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• 2011
  • Colour chosen to design Pan Canadian Health Human Resource Planning Toolkit 08.25.2011

    • Halifax – Communications and marketing agency Colour has been selected by the Nova Scotia Health Research Foundation (NSHRF) to develop a national website for health human resources (HHR) professionals.

      Colour will collaborate with the NSHRF to create a user-friendly and interactive website that HHR planners and decision makers will use across Canada. The external website will be available in both official languages, and is scheduled to go live nationally in the winter of 2012.

      “Colour is thrilled to have been chosen to develop, design and brand a website for the Nova Scotia Health Research Foundation,” said Chris Keevill, President and CEO of Colour. “Our team looks forward to working with the NSHRF to create a valuable and long-lasting tool for users across the country.”

      The NSHRF addressed the need for a central electronic location where HHR professionals could collaborate with one another, as well as access forecasting models to be able to make an informed decision for a HHR model that will suit needs, resources, and skill capabilities. Having the models accessible in one place will support an affordable, sustainable health care system. These aspects of HHR planning are not currently available as one reliable national resource.

      “Choosing Colour to design our new website was an easy decision,” said Krista Connell, CEO of the NSHRF. “The agency has a long history of bringing out the best for an organization’s brand. We are excited to have them on board.”

      The website will provide HHR professionals with information on standards, mythology, data input, as well as many resources for developing needs-based HHR forecasting models.

      In February of this year, the project was made possible through a $250,000 financial contribution from Health Canada to the NSHRF to develop the external website.


      Colour works with its clients to achieve positive change through co-creation in the fields of marketing, public relations, graphic design, digital and translation services. Since 1977, Colour has worked with many of the leading brands in Atlantic Canada, across the country and around the world from its offices in Halifax, Toronto, St. John’s and Moncton.

      The NSHRF’s mission: The NSHRF exists to improve the health of Nova Scotians through health research.

      Nancy Doyle
      Account Coordinator
      Colour
      
902-722-3156
      nancy@colour.ca

      Alana Andrews
      Communications Officer
      Nova Scotia Health Research Foundation
      924-1509
      alana.andrews@gov.ns.ca

  • National Arts Centre Orchestra picks Colour 07.05.2011

    • Halifax – Communications and marketing agency Colour was selected as the National Arts Centre Orchestra’s communications partner for its fall 2011 Atlantic Canada Tour.

      Colour Design Principal Dean McNeill and Senior Designer Darrell Freeman will co-lead the project, which was assigned through a request for proposals process. Both McNeill and Freeman are certified graphic designers and McNeill is a past president of the Society of Graphic Designers of Canada.

      Colour Design Principal Dean McNeill and Senior Designer Darrell Freeman will co-lead the project, which was assigned through a request for proposals process. Both McNeill and Freeman are certified graphic designers and McNeill is a past president of the Society of Graphic Designers of Canada.

      “Colour is honoured to have been chosen by such a prestigious organization as the National Arts Centre Orchestra,” said Chris Keevill, President and Chief Executive Officer of Colour. “It’s a tribute to Dean and Darrell’s experience, dedication to the craft of graphic design and commitment to co-creation with our clients that our company was selected for this important project.”

      From November 14 through 25, 2011, the National Art Centre Orchestra’s Atlantic Canada Tour will highlight young artists in partnership with Symphony Nova Scotia, the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra, Prince Edward Island Symphony Orchestra, New Brunswick Youth Orchestra, Capitol Theatre Symphony New Brunswick andThe Playhouse. The signature event in Nova Scotia will be a performance with the combined forces of two orchestras on stage at the same time, the Symphony Nova Scotia and the National Arts Centre Orchestra – conducted by music director Pinchas Zukerman – with proceeds going to support Symphony Nova Scotia’s Listen to the Future endowment.

      The National Art Centre Orchestra will also be conducting a great deal of educational outreach while in Atlantic Canada, with master classes and family concerts, including a performance for the troops and their families at CFB Gagetown in New Brunswick.

      “Throughout the proposal process, we were impressed with Colour’s ideas and their commitment to co-creation. We’re delighted to be engaging an Atlantic Canadian team in promoting the NAC tour,” said Diane Landry, Director of Marketing, National Arts Centre. “We are looking forward to working with Colour on promotional and marketing materials that will augment and heighten the artistic vibrancy and excitement surrounding this tour.”


      About Colour
      Colour works with its clients to achieve positive change through co-creation in the fields of marketing, public relations, graphic design, digital and translation services. Since 1977, Colour has worked with many of the leading brands in Atlantic Canada, across the country and around the world from its offices in Halifax, Toronto, St. John’s and Moncton.

      About the National Arts Centre Orchestra
      Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra was created in 1969 to serve the country through performance and touring. Since, the Orchestra has also toured worldwide. Over its more than four decades of artistic and performance excellence, the Orchestra has played the role of cultural ambassador for Canada, both at home and abroad.

      Contact:
Tim Winchester
      Colour
      
902-722-3247
      tim@colour.ca

      Rosemary Thompson
      Director of Communications and Government Relations
NAC
      613-947-7000, ext. 260
      rthompso@nac-cna.ca

  • The Huffington Post Canada goes live today05.26.2011

    • First International Edition of “HuffPost” Blends Brand’s Unique Mix of News, Opinion, Community, and Engagement with Original, Canada-centric Content

      MAY 26, 2011 TORONTO, ON – The Huffington Post Canada www.huffingtonpost.ca, a Canadian version of The Huffington Post (“HuffPost”), the popular American news and opinion site, goes live today with advertising launch partner Scotiabank. The site features HuffPost’s unique combination of original reporting, aggregation, a leading edge commenting forum, pioneering social engagement tools, and a vibrant platform for a wide range of bloggers to contribute. Arianna Huffington, president and editor-in-chief of AOL Huffington Post Media Group, a leading source of news, opinion, entertainment, community, and digital information, and Graham Moysey, general manager of AOL Canada, made the announcement.

      Said Arianna Huffington, “When we announced our merger with AOL, I said that one of the things that most excited me about the deal was how it would allow us to reach our goals — including the launch of international editions of HuffPost — much, much faster. Three months later, a key one of those goals is being realized with the launch of our first international version, HuffPost Canada. Canadians are no strangers to The Huffington Post: 1.5 million of them visited us in March.* So starting our international expansion north of the border was a natural. I can’t wait to watch our talented HuffPost Canada edit team bring our real-time ‘digital water cooler’ to Canadians – and Americans looking to get some insight into our neighbours to the north.”

      Said Graham Moysey, “The Huffington Post pioneered a new way for people to connect with news of the day — and with each other, so we’re excited to bring this unique platform to the already strong Canadian following as well as to the nearly 10 million Canadians that visit AOL Canada sites each month.* HuffPost Canada is a launching pad for fascinating dialogues around all the issues Canadians are passionate about.”

      As AOL Canada builds The Huffington Post Canada editorial team, led by head of content, Brad Cressman, the following recent new hires have been named: Kenny Yum, a former editor at the Globeandmail.com, who joins as managing editor of both The Huffington Post Canada and all AOL Canada properties; and Brodie Fenlon, also from the Globeandmail.com, who is joining as senior news editor. Heather Reisman, founder and chief executive of Indigo Books and Music Inc., is editor-at-large of HuffPost Canada.

      The Huffington Post was founded in May 2005, and has become an influential and oft-quoted media brand, “The Internet Newspaper.” The site offers coverage of politics, media, business, entertainment, living, style, sustainable “green” living, world news, technology, nonprofits, college life, books, religion, food and comedy, and is a top destination for news, blogs and original content.

      The Huffington Post is the most linked-to blog on the Internet, according to Technorati on May 25, 2011. HuffPost “Social News” launched in 2009 to leverage the power of social networking to allow readers to create their own personalized social networking-like news page on the site. HuffPost has 9,000 bloggers — from politicians and celebrities to academics and policy experts — who contribute on a wide-range of topics making news today. Among those who have blogged on HuffPost are Barack Obama, Larry David, Madeleine Albright, Robert Redford, Neil Young, Roger Martin, Mia Farrow, Hillary Clinton, Madonna, Jeff Rubin, Jamie Lee Curtis, Alec Baldwin, Mike Nichols, Craig and Marc Kielburger, Al Franken, Aaron Sorkin, Diane Francis, Natalie Portman, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Russell Simmons, George Clooney, Scarlett Johansson, and more. Recent additions for HuffPost Canada include Sarah Richardson, Elizabeth May and David Suzuki.

