Notes & News
CPABC Exceeds National
Averages in Raising CPA
Brand Awareness
S
ince the launch of the CPA brand in September 2013, CPABC
has been working in tandem with CPA Canada to raise awareness of the profession by continuing to evolve the “PRO” campaign. This past year saw the roll-out of the “Need a PRO?” message
in out-of-home placements (such as bus shelters and map stands) in
cities across Canada. In BC, this roll-out was further supplemented
with transit and outdoor advertising in Victoria and Kelowna, along
with television commercials and tax tip segments on Global TV and
provincewide recruitment ads targeted at employers.
In March 2015, CPA Canada conducted a survey to measure unaided
awareness of the CPA brand across the country. Results reveal that
22% of managers, business owners, professionals, and entrepreneurs
(MOPEs) were aware of the CPA brand, up from 16% in March 2014.
When unaided awareness measures were segmented into urban and
non-urban sub-regions, Canada’s major cities averaged 27%, while
non-urban regions averaged 17%. Looking at the six regions of the
country (as segmented by CPA Canada), the survey reveals that five
regions—Atlantic Canada, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba/Saskatchewan,
and Alberta—experienced this same urban/non-urban awareness gap.
BC was the exception.
Survey results indicate that BC had comparable CPA brand awareness
levels in Vancouver (27%) and in outlying areas (25%). In fact, with
its provincial average of 26%, BC effectively smoothed out the
10-point difference noted in the other five regions.
Analysis indicates that BC’s provincially driven advertising plan,
which built on the CPA National Branding Initiative, enhanced
coverage in the entire British Columbian market, generating strong,
uniform brand awareness by exposing MOPEs in every part of the
province to a consistent level of CPA advertising. The 2015 survey
shows that the efforts in BC have resulted in the highest awareness of
the CPA designation in Canada among affluent households and
MOPEs. BC MOPEs said they remembered the campaign, had a
favourable view of the strategic messaging, and—most significantly—
had strong awareness of the CPA brand name.
Committed to continuing to raise the profile of CPAs and the CPA
brand, CPABC has begun its 2015/2016 campaign by profiling members,
candidates, and students on radio, online, and in print. Profiled
members include Katherine Angus, FCPA, FCA, the CFO of Joey
Restaurants Group; Christopher Lythgo, CPA, CMA, a senior partner
in consulting at BDC; and Lynn Cook, CPA, CGA, the CFO of Colliers
US. More members will be profiled as the campaign runs throughout
the year, so stay tuned!
Out-of-home advertising at Burrard Skytrain Station to raise public awareness.
Examples of recruitment and employer awareness ads printed in various publications.
Example of a member awareness ad published in the Vancouver Sun.
CPABC in Focus • July/August 2015 9