BRAND OF THE YEAR SURVIVING THE SOCIAL REVOLUTION: THE EXPERTS WEIGH IN

SOCCER FANATICS GET THE ASSIST AS TORONTO FC STEP CHANGE SCORES BBRANDRAND OFOF TTHEHE YYEAREAR

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SST.14323.Globe.ad.inddT.14323.Globe.ad.indd 1 99/21/09/21/09 4:16:094:16:09 PMPM CONTENTS

October 2009 • volume 21, issue 2

4 EDITORIAL How power marketing your way through a recession is a lot like juggling knives 8 blindfolded on a unicycle 8 UPFRONT People go nuts for Crasher Squirrel and Douglas Coupland, Gillette scores with Drafted and Quaker’s got powerful oats

12 WHO Fiona Stevenson Lashblasts down the 14 doors of the hallowed hall of beauty 14 CREATIVE Birds don’t poo on the Subaru Legacy, BC Dairy dons its inventor’s cap

17 BIZ Roundtable: getting around when partners abound and owning your brand during the social revolution

12 24 MEDIA ING, CFL and Nissan’s post-digital adventures in social story spinning 29 29 BRANDS OF THE YEAR Who scores the big win? Sports, fi nance, media and Strombo face off

48 FORUM 17 Tony Chapman and Ken Wong dissect Zellers from A to Z, and John Farquhar thinks advertisers are dissing their elders – and will pay for it

ON THE COVER Toronto FC fans love their team. So much so that they’re willing to 50 BACK PAGE pose on an empty BMO Field on a really hot day during the middle of a work week in John St. breaks out the crystal ball to full TFC fan regalia. Is it fanatical? Yes. Is it awesome? You bet. predict brands of the year 2010. (We think And so are some of their crazy stories of their more frenzied fan moments (see p. 31). Photographer Nigel Dickson shot the cover image and fan portraits, and if you’d like it might be cracked) to see more of his work, check out the ROM exhibit Canadian Content: Portraits by Nigel Dickson, running until Jan. 3, 2010.

www.strategymag.com STRATEGY October 2009 3

CContents.Oct09.inddontents.Oct09.indd 3 99/18/09/18/09 3:41:143:41:14 PMPM EDITORIAL

October 2009 Volume 21, Issue 2 www.strategymag.com

VP & Executive Editor / Mary Maddever / [email protected] Creative Director / Stephen Stanley / [email protected] Special Reports Editor / Carey Toane / [email protected] Feats of Copy Chief & Writer / Emily Wexler / [email protected] Reporter / Jonathan Paul / [email protected] death-defying Contributors / Katie Bailey / Tony Chapman / John Farquhar / Ken Wong marketing Publisher & Executive VP / Laas Turnbull / [email protected] Break out the locally grown, modestly priced bubbly: it’s celebration time. We kick off strategy’s Associate Publisher / Carrie Gillis / [email protected] glory season trifecta with Brands of the Year, a tougher race than usual, thanks to the recession. Account Manager / Adam Conrad / [email protected] In our search for the brands whose long-term marketing broke through to create deep Account Manager / Stephanie Greenberg / [email protected] connections, a clearly defi ned persona and culminated in top-of-mind status, we came up with a strong fi eld of candidates. But the crap economy knocked many off the podium. Publishing & Marketing Co-ordinator / David Terpstra / [email protected] When the debate wound down, the four that made it through the nomination and feedback stages hail from banking, sports and two ends of the media spectrum. Director Creative Services / Kerry Aitcheson / [email protected] In the media microcosm corner, Strombo made the A-list. The CBC host has become so widely Production & Distribution Co-ordinator / Sasha Kosovic / [email protected] and highly regarded since he packed his Much VJ bags and trotted the few blocks over to the pubcaster’s studios that he can be considered a brand in his own right – and The Hour gets Senior Manager, Audience Services / Jennifer Colvin / [email protected] more than its fair share of hot guests and buzz for a show outside the U.S. or Quebec, where Assistant Manager, Audience Services / Christine McNalley / [email protected] media is more geared to cultivating the celebrity brand. On the macro side of media, Corus caught our eye for many of the same reasons P&G took Conference Producer / Wendy Morrison / [email protected] overall brand of the year last year: institutionalized research fuelling consumer-insight driven brand development in tandem with a focus on maximizing channels and a commitment to Administration innovation. Phew. Plus, they do some darn slick branding for women of all demos and kids (see President & CEO / Russell Goldstein / [email protected] p. 36 for the latest on Scaredy Squirrel). Veteran Quebec brand Desjardins earned its BOY interest for a long-term program to develop Executive VP / Laas Turnbull / [email protected] a more inclusive urban persona. It’s also been making strides cracking the saturated and VP & Editorial Director / Mary Maddever / [email protected] broker-centric Ontario market with its anti-establishment DTC insurance salvo. VP & Chief Information Offi cer / Omri Tintpulver / [email protected] Our overall brand of the year may seem like a bit of a wild card, but you only have to stare into Controller / Linda Lovegrove / [email protected] the eyes of the fans on the cover to see why no one red-carded the win. After many had tried and failed to get Toronto onside for pro soccer, the TFC team nailed it with a multi-faceted How to reach us out-reach-driven playbook that was very inclusive of diverse ethnicities and distinct soccer Strategy, 366 Adelaide Street West, Suite 500, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5V 1R9 Tel: (416) 408-2300 or 1-888-BRUNICO (1-888-278-6426) Fax: (416) 408-0870 psychographics. The launch strategy is being used as a template now by other teams. Well played. Internet: www.strategymag.com The Who profi le this issue also acknowledges great brand building, literally. Fiona Stevenson Customer care and her CoverGirl team won Procter’s Best Brand Building Award, which I had the pleasure of To order a subscription, visit www.strategymag.com/subscribe. To make a change to an judging with P&G Canada president Tim Penner. Stevenson had the recession to deal with as she existing subscription, please contact us by email: [email protected]. juggled consumer campaigns for numerous product launches, created custom aisle-stopping Tel: (416) 408-2448 Fax: (416) 408-0249. PO BOX 369 Beeton ON L0G 1A0. Subscription rates displays to level the retail playing fi eld and infl uenced the infl uencers, from beauty editors and STRATEGY is published 12 times per year by Brunico Communications Ltd. bloggers to in-store beauty advisors. Judging by the October Glow’s Reader’s Choice report, in In Canada: One year CA$80.00 Two years CA $144.00 which CoverGirl took the vast majority of picks, nothing got dropped. (GST included. Registration #85605 1396 RT) Single copy price in Canada is CA$6.95. Please allow four weeks for new subscriptions and The same can’t be said for my recent performance at P&G’s awards show. When the address changes. scheduled entertainment was a no-show, one of the garden party performers gamely subbed Copyright and trademark in. Picture a very small stage and a large man with a unicycle. Along with Penner and global STRATEGY and the tagline “Bold vision brand new ideas” are trademarks of Brunico brand building offi cer Marc Pritchard, I helped prop up the ridiculously tall contraption that the Communications Ltd. All rights reserved. Nothing may be reproduced from STRATEGY in whole or in part without written permission. Reprint requests should be sent to [email protected]. juggler clambered on. Unfortunately, it didn’t end there. After sacrifi cing a new hairdo to test his © 2009 Brunico Communications Ltd. blindfold, I was tasked with throwing ridiculously large knives up – way up – to him. I don’t throw. Postmaster notification Canadian Postmaster, send undeliverables and address changes to: Strategy, PO BOX 369, Much scurrying to avoid falling blades ensued before he caught all three, then proceeded to Beeton ON L0G 1A0 [email protected] juggle them, blindfolded, on the unicycle. U.S. Postmaster, send undeliverables and address changes to: Strategy PO BOX 1103 Niagara Which is not unlike the impossible feats many were called upon to perform this year, fi ghting Falls NY 14304 Printed in Canada. Canada Post Agreement No. 40050265. ISSN: 1187-4309. the consumer-side recession impact, plus pressures from head offi ce, while still bravely moving Member of forward testing new grounds – all with less time and money. We look at how marketers and agencies are facing new challenges, specifi cally how they are tackling social media (see p. 24) and organizing for the digital revolution (see p. 17). Stay tuned for more Best Of coverage with the Agency of the Year, Media Agency of the Year and B!G Awards reveal next month, and Marketer of the Year in December.

cheers, mm Mary Maddever, exec editor, strategy, Media in Canada and stimulant Using FSC certifi ed products supports responsible forest management.

4 STRATEGY October 2009 www.strategymag.com

EEditMasthead.Oct09.inddditMasthead.Oct09.indd 4 99/22/09/22/09 10:14:1010:14:10 AMAM sst.15228.sunmedia.inddt.15228.sunmedia.indd 1 99/18/09/18/09 3:12:343:12:34 PMPM PUBLISHER’S DESK

October 2009 Volume 21, Issue 2 www.strategymag.com SPONSORED A good thing ALSO IN THIS ISSUE… well done SUPPLEMENTS This year, as in each of the previous 23 years, the NABS charity golf tournament featured a who’s who of the Canadian advertising and marketing industry. Indeed, on a PAGE S39 picture-perfect day at the Club at Bond Head, just a hair north of Toronto, people of infl uence gave generously to the tune of nearly $100,000. Good thing, too. This year, the NABS Helpline will likely see an 80% increase in calls over 2008 – not surprising given CREATIVE the widespread carnage the economy has wrought. So from all us at strategy, a personal thanks to the folks who gave, and to NABS for continuing to support and enrich our industry.

Laas Turnbull, Executive VP, Brunico Communications Publisher, strategy, Media in Canada, stimulant

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CMA Left to right: Henry Chang of ADT Securities gets a feel for greens; part of the winning Rogers Sportsnet team (North Course), Dave Arthur and Chris Martin; the South Course winners: Microsoft Canada director of consumer and online Lei Chiba and Rory Capern, director of business development at Microsoft Advertising. Awards Book Book your space now! Commitment deadline: November 2

6 STRATEGY October 2009 www.strategymag.com

PPublishers.Oct09.inddublishers.Oct09.indd 6 99/21/09/21/09 4:45:294:45:29 PMPM Where Media Innovation,Technology and Creativity Collide October 7, 2009 • Design Exchange • 234 Bay Street • Toronto, ON

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SST.15240.Atomic.ad.inddT.15240.Atomic.ad.indd 1 99/21/09/21/09 3:20:543:20:54 PMPM COUPLAND GETS A CRUSH ON iTUNES BY CAREY TOANE THE SCORE DRAFT Random House teamed up with Crush and iTunes to promote Douglas Coupland’s latest book, Generation A, to the dismay of letter Js everywhere. PICK: GILLETTE To understand the previous sentence, you must a) be Coupland’s biggest fan BY JONATHAN PAUL & KATIE BAILEY or b) have watched the three video podcasts exclusively available on iTunes in Gillette is calling up some fresh-faced rookie sports Canada, the U.S. and the U.K. for the fi rst two weeks of September. reporters to the big leagues. Gillette Drafted: The Search Gary Thomas, creative director at Toronto-based Crush, says that, as with for Canada’s Next Sportscaster is a new short-form show that premiered on The Score last month. It’s the brainchild the animations they made in 2007 for Coupland’s last novel, The Gum Thief, of Gillette parent co Procter & Gamble and media AOR his team took the book as the creative starting point. One of the Gen A videos MediaCom, who pitched the idea to Score Media. features an unrehearsed Coupland in an airtight room (actually his house in “Gillette has had more than 100 years of collaboration B.C.) answering interview questions posed by a disembodied voice. The Q&A is with high-profi le sports. Programs like the Gillette Champions and a partnership with WWE champion John Cena are just a few,” says Pamela Baillie, P&G Beauty and Grooming ER manager. “Combining that sports legacy with the idea that Gillette’s grooming products help men be well-kept, well-groomed and confi dent in real-life scenarios, hosting a reality-based sports program was a natural fi t.” Targeting males 18 to 49, Drafted follows a group of wannabe sportscasters as they compete for a coveted one-year contract with Score Media to become a multi-platform sportscaster. A one-year spokesperson stint with Gillette is also part of the prize package. The contestants audition in the fi rst three weeks and are narrowed down to a group of fi ve fi nalists who go head-to-head in a series of elimination-style challenges, with the winner announced on Dec. 11. interspersed with faux ads for a pharmaceutical drug called Solon and promos Gillette’s exclusive sponsorship includes prizing, a “graffi ti for the Channel 3 news team – all clues to the story. As for the other two videos, wall” studio backdrop, ads on Drafted.ca and product integration as contestants freshen up before stepping in one tells the story of the news team’s gruesome end, and one sees the world front of the HD camera. through the Curlew-coloured glasses of paint chips. A trailer for the podcasts The show features a unique eight-minute daily format, released on YouTube has Coupland naming J as “the most evil letter.” designed to fi t in The Score’s nightly highlight-based The publisher credits the strategy with driving early successes for the book, programming. With daily and weekend repeats, Drafted will which went on sale in stores the same day the videos launched. “Let’s put it this air over 40 times a week. “We created smaller, packaged way: Coupland went on the Maclean’s bestseller list [on Sept. 14], and on [Sept. doses of reality TV more suitable to the target’s viewing 12] he went on the Canadian Globe and Mail bestseller list,” says Sharon Klein, habits,” explains Stephany Lynch, director, sales and promotions, The Score. deputy director, publicity, Random House. “And none of my media [interviews The media buy includes OOH, radio tags and promos, and other promotions] had run yet.” The videos were subsequently released on daily and commuter print ads and TV spots. Drafted will YouTube and the Random House website on Sept. 15. also be plugged across Score Media’s own web, radio and on-air properties.

8 www.strategymag.com

UUpfront.Oct09.inddpfront.Oct09.indd 8 99/18/09/18/09 5:16:465:16:46 PMPM AD TYPES GO BUCCANEERS [WHAT’S NEXT] ON THE BIG SCREEN FUJI AND SAMSUNG Four ad execs and one client survive a plane crash….No, it’s not a bad joke, it’s the feature BY JONATHAN PAUL fi lm debut for Bill Keenan, CD at GroundZero Marketing Communications in Toronto. Eating 3D-IFY TIFF A third dimension Buccaneers follows the stranded execs – led by Peter Keleghan (The Newsroom) – as they try to was added to the survive on a single box of Buccaneer chocolate bars without clawing each others’ eyes out. festivities at the “I’ve worked at a lot of shops, and I thought, how well do you really know the people you work with? Toronto International What would happen if you [were] plucked out of your comfort zone and put in a place where you’re Film Festival this not very comfortable?” says year via the 3D Film Keenan, who started out at Festival. Presented by Saffer Cravit & Freedman Samsung and a bevy in the ’80s and went on of other sponsors, to work for MacLaren and the second-annual North American Scali, McCabe, Sloves and European tour between screenwriting kicked off at the gigs and freelance stints at starfest. At “The 3D Harrod & Mirlin, JWT and Lounge Toronto,” fl icks played on Samsung 3D plasma Y&R. He is known for the long-running radio campaign, “It was a rainy night in Pizzaville…” TVs powered by XPAND 3D shutter glasses and infrared Keenan won’t say who served as inspiration for the characters, but prefers to describe them emitters. In a world fi rst, Fuji used its 3D digital camera as archetypes. “Even though the movie is about advertising people, [it] would appeal to anyone system to snap guests in a 3D press wall. Later the lounge who’s worked in an offi ce.” Eating Buccaneers is distributed by Kinosmith, and premieres in became – what else? – a party for the premiere of The Toronto on Oct. 16. www.eatingbuccaneers.com CT Hole, presented by Bold Films and Molson. “What would happen if you were plucked out of your comfort zone?”

BANFF GOES NUTS WITH CRASHER SQUIRREL BY KATIE BAILEY For the past two years, Banff Lake Louise Tourism (BLLT) has been building a social media presence, including weekly videos, a blog, Facebook page and Twitter profi le. So when a curious squirrel popped into a holiday snapshot at Lake Minnewanka in Banff, AB, the org was well poised to ride the viral media wave that ensued. After the photo was submitted to National Geographic’s website, people started Photoshopping the rodent into their own pics. Within hours, BLLT leveraged its website and social media properties, creating a YouTube video, an @Banff_Squirrel identity on Twitter, a Facebook page and an SEM campaign. “You think that you’re doing a lot of things that aren’t grabbing, but you’re getting ready for that one thing that does,” says Lori Bayne, communications director, BLLT. With Toronto and Vancouver-based Radar DDB, the social media push was combined with traditional media. Crasher Squirrel was added to existing regional billboards, squirrel-themed Banff stickers were sent to retail partners and BLLT commissioned a squirrel pendant with a local jeweller. Blogging was continuous on The Real Banff National Park blog, and arrangements were made to have the squirrel “crash” other websites around the world. The story was featured on CNN, CBC and a variety of other international networks. BLLT estimates the campaign, which has reached over 80 million people, is worth $3 million in print, TV and online media value. It was mentioned in 301 blogs in North America and generated over 5,000 Twitter mentions and 659 Facebook posts. Countries reached include Canada (36%), the U.S. (29%), the U.K. (8.4%), Australia (3.2%) and Germany (2.9%). Bayne feels the campaign reached the goal of promoting Banff, and pegs the entire “crasher” spend at under $5,000.

