Catégorie : Actualités

For the second year in a row, Citizen Relations US has been selected as one of PRWeek’s Best Places to Work 2023, in the Mid-Sized Agency category. This accolade celebrates those agencies in the PR industry that empower their employees, embed collaboration into their work culture and write the playbook on how to attract and retain top talent.

After making the coveted list last year, Citizen has gone on to have a stellar year, with unprecedented award recognition and a culture that is reflective of their mission and values. Earlier in the year, Citizen was also named the “Best Agency To Work For” in North America by PRovoke Media. Such industry recognition reflects the agency’s commitment to building a positive, inclusive and people-first workplace.

This year, Citizen US put its employees first through such initiatives as their inaugural “Mod Awards” that celebrates those employees that embody the Citizen values, Mental Health First Aid Training for all offices to reflect a focus on employee mental wellness and quarterly townhalls and “Citizen Days” to foster social connection and a #OneCitizen mindset.

A huge thank you to PRWeek for the recognition and congratulations to the Citizen US teams! To learn more about the Best Places To Work list, click here.

The awards keep coming in and we are truly honored. Over the last couple of weeks, Citizen has been able to add some new pieces of hardware to our shelves both in the U.S. and in Canada. From campaigns on fire alarms to Cheeto dust, our work keeps on delivering and we’re incredibly thankful. Read on to learn how we stacked up at the PRSA Big Apple Awards and the Media Innovation Awards.

PRSA Big Apple Awards 

The PRSA Big Apple Awards are known as a celebration of “influence, integrity, and innovation”. Citizen’s campaign for Kidde, “Cause for Alarm  » took home wins in the categories of Targeted Marketing Group-Multicultural Public Relations and Public Service.

Black Americans are nearly twice as likely to die in a house fire compared to individuals of another race. The launch of Kidde’s Cause For Alarm initiative highlighted fire safety inequities in America, sparked imperative conversations, and offered educational materials and safety devices to those in need. Receiving this accolade helps to bring even further awareness to this vital cause. A thank you to the judges and congratulations to all teams involved.

The Wins: 

• Targeted Marketing Group- Multicultural Public Relations
• Public Service- A. Business

Media Innovation Awards

Over in Canada, Citizen had an exciting night at the Media Innovation Awards taking home eight awards in total. Both campaigns Cheetle in Cheadle for PepsiCo. and ReclaimYourName.dic for Elimin8Hate took home gold awards. They went on to win 1 bronze and 3 silvers respectively. Cheetle in Cheadle’s gold win at the MIAs has broken new ground as the category of Planning with Purpose is new for the 2023 award season. Rounding out the award wins was Coast Capital’s Talk Money to Me campaign taking home 1 silver and 1 bronze award.

As its name suggests, the Media Innovation Awards honor campaigns that show how media continues to evolve the way brands are built. Honorees are showcased for their creativity and effective solutions that drive results for the brand. Another round of applause for the teams represented in these wins!

2 Gold Awards: 

• Planning with Purpose for ReclaimYourName.dic
• Best Disruption for Cheetle in Cheadle

4 Silver Awards: 

• Best in Experiential/Stunts – Budget Under $100,000 for Cheetle in Cheadle
• Best in OOH Platforms – Budget Under $100,000 for Cheetle in Cheadle
• Best in Consumer Goods for Cheetle in Cheadle
• Best in Finance and Services for Talk Money to Me

2 Bronze Award:  

• Best in Niche Targeting for ReclaimYourName.dic
• Best use of influencer for Talk Money to Me

Bienvenue dans l’édition spéciale Connexions de notre infolettre En Bref par Citoyen, un tour d’horizon mensuel des conversations qui comptent. Ce mois-ci, suite à la publication de notre premier rapport Citoyen annuel sur les connexions, nous vous proposons une réflexion approfondie sur la récente « crise des connexions » qui a fait la une des journaux du monde entier.

Combler le déficit de connexion

Il est évident que notre monde traverse actuellement une crise de la connexion. Partout dans le monde, nous entendons parler de la solitude comme d’une épidémie et du plus grand défi de santé publique de notre époque. Mais comment les spécialistes du marketing peuvent-ils jouer un rôle dans la résolution de cette crise et pourquoi devraient-ils s’en préoccuper ?

