Just in time for the school bell chime, High Road worked with TELUS to invite media to a Back to School preview event showcasing the company’s exciting line-up of devices and services. From Facebook-centric phones like the HTC Status, to social-networking based music service Rdio, media were invited to see the many ways TELUS is curating the Internet to offer customers the services they know and love on smartphones built around social trends.

To kick-off the Back to School theme, media were sent invites in the form of college admission letters, encouraging one and all to take part in a freshman orientation at TELUS. 19 media spanning technology, lifestyle and online publications attended the Back to School preview event held at the TELUS tower in Toronto.

Technology reporters and bloggers were invited to an afternoon briefing at the TELUS Innovation Centre with VP of Mobility Solutions, Brent Johnston, who discussed TELUS’ smartphone and services strategy. A few hours later, a slew of lifestyle reporters and bloggers joined for the second half of the event, complete with fun and interactive demos from TELUS spokespeople. Media enjoyed a live DJ, bar service, appetizers and a “Glee”ful performance from the Etobicoke School of Arts club, SPLASH, who charmed the audience with foot-stompin’ renditions of classics like “Don’t Stop Believing” and “Lean on Me.”

Jen McNeeley, editor of SheDoestheCity, echoed everyone’s feelings about the Glee club performance, going so far as to tweet that the TELUS event was the highlight of her life: And the glee club did Journey. Who knew the @telus event would be the highlight of my life? Several others commented that the event’s look and feel creatively captured the “Back to School” theme.

Class may be dismissed, but one thing’s for sure: media are hard at work because the coverage is rolling in at record speed. From blog posts to tweets, this class is on their A game!

Last week Vancouverites were devastated by the senseless violence and destruction that ensued after the loss of the Stanley Cup.

More than a decade after the 1994 playoff riots, Vancouverites experienced a sense of déjà vu with downtown businesses looted, property destroyed and a number of people injured just blocks from our offices. A few good Samaritans tried to fend off mobs only to have the violence directed towards them.

Although eerily similar to the riot nearly two decades ago, this time around social media played a key role in several different ways. In some cases social media helped “fuel the fire” for rioters who realized they had a real-time audience following their every move—and who were clearly not thinking about the repercussions of these photo and video trails now captured for the world to see. In just a few hours, blogs and Facebook groups emerged encouraging people to save their photos from the night so they could be used as evidence. 

More importantly however, in the aftermath of destruction, social media created a positive channel and a vehicle for Vancouverites to unite, take action and clean up the mess.

Less than 12 hours after the riot, more than 1,000 Vancouverites headed downtown armed with brooms, garbage bags and their determination to reclaim the city. The event, completely organized through Facebook and Twitter, picked Vancouver back up on its feet.

Today, the Hudson’s Bay and other store windows are bandaged with well wishes, expressing disappointment in the few that ruined it for many; still questioning how something like this could happen not once, but a second time.

So, before you move on with only the photos of burning cars and ravaged streets in your mind, remember there’s another side to our city: a community that can respond on a dime to give back in spirit so much more than what was taken in the riots. This is the real Vancouver and the one the world also needs to see.

Ever wonder what it takes to be Georges St-Pierre, world welterweight champion of the UFC? That’s the question we asked journalists in order to drive coverage of the G Series, the latest innovation in sports nutrition from Gatorade designed to provide athletes with the necessary fuel, fluid and nutrients before, during and after activity (see the Facebook info tab we built for it here).

(And yes, being naturally blessed with good genes helps but it’s the years of hard work and strategy that have gone into GSP’s training and nutrition regime that have made him into one of the toughest men on the planet.)

 Why did we ask journalists that question?

 The Goal: Generate media coverage for the G Series by focusing on Gatorade athlete Georges St-Pierre’s title fight at UFC 129, the biggest UFC event ever.

The Challenges: No access to GSP himself (in training, naturally…) and a very crowded news week (the UFC’s own activation & the Royal wedding among other things).

The Solution: On April 26, 2011, Gatorade Canada held a day-long media tour with the amazing Firas Zahabi, head trainer to the champ himself.  Firas held court at a downtown Toronto MMA gym to talk about the importance of sport nutrition and teach journalists and bloggers a few key MMA moves that they might see GSP himself throw down.

Outfitted in their G Series-branded gi, media worked up a sweat and got tips from Firas in the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and striking stations. Throughout their workout, journalists learned the role the G Series can play in getting the proper nutrition before, during and after training. It’s like Firas says: you can be the fastest car on the track, but if you don’t have the right fuel, you’re not going to go anywhere.  Think you’d have what it takes? Check it out.