      The Huffington Post Canada is expected to attract a similar audience as The Huffington Post, whose users are engaged, influential, and affluent — nearly 60 per cent of Canadian visitors to the site have annual incomes greater than $100K*. The site will feature premium ad formats, including the recently launched Portrait ad (also known as “Project Devil”), which has generated unprecedented engagement levels, time spent on ads and time spent viewing ad videos. The ad format allows consumers to access the content featured in the ad without leaving the page.

      * Source: comScore Inc. Total Canada. All Locations. March 2011.

      About AOL
      AOL Inc. (NYSE: AOL) is a premier global media company with a suite of brands and products serving consumers, advertisers and publishers worldwide.  The AOL Huffington Post Media Group is a leading source of news, opinion, entertainment, community and digital information comprised of a wide range of destination websites, including AOL.com The Huffington Post, Techcrunch, Moviefone,  Engadget, Patch, AOL Music, StyleList and MapQuest. The AOL Advertising.com Group includes Advertising.com, ADTECH, goviral, Pictela, Video, Content Solutions and Sponsored Listings and serves a combined content and advertising market at scale through video, brand advertising, content and ad serving.  AOL is focused on engaging consumers and providing online advertising services and solutions on both AOL Huffington Post Media Group destination websites and third party websites, in addition to serving consumer platforms including AOL Mail, AIM, about.me, and mobile experiences.  AOL also operates one of the largest Internet subscription access services that serves as another distribution channel for its consumer offerings.

      Contact:
      Christie Hill
      647.208.0911
      christie@colour.ca

      Contact:
      AOL Huffington Post Media Group
      Mario@huffingtonpost.com

  • AOL Canada turns to Colour as their PR partner03.28.2011

    • AOL Canada has turned to Colour to help the company tell its story of reinvention and growth.

      “AOL Canada is an incredibly fast paced and exciting client to work with,” said Craig Rennick, managing partner at Colour’s Toronto office. “There’s never a dull moment when you’re working with an industry leader who is literally changing the face of the Internet.”

      Colour’s work with AOL has been focused primarily on media relations around recent AOL launches and announcements including their acquisition of Huffington Post, Toronto talent recruiting campaign, launch of Pictela, a High Definition photo and video online platform. To-date, efforts have resulted in AOL media coverage across key marketing trades.

      “We selected Colour because they demonstrated depth of talent, knowledge of the digital space and most importantly, a high level of enthusiasm and commitment to our business,” said Laura Pearce, vice president marketing for AOL Canada. “Both their digital and public relations teams are committed to increase the reach of the AOL brand in both traditional and new media.”

      Last fall, Colour expanded into the Toronto market through the acquisition of E3 Online Marketing. Colour is now able to build on more than 30 years of public relations and advertising with the digital expertise Rennick and his team bring into the mix. With offices in Halifax, Toronto, Moncton and St. John’s, Colour helps clients get closer to their customers, helping them make meaningful change through public relations, marketing, digital and multi-lingual translation.

      Contact:
      Christie Hill
      647.208.0911
      christie@colour.ca

• 2010
  • Colour Invests in More Digital Growth10.01.2010

    • Marketing and communications firm Colour is going deeper into digital communications with the purchase of E3 Online Marketing, a web design and development agency.

      “For the last several years, Colour has been spending more time working with our clients on strategic communications solutions that involve a deeper focus on digital, online and social media,” said Chris Keevill, President and Chief Executive Officer of Colour. “With the team at E3 joining Colour, our growing team of professionals will be able give our clients more digital choices and more resources to help them connect with the people they need to reach.”

      Established in 1999 by founder and majority shareholder Brad Bettinson, E3 has been a Toronto-based web marketing solutions provider for such major brands as Adobe, Microsoft, McDonald’s, Koodo, ESPN, Xbox, Coke, Cadbury, Coors Lite and Bell. As part of E3’s sale to Colour, Bettinson will become Managing Partner of Colour’s digital practice group.

      “To be successful in the new digital landscape you can’t just slap digital on the side – it needs to be sewn right into the fabric of how you approach the challenges of your clients. So when Colour approached us about how we could help them continue their evolution into a digitally-centric agency at every level – we knew they were on the right page,” said Bettinson, who will also become a shareholder of Colour, joining majority shareholder Chris Keevill, founder Steve Parker and Rob Batherson, Senior Vice President of Public Affairs. “Add to that the creative horsepower and traditional services Colour will help us offer our existing clients – and it’s a perfect fit, we jumped in with both feet.”

      One of the clients E3 has successfully worked with for the last number of years is Koodo Mobile, a subsidiary of TELUS.

      “Brad Bettinson and his team have been key to our success in developing interactive solutions that communicate the value of the brand and its offering to our customers,” said Bernard Szederkenyi, Vice President of Customer Base Management, Koodo Mobile. “We value their contributions to our digital marketing efforts, and are interested to see what kind of creative, innovative approaches they will be able to bring to the table as part of Colour.”

  • Junior Achievement Nova Scotia Inducts Laureates06.18.2010

    • The latest group of Nova Scotia’s top business leaders have been inducted into the Junior Achievement Nova Scotia Business Hall of Fame. This year’s event was held at the World Trade and Convention Centre on June 10th and was presented by Colour and Colour Productions. The companies have been involved with the overall planning and execution of the event since 1996 with this year’s production being led once again by Colour Productions’, Vern Aker.

      “We are fortunate to have such a strong relationship with Junior Achievement of Nova Scotia” says Victoria DeWolfe of Colour who was project manager for the event. “We are proud of this year’s event and the laureates who were inducted into the Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame.”

      During the prestigious event three high-achieving business people were inducted to the Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame. The 2010 inductees included: Annette Verschuren, President of Home Depot Canada; entrepreneur J. William (Bill Ritchie); and Bruce Murray of Advocate Printing and Publishing who was recognized for his business successes posthumously. All have shared in common a strong history of business success, a passion for volunteering and mentorship, and a willingness and aptitude to offer business advice to Nova Scotia’s up and coming entrepreneurs.

      Annette Verschuren
      Annette Verschuren has come a long way from her childhood home in North Sydney. However, despite her lofty business accomplishments, Annette, President of Home Depot Canada, has never forgotten her Cape Breton roots. In her current role as Chancellor of Cape Breton University as well as in her ongoing passion for volunteer work with organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, Annette serves as a tremendous motivator for both local business leaders and students.

      Bill Ritchie
      When it comes to success, Bill Ritchie has been incredibly generous with sharing it. He was the founding shareholder director and advisor to corporations such as the Empire Company Limited and Sobeys Inc. His guidance has helped grow many Nova Scotian businesses, including Salter Street Films, DHX Media Inc., Keltic Incorporated, eAcademy Inc. At 80 years of age, Bill continues to be a tireless advocate for community involvement, staying actively involved in organizations such as Symphony Nova Scotia and the IWK Foundation.

      Bruce Murray
      Throughout his life, Bruce Murray was steadfastly focused on the success of his business, his family and his community. Bruce started working with the Pictou Advocate as a paperboy when he was just six years old. His sense of community and family led him to stay with Advocate throughout his life, growing Advocate Printing and Publishing from a small shop to the largest commercial printer in Atlantic Canada. However, his passion was always in helping his community. Today, his legacy of giving back lives on in the Bruce F. Murray Family Foundation.

      The Junior Achievement Nova Scotia Business Hall of Fame is the province’s premier business networking event as it recognizes the accomplishments of business leaders in Nova Scotia. This year the event raised $220,000. Funds raised support Junior Achievement educational programs offered to more than 13,000 students in Nova Scotia each year with educational business programs and conferences which focus on financial literacy, entrepreneurship and work readiness. Since 1993, the Hall of Fame event has raised nearly $2 million.

      To learn more about the 2010 Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame, visit: http://www.TheChronicleHerald.ca/2010halloffame

  • Thompson joins Colour team as new creative director05.28.2010

    • Halifax – Cliff Thompson is joining Atlantic Canadian communications and marketing firm Colour as its new senior vice president and creative director.

      “Thanks to great clients who are looking to achieve meaningful change through their better communications, Colour is growing and investing in top talent like Cliff Thompson,” said Chris Keevill, President and Chief Executive Officer of Colour. “Cliff will bring new energy and leadership for many of Colour’s major accounts.”