Au début du mois, Citoyen a lancé son premier rapport sur les connexions, en interrogeant plus de 3 000 consommateurs aux États-Unis, au Royaume-Uni et au Canada pour comprendre comment ils se connectent entre eux, avec la société et avec eux-mêmes. Une chose qu’ils appellent le « déficit de connexion » est apparue de manière flagrante :

Presque partout, les gens aspirent à plus de connexion, mais ils se retiennent.

Cela se résume à trois choses :

• Interaction sociale sélective : Après la pandémie, 74 % des personnes sont devenues plus sélectives quant à leurs cercles sociaux.
• L’équilibre en ligne et hors ligne : Si 78 % des personnes interrogées préfèrent les interactions en personne pour améliorer la communication et la camaraderie, un quart d’entre elles apprécient également les connexions en ligne en raison de leur commodité et de leur spécificité.
• Défis en matière de santé mentale : La santé mentale n’est pas seulement le premier obstacle à la connexion sociale, c’est aussi le premier problème auquel les gens veulent que les marques et les organisations s’attaquent.

Les consommateurs attendent également des marques qu’elles s’attaquent à ce « déficit de connexion » – près de 90 % des personnes interrogées attendent des marques qu’elles s’attaquent à au moins un problème de société et qu’elles provoquent des changements. Citoyen a donc défini un nouveau mandat pour les marques afin de les aider à s’attaquer au problème de la connexion sociale. Pour en savoir plus, consultez le rapport complet de Citoyen ici.

L’OMS s’est exprimée

Il y a quelques semaines, l’Organisation mondiale de la santé (OMS) a enfin déclaré que l' »épidémie de solitude » était une priorité mondiale en matière de santé et a lancé une nouvelle commission sur les connexions sociales. L’objectif de cette commission est d’élaborer des stratégies pour aider les gens à renforcer leurs liens sociaux au cours des trois prochaines années.

Cette annonce fait suite à des recherches approfondies menées par le Dr Vikram Murthy, administrateur de la santé publique des États-Unis, sur l’impact de la solitude sur la santé mentale et physique. Il semble que la santé mentale et la déconnexion sociale aillent de pair. Alors que le Dr Murthy affirme que la déconnexion sociale est à l’origine de la crise de la santé mentale aux États-Unis, le premier rapport de Citoyen sur les connexions a également révélé que la santé mentale constitue le plus grand obstacle à la connexion sociale. En fait, il s’agit du problème numéro un pour les consommateurs du monde entier, qui souhaitent que les marques se mobilisent davantage.

L’impact sur la santé physique devient de plus en plus évident, une étude estimant que cela équivaut à fumer 15 cigarettes par jour. Les recherches montrent que la solitude et l’isolement social peuvent entraîner une mauvaise santé immunitaire et des maladies cardiovasculaires. Elles peuvent également entraîner un déclin cognitif et contribuer à l’augmentation des cas de démence.

Aussi sombre que cela puisse paraître, tout espoir n’est pas perdu. Au cours des trois prochaines années, la Commission entend non seulement sensibiliser le public à l’isolement social, mais aussi collaborer avec des personnalités clés des gouvernements et du secteur privé pour s’attaquer au problème. Cependant, la responsabilité ne repose pas uniquement sur eux. Dans tous les secteurs d’activité, les organisations peuvent jouer un rôle dans l’établissement de liens plus étroits au sein de la société. Les marques, par exemple, peuvent laisser cet objectif guider leur campagne et, par conséquent, susciter le changement. Pour savoir ce que les marques peuvent faire de plus, consultez le rapport 2023 de Citoyen sur les connexions ici.

La ville la plus solitaire

L’épidémie de solitude est devenue un phénomène mondial. Mais ce qui est ironique, c’est que même les villes les plus densément peuplées sont confrontées à cette crise de la connexion. Un nouveau rapport de la Toronto Foundation suggère que Toronto pourrait bien être la ville la plus solitaire du Canada. L’ironie, cependant, c’est qu’avec 6,6 millions de personnes vivant dans la ville, c’est aussi la plus peuplée.

Que se passe-t-il alors ? Selon l’étude, près de quatre Torontois sur dix déclarent se sentir seuls trois à quatre jours par semaine, ce qui est plus élevé que dans n’importe quelle autre ville du pays. Compte tenu de l’état de la solitude et des liens sociaux dans un monde post-pandémique, ce n’est pas une surprise. Et même si nous vivons dans un monde post-pandémique, l’impact de la Covid-19 reste profond.

