Table of Contents 6 2012 OVATION Awards Winning Entries

Communications Goals/Objectives
To unveil and showcase the Square, it was necessary to develop an official opening event which would
resonate with each of our target audiences and establish MCS as a vibrant public square with great
potential. The City has conducted many traditional official openings over the years, but organizers
wanted this one to be different – much like the venue being celebrated. Our objectives were to design
an event that would:
(1) Receive positive local media coverage, and attract at least one national and one GTA media
outlet to attend and cover the event;
(2) Attract 70 stakeholders to a special pre‐ceremony VIP breakfast to congratulate the
consultants/contractors/suppliers who worked on the project;
(3) Attract at least 500 City employees to the celebration portion of the event to thank staff for
their patience.
Solution Overview
An official opening event in the form of an outdoor City Council Meeting, followed by a staff celebration
was developed to meet our communications objectives. An open‐air Council Meeting (Council Meetings
are normally held indoors in the Council Chamber.) would showcase the new venue and demonstrate
how the Square could be used to achieve the City’s goal of establishing Mississauga Celebration Square
as a vibrant, multi‐use, public outdoor gathering place.
Introducing Mississauga Celebration Square via a televised special event was a cost‐effective way to
reach our audiences: It would provide a forum to congratulate the project’s decision‐makers,
acknowledge funding partners, celebrate the project’s completion, and generate “good news” stories
through promotions and media relations. The buzz created through this launch event was expected to
create interest in the Square’s first summer season.
An outdoor Council Meeting was our creative approach to the solution: According to our research, no
other Canadian municipality had held an open‐air Council Meeting. The formal meeting would include
the protocols necessary for an official ceremony, and the celebration afterwards could provide a festive
atmosphere in keeping with a special event venue.
As Mississauga Celebration Square’s grand opening for the general public was scheduled for Canada Day
on July 1, the official protocol event was scheduled for the week prior. A regular Council Meeting date,
June 22, 2011 at 9 a.m. was considered ideal timing for attendance by politicians, stakeholders and
media. The celebratory portion of the event to thank City employees was scheduled during the lunch
period. This timing would satisfy all our target audiences.
Politicians, project employees, suppliers, consultants, stakeholders were invited by evite. Internal
messaging via posters, pay‐stubs and the corporate Intranet provided City employees with event
information. External posters, facility message boards, portable signs and the ISF website provided
additional information for those interested in the redevelopment project. An ad in the local newspaper,
editorial in various publications, media advisories, the City’s website, announcements at televised