Category: News

Following a competitive review, award-winning global communications agency Citizen Relations has been appointed as Nespresso Canada’s new PR agency. This strategic partnership combines Citizen’s creative firepower with Nespresso’s premium legacy, launching a new era of innovative storytelling and brand building in the Canadian market. 

Under this new mandate, Citizen Relations will spearhead Nespresso’s consumer public relations, social media engagement, experiential events, and influencer collaborations across Canada.  

“This partnership with Citizen Relations opens up remarkable opportunities,” said Frédéric Pasquier, VP of Marketing at Nespresso Canada. “Their strategic expertise and deep understanding of the Canadian market will help us connect with more coffee lovers across the country while sharing our commitment to exceptional coffee experiences.” 

The agency will focus on amplifying Nespresso’s premium positioning and distinctive brand ethos through compelling activations and innovative campaigns. 

“Welcoming Nespresso to Citizen marks a significant milestone in our growth story,” says Jenn Duggan, President – Canada. “The early momentum we’ve seen from our teams working together signals the tremendous potential of this partnership to drive innovation and excellence in the market.” 

Most recently, Citizen was named  PR Agency of the Year – Silver award at Strategy Magazine’s prestigious 2024 AOY Awards, winning in the category two years in a row. With 10 office locations across the globe, the agency has seen success in the CPG space, with award-winning campaigns at the 2023 Cannes Lions and CLIO Awards. The agency’s Canadian campaigns have also received recognition across the industry, winning awards at the Effie Awards, the Drum Awards Festival and Applied Arts Advertising Awards.  

Last week, the One Club For Creativity revealed its 2024 Global Creative Rankings, where Citizen Relations ranked at #8 in Canada for the second year running – the only PR agency included on the Top 20 list in Canada. 

One Club’s Rankings are a reflection of the best of the best in the global creative industry, through a culmination of results from award competitions, including The One Show and ADC Annual Awards. In 2024, Citizen took home three wins at the 103rd ADC Awards, including the coveted Gold Cube. 

“You don’t expect a “PR” agency in the top 10, but here we are again,” said Josh Budd, Chief Creative Officer at Citizen. “It’s a great way to start the new year, motivation to continue our evolution, and a small but meaningful hat tip to all the Citizens who worked their butts off to succeed in a tough 2024.”

This accolade adds to the momentum Citizen has been building over the recent few years. Early last year, the agency ranked #8 in two prestigious Creative lists in Canada – ICA’s Creative Power List and Strategy Magazine’s Creative Report Card. More recently, Citizen took home the 2024 PR Agency of the Year – Silver award at Strategy’s AOY Awards, having won Gold in 2023. 

Congratulations to the entire team on the achievement! 

The post-holiday season often brings a dip in spirits, culminating in what’s known as “Blue Monday,” falling this year on January 20th. With significant global events and extreme weather impacting morale, the need for connection is more critical than ever. Brands are well placed to help consumers combat the winter blues by facilitating meaningful in-real-life (IRL) connections. Citizen’s 2024 Connections Report reveals key insights into how brands can effectively leverage “Third Places” to bridge social gaps and foster a sense of belonging.

The Power of Third Places

As defined by sociologist Ray Oldenburg, a “Third Place” is a space outside of home and work/school where people connect and relax. These can range from coffee shops and libraries to community centers or parks. According to Citizen’s report, over 80% of people already have at least one Third Place, highlighting their inherent importance in social well-being, yet 74% of those say their Third Place is missing something. The decrease in readily accessible social spaces, combined with the increase in remote work, has made finding these crucial spots all the more difficult.