Avant la pandémie, les Torontois déclaraient avoir beaucoup plus d’amitiés et de relations qu’aujourd’hui. En 2018, 55 % des personnes interrogées ont déclaré avoir beaucoup ou très beaucoup d’amis ; ce chiffre a chuté à 44 % lors de l’enquête la plus récente, en 2022. La solitude n’est pas la même chose que le fait d’être seul, ce qui explique le décalage que les habitants de la ville ressentent par rapport à leur communauté au sens large.

Le rapport aborde également les facteurs de santé mentale, le stress lié au travail et l’accessibilité financière de la ville étant les principales préoccupations de plus de 50 % des Torontois. L’immigration étant en constante augmentation, l’enquête a montré que 17 % des personnes interrogées vivent dans des logements surpeuplés, un tiers d’entre elles étant des nouveaux arrivants. Compte tenu de tous ces facteurs, les gens finissent par s’isoler de plus en plus.

Le rapport de Citoyen sur les connexions  a révélé un autre facteur à l’origine de cet isolement : la polarisation. Environ 80 % des personnes interrogées déclarent avoir été touchées par la polarisation, qui a encore réduit les cercles sociaux. En conséquence, les gens ont perdu la capacité d’avoir des conversations ouvertes avec des personnes qui ne pensent pas de la même manière. Découvrez comment les marques peuvent intervenir pour encourager les gens à s’écouter les uns les autres et à laisser la conversation se dérouler librement – dans le respect et sans jugement – dans notre rapport.

Ralentir la cadence

Avec tous les gros titres sur l’épidémie de solitude et l’augmentation de l’isolement, on peut avoir l’impression qu’il n’y a pas de finalité en vue. Mais tout n’est pas si sombre. Les entreprises ont remarqué cette augmentation de l’isolement et ont déjà commencé à la combattre, à leur manière.

La chaîne néerlandaise de magasins d’alimentation Jumbo a mis en place des « caisses pour bavardage » dans ses magasins peu avant la pandémie. L’idée vient de la « file relax » que Tesco, la chaîne de magasins d’alimentation britannique, a introduite en 2017 pour les clients qui ont besoin d’un peu plus de temps.

L’introduction par Jumbo de ces caisses n’est toutefois que l’une des nombreuses initiatives visant à encourager les clients à discuter et à réduire la solitude. La chaîne de magasins d’alimentation a également mis en place des coins de discussion dans les magasins où les clients peuvent s’arrêter pour prendre un café et avoir l’occasion d’entrer en contact avec leur communauté et leurs voisins.

Cette connexion est également encouragée sur les plateformes en ligne. L’application de rencontres Bumble a récemment lancé Bumble pour meilleurs amis (BFF), qui permet aux utilisateurs de se connecter avec des personnes partageant les mêmes centres d’intérêt afin de nouer des amitiés autour de centres d’intérêt similaires.

Ces petits pas sont parfois tout ce qu’il faut pour faire la différence et favoriser l’établissement de liens plus profonds. C’est également un moyen facile pour les marques d’aborder une question sociale et d’apporter un changement ; le rapport de Citoyen sur les connexions a révélé que près de 90 % des personnes interrogées souhaitent que les marques prennent position sur une question sociétale.

L’un des moyens d’y parvenir, et de s’attaquer à la question des liens sociaux, consiste à trouver ces liens faibles et à les entretenir. L’art de la conversation s’est perdu et les marques peuvent facilement le rétablir en trouvant ces moments et en étant intentionnels dans la manière dont nous les passons.

Rejoignez-nous en direct le 7 décembre !

Il est clair que le monde n’a jamais été confronté à une crise de la connexion aussi importante qu’aujourd’hui. Qu’il s’agisse du ministre britannique de la solitude, qui la considère comme le plus grand défi de santé publique, ou du fait qu’environ 45 000 décès au Canada sont attribués à la solitude, les chiffres parlent d’eux-mêmes. Et bien que la Covid-19 ait certainement contribué à cette situation, la conversation sur le fait d’être moins connecté socialement dans un contexte d’épidémie de solitude, de montée de la polarisation et de dépendance croissante à l’égard de la technologie a imprégné les discussions à travers notre tissu social bien avant l’arrivée d’une pandémie mondiale.

