Summer 2011

A window into the world of Roots

Issue 101 • Summer 2011

MAKING THE

CONNECTION

Using social media to issue a public casting call, Roots creates an innovative marketing campaign in celebration of Canada

Photo: Rylan Perry

The eight winners in Ottawa on location at the Parliament Buildings during photo shoot for the Casting Call project

Issue 101 - Summer 2011

The Source • 1

I N S I D E ISSUE101 KAYAK JACKET MAKES A SPLASH New partnership raises water safety awareness

IF THESE BOOTS COULD TALK You never know what will rise to the occasion on a major adventure LEARNING FROM PROS College students look to Roots in their study of digital marketing SCORING ON A BREAKAWAY New hockey film with a twist leads to an original collaboration STANDING GUARD Measures taken to bolster online security MAKING IT REAL Roots celebrated as iconic brand at Canadian Club event

Departments FINE PRINT

Amanda Lazarovitz

FIT FOR A PRESIDENT When Bill Clinton comes to Canada, Roots is on his itinerary

SPECIAL DELIVERY A selection of recent letters from the world of Roots IN SUPPORT OF A SOIRÉE The families and students of Spiral Dance Company would like to thank Roots for supporting our second annual Soirée at The Shops at Morgan Crossing in Surrey, BC. The fashion show was a huge success, and the models looked fabulous in their Roots attire. Please know that your kindness and support were acknowledged during the evening.

Erica Vran and Vicki Kasapi Spiral Dance Company White Rock, BC

GREEN TIP ON THE MOVE NEW & NOTEWORTHY GREAT MOMENTS IN RETAIL HEALTH TIP

Publishers MICHAEL BUDMAN, DON GREEN Editor ROBERT SARNER Interns TAMAR DOBNER ALEXANDRA GUNDY AMANDA LAZAROVITZ The Source is published by Roots Canada Ltd. We welcome letters from readers for publication.

Please address all correspondence to The Source, Letters to the Editor, Roots Canada, 1400 Castlefield Ave., Toronto, Ontario, M6B 4C4 or by email to thesource@roots.com Letters may be edited for length and clarity.

Each issue of The Source is also available as a blog on the Roots website at www.thesource.roots.com

2 • The Source

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT I’d like to thank Roots for the generous contribution to our Ecojustice 20th anniversary silent auction. With your donation, we raised almost $10,000 toward our work as an organization dedicated to defending Canadians’ right to a healthy environment.

Your support helps us ensure safe drinking water, protect threatened species, and to reduce the impact of oil production through the tar sands in the Artic and related pipelines. As an independent organization, we rely on the charitable support of donors like you.

Janice Margolis Ecojustice, Vancouver A SPEEDY DELIVERY I just wanted to send a compliment to the friendly and helpful

staff that recently helped my daughter and me at the Mayfair Roots store in Victoria, BC. My daughter had settled on a pair of jeans, but unfortunately the store we were in did not have her size. The staff ordered a pair to be sent from Vancouver and, to my surprise, they arrived three days later. When we opened the package, we found a personal note from the team at the Robson store tucked in with the jeans – what a kind gesture.

I have always been impressed by the quality of Roots products, and enjoyed watching the report on Roots manufacturing in Canada on the CBC. I now appreciate the customer service aspect of your business as well!

Carole Kruse Victoria, BC LESSONS IN RETAIL On behalf of the Ted Rogers School of Retail Management, I would like to thank Roots for your involvement in “Retail Week: Retail is Life.” The week was a resounding success and our students gained valuable knowledge. They had the opportunity to work with some of the top retailers in the industry, building their skills both academically and professionally.

The participation of Roots Co-Founders Don Green and Michael Budman, with writer and artist Douglas Coupland, gave our students invaluable

experience they will take with them through their retail careers.

We strongly value your partnership with the Ted Rogers School of Retail Management and hope to work together again in the future.