How Brands Can Help

Brands can play a pivotal role in revitalizing Third Places and creating new opportunities for IRL connection, particularly during the winter months when people are more prone to feeling isolated. Here’s how:

1. Lead With Shared Interests: Don’t just create a space; curate experiences. Organize events and activities that encourage interaction based on shared interests. Consider combatting isolation with book clubs, workshops, fitness classes, or even casual meetups centered around mood-boosting activities. The Citizen Connections Report shows that Gen Z and Millennials, in particular, are drawn to Third Places to explore new interests (58%) and find community (48%). By focusing on shared passions, brands can facilitate genuine connections and build a sense of community.
2. Enhance Existing Spaces: The report reveals that a lack of convenient hours and readily available food/drink options are among the top reasons people find it difficult to find a “right” Third Place. Brands can partner with existing Third Places to enhance their offerings and make them more conducive to connection. During winter months, accessibility can be improved by providing comfortable, heated spaces, extending opening hours (especially during shorter daylight hours), and offering amenities like warm beverages and comfortable seating. A brand could sponsor a “winter warming station” in a park with heated benches and free hot chocolate, or partner with a local community center to offer free winter coat checks and indoor play areas for families.
3. Drive Value Through Experiences: Shifting the focus from sales to genuine community building and positive experiences creates a sense of belonging, which is crucial during winter when people tend to withdraw. A “phone-free” event focused on board games or conversation encourages face-to-face interaction and reduces reliance on technology, which can sometimes contribute to feelings of disconnect. Similarly, a travel luggage company could host a “winter travel planning” workshop, focusing on preparing for winter trips and connecting with other travelers, rather than simply pushing sales.
4. Cater to Nuanced Needs: Recognize that different demographics seek different things from Third Places. The winter blues affect everyone differently and the Citizen Connections Report found that women often use these spaces for relaxation and escape, while men may prioritize making new connections. A women’s-only wellness retreat at a spa offers a chance for relaxation and self-care, which can be particularly helpful during winter. A sponsored men’s mentorship program hosted at a local community center that offers support and connection, which can combat feelings of isolation.

The Long-Term Benefits

By investing in creating and enhancing Third Places, brands not only help consumers combat the winter blues but also cultivate brand loyalty and build stronger community connections. A deeper consideration for the path to togetherness (not just the path to purchase!) not only builds greater trust but ultimately leads to more meaningful engagement and brand affinity.

Gone are the days of running a single creator post and hoping it sticks. With consumers hopping across platforms at lightning speed, brands need more than surface-level strategies to break through the noise. Did you know that social platforms like TikTok and Instagram are becoming the preferred option for search, particularly among younger audiences? Among Gen Z, approximately 65% favour these platforms over Google for discovery and information. Social platforms are no longer just places to scroll—they’re the new search engines.

But in such a crowded space, a single approach isn’t enough. That’s where blending creator marketing and affiliate strategies come in. Creators are masters at sparking trust and building connections, while affiliate programs excel at driving measurable results. Together, they create a full-funnel strategy that takes brands from awareness all the way to action.

At Citizen, we’ve developed Performfluence, a proprietary framework that bridges these two strategies to drive both engagement and conversions.

But let’s be real: not every campaign needs a hybrid affiliate/creator approach. Sometimes, awareness is the goal, and creators should focus solely on building trust and reach. The key is knowing your objectives and aligning the strategy to your goals.

When and Why Affiliate/Creator Hybrid Strategies Work

A hybrid affiliate/creator strategy works best when your brand goals span the entire funnel—from sparking trust and awareness to driving measurable conversions. It bridges the authenticity of creators with the performance focus of affiliates.

For a hybrid strategy to succeed, you’ll need to align budgets across four key areas:

• Creator Compensation: Ensure creators are fairly paid for their storytelling and trust-building efforts.
• Affiliate Rewards: Structure commission payouts based on performance metrics like clicks and sales.
• Paid Media Support: Boost creator content with ad spend to amplify its reach.
• Strategic Planning: Allocate resources for developing a comprehensive hybrid strategy that delivers results across the funnel.

Here’s when to consider a hybrid strategy:

• You need full-funnel impact, from initial awareness to final conversion (e.g., during a major holiday or sales season, or as part of a high-impact launch).
• Your brand has gathered enough data to identify what works (e.g., high-performing creators, formats, and messages).
• You want to create measurable value without sacrificing trust and authenticity.
• You love the power of affiliates already, but have a niche audience segment or category and need to add authority and trust to your affiliate model.

