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C2-MTL: Day 2 – Creativity and great leadership

BY Nathalie Bergeron ON May 23, 2013 | No Comments

Growing food on top of old warehouses?

Some would think that’s a crazy idea, but it was the bet of young entrepreneur Mohamed Hage, and I know I was not the only one in the room in awe listening to this Editor’s Pick at C2-MTL yesterday.

The idea was simple: “Grow food where people live, and grow it sustainably.”

It also makes financial sense: “Ecology is economy. Our vision is to eliminate waste as much as possible,” says Hage, adding that today the green waste his company once paid to get rid of is now being sold to become a source of revenue.

Stephan Ouaknine of Inerjys also spoke of how creativity and thinking big can lead to positive changes that have a global impact. Sure, the challenge of clean tech is often the lack return on investment, but Ouaknine says that shouldn’t stop us: “We need to be more creative with the business model.”

Big news of the day

Whole Foods CEO John Mackey’s answer to a question from the audience about when the green grocer would come to Montreal turned into a scoop that made headlines for the rest of the day: At long last, Whole Foods is considering coming to Montreal.

In his talk, the CEO was not only inspiring in terms of  his vision for the food industry but also his business insights.

“Management is simple: You should hire the best people you can get, train them and then get out of the way and let them do their thing,” he said, adding that  how you treat your employees will determine the success of your company. “Empowerment leads to experimentation, and this leads to innovation.”

Big risks can pay off

The afternoon featured two fashion icons, Bobbi Brown and Diane von Furstenberg. Hearing how they both built their empires out of a desire to prove themselves was a treat.

Brown, considered to have created ‘the natural look,’ spoke of humble beginnings and her dream of a Vogue Magazine cover. From producing 100 lipsticks she sold out of her basement to becoming a daily make-up staple for so many women is an incredible achievement.

For her, it was all about how big risks can pay off – and she shared the mantra: “Don’t ask for permission, but ask for forgiveness.”

Diane von Furstenberg might have married a prince, but she gave up the princess title to be a Mrs. and a businesswoman.

“I didn’t know what I wanted to be, but I knew the woman I wanted to be,” she said.

Many don’t know that she actually invented the wrap dress. Refreshing in her spontaneity, she said: “In French the wrap dress is a robe portefeuille – a wallet… and it really filled my wallet!”

Looking back at the impressive line-up of speakers for Day 2, a theme struck me: Great ideas come from a need, but also being tuned in with your environment and being ready and willing to create something incredible that fulfils that need.

C2-MTL: Day one – Philanthropy and Design

BY Nathalie Bergeron ON May 21, 2013 | No Comments

It’s quite amazing to walk into C2-MTL - a little closed universe designed for learning, exchanging and meeting new people.

From the moment I set foot on site, I’ve been running into old friends and meeting complete strangers I’ve quickly felt compelled to start chatting with. It’s quite the crowd. Even the MC who, someone I’ve worked with previously and is used to hosting major crowds, mentioned his nerves, knowing so many great minds were attending.

Creativity is everyone’s business

Kicking off the party was Sid Lee’s own Jean-François Bouchard, whose team’s vision has made C2-MTL possible for the second year.

“Every object is the fruit of an idea. Creativity is everyone’s business. Make it your business to be creative, make it your business to have fun,” he said, reminding the audience that creativity shouldn’t be a department  - but coming from everyone in a company.

IDEO’s Fred Dust also reminded us that design is about paying careful attention to the world around you.

“Don’t ask. People will always default to their ideal self, not who they really are,” said Dust. For example, when officially asked what music someone listens to, they might answer “classical” instead of admitting they actually prefer Celine Dion.

Building empathy is key to understanding and connecting with your audience, he continued.

“You’ll be a better designer if you actually love the people you design for.”

Sure, I might not be a designer – but I can see the relevance in every sphere I work in, from traditional PR to social. Dust’s reminder to be brave, and to be bold is also so relevant in our field: Having the courage to push ideas we believe in, drive them forward and follow the insight every step of the way.

Giving as a business

TOMS Shoes founder Blake Mycoskie was by far the most inspirational part of the day for me.

Listening to the story of how the idea came to him in Argentina, wanting to help kids get the shoes they needed for school, moved me – and moved the businesswoman in me. Not only was the story touching, but the idea was brilliant.

“My life didn’t change when I created TOMS. My life changed when I got to hand place those shoes on the children’s feet,” he said, adding that together his partners and customers made his company a success. “Giving is a really good business strategy and there is nothing wrong with that. Your customers will be your best ambassadors.”  Doing good and being successful can truly go hand in hand.

Designer Philippe Starck also brought his bold humour to the stage.

“Humour is the most beautiful symptom of human intelligence,” he said.