STRATEGY October 2009 9

UUpfront.Oct09.inddpfront.Oct09.indd 9 99/18/09/18/09 5:16:595:16:59 PMPM k_\k_`i[gX^\%

RONA WATER EXPANDS COOLER ITS REALITY There’s another thing that ASKING Rona will be building in English Canada starting CANADIANS this month besides houses: It seems these days that if you’re not in tune with the world of social a television fan base. media, you might as well be living in a shack in the desert. While My Rona Home, hosted by CMT’s Elissa Lansdell, premieres Oct. 4 on these sites can be entertaining and useful, they can also eat up Citytv. Filmed in Calgary and consisting of 10 hour-long episodes, the your spare time and put the kibosh on your privacy. And now there show features two families racing against the clock to see who can best are more social media sites than ever, with new ones popping up design, construct and decorate a brand new home. every day (or so it would seem). So when your grandma adds you “The show is a way to not only get exposure for the brand, but also as a friend on Facebook, is it too much? Are you sick of being urged to do tremendous product placement,” explains Pierre L’Heureux, VP to visit your friend’s cat’s MySpace page? Which social media site branding and sponsorship at Rona. “For us it’s a 360 degree approach, should cease and desist? but also a call to action.” Which social media site would you like to see go away? Viewers will follow the families as they are matched with experts to complete their rooms, ultimately resulting in one of the fi rst LEED Twitter 33.8% (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) houses seen on TV. Facebook 30.9% Produced by Montreal-based Zone3, My Rona Home has run for seven MySpace 15.5% years in Quebec, where it has garnered over a million viewers weekly and multiple French Gemini Awards. Rogers and Citytv have been plugging Flickr 10% the English Canadian version across their various properties, while Rona LinkedIn 9.7% conducts in-store promotions to attract viewers. This poll of 1,000 Canadians was conducted by the AskingCanadians™ “It’s certainly a very high-profi le vehicle for the brand here in Quebec, online panel from Sept. 10 to 15, 2009. AskingCanadians™ is owned and so we hope that it’s going to do the same in English Canada,” says operated by Delvinia Data Collection. www.delvinia.com L’Heureux. JP

QUAKER’S OAT POWER HELPS HUMANS GO BY KATIE BAILEY & CAREY TOANE PepsiCo Canada has adopted a repositioning of its Quaker brand to bring its portfolio of grain oat products together under one umbrella. The “Go Humans Go” campaign, the fi rst of its kind in the brand’s 130-year history, targets Canadian women with an interest in wellness, positioning oats as a superfood. “In the past we marketed under individual categories, so we felt that a much more powerful and relevant way to go to market in 2009 was to bring that together for all of Quaker,” says Kathryn Matheson, VP of marketing, Quaker/PepsiCo Canada. “It allows us to showcase and highlight a central message, which is the nutrition of Quaker products as well as the power of the oat.” The campaign also marks the brand’s fi rst foray into digital advertising, with a rich-media page takeover launched on Todaysparent.com and the sponsorship of a mobile application for the Weather Network’s School Forecast. The move to mobile was a natural choice given the theme, says Matheson. “We thought it was a good fi t with on-the-go Canadians, Quaker’s target consumer,” she explains. “A lot of parents particularly are using new techniques to get things like weather [forecasts] so that they can plan for their families.” Print and television creative launched last month. The print campaign launched in the September issues of Canadian Living, Maclean’s, Chatelaine and Canadian Family. The 30-second spot titled “Trampoline” was adapted by PepsiCo AOR BBDO Toronto from a U.S. version.

10 STRATEGY October 2009 www.strategymag.com

UUpfront.Oct09.inddpfront.Oct09.indd 1010 99/18/09/18/09 5:17:115:17:11 PMPM ADVERTISEMENT Vital Signs Star-studded campaign pumps up heart health awareness

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UUntitled-2ntitled-2 1 99/21/09/21/09 4:49:014:49:01 PMPM st.15248.capitalC.indd 1 9/18/09 4:43:46 PM n_f%

Through savvy use of in-store display, making the most of online and taking makeup to the streets, Fiona Stevenson helps CoverGirl stand out

BY EMILY WEXLER Bio Born: Ottawa, ON., Nov. 2, 1977 P&G’S COVERGIRL Raised: mainly in Toronto after a brief stint in Edmonton Hobbies: travel, improv theatre, sketch comedy, BLASTS THE COMPETITION creative writing, spending as much time as possible being active outdoors Status: married as of last summer Fiona Stevenson is a natural on stage, at CoverGirl found Education: degree in psychology least according to the attendees of this year’s its market from Queen’s University Procter & Gamble internal awards, an event share starting Career: was recruited by P&G in her fourth year she hosted. “Hosting was a great experience. to decline. at Queen’s. She started at the company in 2000 Normally we hire external emcees and the “Brand loyalty as assistant brand manager on family care, which team asked me this year if I wanted to do it. It has never was an instant ‘yes’ because I love doing that been high in included the transition of the Royale brand to kind of stuff,” says the category brand manager cosmetics,” Charmin. Stevenson was promoted after a year and on cosmetics, who got to make use of her Stevenson says. a half to brand manager on feminine care, working background in improv comedy. “If you think on Always and Tampax. Then in 2003 she took an But her night got even more exciting when 20 or even 10 international assignment in Geneva, Switzerland she and her CoverGirl marketing teammates years ago, when where she spent two years on pet care. She’s been Rob Payne (who has since moved on to we had a new in her current position for about two years. Pantene) and Laura Gray won the Best Brand innovation, A member of the Shade Brigade Building award, beating out Pampers and everyone would helps a consumer pick her colour. Actonel. “That was a surprise,” says Stevenson. hear about it. It “My jaw just dropped and I was very excited.” was a lot less fragmented of a market, whereas While she wasn’t expecting the award, the now there’s hundreds of brands shouting. How CoverGirl team had proved they deserved it do you really stand out in that environment?” – making the most of consumer insights to That was the challenge – stand out from turn the business around. the prestige brands, as well as from mass In 2003, Shoppers Drug Mart began competition like Maybelline. In 2006/07, the introducing beauty boutiques to its stores CoverGirl team (which Stevenson joined in – separate sections that feature prestige brands October ’07) embarked on a brand-building like Lancôme and Clinique previously only mission to turn the share around. That year, available in department and specialty stores. dollar sales increased 10% and share grew Today there are about 250 of these boutiques by a full share point, followed by 0.3 points in Shoppers across the country. The prestige in 07/08 and 0.2 in 08/09 – not too shabby brands now represent about a 26 dollar share considering all of CoverGirl’s competition in the of cosmetics sold in Shoppers stores – the mass set has lost share this year. This past year, size of CoverGirl and L’Oréal combined. And CoverGirl’s dollar share was 17.2.

12 www.strategymag.com

WWho.Oct09.inddho.Oct09.indd 1122 99/18/09/18/09 3:13:343:13:34 PMPM So how did they do it? Consumer research focus of a segment on the show, and Saatchi’s revealed that shade selection was a factor – it’s SVP/CD Helen Pak was a guest judge.) easy at department stores where testers are Another important way of reaching available, but not so easy when consumers consumers, according to Stevenson, is to reach are on their own in the drugstore aisles. So a out to key infl uencers – specifi cally beauty special hand-held shade selector was created editors and bloggers. “They’re getting so much and given to the drugstore beauty advisors who stuff crossing their desks, so how do we really were taught how to help consumers pick their stand out and be different and really bring shades of foundation. alive the benefi t of the particular initiative to The tool was also used by a team called the them?” she says. “We do events for our biggest Shade Brigade who hit the streets in Toronto, launches, we’ll do very high-quality mailers Vancouver, Montreal and Calgary for the fi rst that really break through.” time last fall and then again this summer, Instead of just sending products and highlighting some of the newer products. It was information, the CoverGirl team sent kits with brought to life with Saatchi & Saatchi Toronto, a creative and personalized edge. One kit, which handles CoverGirl’s Canadian-born created to promote TruBlend Microminerals programs (most creative, such as print and TV, last fall, focused on spokesperson Barrymore comes out of the U.S. and Grey New York). The email newsletter features Canadian content like and featured “Drew’s favourite things” that “The idea behind the Shade Brigade is we Top Model winner Meaghan Waller. included not only cosmetics, but also the have a street team that goes around to one of CoverGirl’s latest innovations, Lashblast actress’ favourite children’s book and a list of high-traffi c areas where our target is present mascara, was launched in January 2008, other items she likes. and actually matches them on the spot,” Stevenson and her team supported a heavy Prior to last winter’s launch of Eyelights explains Stevenson. The consumer is then media push (that used print and TV creative mascara, a product that is made to given a coupon with their shade circled on from the U.S.) with a big focus on eye-catching complement specifi c eye colours, kits were it so they can go to a drugstore and pick out Canadian-created in-store displays. sent to editors their match. It resulted in great feedback from “Fiona extended the life of our Lashblast and bloggers program participants, as well as an increase in product news with secondary placement based on their the number of deep interactions and positive outside of the cosmetics wall, on displays, on own eye colour, share results, with CoverGirl foundation up clip strips and at checkout, and with wave which had been 0.6 share points in the past year. after wave of new innovative ways to more researched Another insight gleaned from research was fully leverage the idea,” explains Tim Penner, in advance. that mascara represented an opportunity to president of P&G. Stevenson says lure prestige users over to the mass side. When In-store display also included huge images of it’s standing out, Drew Barrymore (the product’s spokesperson), “not just for the and featured the mascara’s brush, which was a sake of it, but 1. If you could have a superpower, unique selling point. bringing alive the what would it be? “Lashblast shot to number one in its fi rst unique benefi t I absolutely love to travel, so if I three months in market and has held that of that particular could fl y very quickly, or snap my position,” says Penner. “The results were initiative.” And fi ngers and be somewhere else, I almost double our expectation.” Stand-out displays stopped results are Part of the Lashblast strategy – and one of being delivered: would go to a different place every traffic in the makeup aisle. Stevenson’s strengths, according to Penner “We’ve really weekend. As it is, I travel as much – was leveraging the core campaign across been winning there, a huge proportion of as I can. multiple touchpoints. This, of course, P&G health and beauty PR impressions are on includes online. CoverGirl...We’ve got a huge share of voice.” 2. What’s the last thing you do With so many consumers in the online While the major creative comes from the before you go to sleep at night? space, this was an area CoverGirl was lacking U.S., Stevenson says the part of her job she Facebook – that’s so embarrassing. in Canada. Three years ago, there was no loves is taking that material, applying consumer Canadian-specifi c CoverGirl website, so to insights, and creating unique Canadian That’s probably when I log on and remedy that, Covergirl.ca was created. The programs based on them. write a bunch of obnoxious things site doesn’t just borrow U.S. material, it Perhaps part of her success in doing so on people’s walls and see what featured local contests, info about sampling stems from her background in psychology. people are up to. I wish it were events and other news. The interactive site “Immediately when I fi rst start on a brand [I something cooler. also allows visitors to determine the right ask] how do I get inside the consumer’s head, colours for them. Hits on the site have learn as much about her as possible, really 3. What was the most exciting increased 23% in the past year, with unique immerse myself in her and her world and then visitors up 47%. design based on those insights?” she says. thing you’ve ever done? As a complement to the site, a newsletter is “So I really appreciate those local insights. Last year I hiked to Machu Picchu, also sent out to a large database of consumers, I’m always looking for [what] else we can do so I did the fi ve day trek and it was also featuring Canadian content, like the to make something feel Canadian. Not just exciting because there were 15 recent winner of Canada’s Next Top Model feel Canadian for the sake of it but to truly people from all different countries. who won a P&G contract. (CoverGirl was the be Canadian.” THREE QUESTIONS

STRATEGY October 2009 13

WWho.Oct09.inddho.Oct09.indd 1133 99/18/09/18/09 3:14:123:14:12 PMPM OUTSTANDING NEW CAMPAIGNS

BY JONATHAN PAUL

BC DAIRY THINKS MILK IS FOR THE WEAK advertiser: BC Dairy Foundation Have you ever had days where you feel more lethargic than usual and say to yourself, “Man, I agency: DDB Canada, Vancouver wish I had chair legs built into the back of my pants?” If so, then you’re in luck because the CDs: Dean Lee, Cosmo Campbell BC Dairy Foundation just happens to be selling such an invention online. Really. copywriter: Kevin Rathgeber “Chair pants” are just one of many products featured as part of a promotional campaign that AD: Colin Hart launched at the end of September, revolving around online store Theweakshop.com. It extends agency producers: Ryan McCormick, Trish Beck out of focus groups that BC Dairy and its AOR, DDB Vancouver, conducted in December to gauge account director: Brett MacFarlane the reaction to its “Must Drink More Milk” campaign targeting teens. They were asked to talk about how milk fi ts into the overall context of what they’re looking forward to about their lives. “They told us that they see a long-term benefi t of healthy bones, but they didn’t realize the immediate benefi t of what milk provides for them, which is energy,” explains Liz Gurszky, director of communication and market development for the BC Dairy Foundation. The concept came out of the insight that there are a lot of bona fi de products in the marketplace – like the Slap Chop, often featured in infomercials – for things you could easily do on your own, like chopping vegetables. The inventions on Theweakshop.com, created with the help of Vancouver-based industrial designer Robert Johnston, aim to provide immediate help to those plagued by lethargy. You can actually buy things like “the wallet walker,” “the food lift,” “the downhill treadmill” and “the support hat.” Every purchase comes with a coupon for a two-litre carton of milk. “The challenge is to make the advertising interesting enough, and talk to teens about health in a language they’re going to relate to. Part of that is using sarcastic humour,” explains Dean Lee, CD at DDB Vancouver. Thus, the creative, which includes product infomercials on the site, online pre-roll, print ads and transit shelter ads, is all done in the same cheesy promotional style as products like the Snuggie (the blanket with sleeves). Two pop-up stores selling Weak Shop products are set to launch midway through October in Vancouver. All proceeds from product sales will go directly to a B.C.-based youth and sports charity.

14 www.strategymag.com

CCreative.Oct09.inddreative.Oct09.indd 1414 99/18/09/18/09 2:55:462:55:46 PMPM creative.

SUBARU SPELLS LEGACY R-E-S-P-E-C-T As Rodney Dangerfi eld used to point out so succinctly, sometimes it’s hard to get a little respect. Especially when you drive a run-of-the-mill four-door sedan that’s the butt of friends’ jokes. Subaru Canada is hoping to show Canadians that respect can come easy with a newly redesigned Subaru Legacy. “The Japanese mid-size sedan segment has been referred to as a bank vault with high levels of loyalty and the Subaru Legacy carrying little to no consideration,” says Geoff Craig, director of advertising, Subaru Canada. “We needed something which would truly break through and clearly position our product as a cut above the rest.” So the campaign, which was developed by DDB Toronto and launched in September, depicts the vehicle as one that demands deference from humans, feathered friends and sprinklers alike. It plays off the insight that though other sedans are undoubtedly smart purchases, they may not get rid of the nagging feeling that you might not be driving the coolest car around. And that’s something friends take notice of…behind your back. “That gave birth to the overall notion of a car that offers many of those positive attributes, but also has something a little bit extra, [so] others will look at you twice and say, ‘good on you for driving a more dynamic vehicle,’” says Andrew Simon, SVP and CD at DDB. The effort includes TV, print, online banners, DM, POS and a social media component on Autotrader, Craigslist and Flickr, as well as an online execution at Drivelikenoother.com. Developed by DDB and Pirate Radio, it uses a new “hypersonic” recording technique based on binaural audio. Mimicking the human hearing experience, the technology provides the listener with a 3D audio virtual test drive. “At the end of the day, that’s what any good car communication is trying to do, bring you as close as possible to the experience [of driving the car] itself,” says Simon.

advertiser: Subaru Canada agency: DDB Canada, Toronto CD: Andrew Simon AD/creative lead: Todd Mackie copywriter/creative lead: Denise Rossetto account: Michael Davidson, Geoff Taylor, Jeff Huether, Brian Tod

You are cordially invited to submit your new, dead clever and previously unrevealed campaigns to editorial director Mary Maddever at [email protected] and CD Stephen Stanley at [email protected], co-curators of strategy’s Creative space.

