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.

After months of heavy snowfall, salt build-up and winter grime, homeowners are eager to get outside to prepare their backyards, decks, garages and cars for summer fun and entertaining. To help deliver the message that pressure washers are one of the fastest, most efficient ways to tackle outdoor cleaning jobs, Canadian Tire invited media and consumers to three outdoor spring cleaning spectacles featuring the latest Karcher pressure washer. The events took place in early May in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver.

High Road worked with local graffiti artists, Patrick Thompson, Howie Dowitt and Scott Sueme, who were challenged to create works of art using only a pressure washer on enormous 8×12 foot structures made from dirty fence and house siding. The unique art pieces were created free-hand over the course of three hours and demonstrated that spring cleaning doesn’t have to be a chore.

Passers-by in each city also had a chance to try their hand at pressure washer art while also getting to test out the hottest spring cleaning tool. Giant collective art pieces, with the aid of the graffiti artists’ stencils, were created by consumers, one spray at a time.

After 83 successful years in business, B.C.’s oldest and most iconic restaurant chain, White Spot was recently honoured as one of Canada’s 50 Best Managed Companies. Sponsored by Deloitte, CIBC, National Post and Queen’s School of Business, this prestigious award recognizes Canadian organizations for their success in developing world-class management strategies and protecting the value of their business.

To help capture media attention and spread the good news, White Spot brought High Road on board for a media relations campaign targeting the food industry and business community. With 49 other companies also being recognized, White Spot and High Road had to take it beyond an award announcement and show just how much of an icon the company truly is.

The proof points of success were numerous—from ongoing growth in B.C. and Alberta, to the opening of a new 1,500 square-foot state-of-the-art culinary centre. However, one milestone stood out above all the rest: the fact that 87 per cent of British Columbians had dined at White Spot in 2010. Given that the province was still climbing its way out of the recession at that time, much like the rest of the country, this statistic spoke volumes about the loyalty of White Spot patrons and strength of the brand. The media thought so too.

From a full page article in the Vancouver Sun’s business section featuring two colour photos of White Spot’s CEO, Warren Erhart to more than 20 unique articles in industry publications such as Foodservice World and Pacific Restaurant News and a variety of community newspapers throughout B.C., the coverage put the company in the spotlight for its dedication to customer service, growth and delicious food.   

And for those of you that have ever dined at a White Spot, we bet you’re pining for a Triple O burger.