Today, High Road’s Do Not Want Ads were featured in Marketing Magazine’s Agency News section. Over the last few weeks people have been posting incredibly creative and funny pleas for the disappointing items up for grabs. Friday is the last day to make a plea, so if you haven’t done so already, take a read through our Do Not Want pages. You will be disappointed.

Owners of Firemen Movers (L to R): Lorne Babiuk, Scott Irvine, Doug Harper

Mia’s most recent column featured Firemen Movers – a  Toronto-based moving company owned and operated by off-duty firefighters.

The company’s owners, Doug Harper, Lorne Babiuk and Scott Irvine, have created a created a powerful brand – after all, who can you trust more than a firefighter?

“This is an industry we can truly impact,” says Babiuk. “When you think of a firefighter, you think of integrity, and that’s what we’re trying to replicate in this business.”

But, as Mia writes, Babiuk and his colleagues aren’t just living off of the natural assumption that a firefighter will be hard-working. Firemen Movers is driving forward a great digital strategy: they invite their customers to take the lead in building the company’s reputation by actively participating in a website called HomeStars – a space for homeowners to write reviews on North American home improvement and service companies.

Mia writes: “As I write this, Firemen Movers has a score of 9.5 out of 10 on HomeStars, averaged from 42 reviews. I can’t think of better advertising than solid, authentic customer ratings that are consistently that high – Firemen Movers’ status on this site is a wonderful testament to the good work its customers feel it does.”

When Firemen Movers does get a negative review, the company addresses the client directly and jumps on the opportunity to address the issue publicly online.

“It is clear [Firemen Movers] already knows one of today’s most important digital communications facts: conversations are happening about your company online, whether you choose to participate or not,” writes Mia.

“We have a powerful brand – people recognize it, they like the idea, and the response from the public has been fantastic,” Mr. Babiuk says. “It’s all about backing it up now.”

We are excited to congratulate Rick Doyon, co-founder of High Road Communications, on the release of his brand new novel Upcountry.

Rick has had a diverse career in the media, public and private sector, but throughout his life his passion for fiction and writing never ceased. Upcountry, a story based on true events, is his first novel.

To learn more about Rick, check out this great Q&A he did with popular Canadian book blog Is Well Read.