STRATEGY October 2009 15

CCreative.Oct09.inddreative.Oct09.indd 1515 99/18/09/18/09 2:55:592:55:59 PMPM '.$*'!#)(##+ ."##!((%'$"$)$#!)"(

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sst.14915.belloct.inddt.14915.belloct.indd 1 99/17/09/17/09 3:38:253:38:25 PMPM Roundtable Y`q%

SURVIVING BY EMILY WEXLER THE SOCIAL REVOLUTION PANELISTS MODERATOR

Rob Geoff Craig Cynthia Fleming Adam Froman Jill Nykoliation Jeff Parent Bruce Philp Joan McArthur Assimakopoulos former VP and GM COO, Carat Canada president, Delvinia president, Juniper VP sales and managing partner, partner, 27 Marbles SVP marketing and brand building, Interactive Park marketing, Nissan GWP Brand Training commercial assets, Unilever Canada Canada Engineering Canadian Football League

Marketers are spending more on social media McArthur: Lee Clow said technology has provided the next creative revolution. It really is about the art of using new media in ways to connect – 23% planned to increase their spend this the brand and the consumer. So is it really a revolution?

year (according to a Com.motion poll) – while Philp: I think there’s a great danger in the assumption that something new will replace the past. If we set aside the technological distinction between only 4% planned to increase spend on TV. television and the web, the process we’ve always been engaged in begins with creating desire in a consumer and ends with a transaction. Yet according to a U.S. survey by Heidrick & The difference is that before the web, we lost control of it at the Struggles, only 16% of marketers are “very beginning: the consumer was on his own from the time we created desire to the time the transaction took place. The web has empowered consumers to satisfi ed” with their ability to respond quickly complete that process with the benefi t of knowledge and peer support, and we get invited in, if we play nice, to continue to infl uence that process right to new opportunities in digital media. They to the end. That’s what’s really changed. The fact that they go from this were also largely unsatisfi ed with their agency cathode ray tube to that cathode ray tube is irrelevant. relationship – working with a myriad number of agency partners on the strategy side, from agencies of record to media partners to various digital shops. We brought our panel of experts together to discuss topics ranging from “Is social media all that and a bag of chips?” to the best ways that marketing departments and their partners can organize and work quickly and effectively in The CFL has revamped its digital properties to bring the fans closer to the brand and the digital space. build stronger relationships. Read more about it on p. 24.

www.strategymag.com STRATEGY October 2009 17

BBiz.Oct09.inddiz.Oct09.indd 1177 99/17/09/17/09 5:57:295:57:29 PMPM Y`q%

The analogy I like is, imagine that every materially change the product, I, the shopper, cost-effective compared to experimenting with brand is now an unending election campaign, am going to go to the shelf like I did last week, a traditional form of media. However, that’s and you have some control over your message like I will next week, I’m going to scan the only half of the issue. What you’re starting and your platform and what your candidate products, I’m going to look for my favourite. when you get into this is a dialogue. And you’re wears, and you have no control at all over what My favourite might have improved itself or it not allowed to stop the dialogue. You have the the audience is going to say or how the press might have taken a little bit of price off, and responsibility to talk to them and solve their covers your story or what issue might arise that’s great; I’ll take it because I’m a creature problems when they happen, and forever. during the campaign. And then you hope for of habit. I’ve got 30,000 choices to make, and I the best and you play the game in [real time]. have a life. I don’t have time to engage in your Assimakopoulos: It’s like any normal little stunt, detergent X. human relationship: it’s a commitment, McArthur: Is this trend so seductive that So sometimes marketers might best and that means you actually have to give people are walking away from traditional media recognize that in their brand and in their something back. No relationship will last if the faster than they should be? shoppers and say, you know what, viral seems conversation is surface-level, ‘hey, how are you nice, digital activation seems nice, why don’t today? Great.’ No, it’s, ‘Do you have anything

Apple and Cadbury’s great TV creative went viral naturally, begging the question: should the focus be on being risqué or being entertaining?

Craig: There’s certainly risk in that it’s allegedly cost-effective. The key is to take a You look at Cadbury Gorilla or ‘I’m a Mac, step back. It still comes down to the overall landscape of where things are going, and I’m a PC’ and they decide, ‘I’m going to go then how we address it. I don’t think it’s as simple as moving from here to there. Experimentation can be dangerous, but mass and infl uence and persuade, and then I’ll controlled experimentation is part of a greater strategy. go viral anyway.’ So are people coming at this

Froman: It’s really about the audience and a little backwards? the individual and a relevant experience. [Agencies] are struggling to work together you just throw a coupon out there? You know else for me? Because I supposedly have this [with clients] to do what’s most relevant when what I mean? relationship with your brand.’ their businesses are built on a certain model. So if you’ve got the guy pushing advertising, McArthur: Is there a mob mentality where Philp: Once that channel’s open it never the clients say, ‘I want something viral,’ and all you start to get away from experimentation and closes, and the two ugly realities of social of a sudden, everyone’s on Twitter. That’s not into diminishing returns? media in particular are that you are dead if what it’s about. It’s about being open minded you’re not authentic, and if you’re not capable to how [to reach] that audience who you’re Fleming: It seems like when a brand decides of being authentic, stay away. And the second trying to create that relationship with. to do something really entertaining, [they say] is, the currency of social media is not money, ‘well let’s put that out on viral, and maybe we it’s time. Assimakopoulos: The mistake I see a lot of can be a little bit more risqué.’ Yet you look people making is to say ‘make this viral,’ and at Cadbury ‘Gorilla’ or ‘I’m a Mac, I’m a PC’ Craig: If we are going to participate, then the challenge I would throw back to the client and they decide, ‘I’m going to go mass and let’s realize it has great strategic implications, is, ‘make this good.’ Make your product better infl uence and persuade, and then I’ll go viral not the least of which is that we should so that people are going to want to share. A anyway.’ So are people coming at this a little probably restructure our entire marketing campaign can go viral because you’ve got a backwards? organization to do this right and in the long really unique piece of communication, but term, so you go out there when you have a if you’re not following up with something Parent: This is a unique time because if every very clear purpose for your brand and you’ve innovative, it was all for nothing. client had [the budget] they wanted, we’d all framed the conversation. Does that go outside If you look at the shopper’s experience spend more everywhere. There’s an internal the playground? Absolutely, but a lot of it will fundamentally, unless you put some discussion going on that this is a good time to happen there. This is a big strategic play, not a ridiculously crazy new ingredient in that would experiment because [social media’s] relatively tactical play.

18 www.strategymag.com

BBiz.Oct09.inddiz.Oct09.indd 1188 99/17/09/17/09 5:57:455:57:45 PMPM Froman: It’s a tough time for marketers right now because they’re getting pulled by every widget and opportunity. We work with big clients and their internal structures are not made to be collaborative, and that’s a fundamental challenge. The latest one I’m tackling is between marketers and research departments, and how you bridge that gap between providing measurability and insight at the pace at which they’re adopting technology when the research side says, no, this is our methodology, and by the time you get any data, you’re two quarters down. Nowadays you can get data to make a decision almost in real time during a campaign and tweak, but they’re not set up for that.

Parent: It’s not a marketing department issue, it’s a business issue. We have a business plan process that is fi ve years long; we’re looking for investment in products that are going to come out fi ve years from now that have to be Unilever’s “Wig Out” viral video for Sunsilk by Capital C was an early Canadian YouTube sensation and spawned bumped up against marketing budgets. Now that’s ridiculous. Everyone knows it’s fi ction. a contest with MuchMusic, as well as a rush to replicate its success. The business has got to change, but at the same time, agencies have to change. Because these big agencies are not set up for this. Philp: I wonder whether any agency in any space and this space,’ but the consumers sector has a hope of actually providing the consume all spaces. Fleming: [Clients] have multiple partners service that they claim to provide right now. all coming to them with this idea over here From a consumer perspective, the decisions McArthur: Theoretically, you could have and a digital idea over there, and there’s the that they make about what our brands [several of you], all around this table need to listen to all of them in case they miss stand for are based on observation of all of doing pieces of [Jeff’s] brand. So who something. They’re looking for us to change that brand’s behaviour – everything that it manages it? and come to them with a point of contact, to does, PR, news stories, stock prices, labour manage that on their behalf. I think that we in strife, internet presence, social media buzz, Froman: It depends on what’s needed at Canada are perfectly poised for that, because advertising. They’re not taking every spoonful the time. If it’s a discussion about the brand I look at our counterparts in the U.S. and talk that we feed them in isolation. So that [image] that wouldn’t be me, but the minute about big and siloed, it’s ridiculous. means that a brand is established by the total you start talking about the digital experience, I come from the old full-service model so behaviour of the corporation behind it. At the we live it. It’s all about what your capability I’m working with people who have never end of the day, the CEO is the brand manager is, and then being really open minded to the experienced that, and I was trying to explain to now and that’s inescapable. expertise that comes around the table. The the kids, hey, it’s full-service again. We as an client has to decide, ‘We need you to take the industry have to offer everything. Parent: That’s actually true. I think one of lead at this moment.’ the things that people struggle with now is Froman: But it’s a people business. About that they’ve lost the theme. It’s still about your Fleming: In the real world you need an three years ago we tried to shift from a brand, whether that’s on Twitter or Facebook experienced marketer at the table when those traditional model to more of a pod model with or CBC or on boards at a hockey game, and ideas are presented or discussed because teams, and we’re switching back because it has to always be about your brand as you otherwise it’s like – sorry to say – working with people can’t work together – they have their coordinate what agencies do; it’s got to be in creative types, where there’s this great idea own ways of thinking about things and they get service of what you mean to people. and they’re in love with it. I remember battles stuck in them. It’s very diffi cult to get people from a planner’s perspective; ‘is that digital to change. McArthur: And they’re calling the shots on on strategy? Is it really relevant?’ And I fi nd your brand. people who have experience in terms of the Craig: There’s a leadership void. Because brand are far more capable in managing that when you actually have strong leadership Parent: They’re always calling the shots. So than perhaps someone who’s responsible for that says, ‘no we’re going here, this is how if they buy soap and they put it in the trunk of just bringing forward the idea. we’ll experiment, this is how we will not their car and the soap explodes all over their experiment,’ then you make the troops fall in food, they’re going to hate that soap. That’s Philp: We fi nd this dealing with people in the line. Maybe you’ll lose out a little bit on the part of the brand experience. That’s just as digital space, and it exhausts me feeling like random successes, but everyone is happier and valid to them as a cool TV commercial. And I’ve got to compete. I want their help, but if everyone understands the rules of the game. we lose track of that, we channel ourselves you come from a vertical that’s deep and you’re down to say, ‘I’m going to need this in this young and you’re fi lled with a sense of what’s

STRATEGY October 2009 19

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that? Because if it isn’t, you can leave.’ And it was nearly that blunt.

Assimakopoulos: Right, and this is key: you design continuity into your marketing organization so that you don’t have entire upheavals of brand owners and all you’ve got left is paper and ideas.

Maddever: Rob, you just recently did a digital strategy shift. Who did you work with, and in what kind of relationship?

Assimakopoulos: It’s interesting because the CFL had fairly signifi cant turnover at the commissioner and the CMO level. We were lucky – and this contradicts what I said earlier Brands such as Olay, which has a crystal clear mission, make staying on strategy easier amid myriad – because I work with Bensimon Byrne. I worked with these guys a lot of my career. partners pitching ideas. They were the continuity on the business in the face of turnover in the CFL. The possible, that’s the contribution I want you to They may not like it, but as long as they intellectual capital was not lost; in fact [they] make, but you’re not in a position to tell me understand, then it’s fair. did a wonderful job of modernizing the brand what a brand is. and extracting the truths of the brand through Assimakopoulos: The only time it doesn’t research and consumer insight. Together we Assimakopoulos: The owner of the brand is work is if your brand does not have a iterated this strategy about what is at the heart the brand manager. Agencies sadly do change, well-established strategy. So again, it’s of why people love this league, the truths the digital agencies change, consultants change. incumbent on the brand manager to make previous guys had established. The owner has to be the brand manager. Steve sure that they know which direction they’re Jobs did not give his Apple brand to his ad going so they can really sift through those Parent: You guys say the brand lives with the agency; he established fi rmly the culture of the ideas and say, ‘okay, your idea seems most client; I think it lives at the agency. Clients Apple brand to his communications partners on strategy.’ Really tough environment for are worried about making cars, getting them and said, ‘make my communications look like agencies, I acknowledge that. off the dealer lots. The agency has the ability me, and if it does not look like me, I don’t care to kind of sit back and really get the brand, what art school your creative guy comes from, Fleming: I’m kind of curious about understand the customer. Now the client is this is my brand.’ Unilever, how long does a brand manager responsible for hearing great ideas from other live on a product? agencies, and say, ‘yeah, that fi ts I’ll use it,’ but McArthur: Jeff, tell us about the partnering it doesn’t negate the need for a lead agency. If scenario on your social media-only Cube Craig: [About] two years. you want a powerful brand you have to have launch, for example. a lead agency that’s got the voice and can Fleming: Is that enough time to do and be take the creative that needs to happen in all Parent: TBWA is our agency of record, we capable of what you’re suggesting? the channels. have Tam-Tam in Montreal, we have Kubik, Marketing Store. I have all these guys in once Assimakopoulos: In the auto industry, brand Philp: I think the missing piece of the story a year and we go over the business plan. Not managers lasted several years. In packaged is that the agency community surrendered everyone’s comfortable with that process. But goods, in beer, brand managers were a two- to this voluntarily. Since the early ’90s the focus that’s what we do, because we need all those three-year gig. But if an organization is stable, in lots of agencies has been on the ad, the agencies. [Then] I get a phone call one day you’ll have an established network of managers ad, the ad. And that phenomenon has driven from Capital C and Tony Chapman. So I gave and holders of these brands. six-fi gure award show budgets and a ridiculous him an hour, and it was a really good hour, salary infl ation in creative departments and and we thought it was a different way to go, so Philp: Procter was good at institutionalizing on and on and on, and it eventually took we went that way, and we told [TBWA] we’re their brands, specifi cally because they rotated entire organizations’ eye off the ball. In my going this way. And they had a problem with brand managers every few years. view, 15 years ago, no structure in marketing it, I won’t kid you. But you have to sit in the That sense of mission is actually key. I communications was better suited to brand sober reality and make that choice. It was us worked on Procter brands nearly 20 years stewardship than an ad agency because deciding what the best way to execute against ago, Ivory and Olay as it happened, and both strategy was so important and because there that opportunity was. of those brands had crystal clear missions, was a craft called account management and they knew exactly why they existed. So it because creative was meant to serve a brand Craig: This is leadership again, and that’s a didn’t matter how many clowns from Madison rather than a puppet show that was more great story because I think the people who Avenue you brought into the room, you could interesting than a brand. So into that void have show up in the room have to have a clear still put that piece of paper down in front of rushed people in the digital space or anyone understanding of the rules of engagement. them and say, ‘is what you’re showing me doing else with an entrepreneurial idea.

20 www.strategymag.com

BBiz.Oct09.inddiz.Oct09.indd 2200 99/17/09/17/09 5:58:125:58:12 PMPM Craig: It still comes down to people within Don’t try to do half a media thing. Don’t Craig: The gist of it is about connection. It an organization and it always does. I think launch one site with a couple fi lms that people has to have meaning to them, whether it’s everybody has to own the damn thing. If you’re are only going to visit once, then abandon; ideas or goals or actions. Therefore if you’re not then what are you doing sitting around my you’re not going to get your money back. You’ve going to play in that space as a brand, you can table? There’s always somebody who just gets got to think all the way through that process, sell harder than you think you can. You have it and cares. fi ve years down the road. to offer something that’s meaningful from a messaging perspective or don’t even go there. Parent: From the client side, you want to Craig: It comes back to strategy. Social by have these backbench bomb-throwing guys defi nition means people are talking about it, Parent: We struggled with this recently, we come in disrupting what you think is true. And and that moves seamlessly online and offl ine. were talking about the purchase cycle of half the time you’re going to throw him out If you’re successful they’re going to talk about automobiles and how we’re relating to people of your offi ce, and half the time you’re going it offl ine. And you have to fi gure out how to – what are we going to tell them? Are we to say, ‘that’s a great idea.’ And that’s okay, it feed the beast. going to give them funny games or something keeps the agency on their toes, whether or not to do? And one of the guys in my offi ce said, they’d be willing to admit it. Nykoliation: Social media is social fi rst ‘how about if we just answer the questions and foremost, it’s not commercial, and we as they ask?’ Fleming: We’re in pitch mode constantly, and businesses, we’re commercial fi rst. I say pitch mode just because it’s a mentality. Nykoliation: Someone emailed me saying, If we’re presenting an annual plan, it’s not Assimakopoulos: So where do commercial ‘I want to create a CRM program for toilet an annual plan, we’re pitching every minute people get off talking about social media? paper.’ Why would I do that? I really do think of the day. If God forbid there are fi ve other people in the room, you’ve got to be in there From the client side, you want to have pitching on a regular basis.

