What APEX Public Relations does

APEX Public Relations Inc. is an independently owned Canadian public relations and marketing communications agency founded circa 1999 and headquartered at 160 Bloor Street East, Toronto. The firm delivers integrated services across corporate communications, consumer brand marketing, digital and social media, branding and creative, influencer marketing, experiential/events, and media training, targeting both B2B and B2C enterprise clients across Canada. Notable clients include Roku, RE/MAX Canada, DoorDash, Walmart, New Balance, Levi's Canada, Ubisoft, WeightWatchers, and Project 8, with documented outcomes such as 620M+ media impressions generated for Roku in 2021 and 256M+ media impressions for a RE/MAX housing-market education campaign.

The agency operates on professional-services fees using retainers, project-based, and campaign-based engagement structures, with quote-based pricing tailored to client scope; revenue is not publicly disclosed. There is no proprietary technology platform — APEX provides human-delivered services — and the firm operates no public API or SDK. Its content footprint includes The Pivot podcast (hosted by Managing Partner Kenneth Evans, currently in Season 8 across Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, and Google Podcasts), an active blog, and presence on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, and Instagram. The agency is affiliated with ruckus Digital (an integrated digital agency partner), operates under DBAs APEX PR, ruckus Digital, and ruckus, and has won 200+ local, regional, and international awards including a 2025 Cannes Young Lions Bronze Medal and 2024 CPRS Toronto and IABC/Toronto recognitions. Leadership comprises Managing Partners Linda Andross and Kenneth Evans, Executive Vice President Jennifer Stein, and Vice President Kymberlee Lightowlers (Finance & Operations).

Name

APEX Public Relations

Legal name

APEX Public Relations Inc.

Website

https://apexpr.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

APEX Public Relations is an independently owned Toronto-based Canadian marketing and communications agency delivering integrated PR, digital, influencer, branding, and experiential services to enterprise B2B and B2C clients across Canada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Relations Services

NAICS

Public Relations Agencies (54182), Public Relations Agencies (541820), Advertising Agencies (541810)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311), Services-Advertising (7310)

akta.pro primary industry

PR, Reputation Management & Earned Media Platforms (BPAMALAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

Thought Leadership & Executive Visibility (BPAFADAG)

Keywords

• Public relations services
• Media relations
• Influencer marketing
• Brand marketing strategy
• Integrated communications

Headquarters

HQ city

Toronto

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Marketing & Communications Services: APEX PR generates revenue through professional services fees for integrated marketing communications, public relations, digital/social media, branding, influencer marketing, and experiential services. The agency works on project-based, retainer, and campaign-based engagements with clients.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

APEX Public Relations is a Toronto-based integrated marketing and communications agency that sells professional services across seven core practice areas: Corporate Communications, Consumer Brand Marketing, Digital & Social Media, Branding & Creative, Influencer Marketing, and Experiential & Events, plus Media Training. Engagements are delivered on a project, retainer, or campaign basis to enterprise and consumer-brand clients in Canada.

Product overview

APEX Public Relations is an independently owned Canadian marketing and communications agency offering integrated PR and marketing services. The core service portfolio includes Corporate Communications, Consumer Brand Marketing, Digital & Social Media, Branding & Creative, Influencer Marketing, Experiential & Events, and Media Training. The agency also operates The Pivot, a signature podcast platform. All services work together as an integrated approach to deliver 360-degree communications solutions for clients, combining earned media, digital marketing, creative production, and strategic consulting.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• The Pivot Podcast: A marketing and communications podcast hosted by Ken Evans featuring industry leaders, entrepreneurs, and innovators. Currently in Season 8 as of 2024-2025.

