behind a product
- 56 percent do research to learn about the companies that make what they buy
- 56 percent hesitate to buy products if they can’t tell who makes them
Consumers are exerting greater control over what brands they buy. In fact, when asked on an open-ended basis, consumers often used the word “assurance” to describe the value of the company behind the brand. To many, a highly-regarded corporate reputation engenders good feelings about a company’s products and importantly, provides assurance that the brands will be of high quality, ethically sourced and made responsibly. As one consumer said, “It is the company you are financially supporting when you buy its product. We have too many choices to buy a product from a company we don’t like.”
3. Any disconnect between corporate and product reputation triggers sharp consumer reaction. Over one-half of consumers (54 percent) report being surprised to find out that a product or service they liked was made by a company they did not like. When asked what they do in response, surprised consumers said they most often stop purchasing the product (40 percent) or search online to dig deeper into what other products are made by the company (34 percent). Surprise about a product’s lineage does not usually work to the company’s benefit – surprised consumers are twice as likely to stop buying the product as they are to continue buying it.
4. Products drive discussion, with reputation close behind. Wrong-doing overshadows right-doing. Consumers were asked what they talk about when they discuss companies. At the top of the list is products — nearly seven in 10 consumers (69 percent) say they frequently or regularly discuss how they feel about a product they bought. Also included among their top five talking points are customer service, how employees are treated, company scandals or wrong-doing, and their feelings about the company as a whole (its reputation). Consumers report that they are more likely to discuss corporate scandals and wrong-doing (43 percent) than corporate good deeds (37 percent), environmental protections (31 percent) and community services (29 percent).
1. Consumers shape reputation instantly. What sources of influence move consumers’ perceptions of companies? Not surprisingly, consumers say that word of mouth is the leading influence (88 percent) when it comes to impacting opinions of companies. Also influential are online reviews (83 percent) and online search results (81 percent). Brazilian consumers rate more traditional sources about companies — news sources, awards and advertising — as significantly more important than consumers in the other three markets.
2. Corporate reputation contributes to company market value. Most admired status carries more weight than financial earnings. Executives estimate that, on average, 60 percent of their firms’ market value is attributable to its reputation. This high value explains why companies have ramped up their reputation-building activities, with the vast majority of executives (86 percent) reporting that their companies increased their efforts to build reputation over the past few years.
For consumers and executives alike, the reputation of a company is perceived as more important than positive financial earnings. More than half of consumers say they are more confident in buying products from a company with a most admired standing than one with a positive share price forecast. Nearly six in 10 executives say they would rather see their companies in the news for a most admired standing than a positive share price forecast. The findings imply that both consumers and executives now recognize that reputation is long-lasting and enduring while financial performance can be cyclical and short-term.
Popularity: 23% [?]
Tags: Corporate Reputation, Leslie Gaines-Ross, Weber Shandwick
Category Knowledge Centre |
Environics Communications recently made a few new additions to its Toronto office as they prepare for more growth in 2012.
Laura Ballantyne joins Environics as a Consultant in the Consumer Practice. Prior to Environics, Laura was with Paradigm Public Relations where she worked on brands such as Timex, Molson Coors Canada and HTC. During this time, Laura executed numerous influencer, social media and product loaner campaigns, as well as honed her special event and media/blogger relations skill-set.
Rebecca Cohen comes to Environics as an Account Coordinator in the Corporate and Finance Practice. Previous to Environics, she worked at C2E Consulting as well as volunteering with the Princess Margaret Foundation. Rebecca has also extended her volunteer experience as a member of the Ambassador Committee for GenNext at the United Way of Greater Toronto.
Popularity: 29% [?]
Tags: Bruce MacLellan, Environics Communications, Laura Ballantyne, Rebecca Cohen
Category On the Move |
Our nomination process is still open, we are on the hunt to help recognize the top bloggers of 2011, but we need your help. Simply add the names and url of any bloggers who you feel did a great job in 2011.
Popularity: 26% [?]
Tags: Blogs, Social Media
Category Features |