Maddever: So we talked about the strategic these backbench bomb-throwing guys side and who owns that, but who is manually steering the ongoing digital relationship with come in disrupting what you think is true. the consumer? And half the time you’re going to throw him Philp: From an agency point of view, where it gets interesting is the business model because out, and half the time you’re going to say, you’re talking about the most junior people working on stuff. ‘that’s a great idea.’ Here’s the ugly truth: the typical mid-sized agency in this country makes 14, 15 points Philp: Of the people who are active in social it’s just a value equation. What value do I want of margin. I’m going to hire someone and pay media in the U.S., about 80% want brands to bring? Am I making your life better? And them a six-fi gure salary to be a creative person to be engaged in that space. Remember that from there the frequency of how often I need and then I’m going to come up with a billable your interaction with a brand in social media is to do that will work itself out. rate, and I’m going to turn around and ask the completely voluntary. client to pay that. The client will pay that if Maddever: Do people underestimate the cost? he only needs that guy twice a year to write Fleming: Speaking about that non-paid space an ad, but if he needs that guy for 20 hours and on the social media front, people have to Nykoliation: I think they absolutely do. a week to keep him on Facebook or Twitter, acknowledge [that] once you start engaging they’re not going to pay that. And so the with people at that level, it’s not the millions Parent: You’ve got to reallocate the resources economic underpinnings of agency bids are of impressions, it’s 5,000 people, maybe you already have. Certainly the people on in for a serious ass-kicking. 10,000. What’s that worth to me, to talk to the phone [doing customer service] are not It was bad enough when commissions went those people? We also have to take a look at necessarily the people who have the skill set the way of the dodo, the real storm is coming the realities of engagement in terms of the to create the kind of community we want. where they’re going to want value 24/7 and numbers relative to the investment. The other thing that I fi nd interesting and we can’t afford to do it with the cost structure empowering about social media is, you don’t we’re living with right now. Parent: It’s really up to the consumer how necessarily need to have as many people on they’re going to engage in our brand. You your side as you think, because the answers Assimakopoulos: At the CFL, we have a want to be part of the community because are being crowd-sourced all around you. digital media network, and in order to preserve commerce may result, but it can’t be the our visitors and our page views, we need to reason you’re there. It’s like the guy that tries Philp: Where it gets interesting is that give them stuff. We can’t have the marketer to sell you life insurance at the cocktail party. conversation is observed not only in real time send the brief through an agency. Not just I don’t think people want us there 24/7; they but well afterwards. Google is getting so good when it’s a media context but when it’s a CRM want us to have the ability to be there. It’s at indexing content now, they’re indexing context, you’ve got to invest. designing your way into their life so you’re part Tweets. And why that’s important is that if I So the big question is not necessarily are we of it, and then when it comes time to make the start to interact with a brand, I’m going to see going to do this, but are we prepared to invest next purchase decision, you’re familiar. That’s everything you want me to and I’m going to see in it and is there a return on that investment? what you want. everything you had nothing to do with.

STRATEGY October 2009 21

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Dove made huge waves in the viral world with its “Evolution” video by Ogilvy, but sparked discussion on the disconnect between the “real beauty” message and the one sent by fellow Unilever brand Axe, proving “taking licks” is the cover charge for social media, so “get your brand in order.”

Parent: I think what social media means is bigger parts of their marketing operations; The model is broken and has to change, everyone is going to take their share. Apple Hyundai does it in the States, Toyota does it because there’s no way companies can offer takes their licks just like everybody else does, worldwide except the States. it this way moving forward. But what I see is and you’ve got to be an adult in this game. You There’s been major upheaval in some of the a lot of pressure on the global client side for can’t be insecure about yourself. You are what big categories – Anheuser-Busch got sold and one idea that’s created by a team in whatever you are, even if you do everything you know is that was a huge issue for their agencies, and geography, that’s taken across the globe…Large right, somebody is going to take a piece. on the auto side, GM is under tremendous clients are looking for effi ciency: ‘why do I pressure on agency margins. Mega-agencies have to pay for somebody in fi ve countries, I’ll Nykoliation: The consumer is part of the have creative teams around the globe for one just pay one country and you’ll serve it all up.’ medium now, it’s offi cial, whether you invite huge global company – Pepsi, Nissan, etc. They them to be or not. So for me it keeps coming start to make their own weather until it’s, ‘Oh Craig: Given the change that’s going on in back to, get your brand in order. This new my God, there’s 800 people worldwide working the ecosystem of marketing, and if you roll in world makes everyone’s game higher. The bar on this business,’ and somebody on the [client] some of Richard Florida’s ideas, should you is higher, you’re exposed, you can be called side says, ‘did you realize how much we’re be looking for a whole new group of people out, you better be good. paying these guys? Aren’t we supposed to do to manage brands, assuming you have that some of this ourselves?’ infrastructure to work within? So is this now a McArthur: In the U.S., even though there are It does collapse on itself where you say, ‘I time for dramatic change? lots of big multinationals having trouble getting want a relationship with your agency but I with the program, there’s also Goodby, Fallon, don’t want a relationship with the people you Philp: You can see the marketing Droga and Crispin – it’s all collaboration. They deem in your agency are my people,’ I want communications industry deconstructing itself bring in specialists but put them all at the table. you to come in and do the shootout, and I and disintegrating, and you can see that there’s At Goodby, everybody gets briefed at once, want them all together and let’s see who wins. no systemic support for the idea that brand no siloes and best idea wins from whatever I do think that on the client side the expense stewardship can exist outside the marketer. discipline, and everyone fi gures out their piece is huge to support what is essentially another I actually think that when history gets of it. There are a few agencies in town getting marketing department. written about the time we’re in right now, this it. I talked to a guy in New York at Ogilvy One revolution, that it will be recorded as the era in and said, ‘Where’s this going?’ and he said, ‘[the Fleming: I think there’s a massive lack of which marketers had their brands handed back agency side] is all going to collapse.’ understanding of the effort and resources to them for better or worse, the stewardship behind the work that’s being paid for, passed back to the marketer. Parent: The way agencies have been built in certainly on my end because we offer a the recent past, in the last 15 years, there’s a range of services. My core service is media lot to suggest they [will collapse]. More and management and execution and the margins more big companies are insourcing bigger and there don’t exist, there aren’t any.

22 STRATEGY October 2009 www.strategymag.com

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CONSUMER MEDIA: BY JONATHAN PAUL THE ART AND SCIENCE OF SOCIAL STORYSELLING Gone are the early, Wild West days of digital, where everything was new and everyone impulsive. We have entered a new age where digital is not only a legitimate tactic, but increasingly essential to the lives of brands. Here we look at how three brands are navigating the post-digital landscape, how they’re using it and why. ING Direct Canada: advocating advocacy

participate in a poll and voice their received more than 87,000 visits, with feelings about unfair banking fees. 15,000 visits to the video page and 4,400 “The brand objective was to get petition signatures. The “Fee Tweeter” people talking about this and ultimately app accumulated over 450 followers and mobilize consumers to try and make over 500 fee tweets accounting for more change for all institutions everywhere than $21,000 in user bank fees. ING in the country,” says Bruce Philp, Direct Canada’s Twitter profi le is up to president and managing partner at 511 followers. GWP Brand Engineering. “If this brand Aceto has also set about further is going to position itself as an advocate personalizing the online conversation it has a duty to stand up.” with customers with his own Twitter ING Direct also used Facebook page, which has over 2,200 followers at through its Save Your Money fan page, Twitter.com/CEO_INGDirect, as well Above: Canadians Social media isn’t known to be fertile and it’s YouTube channel at as his own blog. He’s been using both can voice conerns ground for fi nancial institutions, and Youtube.com/superstarsaver to call to further the fair fees cause and talk to about fees on that’s what sets ING Direct Canada Canadians to the cause, but it relied Canadians about other issues and even Fairfees.ca. apart from its well-established and much more heavily on Twitter as a his pastimes. Below centre: walled competitors. For the direct means of mobilizing frugal foot soldiers. “No one’s ever written a tweet for me. president and banker, the digital space is a good fi t, On top of plugging Fairfees.ca through They really come from my experiences CEO Peter Aceto’s especially given that it positions itself Twitter.com/superstarsaver, ING Direct during the day, things that are of Twitter page. as a consumer advocacy brand against introduced “Fee Tweeter,” making it the particular interest to me,” says Aceto. “I unfair banking fees. fi rst bank in Canada to launch a Twitter enjoy being a part of the conversation.” “We wanted to create a level of application that tracks fees. By tweeting, So much so that he helped bring the awareness, insert some facts to get users can compare the bank fees they’ve online conversation offl ine. Last month Canadians to think more about the fees he hosted ING Direct Canada’s fi rst they pay, and make sure they understood ever “Meet and Tweet” at the company’s what a fair fee is, so get the conversation Vancouver location known as a café. going,” says Peter Aceto, president Fiscally-minded community members and CEO of ING Direct Canada. “We and social media buffs gathered to thought of social media as the best place talk about the use of social media in for that conversation to happen.” business, community building and So, working with Toronto-based traditional media, complete with Wi-Fi GWP Brand Engineering, ING Direct access and bar refreshments. launched a national social media “They’re talking about us, so I’d campaign in May to educate and rather be there, or be a part of the encourage Canadians to challenge accrued, and share their thoughts. conversation and set the record unfair bank fees. “We’re learning that there’s straight,” says Aceto. “I think social The effort included a full-page tremendous [advantage to] being media, how easy it is for people to speak newspaper ad featuring a letter from engaged in this space, because there is and talk, will demand that corporations Aceto that drove struggling money this small number of people [who have be more open, honest and transparent.” savers to Fairfees.ca, an interactive, control] over the behaviour of entire online community where they watch marketplaces,” says Philp. a video message from Aceto, access Since launching, ING Direct’s fair information on bank fees, sign a petition fees movement has seen much success. addressed to the Minister of Finance, From May to September, Fairfees.ca

24 www.strategymag.com

MMedia.Oct09.inddedia.Oct09.indd 2424 99/18/09/18/09 5:14:005:14:00 PMPM The Canadian Football League: being the brand

“Part of our content strategy is to calls in May to fans across the country walk that line a bit more,” says Jamie to thank them for supporting the CFL Dykstra, manager of communications – an initiative that he announced on at the CFL. “We want opinion on our Twitter and which garnered signifi cant site. We would never allow someone to online feedback – he hosted a pizza disparage the league or attack one of our lunch in his offi ce for 15 bloggers who offi cials, but at the same time we want post content on fan pages and the their real comments there.” league’s website. The on-site Twitter feed complements “The commissioner outreach is part the CFL’s presence on the social media of the bigger things that we’re doing,” website. Twitter.com/CFLca has a explains Assimakopoulos. “There’s a following of 3,100 people and, among move to turn to the digital space for other things, interacts with fans during transparency [which] endears you to games. The league’s also made a foray people. So having the commissioner not into Facebook with a profi le and fan sit high on his perch [is part of that].” Above: CFL’s Back in 2007, the Canadian Football page, but it’s been more involved in the It’s also an example of how the CFL digital property League did some soul-searching and Twitter space, “mainly because we have is successfully marrying the online where fans can unearthed three core brand truths that these live events,” explains Dykstra. “I and offl ine worlds in a series of new vote for All-Star have come to defi ne its positioning: think Facebook is more used to set up initiatives. Back in February, the league balloting. Below affordability, authenticity and a live event, but when you’re in it, invited fans to propose rule changes centre: the accessibility. From that, the league’s Twitter is a better social platform to – a fi rst in the league’s history – by redesigned current tagline and brand identity, “This engage fans.” submitting them via email or web. CFL.ca. is Our League,” was born. This year, the CFL’s been revamping its digital properties and marrying the online and in-stadium worlds, working with strategic partner Toronto-based Bensimon Byrne and digital agency MRX in order to deepen its brand and help fans to live it and own it. “The whole aspect of our behaviour this year is to amplify people’s sense of belonging by making them a part of it, bringing the brand closer to them,” explains Rob Assimakopoulos, SVP marketing and commercial assets at the CFL. In July, the launch of the redesigned fl agship website CFL.ca formed a new digital network that places CFL team websites under one banner. Features include a new big-screen video player, more in-depth video content – like extended game highlight packages and feature-length interviews with players, And the CFL has made Twitter Another new digital initiative is a coaches and GMs – news blogs from interactions with its fans a personal property set up to allow fans to vote writers, fans and players and links for endeavour indeed. On top of its own for All-Star balloting at fans to distribute content to their online feed, league commissioner Mark CFLallstars.com. It’s also close to social networks. Cohon also has a profi le at announcing an unprecedented fan In August, CFL.ca’s unique visitors Twitter.com/canadiancommish, giving engagement project in one of its biggest logged in at 501,538, up from 371,713 fans direct access to the man in charge. properties, the Pepsi Max Grey Cup the same time last year. Visits were up When one of his 512 followers sends Halftime Show. 33.3%, and page views up 20.3% during him a tweet, he usually replies. “For us it’s got to be a series of fi rsts the same time frame. “You’re getting a lot more instant for this to be meaningful to people,” Users can also contribute their own interaction with your fans and instant says Assimakopoulos, “plus, just a steady content and comment on big stories, opinions,” says Cohon. stream of fan-facing behaviour.” and the redesign also includes a live The commissioner also extended his Twitter feed that lets users see tweets online accessibility into the offl ine that pertain to the CFL. world. On top of making personal phone

STRATEGY October 2009 25

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Nissan Hypercube: a convincing social test drive

hoped would ultimately defi ne the with disappointment, some unlucky Cube’s brand image. Hypercube contestants who went home “Instead of telling people what this car without a vehicle took issue with the was, we asked people who we thought judging process. They vented their would be predisposed to liking [it] what gripes through the same social networks it should be,” explains Parent. “We that had worked well for Nissan during wanted to harness the creative minds the contest, to garner attention. in Canada to an idea and see what they Nissan is looking to the silver lining. could come up with.” “The negative feedback is always going DJs, skateboarders, graffi ti artists and to be there whether you’re on social the like, all well connected online via media or not,” says Parent. “What social their own social networks, were invited media allows you to do is be part of the to vie for the chance to audition to win conversation and make it right. We can’t one of 50 blue Cubes. In April, 1,000 please everybody, but we’ll try to address Car brands tend to approach the selected entrants were narrowed down everyone’s concerns constructively and introduction of their new vehicles to a group of 500 that then took part honestly, and hope that everyone who by bowing large campaigns that rely in a six-week audition process. has a positive experience tells everybody on traditional media. Nissan Canada They rallied support within their else about it.” decided that it would use the launch communities, online and off, competing of its Cube model in Canada – a car against each other by showcasing their that elicits often polarizing emotions, creative talents through their own according to the company – as an blogs, web pages, Twitter accounts opportunity to take the road less and Facebook profi les, as well as travelled, using social media as the sole through Hypercube.ca. promotional platform. “We thought these people were “There’s this very homogenous launch connected, but the extent to which they plan for almost everything else in the were was stunning,” says Parent. “We automotive category,” says Jeff Parent, increased our awareness among our Above and top left: Cube contestant canvases VP sales and marketing for Nissan target demographic within three weeks on Hypercube.ca. Canada. “We felt that this was an by 87%, and that was without one speck opportunity for us to say, ‘we’ve got a of advertising in the traditional sense.” The next step for Nissan is to fi gure chance to learn something different In June, the Cubes were awarded to out how to proceed with marketing about marketing cars.’” the winners during events in Toronto, the Cube. The result was the creation of Vancouver and Montreal by a panel “Is there ever an appropriate time for Nissan’s Hypercube contest, an of independent judges that made me to put this car on television now?” initiative developed with Toronto-based their decisions based on uniqueness, muses Parent. “Or did I burn that bridge Capital C, and one that provided new creativity, personality, enthusiasm, because we went social media at the challenges for the brand. survey responses and peer voting. beginning? I think that’s an interesting “I think Cube probably consumed Creative canvases submitted by marketing issue for anybody who goes more of our time than a usual launch, contestants were viewed about 1.4 in this direction. What percentage but that [was because] it was a new way million times; over 250,000 votes were is online and what percentage goes of doing business,” explains Parent. cast; and from the time the contest traditional, and is there a place where Nissan and Capital C both had teams kicked-off until it ended, Hypercube.ca you switch off and on?” of dedicated people that worked to tallied more than 117,000 unique visitors He believes that the Cube experience keep communication going, which from 147 countries. has left Nissan with some good tools to was no easy task based on the level of The winners are also currently start fi guring that out. engagement that occurred, but it wasn’t blogging about their experiences with “I think we learned enough to know the major hurdle. their new Cubes for the next year at that these strategies work, and that we “The biggest challenge was convincing Cubecommunity.ca. can, and in fact must, make them a part some of our stakeholders within the “From a brand perspective, social of our marketing mix.” Nissan global organization that the idea media makes us more aware that had merit,” says Parent. “I think they’re consumers determine what our brand convinced of that now.” is,” says Parent. “The best we can hope Launched in February with a to do is infl uence that and become a website, Hypercube.ca, the initiative part of the conversation.” used Facebook, MySpace and Twitter Though the Hypercube campaign to reach out to Canada’s creatively was a huge success at face value, inclined – the ideal target demo for the conversation surrounding it fell the vehicle, and the group that Nissan victim to naysayers. Contending

26 STRATEGY October 2009 www.strategymag.com

MMedia.Oct09.inddedia.Oct09.indd 2626 99/18/09/18/09 5:14:235:14:23 PMPM “fooore!”“fooore!”