      Thompson is formerly associate creative director with Extreme Group, where he led the creative development of campaigns for such clients as Workers Compensation Board of Nova Scotia, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Nova Scotia, Destination Halifax, Country Style, Downtown Halifax Business Commission, Atlantic Film Festival and Nova Scotia Department of Health Promotion and Protection. A native of South Africa, Thompson brought more than a decade of advertising and marketing experience when he moved to Nova Scotia in 2006. His past international clients included Diageo, Kellogg’s, Unilever, Nestle, Nike and Discovery Channel.

      “It’s great to join an agency team that puts so much emphasis on getting closer to the people our clients are trying to reach,” said Thompson, whose past work has been recognized regionally, nationally and internationally. “In this business, the two most important things for me are co-creating great work with our clients to help them achieve their goals and great people to work with to that end. That’s why I am excited to be joining the Colour team.

      Thompson will join the managing partner group of Keevill, Colour New Brunswick president David Hawkins, senior vice president, marketing, Larry MacEachern, senior vice president, public affairs, Rob Batherson and vice president of Colour Newfoundland and Labrador Sean Charters.

      In addition to his career in marketing and advertising, Thompson and his wife Colleen established Bundu. An equitable trade business that supports communities, women’s groups and artists through fair trade in Southern Africa, Bundu’s mission is to showcase new African designs and expose the world to products not found anywhere else in the world.

      With offices in Halifax, Moncton and St. John’s, Colour has been helping some of the region and country’s biggest brands with their communications and marketing challenges since 1977.

      - 30 -

      Contact:

      Chris Lydon
      902-722-3156 (office)
      chrisl@colour.ca

  • Colour attracts Wark04.01.2010

    • HALIFAX – Longtime public affairs strategist Ed Wark is joining Atlantic Canadian communications and marketing firm Colour as a principal in the firm’s Halifax head office.

      Since 1992, Wark has worked in a variety of senior roles for elected officials and decision makers in Nova Scotia, British Columbia and Ottawa. He recently served four years as provincial secretary to the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party, following three years as manager of outreach for the NDP Caucus Office. He also played a lead role in the expansion of public transit in the Greater Vancouver Area as a ministerial advisor and managerial consultant, starting in the late 1990s.

      “Ed Wark comes highly recommended as someone who is smart, well organized and diligent,” said Chris Keevill, Colour’s president and chief executive officer. “Our managing partners believe Ed will be a great help in working with our clients on both the public affairs and marketing sides of the business to achieve meaningful change.”

      Wark will start officially at Colour on April 6. In addition to Keevill, senior vice president, marketing, Larry MacEachern, and senior vice president, public affairs, Rob Batherson, will be working closely with Wark to introduce him to clients, colleagues and partners.

      “It’s exciting to be joining Colour at a time when communications is changing dramatically,” said Wark. “After considering a number of professional opportunities in the marketplace, I felt I would be able to do my best work with the team at Colour.”

      With offices in Halifax, Moncton and St. John’s, Colour has spent more than 30 years helping local, national and international clients achieve meaningful changes through inspired conversations and getting closer to people. Co-owned by majority shareholder Chris Keevill, founding shareholder Steve Parker and minority shareholder Rob Batherson, Colour’s current client roster includes such organizations as Nova Scotia Tourism, Stewart McKelvey, Fortis, Emera, Killam Properties, Nova Scotia Community College, Royal LePage Atlantic, Bell Aliant, Pharmasave Atlantic, Exxon Mobil Canada, LED Roadway Lighting Ltd., Atlantic Lottery Corporation, Enterprise Holdings Incorporated, IWK Health Centre Foundation, Communications New Brunswick and Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation.

      -30 -

      Contact:
      Tim Winchester
      902-722-3247
      tim@colour.ca

  • Canoe 09 Legacy Cash Hits $880,00003.32.2010

    • For Immediate Release – Wednesday, March 31, 2010

      Dartmouth, Nova Scotia — The Canoe ‘09 Organizing Committee has announced a significant cash legacy for Atlantic Canadian paddlers, from the 2009 ICF Canoe Sprint World Championships (Canoe ’09).

      The Championship was held this past August in Dartmouth. More than 1,000 athletes, coaches and officials from 59 countries took part in the event that was viewed live on television by more than 60 million people. Now, Canoe ‘09 has determined it will leave $880,000.00 to the Bell Aliant Legacy Fund that will inspire young people and help shape the next generation of world and Olympic champion paddlers.

      “We are thrilled to be able to provide this investment to Canoe/Kayak’s Atlantic Division,” said Chris Keevill, Chair of Canoe ‘09. “The community supported Canoe ‘09 and helped us stage a world-class event, now it’s time to give back to that community. Our paddlers already perform at a very high level, now we can take it up another notch.”

      More than 100 Nova Scotia athletes are in Florida, working hard to prepare for upcoming competitions. Among those is Olympian Andrew Russell, from Dartmouth’s Banook Canoe Club.

      Russell said he was excited to hear about the financial legacy.

      “I think the future is very bright for our sport,” said Russell. “Over the last few years, the attention to our sport has been extremely positive, and great strides are being made so that Nova Scotia will continue to produce top-level canoe and kayak athletes.”

      Mike Kerrivan, head coach for Cheema Racing and leading a Florida training camp of 33 developing athletes, age 14 to 19, said this money is a solid investment in canoe kayak athletes who sacrifice so much for the love of the sport and the pursuit of excellence.

      “The athletes in camp all have aspirations of making the national team some day,” said Kerrivan. “They put their social lives on hold. They are willing to work like no others on their academics just to get in more training. Even at such a young age, they know what they want and are willing to do whatever it takes. Further funding will help our athletes from small towns like Waverley compete on the world stage”

      Canoe ‘09 has also infused new life into Lake Banook. Improvements include a new underwater grid system on the course as well as new abutments and 800 new buoys. Canoe/Kayak Atlantic Division will also inherit two new starting systems, a scoreboard, photo-finishing equipment, umpire boats and docks. The infrastructure improvements total 2.5 million dollars.

      Keevill said there are many people who share in the credit for continuing to develop the sport.

      “Thanks to the many volunteers, sponsors and supporters of Canoe ‘09 who can be proud of this legacy from the largest international sporting event yet held in Atlantic Canada.”

      -30-

      Media Contact
      Stacey Jones-Oxner
      Volunteer Communications Chair Canoe ‘09
      902-424-4163

  • Colour and the Rainmen among best in world on BESTADSONTV.com03.24.2010

    • The Halifax Rainmen and Colour have had their ‘Cloudman’ billboard recognized by bestadsontv.com as one of the best outdoor executions in the world.

      Every week, ‘bestadsontv’ announces the best global creative in the categories of television, radio, print and outdoor. The Halifax Rainmen “Cloudman’ billboard was selected by judge Marcus Rebeschini, chief creative officer of Y&R Asia, in the Outdoor category from among hundreds of worldwide submissions.

      “To be singled out for a beautifully executed idea, but also to have our work sit alongside creative from the biggest and best agencies on the planet, from Leo Burnett Chicago to TBWA Auckland, is incredible for an agency from our little corner of the world,” said Chris Keevill, President and CEO of Colour. “The Rainmen have a great story to tell, and just because we’re a small market team, doesn’t mean we can’t have an impact that’s global.”

      As a component of a broader marketing plan, new corporate identity, modernized look and feel, and social media strategy developed by Colour for the Rainmen, this campaign has helped the team achieve record attendance levels and an increased earned-media presence in the local marketplace.

      Already featured on adsoftheworld.com, the bestadsontv.com feature has proven that the size of the client or of the marketplace doesn’t have to limit the impact of the creative. The praise-winning billboard can be viewed at http://www.bestadsontv.com/outdoor_latest.php

      About Colour

      With offices in Halifax, Moncton and St. John’s, Colour helps clients get closer to people in ways that will get noticed. Their work has helped build such brands as Nova Scotia Tourism, Medavie Blue Cross, the Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation, Stewart McKelvey, the IWK, Killam Properties, Office Interiors, Fortis Inc., Petro Canada, LED Roadway Lighting, Exxon Mobil Canada, Nova Scotia Community College, Husky, SAP, NB Power, and Pharmasave Atlantic.

      -30-

      Tim Winchester
      902-722-3247
      tim@colour.ca

  • Succession plan concludes with Keevill as Colour’s Majority Owner & CEO03.22.2010

    • HALIFAX – Atlantic Canadian marketing and communications firm Colour has a new majority shareholder. Earlier this year, Colour president Chris Keevill acquired a majority stake from the agency’s founder Steve Parker.