Elizabeth Evans Ted Rogers School of Retail Management, Toronto FOR THE KIDS On behalf of Delisle Youth Services, thank you for your generous donation to our silent auction at our event.

Delisle Rocks was a sold-out success. The money raised through the event will go directly to providing effective services to thousands of youth through our in-school counseling program.

Roots has helped make this possible, and accordingly, will make a meaningful difference in a young person’s life.

You are helping us meet the growing demand as we strive to assist teens coping with a myriad of mental health issues and concerns. Thank you for being a part of our growing family. The kids need us!

L. Lester-Zaid, J. Korten Delisle Youth Services, Toronto

EXPRESS YOURSELF We invite you to send us your letters and/or your most creative photos or illustrations for publication in The Source. Please send your submissions to photogallery@roots.com

Issue 101 - Summer 2011

CASTING CALL

Inspired by the country’s diversity, Roots invites the public to take part in a creative new marketing campaign in celebration of Canada. By TAMAR DOBNER

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or such a quintessentially Canadian company like Roots, it’s little surprise that Canada Day figures prominently on its calendar.

Every year, the creative team comes up with a fresh way to celebrate the country’s national holiday. This year, the Connecting Canada campaign emphasizes the strong link Roots – and two partnering brands – have with Canada’s heritage. The recently launched campaign, which appears in ads in newspapers, online and in store windows, also highlights the appreciation Roots has for its customers, while reflecting the ethnic diversity of Canadians.

In early April, in an effort to engage its fans in this project, Roots announced a contest involving a casting call for the Canada Day photo shoot that was open to all customers and employees. The contest marks the first time the company has chosen to involve the public in one of its campaigns in such a high profile manner. The prize, awarded to eight people, was an all-inclusive weekend road trip from Toronto to Ottawa. The nation’s capital was the location Hamming it up on the train

The campaign was featured on the home page of the Roots website

of the photo shoot and played a central role in the Connecting Canada campaign.

“Roots wanted to showcase Canadians from different backgrounds and parts of Canada coming together in our nation’s capital,” says Stephanie Holden, Creative Director. “We love to see how different people wear our clothes and hear the stories they have about their favourite Roots items.”

After reviewing more than 600 applications, Stephanie and her team hand-picked the semi-finalists.

The selection was based on the

Casting Call winners at Roots HQ with company co-founders Issue 101 - Summer 2011

applicants’ photo submissions and respective stories, which included a description of their personal interests and the reasons they felt would make them an ideal candidate. Roots Co-Founders Don Green and Michael Budman, along with Jarar Kazmi, Executive Director of Retail Operations, chose the final eight winners.

The weekend, which took place at the end of April, began at the Roots head office in Toronto where the soon-to-be models met each other for the first time. The winners each gave a video interview for the campaign’s behind-the-scenes section on the Roots website.

Additionally, they were all fitted for the upcoming photo shoot.

“With absolutely no idea what to expect, it was difficult to contain my excitement,” says 20year-old Lauren da Costa, one of the winners. “We took turns doing video interviews and in between we jumped back a few years and got to colour! Our creativity emerged and we really started to get to know each other.”

With the formalities out of the way, the group was introduced to executives from RIM, who gave each of them a free BlackBerry Torch. The winners learned how to use them to record and share their experiences during the weekend via Facebook and Twitter. Michael Budman and Don Green then introduced themselves to the group and offered them their best wishes for the trip. At the end of their first day, the winners each received a complimentary customized Roots Banff Bag, filled with Roots gear.

Via Rail’s long history with Roots made it the obvious transportation choice for the weekend. On the second morning, the winners met at Toronto’s Union Station before travelling in Via’s spacious, first-class seats that offered delicious meals and free Wi-Fi, which allowed the group to begin their virtual updates en route.

There was no slacking off on the part of the “models” in keeping Roots fans in the loop, both during and after the photo shoot weekend. They often Continued on the next page

Putting their best face forward during down time in Ottawa The Source • 3

Continued from previous page

posted updates on their personal Facebook and Twitter accounts, tagging the Roots page and using the #rootscasting hashtag respectively.