ThanksThanks forfor attendingattending thethe 24th24th NABSNABS AnnualAnnual GolfGolf ClassicClassic and thank you to all of our generous sponsors for their support.

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Creative provided by: Greaves & Allen Advertising

sst.15153.nabs.inddt.15153.nabs.indd 1 99/18/09/18/09 3:13:083:13:08 PMPM clients. agencies. win-win. Or lose-lose, if some people get their way.

0028ST13511r.indd28ST13511r.indd 1 99/18/09/18/09 5:19:065:19:06 PMPM BRANDS OF THE YEAR

That’s Entertainment For strategy’s brands of the year, we look for brands that have built a strong identity over time, thanks to smart business planning, clear vision and of course, brilliant marketing. We compiled a list that fi ts the criteria and asked industry experts to weigh in, eventually narrowing down to a select few. This year was a little different. Some brands that normally thrive found themselves struggling, while others that previously went unnoticed pushed through the clutter and made themselves heard. When times are tough, people look for distraction. It’s fi tting, then, that three of our four brands of the year fi t in the entertainment category – Toronto FC, Corus and The Hour’s George Stroumboulopoulos. The fourth, perhaps equally fi tting given the economic climate and its success in rising above it, is a fi nancial institution, Desjardins. Our overall winner, TFC, launched with a bang a few years back and, thanks to some crafty brand-building strategies, shows no signs of slowing down. Need proof? Simply go to a game

and feel the energy in the air, or ride the Toronto subway an hour before game time and count

the red jerseys – now that’s how you spread a brand message, old-school style. YEAR OF THE THE OF YEAR BRANDS

www.strategymag.com STRATEGY October 2009 29

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Frenzied fans fuel Toronto FC BY JONATHAN PAUL

Toronto FC has scored some serious points since Advertising was created with a gritty being offi cially introduced as the city’s newest pro “of the people” feel, drawing from ethnic sports franchise in 2006. Although it may have yet street art and handmade signs to establish to establish itself as a bona fi de winner in Major a grassroots aesthetic, and featuring TFC’s League Soccer (MLS), it’s irreproachably achieved logo and tagline printed in English, French, that status in the eyes of Toronto soccer fans. They Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and Mandarin. It come to watch home games in droves. permeated throughout Toronto’s multicultural Since day one, the stands at BMO Field, a neighbourhoods via print, OOH executions, 20,000-seat soccer-specifi c stadium built just streetcar wraps and bumper stickers. for the squad, have teemed with exuberant fans, “Celebrating the love of the sport and the fact chanting, even beating drums as they madly that you have a place you can go and actually wave red team scarves in the air. TFC’s inaugural enjoy this game live, that’s where we found fertile season saw 14,000 season tickets sold (two ground for our brand positioning,” says Rick tickets per name), increasing to 16,000 in years Amaral, designer and strategist at AmoebaCorp. two and three. The waiting list ballooned from To create an authentic fan experience, they drew 5,000 people in year one to 10,000 in year two from football leagues around the world like Italy’s and 16,000 this year. Serie A league, Spain’s La Liga and most notably When they set out to launch the brand, the team the English Premier League. For example, TFC is a at Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment (MLSE) football club – hence “FC,” not soccer. behind TFC knew that winning over Torontonians Most teams in those leagues come out of athletic wouldn’t be a cakewalk. The city’s saturated with associations, so TFC’s name and look hearken well-established sports franchises, and its soccer back to those origins. Their logo is classic and fan base, though robust, is mostly fractured by crest-like. The team’s primary colour, red, often differing ethnicities and team loyalties. represents champions in the sport. Membership “We knew that there are thousands of people cards were given out with season ticket purchases, getting up on Saturday morning and watching and ticket prices were set to ensure the brand’s European soccer. It was important that we didn’t accessibility, ranging between $23 and $70. try and replace that for them,” explains Paul And there are no mascots or cheerleaders. Beirne, senior director of business operations for “Something we tried to avoid was the Disneyfying Toronto FC. “We wanted to be their local soccer of the sport for North America – taking a property club. You might be a Liverpool supporter sitting from the rest of the world and changing it to make beside an Everton supporter, but you could share it palatable for our audience,” explains Mikey your love for Toronto FC and enjoy your mutual Richardson, co-CD and partner at AmoebaCorp. distaste for each other’s teams.” The in-stadium atmosphere is also tailored to That’s how the slogan “All for One” was born, the exude a sense of authenticity. The food served rallying cry that MLSE, its internal agency Vision during games is not just hot dogs and pretzels, and original branding partner, Toronto-based but also international fare. One popular initiative design shop AmoebaCorp (Taxi 2 came on board involved attaching TFC scarves to tickets to the as AOR in year two), used to entice hardcore soccer team’s fi rst home game of the inaugural season fans of all backgrounds from across the city. so fans could sport them in the stands, which is a Promotions really began with speaking directly regular spectacle at matches overseas. to fans. TFC held pub crawls across the city “This came out of an insight that Rick had as a where patrons could discuss the potential for a fan of the game, and has turned into a huge trend successful pro soccer team in Toronto with the for them,” says Richardson. “There are [now] team’s head coach, players and staff. They even companies knocking them off and selling them in had the chance to vote to fi nalize the team name. the parking lot.” “Listening to our supporters was something that The team has reinforced the club’s connection is core to this brand,” says Beirne. “The launch was to the international football world by arranging all about access. It was about going out to football friendlies with reputable international squads. fans on their turf.” Most recently, a match against star-studded La

TFC Fun Facts At every single home game in the 24th minute, TFC fans sing a song to (now Here’s some possible TFC also likes to grow its own talent. retired) player Danny Dichio, who scored the team’s fi rst-ever goal in the 24th campaign fodder: TFC is It has a youth soccer academy that looks minute of the fi fth game of their inaugural season. Search “Toronto FC fi rst goal looking to replace the turf at to attract the best talent in Ontario to its ever” on YouTube to see the foamy seat cushion frenzy that resulted. BMO Field with real grass. under-16 and under-18 teams.

30 www.strategymag.com

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Name: George Watters Age: 57 Profession: self-employed Neighbourhood: Whitby What is the craziest thing you have done in the name of TFC? At the All-Star game last year, and also at an L.A. Galaxy game, I dressed up as the King, Elvis, in a white jumpsuit with all the trimmings. My daughter Elizabeth sat with me in our two front row season tickets [seats] for the L.A. game, and my son Scott sat with me at the All-Star game – I made the highlight reel on Sportsnet. For the L.A. game and the All-Star game I was interviewed at half-time by CV2 [a segment on TFC TV]. We travelled to both games in a white stretch limo with all the family and a few close friends.

Name: Sarah Pittard Age: 30 Profession: lawyer Neighbourhood: The Beach What is the craziest thing you have done in the name of TFC? I have defi nitely had some great times warming up for the games at the local pubs, but haven’t done anything too crazy (haven’t been tasered as far as I remember). I did inscribe our wedding date and names on the TFC Fan Wall as a wedding gift to my husband. We also had a Toronto-themed wedding, and the TFC was defi nitely part of that. Guests signed a TFC ball, and one of the tables was named BMO Field.

Liga juggernaut Real Madrid set the fans at BMO Name: Bobbi Guy Age: 41 Profession: DJ/promoter Field, and all of Toronto, ablaze with football frenzy. Neighbourhood: Little Italy TFC also successfully leveraged corporate What drew you to become a fan of TFC? I was brought up in a football partners early on to enrich the experience, like family. My uncle Tommy Docherty was manager of Manchester United, title sponsor BMO Financial Group, a stakeholder Chelsea and Scotland amongst others. Some of my cousins played for in the stadium whose name adorns all of TFC’s Wolves and Man. City, but I never reached the pro stage. I became a fan as gear, and Carlsberg, which has its own open patio soon as I heard the rumour of a club starting here. at one side of the pitch. “When people, especially football fans, think of Carlsberg, they align it with football because they’re on [Liverpool FC] jerseys and others,” Name: Tom Drilios Age: 32 Profession: customer service representative says Beirne. “It was important for us to be aligned Neighbourhood: Greektown with a football-authentic beer brand, and it was What is the craziest thing you have done in the name of TFC? A month important for them to own soccer in Toronto.” ago, I attended the open practice for Real Madrid. I wanted to get a look at this star-studded team. Well, I lasted all of fi ve minutes. I fell over the leg Deals with media partners like Sportsnet of a barricade and got a bloody nose for my troubles. I guess you could and CBC (which is airing the 2010 FIFA World say I spilled a little blood for the team. The nose is fi ne now. But that is the Cup), the Toronto Sun and MLSE’s own assets length I will go to for Toronto FC. And I have left my own mark on BMO Field. like Leafs TV, Raptors TV and the recently acquired Gol TV, have allowed TFC to extend their offering to fans at home. Given a modest marketing budget, TFC has also relied on them to activate the brand in market since its from ’07 to ’08 and 10% from ’08 to ’09. It’s sold backgrounds share that’s been the team’s secret launch campaign. out of inventory but is trying to fi nd more. sauce. With consistent sellout crowds and a Adidas, another major partner, is behind TFC “There’s certainly more appetite,” says Beirne. “We growing number of independent supporter groups apparel. On top of MLSE’s in-house merchandise expect continued growth for the next several years.” like the Red Patch Boys and Tribal Rhythm Nation stores at BMO Field and the Air Canada Centre, The brand’s success in creating an authentic propping up the atmosphere, in year three its safe TFC apparel is sold in Adidas and related stores. experience has even seen other teams borrowing to say that TFC’s momentum is showing no signs The team currently leads MLS jersey sales. from its playbook. TFC lent its business plan as a of slowing down. Corporations have recognized the team as a template to Seattle Sounders FC, who played their “I envision an expanded BMO Field, I envision a cash crop, and quickly lined up to don TFC red. fi rst MLS game this year, as well as Philadelphia dynasty, if you will,” says Beirne. “I think we have Since starting with 18 corporate partners in the Union, which will play its fi rst game in 2010. an opportunity within our league to create a team 2007 expansion season, TFC now boasts around All in all, it’s really the fanatical joy and sense of that can not just win one year, but can be very 40. The team experienced revenue growth of 25% camaraderie that Toronto soccer fans of diverse competitive on a perennial basis.”

Above: bumper stickers appealed to ethnically-diverse neighbourhoods. STRATEGY October 2009 31

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Man of The Hour BY EMILY WEXLER

Far left: The Hour’s late night talk show status is the focal point of this season’s campaign. Left and below: George grills Mulroney and Ramsay.

“I always say to him that it felt like I was dating touchstone that everybody seems to know who he had done before.” They also built a new set and again,” says Jennifer Dettman, executive producer is. And I think it’s because his brand goes beyond a invited a live studio audience to the 4:30 p.m. of CBC’s The Hour, “I would phone and every day late night slot on CBC TV.” taping of the show to “make it an event,” according I would come in and say, ‘Did he call me?’” He, of The strategy of letting George be George to Bristow. course, is George Stroumboulopoulos, the man worked. The year after its debut, The Hour It has all led to a viewership that continues to around whom the late night talk show was built graduated from 8 p.m. on Newsworld to 11 p.m. on grow. The show reaches 1.5 million viewers per and the person that Dettman tenaciously pursued, CBC Television (it continues to be broadcast on week on average (with viewership up 13% since knowing that he could not only carry his own show, Newsworld as well), with the hopes of broadening its main network debut), but when you factor in but expand an already loyal following. Dettman online presence, the numbers are much higher. had seen him as a VJ on MuchMusic, but it was an We had this guy who The Hour’s website on CBC.ca garnered interview he did with Peter Mansbridge that proved 3.9 million page views in the ’08/09 season. to her he could talk more than music, and do it well. was smart, who could “It’s one of the most heavily traffi cked shows The Hour debuted on CBC Newsworld in on the site,” says Bristow, “and recently the January 2005, featuring a broad range of interview really connect with show surpassed 10 million views on its YouTube subjects, from movie stars to politicians, as well as channel.” The Hour is also consistently on the Top analysis of news and current events – all done with people, who would Podcasts list on the iTunes Music Store. the insight and edge that has made Strombo (as Despite George’s youth appeal, the show does he’s typically known) a true household name. tell us the way that it over-perform among 35 to 49 year olds, with 36% “We had this guy who was smart, who could really of its audience in ’08/09 in that demo. connect with people, who would tell us the way that was and had a really “In a world saturated with clutter, promises it was and had a really genuine voice, so the key with and superlatives, George is an oasis for the him was don’t get in his way, build the show around genuine voice, so the viewer to visit,” comments brand guru Tony him – everything, the set, the graphics, the format Chapman, founder of Toronto-based Capital C. of the show,” explains Dettman. key with him was “He is authentic; his consideration is for the story, In a recent poll commissioned by Reader’s not his camera angle or a demonstration of his Digest to determine the most trusted Canadians, don’t get in his way intellect or performance abilities. We need to George was named number 11 out of 100 do whatever we can to keep him. [He’s] our Bill prominent fi gures. Perhaps more telling was that, CBC’s main audience to include George’s young Maher or Jon Stewart.” although he didn’t quite crack the top 10, he was fans. While the core of the show remained the When it comes to promoting the show, it’s no the only mug on the cover. same, it became more of an entertainment entity. surprise that creative features George prominently. “When people talk to George, it’s taxi drivers and “The idea was to say, ‘let’s put a stake in the When The Hour debuted on CBC Television, the people in fancy restaurants – it’s the whole range,” sand in late night,’” says Bristow. “We really tagline was “The world served straight up.” says Julie Bristow, executive director of factual started focusing on getting stars into the chair “It was very much about, who is this guy and what entertainment at CBC. “He’s got a bit of that with George and doing longer interviews than we is it about him?” says Mary-Jo Osborn, creative

32 STRATEGY October 2009 www.strategymag.com

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director, advertising and media, marketing communications at accomplish in a year,” says Bristow. After achieving one million CBC. “So that authenticity, that real curiosity – you want to hear acts in less than 100 days, they continued to promote the what he has to say.” program on the show and ended up with 1,788,979 acts of The following year, the focus was shifted slightly to highlight green after one season. More brand partnerships are planned the celebrity guests. Under the tagline, “This is the place, this for the future. is The Hour,” the campaign featured the images of the famous folks who had been interviewed by Strombo. Last year, that idea was developed further with the “Red Chair” campaign under the main tagline “Where the A-List come to talk.” The campaign kicked off in true celebrity style. It so happened that the season premiere of the show coincided with the Toronto International Film Festival, so to target festival-goers, publicists and talent, TSAs were placed in strategic locations with taglines such as “Even your entourage can’t make you feel this comfortable” and “Haven’t talked to George? Quick, fi re your publicist.” Advertising is primarily created in-house (M2 Universal handles the buy), and has been featured on media including CBC properties as well as U.S. cable in Canada (such as CNN and A&E), radio, print, online and OOH. Above: Strombo gets Tom Cruise in the hot seat (a.k.a. the red While the show has always had advertisers and sponsors, The chair). Left: clever TSAs were placed around town during TIFF. Hour has begun to delve into more integrated brand partnerships to great success. Last season, the show teamed up with Cisco’s And what does the man himself think of his strong brand “One Million Acts of Green” program, with George encouraging identity? “I don’t think of myself as a brand," says Strombo. “At viewers to commit acts of green and register them online. The Hour, we just try to be good company and tell people about “I think because George has credibility, George is very down their world that day. If people connect with what we do then I to earth, George is a connector, we were able to accomplish in guess we’re doing something right.” less than three months what we thought we might be able to