The Evolution of Hybrid Campaigns

Brands often evolve toward a hybrid approach in stages:

1. Awareness-Only Campaigns: These campaigns focus on reach and storytelling, with no direct link to sales. The goal is to spark interest and build familiarity.
2. Data-Gathering Stage: As brands mature, they begin linking to websites and collecting insights on key messages, high-performing creators, and content formats.
3. Performance Play: Once equipped with enough data, brands tie creator content to affiliate links, tracking clicks, conversions, and ROI. This ensures the funnel flows smoothly from awareness to action.

By aligning strategic goals, budgets, and data insights, a hybrid affiliate/creator approach can help brands unlock measurable success across the entire consumer journey.

So, what is Performfluence?

Performfluence is Citizen’s answer to bridging the gap between creator and affiliate marketing. It’s a data-driven, hybrid framework designed to deliver measurable success across every stage of the funnel.

How Performfluence Works:

• Top of the Funnel: Creators generate buzz with authentic, engaging content.
• Middle of the Funnel: Affiliate tactics track engagement and nurture intent.
• Bottom of the Funnel: Data-driven strategies convert clicks into purchases.

Real-World Applications

Here’s how Performfluence brings affiliate/creator hybrid strategies to life:

1. Affiliate Links in Creator Content: Creators use private affiliate links, blending storytelling with performance metrics to track clicks and sales. This approach rewards creators for their authenticity while giving brands measurable insights.
2. Search-Optimized Social Posts: With majority of Gen Z preferring social media for product research, Performfluence ensures posts are optimized with trending keywords to boost visibility and engagement.
3. Sequential Advertising: Through tailored messaging, Performfluence guides users step-by-step, ensuring they move from discovery to decision-making seamlessly.
4. Test-and-Learn Campaigns: Every campaign gathers insights, allowing brands to refine their strategies and focus on what works best. Performfluence thrives on this cycle of constant optimization.

Tracking Success with Performfluence

Performfluence isn’t about guesswork—it’s about measurable impact:

• Integrated Analytics: Combines data from creators and affiliates for a unified view.
• Real-Time Monitoring: Tracks KPIs like clicks, engagement, and conversions.
• Attribution Models: Ensures every touchpoint is accounted for, providing a clear picture of ROI.

Marketing today demands more than just a single strategy—it requires a system that adapts to the consumer journey. Performfluence bridges the gap between creators and affiliates, creating a full-funnel strategy that combines trust-building authenticity with performance-based accountability.

Not every campaign needs a hybrid affiliate/creator approach, but for those that do, Performfluence delivers results that go beyond awareness. Ready to see how your brand can benefit? Let’s start the conversation!

There’s a lot of conflicting information about Gen Z, their desire for connection, and whether they’re willing to venture offscreen to forge the IRL connections they’re craving. Dubbed the “homebody generation”, on the surface there’s some conflicting information about young adults: sick of meeting people online yet unable to disconnect, social by nature but over bars and restaurants. Surprise, humans contain multitudes! Especially those forming their own identities in early adulthood. That said, many Gen Zs are threading this needle in a particularly interesting way: transforming their most intimate spaces into an optimal environment to build the meaningful connections they seek: who says the first place can’t become the third place? Come on over. 

The actual anti-social social club

The homebody generation label doesn’t mean a desire to be by themselves – according to the 2024 Citizen Connections Report, the majority of Gen Z consider themselves social or strong connectors (57%), meaning they feel their best when they’re with others, and seek out these experiences. While we see this generation spending more time at home, they still crave connection & prioritize a third place. However, when it comes to a space where they can best forge those connections, they are often reimagining where this happens, while other generations set out into the wider world to find it. Gen Z is creating “third place moments” at home, driving a hosting renaissance in a way that celebrates both their physical and online worlds. 

Staying home doesn’t mean what it used to.

The majority of Gen Zs do have a third place in the traditional sense, and of those, 9 in 10 say they’d give up major quality of life indicators to keep theirs. But, according to the 2024 Citizen Connections Report, they’re also most likely to say their third place is missing major features (food & drink, accessibility, low/ no costs) that make them ideal for building & fostering social connections. As a generation who’s experienced major milestones from home, and are in a lifestage where self discovery and expression is paramount, it makes sense that this home is becoming their bar, coffee shop, pilates studio, and more. According to the 4A’s, Gen Z will gravitate towards whatever feels most meaningful & memorable, and gravitates towards ways to explore shared interests vs traditional third places like bars & restaurants. Because this cohort is invested in making home the place where they feel most authentic, safe and fulfilled, it makes sense that they’re inviting the social occasions millennials tend to find outside the home, into theirs. Searches for Nancy Meyers core and dopamine decor are sky high, and themed dinner parties have seen a 6000% search increase through summer 2024 according to Pinterest.