      “When Chris Keevill joined Colour as senior vice president in 2002, it soon became clear that he had the drive, talent and leadership skills to lead this firm on a path to growth,” said Parker, who founded the agency in 1977 as Corporate Communications Limited. “Chris Keevill is an exceptional strategist and advisor who prepared himself thoroughly for this role, just as he does for Colour’s clients. Chris, Rob Batherson and the management team are taking Colour to the next level and I will continue to work with them in this regard, along with my commitments as chair and owner of Blue Ocean Contact Centers and chief executive officer of CCL Group.”

      As part of the transaction, Keevill also becomes Colour’s chief executive officer. In 2005, Parker named Keevill president of the firm. Before joining Colour, Chris was President at Aliant Broadband, President of the e-marketing company FloNetwork in Toronto, and President of New North Media, a Bell Canada company. Keevill holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from Acadia University and a Master’s of Business Administration from the University of Western Ontario’s Ivey School of Business. Keevill continues the Colour tradition of community service as a governor of the Atlantic Provinces Economic Council, as well as through his past work as chair of the board of directors of United Way of Halifax and chair of Canoe 09, the International Canoe Federation’s world canoe kayak championships, which took place last summer on Dartmouth’s Lake Banook.

      “I would like to thank Steve for showing confidence in me as we developed this succession plan together,” said Keevill. “He is a great mentor and friend and I am delighted he will continue to be involved in helping many of Colour’s key clients.”

      In recent months, a number of new clients have come to work with Colour, including Acadia University, Royal LePage Atlantic, Kids Help Phone, Discovery Centre, the Halifax Rainmen, Enterprise Holdings Incorporated, Trade Centre Limited and the Lung Association of Nova Scotia. They join such longstanding and valued clients as Nova Scotia Tourism, Killam Properties, Pharmasave Atlantic, Fortis, Stewart McKelvey, Exxon Mobil Canada, Emera, Atlantic Lottery Corporation, Communications New Brunswick, Nova Scotia Community College, Dalhousie Department of Psychiatry, IWK Health Centre Foundation and Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation.

      Colour will maintain a long-term commitment to membership in CCL Group, sharing finance, accounting, purchasing, facilities and IT services with Blue Ocean Contact Centers.

      In addition to Keevill and Parker, Colour’s remaining minority shareholder is Rob Batherson, senior vice president, public affairs. Keevill, Batherson, Larry MacEachern, senior vice president, marketing, David Hawkins, president of Colour New Brunswick, and Sean Charters, vice president, Colour Newfoundland and Labrador, comprise the five managing partners responsible of the firm.

      - 30 -

      Contact:
      Tim Winchester
      902-722-3247
      tim@colour.ca (email)

  • Colour Launches IWK Campaign Promoting Ambassador’s Stories03.15.2010

    • Colour has been working with the IWK Foundation since 2007. Since then, the company has helped the health centre design campaigns to expand public perception of the centre as being more than a world-class children’s hospital. A few years ago, polls of Maritime residents showed that 90% of Maritime residents regard the IWK Health Centre as a children’s hospital only. People weren’t aware of all the other services the IWK provides such as women’s health, primary health, mental health and addictions programs, and intensive, ground-breaking research.

      “The IWK Health Centre is well recognized as offering exceptional and compassionate medical care for children,” says Account Lead, Sara Newman, “However, it’s much more than that. The Centre offers a full range of services across the Maritimes and that’s the image we’ve been evolving.”

      The IWK Foundation engaged Colour to develop a campaign to raise awareness about all of the IWK’s service pillars. Recently launched, the campaign will run through the Winter and Spring of 2010.

      The campaign takes many forms – TV, cinema, online ads, print, outdoor, as well as a new campaign microsite, www.iwkstories.com. The website introduces visitors to “Ambassadors” of the IWK, both internal (staff, volunteers) and external (donors, patients, and people involved with the IWK on a number of levels).

      One big element of the new microsite is getting people to share their IWK stories. Everybody who has had a connection to the IWK has a story to share—the care they received, the nurse or orderly that told jokes to make their child laugh when he was sick, the little things staff and volunteers do to make the experience as comfortable as possible.

      “Many Maritime families have experienced the wide range of services offered by the IWK and share a special connection with the centre because of that, “ says Sara. “We’re interested in sharing their stories.”

  • Colour plays with Lego for the Discovery Centre03.15.2010

    • When Nova Scotia’s Discovery Centre was given the opportunity to showcase a traveling exhibit created by LEGO Canada Inc., they enlisted the help of Colour to promote the show to potential visitors in the Province. The Discovery Centre is a charitable organization whose mission is to stimulate interest, enjoyment and understanding of science and technology through innovative, exciting, hands-on experiences. The LEGO exhibit is a great example of this.

      Wheels, Wings and Waves – a LEGO World of Transportation is an exciting, world-premiere exhibition showcasing the history of ground, air and water transportation as seen through the eyes of world-class LEGO builders. Nova Scotia’s Discovery Centre in Halifax is offering more than 3,000 square feet of LEGO amusements where visitors can view extraordinary, sometimes massive constructions such as a space shuttle or a replica of the Titanic, all made from LEGO blocks. The exhibit is a fun and interactive approach to showing how transport technology has expanded and evolved.

      “A big part of the Discovery Centre brand is about interaction,” says Colour’s Steve Wallace who worked on concepts for the campaign. “They are Nova Scotia’s hands-on science center. It doesn’t get much more hands-on than LEGO and this exhibit allows kids to be creative and have fun while learning.” In addition to the amazing displays, kids get to act as engineers. The exhibit lets visitors build their own masterpiece through the LEGO Discovery Area.

      The purpose of the campaign was to showcase the “WOW” factor of LEGO and promote the exhibit as something fun for the whole family. While most people have heard of the Discovery Centre, kids tend to do educational field trips and activities with their class at school which can often mean visits to the Centre. “We wanted to speak to parents who are interested in an educational experience for their children that is fun, interesting and something they can enjoy together as well as approach it in a fun way that appeals to kids,” says Steve, “This is a must-see exhibit for everyone.”

      The campaign includes print, radio produced by C100, outdoor, building signage, airport signage, web, and newsletter. There are four 30-second spots being featured on CTV and online all showcasing the fun of LEGO in some unconventional transportation methods.

      The Wheels, Wings and Waves exhibit is open through April 2010.

  • Halifax Rainmen Launch Colour-Created Ad Campaign02.02.2010

    • The Halifax Rainmen basketball franchise have a renewed identity and fresh new ad campaign showcasing the team as blockbuster entertainment for the Halifax area. Nova Scotia’s only professional basketball team approached Colour to help them build their audience base in the city and to draw fans to the Metro Centre where the team plays all of their games at home.

      Now in their third season, The Halifax Rainmen are part of the Premier Basketball League – www.thepbl.com – a professional basketball league based largely in the American/Canadian Northeast. Owned by Detroit native and current Haligonian, Andre Levingston, the team plays 8 away and 10 home games during the regular season this year. With eight other PBL teams from as near as Quebec and as far as Puerto Rico, Halifax will be host to some exciting league competition at home in 2010. The city and team will also play host to this year’s PBL All-Star Weekend.

      Colour worked with the Rainmen’s Leslie Macdougall, Director of Public Relations and Marketing, to develop a new corporate identity and revised logos for the team as well as a contemporary makeover for their advertising. The new campaign includes print, online, billboard and radio spots that are currently in market.

      “The ads are positioned to promote Rainmen home games as an option for families looking to do something fun together,” says Colour’s Chris Lydon, account lead on the campaign. Halifax has many opportunities for families looking to spend the day together, and the franchise is competing with other options for entertainment, specifically movies. “This is exciting and affordable family entertainment, it really is blockbuster basketball. Having a little fun with the movie genre was only natural for our campaign approach.”

      Movie-goers are a prime target considering the price for a young family to attend a movie and the price to attend a Rainmen home game are practically the same. This was the motivation behind the development of the taglines such as “Blockbuster Basketball” and “Better Than Any Movie.”

      “The Rainmen put on a great show, they’re stars and genuinely provide their fans with high-octane entertainment value. But to build the franchise, folks need to discover that and experience it firsthand. Andre and his team agreed to target a broad market searching for an exciting entertainment alternative for themselves and their families. Like that line from another movie … He’s built it, and we’re confident that they’ll come.” says Chris.

