DAYO Media & Communications

What DAYO Media & Communications does

DAYO Media & Communications Inc. (DM&C) is a Toronto-based, founder-owned professional services firm founded in 1999 by Dayo Kefentse. The company provides media relations management, creative consulting, stakeholder engagement, event content production, multimedia publicity campaigns, media training workshops, and newsletter redesign services to clients primarily in the non-profit, education, arts and culture, and government sectors. DM&C's work is concentrated within Canada's Black Canadian and multicultural communities, where the firm has built a 25-year track record of earned-media placements across CBC, CTV, CityNews, Toronto Star, and other national outlets, and was recognized by the Canadian Public Relations Society with the Best Cause Related Campaign 2025 award for its work with the Black Women's Institute for Health.

The firm operates with a small core team of approximately eight employees supplemented by interns drawn from Humber College and Toronto Metropolitan University, and delivers services through a project-based, custom-quoted engagement model rather than standardized pricing tiers. Distribution is direct — prospective clients contact DM&C via the firm website, email, or referral — with no resellers, marketplaces, or third-party platforms involved. The firm has no proprietary software, technology platforms, APIs, or patents; its offering is human expertise in journalism-derived storytelling, strategic communications, and culturally responsive community engagement.

DM&C's client base includes the Canadian Commission for UNESCO, the Toronto District School Board, OCASI, the Centre for Sport and Human Rights (FIFA World Cup 2026 curriculum), Black Theatre Workshop, the Black Pledge Collective / Stratford Festival, the Museums of Mississauga, Parents of Black Children, the African Canadian Collective, and others. The company also engages in select US and Caribbean projects, but the geographic center of gravity remains the Greater Toronto Area and broader Canadian market. DM&C is privately held, bootstrapped, with no disclosed external funding, parent company, or institutional investors.

Name

DAYO Media & Communications

Legal name

DAYO Media & Communications Inc.

Website

https://dayo.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

DAYO Media & Communications is a Toronto-based, founder-owned professional services firm providing media relations, creative consulting, and stakeholder engagement to non-profits, schools, arts organizations, and government agencies across Canada's Black Canadian and multicultural communities. Founded in 1999.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Relations Services

NAICS

Public Relations Agencies (54182), Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418)

akta.pro primary industry

Media Relations & Press Office Services (BPAFADAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Content Production (Video, Design, Copy, Studio) (BPAFAAAF), Media Relations & Press Office Services (MPAAADAI)

Keywords

• Public relations services
• Media relations management
• Communications consulting
• Creative content strategy
• Stakeholder engagement

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

Revenue model

1. Professional Communications Services: DM&C generates revenue by providing fee-based professional communications services to clients including government agencies, educational institutions, non-profit organizations, arts and cultural groups, and private businesses. Services include media relations management, creative consulting, stakeholder engagement solutions, event content production, media training workshops, newsletter redesign and strategy, and multimedia publicity campaigns. Projects are scoped and priced individually, typically as engagements with defined deliverables and timelines.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

DAYO Media & Communications Inc. (DM&C) is a Toronto-based professional communications firm that delivers media relations management, creative consulting, stakeholder engagement solutions, and event content production for non-profit organizations, educational institutions, arts and culture groups, and government agencies. The firm crafts news releases, media materials, multimedia publicity campaigns, and executive communications strategies, connecting clients with journalists and audiences across Canada, the United States, and the Caribbean.