“Social media is the way to pull back the curtains and make customers feel like they are part of the business,” explains Tanja Zelko, Manager of Online Marketing and Customer Experience. “It’s about connecting and building an emotional bond with people, products and the experience.”

Facebook and Twitter each offered unique social networking services. The former was great for posting sneak peeks of photos from the campaign, while the latter was an excellent tool for providing updates in a simple, efficient manner. Together, the sites helped friends, customers and fans follow the weekend as it unfolded in an interactive, online forum and generated interest among those who were unaware of the campaign.

“It was an incredible way to involve our Facebook fans in the development of the campaign,” remarks James Connell, VP of E-Commerce and Marketing. “In a sense, we get a chance to reward our followers for the incredible loyalty and dedication they show to the brand every day” Another social media website that played a vital role in the campaign was YouTube. In addition to interviews with each winner, a video featuring some of the highlights from the Ottawa trip was uploaded onto the Roots YouTube channel. This video, titled Our Canadian Adventure, includes shots of all the cast members with a soundtrack the Canadian country band The Treasures.

The photo shoot itself took place on Parliament Hill, home of the Canadian Parliament, located on the southern banks of the Ottawa River in the capital’s downtown area. Photographer Rylan Perry took a superb series of group and individual shots over a period of two days with the national landmark in the background. When not in front of the camera, the group enjoyed great meals in the ByWard 4 • The Source

Market and stayed at the Ottawa Westin Hotel.

The eight “models” quickly developed a strong bond with one another through their shared experiences, which was evident in the YouTube video shot during their stay in Ottawa. It was hard to believe they had only recently met. By the end of the weekend, the now close-knit group found it difficult to part

ways and more than a few tears were shed when it was time to say goodbye.

“There was so much love from the moment I first walked into the head office right up until the sad goodbyes,” says Casting Call winner, Tushar Bharadia from Mississauga, Ontario. “I used the word ‘family’ throughout the campaign because I felt like everyone was in a family. It

was such an unforgettable experience.”

The results were indeed impressive and did not go unnoticed. Feedback from customers has been thus far highly positive and one of Canada’s major professional advertising magazines, Strategy, recently featured the Casting Call project in its “Outstanding New Campaigns” section.

MEET THE MODELS Up close and personal with the eight Casting Call winners customers,” she says. “This market- a “Knowledge Translation Analyst” Tushar Bharadia Following his Casting Call experience, Tushar, 24, joined Roots as a digital marketing intern. A self-proclaimed “social networking fiend,” Tushar spends much of his free time on Twitter and Facebook, which is how he first heard about the Casting Call initiative. “The Roots Casting Call was a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” says Tushar, who lives in Brampton, Ontario. “Hopefully, I can keep representing a company that loves Canada as much as I do.”

Lauren da Costa For Lauren, a 20year-old Communication Studies student at York University in Toronto, one of the highlights of being a Casting Call winner was seeing all the action that took place behind-the-scenes. “It’s great to know all the hard work that goes into a marketing campaign,” says Lauren, who’s from Mississauga, just outside Toronto. Her interests include dancing and social media and she wishes she could spend the rest of her life in her Roots sweatpants.

Theresa Kim Theresa currently works for YYZ Living Magazine, where she is responsible for PR and marketing. In addition, she is the Director of PR at Kollaboration, a non-profit organization based in her hometown of Toronto, which promotes Asian North American talents through entertainment and performing arts. Theresa, 23, feels the Canada Day campaign made her more of a Roots advocate.

“Roots was already established enough to have a lot of dedicated

ing idea has made me want to share everything Roots with a wider network of friends, family and random people I bump into.”

Morgan MacDonald Morgan plans on pursuing a design internship at Roots after graduating next spring from a Graphic Design program in her hometown of Halifax, Nova Scotia.