BBOY.Sept09.inddOY.Sept09.indd 3333 99/18/09/18/09 4:42:344:42:34 PMPM

st.15206.amoeba.indd 1 9/18/09 3:13:31 PM BRANDS OF THE YEAR

Desjardins: a caisse for the people BY CAREY TOANE The second step was aligning external communications, for which Desjardins formed a branding committee representing marketing units at all levels of the organization. One of the fi rst orders of business was to enlist a single agency, Montreal- and Quebec City-based Lg2, to handle all mass media advertising (POS material is created individually at the caisse level). Lg2 developed the double-CASSIE-winning “Ceci n’est pas une banque/This is not a bank” platform, which launched in the summer of 2003. “The challenge with a FI is, not only do you have institutional communication, but you have a lot of product advertising – be it for RRSPs, mortgages – and then you have the subsidiaries, and it’s really a challenge to develop a platform that speaks to all of them,” says Lg2 strategic planner Julie Dubé. “Not only did we want to communicate that Desjardins was integrated, but we wanted to differentiate it from banks, because The story is well known: Alphonse Desjardins named DFG one of the 50 best corporate citizens in in past years it had communicated too much like was working as a French-language stenographer Canada, while internationally it was recognized as a bank.” in the House of Commons when he was moved one of the 50 safest FIs in the world in 2009 (along The branding committee established a set by a report of a man who paid $5,000 interest with the Canadian Big Five) by Global Finance. of guidelines for a distinct tone of voice that on a loan of $150. The former journalist and It’s been a long road to this point: the would work across all product lines. “All our civil servant went on to establish the Caisse consolidation of the brand began in 2001, when communications are based on the person, fi nally, Populaire de Lévis in 1900 to serve working-class 11 regional caisse federations united under a and always express proximity and [state] the Quebecois. It was the start of the co-operative single, national federation representing the 513 benefi ts very clearly,” says Bouthillette. movement in North America. autonomous caisses in Quebec and Ontario. In 2006, Desjardins took that distinction one The latest branding effort from Quebec’s The Group also encompasses the life insurance step further with the “Names” platform, launching largest fi nancial institution – 5.8 million business Desjardins Financial Securities, the P&C an outdoor execution in Montreal that replaced Quebeckers are “member-owners” – takes brand Desjardins General Insurance Group (GIG) the “Desjardins” in the logo with the member’s last Desjardins Financial Group back to its roots and brokerage and venture capital interests. name. No product, no call to action and very little while asserting itself as more relevant than Since then, “integration” has become clue as to the marketer – beyond the ubiquitous ever. Launched this spring, “Portraits” features Desjardins’ marketing mantra. Beginning in green square. But the message was clear: the Alphonse’s story, told through the eyes of an 2003, all of the subsidiaries came together brand is its members. art student. “Today,” she says, “we call that under a single unifying brand identity that And, crucially for a brand with a strong rural sustainable development.” established Desjardins as the dominant element Francophone association looking to appeal While 2009 won’t go down in anyone’s books as or motherbrand. “All the components were to a more urban, multicultural audience – it’s a good year for FIs, Desjardins has weathered the working before on their own logos and own the only FSP in over 600 villages in Quebec storm better than most, reporting surplus earnings graphic standards and nominal ways to express – “Names” incorporated people from a variety of $455 million in the fi rst six months of 2009, up themselves,” says director of advertising, of backgrounds and ethnicities. Since then the $50 million from the same period last year. They’re consumer banking, Lucie Bouthillette. “As a platform has supported upwards of 15 campaigns still number one in terms of market share in the consequence we had a lack of impact in our for various products and promotions, including a province, with 39% of residential mortgages and communications, and also a lack of perception for savings push in 2008 that scored a perfect 100% 43.1% of personal savings. Corporate Knights Desjardins as a major fi nancial group.” brand awareness. Early Canadian banking facts The fi rst Canadian currency The fi rst Canadian The fi rst The fi rst bank The fi rst crash Atypical to First Nations barter credit card Canadian Tire money (still standing) (you thought 2009 was bad) systems, the Ojibway used In the 1680s, motivated by During the war of 1812, The Bank of Montreal After issuing its own copper as currency. The Haidas a lack of hard currency in merchants issued received a charter in currency for 29 years, also considered copper an circulation, playing cards tokens in lieu of coins, 1822. It would appoint the the Newfoundland bank indicator of status and wealth, were used as a method of some of which included fi rst female director of a crashes and has to join the and used it in shields and other promissory payment in a discount with Canadian chartered bank Canadian system, which then special objects. New France. purchase. a mere 145 years later. introduces the dollar.

34 STRATEGY October 2009 www.strategymag.com

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“A mortgage [is] pretty much a parity product,” in an Anglophone accent (think “rhymes with for. We were starting from scratch.” says Taxi Montreal VP/GM Yves Blain, whose father Wes-gardens”). The PR and sponsorship strategy Ontario DFS activities included a "Meet the sat on the board of his local Caisse Populaire. “So it extends to university football with the Desjardins experts" advertorial series and "Be Well," a becomes all about the personality, the connection. Vanier Cup, and arts and entertainment with health-focused site developed with the Globe It’s not that their brand is so dramatically better the presenting sponsorship of Cirque du Soleil’s and Mail. This month, a new feedback site, than another bank; it’s that their deeply rooted Canadian tour for 2009 to 2011. Shapingourdestiny.com, invites members to give relationships [with Quebecers] have been Starting in March 2008, Desjardins ventured into input on the future of the brand as part of global actualized and made more contemporary.” the broker-dominated Ontario insurance market Cooperation Week. Outside Quebec, Desjardins’ profi le could with its direct-to-consumer product via a TV, radio Since before the fi rst sponsorship dollar was not have been more different. Seeking to raise and outdoor campaign. “Zeppelin” and “Wheels” invested in 2003, the total awareness in Ontario

Above: “Portraits” features Alphonse Desjardins and members from all backgrounds. Opposite: “Wheels” introduced Desjardins’ insurance business to English Canada.

awareness in Ontario and the rest of the country, drove home the notion that “we didn’t invent has more than doubled, says Andre Forgues, “Who the heck is Desjardins?” fi rst bowed with the insurance, but we sure improved it,” says Alexis director, communications and institutional brand’s Rogers Cup sponsorship in 2004, poking Rubin, strategic planner at Lg2. “There was no advertising, “We’re very pleased with the result, fun by intentionally mispronouncing the name strong knowledge of the brand and what it stands even though there’s still a lot of work to do.”

BBOY.Sept09.inddOY.Sept09.indd 3535 99/21/09/21/09 10:43:2110:43:21 AMAM ST.PT.15266.MMMeatShops.indd 1 9/21/09 10:37:53 AM BRANDS OF THE YEAR

Corus gets women BY KATIE BAILEY What do women want? It’s an age-old question, The marketing department did focus group “When we launched Viva, we made sure asked by fathers, boyfriends, husbands and, more research to fi nd out everything they could that Cosmo, W and Viva were positioned very famously, by the chauvinistic ad exec played by Mel about what viewers liked and didn’t like about differently. We went through an exercise where we Gibson in 2000’s What Women Want. He solved the network. They wanted to relaunch with new talked about what would be the perfect movie on the riddle by reading women’s minds after a freak content and a fresh new look and, not fi nding these networks? Who is a Cosmo woman versus a hair-dryer accident – a simple, albeit fantastical, inspiration in the TV world, decided to look Viva woman versus a W woman? We talked about solution to a classic advertising dilemma. outside of it, says Susan Schaefer, VP marketing, if a celebrity could represent the network, who At around the same time, a newly launched television, Corus Entertainment. that would be if we could just pick one. It might be media and entertainment company in Toronto “In creating W, we looked around the world for Sienna Miller on Cosmo or Sandra Bullock on W.” was asking itself that very same question. In other women’s networks, and we didn’t really The company is especially proud of Viva, as its 2000, Corus Entertainment was still a small see anything that inspired us,” she explains. “So rebrand was not only all-encompassing – that’s where we looked to brands like Target. They the channel was formerly CLT, Canadian took a brand that was dowdy, tired and almost Learning Television – but intensively researched K-Mart-like and they reinvented it to be fun and through months of interviews with a panel of contemporary, but accessible. It became Targét. Canadian women. We thought if we could Targét WTN into Research seems to be a great point of W Network then we could really accomplish pride with Corus. It’s also a major touchpoint our goal.” with their advertisers. Through sites such as What emerged out of the rebranding exercise Corusknowswomen.com, which promotes the was not only a sassy new women’s brand fi ndings of Her Reports, and the kids-side version, precision-targeted at the 24-to-54 demographic, The YTV Observer, the company constantly but a library of information about women and communicates their research to help inform Above: Scream became Dusk to appeal to a broader a strategy that would inform future rebrands brand-specifi c campaigns. A good example of audience. Below right: Viva has the mature female and acquisitions. this was the Dare Simple Pleasures campaign The research done for the W launch evolved into “Reinventing the Cookie,” in which TV spots were demo covered. the Her Report in 2004, and became a series of created to match programming that highlighted company recently spun off from its parent, reports examining different aspects of women’s the theme of personal re-invention. Shaw Communications, but its vision was big: to lives and preferences. The Her fi ndings have As the company grows, so too has the focus on become an international player in the broadcast infl uenced everything from ad campaigns on the building brands that complement one another. media game. Finding out the answer to what network to the creation of Cosmopolitan TV in The kids brands are a thriving example of this: makes women tick was one of the fi rst goals the 2008 and most recently Viva in 2009. YTV, Treehouse, Discovery Kids, Teletoon/ company gave itself, having decided that the These three brands are designed to dovetail women’s speciality TV market held much promise with one another demographically, and the for growth, as did radio consolidation. advertising for each refl ects that: W is for busy It was in this decision that Corus’ comprehensive working moms and careerists who need a break approach to brand building was launched. They from the everyday grind; Cosmo is for the sassier acquired the Women’s Television Network (WTN) girl in the 18-to-49 demo, with an edgier attitude in 2001, and immediately set out to rebrand it into to entertainment; Viva is meant for the boomer something fresh. It was not simply an exercise to woman, 35 to 64, a demo research indicated was fi nd a new logo. The decision was to take a going to be very attractive to advertisers as the “rifl e-like” approach to targeting the market, says decade winds to a close. Corus president and CEO John Cassaday, and it How each brand is positioned is directly related started with turning WTN into W. to its place in the demo pyramid, says Schaefer.

One scared squirrel poised to take on the world If Scaredy Squirrel knew what Corus Entertainment had in store for him, he’d probably never leave his nut tree again. Scaredy, you see, is both a Canadian publishing success story, with 525,000 copies of his book sold in 16 languages around the world, and a squirrel that’s scared of everything. Of bees, of being bitten by Godzilla, of germs and of going to the beach. Little does he know, he’s a brave little case study of what Corus can do when it puts its multimedia branding strategy to the test. Although John Cassaday, president and CEO of Corus, admits that it’s still early days for Scaredy, the award-winning book series that launched in 2006 is the kind of franchise-building launch pad that Corus hopes will fuel its international digital rights management ambitions, via a joint effort between Kids Can Press and Nelvana Enterprises. Currently on Scaredy’s to-do list: more books by Mélanie Watt, a television series, animated shorts and an international merchandising program. It’s a lot for a squirrel who’s scared to even leave his house, but Corus is betting his brand is robust enough for the task.

36 STRATEGY October 2009 www.strategymag.com

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The focus on speciality looks to have been a globally just further establishes our credentials,” good strategic move. Statistics Canada reported he adds. this July that speciality TV revenues were up 6.5% As Corus expands internationally – building on compared to a 1.8% decline in conventional. the cross-border success of properties such as But TV is not the only place Corus is pushing the multi-platform brand Qubo – being able to innovation in branding and content. A deal this rely on the careful cultivation of each platform May saw Corus and iTunes (in concert with will become even more important. That’s where U.S.-based Emmit Communications) create customized iTunes playlists from 11 Corus radio station websites, the fi rst deal of its kind for a Canadian broadcaster. And the Alan Cross- hosted Explore Music website was given a mobile Above: W Network offers a break to working moms and makeover this year, linking up with Viigo. careerists. Right: Cosmo TV targets the sassier ladies. Cross-platform media initiatives will be vital to Teletoon Retro (with Astral Media) on TV, Qubo success, says Cassaday. A state-of-the-art digital (a cross-border alliance between Corus, rights management system will be a centrepiece of Scholastic, ION Media Networks and NBC the new Corus waterfront HQ in Toronto, scheduled Universal), Nelvana animation studio and Kids for completion in December. It represents a move Can Press publishing. onto the international stage for Corus, and will allow Even brands that don’t immediately look like it to further exploit its current properties. the discipline in building each brand comes they can fi t into the framework can. Just last Corus’ kids properties are ripe for growth into play, which Schaefer thinks has been an month, Corus rebranded the scary-movie network internationally, with the new Kids Can Press important component of Corus’ success. Scream into Dusk after ratings indicated they Scaredy Squirrel book property (see sidebar on “Strong brands have integrity: the programming, could get more female viewership. Thus, Dusk p.36) on the verge of launching into a multimedia the voice of the network, the on-air image, what was born with more female-friendly suspense, franchise and TV shows such as the anime-inspired the website offers. So we put incredible effort in mystery and paranormal-themed programming Bakugan, which has already shown great promise to make sure that everything holds together and and a sexy, vampy new image that fi ts with trends in its fi rst two years, says Cassaday. “To be able to supports that brand.” like Twilight. help lead the creation of a brand like [Bakugan]

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SST.14692.CMAsocial.inddT.14692.CMAsocial.indd 1 99/17/09/17/09 3:44:233:44:23 PMPM CREATIVEAGENCIES Survival of the fi ttest Canada’s top agencies are thriving in tough times

To participate in this supplement, agencies had to meet one or more of the following criteria: 1) it must have been shortlisted for the Agency of the Year competition in the past three years, or 2) placed Recession? What recession? in the top 20 of Strategy’s 2009 Creative anada’s top ad agencies are the world and, of course, cleaned up at fi gured out how to leverage the goofy Report Card (published defying the downturn and Cannes. As the defi nition of advertising camera-hogging Rocky Mountain in February 2009), or Cgenerating positive results for becomes less narrow, smart advertisers squirrel for the Canadian Tourism 3) won either the Best clients amidst the economic turmoil. are taking note and learning how to Commission, while TAXI created a of Show at the ACE While nothing is business as usual punch beyond their weight. new sport, cheese rolling, for the Dairy Awards, Anvil Awards, anymore, that doesn’t mean negative Many Canadian agencies are ahead Farmers of Canada. Meanwhile, Rethink Lotus Awards, Ice results are a given. Smart companies are of the curve when it comes to non- designed the staff uniforms for Sobeys, Awards or the Grand Prix Créa in the overhauling their strategies and learning traditional ad efforts. Trigger has and bleublancrouge helped Toyota past two years. how to think outside the box, and managed to seed a new word into become the number one car company enlisting help from savvy ad agencies local vernacular for Alberta Recycling, in Quebec for the fi rst time in history that “get” the new environment. and Karo has redefi ned what a bank by challenging automotive category As budgets everywhere shrink, branch should look like for ATB conventions. creativity and innovation are more Financial. GJP’s campaign for Carlsberg So, in spite of economic doom important than ever. Just look at Tourism prompted a consumer to pay for his and gloom and shrinking marketing Queensland’s “The Best Job in the own Carlsberg billboard, and Extreme budgets, Canadian marketers are in World” campaign. It cost very little to put Group got a call from NASA about good hands thanks to the country’s together, yet it made headlines around using one of its WSB campaigns. DDB talent-rich agency pool.