• 2009
  • Investing in our future12.08.2009

    • CCL Group and its member companies Blue Ocean and Colour are proud to support the communities where our employees live, work and play. In November 2009, the CCL Group scholarship was presented to Adam Wambolt, a fourth year information technology student at Mount Saint Vincent University. Pictured here are (left to right) Cathy Biddulph, director of human resources at Blue Ocean Contact Centers, Sister Donna Geernaert, chancellor of Mount Saint Vincent University, Adam Wambolt, Alexa McDonough, interim president and vice-chancellor of Mount Saint Vincent University, and Rob Batherson, senior vice president, public affairs, at Colour.

  • Colour Copywriter Steve Wallace and former Art Director Matt Pearn win at the 2009 ICE Awards11.17.2009

    • Colour Copywriter Steve Wallace and former Art Director Matt Pearn have been honored by the 2009 ICE Awards as winners of the Young Creatives Competition, a new category for Atlantic Canada’s advertising accolades that were held this year at Pier 21. Steve was the successful candidate last year for Colour’s Year One Program – an opportunity given by the agency for junior creatives to break into the advertising business. The Young Creatives Competition was open to any resident of Atlantic Canada 29 years of age or under and interested in the advertising business. Steve and Matt beat out 28 other teams to take the top prize.

      Applicants were given a brief and were asked to present concepts for pieces responding to the challenges within a 24 hour period. Format was optional with candidates having the choice to develop concepts for TV/video, radio, print, billboard, poster, web or ambient. This year’s brief was for Laubauch Literacy New Brunswick with the goal of convincing those with limited literacy skills that improving their reading and writing will dramatically change their lives for the better.

      Steve and Matt chose a billboard as their medium. Their concept was to literally present a before and after view of improving literacy. The word “Before” was presented as a disarranged jumble while the word “After” was shown clearly. “Our concept was simple, but effective,” says Steve. “There’s a challenge when trying to communicate with this market because they are currently struggling with reading. The message is easy to understand, even for someone with literacy challenges. Understanding what’s being said already gives them a sense of accomplishment that they can associate with the client.”

      Up until this year, the ICE Awards had only the Student Creative Competition for young designers and copywriters to individually compete. With the Young Creative Competition as a new category this year, Steve was thrilled to see the the Awards expand to include opportunities for young professionals who aren’t students. “It’s great that all creatives under 30 can now compete,” says Steve. “This was a fun brief to work on. I’d like to thank ALC and Laubach Literacy for sponsoring the competition. This has been great visibility for the both of us in the industry.”

  • Canoe ‘09 A Great Success08.17.2009

    • Many spectators traveled from around the world to watch. Approximately 30 million more people from 36 countries watched the event on television. “Hosting an event like this really boosts the profile of our city internationally,” said Chris. “The immediate benefits as well as the strong legacy of this event are making a tremendous impact on our community.”

      Canoe ’09 will leave a monetary legacy of $500,000 to the paddling community. In addition to this legacy, many infrastructure upgrades took place around the lake that will be enjoyed by the community for years to come.

      Picture: Colour’s Chris Keevill, Chair of Canoe ’09 with ICF President, Jose Perurena.

  • Nova Scotian Sounds Tour The United Kingdom07.10.2009

    • Colour and Blue Ocean client, Nova Scotia Tourism, is bringing a taste of the province’s culture to the United Kingdom this summer by teaming up with the well-known and popular Jools Holland outdoor picnic concert series.

      Talented Nova Scotian musicians Jimmy Rankin, David Myles and Meaghan Smith are performing in a series of ‘pre-shows’ before the main Jools Holland performances until August 8th throughout the UK. Concert goers are getting an unexpected musical treat and have the opportunity to learn more about what Nova Scotia has to offer, as well as a chance to win a vacation for two to Nova Scotia.

      Sara Newman, Account Executive at Colour, accompanied her client to the UK for the kickoff of the concert series in June. “It’s great that the Province can be a part of this. The UK is an important growth market for tourism in Nova Scotia,” says Sara, who was born in the UK herself.

      Although visitors from the UK account for less than two per cent of all visitors, it shows potential for growth. While small in numbers, visitors from the UK typically stay longer and spend more. European visitors contribute eight per cent of the province’s total tourism revenues. This concert series is a prime opportunity to showcase the rich and vibrant culture of Nova Scotia to its European market and entice people to visit.

      For more information on the concert series and the artists involved visit the Nova Scotia Tourism website

  • Colour Produced Junior Achievement Event Breaks Organization’s Fundraising Record06.20.2009

    • The Junior Achievement Nova Scotia Business Hall of Fame gala, which is produced annually by Colour, took place June 16 at the World Trade and Convention Centre in Halifax. The event celebrated 40 years of Junior Achievement in Nova Scotia while honouring three exceptional Nova Scotia business leaders. The gala broke previous fundraising records for the event, raising $235,000.

      The gala is the flagship fundraiser for Junior Achievement of Nova Scotia. Chaired by Wayne Crawley of Emera and Danny Chedrawe of Westwood Developments, the event will provide funding for programming to more than 17,000 students from grade six through 12.

      “Colour has been working with Junior Achievement of Nova Scotia for more than a decade on the Nova Scotia Business Hall of Fame celebration,” says Colour Account Coordinator, Leah Sanford. “We take great pride in our partnership with JA and in the planning and execution of one of the year’s top events.”

      The late Joseph Zatzman, founder of Maplehurst Properties and former mayor of Dartmouth, Al MacPhee, president of MacPhee Pontiac Buick GMC and Ralph Medjuck, president and CEO of Centennial Group Limited were inducted into the prestigious Nova Scotia Hall of Fame.

• 2008
  • Couleur Event Celebrates Renovation, Innovation, Creativity12.04.2008

    • (Moncton, Nouveau-Brunswick) – Jeudi après-midi, la bonne humeur régnait à l’édifice nouvellement restauré de l’ancien YMCA du grand Moncton situé à l’angle de la rue Highfield et de la rue Gordon. À l’occasion de l’ouverture officielle des nouveaux bureaux de Colour/CouleurNB, les invités ont pu goûter à un échantillon de mets gastronomiques empreints de créativité et de culture.

      Des spectacles offerts par le Ballet-théâtre atlantique du Canada, l’Orchestre des jeunes du Nouveau-Brunswick et sa formation La Musica Dolce Ensemble étaient au programme. Les invités ont également pu admirer une exposition d’images réalisées par le photographe de renommée internationale, Thaddeus Holownia.

      Colour/CouleurNB est la division néo-brunswickoise de l’entreprise anciennement connue sous le nom de Corporate Communications Limited. Depuis le début des années 1990, elle était située dans la rue Main, face du Théâtre Capitol.

      L’agence offre des services de communications bilingues innovants et stratégiques à des entreprises, aux gouvernements et à des organismes sans but lucratif. Elle partage ses nouveaux bureaux avec une société sœur, Texte en contexte, une entreprise de traduction à service complet qui engage les compétences professionnelles de plus de 30 traducteurs associés. Colour/Couleur a également des bureaux à Halifax, en Nouvelle-Écosse, et à St. John’s, à Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador.

      L’édifice rajeuni était vide depuis le déménagement du YMCA dans ses nouveaux locaux situés à l’angle du boulevard Vaughan Harvey et de la rue John. En 2004, la société d’aménagement immobilier Ashford Investments Ltd. l’a racheté et en 2007, elle a entrepris des rénovations. Le Ballet-théâtre atlantique du Canada a été son premier locataire. Scotia McLeod et Colour/CouleurNB ont suivi de près.

      « Nous sommes ravis de participer à la restauration d’un édifice qui a joué un rôle aussi important dans la vie de tant de résidents et résidentes de Moncton au fil de si nombreuses années », a déclaré David Hawkins, Président de Colour/CouleurNB.

