“We’re very pleased to be partnering with TrojanOne to create a number of new programs and events for the Canadian Football Hall of Fame and Museum. These programs will complement recent initiatives to bring the Hall to the fans and the fans to the Hall. If you’ll pardon the football vernacular, we see this as valuable yardage gained in moving towards and achieving our strategic goal of transforming the Canadian Football Hall of Fame and Museum into one of the must-visit attractions in Canada,” said Mark DeNobile, Executive Director, Canadian Football Hall of Fame and Museum.

“This partnership brings a great opportunity to develop new properties around the Canadian Football Hall of Fame and Museum and develop new revenue streams to help market one of Canada’s great historical treasures and cultural attractions,” commented Mark Harrison, President, TrojanOne. “Everybody wins.”

The Canadian Football Hall of Fame and Museum welcomes thousands of visitors per year, but plans are in the works to increase attendance significantly by activating around the Museum and developing an outreach property to take the show on the road and create greater awareness.

As a key component of the partnership, TrojanOne affiliate T1 Partnership Marketing will lead the marketing and development of corporate partnerships for current and new Canadian Football Hall of Fame and Museum properties. Other plans are for TrojanOne to develop events such as memorabilia shows and exhibits, such as Grey Cup Festival event, and the Hall’s 50th Anniversary in 2013.

About the Canadian Football Hall of Fame and Museum

There are currently 258 members enshrined in the Hall’s Zone of Champions, the bust of each member on display a testament to their contributions to the game of Football. The Canadian Football Hall of Fame and Museum operates as a non-profit registered charity. Located in Hamilton, Ontario since 1963, and in its current location next to Hamilton City Hall since 1972, the Hall is home to more than 30,000 Canadian football artifacts, ranging equipment and trophies to photos and videos. It’s open to the public year round. For more information, visit:www.cfhof.ca

“Working with School Sport Canada and Nike to bring the Nike High School Grand Prix to life has been an exciting process,” said Mark Harrison, president, TrojanOne. “When we came to Nike and School Sport Canada with the event, we could all immediately see that this was an unique way to bring high school athletes together. The Nike High School Grand Prix will be a premier, once-in-a-lifetime track and field experience for all participants that we hope will create lasting memories.”

Uniting high school athletes from across Canada in a celebration of sport, culture and team pride, the objective of this initiative is to inspire excellence in high school athletes, while bringing together students, coaches, teachers, families and friends to celebrate track and field as a sport. Student athletes will be immersed in an environment in which they can develop new skills, while making new friends and experiencing the pinnacle in Canadian track and field athletics.

With 200,000 high school track and field athletes across Canada, Nike High School Grand Prix will unite 312 high school-level athletes, representing 24 teams – 12 male and 12 female – from 12 provinces/territories.  It will consist of a 10-event track and field competition, including 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m race, 110m hurdles (boys), 100m hurdles (girls), long jump, high jump, shot put and the 4x100m cross provincial relay.

Although the competition itself will take place on May 12, the experience is one that will last the entire weekend with athletes participating in numerous social and educational events including seminars, keynote speakers and tours of Toronto, the hosting city.  The Nike High School Grand Prix competition will take place May 11 – 13, 2012 at the University of Toronto’s Varsity Centre.

In order to maximize visibility of the Hot Wheels® Camaro Concept, increase engagement with consumers and raise awareness of the collaborative partnership between Hot Wheels® and GM Chevrolet, TrojanOne is on hand at the Auto Show with brand ambassadors fielding questions and providing informational takeaways, while GCI Group will be handling all public relations.

To promote and drive awareness of the Hot Wheels® activation at the Canadian International Auto Show, TrojanOne executed pre-promotions in various downtown Toronto locations including the Toronto Eaton Centre, where a six-foot replica of a Hot Wheels® package – featuring creative of the Hot Wheels® Camaro Concept and a special edition die-cast Hot Wheels® Camaro – has been installed.

In conjunction with the Canadian International Auto Show activation, TrojanOne and Hot Wheels® are running two consumer promotions. Consumers will have the opportunity to win the special edition die-cast Hot Wheels® Camaro by Tweeting a photo of the concept vehicle to @HotWheelsCanada, or by spending $35 on Hot Wheels® products at participating Toys “R” Us locations.

All TrojanOne-executed activations coincide with the launch of an updated Hot Wheels® Live website (www.hotwheelslive.ca). The refreshed site will continue to be the Canadian online resource for all things wheels.

“We are excited to work alongside Hot Wheels® and GM Chevrolet for the 2012 Canadian International Auto Show debut of the Hot Wheels® Camaro Concept,” said Imran Choudhry, vice president, consumer engagement, TrojanOne. “Hot Wheels® has a long history of being an important part of many people’s childhoods, and the Concept’s showcase at the 2012 Canadian International Auto Show will bring the Hot Wheels® brand to a whole new audience.”