But it’s not just about the physical: while hosting at home satisfies the intimate, authentic space for social connections that feel truly meaningful for Gen Z, they’re also able to seamlessly include their online universe in the experience, sharing unfiltered but highly curated moments from their home café drop-in, Book Club or coastal dinner party. Bringing social occasions home means they can make their best memories in a space that allows them to showcase who they are, both to those in the room and their broader friends and followers online.  

What’s keeping Gen Z home – brand considerations:

• Anxiety is REAL: for this generation, home is their happy place. To welcome this cohort out, traditional third places need to adapt and understand that many young adults are more comfortable at home and behind a screen, and work to bridge that gap in thoughtful ways with relevant and familiar cues (source).
• Money is tight: For many, income hasn’t kept up with the cost of going out / socializing at spots where you have to spend $$$ to spend time. Think about how your brand can lower the barrier to exit (their own front door) if you want to make broadening their horizons worthwhile (source).
• Self expression and shared interests is key: these folks want to spend time with friends and family that they’ll all cherish. They are all about romanticizing the mundane, & TikTok helps project this idealism as well as their own aesthetic touch (source). Consider themes that your audience connects to, and how to help them bring those worlds to life.

Over the past few weeks, global marketing communication agency, Citizen Relations, has taken home wins across Canadian industry shows, the ADCC Awards and CMA Awards. 

The Canadian Marketing Association’s annual awards recognize the top Canadian campaigns and marketers of the year. In its 57th year, the 2024 show’s theme, “Boundless: The Future of Creativity,” focused on the constant innovation in marketing. Citizen’s Addy’s Crystal Ball campaign for SickKids Foundation won four awards across various categories: 

• Social Causes:
  • Public Relations – Gold
• Healthcare: 
  • Engagement – Silver
  • Innovative Media – Bronze
  • Public Relations – Bronze

The campaign, which is centered around the brave story of 13-year-old Addy and her crystal ball, has previously been recognized at the ILEA Espirit Awards. 

The ADCC Awards has been recognizing the best Canadian work in advertising and design for the past 75 years. At the 2024 awards, Citizen won two Silver awards for their Asshole Activists campaign for TUSHY in the following categories: 

• Experiential – Events 
• PR – Stunts/Events

The Asshole Activists campaign has been recognized for its uniquely bold and ‘cheeky’ approach at showcasing TUSHY’s bidet and gone on to have a positive impact on climate change. It has previously won awards at the CLIOs and Atomic Awards, along with being featured in PRovoke Media’s SABRE Global Top 40 Campaigns list and winning the Best In Show Platinum SABRE Award earlier in the year. 

A huge congratulations to both teams!

Last week, The Drum announced the winners of the global Drum Awards Festival 2024, recognizing the very best work in the world of marketing and media. Citizen’s “Undone” campaign for Intuit TurboTax took home two wins at the awards. The show, judged by a jury of 700 global marketing experts, awards work that exemplify ground-breaking creativity and strategic genius. 

Citizen won a Silver in the Advertising: Online Video – Long Form category and a Bronze in the Content: Video & Film category. The Undone campaign for TurboTax addresses the horrible stress and anxiety 85% of Canadian Gen Z face when it comes to taxes. How? In a medium that speaks to Gen Z best – a 9 minute psychological horror film. This innovative approach to addressing a complex problem is what has garnered industry appreciation for the campaign. 

Creative Directors, Jess Richards and Travis Myers, spearheaded the campaign, which most recently won at the Applied Arts Advertising Awards. 

“This was the concept we thought the client would never pick,” said Richards. “It was a true display of their trust in the creative process and we’re so grateful for this partnership.”