      « Nous pensons que la capacité d’une communauté à reconnaître la valeur de son passé et à l’adapter pour l’avenir est un indicateur clé d’une culture créative. Les projets innovants tels que celui-ci forgent la réputation de Moncton comme ville avant-gardiste du Canada atlantique. »

      Apportant ses commentaires sur le projet, le maire de Moncton, George LeBlanc, qui a honoré de sa présence la cérémonie d’ouverture officielle, a déclaré : « Nous sommes enchantés de l’investissement soutenu que Couleur fait dans notre ville et de la croissance que connaît le secteur du marketing et des communications en général. Cela en dit long sur les talents impressionnants de notre population et sur le rôle central que la région tricommunautaire joue dans l’économie du Canada atlantique. »

      L’architecte d’intérieur Kim Murphy, qui a dessiné les plans des bureaux de Colour/CouleurNB, partage son enthousiasme. « Dessiner des plans pour une agence de création est très gratifiant », a-t-elle souligné. « C’est un travail qui offre une occasion passionnante d’explorer de nouveaux médias. J’ai eu la possibilité de tester des concepts d’avant-garde qui n’auraient peut-être jamais été envisagés dans un cadre professionnel plus traditionnel. »

      « L’intégration étroite des affaires et des arts est une marque de ce que Richard Florida appelle l’”économie créative” », a affirmé M. Hawkins. « Le fait que de tels projets soient instaurés est prometteur pour l’avenir de notre ville, de notre région et de leurs habitants. »

  • Couleur Event Celebrates Renovation, Innovation, Creativity12.04.2008

    • Moncton, N.B. — Moncton’s newly restored “Old Y” building at the corner of Highfield and Gordon Streets resonated with good spirits on Thursday afternoon. At the official opening of the new offices of Colour/CouleurNB, guests sampled a gourmet menu of creative and cultural delicacies.

      The program included offerings by the Atlantic Ballet Theatre, the New Brunswick Youth Orchestra and its offshoot La Musica Dolce Ensemble. There was also an exhibit of images by internationally renowned photographer Thaddeus Holownia.

      Colour/CouleurNB is the New Brunswick division of the firm previously known as Corporate Communications Limited. Since the early 1990s, it was located on Main Street across from the Capitol Theatre.

      The agency offers innovative, bilingual, strategic communications services to business, government and not-for-profit clients. It shares its new office space with a sister company, Text in Context, a full-service translation business that professionally engages the skills of more than 30 affiliated translators. Colour/Couleur also has offices in Halifax and St. John’s, NL.

      The rejuvenated building had been vacant since the YMCA moved to its new location at the corner of Vaughan Harvey Boulevard and John Street in 2004. Property developer Ashford Investments Ltd. acquired it and initiated renovations in 2007. The Atlantic Ballet Theatre was the first tenant. ScotiaMcLeod and Colour/CouleurNB soon followed.

      “We’re delighted to participate in the restoration of a building that has played such an important role in the lives of so many Monctonians over so many years,” said David Hawkins, President of Colour/CouleurNB.

      “In our view, the ability of a community to recognize the value of its past and to re-purpose it for the future is a key indicator of a creative culture. Innovative projects like this are building Moncton’s reputation as a leading edge city in Atlantic Canada.”

      Commenting on the project, Moncton Mayor George Leblanc, who was present for the opening said, “We are delighted with Couleur’s continuing investment in our city and with the growth of the marketing and communications sector overall. It says a lot about the impressive talents of our people and the central role that the three-community region plays in Atlantic Canada’s economy.”

      Interior designer Kim Murphy, who designed the Colour/CouleurNB offices, shares his enthusiasm. “Designing for a creative agency is very rewarding,” she observed. “It affords an exciting opportunity to explore new media. I had the opportunity to try avant-garde concepts that might never have even been considered in a more conventional office setting.”

      “Close integration of business and the arts is a hallmark of what Richard Florida calls the ‘creative economy’,” Hawkins stated. “It’s promising for the future of our city, our region and its people, that projects like this are taking place.”

  • Couleur sera l’agence de référence de la Société des loteries de l’Atlantique01.30.2008

    • HALIFAX – Couleur, agence de marketing et de communications du Canada atlantique, a été l’heureuse élue dans le cadre de l’offre visant à fournir des services de publicité de détail novateurs à la Société des loteries de l’Atlantique (SLA).

      Couleur a été nommée l’agence de référence pour la publicité de détail de la SLA, qui comprend les jeux de gros lot, les jeux régionaux et les jeux Gagnez à la Grattouille. Le contrat de deux ans, qui comprend trois options de renouvellement d’un an, est évalué à plus de cinq millions de dollars en facturation totale.

      « Il s’agit d’un immense gain pour nous. C’est comme gagner le gros lot », affirme Chris Keevill, président de Couleur. « Ces campagnes exigeront un investissement important en temps et en ressources pour Couleur. La SLA est une entreprise de jeux novatrice et de confiance qui place ses clients au centre de ses activités. C’est l’approche que nous avons adoptée durant notre présentation devant la SLA et c’est l’approche que nous continuerons d’adopter dans le cadre du travail que nous réaliserons pour la SLA. Nous placerons les joueurs au centre de tout. »

      Les jeux de gros lot, les jeux régionaux et les jeux Gagnez à la Grattouille représentent la plus grande portion de travail récemment attribuée aux agences de publicité de la SLA.

      À propos de Couleur
      Par l’intermédiaire de ses bureaux situés à Halifax, Moncton et St. John’s, Couleur aide les entreprises à se rapprocher de leurs clients en utilisant des moyens qui attirent l’attention et en se concentrant sur les gens et sur l’établissement de rapports profonds avec eux. Par son intervention, Couleur a contribué à établir des marques telles que la Croix Bleue Medavie, la Ville de Moncton, Major Drilling, Stewart McKelvey, Killam Properties, Fortis Inc., Petro-Canada, The Chronicle Herald, Exxon Mobil Canada, Tourisme Nouvelle-Écosse, le Collège communautaire de la Nouvelle-Écosse, Husky, SAP et Enbridge Gaz Nouveau-Brunswick.

      -30-

      Pour obtenir de plus amples renseignements, notamment un entretien, veuillez communiquer avec :

      Tim Winchester
      Couleur
      902-722-3247
      tim@colour.ca

  • Couleur NB renforce son équipe de cadres supérieurs01.17.2008

    • Couleur NB renforce son équipe de cadres supérieurs
      des affaires publiques au Nouveau-Brunswick
      Brian Cormier et Allison Brewer obtiennent des postes supérieurs au sein de l’entreprise.

      MONCTON, N.-B. – Deux experts en communication connus et chevronnés se sont joints à l’équipe de direction de l’agence de marketing et de communications Colour au Canada atlantique – connue sous le nom de Couleur NB, au Nouveau-Brunswick.

      Brian Cormier a joint l’entreprise à titre de conseiller principal, affaires publiques, tandis qu’Allison Brewer a été engagée à titre d’associée principale. Chacun d’eux apporte plus de vingt années d’expérience en communication professionnelle à Couleur NB

      « À titre de professionnel des communications, de rédacteur, de blogueur et de chroniqueur de journal, le talent et les compétences de M. Cormier sont très respectés au Nouveau-Brunswick », affirme Pamela McKay, vice-présidente, affaires publiques et relations gouvernementales de Couleur NB « La venue de M. Cormier ne représente pas seulement une reconnaissance bien méritée de son expérience, mais aussi une occasion pour notre équipe des affaires publiques de tirer parti de son talent et d’apporter des points de vue nouveaux et originaux. »

      M. Cormier est diplômé de l’University of King’s College (journalisme) et il a occupé bon nombre de postes supérieurs dans le domaine des communications et des affaires publiques pour le compte d’une variété d’organismes au Nouveau-Brunswick, notamment Emploi et Immigration Canada, le Groupe Bristol, Sport Nouveau Brunswick, ShiftCentral, la GRC et le Cabinet du Premier ministre.

      Il est membre de la Professional Writers Association of Canada (PWAC), de la National Society of Newspaper Columnists, de l’Association canadienne des journalistes et du Cercle des journalistes de Moncton. En ce moment, il siège au conseil d’administration de la SPA de Moncton, le plus grand refuge pour animaux à l’est de Montréal, en plus de jouer un rôle actif au sein de l’association des anciens étudiants de l’University of King’s College. Il est l’auteur d’une populaire chronique hebdomadaire paraissant à la page éditoriale du Moncton Times & Transcript depuis 2005 et il a été l’éditeur anglophone du bestseller canadien Ten Needles (traduction du livre Dix aiguilles par Martin Latulippe), un livre portant sur la vie de Sean Collins qui est décédé du cancer en juillet 2007. Il est également considéré comme l’un des blogueurs les plus actifs du Nouveau-Brunswick.