“I love how Roots still has the accessible feel of a small business while enjoying international success,” says the 21-year-old. “My experience solidified the love I already have for Roots.” When not studying or working as a part-time sales associate at Roots, Morgan enjoys cooking, laughing, and, as she puts it, “torturing people” with her singing voice.

Robert Mahar Robert, 23, finds himself most at home in the great outdoors, often taking his Roots Chucka Boots along on his travels. He currently works in his hometown of Moncton, New Brunswick as a sales associate at Roots and as a Stock Manager at The Shoe Company. He finds the Roots sense of community is what really made his Casting Call experience. “This was amazing for me in so many ways,” says Robert. “It really taught me the value of being myself. I was so comfortable around this group of strangers, with whom I so quickly became friends.”

Chris Murray Chris describes himself as spontaneous, unpredictable and, rather cryptically, “hot sauce.”

He works in Applied Health Research and describes his position as both

and a “Communications Science and Implementation Specialist.”

Chris enjoys running, camping, skiing, road trips and going up to the cottage, and his favourite Roots products are the leather boots and bags. He enjoyed the photo shoot in Ottawa, which also happens to be his hometown. “The experience was amazing,” says the 26-year-old. “ I loved learning about the Roots corporate culture and seeing behind the curtain.”

Rebecca Wall Rebecca, 18, enjoys painting, biking and anything that can get her out in the sun. She works as a fulltime sales associate at Roots in her hometown of Calgary, Alberta, which is how she heard about the Casting Call. “I was ecstatic when I received the call informing me that I was one out of eight people across Canada who were chosen,” she says. “I started laughing hysterically because of how excited I was. I still can’t get over the fact that I’m getting featured in magazines, let alone in Roots stores! The whole trip was an absolute riot.”

Adrian Yearwood Adrian, a recent graduate from the University of Toronto with a double major in Psychology and English, loves that Roots is such an iconic representation of his home country, Canada. Hailing from Toronto, this 22year-old “raging patriot” enjoys theatre, film, music and Ultimate Frisbee. Adrian found out about the Casting Call contest from his mother, who subscribes to the Roots newsletter. “ It was an amazing experience,” he says. “I met some great people who I otherwise would have never crossed paths with and had a blast while doing it.”

Issue 101 - Summer 2011

NEW KAYAK JACKET MAKES A SPLASH IN STORES Partnership with Lifesaving Society raises water safety awareness

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n June, people discovered something different in select Roots stores across the country: lifejackets. After last summer’s tragic surge in drowning accidents, the need for better water safety awareness became more pressing. Roots CoFounder Michael Budman, who spends time in Algonquin Park each summer, found the spate of drowning incidents in Ontario particularly disturbing. He wanted to do something about it, so Roots teamed up with the Canadian Lifesaving Society to raise awareness and promote water safety. The initiative includes the making and selling of Roots lifejackets.

The new Stratus Kayak Vest (adult) and Squirt (children) lifejackets feature the Lifesaving Society’s original Bronze Medallion patch and a Roots Outfitters patch. The patches are also on a T-shirt, hoodie and baseball hat. The products will be carried in 10 stores across Canada.

“Given the alarming rise in fatal water-related accidents in recent years, I felt it was important that Roots do something to help address this issue,” says Michael. “In Canada, we’re fortunate to have so many

most common activities that lead Roots promotes to drowning. water safety with Many people, the new Stratus Kayak Vest particularly males aged 18-34, don’t wear lifejackets when participating in these activities.

Year after year, the Lifesaving Society finds that not wearing a lifejacket is the top contributing factor in recreational boating drownings. It accounts for one in five preventable water deaths every year.

“Accidents can beautiful lakes, ponds and rivers happen so fast,” says Rima but it’s important that people Biback, Director of Roots Home take the necessary precautions and Licensing, who worked with around water to avoid unnecesthe Lifesaving Society to sary accidents that can prove develop the project. “We’re fatal.” going to continue to see an Canada had approximately escalation in drownings unless 400 water-related deaths in people become aware of what 2010, an increase of more than can happen in a split second.”