The original 1968 Hot Wheels® “Custom Camaro” was one of the first 16 Hot Wheels® ever produced – known to some as the “Sweet 16” – and celebrated the then-newfound partnership between Hot Wheels® and GM Chevrolet. The car was a 1:64-scale toy that used a Spectraflame® metallic finish, and the Concept emulates the iconic look with its chrome-style metallic-green finish created by putting a tinted top coat over a shiny base.

“With the Hot Wheels® and Camaro brands having been paired together since their inception, this latest creation of the Camaro Concept car not only pays tribute to the partnership but it also fulfills the wish of every child who has ever played with one,” said Melissa Chau, brand manager, Hot Wheels®. “We know that the Spectraflame® paint and redline tires of those first Hot Wheels® cars have been the dreams of guys for generations, so it is thrilling for us to be able to inject these elements into a Camaro for real.”

For more information on Hot Wheels® visit www.can.hotwheels.com or www.hotwheelslive.ca.

“I am filled with pride to provide him with this promotion and also an equity stake in our organization,” said Mark Harrison, TrojanOne president.

Since joining the organization in 2002 as a lead brand activator, Choudhry has contributed enormously to the growth of the agency’s business across all areas.

“If you believe actions are more powerful than words,” said Harrison, “then you will understand when I say that Imran is one of the most powerful forces behind any success we have had at TrojanOne for the last several years.”

A specialist in building integrated brand campaigns to engage consumers through sponsorships, events, experiential and grassroots programs, digital and retail promotions, Choudhry is known for his expertise in forging meaningful relationships with clients. Over the years, his meticulous attention to detail has allowed him to work seamlessly alongside, and drive success for, a long list of blue chip brands, including Nike, BMW, OLG, Mattel, Imperial Oil and Astral Media.

“I have had the opportunity to work with some really intelligent people over the years.  Much of the success we’ve experienced is due to the collaborative effort of those individuals I’ve worked alongside,” said Choudhry. “It’s an exciting time to be working at TrojanOne. The company continues to experience incredible growth and I’m excited to continue having a part in it.”

As part of TrojanOne’s continued growth, several other staff members have also been promoted from within. Three new senior coordinators have been appointed on the consumer engagement team – Ben McConnachie, who made the move last year from consulting to consumer engagement; David Angus, a key player in TrojanOne’s Canadian Tire Hockey School program; and Rosanne Leung, who most recently worked alongside ParticipACTION and VISA in order to successfully launch Sports Day in Canada this past September.

Additionally, Stephanie Yeh has been promoted to accounting supervisor, finance; and Chris Fairhurst has been appointed as manager, development, digital services.

The goal of Jersey Day was to not only raise awareness of Sports Day, but to demonstrate the ability of sport to foster team spirit and dynamics. There was a palpable excitement in the air as the T1 team jokingly debated about rival teams and also prepared to indulge in a little sporting action with a company-wide outing to the Blue Jays vs. New York Yankees game.

T1’s Toronto office members were not the only ones to get in on the excitement; T1’s office in Vancouver also participated in Jersey Day and took to the streets of Yaletown to show their team spirit.

“Sports have an awesome ability to bring people together and both encourage teamwork and boost morale,” said Justin Orfus, TrojanOne senior manager, recruitment. “It was great seeing everyone in the office supporting their teams and then going to the Jays game together. I know participating in Jersey Day definitely got everyone in the spirit and excited for Sports Day.”

Game Day

Sports Day in Canada on Saturday, September 17, was a national celebration of sport—from grassroots to high-performance levels—in communities across the country. Its vision was to reach out to all Canadians to build, solidify and celebrate the role of sport through a dynamic, energetic and influential movement that inspired Canadians to move more.

Presented by CBC Sports, Sports Radio-Canada, ParticipACTION and True Sport, Sports Day in Canada was guided by a committee of national sporting organizations and their networks of coaches, athletes and enthusiasts across the country. It was an opportunity for all Canadians to celebrate the power of sport; to build community, fortify national spirit and facilitate healthy, active living.

The Game Plan

Team Visa—whose members were selected for their dedication to sport and investment in their communities—was at the focus of the majority of marketing collateral developed and executed by TrojanOne and Visa for Sports Day in Canada. The athletes included: Nicole Forrester (athletics/high jump), Karen Furneaux (kayaking), Emilie Heymans (diving), Benoit Huot (paralympic swimming), Brian McKeever (para-nordic skiing) and Richard Peter (wheelchair basketball). The Team Visa athletes joined Sports Day in Canada events across the country to celebrate sport and showcase the power of sport at all levels in Canadian communities.

