Hollie ShawPublished: Friday, April 09, 2010

Nature's Path Organic Foods has selected Noise Digital to market its organic granola bars after a North American agency review. "We did our due diligence in looking at agencies and Noise was by far the best integrated agency demonstrating examples of truly customized marketing solutions," said Rosy Atwal, senior brand manager at Nature's Path. Nature's Path, a privately held, family owned business based in Richmond, B.C., makes breakfast foods and snacks sold in 40 countries. Noise will be responsible for promoting a trial of Nature's Path organic granola bars in key North American markets. The campaign will include online and retail promotions at retail. As lead agency, Noise will will be responsible for strategy, media planning and buying, and campaign execution.

UPDATE: We have now filled our volunteer roster for this event. Thank you to everyone who offered to volunteer! Elettra Communications, producer of Vancouver magazine’s Restaurant Awards, is looking for student volunteers to assist with Vancouver’s premier restaurant industry event. This opportunity will appeal to students who have an interest in public relations, publishing, marketing, or event management. Now in its 21st year, Vancouver magazine’s Restaurant Awards is the biggest event of its kind in North America. Twenty of the city’s top food critics form the judging panel and vote on the best dining experience in more than 30 categories. The event itself includes a reception and awards show. The annual extravaganza welcomes more that 700 restaurateurs, chefs, sommeliers, suppliers, and food and wine critics.

Dates:

• Tuesday, May 18th 10:30am – 6pm (required)
• Monday, May 17th 1pm – 4pm (if available)

Volunteers will assist with a range of activities including:

• Event set up
• Gift bag assembly and distribution
• Guest check-in
• Awards presenting/backstage coordination
• Coat check

Benefit to you:

• Event coordination experience.
• Exposure to the behind-the-scenes workings of a large event.
• Opportunity to build contacts in the PR, marketing, and publishing industries.
• Lunch will be provided.

Dress code: All black. No jeans; no running shoes/sneakers. How to apply: If you would like to volunteer for this opportunity, please contact simone@elettra.ca. In your email please provide a brief introduction to yourself, and include a description of your current course of study and your contact information.

“If we don’t focus on this age group, then our membership will slowly dwindle and we won’t have the critical mass to be able to continue doing business,” said Kelly McNeill-Sproxton, marketing manager for Vancity.

Central 1 Credit Union, the umbrella organization that represents credit unions in B.C., is leading the charge with a $2 million marketing campaign that will target 18-to-29-year-olds – who loosely fit into the generation Y demographic – across a number of advertising mediums.

In the next couple years, Central 1’s goal is to double its percentage of 18- to-29- year-old members.

According to Martin Reed, Central 1’s director of marketing and creative services, credit unions have traditionally targeted consumers above the age 30.

At that age, he said, consumers begin to more seriously consider financial products and services like mortgages, loans and RRSPs.

To read more, click here.

The North Shore Outlook just uploaded their feature on the upcoming West Vancouver Yacht Club Southern Straits Classic. If you are looking for a way to kick off the Easter weekend, come and watch competitive sailing up close.

Here are the details:

The West Vancouver Yacht Club is proudly hosting the 42nd Annual Southern Straits Classic. This sailing regatta is a West Coast racing tradition and an Easter Weekend ritual for sailors, their families and the community.

More than 60 boats and 400 sailors will race across Georgia Strait in this challenging overnight event - a true test of sailors’ strategy, skill and endurance. Racers from around the Pacific Northwest, and as far away as Hawaii, will participate in this year’s event.

In addition to the on-water activity, there will be family and community activities taking place near the start line at Dundarave Pier. The community is invited to begin their weekend with a pancake breakfast benefiting the Lions Society, followed by music from the West Vancouver Pops Band. There will also be a live commentary about participating boats as well as a special visit from the Easter Bunny.

Festivities will begin Good Friday April 2nd at 9 a.m. The race’s starting sequences will begin at 10:25 a.m. Easter celebrations will continue at Dundarave Village on Saturday, April 3rd with their annual Easter Egg Hunt.

Dundarave Pier 25th Street and Bellevue Ave. West Vancouver

For more information, please visit www.southernstraits.ca or call WVYC at 604.921.7575.

The initiative was part of Joey Restaurant Group's Cup of Care program to help address hunger in its communities. In Vancouver, Winnipeg and Toronto, the company donated 10,000 cups of nutritious soup to community groups, and its staff volunteered more than 100 hours at food banks, shelters, and community drop-in centres.

Noise Digital to lead online strategy for credit union cooperative advertising program

Vancouver, BC; March 23, 2010 – Central 1 Credit Union, the central financial facility and trade association for the B.C. and Ontario credit union systems, has engaged Noise Digital as its digital agency of record for the Cooperative Advertising Program for the Credit Unions of BC.

The agency has been tasked with building awareness of the credit union brand amongst 18 to 29-year-olds in British Columbia. Noise won the account after a competitive bid process that began before Christmas.

“This is an exciting assignment for us because the Credit Unions of BC are interested in exploring how Digital can anchor their overall marketing direction, not just sit at the fringe,” says Mark Nishiguchi, Managing Partner, Noise Digital. “Given the target audience, it makes complete sense to focus the strategy online.”

While BC credit unions have a solid membership base of 1.7 million – more than 1 in 3 British Columbians – research has shown that many in the next generation of potential members are unaware of credit unions and how they differ from banks. The long-term goal of the program is to educate this target market on the benefits of credit unions and grow the membership base. Many in the target audience share the values of the credit union system: honesty, community, trust and loyalty.

“We were looking for a partner who had demonstrated success in delivering a digital strategy to this market,” says Martin Reed, Director, Marketing & Creative Services, Central 1. “What pleased us about Noise is that they really challenged our idea of what Digital could be and they are stretching us in a new direction.”

The agency’s first assignment will be a fall marketing campaign. While still in the early stages of development, the campaign will focus on a new community program and will likely include social media, OOH, and a variety of online and offline activation tactics. The campaign will include new TV spots created by Wasserman + Partners Advertising.

The Westwind Choir entertains travellers at YVR on March 1. They even serenaded John Furlong with a spirited version of O Canada.

By Michael Grange, The Globe and MailPosted Thursday, February 25, 2010 12:02 AM ET Does anyone know what the Russian word for crickets is?

I know what it sounds like. It sounds like the crowd of Russians gathered in so-called ‘Bosco Bar' in downtown Vancouver for another chapter in the Canada-Russia hockey series.

We know how it ended: Canada came out and treated one of the most talented teams anyone can remember like they were Germany or something.

And so the crowd at Bosco Bar - actually Joey Burrard, an upscale resto-lounge in downtown Vancouver bought out by Bosco Sport (the Russian Nike, and the official supplier to the Russian Olympic team here) for 10 days - quickly shifted from positive, brash even, to something else.

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Elettra Event Coordinator, Desiree Mamisao, hangs out with Quatchi and Miga at YVR.

Elettra's Kelly Aldinger and Kelly Farrell work with Canadian media hoping to get shots of Canada's Luge Team.