10 per cent from 2009. There Founded in 1894, the were some 130 in Ontario alone, Lifesaving Society oversees where most accidents occur in lifesaving training and water lakes and ponds. Swimming, education programs in Canada. powerboating and fishing are the Its original Bronze Medallion

crest, circa 1940, which Roots has included in the design of the lifejackets, adds a retro, nostalgic element to their look.

In recent years, Roots camping products, including lifejackets, have been manufactured by licensee Canadian Recreation and sold solely at Canadian Tire stores. The new Stratus Kayak Vest and Squirt lifejackets featuring the patches are available exclusively at Roots stores (Bloor Street and Roots Central locations in Toronto; Georgian Mall in Barrie, Ontario; Centreville in Montreal; Robson Street in Vancouver; and Banff in Alberta). Water safety brochures and Roots clothing featuring the patches are available at retail locations in the Rideau Centre in Ottawa, Yorkdale and The Lodge in Toronto and Whistler, British Columbia, in addition to stores where lifejackets are sold. The lifejackets without patches are available at Canadian Tire.

“Lifejackets should always be worn in and around the water,” says Rima. “We hope that our partnership with the Lifesaving Society will increase awareness of their importance and help create a positive change.”

COMING IN FOR APPLAUSE Roots crowned for its online creativity at two major international competitions

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oots long ago recognized the importance of its online presence to the company’s future development. It has always understood that to be effective, its internet offerings have to be at once relevant, user-friendly, informative and aesthetically engaging.

This year, Roots received international recognition for its online work in two important competitions. In both cases, the acclaim was due to the website prompted by the Roots Douglas Coupland collaboration last summer.

Modern, flashy and edgy, the site was selected in late April as the “Most Effective Online Brand Awareness Campaign” in the Excellence in Interactive Marketing Awards show (EIMA). This annual Texas-based competition salutes creativity and innovation in the field of interactive marketIssue 101 - Summer 2011

ing. Besides Roots, the finalists in the “Brand Awareness Campaign” category were Jack Daniels and the Wholly Guacamole campaign.

EIMA winners in other categories included Chevrolet, Home Depot, Lego and Gap.

In May, a few weeks after the EIMA awards, Roots was chosen as a finalist in the Art category of the Webby Awards. The Webbys recognize outstanding websites, interactive advertising, online film and video, and mobile content.

Since 1996, the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences in New York has presented the annual Webby Awards for excellence on the Internet.

Along with the RootsxDouglasCoupland website, nominees in the art category this year included many major names in online media, such as the Adobe Museum of Digital Media; the Museum of Modern Art’s Bauhaus: Workshops for Modernity; Mural Explorer; and YouTube Play, which was selected as the winner.

“A few of our objectives when we developed the site were to surprise the user at every turn, create a slightly different experi-

ence each time one visited it, hopefully get the user somewhat lost in the experience and not be like any other site,” says James Connell, VP of E-Commerce and New Media. “We achieved all of those goals, and the combination of incredible art, videos and photography with that experience set us apart from almost all of the other entries.”

The creation of the website was a collaborative effort between several people at Roots and various external individuals.

James was responsible for establishing the overall concept, finding the agency that developed the site (Farstar) and providing creative direction to them. Others involved include artist Douglas Coupland; filmmaker Anthony Green, who shot and edited the videos; and Sarah Townshend, Roots Website Designer, who did the production photography.