Les responsables du marketing et de la communication disposent aujourd’hui de la plateforme, du pouvoir et de la responsabilité nécessaires pour s’attaquer à la crise actuelle de la connexion sociale et changer la donne. Suite à la récente publication du rapport de Citoyen sur les connexions, rejoignez Lindsay Page, vice-présidente sénior de la stratégie chez Citoyen, et Susan McPherson, experte en responsabilité d’entreprise et auteure de « The Lost Art of Connecting », pour analyser les causes du « déficit de connexion » actuel et les nouvelles opportunités qui s’offrent aux marques et aux organisations pour le combler.

Participez à la conversation LinkedIn en direct le 7 décembre prochain à midi (HNE). Inscrivez-vous ici.

Earlier this month, Citizen Relations held the first ever, exclusive virtual event, Forward Forum, where the communications agency invited clients and partners alike for a day of dynamic keynote sessions and interactive expo booths.

Citizen’s Digital team, spearheaded by Crystalyn Stuart-Loyaza,  held keynote sessions on how to revolutionize earned communications through radical solutions and tomorrow’s trends, along with virtual expo booths attendees could participate in. From learning how to use data-driven intelligence to drive strategic conversations to maximizing our ROI with creator marketing, attendees heard from our marketers on making the most of their earned strategies using a digital-forward approach.

“Over the past 6 months that I’ve been here, we’ve been having amazing conversations with clients about what they’re planning next with creators, community, content, and commerce. So we decided to build a choose-your-own-adventure digital experience to bring our clients and colleagues together to discuss those experiments and ideas,” said Neil Mohan, Global SVP of Creator Marketing, about why now was the time to have this event.

Here are a few of the downloads that attendees worked with during Forward Forum workshops:

• Defining Influencer Marketing Metrics and Benchmarks
• SEO Checklist
• Navigating the Canadian Affiliate Landscape
• Affiliate Recruitment for Incremental Results

With the launch of their new brand of digital “dComm3” last year, Citizen’s digital team has been working on client offerings that bring innovative solutions to content performance, tech automation, community engagement, influencer marketing and more. Attended by a wide variety of Citizen’s clients, the virtual event also shared the new product developments Citizen has been doing, along with their inaugural Connections Report 2023.

To learn more about the event and the various offerings, please contact our digital team at citizendigital@citizenrelations.com

It’s no secret around here that Citizen’s latest piece of IP provides a look at the current state of social connection. We uncovered a fractured story: while people say they crave and desire more of it, we’ve deliberately shrunken our social circles and tend to avoid debate or controversial conversations. In fact, more than a third agree with the statement “I feel more connected to myself” than others.

But what does it mean for brands? After all, successful branded acts rely on social cohesion to some extent: feedback loops, fostering community and conversation. As Dr. Marcus Collins puts it, “the future of ‘brand’ will be communal in nature; those who are able to facilitate community will most likely win while those who still focus on value propositions and product differentiation will most likely lose.” So when we think about people being lonely even while surrounded by others, when we select “conversation off” in our Uber ride, how welcome will our brands be? If we’re not connected, if we’re lonely, culture is more fragmented, and things like effectiveness and trust are at stake.

Our call to brands is clear: create space to bravely take this on. Here are four ways to get started:

1. Let Purpose Drive The Change

Communications and PR professionals are in a unique position – as cultural translators for reputation and risk tolerance – and have greater influence than ever before. McKinsey has proven the power of partnership between CEOs and CMOs in catalyzing growth. Communications leaders, now often in the C-suite, are no different and are in a place for impact when it comes to showing the business case for tackling social connection.

2. Find The Weak Ties

Through the report, we learned about the concept of “weak ties” – the casual chats with a crossing guard or neighbour or barista – and how significant their impact is on wellbeing. Even these casual connections can help give us a greater sense of community and purpose. We love interventions like slow check-out lanes that intentionally create weak ties and combat loneliness.

3. Help People Disagree Better

The report illuminated a sense of a loss of public debate and the idea of polarization as a default state. Nearly 30% are less likely to talk about anything controversial (since 2020) and 15% have lost friends due to polarization. Organizations like the Human Library prove the idea that with proximity, comes acceptance. The opportunity here is not about changing minds or sides, but rather about acceptance and encouraging people to sit with disagreement – with productive, peaceful, respectful disagreement.

4. Change The « Online Vs. Offline » Conversation

It’s time to give more nuance and move beyond the dichotomy of online or offline connection – it’s not “either or”, it’s “both and”. Our research in this area points to a near stalemate: for example, while 81% respondents say at least one online social platform has made a positive impact on their day-to-day lives, 78% prefer to connect offline. The opportunity here is about when and why for each – for example, more online connection may support and bolster accessibility – and how they can be used for deepening connection at large.