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SST.15001.CreativeAgencies.SuppleS39T.15001.CreativeAgencies.SuppleS39 S39S39 99/18/09/18/09 4:28:504:28:50 PMPM DDB CANADA IMPACTFUL CREATIVE

t the end of the day, “Locals Know” campaign as one it’s not the staid, tried- of the “Top 10 Travel Campaigns Aand-true formulas that in the World.” are going to deliver impactful DDB’s social media division, results. It’s the work that breaks Radar DDB, has played a the mould that’s really going to signifi cant role in getting the make a difference. CTC noticed. For President “Creativity is still the most Obama’s inaugural visit to powerful force in business,” says Canada, Radar DDB knew Frank Palmer, chairman and CEO the whole world would be of DDB Canada. “When clients let watching. The team quickly us do great creative, it really does shot and posted videos onto change their business.” YouTube featuring Canadians Take the Canadian Tourism welcoming the President to Commission (CTC), for help showcase Canada as a example. When DDB began travel destination. The videos to accelerate awareness for garnered international attention the CTC and help it champion on CNN, The Huffi ngton Post, Canadian tourism, Canada rated Colbert Nation and other outlets. In 48 hours the placements like this year’s “Must Drink More Toronto and Edmonton offi ces resulted in 350 comments, Milk,” featuring zany videos like into creative powerhouses. 120,000 views and 6,000 hours “Back Alley Puppet Fight” and “DDB is the most consistently of brand attention. “Smack Talking Goldfi sh.” creative agency in Canada,” “You have to be very fast to While a Smack Talking says Palmer. “We’ve a long recognize and take advantage Goldfi sh may sound unusual, record of creative excellence in of social media opportunities,” it has nothing on the Sumo three markets.” says Palmer. “Radar DDB Carwash DDB came up with That record is unmatched. In ensures clients’ brands are for Subaru. A TV spot featuring the history of Strategy’s Creative in-market 24/7, targeting the sexy Sumos soaping down a Report Card, DDB is the most Right: Subaru: Print number 12 on the FutureBrand’s best prospects and taking Subaru Forester defi nitely got highly awarded creative agency. campaign for 2010 Country Index. Today, Canada advantage of communications people’s attention. It wasn’t And, in the history of Strategy’s Subaru Legacy Above: BC Dairy has moved up 10 spots to take opportunities as they happen.” just entertaining, though. It got Agency of the Year competition, Foundation spot the #2 position. And, Forbes DDB’s innovative thinking results: Subaru Forester sales DDB is the most awarded magazine has named the recent has also helped the BC Dairy have been steadily increasing for agency in Canada: 11 podium Foundation increase milk sales the past 18 months. fi nishes in 18 years, including DDB CANADA by three per cent. “That’s pretty Building on this success, DDB four Agency of the Year titles. Frank Palmer amazing, considering milk was jut launched a campaign for “We fully believe in the on a decline when we picked the 2010 Subaru Legacy based power of creativity to touch Chairman & CEO up the account,” says Palmer. on the idea that the Legacy is a hearts, change minds and build Tel: 604-687-7911 “Seven million more litres of “sedan that commands respect.” brands,” adds Palmer. “It’s why 1600 - 777 Hornby St. milk are sold each year now. DDB’s reputation for fi nding we exist as an agency – to create Vancouver V6Z 2T3 That’s a lot of milk.” bold, creative solutions is well surprising and original ideas The agency made milk top-of- earned. The agency has grown that deliver tangible results.” • www.ddbcanada.com mind for youth with campaigns from Vancouver and built its

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SST.15001.CreativeAgencies.SuppleS40T.15001.CreativeAgencies.SuppleS40 S40S40 99/21/09/21/09 2:24:052:24:05 PMPM CREATIVEAGENCIES KARO TRANSFORMING BRAND THINKING

ver experienced a bank and teller counters. Instead, with a concierge, a Dream a concierge greets customers ECentre and free Starbucks and shows them to the Dream coffee? Probably not. But based Centre, where they can enjoy on the results Calgary-based a coffee, browse magazines or agency Karo has been getting use the free WiFi while waiting. for ATB Financial, you could be Feedback from both customers seeing more of them. and staff has been extremely “‘Campaign’ is such a narrow positive. Says Bedford, “ATB defi nition of branding,” says has truly reinvented the retail Chris Bedford, Karo’s president banking experience in Canada.” and CEO. His agency, which Karo also eschewed the norm also has a Vancouver offi ce, for ConocoPhillips. When the takes a 360-degree approach oil and gas company asked to business problems, creating Karo to develop recruitment solutions that reach beyond ad templates, the agency said advertising’s traditional realm. yes, but they could also take “We look at the brand from a an entirely different approach. holistic perspective.” “They were intrigued by the fact Karo has helped ATB Financial that we responded the way we Above: There’s only one day to Reggae. Left: ATB Financial and Karo Group reinvent retail transform three Calgary did,” says Bedford. banking. branches to a more personal, To help ConocoPhillips out music cards driving brand to speak to the Reggae prospects to the microsite, soul in everybody. workwithphil.com. This “Meeting the customer on non-traditional effort was their terms and truly exciting a resounding success: them is critical to any brand’s ConocoPhillips more than success,” say Bedford. More doubled the number of recruits than ever, you must fi nd over the year before. innovative ideas that will Committed to giving back to transform your brand in the its community, Karo applies the market. And that’s exactly what same industry-leading thought Karo does.” • to its non-profi t work. “We always fi nd a variety of ways to give our time,” says Bedford. retail-focused approach. “The recruit at university job fairs, Through Karo Kaus, it donates KARO high-level business strategy Karo created “Phil,” an informal creative services grants worth Chris Bedford was attracting and retaining version of the brand. The multi- $50,000 each to two charities President and CEO both more customers and level campaign used teasers annually. And for the Calgary Tel: 403-266-4094 employees,” says Bedford. “We such as posters that read “Phil International Reggae Festival, th tackled that by creating a whole — friend with benefi ts.” At the Karo created a campaign that 1817 10 Ave SW new physical environment.” fairs, recent hires, wearing “I’m avoided the expected colours Calgary T3C 0K2 So, gone are the lineups with Phil” T-shirts, handed and images, broadening the www.karo.com

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n the midst of the worst economic downturn since Ithe Great Depression, TAXI motored along smoothly, picking up new business from coast to coast. “We’ve had an amazing year,” says Steve Mykolyn, TAXI’s Toronto-based CCO. And, while businesses across the globe hunkered down, TAXI expanded with a new offi ce in Amsterdam. This past year, TAXI also a great, real-world framework also does digital work for The agency won 1-800-GOT- continued to fi nd unexpected for showing their products in Microsoft, Burger King, MINI, JUNK? in Vancouver, Heineken solutions for business action,” says Mykolyn. “That Koodo Mobile, and others. TAXI Right: Final men’s heat of in Toronto, Hydro-Québec and problems. For example, to whip was a big highlight for us.” also created two homegrown the 1st Annual Canadian Microsoft in Montreal, and TAXI 2 up interest for the Dairy Farmers Meanwhile, the Reitmans digital projects: ECOBOT, Cheese Rolling Festival in landed Yellow Pages and Burger Whistler, BC. of Canada, TAXI introduced a campaign, “Designed for which lets people monitor Below: When couples can King. So why is everyone so new sport: cheese rolling. The Real Life,” echoed economic their carbon footprints, and no longer be intimate, anxious to fl ag down TAXI now? fi rst event in Whistler a year realities. “It couldn’t be more FoodContentAlerts.com for they fi ll the void with “Simply put, we have a proven other activities. Mercifully, ago attracted 5,000 people. This appropriate for the times,” says people to manage their food VIAGRA puts a stop record of results for our clients,” year, that number has increased Mykolyn. “Reitmans trumps allergies online. to this. says Mykolyn. by 50%. “We see it getting haute couture.” “We love fl exing our creative And, of course, there’s the muscles and coming up with recent campaign for VIAGRA, new ways to solve things,” says which picked up one of only Mykolyn. “It’s very satisfying.” 16 Gold Lions for television at Keeping focused on the Cannes this year. This was the road can be tough at the best third Gold Lion TAXI has won for of times, let alone during VIAGRA in the past four years. an economic meltdown. This would be a major success “Unquestionably, our continued for any brand in any country, success is due to the results- but with the challenges posed oriented work we do for our by the regulatory limits on drug clients,” says Rob Guenette, advertising in Canada, it’s quite CEO, “but it is combined with bigger and bigger. We may even an achievement. the effort we put into managing TAXI petition to have it added to the In between dreaming up the agency itself. For the sixth Rob Guenette Olympics,” jokes Mykolyn. new sports and working on year in a row, TAXI has earned The agency also faced a iconic brands, TAXI has been a place in the Financial Post’s CEO TAXI, North America daunting challenge in following building a formidable digital 50 Best Managed Companies Tel: 416-979-4221 up the successful “Aisle Signs” engine. “Our internal digital in Canada, an accomplishment 495 Wellington St. W, Suite 102 campaign for Canadian Tire. capacity has expanded fi vefold,” that refl ects our ability to map The result was an idea that says Mykolyn. In addition to out the path we’re on and Toronto, ON M5V 1E9 truly resonated with Canadians recently being named digital diligently work our way through www.TAXI.ca – “For Days Like Today.” “It’s AOR for TELUS, the agency even the toughest of times.” •

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hallenging times call for “Which is probably how often a new kind of agency. most clients meet with their C “With the one-two agencies face-to-face these punch of the recession and days. Even with travel costs failing media models, business- we can make it work, since our as-usual just won’t cut it,” says overhead is up to 30 percent ratio of writers, art directors award on display at Rethink’s Chris Staples, founding partner lower in Vancouver.” and designers of any agency downtown Vancouver offi ces. of Rethink. The agency also employs a in Canada. That means our “If you do work that gets talked Founded in 1999, the full-time Francophone account team can deliver great work in a about, you’ll get results— and Vancouver-based shop manager in Montreal. responsive manner. win awards,” Staples says. has always done things Low overhead is the reason Rethink’s creative team has “A&W wouldn’t keep us around differently— starting with the agency is able to offer long dominated the stage for 10 years if we weren’t Right: Rethink creates its structure. Unlike many clients more dedicated talent on nationally. In fact, Strategy has obsessed with results.” everything from A&W’s agencies, interactive advertising their accounts. “Our furniture ranked the agency as the top Just how obsessed can be TV ads, to its website and and design are fully integrated, is by Ikea and our carpet is creative shop for two of the last seen in the agency’s unique pay- coffee mugs. Below: Rethink created not housed in separate divisions Astroturf,” Shepansky says. three years. for-performance plan, called the a graphic language for or silos. “With the money we save, we’re Even with its high creative Rethink Rebate. Once a client Sobeys that lives on bags, “Instead of dealing with able to have one of the highest rankings, you won’t fi nd a single hires Rethink and negotiates websites, fl yers— and even on staff uniforms. several companies, we have one a fee, up to fi ve percent is set team,” says Staples. “Clients aside and must be earned based get a single account manager on criteria set by the client. who understands advertising, “It’s not a bonus—it’s a huge online and design. That saves chunk of our profit at risk,” time and money.” says Staples. “We know at Rethink is also involved with the end of day it’s not about its clients in areas far beyond PR or awards— it’s about advertising. For Bell’s Solo getting results and making Mobile brand, they’ve done our clients look very, very packaging and Facebook apps. good in the process.” • For A&W, they’ve created virtually everything from their website to their coffee mugs. For Sobeys and Mr. Lube, they even designed the staff uniforms and POS materials. How is the agency able to RETHINK service its roster of accounts Tom Shepansky from Vancouver— many of Founding partner them headquartered in Toronto, and several requiring advertising Tel: 604 340-6564 in Quebec? Suite 700, 470 Granville St. “We’re in Toronto on average Vancouver V6C 1V5 three times a month,” says www.rethinkcommunications.com partner Tom Shepansky.

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emove the bullshit is The agency has successfully the motto that Extreme transplanted its famously RGroup took with them collaborative but intensely to its Toronto offi ce from its focused East Coast culture Halifax roots. into its Toronto offi ce, which “We have to forget about has been busily working on

reacting to a changing world accounts like Quiznos, Grand Above: One of two print ads for the launch of the 13” Torpedo sub. Left: A personal and start changing the world,” & Toy, RIM, P&G and Marriott shopping program designed to make you look good. says Paul LeBlanc, Extreme’s Hotels this past year. Toronto-based CEO. “Because “We have a very designed to let simple ideas Quiznos was offering such a it’s hard to change the world, collaborative approach shine through. It’s nice that great deal on the Torpedoes that many people don’t bother trying, to whatever we do,” says NASA got it and even more it had to rent out part of its radio so that’s where we Shawn King, Extreme’s VP/ important that a great client ad space because it couldn’t see opportunity.” Creative Director. “We have allowed us to tell a simple and afford a whole spot. “Renters” of relevant story.” the space included both screw NASA isn’t the only U.S.-based and fi reworks companies. entity that has noticed Extreme’s On the other end of the WCB work. This past summer, spectrum, Extreme recently the American Association rolled out a campaign for of State Compensation and Sherway Gardens’ personal Insurance Funds (AASCIF) shopping program. The high- named it the Best in Show at end mall offers a shopping its Communications Awards, service to wealthy clients. beating out campaigns from Extreme came up with the around North America. The concept, “Relax, we’ll make you winning campaign featured a look good.” with executions neglected ladder, lonely bucket featuring people lounging and forgotten nail lashing out to around in formal wear. show that taking care of the little While scoring multiple things matters in any workplace. account wins, racking up EXTREME GROUP conversations rather than On a less serious note, award show hardware and Paul LeBlanc presentations.” Extreme also tapped the elusive receiving calls from rocket Despite its decidedly simple young adult demographic scientists, Extreme remains CEO and common sense based with its launch campaign for committed to simplicity. ”It’s Andrew Doyle approach, Extreme received Torpedoes, a new line of 13-inch hard to keep things simple,” President a call from NASA earlier this subs from Quiznos. Cheeky says LeBlanc. “But our Shawn King year. The rocket scientists ads played with the concept of success has proven that it’s an were interested in picking up size, with slogans like “Makes approach that gets results.” • VP, Creative Director the agency’s campaign for up in length what others have Tel: 416-607-6665 the Workers’ Compensation in girth.” 902-461-2700 Board of Nova Scotia. “That “Quiznos wanted it to be fun,” Toronto - Halifax was an amazing compliment,” explains King. Extreme took that says Andrew Doyle, Extreme’s direction to the radio spots, too, www.extremegroup.com President. “Our process is which played on the idea that

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SST.15001.CreativeAgencies.SuppleS44T.15001.CreativeAgencies.SuppleS44 S44S44 99/21/09/21/09 2:26:182:26:18 PMPM CREATIVEAGENCIES TRIGGER SOMETHING TO TALK ABOUT

t’s not enough to talk to investments.” the masses. The trick Trigger created a contest Iis becoming part of the called “Fresh-er-vention” conversation. earlier this year to promote Calgary-based Trigger has Kelowna’s Orchard Park mastered the art of integrating Shopping Centre, the biggest Astral Media Radio CJAY 92 “Little Gerry” spot brands into culture. This mall between Calgary and year alone, the agency has Vancouver. The Okanagan director. The local radio station “Tosser became a derogatory managed to seed new words region is notoriously diffi cult took note, covered the contest word for people who refuse into the local vernacular, create to reach because of limited regularly and announced the to recycle,” says Doyle. “We winner on-air. The campaign created a language that this ultimately reached one in ten tribe could embrace as their Okanagan residents, and mall own and be used in putting sales increased signifi cantly. pressure on their peers to return Trigger had similar success their empties.” The effort clearly weaving its way into pop culture resonated with the target: bottle when it developed a campaign return rates are now up. for Calgary radio station CJAY Marketers have taken note 92’s morning show, starring of Trigger’s ability to get Gerry Forbes. Trigger created results. This past year, Chinook “Little Gerry,” a mischievous Centre, Servus Credit Union ventriloquist dummy-type and Canada Brokerlink have doppelganger of the popular all joined Trigger’s roster. host. Little Gerry provided an “Our new clients appreciate interesting new personality to our ability to create deeper ABCRC (Alberta Beverage Container Recycling Corporation) “Tosser” spot feature in TV commercials, and relationships between brands became part of the morning and consumers,” says Larry a comedic running storyline local media outlets. So, show’s content. Little Gerry Bannerman, Trigger’s president. for a radio morning show, and Trigger leveraged Facebook would phone in from places Bannerman attributes part get a client’s contest results Connect and prompted locals like Las Vegas to brag about of the agency’s success to its announced on the radio without to nominate friends for a all the havoc he wreaked. culture of idea people, and team paying for airtime. “Fresh-er-vention,” a fashion He immediately developed members truly understanding “We produce relevant makeover of sorts. They could a fan following, and made their clients’ brands and the consumer connections to upload photos of their wayward appearances around the city. most compelling ways of activate real-time consumer friends, and the winner received The agency also managed connecting with consumers. • interest, says Scott Stewart, a $5,000 gift certifi cate from to get people talking about Trigger’s director of the mall. Trigger was one of the recycling beverage containers TRIGGER communications planning. fi rst marketing companies to for its Alberta Beverage Larry Bannerman “Understanding consumer use Facebook Connect, which Container Recycling Corporation President engagement and the most is free. The added benefi t is client. It created a campaign Tel: 403-539-2000 relevant communication that it self-propagates through around the slogan “Don’t be a intercepts is our economy networks of friends. Tosser,” aimed at young men, Suite 200 1725 10th Ave SW and how we deliver true value “This went viral very fast,” identifi ed as key offenders Calgary T3C 0K1 on our clients’ advertising says Patrick Doyle, creative when it comes to not recycling. www.ideasthattrigger.com

