This shoot took a LOT of organizing as we were dealing with both their Niagara Falls and Sweden offices. We also had a few challenges that we had to overcome such as making sure certain shots were lit and positioned just right so they can later be imaged into a chosen background (thank you Canadian winters for making everything outside look so dreary). This part of the shoot was technical and very time consuming but luckily John Lynch of BP Imaging is a master of his craft and we managed to get the shots done perfectly. Another challenge we had to work through was shooting with children and pets that are untrained for this type of work. We had REAL people come in to be our models that have not had “modelling” experience, this can be tricky and when it comes to kids and pets – patience is a virtue. We needed a few shots with a dog… I offered up my incredibly adorable puppy who ulitmately did well but trying to get a shot where the pup is paying attention and the child is smiling took some time but the process was  hilarious! The many hours of preperation, shooting and set up that everyone put in was well worth it! The end result were amazing images that would make anyone excited for the product whether they would use it or not.

Check out some of the rough shots and let us know what you think! We’ll post some of the finals as soon as it’s finished and released to the public.

Here’s your sneak peek!

Fortunately for Canada, we have been on the mend for some time now and have noticed an incline in ad spending as a whole… the US has not been so lucky.

But there may be a light at the end of the tunnel! Check out this article from Advertising Age. I would love to hear your thoughts and forcasts for ad spending in North America. So don’t be shy, if you have any insight or opinions on where you feel the industry is heading we want to hear it! You have a voice – use it!

http://adage.com/mediaworks/article?article_id=146522

Bcreative has specialized in trade show displays for more years then we can count, and since the main season is upon us, we thought we would educate the less informed as to why attending a trade show is a top notch idea for promoting your business, brand and product.

There are COUNTLESS articles (see list below) on this subject, and after a lot of reading, and personal experience, I have found some tips that are Must Do’s when deciding to participate in a trade show.

The General consensus I’ve found, all state the following as best practices for a successful run in a trade show

1. Research, research, research! Always research each show you want to attend before committing to it. You want to make sure that there is enough people from your target audience that attend or it’s not going to be worth your time. The show itself will have statistics that are readily available prior to making any commitment – all you have to do is ask!

2. Set goals! Make sure you have a clear objective of what you want to get out of the show – % of sales, # of leads, generate brand awareness etc. Without goals you will be spinning your wheels, and will not be able to qualify your efforts as being beneficial or a waste of time.

3. Train your booth team! This means in all aspects – from dress to promotional efforts, even their listening skills. Clearly indicate to your team what you expect from them and coach them prior to the show on how to achieve the desired outcome. They are your representatives and must be fully prepared on what to expect AND what is expected of them.

4. The look and feel of your display is KEY! Keep it organized and clean looking at all times. Have your prices clearly marked and make it as interactive as possible to engage visitors long enough to remember you once they leave. In addition to this, ensure you have all your promotional literature readily available and in abundance. These take-aways are crucial to building awareness of your business, brand, product. Prizes, games, draws and demonstrations are all great ways to engage attendees to visit your booth. The more buzz you can generate at your booth the more you will benefit in the long run!

5. FOLLOW UP! Do not hesitate in following up as soon as you can once the show is over. The longer you wait the more likely your business and product will blend in with the rest, so be sure to follow up as quick as you can!

Cornelius Booth By Bcreative

At Bcreative, we understand that in today’s hyper-competitive business environment, good isn’t necessarily good enough. You need to be better than that – conventional methods usually produce predictably average results. Our Trade show Pop-up displays are a cut above the rest, and will guarantee you stand out from the crowd at your next event. Available in a variety of configurations and sizes, our trade show displays can be customized to fit perfectly with your company and Brand.

Attractive, smart and affordable, our pop-up trade show displays combine impressive size with outstanding results! Lightweight, portable and 100% Canadian made, this innovative system sets up as easy as 1-2-3.

As a result, our clients can expect an effective and cost efficient trade show display that is fueled by inspiration and unfettered by common place thinking.

Tim Hortons Booth By Bcreative

For more information check out the following articles:

Each year we are privileged with the task of creating Tim Hortons internal annual newsletter (Tim’s Times) and after many, many hours we are very pleased to say that we have put another notch on our belt for successful completion of this wonderful publication.

Tim’s Times is an annual newsletter dedicated to the Tim Hortons Children’s Foundation Camps (Camp Day). It brings awareness to the Tim Hortons community of how their hard work and dedication helped send less fortunate children to camp. Not only did the donations help send kids to camp but it also aided in upgrading camps that need maintenance, implement new programs and activities and employ the best possible people to guide the children while they’re there. Each year the Tim Hortons Children’s Foundation produce this newsletter to express their gratitude to all those involved daily, monthly &  yearly, ensuring the Camp Day program is a huge success in their region and abroad.
We are very proud to be part of this publication and thoroughly enjoyed producing it. Can’t wait for next year!!

Here is a glimpse of last years Tim’s Times (as we cannot yet show you this years) Stay Tuned for 2010!!

Cover Page 2009

I’ve seen some pretty incredible things done with animation, but the simplicity and complexity, yes – simplicity AND complexity (trust me you’ll understand as soon as you watch it) of this little animated short knocked my socks off. Not only is it very inventive but it also provokes an emotional attachment between the viewer and the main “character” immediately.

If only more ads put this much thought and creativity into their campaigns, many more products would experience greater success. Too bad this was just for fun – he concept would be an interesting way of standing out in a sea of mind numbing Hardware and Software campaigns

Who do you want to win – Animation or Animator?

A few days ago I was sent a link to a cheese commercial that evoked numerous emotions as I watched it. I thought it was well done, and it definitely made me remember the brand and the ad (which is always the main goal) but it was pretty hard to watch at first and for me, was ultimately too much to like it. I showed it to a number of friends and colleagues and got mixed reviews on it.

Take a look for yourself (you’ll need volume to get the full experience) – is it too much or just right? Do you think it was effective in getting the message out or is it too much for its target audience?

Nolan Cheese Ad