To learn more about today’s connection deficit and how brands can tackle it, read our 2023 Citizen Connections Report here and reach out!

Recently, our Strategy team attended 4A’s StratFest 2023 in New York City, hearing from the best in the industry on how to create compelling strategic work. Inspired by the conference, our Senior Strategist, Malav Naik, penned their thoughts on an exploration of the delicate balance between inclusion and alienation. The core theme of the conference this year was Strategic Bravery: the willingness to take risks and push boundaries as the catalyst for impactful work. It’s this bravery that propels brands into the limelight, daring to be inclusive without sacrificing their core audience.

In an era dominated by purpose-led marketing campaigns, brands are rising to the occasion as consumers increasingly demand authenticity and alignment with their values. Citizen’s inaugural Connections Report found that nearly 90% of survey respondents want brands to address a social issue. The push for inclusivity has spurred brands to use their platforms to address social issues, cater to niche audiences, and enhance representation across the board.

While the evolution of brands in response to societal shifts is critical, the landscape is not without its challenges. The current climate of heightened polarization presents a paradox. Despite brands operating with a spirit of inclusion, brand managers are becoming more risk averse in the face of growing backlash. All this is a direct result of our current crisis of social connection; our Connections Report shows 15% respondents have lost friends due to polarization and 30% don’t even want to talk about anything controversial.

So, how can we navigate this delicate balance and avoid the dreaded feedback, « We do not want to alienate our core audience »? Afterall, the best creative is hyper targeted and specific, and being everything to everyone will fall flat.

Here’s a few ways that we can continue to push for a mindset shift i.e. seeing niche audiences as an engine of growth, instead of seeing it as a limitation or constraint.

1. Don’t Fear Specificity:

Embrace the idea that the more personal, the more universal. Dive deep into a community to find insightful nuggets that can create emotional resonance with a broad audience. An unconventional example for this is the hit Netflix show Never Have I Ever. It is one of the most specific depictions of Tamil immigrant culture. However, it struck a note with audiences across the globe as it conveys the universal themes of teenage angst and coming of age.

A generic message risks getting lost in the noise; specificity is the key to standing out. Remember, when you try to talk to everyone, you end up talking to no one.

2. Understand Your Brand DNA:

Define your brand’s purpose and consider how it can be applied to specific communities. Authenticity is crucial, and your brand’s legitimacy to speak on a particular topic should be evident. Purpose isn’t a mere reflection of social media trends; it’s about driving long-term advocacy by seamlessly connecting your purpose to the product you’re selling.

An example of this is the widely successful Vaseline See My Skin campaign. The brand did an incredible job of exemplifying their purpose of ‘healing’. Hence, even when the campaign centered the Black & African-American community, they were able to create emotional resonance with the masses.

3. Build Bridges, Not Walls:

Instead of contributing to the polarization, focus on narratives that bring communities together for constructive dialogue. In a world divided, your messaging should facilitate conversation rather than force people to choose sides. Be a unifying force, emphasizing shared values and common ground.

Coke Studio Pakistan is the perfect example of building community and fostering dialogue. Coca Cola was able to not only generate a ton of impressions, but they also managed to bridge the gap between Indian and Pakistani music lovers.

4. Stick to Your Purpose:

Recognize that abandoning your brand’s purpose in the face of backlash may exacerbate alienation. Staying true to your core values is essential, even in the face of criticism. A powerful example of this is when North Face defended their campaign featuring a drag queen, despite backlash from several fringe groups.

By implementing these strategies, brands can navigate the complex landscape of inclusive marketing, fostering connection and engagement without alienating their core audience. It’s a tightrope walk, but with purpose and authenticity as your guides, you can successfully bridge the gap between innovation and tradition.

About The Author:

Malav Naik is an artist, activist and an award-winning marketing strategy professional. They have honed their multi-disciplinary approach to communications from their experience across brand strategy, advertising and public relations in the USA, Canada and India.

Yesterday, WHO declared the epidemic of loneliness a global health priority and launched a new Commission to help people deepen their social connections. But to foster new social connections – to meet others that you have any interest in starting or maintaining any level of relationship with – requires you to first meet them.

And that’s easier said than done.

