Event Marketing

There's a new trend afoot in these days leading up to the Super Bowl. Instead of waiting to debut their multi-million dollar ads on Super Bowl Sunday, brands are choosing instead to "leak" them in advance. The spots, widely assumed to be the best TV promos a company can offer...

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n this week's PERSUASION column, How green is your beer? Simon examines how Canadian beer companies are jumping on the environmental band wagon.


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In this week's 30-Second Spots column, No Facebook promos please, we’re French, Simon Houpt discusses topics ranging from the French law barring news anchors from sending viewers to their station’s Facebook or Twitter page to the Montreal/Toronto second annual tourism co-campaign.


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In this week's PERSUASION column, Kate Middleton dolls, anyone?, Susan Krashinsky discusses topics ranging from marketing the royal wedding to Facebook's new Deals service.


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In this week's ADHOCRACY column, BMO finds fertile sponsorship ground on the soccer pitch, Simon Houpt looks at how some corporations are building brand awareness through supporting community sports activities.


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In this week's PERSUASION column, PETA looks for seal of approval from bar flies, Simon Houpt discusses how PETA is taking a cartoonish approach to its anti-seal hunt protests.


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In this week's Adhocracy column, Now playing: ads for Super Bowl ads, Simon Houpt discusses how Super Bowl advertising has been kicked-up a notch or two.


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Check out Simon Houpt's latest 30-Second Spots and read about this week's four bites from the world of marketing, including Facebook transforms 'Like' into ads; ICA's survey finds Canadians share ads; Hellman’s Eat Real campaign and the NFL's 60-second spot entitled 'Let us play.'


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In this week's Adhocracy column,"Blowing the whistle on men's marketing," Simon Houpt explores new thinking illustrated by several spots run throughout the Super Bowl that are reflective of a new approach to advertising directed at men. These spots appear to spurn the typical male stereotypes that have dominated advertising through the decades.




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No toys for those who smoke
In the spirit of the season, we would like to pause to acknowledge the fine pro bono work done by three companies to help promote this Sunday's Santa Claus Parade in Toronto: PR company Harbinger, interactive agency Dashboard and Cossette, which came up with the creative. We like Cossette's “naughty or nice,” ambient work, which involved placing sticker decals near No Smoking, No Parking and No Loitering signs to remind people that Santa is coming so they'd better be good. Still, are we the only ones who think it's a little ironic when ad folk remind others not to be naughty?



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MOVE OVER, KILLER TOMATOES: THE LIME Invasion is here! Almost 50,000 limes invaded five Canadian cities recently to promote the arrival of Bud Light Lime, which hit shelves on Monday. Street teams in lime-coloured shirts handed out limes with a sticker reading, "You asked Canada, now it's here--YouTube.com/LimeInvasion

The YouTube site features videos, product info and an invitation to become a Bud Light Lime fan on Facebook. Fans who recruit 300 new members to their Facebook group will have the chance to host the ultimate Bud Light Lime launch party in their hometown.

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Bruce Hutchinson has been active in arts and cultural marketing and communications for over 30 years. After graduating with a Masters degree he worked for the University of Western Ontario before he began in marketing and publicity for the Grand Theatre in London, Ontario. After leaving the Grand he returned some seven years later as Director of Communications to work with artistic director Martha Henry. Bruce has also worked with Orchestra London, London Historical Museums Association, the National Ballet of Canada and the original Ballet Opera House Corporation. Since 1994 he has worked at Harbourfront Centre in Toronto where he currently is Director, Marketing and Media Relations. He is responsible for their marketing, media relations and publicity, telemarketing, promotions, the web site, box office and information services for this busy 10-acre site which presents over 4,000 events each year and attracts in excess of 13 million visits annually.


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