Products and services

• Corporate Communications Strategic public relations services for raising brand profile and managing communications challenges in both B2B and B2C contexts, directing target audiences to action and keeping brands top of mind.
• Consumer Brand Marketing Brand experience services including pop-ups, mailers, events, and immersive innovative marketing campaigns designed to make an impact for consumer-facing brands.
• Digital & Social Media Social media channel management and paid media services for brands navigating the digital landscape, including always-on social channel management and paid-media campaigns.
• Branding & Creative Full brand identity services including narrative strategy, brand identity, design, visual assets, video and podcast production, branded web series development, and experiential production.
• Influencer Marketing Influencer marketing services including research, identification, relationship and contract negotiation, paid and organic influencer programs, brand ambassador guidelines, and content amplification strategy.
• Experiential & Events Event strategy, execution, and management including street teams, guerrilla marketing, conference and tradeshow activations, employee and customer events, in-store demos, and sponsorship activations.
• Media Training Communications training for spokespeople to deliver news effectively in media interviews, with a strategy-first approach focused on connecting brand-area experts with journalists.
• The Pivot Podcast A weekly marketing and communications podcast hosted by Ken Evans featuring industry innovators, brand gurus, and PR professionals, serving as a thought-leadership content platform for the agency.

Quantifiable outcome

• 620M+ media impressions generated for Roku in 2021
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• Fresh RestaurantscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Partnership with Fresh Restaurants across Toronto to distribute DoorDash Courageous Conversation cards with orders, promoting the Pride campaign initiative through social channels and providing physical distribution points for the conversation card decks.
• Drag Race Canada / Bell MediacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Integration partnership with Drag Race Canada Season 2 creating a mini-challenge in episode two, including video production by Bell Media demonstrating Courageous Conversation cards, social amplification through Crave and Queens social channels, and look challenges representing neighbourhoods.
• Grindr CanadasecondaryGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2021Dating app partnership offering conversation prompts using Courageous Conversation cards during Pride month, with DoorDash pop-up in Grindr inboxes reaching 146K users with 14% avg open rate.
• ruckus DigitalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Affiliated digital agency partner collaborating on integrated campaigns; ruckus digital designed the Courageous Conversation cards deck for DoorDash Pride campaign. The agencies operate together as APEX Public Relations/ruckus Digital.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Edelman Canada: Canadian arm of Edelman, the world's largest independent PR firm, providing corporate communications, consumer marketing, digital, and crisis services. Same enterprise target clients and core PR services as APEX PR, but with significantly greater geographic reach and parent-network resources.
• Weber Shandwick: Global top-tier PR and integrated communications agency within IPG, with deep Canadian presence. Competes with APEX PR on corporate communications and consumer brand PR for the same Fortune-class enterprise clients.
• Cohn & Wolfe (now part of Burson): Global PR and communications agency focused on consumer, healthcare, technology, and corporate communications. Competitor to APEX PR for enterprise communications mandates across similar verticals (consumer, tech, retail).
• Hill & Knowlton Strategies Canada: Canadian operations of the global WPP-owned public relations consultancy offering corporate communications, public affairs, crisis, and brand marketing. Competes with APEX PR for enterprise mandates requiring crisis communications, public affairs, and reputation management capabilities.
• Cossette Communications: One of Canada's largest independent integrated marketing communications networks, spanning advertising, media, PR, digital, and experiential. Overlaps with APEX PR on the consumer brand, influencer, and experiential service lines for shared enterprise clients such as retail and consumer brands.
• Zeno Group: Global communications agency owned by IPG with strong consumer, technology, and corporate practices. Operates overlapping integrated PR, influencer, and earned media services with APEX PR for mid-to-large enterprise clients.

Direct peers

• Citizen Relations: Canadian-founded, globally-networked independent PR and integrated communications agency with services across PR, influencer, social, and creative. Directly comparable to APEX PR in mid-market enterprise PR/communications, target clients (CPG, tech, consumer), and integrated full-service positioning.
• energi PR: Canadian independent PR agency headquartered in Toronto with a long operating history, serving enterprise technology, consumer, and B2B clients. Comparable in scale, independent ownership, full-service PR/digital offering, and Canadian market focus to APEX PR.
• Strategic Objectives: Independent Toronto-headquartered PR and integrated marketing agency offering media relations, influencer, digital, experiential, and creative services. Most direct comparable on size, geography, and service-line breadth to APEX PR across B2B and B2C enterprise clients.

Emerging players

• Narrative (Toronto): Toronto-based independent public relations and communications agency serving consumer, lifestyle, and B2B brands. Comparable mid-sized independent Canadian PR peer with a similar focus on earned media, influencer, and integrated campaigns.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/apexpr
• Facebookfacebook.com/APEXPublicRelations
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/apex-public-relations
• Instagraminstagram.com/apexpr

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about APEX Public Relations