This year, High Road took the mantra “go BIG or go home” very seriously – we weren’t going to mess around! Considering last year’s annual celebration was STILL being talked about nearly a year later with tales of dizzying dance moves, funny team videos, and all around good times, this year’s celebration had some big expectations to live up to.

Last Friday, August 19^th all of High Road’s best and brightest descended upon Andrew Richard Designs for a full day of training with two of North America’s most sought after keynote speakers – Spike Jones of Fleishman Hillard, and Jeremy Gutsche of Trendhunter.

Spike kicked off the presentations by talking about the importance of word of mouth movements and using social media for businesses, and emphasized the importance of looking for passionate people to work with on programs, versus using “influencers” just because they have large followings. Jeremy followed up with an equally inspirational presentation, and gave the High Road crew tips on how to think outside the box and use innovation to “exploit chaos” in times of change.



After having our minds blown by the great presentations, High Road went for a break to prepare for an action packed night of mingling, posing for pictures, dancing heads fun, dinner, and of course, karaoke. Many laughs were had throughout the course of the night, new friendships were made, and the High Road crew stayed true to form by partying on the dance floor until the wee hours of the morning. We’re already looking forward to the next one!

Is constant distraction killing creativity?

That was the argument made this past weekend in a Wall Street Journal column by Scott Adams, better known as the creator of the popular comic strip Dilbert, who warns we might be in “dangerous territory” as a result.

“Lately I’ve started worrying that I’m not getting enough boredom in my life,” Adams writes. “If I’m watching TV, I can fast-forward through commercials. If I’m standing in line at the store, I can check email or play ‘Angry Birds.’ When I run on the treadmill, I listen to my iPod while reading the closed captions on the TV.”

Drawing upon his childhood in the “tiny mountain town of Windham, N.Y.,” Adams credits his creativity to the “soul-sucking boredom” that came from growing up with the same 40 kids, a limited set of toys in his toy box and a rabbit-eared TV set that offered only one channel.

(He also says his greatest period of creative output came during his corporate life – not surprising considering Dilbert’s success has been humour capitalizing on the colourless world of cubicles.)  

But what’s worrisome for Adams is what this “lack of boredom” is doing to the economy, describing a self-imagined “what if” world that is clearly is mirrored on our own. Pointing to the prevalence of sequels and unscripted television programming, a rise in dogmatic thinking and, the most problematic, a lack of “industry-changing innovation” leading to economic flat-lining.

Creativity is key to everything we do at High Road: From the people we hire and our day-to-day culture, to our diverse roster of clients and the amazing ideas we bring to life.

And while our work is filled with digital elements – the excessive “stimulation” referred to by Adams – we pride ourselves on never forgetting the basics: To challenge yourself every day; to embrace growth; to never settle for ordinary when extraordinary is within grasp; to work with integrity and, perhaps most importantly, to put people first.

Perhaps the constant distraction to which Adams refers is less about killing creativity and more about spreading ourselves too thin. Or accepting the mundane when only the marvellous should do.

“I’ve noticed that my best ideas always bubble up when the outside world fails in its primary job of frightening, wounding or entertaining me,” writes Adams.

He adds: “it’s worth keeping an eye on the link between our vanishing boredom and our lack of innovation. It’s the sort of trend that could literally destroy the world without anyone realizing what the root problem is.”

While High Road is a strong believer in taking the time to step back and think, we believe creativity has no cap. So if Adams is issuing a creative call to action, we’re here to answer.

We encourage you to do the same. After all, a little boredom never hurt anyone.

Read the rest of Scott Adams’ article, “The Heady Thrill of Having Nothing to Do,” here.

For most of us, summer means tending to the grill or lazing by the pool, but for the fashion set, summer signals the start of the oh-so-anticipated Fall season. On Thursday July 7^th High Road invited the who’s who of Canadian fashion media to the chic, members-only Spoke Club to preview Mark’s Fall 2011 collection and try their hand at styling some sexy Mark’s models. 

Journalists and bloggers were treated to an exclusive presentation by Mark’s ladies and menswear specialists on the new Fall looks and the unique innovations behind the clothes. From perfectly pressed shirts that stay crisp right out of the dryer to 100 wash yoga pants that don’t fade or pill, the Fall collection featured Mark’s trademark innovations that customers have come to know and love. Following the presentation, media were whisked away to what we like to call, the ‘Mark’s Styling Challenge’ where they could play dress-up and compete with their peers to design the best look using clothes from the new Fall line.  Going head to head in what felt like Keeping Up With The Kardashians meets Bloodsport, journalists scurried about in a massive oversized walk-in closet, complete with shoes, hats and jewellery, all vying for the same goal: to select the perfect look. After choosing their pieces, male and female Mark’s models strutted their stuff, modelling each selected look. Each look was photographed and mounted onto a large bulletin board for voting. The journalists that received the most votes won the actual outfits, much to the delight of our new ‘Mark’s Styling Challenge’ winners.

Post-event, the praise for Mark’s has been equally impressive, with a number of reporters remarking that the Fall 2011 launch was a great event due to the hands-on, interactive concept. Sample requests from the country’s top fashion journalists are already starting to roll in so keep your eyes peeled for some great coverage.  Mark’s and High Road brought a much-needed Fall breeze to what’s been a sizzling hot summer. And as the fashion world will tell you, it’s never too early to start thinking about your new Fall wardrobe. When you do, consider Mark’s!