High Road Communications

Last night 300 members of Toronto’s PR, advertising and marketing community came together at the Steam Whistle Brewery to participate in an industry art auction, with money raised going to Sketch, a Toronto art studio devoted to street youth.

Each of the 20 pieces up for auction was created by one of Toronto’s most recognizable and esteemed industry leaders, including High Road’s own CEO, Mia Wedgbury, who did a Twitter-view on the topic a few weeks ago.

Most of the participants—including Mia—aren’t visual artists, so creating these pieces was a daunting task for people who tend to face every day with a sense of fearlessness. And on top of displaying their work, each artist had to make an Oscar-style speech about their piece in under 60 seconds, in an effort to increase bids.

The art ranged from vacation photography to sketches to watercolours to collages, each based on the theme “Eureka!”. Mia’s piece was titled “Eureka! Reinvented”, and combined her passion for snowboarding with her passion for her career.

By the end of the night, $20,000 was raised for the charity. It was an interesting exercise with fascinating results – kudos to Trina Boos of adLounge for coming up with the idea! Check out what others had to say on the live Twitter feed by searching with the hastag #artunexpected.

This morning, @AdLounge interviewed @MiaWedgbury, CEO, High Road Communications, to gain insight into “how High Road continues to be one of the most highly acclaimed PR firms in North America.” The 30-minute TWITTERview, of a series of 20 to take place before Art from the Unexpected is unveiled on June 16th, discussed Mia’s creative contribution to the show, High Road’s unique approach to facilitating “Eureka” moments and key insight into the ingredients needed for successful and fully integrated communications. 

TWITTERview highlights:

On High Road’s new client policy…
- adlounge@miawedgbury U boldly annc’d ur dropping all clients that won’t particip in social med. Explain&how was this received? http://bit.ly/pmkJ2
- miawedgbury@adlounge We are def putting everything into the digital basket. limitless possibilities
- miawedgbury@adlounge I think it shocked our competitors but it didn’t shock our clients. They are already fully integrated

On Justin Creally being appointed president…
- adlounge@miawedgbury And with the appoint’nt of Justin Creally as new Pres, what changes might this bring? #adlounge #artunexpected
- miawedgbury@adlounge Justin has been a driving force behind our digital transformation. Expect to see more bold, exciting things from HRC

On fostering a creative culture at High Road…
- adlounge@miawedgbury via @nixshi Interested in ur comment about innovation. What do u do 2 go outside agency/client walls for ideas? #artunexpected
- miawedgbury@adlounge there’s a great patio across the street . We r an agency that lives online, lptps & search are in every brainstorm
- miawedgbury@adlounge We never brainstorm with the same people. We switch up teams, people, levels. Next wk we have a bunch of students coming in

Full TWITTERview transcripts are available via Ad Lounge Talk.

More and more, Online Editorial Outreach (OEO) programs are being implemented as extensions of traditional media relations programs. In doing this, companies should leverage the opportunity to feature their websites as strategic resources for additional information. Still, the most valuable component of the OEO program, Link Love, is often the most neglected.

“Link love is posting a link to sites or blogs, usually unsolicited, that you enjoy, admire, or find useful.

Example: If you find blogossary.com useful, consider spreading some link love.” – Blogossary.com

The following are some tips to create online buzz and maximize direct-to-consumer, third-party advocacy – a.k.a. link love:

• If you’ve got it, flaunt it. If you’re launching a website, promoting a contest or sharing a YouTube video, make sure your link is front and centre.


• Keep it simple. Don’t bury key links in wordy e-mails. Inviting bloggers to click through your link for more information increases the likelihood they will ask the same of their readers.


• Offer value. Keep your note simple and messaging light. After all, your audience will see all of your key messages once they click through.


• Handle with care. Be prepared to see your pitch posted word-for-word, with credit given to you, your company and your client. With this in mind, don’t include anything in your pitch that you wouldn’t want to see online.


• Follow-up not required. If bloggers are interested, they will (1) post your news right away or (2) contact you for additional information. If a blogger is unresponsive, they’re not interested.

Agency’s growth powered by creativity, integration, social media expertise

Toronto, May 12, 2009 – High Road Communications today announced the appointment of Justin Creally as the agency’s president. Creally, who has been with the agency for 12 years, previously held the title of senior vice president and partner.

High Road’s founder, Mia Wedgbury—who has assumed the role of chief executive officer – called Creally’s appointment a reflection of High Road’s evolution, as it becomes even more deeply entrenched in the digital space.

High Road opened its doors as a boutique public relations firm focused on technology clients 13 years ago, with two employees. Today, the integrated communications agency has 70 employees in Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Vancouver and San Francisco, and a client list that includes many of North America’s most exciting brands.

The first PR agency in Canada to develop a division dedicated to creativity, High Road offers its clients breakthrough thinking that impacts not just communications, but all facets of marketing strategy. High Road’s proprietary brainstorming and creativity methodologies help clients tackle business and communications challenges in a collaborative and results-oriented process. The agency also boasts High Road Connect, a four-year-old division focused on weaving digital and social media strategies into larger integrated campaigns. Through Connect, High Road advises it clients on how to make strategic use of online video, execute effective blogger relations programs and build vibrant, energized online communities.

“There has never been a more exciting time to be a part of this industry and a part of High Road,” said Creally. “The PR business is experiencing a significant transformation, and our team is proud to be at the forefront of this sea change as our clients embrace digital communications. The agency might be 13 years old, but this is only the beginning.”

In the past four months alone, High Road has worked on a number of significant high-profile events that have positioned the agency as the top national resource for lifestyle communications.

“Justin has earned a reputation throughout the industry as a respected innovator and strategist, and is now evolving as a true leader in the digital space,” said Wedgbury. ‘Working in tandem with the agency’s senior management team, Justin’s passion and dedication to the firm make him the ideal person to guide High Road to the next level.”

About High Road

High Road Communications shapes communications strategies for technology and digital lifestyle companies in the United States and Canada. Since 1996, High Road has pushed the boundaries of traditional public relations with creative ideas and integrated thinking that connects all aspects of marketing and communications. The company has 70 employees in five offices including Toronto, San Francisco, Ottawa, Montreal and Vancouver. For more information on the company and our areas of specialization, please visit http://www.highroad.com.

 

The biggest issue many companies have with social media is around determining the ROI. What’s the value proposition? How can we measure success? Will it be worth our while in the long run?

Lee Odden over at Online Marketing Blog has put together an invaluable resource of social media tips and corporate best practices coming from top social media experts.

Some quick takeaways:

“Start small with the people who are most passionate about building relationships with customers.”

“Don’t cede control completely to your consumers. They don’t want it. Meet them halfway. Partner with them. Work with them.”

“I’ve always thought of social media as online PR if you really want to whittle it down to what it is.”

Check it out.