The Source • 5

FIT FOR A PRESIDENT When Bill Clinton comes to Canada, Roots is often on his itinerary

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Roots is now part of the Rocky Mountaineer experience in the Rockies

RIDING THE RAILS Roots creates co-branded leather line for Rocky Mountaineer’s acclaimed vacation packages

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very excited to include a Canahe breathtaking, postcarddian-made leather program into perfect sights of Canada’s their retail selection. We deRocky Mountains have always held a special place in the signed the custom Rocky Mountaineer line to support the hearts of Canadians and foreign visitors alike. The aqua-coloured whole customer experience, choosing the styles and vintage lakes and snow-capped peaks create a scenic playground that is tribe leather specifically to hard to resist. enhance the feeling of train Rocky Mountaineer, a luxury travel. So far, the feedback has been nothing but positive as train service that travels through the Rockies, approached Roots about a possible business collaboration last fall. The company was seeking high-quality retail products to sell on its trains and at its outposts in Alberta and British Columbia. They obviously came to the right place.

Coordinated by The Rocky Business-To-Business Account Manager Anne Mountaineer Banff Bag Marie Hargreaves, Roots created a cocustomers really enjoy the look branded line of leather products and quality of the Roots items.” that includes a Banff Bag, travel kit, Village Bag, luggage tags Since its launch in 1990, Rocky Mountaineer has become and a change purse. Made in the the largest privately owned Roots factory in Toronto, much of the line was created in vintage passenger rail service in North America. In 2009, National tribe leather to evoke a sense of Geographic magazine deemed it old-world train travel.

“It’s been a lot of fun one of the “World’s Greatest Trips.” Its vacation packages working with Rocky Mountainvisit Calgary, Banff and Jasper in eer to design this custom leather retail collection,” says Anne Alberta and Vancouver, Kamloops, Whistler and Quesnel Marie. “They truly appreciate in British Columbia. the values of Roots and were 6 • The Source

ormer US President Bill Clinton can’t seem to stay away from Roots. Recently, over a period of three weeks, he dropped in to stores in two provinces.

While in Vancouver to speak at the 2011 Community Foundations of Canada conference, Clinton visited the Robson St. store before addressing more than 700 community philanthropy professionals.

“All the Secret Service agents were what we noticed first,” says Trevor Marshall, an Assistant Manager at Robson. “Then we realized that Bill Clinton was in the store, looking around in the women’s section.”

When Keyholder Jennifer Confurius spotted Clinton, she immediately went over to introduce herself, and together they picked out some men’s vintage graphic T-shirts. Clinton told Jen that it was the bags on display in the window that had initially caught his eye, so she brought him to the leather section where he went straight for the Banff Tote and the Itote, both in Tribe leather. He said he planned to give the bags as a gift to his son-in-law.

Hours later, the store was inundated with people who had come straight from the conference. According to several customers, Clinton had raved about Roots during his speech, speaking highly of both the company and the exceptional customer service he had received that afternoon.

Ten days later, Clinton was back in Vancouver for another conference and made a return visit to Robson to pick up two more Banff Totes. Jen welcomed him back to the store, and when she complimented him on his outfit, he thanked her, but said that he needed to buy a brown

belt, as he had forgotten to put one on that day.

Jen selected a couple of belts for him to try on, let him into a change room, and went to go get the Banff Totes. By the time she returned with the bags, Clinton’s presence had drawn a large crowd and one of his Secret Service agents asked Jen whether the store had a back entrance.

After he settled on a belt and picked out a few more T-shirts, Jen took Clinton Bill Clinton and his crew of with Jennifer Secret Service Confurius at agents to the Robson St. store’s back store door. Once outside, Clinton thanked her for her help and suggested they take a picture together. After they posed, a Secret Service agent handed Jen a presidential business card and asked that she send an email with her name and address so they could send her a gift of thanks.

Later that weekend, 3,800 km to the east, Clinton was caught in a downpour in Quebec City, and popped into the nearest Roots location in search of some rain gear. He purchased two UBC Tech Jackets at the Rue de Buade store – one for himself and another for one of his Secret Service agents.