      « Mme Brewer est bien connue des Néo-Brunswickois en tant que communicatrice se dévouant avec ferveur aux droits de la personne et à la justice sociale », indique Mme McKay. « Elle apporte son expérience difficile à égaler de la politique gouvernementale, des communications et des affaires publiques à Couleur NB. Nous sommes heureux de l’accueillir dans notre équipe et nous nous réjouissons de la contribution unique qu’elle apportera à l’entreprise et aux clients. »

      Mme Brewer est diplômée de l’University of King’s College (philosophie) et elle a également étudié au University of New Brunswick et au St. Thomas Unversity. Elle a occupé une variété de postes dans le domaine des communications, de la politique et de la gestion dans plusieurs ministères au sein du gouvernement du Nunavut en plus d’avoir travaillé pour le compte de Communications Nouveau-Brunswick. Récemment, elle était chef du Nouveau parti démocratique de la province. Elle possède également une vaste expérience en bénévolat auprès de plusieurs organismes voués à la justice sociale, au sport et à la santé. En 2004, elle a été lauréate du Prix du Gouverneur général en commémoration de l’affaire « personne », un prix honorant les personnes ayant apporté une contribution exceptionnelle à la promotion des femmes.

      Elle a été conférencière invitée et animatrice au University of New Brunswick, St. Thomas University, Mount Allison University, et à l’Université d’Ottawa. En outre, elle a été déléguée à la 4ième Conférence mondiale des Nations Unies pour la femme à Beijing et elle est parue dans les médias régionaux, nationaux et internationaux à titre de porte-parole des questions touchant les droits de l’homme. Elle a aussi énormément voyagé, notamment comme travailleuse bénévole au Sri Lanka par le biais du programme Carrefour Canadien International où elle a étudié les systèmes de développement coopératif dans le tiers monde.

      « La philosophie principale de notre entreprise est de rapprocher nos clients de leur clientèle », indique David Hawkins, président de Couleur NB « M. Cormier et Mme Brewer sont tous deux des communicateurs accomplis qui seront en mesure de rapprocher nos clients actuels et futurs des besoins de leur clientèle ».

      Par l’intermédiaire de ses bureaux situés à Halifax, Moncton et St. John’s, Couleur aide les entreprises à se rapprocher de leur clients en utilisant des moyens qui attirent l’attention et en se concentrant sur les gens et sur l’établissement de rapports profonds avec eux. Par leur intervention, ils ont contribué à établir des marques telles que la Croix Bleue Medavie, la Ville de Moncton, Major Drilling, Stewart McKelvey, Killam Properties, la Fondation canadienne des bourses d’études du millénaire, Sobeys, Alexander Keith’s, Fortis Inc., les Producteurs laitiers du Canada, Petro-Canada, The Chronicle Herald, Exxon Mobil Canada, Tourisme Nouvelle-Écosse, le Collège communautaire de la Nouvelle-Écosse, Husky Energy, SAP, Enbridge Gaz Nouveau Brunswick, Concorde Atlantique et la Société des loteries de l’Atlantique.

      -30-

      Pour obtenir de plus amples renseignements, notamment un entretien, veuillez communiquer avec :

      Courtney Pringle
      Couleur NB
      (506) 862-1962
      courtney@colour.ca

• 2007
  • Colour launches social media practice and strategic partnership with Radian612.19.2007

    • Note: To view our social media news release, please click here.

      Atlantic Canadian communications and marketing agency Colour has announced the launch of its new social media practice – the first of its kind in the region.

      The announcement comes at a time when online social media is growing at a rapid pace and Canadians are flocking to networking sites such as Facebook, which now counts 1 in 4 Canadians among its members.

      “Whether or not you’re aware of it, people are talking about you. And, more often than not, they’re doing it online,” said Carman Pirie, principal at Colour and the lead on the new practice. “Whether it’s in personal blogs, networking sites like Facebook, user-generated sites like Wikipedia, video sharing sites such as YouTube or simply through comments placed on news aggregate sites like Digg, there are conversations being had that could seriously impact your organization. More than ever, it’s important to not only be aware of those conversations but to also contribute to them.”

      In conjunction with the social media practice launch, Colour has announced a strategic partnership with New Brunswick-based Radian6. The company is a leading developer of social media monitoring technology, providing real-time results to its clients. Together with Colour’s social media practice, clients are provided with three areas of expertise: public relations, marketing and internal communications.

      Social media public relations manages reputations online, engaging online media and key influencers in way that allows clients to share their side of the story, and monitoring all forms of social media through the use of the innovative Radian6 technology, which continually monitors and analyzes online conversations about a client’s brand.

      Social media marketing leverages social media to ignite brand-building conversations online by combining the right strategy with the right tools, then monitoring results through new technologies like Radian6.

      Social media internal communications helps organizations make sense of the impact social media use by their employees is having on their business while developing guidelines around their use of the technology.

      Already, Colour has generated notable online success for two of its clients, including Office Interiors and its lovethewayyouwork.ca campaign, and Killam Properties’ Landlord Lou campaign. The Landlord Lou campaign included a combination of guerrilla marketing that involved a scavenger hunt of Killam Properties’ branded plungers in exchange for free rent, a landlordlou.ca website that included humorous video vignettes, and online social marketing through Facebook.

      “Over the past year, we’ve worked with Colour on our two major campaigns,” explained Jeremy Jackson, vice president of marketing for Killam Properties. “In both cases, they developed breakthrough ideas that have delivered results and generated interest in Killam’s apartments without having to rely on traditional advertising. By integrating social media strategy into our campaigns, our target audience is taking it upon themselves to spread the word about Killam using social websites like Facebook and others.”

      The launch of the practice and partnership with Radian6 represents the next step in the evolution of Colour’s ‘closer to the customer’ approach, allowing clients to tap into and participate in online conversations.

      “It’s no longer enough to claim ignorance of the conversations revolving around your company,” said Pirie. “Whether its dissatisfied customers, online journalists, loyal fans or your own staff, your success depends on being aware of what’s being said and, more importantly, engaging in those conversations. Our new social media practice and Radian6 partnership gives our clients that ability and we’re thrilled to be the first to do so in Atlantic Canada.”

  • Colour named as IWK Health Centre Agency of Record09.20.2011

    • Atlantic Canadian marketing and communications agency Colour has been named as the IWK Health Centre’s new Agency of Record (AOR). The announcement comes after a review of competing agencies, including an examination of agency credentials and interviews with short-listed candidates.

      The multi-year campaign is designed to expand the focus of the centre to include other important services such as youth mental health and addictions, women and maternity, and research.

      “The IWK Health Centre is well recognized as being a world-class children’s hospital, offering exceptional and compassionate medical care for Atlantic Canada’s children,” said Colour president Chris Keevill. “However, it’s much more than that. The Centre offers a full range of services, including women’s services, primary health care, mental health and addictions services for youth, and medical research that is making an international impact. That’s the image we’ll be evolving over the next few years as we move forward as the AOR for the IWK Health Centre.”

      The brand building campaign will involve a significant investment of time and resources for Colour, including the agency’s advertising, branding, marketing, and public relations professionals. In addition to working with hospital and foundation staff, Colour will use its Closer to the Customer approach to build relationships and glean insights from donors, advocates, and the women and children who will use or have used the IWK Health Centre’s services.

  • Colour dazzles at 2007 ICE Awards09.10.2007

    • September 10, 2007

      Atlantic Canadian marketing and communications agency Colour was the breakthrough winner at this year’s Ice Awards, an awards gala celebrating the best of creative advertising in Atlantic Canada.

      Colour took home sixteen awards in all, winning more this year than ever before. Colour won gold for radio single and out of home single for outdoor gear retailer The Trail Shop of Halifax, identity or logo for Moncton-based translation service Text in Context, and media innovation for Halifax’s Casino Taxi. Colour also won four silver and eight merit awards.

      “Colour has evolved a culture that pushes for cutting-edge creativity,” said senior vice president and creative director Brian Hickling, after the event. “What a wonderful thank you to our clients and tribute to the talented professionals who are Colour.”

      Colour president Chris Keevill noted: “Our team’s unique approach in getting our clients closer to their customers is now recognized throughout the industry as the way to make exciting things happen.”

  • Colour’s United Way ad reaches out across the country and around the world09.05.2007

    • A ten statement ‘anthem’ developed into a television ad originally created for the United Way of Halifax Region has proven so successful that a growing number of United Ways in the country are adopting it for themselves. In addition, the national organization United Way of Canada – Centraide Canada finds it the right message at the right time.

      “It is exciting to see how many United Ways have decided to adopt this and then to have them help build it into a full-fledged campaign,” noted Al Hatton president and CEO of United Way of Canada – Centraide Canada. “It aligns with our new brand attributes as it focuses on people, it gives hope and that is what is behind all our efforts and the differences we are making in local communities.”