The day closed with Montreal’s very best representation of the city’s creativity: Cirque du Soleil. It was a spectacular performance that made the audience want just a little bit more… and excited for what the next two days will bring.

 

Looking back: High Road’s 2012

BY Sarah Spence ON Dec 20, 2012 | No Comments

It’s a tradition of mine – as I’m sure it is for many – to really take some time at the end of each year and look back on how the year has gone. And when I look back at High Road’s last year, I can’t help but say that it’s been nothing short of incredible.

Here’s a quick snapshot of some of the most memorable moments of 2012:

SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT

Our work with American Express Canada focused on putting social engagement back into the hands of fans.

From Amex’s “Best of” Canada series where fans voted for their favourite hotspots across Canada, to Last Vacation Standing where fans could vote for their top destination on a weekly basis to pick the ultimate dream vacation, we looked for new and fun ways to keep our Facebook audiences engaged with the content we create.

As the Amex Canada Facebook page grew by over 150,000 new fans this year, it was important to not only create interactive and engaging content, but also keep our fans coming back week by week.

In 2012 we also did some amazing work with Cadillac Fairview.

Our strategic focus on creating shareable content and driving dialogue helped grow the overall social media audience to more than 150,000 fans, an increase of 430 per cent over the previous year.  This included everything from the Toronto Eaton Centre’s PhotoStar contest, which resulted in more than 16,000 photos being taken in just one week, hundreds of votes and a doubling of the shopping centre’s fan base.

Fairview Mall’s Fall into Fashion was another fully integrated campaign across Facebook, Twitter and YouTube that saw three fashion bloggers give unsuspecting shoppers surprise makeovers.

Fans voted on their favourite before and after shots, and in just two weeks, Fairview gained almost 600 new fans and earned over 1.2 million impressions. Amazing!

CONSUMER LAUNCHES

To say 2012 was a big year for Microsoft Canada would be an understatement: With multiple big bets, PR efforts focused on supporting and amplifying pivotal consumer launches.

From flying top media to New York, to travelling cross country from Vancouver to Halifax, HRC helped show that Microsoft has revolutionized the desktop with Windows 8 and the highly anticipated Surface Tablet. We got our game on for the return of Master Chief in the much awaited launch of Halo 4 and broke a sweat with the release of the Nike+ Kinect Training game.

And of course, we rounded the year out with the launch of Windows Phone 8, enabling PR to share inspiring three-screen stories. This was an exhilarating, exciting and incredibly busy year that we couldn’t be happier to have been a part of.

CONTENT MARKETING IN ACTION

High Road also proved this year that content really is king, with the amazing success of Sun Life Financial’s content marketing platform BrighterLife.ca. 

Together, High Road and Sun Life garnered top industry recognition for this innovative platform including a prestigious gold SABRE award, official honouree of the Annual Webby Awards, a gold Magnum Opus, and just last month a bronze from the CMAs.

Probably most rewarding for the team though, was witnessing the real business success BrighterLife.ca has delivered to the brand.  This year, Strategy Magazine named Sun Life’s EVP and CMO Mary De Paoli Marketer of the Year, and she cited BrighterLife.ca as her biggest success of 2012.  Awesome!

HIGH ROAD IN HEALTHCARE 

The High Road team has also made some significant strides in our healthcare expertise: This year marked another rewarding journey with the digital development of The Ottawa Hospital’s online annual report for the second year, and being honoured with a silver Magnum Opus for our work on the 2011 platform.

TELUS Health also worked with us to take its online healthcare hub to new levels, offering a more audience-centric online experience to showcase the latest technologies in health.

We also worked to transition the Canadian Health Services Research Foundation to the Canadian Foundation for Healthcare Improvement, a change that is sure to help the organization reflect their dedication to healthcare improvement across Canada, told through a series of impactful stories affecting the healthcare system across the county.

And last, but not least, AstraZeneca too transitioned its online presence this year with a new external website, showcasing how their activities as a global organization touch so many people’s lives.

HIGH ROAD IN THE COMMUNITY

Though these highlights only scratch the surface of the work done this year for our diverse roster of clients, the thing that really amazes me the most is that despite the sometimes round-the-clock life of a public relations professional, our team continued to also time to use their skills to do good for our community.

In October we raised more than $6,500 for the CIBC Run for the Cure and we teamed up with Second Harvest to promote the 22nd Toronto Taste event, which raised enough money to deliver more than 670,000 meals to those in need.

Our design and writing team even created a small impromptu campaign to encourage Canadians to, upon word that the Canadian penny would soon be retired, donate their pennies to a good cause.

I’m so proud to work with such dynamic and dedicated people, everyday working with some of this country’s most celebrated brands.

Happy holidays, and cheers to a great 2013!

Sarah Spence is a Senior Vice President, Partner and General Manager of High Road Communications. She is based in Toronto.