Our new Citizen Connections Report, launched just this month, shows that people across the globe have become much more thoughtful about who they spend time with (74% said they think more about who they spend time since the pandemic), limiting their chances of making those impromptu connections. Polarization has made us lose friends (nearly 30% are less likely to talk about anything controversial), so even those that could help grow our social bubbles are susceptible to being socially pruned because of where we are in society today. When we do take the leap to engage with new folks online – whether it’s with the random egg avatar on X or the interesting username on Twitch – only 12% of us trust who we’re talking to. And this ends up affecting brands who’re trying to break into the online space.

Like I said, making social connections is hard.

So we need to make it easier.

While in-person connection is indisputably desired, we need to move on from the “online versus offline” debate as there are clearly unique benefits to both. Our Connections Report clearly shows that online communities are one way to make socially connecting easier.

How? When asked to cite benefits of being part of an online community, respondents said:

• Can be very specific to my interest
• Focused on having fun
• People are just like me

Online communities have the benefits that can help address some of the issues impacting people’s ability to connect with new people. People are way more thoughtful about who they want to spend time around and online communities being filled with people who are just like them and are focused on having fun can be seen as reasons to participate. These benefits also combat the fears and consequences people are facing because of polarization. And when it comes to the issue of trust online – online communities are largely a place where people are bonding over like interests, so there grows a basis of comfort because of that initial relationship building.

Given the role online communities can play, brands should make a concerted effort in developing and supporting their own online communities. But in order for brands to be able to do it strategically and successfully, it will require some extensive intelligence gathering. Why? Before brands can build and manage their online community they need to understand what they are getting into.

Two of the most important things, call it homework, that brands need to do through intelligence gathering before building online communities of their own is to 1) dig deep into understanding their audience culturally, and 2) investigate the relationships and truths that exist between the brand and category and their audience.

Understanding the audience: In order for brands to build online communities it’s imperative to do the work in understanding how their audience operates culturally. Although your audience may purchase and support your brand they exist as a consumer and as a citizen above and beyond the interactions with your brand. It’s important to understand their interests, attitudes, and opinions at large. Once understanding your audience on a more cultural and psychographic level this gives you the ability to identify possible segments within your audience to help you strategically decide how you want to focus and or curate these online community spaces and experiences.

Understanding the relationship: In order for brands to build online communities it’s imperative for brands to acknowledge the good, the bad, and the ugly of how their audience sees and engages with their brand & category. Without this level of intelligence work, without this transparent look inside, it will be difficult for brands to develop the type of community and participate in it as a brand in a relevant but more important – authentic and credible way.

Citizen’s new “Conversational Intelligence” offering is perfectly suited to lead and execute this level of work for brands globally. Our mix of first, second, and third party data sources allow us to paint a clear picture of brand audiences through a cultural lens as well as allow us to present an accurate and insightful read on how a brand’s audience perceives and talks about that brand and its overall product category.

If you want to learn more about Conversational Intelligence or the 2023 Citizen Connections Report, reach out today!

Award season has lasted all year for Citizen and the most recent shows attended were no different. Citizen saw tremendous success at The ADCC Award and The Canadian Marketing Awards. Each show is an industry standout in their own right, Citizen is honored to be recognized by the judges and peers.

The ADCC Awards 

Known for championing Canadian advertising and design, The ADCC Awards honor creative excellence each year. While the awards honor work completed in Canada, the judges hail from all over the world to ensure a high standard. Citizen won across the following categories:

1 Gold Award

• Creative Effectiveness for ReclaimYourName.dic

4 Silver Awards

• Public Service Non-Traditional for ReclaimYourName.dic
• Direct Digital and Online for ReclaimYourName.dic
• Interactive Branded Utility for ReclaimYourName.dic
• Creative Effectiveness in Advertising for Cheetle in Cheadle

1 Bronze

• PR Campaign for ReclaimYourName.dic

The Canadian Marketing Awards 

The Canadian Marketing Association gathered on November 10th to award the best marketing campaigns in Canada over the last year. Leaders from across the industry were present to celebrate the achievements of agencies and brands alike. Citizen snagged trophies for the following:

3 Gold

• Public Relations for Cheetle in Cheadle
• Public Relations for Talk Money to Me
• Environics Analytics Data Driven Marketing Award for ReclaimYourName.dic

4 Silver

• Social Causes- Engagement for ReclaimYourName.dic
• Food + Beverage- Business/Brand Impact for Cheetle in Cheadle
• Food + Beverage- Engagement for Cheetle in Cheadle
• Food + Beverage- Customer Experience for Cheetlen in Cheadle

1 Bronze

• Financial- Innovative Media for Talk Money to Me

The PR industry headed to Washington D.C. last week for PRovoke Media’s Global Summit and Citizen was there for all the action. The 3 day conference hosted a series of conversations and panel discussions for senior leaders in Public Relations to explore the most pressing issues of today and their effects on the industry. Citizen was not only part of three different conversations on stage, they took home some well-earned hardware at the Global SABRE awards.