Speaking on the uniqueness of the campaign, Myers added, “Good creative makes agencies and clients uncomfortable. When you don’t paint by numbers, things can go very good or very wrong. This concept made us all uncomfortable in a good way, and in the end it made audiences uncomfortable in a good way too.”

The campaign was also the focal point of an episode of the Plus Company podcast, Partners in Possibility, hosted by Plus Co CEO, Brett Marchand. Citizen’s Chief Creative Officer, Josh Budd, joined Brett and Intuit Canada’s Head of Marketing, Gah-Yee Won, to chat about pushing creative boundaries and taking risks.

With Bluesky recently crossing the 20-million-user milestone, it’s no longer just a whisper in the tech world—it’s entered the mainstream conversation and marketing rooms worldwide. If you’ve been hearing about Bluesky (or its rivals, Threads and X—the platform formerly known as Twitter) and wondering what the fuss is about, you’re not alone. With frustrations brewing over X and a growing interest in decentralized platforms, Bluesky could be the breath of fresh digital air you (and your brand) need.

At Citizen we have been exploring and testing the platform steadily since its beta-launch, so let’s break it down for you so you can navigate these discussions with your team.

Decentralization: What Even Is It? And Why Should You Care?

Bluesky isn’t just another social media app vying for your attention. It’s built on the AT Protocol, a decentralized framework that flips the traditional social media playbook. Most platforms—like X and Threads—are centralized, meaning they’re tightly controlled by the companies that own them. Bluesky’s decentralized approach is more like a flexible playground where users and developers have greater control over their digital lives.

Here’s the kicker: on Bluesky, if you decide to hop to another app built on the same protocol, you can take your followers, posts, and data with you. Think of it as the freedom to leave a platform without losing your digital identity. Revolutionary, right? In a world where most social networks act like walled gardens, Bluesky’s model could be a game changer.

Why All the Buzz?

Let’s be honest: X has become… a lot. From Elon Musk’s love of drama (drama=engagement=$$) to its gradual transformation into a megaphone for polarizing agendas, many users and brands have quietly slipped out the back door. Bluesky offers an enticing alternative—a space that feels less like the Wild West and more like an intentional, thoughtfully designed retreat. For brands and leaders, it’s a chance to connect with audiences in a different way without the baggage of being tied to X’s controversies.

So – Should You Join the Bluesky Party?

Here’s the million-dollar question: where should brands focus their attention? The short answer is—don’t try to be everywhere all at once. A scattershot approach is a surefire way to burn through your budget. Instead, prioritize based on your audience, resources, and strategic goals.

BIG DISCLAIMER:

There’s a difference between claiming a handle and actively engaging on a platform. Even if your brand isn’t ready to dive into Bluesky, Threads, or X, it’s wise to claim your handles now to reserve your spot for future use. If you don’t, someone else might—and reclaiming it later could be expensive or impossible.

When considering whether to invest time and resources into Bluesky—or any platform—ask yourself these questions:

1. Have we claimed our handles? Future-proofing starts here.
2. Is our audience active on this platform? Bluesky’s 20 million users are notable, but still a fraction of Threads’ ~275 million and X’s ~600 million.
3. Are relevant conversations happening here? If your competitors or industry leaders are talking, it might be worth paying attention.
4. What unique experience can our brand bring to this channel? Decentralized platforms like Bluesky offer a different vibe—less polished and more authentic. How can you add value in this space?
5. What are the risks and PR implications? As with any emerging platform, consider how your participation (or lack thereof) aligns with your brand’s broader narrative.

Putting Bluesky Thinking in Context

Bluesky represents a shift in how social media could work—not just in user experience but in structure. It’s not just about chasing likes and retweets; it’s about rethinking the architecture of online communities. Whether you’re ready to jump in or just keeping tabs, understanding platforms like Bluesky can help you make informed decisions in an ever-evolving digital landscape.

In the end, the key isn’t to follow the buzz—it’s to find what aligns with your audience, goals, and brand values. Stay curious, stay strategic, and don’t forget to grab your handle.

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Welcome to The Rundown by Citizen – Connections edition! Our quarterly newsletter gives you a round up of the conversations that count. In honour of our latest Citizen Connections Report, this edition of the Rundown is all about social connection and Third Places. Check it out below and subscribe to our newsletter to get the full thing in your inbox!