Digital media content featuring Team Visa was also prepared and distributed as part of the pre-Sports Day campaign. The creation of bilingual Team Visa videos ensured that all Canadians got the chance to learn about the event’s important message. Various blog posts from the athletes about their experiences with sport were promoted via social media, helping to elevate engagement with Canadians and promote the call to action. An online module developed for the National Post Sports section, featuring Team Visa and Sports Day in Canada, launched on September 3 and was live until September 17 in order to gain prolonged exposure for the cause.

Visa and TrojanOne also employed a variety of print tactics to help bring Sports Day in Canada to the attention of offline readers and further leverage the event. The September 10 edition of the National Post contained a full-page advertorial, the main focus of which was Team Visa. Sidebar content included a story discussing Jersey Day (held on September 16, with the goal of getting Canadians to wear their favourite sports team jersey), with a mention of Visa’s office-wide participation, while a 1/3-page advertisement featured Team Visa athletes.

A Perfect Match

The recent partnership further emphasizes Visa’s longstanding dedication to sport and Canada’s athletes. Visa understands that Canadian athletes need support throughout their journey to the Olympic and Paralympic Games, including years of training and preparation in between Games. For 25 years, Visa has sponsored the Olympic Games and provides valuable marketing exposure and financial support to Olympic and Paralympic athletes as they pursue their dreams of competing at the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Leading up to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Visa will support more than 50 individual athletes and national teams from more than 20 countries, including the United States, Canada, Brazil, United Kingdom, China, South Africa and Russia.

“It’s an honour to have your work recognized in front of your peers and to receive acclaim as best-in-class by the PROMO! Awards,” says Imran Choudhry, director, consumer engagement at TrojanOne. “There were many people involved in bringing this program to life, both from the agency perspective, as well as at Mattel. Our team worked hard to build a campaign that was unique and exciting, while still delivering strong measurable results.”

In June of 2010, a life-size colour shifting Hot Wheels® car transformed in front of consumer eyes on Breakfast Television when doused with water. This launched the kickoff of a 4-month-long, 16,950 km, 50-stop Hot Wheels® Colour Shifters™ Road Trip across Canada. With a strong start and finish in Toronto, the Hot Wheels® team traveled as far as Halifax and Vancouver.

Awesome Austin, Fast Phil and the local Hot Wheels® team members made a lasting impression on all the kids and parents they met along the way. They spoke with thousands of Hot Wheels® fans and each had their own story to tell. Facilitating nearly one-hundred thousand on-site engagements with the Hot Wheels® brand and garnering over 22 million media impressions, 108 stories and 11 TV segments, the road trip successfully increased purchase intent and got many consumers excited about the Hot Wheels® Colour Shifters™ product line.

The Hot Wheels® Colour Shifters™ Road Trip campaign was also supported by GCI Group for public relations, and Carat as media buyer.

This week, the winner was verified and Barbara Szeman came out on top to win the title of Canada’s Ultimate Dipper. Until contest close, contestants were featured on the Ultimate Dipper Wall of Fame – an element incorporated onto the Swiss Chalet Facebook page

“We were blown away by the number of participants that entered into our first ever Canada’s Ultimate Dipper contest,” said Lindsay Robinson, assistant brand manager, Swiss Chalet.  “We were thrilled by the contagious enthusiasm and passion that all of the submissions demonstrated.”

For the second consecutive year, Swiss Chalet hired integrated marketing agency TrojanOne to leverage their expertise in corporate partnerships to manage contest prizing for their Dip N’ Win promotion. This year, TrojanOne also drove the campaign’s newest component, the Canada’s Ultimate Dipper Contest, with creative and media produced by BBDO and online support from Zing Bias.

“Canada’s Ultimate Dipper contest is really about taking Canada’s love for the sauce to another, more meaningful, level,” said Mark Harrison, president, TrojanOne. “It’s a thrill to ‘dip n’ win,’ but providing a social platform that extends the excitement beyond the Swiss Chalet meal experience and creates a viral environment to share compelling stories about how Canadians ‘celebrate the sauce’ really cements the passion Canadians have with the iconic brand.”

Throughout the contest, Szeman did an excellent job of campaigning to her social network on Facebook while also utilizing printable posters to promote her entry.  For all of her hard work, Szeman not only won bragging rights as the first ever Ultimate Dipper, but the grand prize of Swiss Chalet for life and two Kawasaki Jet Skis as well.

TrojanOne worked with numerous prizing partners to increase non-food prizes by 64 per cent from last year and increasing winning odds to 1 in 7 from 1 in 10. With an average value per prize of $395— an increase of 120 percent from last year— major prizes this year included:

• 3 Subaru Legacy 2.5i Sedans
• 30 trips for 4 to Turks and Caicos OR Jamaica from Carlson Wagonlit Travel
• 8 Kawasaki Brute Force 750 4x4i EPS ATV’s
• $100,000 in electronics from The Source
• Five (5) $10,000 cash prizes from Swiss Chalet

Secondary prizing partners for this year’s campaign also included Discount Car and Truck Rentals, HMV, Alliance Films and The Source.

