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Cora Breakfasts with APEX Jul 03, 2008 - Cora’s Breakfast and Lunch, Montreal-based breakfast-and-lunch franchise, is on a mission to win the hearts and tummies of English Canada’s consumers and franchise prospects with the recent hiring of APEX Public Relations. Cora’s Breakfast and Lunch has been expanding in English Canada since 2000 with a growth rate of 20% in 2007. This year, company founder Cora Tsouflidou intends to establish another 59 restaurants, bringing the total number of outlets to 108 by year’s end. As part of the expansion, the company is embarking on a national public relations campaign with APEX. “We chose APEX because it understands the entrepreneurial spirit and because we had a strong chemistry with the APEX team,” says Tsouflidou. “Their media relations skills and experience will be an invaluable asset to us as we garner attention for the expansion of our franchise.” Pat McNamara, APEX President said working with Cora’s will provide the PR agency with the challenge and opportunity to reach out to a unique and diverse audience. “We are thrilled to be working with Cora’s as it moves across Canada into new markets in Ontario and western Canada,” said McNamara. “Through our work we will have the opportunity to engage business and consumer audiences all at once.” Cora’s has become renowned for its healthy, homey breakfast restaurants with recipes inspired by customers and has been particularly appealing to the business breakfast goer, as well as families looking to spend quality time together. Cora is currently operating in eight provinces with a total of 90 restaurants. This year, Cora Franchise Group Inc. has won several awards and in 2008 was named one of Canada’s 50 Best Managed Companies for the third consecutive year. - Gail Chiasson APEX's Jo Langham Named to IABC's International Accreditation Council Aug 20, 2007 - The International Association of Business Communicators has appointed Jo Langham, senior vice-president, APEX Public Relations, to serve a three-year term as the IABC's director of examiners for its accreditation council. Langham will be responsible for helping to establish and maintain consistent examiner standards and processes to be applied to all accreditation candidates globally. Langham is a past-president of the Toronto chapter of the IABC, and was a member of that chapter’s board for eight years. - Gail Chiasson Danone Waters Launches Canadian Springs Brand Nationally
The unified Canadian Springs brand brings together four, distinct regional brands - Canadian Springs (BC), Crystal Springs (ON), Labrador (QC) and Sparkling Springs (ATL) - under the one company. The product will remain under the Labrador brand in Quebec in deference to the strength of the brand there. The bottled water market in Canada had an average growth of 14% per year between 1999 and 2004 and the market is expected to continue to grow through 2008. The growth is attributed to several things: Canadians' nutrition and health concerns including the recommendation of eight glasses of liquid a day for hydration; the increase in sporting and fitness activities in the country; and the perceived need for a supply that is guaranteed safe for drinking. A 2004 AC Nielsen study showed that more than 86% of Canadians who prefer bottled water choose natural spring water. "Our new Canadian Springs brand will clearly identify our water as crisp, refreshing, natural spring water," says Anthony Milonas , vice-president, marketing and business development, Canadian Springs. Danone Waters is also launching a unique, recyclable eight-litre format - designed specifically to fit in a home refrigerator - for Canadian Springs and Labrador that is now available at retail in all markets with the exception of British Columbia. In BC, the eight-litre format is currently only available via home and office delivery, but will be available at retail stores in early 2006. The Canadian Springs launch is being supported by an extensive marketing campaign including advertising, public relations and in-store sampling. A television campaign will begin airing in early September. Public relations by APEX Pulic Relations , Toronto, and in-store sampling is underway. - Gail Chiasson APEX PR to Promote Tommy Bahama and Penguin Brands Feb 07, 2005 - Jaytex Group, Toronto, has retained APEX Public Relations, Toronto, to provide public relations strategy and support for the Tommy Bahama and Penguin brands. “We want public relations to play an increased role in the marketing of our Penguin and Tommy Bahama brands moving forward,” said Eric Gundy, president, Jaytex Group. PR efforts for the Penguin and Tommy Bahama brands in 2005 will include media relations, product seeding and product placement. Jaytex of Canada Limited is a privately owned company that has been in business since 1978. The Jaytex Group has focused on the development of fashion brands through its own trademark, North Forty Four, and through Canadian licensing of well-recognized private label brands including: J-Lo, Timberland, Tommy Bahama, Kenneth Cole and Penguin. APEX has considerable fashion experience including campaigns for such brands as Levi’s, Dockers and Nike. Clients include: Bank of Montreal, Coca-Cola, DaimlerChrysler Canada, Fuji Photo Film, Grand & Toy, Kellogg’s and Tetra Pak. - Gail Chiasson Kellogg Canada Puts Stott Pilates DVDs in Special K Boxes Jan 13, 2005 - Kellogg Canada is distributing, nationally, free Stott Pilates DVDs, a premium gift valued at $20 each, in more than 1.5 million specially marked boxes of Special K cereal, while quantities last. Kellogg Canada with supermodel Cindy Crawford kicked off the launch Jan. 12/05 in Toronto. "Just as our Special K step counter promoted physical activity in previous campaigns, we are now sharing the mind-body benefits of Stott Pilates - one of the world's foremost pilates exercise brands - in an effort to help Canadians live active, healthy lives," says Christine Lowry, vice-president, Nutrition, Kellogg Company. Pilates is a no-impact, stretch and strengthen method of exercise pioneered in the 1920s. As the fastest-growing mind-body exercise method in North America, pilates is becoming more than a lifestyle as well as a fitness regime. a lifestyle. The Stott Pilates method strengthens and streamlines the body with minimal impact, improves posture, heightens body awareness, increases strength, creates leaner muscles and can help prevent injury. Specially marked Special K Original, Special K Red Berries, Special K Soy and Special K CarbFit cereal packages bearing the likeness of Cindy Crawford (or, in Quebec, that of France Beaudoin, French media personality) contain one of three unique 30-minute Stott Pilates programs featuring master instructor and co-creator of Stott Pilates, Moira Merrithew. They deal, respectively with Core Strength and Flexibility, Toned Abs and Endurance, and High Performance Pilates. The Kellogg's Special K promotion is supported with a creative television advertising campaign developed by Leo Burnett and currently running across Canada in both English and French. Crawford is the spokesperson for the English advertising and Beaudoin in Quebec.The campaign is also supported in-store, as well as via the Web and public relations. PR is by APEX Public Relations. - Gail Chiasson [BACK]
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Aug 30, 2005 - Danone Waters of Canada, one of the country's leading producers of bottled water in large formats, is launching Canadian Springs as a national brand, introducing a new and unique packaging format, and putting significant marketing dollars behind these development..