Jenn Duggan, President Ontario & West took the stage first. Moderated by session sponsor Davis + Gilbert, she joined leaders from PAN Communications and Highwire PR to discuss Best Practices to Attract and Retain Today’s Talent. “You’re not just an employee, you show up as your whole self to work – so whether that means supporting DEI needs or those of a young parent, agencies have to be flexible to suit varying and diverse needs.”, Jenn shared on the subject.

Fresh off the launch of the first annual Citizen Connections Report, Citizen’s SVP of Strategy, Lindsay Page, sat down with Susan McPherson, CEO McPherson Strategies and author of “The Lost Art of Connecting”, to explore the key findings of the report and the tremendous opportunity brands have to combat today’s “Connection Deficit”.

Finally, Citizen’s Stephanie Lett-Dawkins, named PRovoke’s North American Young Changemaker for 2023, joined fellow changemakers from the UK and Australia to discuss retaining diverse talent and deconstructing the use of the term BIPOC. When discussing DEI training and mentorship opportunities, Stephanie commented on the support she’s received at Citizen to help meaningfully move her career forward.

Before heading home, Citizen had much to celebrate at the Global SABREs awards; not only did Lett-Dawkins cross the stage to accept her Young Changemakers award, two Citizen campaigns landed on PRovoke’s list of Top 40 global campaigns of the year list. Both “Cheetle in Cheadle” and ReclaimYourName.dic received this honor, beating out over 5,000 global campaigns submitted for consideration. Chief Creative Officer Josh Budd and SVP Lindsay Page accepted the award on behalf of Citizen’s talented creative, strategy and PR teams.

Thank you to the teams at PRovoke Media for such a memorable opportunity to connect with so many leaders from across the globe  – see you next in New York!

Aujourd’hui, Citoyen lance son premier rapport sur les connexions, une étude approfondie sur les connexions sociales d’aujourd’hui.

Au cours des dernières années, une crise mondiale de la connexion est clairement apparu. Cette année, l’Administrateur de la santé publique des États-Unis, la solitude est plus mortelle que le tabagisme et l’obésité. Au Royaume-Uni, le ministre de la solitude – un poste créé en 2018 – a qualifié cette crise de « l’un des plus grands défis de santé publique de notre époque ». Au Canada, l’hôpital Mount Sinai attribue 45 000 décès par an à la solitude.

« En tant qu’agence dont la mission est de faire en sorte que chaque conversation compte, nous considérons la conversation comme un catalyseur de connexion. Le secteur de la communication marketing est particulièrement bien placé pour lutter contre la crise de la connexion, mais nous devons d’abord comprendre ce qui la provoque », déclare Nick Cowling, Chef de la direction de Citoyen.

Citoyen s’est demandé à quoi ressemblait la connexion sociale aujourd’hui – qu’est-ce qui a changé ces dernières années ? Comment les gens choisissent-ils de se connecter – et avec qui ?  En juin 2023, l’agence a interrogé plus de 3 000 personnes en Amérique du Nord et au Royaume-Uni pour le savoir. Les données ont révélé que si les gens souhaitent presque tous plus de connexion qu’ils n’en ont aujourd’hui, ils sont freinés dans leur élan. Ce « déficit de connexion », comme l’appelle Citoyen, est dû à une multitude de facteurs, dont les principaux sont les suivants :

• Nous avons délibérément réduit nos cercles sociaux.
• La question n’est pas de choisir entre les échanges en ligne ou hors ligne – nous avons besoin des deux.
• La santé mentale est le principal obstacle.

Le Rapport 2023 de Citoyen sur les connexions révèle la façon dont les gens se connectent entre eux, avec eux-mêmes et avec la société – et le nouveau mandat des marques pour s’attaquer à la connexion sociale aujourd’hui.

Cliquez ici pour en savoir plus et lire le rapport complet.