What’s In A Third Place?

Popular sitcoms from the 80s to early 2000s often show that one hangout spot where the entire gang meets up after a long day at work – a breather between all their shenanigans. So what do Tom’s Diner in Seinfeld, Central Perk in Friends, The Max in Saved By The Bell or MacLaren’s Pub in How I Met Your Mother have in common? They all serve as a key Third Place for our beloved characters. 

Coined by American sociologist, Ray Oldenburg, in 1989, a Third Place is a physical space where a person spends time when not at home (the first place) or at work/school (the second place). It’s a place of belonging and ease, where people gather to relax in public, meet familiar faces or make new relationships. These third places are just as important to our lives as they are in those TV shows. With the world facing so many crises, the need for social connection is higher than ever. And yet, every day we see new headlines of shopping malls shutting down, coffee shops decreasing and movie theaters closing.

Last year, Citizen’s Connections Report found a clear connection deficit. The 2024 iteration found that more than half of the people surveyed feel less connected today than they did in 2023. 

So how do Third Places fit in all this? According to Citizen’s research, Third Places play a critical role in closing the connection gap and the need is clearly there. According to Vox, Third Places allow people of different backgrounds to cross paths and build ties. Around 83% of Citizen’s survey respondents said they have at least one Third Place but 74% of those found something missing in their Third Place and 65% can’t find one that’s right for them.

Why the disparity? Our needs from a Third Place in 2024 are different and much more nuanced. 

1. With the growing closure of global offices and a shift towards hybrid working, our “second place” has deteriorated. This is widening the gap between a first and third place, where people in the workforce today don’t have as many opportunities to build social connections with those around them 
2. Men and women want different things from a Third Place. Women want to relax & escape responsibility while men are actively seeking new connections and belonging in a Third Place. 
3. Younger generations have a notably higher need for Third Places than others, despite being the most online generations. So much so that they are the most willing to make quality of life sacrifices to save Third Places including giving up social media, sex and dining out.  

While this is just a slice of the findings, the 2024 Citizen Connections Report makes one thing clear: Third Places are integral for brands to build deeper connections with their consumers.  

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Here’s a sneak peek!

Gen Z: How the “homebody generation” forges meaningful connections IRL

Gen Z is redefining social connection by turning their homes into personalized “third places,” hosting everything from dinner parties to book clubs while blending physical and digital experiences. Learn what’s driving this shift and how brands can adapt.

Parks and Green Spaces: The Untapped Third Place

Parks and green spaces are emerging as vital “third places” beyond home and work, offering brands unique opportunities to create community impact through inclusive programming and digital engagement while serving as natural equalizers across demographics. Discover how brands can leverage green spaces to build authentic community connections.

How Brands Can Become Today’s Modern Connectors

In today’s digitally isolated world, innovative brands are reimagining their role by creating meaningful “third places” that foster genuine human connections, proving that their greatest value isn’t in what they sell, but in the relationships they enable. See how brands are bridging the digital-physical divide to build community.

We live in a world overflowing with digital content. Every minute, 16,000 TikToks are uploaded, 500 million tweets are sent out, and countless other pieces of data are created. This presents a massive opportunity for brands to glean insights into consumer behavior. But how do you make sense of all this unstructured data?

That’s where conversation mapping comes in.

Conversation mapping is a systematic approach to quantifying and qualifying cultural conversations by using a mix of online listening and news media intelligence. It allows brands to pick apart how consumers react to specific moments and how they talk about their experiences.

Why Conversation Mapping?

Conversation mapping enables brands to:

• Cut through the noise and identify genuine opportunities for connection and growth.
• Develop more effective communication strategies by gaining a deep understanding of their audience and what matters to them.
• Identify white space and develop messaging and strategies that are relevant, current, and differentiated.

Key Trends:

• A growing recognition of the value of unstructured data and the insights it can provide.
• The rise of sophisticated tools and techniques for analyzing this data at scale.
• A shift from simply tracking mentions to understanding the nuances of conversation and using that knowledge to develop more effective marketing strategies.

Click here to get more takeaways like this from Citizen’s Annual Forward Forum virtual seminar.