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SST.15001.CreativeAgencies.SuppleS45T.15001.CreativeAgencies.SuppleS45 S45S45 99/21/09/21/09 2:23:412:23:41 PMPM GJP ADVERTISING & DESIGN MAXIMIZING MEDIA

aving a consumer pay positioning, Probably the Best for a billboard with Beer in the World. The winner Hyour brand on it is won a trip to Las Vegas with his practically unheard of. But that’s buddy. Most entrants uploaded exactly what happened during a online videos, but one took recent Carlsberg campaign by it to another level by buying Toronto-based GJP Advertising billboard space. & Design. “Consumers believe in the The agency wanted the brand so much they put their beer brand to do something own money on the line,” says non-traditional to stand out, Alan Gee, partner/ chief creative trends. Right now, it’s offering served in restaurants as part of a session called “Cannes 2009: a “Savour Ontario” initiative. The Year Advertising Died.” GJP has been busy cleaning “This year, the major trend up at awards shows lately. They was the massive shift away have taken home, among others, from traditional advertising,” a Design Lion from Cannes explains Gee. “We spend a lot and hardware from the D&AD of time on in-house education.” Awards and the ADCC Awards. Busy clients appreciate the “We’ve garnered our fair share of opportunity to drink in all of the awards in the past 12 months,” key points in one sitting. says Gee. “Our creative director While GJP is in tune with Lisa Greenberg is now being where advertising is going, at asked to judge all over the the same time it has fi rm roots world. She gets a lot of kudos in traditional channels like TV. for her ability and talent.” • It recently rolled out four 30- Right: Carlsberg Beer: so it orchestrated an online- offi cer at GJP. The contest second TV spots for Fallsview Our recent Best Mate driven contest called “The generated so much buzz that Casino in Niagara Falls. The competition ads play on the concept that Above: Fallsview Casino: Carlsberg Probably the Best the agency is exploring how it Feeling Important on the Mate Competition,” prompting could be rolled out into other “the feeling lives with you.” One red carpet consumers to demonstrate why global markets. execution features a woman they should be declared the GJP pays close attention to power-walking on a rolling red greatest friend, or Best Mate. trends in media and advertising, carpet. “It’s very different from The contest’s premise was and felt confi dent that an online- what its competitors are doing,” derived from Carlsberg’s global driven consumer-generated says Gee. approach would be the best GJP recently picked up GJP ADVERTISING & DESIGN way to reach Carlsberg’s young the Ontario Ministry of Alan Gee male target. “Beer has been Agriculture, Food and Rural Partner/ Chief Creative Offi cer traditionally so TV-dominated,” Affairs (OMAFRA) account, says Gee. “We do a lot of social which includes Foodland Tel: 416-979-7999 media seeding.” Ontario. “We’re doing a multi- 154 Pearl St The agency holds frequent faceted campaign,” says Gee. Toronto M5H 1L3 seminars for clients to bring It includes efforts that show www.gjpadvertising.com them up to speed about industry Ontario-grown food being

S46 SPONSOREDSUPPLEMENT

SST.15001.CreativeAgencies.SuppleS46T.15001.CreativeAgencies.SuppleS46 S46S46 99/18/09/18/09 4:30:584:30:58 PMPM CREATIVEAGENCIES BLEUBLANCROUGE LEVERAGING INSIGHTS

o put it mildly, this hasn’t you don’t really need a car to get been a great year for the somewhere, take the bus.” Tautomotive, newspaper and Clearly, the concept hit home banking industries. So why did with consumers. Toyota became The Montreal Gazette, Toyota and number one in the Quebec market Laurentian Bank all experience for the fi rst time in history, and record-breaking growth? sales were up a record-breaking The common thread that links 20% in the spring. all three companies is Montreal- bleublancrouge has also based bleublancrouge. The been working its magic for the agency’s keen ability to tap into beleaguered newspaper industry, consumer insights and resonate via its campaigns for The Montreal with people on an emotional level Gazette. It updated the long- has clearly helped its clients. standing “Words Matter” platform Take Toyota, for instance. by tying it to current events. bleublancrouge came up with a One TV spot juxtaposed speech concept dubbed “Ecolonomics,” footage of Martin Luther King Jr. that tapped into the desires to be and President Barack Obama. both environmentally and fi scally The Gazette’s single-copy responsible. Several executions sales went up throughout the played on the “Rather Clever” year, and the International tagline, featuring drivers using Newsmedia Marketing Association named the campaign Best in Show, beating out big names like The New York Times. “It’s a big honour to have an industry say ‘your campaign is helping us sell newspapers,’” The campaign resonated with It developed the motto and says Namouric. consumers, and Laurentian communications vision for The recent economic Bank saw the best year in its the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Above: An innovative their Toyotas responsibly. For turbulence has rendered most 160-year history. Winter Games account, and message and campaign example, one TV spot depicts a banks quite unpopular, to say bleublancrouge thrives on that helped Toyota break plans to continue to expand its sales records in 2008- man named David leaving his the least. Yet Laurentian Bank constantly seeking creative reach. “The possibilities are 2009. Right: A visual Toyota Yaris at home, choosing saw unprecedented growth, outlets. During this past Earth limitless,” says Namouric. “We depiction of some of the instead to save gas money and thanks to a little help from Hour, it hosted an event that want to be everywhere.” • words that matter most walk to his destination. bleublancrouge. The agency during an election - and encouraged people to create BLEUBLANCROUGE best in show at INMA. “Showing a car driving positioned the smaller bank something in the dark – from through some mountains isn’t as a valuable partner in life- songs to paintings to poems. Gaétan Namouric going to make anyone feel smart altering decisions like home “We said ‘enough electrical Executive VP & Creative Director about buying a car,” says Gaétan buying. Many ads depicted energy, we need creative Tel: 514-875-7007 Namouric, bleublancrouge’s happy, smiling children – a energy,’” says Namouric. 606 Cathcart Street, Suite 1007 executive VP & creative director. welcome distraction from the Despite its strong roots in “What we’re saying is if you doom and gloom dominating Quebec, bleublancrouge is an Montreal H3B 1K9 really need a car, buy a Toyota. If the media surrounding them. agency without boundaries. www.bleublancrouge.ca

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SST.15001.CreativeAgencies.SuppleS47T.15001.CreativeAgencies.SuppleS47 S47S47 99/21/09/21/09 5:00:035:00:03 PMPM BY TONY CHAPMAN & KEN WONG RENEGADE CMO: PICK A LETTER FROM A TO Z In this series, Queen’s prof Ken Wong and Capital C CEO Tony Chapman tackle marketing challenges. This month they focus on the department store dilemma – specifi cally Zellers’ undifferentiated woes Tony: Richard Baker, the real estate tycoon that bought Hudson’s Bay Company and Zellers last year, said in an Aug. 27 Globe and Mail article that profi ts will double in 2009 – a remarkable result achieved from $300 million worth of cost cutting rather than increased sales. I see this as a Band-Aid on a festering sore. I can’t think of one organization that has achieved sustainable growth through cost cutting. Sustainability can only come through positioning your offering in a meaningful way and ensuring that all of your efforts – merchandise, marketing, operations, store design, loyalty programs, real estate – are calibrated accordingly. Take Zellers, for example. In my opinion they have lost their way. I have no idea what they stand for.

Ken: Zellers used to shout “the lowest price is the law” and backed it up (for a while). Then they claimed one of the best An ad for Zellers’ toy department from the “Everything from A to Z” campaign. toy departments in Canada and backed it up (for a while). Then came the aborted integration with the Bay (that Tony: You are calling for Zellers to – the “Everything from A to Z” campaign muddied both formats) and the death stroke: when costs create a persona, and through it – but is this meaningful to the consumer were cut to survive the lagging sales and the toy centre uncover powerful consumer and who in this economy is moving to under- among others fell victim. shopper insights that can lead to a consumption and simplifi cation? It isn’t complex to resolve: pick a theme and deliver. And platform that the consumer wants If I was their CMO I might take my cue never forget the constants in retailing – clean the store, to buy. Insights are the lifeblood of from dollar stores, Winners and Costco, keep the shelves stocked and tidy and die before you let any brand and their only hope in three retailers that have managed to promoted items go out of stock. uncovering profi table white space. compete against the lower price retailers I was encouraged when they said they’d upgrade women’s by understanding the magnetic appeal of clothing and launched the new Alfred Sung Pure line at Ken: Yes, in old-school vocabulary, offering their consumer a daily treasure a value price point. But now, how does cost reduction fi x a “brand” with some relevance. hunt: “Look what I found.” To deliver on this these problems? Hey Zellers, pick a card, any card, but pick But this is not a problem solved strategy, they need to offer the consumer a one. Oh, and by the way, make it just one! by rethinking what they stand for. range of everyday goods and services, value There’s enormous potential for priced, but their focus should be to draw Tony: The problem is that most retailers fi ght the same them to show how they support the consumers attention to daily treasures direct strategy and invariably look to price as the tie that position. Quick, what is – whether they be limited editions, brands breaker – a diffi cult proposition to claim, let alone achieve, Zeller’s private label called? Can available exclusively at Zellers or when your primary competitor is Walmart. Zellers has to anyone fi nd an online presence too-good-to-believe, today-only pricing

THE ENTREPRENEUR & THE ACADEMIC THE & THE ENTREPRENEUR adopt a new strategy. Target did it with an indirect strategy for them? And I cannot believe – treasures that will get the consumer – change the criteria by which the consumer buys. They did the folks at Sung are happy talking and, more importantly, visiting it by democratizing style. about seeing their brand name Zellers more often. portrayed in a very dated fl yer. It’s Ken: Yes. Some people sell what they want, while the best almost as though they weren’t Ken Wong is a career academic at Queen’s ask “What problem will we solve?” before they decide what watching the competition. School of Business and a consultant at to sell. They need to focus on someone around whom they Toronto-based Level 5. Tony Chapman is can make decisions. Here’s an interesting exercise: if Zellers Tony: I think they are an entrepreneur/career brand guru and was a person, what TV program would they watch? What preoccupied by one founder of Toronto-based indie agency magazine? Having trouble deciding an answer? No wonder competitor. They are hoping for Capital C. they keep fl itting around. differentiation through selection

48 www.strategymag.com

FForum.Oct09.inddorum.Oct09.indd 4488 99/17/09/17/09 5:59:115:59:11 PMPM ]fild%

BY JOHN FARQUHAR MARKETING TO THE UNDEAD BOOMERTIME I thought I’d watch a little television this week and see how life. Everyone knows that. So Who’s driving that new Lexus convertible? marketers see me, someone over 50. Apparently I’m dying, why spend money getting us to Who’s dining in the hottest restaurants? in constant pain, infertile, incontinent, undersexed and change when we never will? Who’s fl ying full fare to Europe? Who’s over-pollinated. Wrong again. A recent buying 3,000 square-foot condos? Who’s According to the diagnosis of the marketing industry, I Roper ASW study shows that decked out like Lance Armstrong and riding don’t have long to live. So let me get this out in a hurry. consumers in their 20s and that exotic $6,000 titanium/graphite alloy You guys are some seriously confused puppies. All these 30s are actually more averse to road bike? It’s the guy with the grey hair. pathetic, alienating portrayals of the collective boomer trying new brands than those But, you CEOs say, “In 30 years they’ll group will not serve you well. We’re either the butt of in their 50s. Give us better all be dead and gone.” 30 years? Really? the jokes or ignored all together. And as for this endless quality. Give us something more REALLY? Dude, you’re just trying to make it fascination with youth, well, you guys have to grow up. interesting and we’ll effortlessly through the next two fi scal quarters. Why? Let’s start with this delusional pursuit of youth. Last change brands. Granted, we’re in a recession. Stock time I checked, the purpose of marketing was to get the Boomers are the original portfolios and RRSPs have taken a major largest amount of money from the largest number of people experimenters. Remember hit. The vast majority of those portfolios as frequently as possible. Those under 30 are the most President’s Choice? This is were held by boomers. So we’re all a little susceptible to the vicissitudes of this recession. They have the generation that rejected bummed right now. But we know that the highest jobless rate. They have the lowest discretionary supermarket brands en masse money is coming back. How do we know? income. And they are understandably hoarding what little in favour of better, more Because we’ve seen this before. And when they have left. interesting Memories Of Dave it does come back, we will be the fi rst And the boomers? We’ve got the money. The over-50s Nichol offerings. ones spending and spending big. You are comprise about 40% of the population and are responsible Boomers were the original going to see a spending spree of Russian for a total personal income fi gure of approximately brand experimentation mobster proportions. $388 billion out of a Canadian total of $974 billion (PMB). consumers. They went from And who are we going to spend our money American cars to Japanese cars with? The people that haven’t given a rat’s to German cars and now Korean ass about us? The people that portray us cars. The fact that more hybrid as doddering, hair-plugged, sad-ass, cars are sold to 50+ consumers “it’s-Patrick-and-he’s-bought-life-insurance” proves that boomers are as doofuses? What do you think? ready today for a new idea as I’ll leave you to mull on a cautionary tale they ever were. from Monty Python’s The Search for the “I’m a Pontiac guy and always Holy Grail: “Bring out your dead!” called will be,” the guy said. Okay, who the soldier pulling the wagon full of plague exactly is that guy? He no longer victims. “But I’m not dead yet!” said the exists. Dead as Pontiac. older man as he’s tossed on the pile of And we buy a lot of cars. corpses by his stone-hearted son, “I’m Boomers are estimated to buy on actually feeling much better!” average another nine cars before I’m actually feeling pretty good myself. I we shuffl e off this mortal coil. think I’ll go out and buy something. Look at our driveways. We even buy them two at a time. John Farquhar is president and creative You’ve got a target group that’s director of Toronto-based Wild Mouse easy to reach: we still watch TV, Advertising. When he’s not out shopping we still read newspapers, and we like an oligarch, he can be found at We’ve paid off our mortgages. There are no more daycare listen to conventional radio. We [email protected] or bills. In fact, the kids are out of the house and we’ve got spend a ton of time online and 416-596-6873. You can read more of cash burning a hole in our Hugo Boss jeans. we’re easy to fi nd there. We’re his musings at http://wildmouse.ca/blog But of course, as conventional wisdom goes, we’re not methodical in our decisions. We going to spend it on your product. Boomers have made pay on time. And once more for their choices. We’ve chosen the brands we’ll stick to for effect, we’ve got the cash.

STRATEGY October 2009 49

FForum.Oct09.inddorum.Oct09.indd 4499 99/21/09/21/09 2:44:532:44:53 PMPM YXZbgX^\% Brands of the Year 2010 It’s never too early to start looking for next year’s top brands. So we asked John St. to help us fi nd some nominees. Based on market research, sales projections and that guy on TV who yells stock tips, these are the brands they deemed worthy.

Donut Burger HavaSeat

Is it a donut? Is it a burger? Yes. Their tagline sums

Combining two of our fast-food ™ it up best: obsessions, Donut Burger has HavaSeat the elusive too-late-for-breakfast, More Cushion too-early-for-lunch market for the Pushin’. cornered. Could a Steak Pudding chain be far behind? We predict stocks will soar on this infl atable miracle CelebrityLoofahs.com as its simplicity and convenience (just Thanks to Perez, Twitter and MJ’s inevitable Casket Tour, we store it in your purse predict celebrity obsession will reach an all-time high in 2010. or pocket after use) Rather than rooting through your favourite celebrity’s trash, will have it “pushin” you can bid on the loofah you want and have it delivered up the sales charts. right to your door. (If you’re really lucky, it’ll still be wet.)

Celebrity Obsession Hygiene Obsession Loofah Sales 2009 Edible Bags

® Earth Bars They may not be killing the environment, This health food sensation contains no artifi cial fl avours, but keeping all those sweeteners or preservatives. In fact, it contains reusable bags is nothing but…dirt. It takes defi nitely killing your feng shui. Enter the “all-natural” to a whole next step in environmentability – a tasty new level. Flavours bag you eat after use. Chock full of include Wildfl ower, Peat protein and cotton, you’ll be surprised Moss and Larvae Surprise. how tasty functionality can be.

Information supplied by The Brand Coalition of North America, in conjunction with Brand Developers of Acton.

50 STRATEGY October 2009 www.strategymag.com

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