The Toronto subway. Convenient? Yes. Comfortable? Not really. Especially during the hot, sweaty summer. But keep your eyes open. Destination Halifax is launching a cool, new campaign to lure commuters just like you to glorious Halifax. Watch for it May 28th at a subway stop near you!
We work in advertising. It sounds very glamorous and exciting. It is. But it’s also sedentary. It’s really not our fault. It just…is. We arrive at work, sit at our computers beavering away on plans, ideas, or talk on the phone or tweet away!
But not this weekend. This weekend, it all changes. It’s the Scotiabank Bluenose Marathon!
Since 2004, the Scotiabank Blue Nose Marathon has been raising money for charities. And we’re not talking pocket change. Almost a million dollars has been raised in 8 years. This year, an estimated 12,000 runners, walkers, wheelchair athletes and others will participate in a variety of Marathon events. The goal is a whopping $600,000.
If you’re participating, good on you and hope you make it! If you’re not in the marathon, sponsor a marathoner and let’s get’er done!
You know what I love? Yoghurt. Delicious. You know what I don’t love? Most yoghurt advertising.
The yoghurt marketing category is dominated by lifestyle and/or healthy choice creative campaigns. We see models eating yoghurt in stylish workout gear, or a couple pushing a stroller happily eating yoghurt in the park.
Just as everyone loves yoghurt, everyone also loves to laugh. That’s the approach Athenos has taken in their yoghurt advertising. Scenario: The 20-somethings in the ad talk about the active day they have planned, after a healthy breakfast of Athenos Yoghurt but they are quickly interrupted by Yia-Yia, a traditional Greek grandmother.
But does humour work? A few landmark studies including a comprehensive analysis by Emerald Research and tomes like “Marketing to the Right Side of the Brain” suggest that humour is a powerful tool to create impact but long term, humour seems to perform poorly on brand recall scores. The other question: does it motivate purchase? Mmmm, definitely food for thought. Just about every research study does agree that humour has to be appropriate to the brand category. It’s perfect for Athenos. Wonder where I can get some?
You know that theory of 6 degrees of separation? It’s the Kevin Bacon inspired idea that we’re all connected through your mother’s uncle’s friend or something? With the 100th anniversary of the Titanic’s tragedy, what better time to take a look at the passenger manifest to see if you can find a personal link. There are entire websites like encyclopedia-titanica.org devoted to Titanic genealogy.
For example, my Great Grandmother, Phoebe Florence Dowler. an Irish immigrant scheduled for passage on Titanic along with her sisters. They packed their lives into homemade pine trunks and booked a third class berth. Lucky for them (and me!) fate reared its head.
Great Grandma’s baby sister, Ida fell ill and trans-Atlantic passage on the Titanic was deemed “unsafe” for her health. They left a few weeks later, safely crossing the Atlantic and finally settling in southwest Ontario where Great Grandma lived to the grand old age of 100.
Allright, so, my story isn’t exactly the definition of 6 degrees of separation. The point is, if I can find a relevant connection to the story of the Titanic, you can too. Let me know what you find!
Nova Scotia lost a great man with Paul’s untimely passing at just 67.
Paul was a brilliant entrepreneur whose ferocious integrity was matched only by his love for family and community. Building the O’Regan’s automotive group into a powerhouse was a testament to his keen vision and uncommon balance of mind and heart.
He was generous to a fault—whether it was supporting the arts like Ship’s Plank Theatre in his beloved Parrsboro or orchestras, sports teams, health groups or universities like SFX. They could always count on Paul to be there for them.
Paul was a team builder who surrounded himself with excellence and was dedicated to improving upon it.
O’Regan’s corporate theme line is “Driving Higher Standards”. Paul O’Regan lived it every day, every way.
Chester + Company is a strategic brand advertising and design agency based in Halifax Nova Scotia, Canada.
