Our digital team has a number of ways of keeping its tools sharp so we can continue to provide excellence in online communications to our clients – from website design and development to search engine optimization to social media strategy. In order to keep on our toes last week, we attended meshmarketing in Toronto to hear from some of the freshest and smartest in online privacy, Facebook marketing and community management, among other topics.

Our digital team is very busy and looking for some smart cookies to join the crew, so we thought, “A conference full of smarty pantses in the digital industry? Let’s break out the Office – we mean Recruiting – Ninja!”

Armed with High Road-branded ninja stars, the Recruiting Ninja was seen somersaulting around the halls of meshmarketing, stealthily setting his targets for Digital Ninja recruits. One even claimed it was the coolest pitch of the day. Thanks, Gary Edgar!

So, if you received a ninja star at meshmarketing, please get in touch! Check out our digital positions available, drop us a line at careers@highroad.com and join us at the agency Marketing Magazine nominated for Agency of the Year!

Mia’s most recent column features EfstonScience - Toronto-based science and astronomy shop that recently expanded to open a renewable energy division – right in the middle of the economic downturn.

Mia writes: “The idea was a great one. The new division’s phone is ringing off the hook – EfstonScience has quickly become known as an expert in green energy. But as we all know, good business decisions are nothing without a strong communications strategy to drive you forward. The store has diversified its product offering, but the team is also significantly expanding its public-relations strategy to communicate that fact. The shop didn’t immediately dive into a snappy advertising campaign – just as it had evaluated the market before expansion, it also examined the audience it was expanding to.”

This year EfstonScience is celebrating 40 years of its very successful business, and despite their record of success, they continue to strive to keep fresh.

Mia writes, “I meet a lot of companies in my travels, and I’m always so inspired by those that haven’t stagnated or become comfortable with meeting the standard. You don’t have to be in business for 40 years to take a lesson from the EfstonScience team, which is: be hungry. Break down your own boundaries, and never stop striving to be the best there is.”

Check out Mia’s column every Thursday in the Globe and Mail’s Report on Business.

Last week, TELUS released the results of the 2010 TELUS/Rotman Study on Canadian IT Security Practices during a media announcement at TELUS House Toronto.  In its third year, the survey reflects responses from 523 Canadian business owners, managers and executives, nationwide.  Although the event was hosted in Toronto, media and influencers from across the country were able to partake live via webcast.  

Here are a few of the key findings:

 1.  Canadian security breaches rose 29 per cent while breach costs decreased by 78 per cent.  Private and public sectors experienced a minimal increase in security breaches; government reported a significant breach increase of 74 per cent.

 What does this mean?  Increased IT investment has led to greater visibility and earlier detection of these breaches, ultimately lowering clean-up costs.  The study also reveals a growing trend toward sophisticated attacks on high value data such as identity information and credit card numbers. What this says to businesses is that it’s crucial to take a proactive approach in securing data and implementing employee education to maintain security, as we see a continued increase of more intelligent attacks.

 2. This year’s results uncover a misconception:  One in four Canadian organizations are blocking access to social networking sites, citing security as the primary reason. Today, 66 per cent of employees in the government sector have access to social networking in the workplace, as do close to 80 per cent of private and public sector employees. 

 What does this mean? In both cases, organizations that block access to these sites actually bring productivity and security issues upon themselves as employees spend valuable time trying to circumvent the block or surf the sites through their mobile devices.  As technological innovations continue to develop, from social networking to the proliferation of smartphones, there needs to be an increased focus on education and awareness across IT, development and employees to ensure security risks and responsibilities are understood.

But perhaps the most exciting result of these 2010 findings is the interest shown by both business and consumer media. We’re looking forward to next year’s results!