For the second year in a row, McKim Media Group, the media buying arm of Toronto ad agency McKim Baker Lovick/BBDO was declared by a cross-section of Canadian media sellers to be the country’s Best Media Operation.

Media Buying Services and Harrison Young Pesonen & Newell, both Toronto-based media buying operations, placed second and third, respectively.

In the same poll, David Cairns, vice-president and media director at Toronto-based ad agency Chiat/Day, was voted Best Media Director.

Sunni Boot, senior vice-president and managing director of Optimedia, the media buying arm of Toronto-based fcb, placed second, while Bruce Baumann, vice-president and media director at Toronto-based advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi Advertising, placed third.

In the Best Media Planner/Buyer category, Susan Armer, associate media director at Chiat/Day, was declared Best in Broadcast; Robert Jack, media supervisor at McKim, was voted Best in Print; and Jennifer Freeman, media supervisor at Toronto-based ad agency Leo Burnett, was voted Best in Outdoor.

For the second year, Hugh Dow, president of Toronto-based Initiative Media, was declared Best in Research/Trendwatching.

The vote was the result of a confidential fax poll conducted last month among more than 70 media sellers and major rep houses representing broadcast, print and out-of-home media across Canada.

Respondents were asked to submit nominations in four categories: Best Media Operation; Best Media Director; Best Media Planner/Buyer in the respondent’s medium; and Best in Research/Trendwatching.

Each respondent was encouraged to distribute the nomination form among others in his or her company who were in a position to acknowledge the contributions of those on the media planning and buying side. Many did.

Others held meetings among their sales representatives and submitted nominations based on a consensus. Only two individuals we contacted said they would prefer not to respond.

The objective, we told respondents, was to allow media sellers the chance to give credit where credit was due and promote those on the agency media side who are helping to establish standards of excellence in the industry.

In the Best Media Operation category, we asked respondents to nominate the media departments of ad agencies or independent media buying companies they felt were doing a great job.

In the Best Media Director category, we asked respondents to identify individuals who have an understanding of all media categories, are skillful negotiators, and are truly creative in terms of their ability to come up with new ways of using various media and their receptivity to such ideas.

In the Best Media Planner/Buyer category, we asked respondents to nominate individuals they felt understand their particular medium, are creative in their approach to using it, and are receptive to new ideas.

And, finally, in the Best in Research/Trendwatching category, we asked respondents to nominate individuals on the media planning side who have a good grip on interpreting existing and emerging trends in the media.

Participants were asked to nominate up to three names in each category, alloting each one, two or three points. The companies and individuals with the highest scores were declared the winners.

About one out of four responses pertained to Quebec.

In that market, Media Buying Services, Montreal and Strategem Media Investmen tied for Best Media Operation.

Jacques Dorion, president of Strategem, was voted Best Media Director.

The number of nominations by media category in Quebec was too small to reveal clear winners.