      The 30-second ad was developed by the Atlantic Canada-based agency Colour and features a range of local individuals reciting the statements from the anthem. It concludes with “I believe in possibility”, calling people to come together to improve their community.

      “We knew that we needed to do something different, something that makes us stand out and inspired people,” said Carole McDougall, director of communications for United Way of Halifax Region and the original client for the campaign. “We wanted something that speaks to what community is all about, that brings people together. It is really a message of fulfilling potential.”

      In addition to the television ad, the campaign includes print and radio using similar graphics and messaging. Through an innovative, web-based tool, individual United Ways will able to personalize the campaign materials by inserting local images and customize the message for their community.

      “This campaign is a total departure from the norm,” said the creative agency Colour’s president Chris Keevill. “Typically, a national campaign is developed and approved directly with the organization’s head office, without consulting those on the front lines who will ultimately rely on the material. In this case, the development began in Halifax but expanded to include over 30 United Ways. It is an on-going and truly collaborative process and the end result is a campaign that is being built with and by the clients but, more importantly, addresses the individual needs of United Ways from Halifax to Vancouver.”

      Beginning this fall, localized versions of the campaign will appear in over 20 United Ways across the country, including Halifax, Vancouver and Edmonton. When the campaign expands to another 30 regions, it will effectively be available in the majority of the United Way’s English-speaking communities, making it a truly national campaign.

      About United Way of Canada – Centraide Canada
      The Movement is made up of 123 volunteer-based United Ways – Centraides (UWs-Cs) located in ten provinces and two territories and a national organization, United Way of Canada – Centraide Canada. Its mission is “to improve lives and build community by engaging individuals and mobilizing collective action”.

      Next to governments, the UW-C Movement is the largest funder of the voluntary sector and social services in Canada. Last year, UWs-Cs raised $465,626,161, which is reinvested in local communities to support programs and services directed at improving the social conditions of Canadians.

      The Movement employs approximately 900 staff and is lead by more than 200,000 volunteers across the country.

  • Colour wins three at Applied Arts 2007 Design and Advertising Awards07.11.2007

    • Colour has scored a hat trick at the Applied Arts 2007 Design and Advertising Awards.

      The Atlantic Canadian marketing and communications agency was awarded three awards during the 16th annual competition. Its Wheelchair Rugby newspaper advertisement won the Newspaper Advertising – Single category; the series of Wheelchair Rugby ads won the Out-of-Home Advertising – Series category; and the stationery and logo designed for translation company Text in Context won the Logo Applications – Series category.

      “We are thrilled with this national recognition of our work,” said Colour’s creative director, Brian Hickling. “Considering the level of judging by our peers, it’s one of the more challenging awards to win. In fact, this is the first time we’ve won and it feels especially rewarding to have one three in one year.”

      Colour will have its award-winning work featured in the Applied Arts Design and Advertising Award Annual published in November, included on the magazine’s website at appliedartsmag.com and displayed at the award’s first-ever Winners’ Exhibit held in Toronto.

      The Applied Arts Design and Advertising Awards are judged by panels of highly regarded industry professionals and experts. The judges work independently to grade each entry, basing their marks on creative merit, technical excellence and suitability for end use.

  • Colour copywriter wins Gold at 2007 National Advertising Awards05.07.2007

    • Jon Murray to represent Canada at Cannes Advertising Festival in France.

      Sleeping in a few extra minutes might not be the most productive thing to do but it’s a morning luxury that resonates with a lot of people. For Colour’s Jon Murray, that means gold.

      The Halifax-based copywriter recently became the only person in Atlantic Canada to receive the gold medal in the radio category at the 2007 National Advertising Awards. Murray won the award for his 30-second radio script for Neutrogena Men® Invigorating Hair & Body Wash, which he submitted to the competition in early March. His humourous script positioned the all-in-one bodywash as the perfect way to save time in the morning – allowing guys to focus on more important things, such as sleeping longer to enjoy a good dream.

      “Jon joined us in 2005 as part of our Year One program and, since that time, he has continued to impress not only me but his clients,” said Brian Hickling, creative director for Colour. “He’s dedicated and passionate about his work and this award is definitely well-deserved.”

      The National Advertising Awards is an advertising competition that invites Canadian advertising professionals to submit original ideas based on a creative brief for a brand or specific product. The winners are announced in May at the National Advertising Awards Festival in Toronto. Winning teams then compete internationally at the prestigious Cannes Advertising Festival in Nice, France. The June event is often considered to be the ‘Olympics of Advertising’, also giving creative professionals the opportunity to learn new approaches and ideas for their own use back home.

      “This will be the trip of a lifetime for him,” continues Hickling. “In fact, we’re as much thrilled for Jon as we are envious. We’re now all calling dibs to stowaway in his luggage!”

  • Colour shines at 2007 Marketing Awards03.30.2007

    • Colour Creative Persuasion received national recognition for two of its most recent advertising campaigns during the 2007 Marketing Awards last night in Toronto.

      The Atlantic Canadian marketing agency won Certificates of Merit in both the Outdoor Campaign and Point-of-Purchase/In-Store Advertising Campaign categories, as well as Judges’ Choice Craft Awards for Best Art Direction and Best Typography. The ads were created by art directors Ryan McNeill and Mike Jones, and writers Jon Murray and Brad Dykema.

      “Receiving recognition not once but four times at the Marketing Awards is a huge honour, especially when you consider that you’re competing against over 2,100 entries from across the country,” said Brian Hickling, creative director for Colour. “It’s a testament not only to the great work being done within Colour but to the talent here in Atlantic Canada, as well.”

      Colour’s Wheelchair Rugby campaign received a Certificate of Merit for an Outdoor Campaign, as well as a Judges’ Choice Craft Award for Best Art Direction – an award received by only one entry in the overall competition. The campaign was developed after Colour’s creative team engaged in a closer to the customer session that saw them getting into wheelchairs and playing a few games with the Nova Scotia wheelchair rugby team, before designing event posters for the 2006 Canadian Wheelchair Rugby Championships in Halifax.

      A Certificate of Merit in the Point-of-Purchase/In-Store Advertising Campaign category was awarded to Colour for its Red Stag Tavern campaign, which involved a series of posters promoting the restaurant and bar located in the Alexander Keith’s Brewery, in Halifax. The ads’ use of antique fonts, reflecting back on the location’s history, also secured a Judges’ Choice Craft Award for Best Typography in the entire award competition.

  • Hawkins to lead Couleur New Brunswick03.12.2007

    • More growth is coming to the Atlantic Canadian communications firm of Colour/Couleur. The agency announced today that longtime communications, marketing and business leader David Hawkins will become the President of Couleur NB.

      “Few in Canada know how to help clients get closer to their customers better than David Hawkins,” said Chris Keevill, Colour’s President. “I am thrilled that David will be leading Couleur NB’s thrust to provide top notch counsel and execution to our clients in New Brunswick, Atlantic Canada, nation-wide and beyond.”

      Mr. Hawkins replaces Maurice Robichaud, who will be returning to public service in a new role as New Brunswick’s first ever Deputy Minister of Communications and Marketing. “Building client-centric, high performance communications organizations is what I do and have done for almost 40 years,” said Mr. Hawkins. “Chris Keevill, company founder Steve Parker, and their team have put together a tremendously capable firm here in Atlantic Canada. I very much look forward to making a contribution – to serving our many clients.”

      Mr. Hawkins, along with his wife Lorrie, co-founded Hawk Communications in 1978, building it to become one of the region’s leading marketing and communications firms. Following the sale of Hawk in 2001, Mr. Hawkins has been active both professionally and as a volunteer with many different organizations. He is a member of the board of directors of both Office Interiors and EPC (Polycello), as well as serving as a Trustee of Pizza Delight Royalty Income Trust. His community work includes membership on the boards of the Beaverbrook Art Gallery, the Atlantic Cancer Research Institute, Laubach Literacy New Brunswick, as well as co-chair of the School District 2 “Best Sellers” Campaign.

      Mr. Keevill paid tribute to Maurice Robichaud for his dedicated service first with CCL and more recently with Colour. “Maurice has been an integral part of our company for the better part of the last 10 years,” said Mr. Keevill. “We are sorry to see him leave Colour to take on this new position but we’re excited for him at a personal level as he helps Premier Shawn Graham and his team realize their vision of a self-sufficient New Brunswick.”