Product overview

DAYO Media & Communications Inc. (DM&C) is a Toronto-based award-winning media and communications firm offering a unified suite of professional services. Their core offerings include media relations management, creative consulting, stakeholder solutions, and event content production. Since 1999, the firm has provided multimedia campaigns, communications strategies, television show development, and media literacy workshops for clients across Canada, the United States, and the Caribbean. DM&C's services are delivered through a dedicated team of communications professionals who integrate journalism expertise with communications strategy to create compelling content for clients in arts, advocacy, and education sectors. The firm also operates an internship and mentorship program to develop future communications professionals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Media Relations Management Creation of news releases, media materials, and strategic pitches that appeal to wide and targeted audiences; connects clients with journalists at CBC, CTV, CityNews, Toronto Star, and other outlets.
• Creative Consulting Strategic collaboration with leaders and entrepreneurs to ideate, identify links, and create customized strategies and plans that elevate brands to the next level.
• Stakeholder Solutions Creative engagement strategies to spark stakeholder connections, identify mutually beneficial solutions, and grow client networks and relationships.
• Event Content Production Production of event content as part of comprehensive communications support for client projects including press conferences, community panels, film screenings, and museum exhibitions.
• Multimedia and Publicity Campaigns Development of multimedia campaigns and publicity strategies including video content, press releases, and bilingual (English/French) media assets for organizations across Canada, the United States, and the Caribbean.
• Communications Strategies Tailored communications strategies for internal and external organizational communications, including newsletter redesign, brand-aligned templates, and content development guides across various sectors.
• Television Show Development Development of television programming as part of multimedia content production offerings.
• Media Literacy Workshops Educational workshops designed to build media literacy skills for organizations and communities, including tailored media training covering interview preparation, narrative control, personal branding, and social media strategy.

