The Quebec Media Council (Conseil des directeurs médias du Québec, or CMDQ) has handed out its Prix Media awards to recognize the most innovative work in media in the province of Quebec.

It was a big year for both Carat and Touché, with the agencies taking home three and five grand prizes respectively. Other grand prizes were awarded to PHD Montreal, Sid Lee Media, Bleublancrouge and Dialekta.

Some advertisers also saw multiple hits — two separate campaigns from SportChek/FGL Sports took home grand prizes, as did two from Via Rail. For SportChek, the brand was hailed for use of digital innovation in a Father’s Day campaign that gathered mobile data from shoppers at competing stores and re-targeted them using digital out-of-home faces, as well as best use of video content for its real-time Olympic video strategy. Both campaigns were executed by Touché.

Touché also handled media for Via Rail, which won the grand prize for best use of digital media and data mining for its winter travel campaign, which targeted travellers using digital, display and mobile ads based on weather and traffic data from Waze and MétéoMédia. It also took home the prize in the out-of-home category for its “Why Don’t You Take the Train?” campaign, in which the rail carrier target travellers using out-of-home advertising along the 1,500km stretch between Quebec City and Sarnia.

This year’s ceremony saw the introduction of Prix Media, the Media Partner of Excellence Award. The award was created to recognize media companies and stakeholders who effectively collaborate with agencies and brands to help orchestrate effective campaigns. The inaugural award was presented to TVA and TVA Sports for their contribution to campaigns for the Heart and Stroke Foundation, Lotto 6/49 and others.

Here are the grand prize winners for each category:

Use of digital media — social/web

Grand prize: Bell Media/Vrak, “Repositioning” by Dialekta

Best use of mobile

Grand prize: GM Cadillac, “Connected Objects” by Carat

Best use of digital media and data mining

Grand prize: Via Rail, “The joy of traveling in winter” by Touché

Best social campaign

Grand prize: The Heart and Stroke Foundation, “Vite” by Carat

Best campaign under $250,000

Grand prize: Kamic, “Welcome Out” by PHD Montreal

Best use of digital innovation

Grand prize: Sport Chek, “View 2.0” by Touché

Best use of out of home

Grand prize: Via Rail, “Why don’t you take the train?” by Touché

Best use of print media

Grand prize: Quebec Milk Producers, “Milk 16,” by Touché

Use of search engines

Grand prize: Busbud, “Artificial Intelligence and Complete Automation”

Best use of audio

Grand prize: Sobey’s Quebec/IGA, “Pre-veillon” by Carat

Best use of video content

Grand prize: FGL Sports/SportChek, “Speed Record” by Touché

Best use of non-standard/non-media approach

Grand prize: Cadillac Fairview, “Magic Gift Workshop” by Bleublancrouge

Media concept of the year

Loto-Québec, “#tudevraisacheterun649” (“You should buy a 649”), Sid Lee Media

Media partner excellence award

TVA Sports and TVA