About Swiss Chalet (Cara)

Swiss Chalet has 195 restaurants nationwide and serves 36 million Canadians each year. Swiss Chalet is a division of Cara Operations Limited, Canada’s leading branded restaurant and airline services organization. The company is 125 years old and operates some of the most recognized brands in the country, including Swiss Chalet Rotisserie & Grill® , Milestone’s Grill and Bar® , Montana’s® , Kelsey’s Neighbourhood Bar & Grill® , Harvey’s® , Coza! Tuscan Grill® and Cara Airline Solutions®.

“Three Olives® has had major success in the U.S. market,” said a spokesman from Proximo. “We know Canadians enjoy the same affinity for delicious, fun flavors with a premium feel, and we are thrilled to launch the Three Olives Vodka® line in Vancouver and Toronto. We expect to achieve the same broad consumer reach and brand recognition we’ve seen in the U.S.”

The Canadian program will focus on promoting the ‘seriously premium and seriously fun’ Three Olives®-Rangtang™ flavoured vodka in Toronto and Three Olives®-Bubble in Vancouver. The campaign will feature a combination of on-air promotions by Virgin Radio created by Brandworks, guerilla activations and in-bar events created and executed by TrojanOne and secured by The Kirkwood Group. Guerilla activations will incorporate the use of a branded Mini Cooper to transport the guerilla team to and from their downtown locations where they will setup ‘blast in a glass’ parties in high traffic areas. To further light up the night, Media Merchants’ night projection technology will light-up city buildings surrounding host bars with displays of Three Olives Vodka® branding.

Working with The Kirkwood Group, Three Olives Vodka® has secured some of Toronto’s hottest clubs and bars to host a number of sampling party nights. Working with Brandworks, Three Olives Vodka® has partnered with popular Virgin Radio hosts Maura in Toronto, and Taylor in Vancouver, who will make live appearances at selected events while extending invites to their networks. Radio campaigns will run through July in both cities to augment Maura and Taylor’s appearances and further promote the brand.

During each in-bar event, Three Olives® promotional models—dressed in branded club gear and equipped with branded bar essentials—will engage with bar patrons, offering Three Olives®-Rangtang™ and Three Olives®-Bubble signature drinks and challenging them to compete in various Three Olives® contests on the spot during the evening. The sampling team will encourage guests to take photographs with them in front of the 8 foot, inflatable Three Olives bottle, which will later be posted on the Three Olives Vodka® Facebook page for consumers to download and share.

About Proximo Spirits

Proximo is a privately owned, premium spirits importer based in New Jersey. With just over three years business, the company’s portfolio has grown to hold eleven premium brands including: 1800® Tequila, Three Olives Vodka®, Gran Centenario® Tequila, Ron Matusalem® Rum, The Kraken™ Black Spiced Rum, Azul™ Tequila, Maestro Dobel®, Diamond Tequila, El Zarco® Tequila, Agavero® Liqueur, Hangar One® Vodka, and Stranahan’s® Whiskey.

Proximo, translated as “next” in the Spanish language, was chosen to represent the company as the next big house of innovative spirits marketing and new product development. The company logo, a droplet divided into eight sections, signifies each brand currently held by the company and those to come in the future through acquisitions and organic development. Proximo continues to develop strong relationships with distributor partners nationwide while accelerating the growth of our high profile portfolio of super premium brands.

Michael Weisdorf is joining us as Director, Consumer Engagement
With almost a decade of experience and an MBA in marketing and e-commerce under his belt, Michael possesses a unique set of skills assessing, negotiating and activating sponsorships. Michael comes to us from S&E Sponsorship Group, where he developed strategic programs for Scotiabank, generating meaningful impact at the national, regional and grassroots levels. In this role, he developed valuable relationships with a number of properties, including the National Hockey League, the Canadian Football League, and numerous professional teams and athletes. Before S&E Sponsorship Group, Michael worked for Armstrong Partnership LP as the account manager for MasterCard, and at Visa Canada as product manager. Reporting to agency president Mark Harrison, Michael will be leading the Canadian Tire Hockey School program, and joins our team Tuesday, February 15.

Alex Tushingham is joining us as Video Editor
Alex is bringing his varied background in video editing, pre- and post-production, web and general I.T. to our digital services team, reporting to director, digital media, Mark Stewart. In addition to his degree in Radio and Television Arts from Ryerson University, he has spent the last two years honing his skills at Partners Film in Toronto. Alex’s first day is Wednesday, February 16.

Michael Weisdorf

Alex Tushingham