Quantifiable outcome

• DM&C's media campaign for One More Cocoa generated coverage on CBC Here and Now, Breakfast Television, CTV News Toronto, CityNews, Durham Region, and international outlets (CNN, New York Post, USA Today) following Oprah's Favorite Things 2023 listing.
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Centre for Sport and Human RightscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 June 2026DM&C served as the primary communications and media partner for the Centre for Sport and Human Rights' Generation 2026 School-Based Curriculum launch — a FIFA World Cup 2026 Toronto Legacy Program. DM&C managed media relations, press materials, event content production for school assemblies at Elizabeth B. Phin Public School, and ongoing communications support for the initiative developed with Physical and Health Education Canada.
• Physical and Health Education Canada (PHE Canada)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 June 2026PHE Canada partnered with the Centre for Sport and Human Rights to develop the Generation 2026 School-Based Curriculum, which DM&C supported through communications and media services. PHE Canada is Canada's recognized leader in physical and health education, serving 5 million students across 15,000+ school communities.
• Black Pledge CollectivecoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 17 August 2025DM&C served as media and communications partner for the Year of Black Performance initiative launch at the Stratford Festival. The initiative, led by the Black Pledge Collective (formed by five founding theatre companies including Nightwood Theatre, Shakespeare in the Ruff, and the Stratford Festival), celebrates Black artistry across Canada ahead of the end of the UN Decade for People of African Descent.
• Museums of MississaugacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDM&C co-produced 'A Legacy of Action: How Black Youth Shaped Mississauga's Future' with the Museums of Mississauga to celebrate DM&C's 25th anniversary and Mississauga's 50th anniversary. DM&C's founder Dayo Kefentse also curated the 'Generation X Marks the Spot' exhibition at Bradley Museum, funded through the Museum's BIPOC Community Curator Program. The Museums of Mississauga is a City of Mississauga institution.
• Toronto Transit Commission (TTC)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerDM&C managed media and communications for AstroSankofa's City of Belonging TTC bus wrap project — the third consecutive year of collaboration between AstroSankofa and the TTC celebrating Black History Month 2025. DM&C coordinated communications for the unveiling of six TTC bus wraps featuring portraits of Black Toronto community builders created by local Black artists.
• Black Women's Institute for Health (BWIH)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDM&C led the full communications campaign for BWIH's VOICES UNHEARD national survey launch — the first nationally representative survey of Black women's health experiences in Canada. The campaign generated coverage across CBC, CityNews, Toronto Star, Breakfast Television, and Caribbean Camera, and won the Canadian Public Relations Society Best Cause Related Campaign 2025 award.
• Black Theatre Workshop (BTW)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDM&C collaborated with BTW to deliver a tailored media training workshop for artists in BTW's Artist Mentorship Program (AMP). The workshop covered interview preparation, narrative control, personal branding, and social media strategy. BTW is a leading Canadian organization dedicated to supporting and promoting Black artists in Canada.
• Parents of Black Children (PoBC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOver three years, DM&C supported PoBC's advocacy initiatives, including the launch of a provincial anti-Black racism framework for Ontario's education system funded by the Ontario Trillium Foundation. DM&C produced video content, strategic communications, and media materials to support PoBC's community consultations and policy advocacy work.
• African Canadian Collective (ACC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDM&C developed a bilingual (English/French) media campaign for ACC's refugee housing advocacy, producing press releases, advisories, videos, and coordinating two press conferences at Queen's Park and with Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow. The campaign contributed to national media coverage and the federal government's commitment of $100 million for refugee support in Toronto.
• Air Cadet League of Canada, Ontario Provincial Committee (OPC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDM&C supported the Air Cadet League OPC with a comprehensive newsletter redesign and communications strategy, including user experience improvements, brand-aligned email templates with sky/aviation motifs, and a content development guide. OPC is a provincial chapter of a national youth organization focused on aviation and citizenship.
• One More CocoaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDM&C acted as media partner for One More Cocoa following its selection on Oprah's Favorite Things 2023 list — the only Canadian product on the list. DM&C coordinated national media outreach, resulting in coverage on CBC Here and Now, Breakfast Television, CTV News Toronto, CityNews, Durham Region, and international outlets including CNN and New York Post.
• Project Four Public RelationsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProject Four Public Relations supported media coverage efforts for the A Tribe Called Love Canadian theatrical release campaign managed by DM&C. Some of the media coverage (e.g., Caribbean Camera, Toronto Star) was supported by Project Four PR.
• Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDM&C's founder Dayo Kefentse completed her Master's degree at Toronto Metropolitan University, where she developed the 'Generation X Marks the Spot' research that became a museum exhibition. DM&C also engages TMU journalism students as interns and volunteers, and collaborated with university faculty on the exhibition project team.
• Humber CollegeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDM&C has a formal internship pipeline with Humber College, accepting Public Relations and Media Communications students as interns. Interns receive hands-on experience working on real client projects including the Harry Jerome Awards and African Canadian Collective advocacy campaigns.
• Broadview MagazineminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDM&C has worked with Broadview Magazine (formerly Faith Classroom) on content and communications projects. Broadview's Editor/Publisher Jocelyn Bell provided a testimonial praising DM&C as a 'media-savvy cheerleader' for the organization.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Hill+Knowlton Strategies: Global public relations firm with significant Canadian operations serving government, corporate, and non-profit clients. Directly comparable to DM&C's public affairs, media relations, and stakeholder engagement offerings but with global scale and integrated communications resources.
• Ogilvy PR: Global public relations firm and part of WPP, with deep expertise in brand communications, corporate communications, and multicultural marketing. Competes for major Canadian brand and institutional clients and offers integrated advertising and PR capabilities DM&C cannot match.
• NATIONAL Public Relations: One of Canada's largest public relations firms with deep expertise in public affairs, government relations, and corporate communications. Broad incumbent offering similar media relations and stakeholder engagement services, but at much larger scale and broader client base than DM&C.
• Edelman: Global public relations firm with significant Toronto presence serving multinational and Canadian clients. Operates a dedicated multicultural marketing practice that directly overlaps with DM&C's specialty, but at vastly greater scale and across all major industry verticals.
• Citizen Relations: Toronto-based public relations firm with multicultural and corporate communications expertise. Competes with DM&C for similar Canadian clients and offers comparable earned media and brand storytelling services.
• energi PR: Toronto-based public relations firm with a strong consumer, lifestyle, and entertainment practice. Comparable in Canadian focus and middle-market scale, with overlapping work for arts, culture, and cause-related clients that competes with DM&C for similar mandates.
• Strategic Objectives: Toronto-based PR and communications firm with a strong consumer, lifestyle, and events practice. Overlaps with DM&C's arts, culture, and event-content production work and serves a similar mix of Canadian institutional and brand clients.
• FleishmanHillard: Global public relations firm with established Toronto operations providing media relations, public affairs, and integrated communications. Competes with DM&C for major institutional clients in the Canadian market and offers a similar suite of strategic communications services.

Direct peers

• Project Four Public Relations: Toronto-based public relations firm that partnered with DM&C on the A Tribe Called Love theatrical release campaign. Direct peer given comparable size, Canadian multicultural market focus, and overlapping service offerings including media relations and event campaign support.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC_xb2CkEJ6vIHEmugiV9Gkg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dayo-media-&-communications
• Instagraminstagram.com/dayo_kefentse

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 DAYO Media & Communications