Roots Brand Ambassador Ginette Fillion had been busy when Clinton was in the store but wanted to thank her famous customer, so she went outside to track him down. He was sightseeing in the neighbourhood with his security team, anonymous under the heavy rain, but Ginette spotted his Roots jacket and approached him to introduce herself.

“He made me feel at home,” says Ginette, who asked Clinton if he’d ever shopped at a Roots store before. “He said, ‘Yes! I have T-shirts, I have leather bags, I have sweatshirts, I love Roots!’”

Issue 101 - Summer 2011

IF THESE BOOTS COULD TALK

You never know what will rise to the occasion most when embarking on a major adventure

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or the past year, family of elk in the Joseph McGill of Columbia River Valley in Waterloo, Ontario British Columbia; and has been hitting the open driving out onto the pier road in an epic Canadian in Tofino and realizing he journey. Armed with his had achieved his goal. motorcycle and Roots Tuff “I traveled across boots, he has climbed Canada because I wanted mountains, wandered to experience my own through ancient forests, country,” says Joseph. marveled at the vast “When people talk about expanse of the Prairies and adventure traveling, so even ventured north of the often their first instinct is Artic Circle on his solitary to go to Europe, Asia or trek from Waterloo to Australia. This trip was Tofino, British Columbia. the first time I had ever On the trip, Joseph’s done any real traveling, so Roots boots played a I wanted to explore my central role. Throughout own home before setting their year traversing the out to see other parts of country, the boots have the world.” experienced some inevitaLike any travel A good fit and a trusted companion in a year-long cross-country road trip ble wear and tear but still experience, Joseph’s hold a special place in Joseph’s Boorman on long-distance visited every province west of journey had a couple rough heart. While recently looking for motorcycle trips as they take the Quebec, spent two months in moments. A rural Saskatchewan a new pair at the Conestoga Mall longer, less traveled route from Iqaluit, Nunavut and detoured thunderstorm caused some stress store in Waterloo, he shared point A to B. Joseph was further down the west coast of the in particular. Finding himself several stories from his trip with inspired by the 2008 Canadian United States. While on a beach caught in the middle of dark Store Manager Jared film One Week. Starring Cananext to the Pacific Ocean in clouds, wind, rain and lightning, Foxworthy, who felt it would be dian actor Joshua Jackson, it Oregon, he noticed the imprint he had difficulty finding a safe of interest to readers of The tells the story of a young man he had been leaving behind haven on the open plains.

Source. recently diagnosed with terminal throughout his odyssey.

Eventually, he found a wooden In a country as large and cancer and his motorcycle “I was walking on the beach shack to take cover in. Upon geographically diverse as journey from Toronto to Vanone afternoon when I happened further inspection, he realized Canada, the decision to travel by couver Island. to turn around and see my the structure housed a lightning motorcycle is not a casual one.

So how did Roots Tuff boots footprints in the sand,” says rod grounded in a small pool of This is particularly true for those fit into this storied tale? Joseph Joseph. “Until then, I hadn’t water – not the safest place to who don’t own a bike or know purchased a pair in 2008 to wear noticed the pattern on the tread wait out the storm. He settled on how to drive one. while motorcycling. Unbeof my boots. As I looked back, I standing by the road with his In Joseph’s case, the wheels knownst to him at the time, they realized I had been leaving motorcycle, embracing the were, quite literally, set in would become his trusted maple leaf footprints everywhere storm. Luckily, it only lasted 15 motion when he penned the idea companion two years later when I had been.” minutes. for such a trip on his 2008 he finally bought a bike and set Some highlights from his trip After a year of memorable bucket list. That year, he took a out on his trip. include: being the only camper adventures, Joseph and his Roots motorcycle course in Waterloo One year and 12,500 km in Pancake Bay Provincial Park Tuff boots started their long ride and later received his motorcycle after leaving Waterloo, Joseph on Lake Superior; hiking to the back to Ontario in late June. Up license. and his Roots boots have had Lake Agnes Tea House in Lake next on his travel wish list: “A few years ago, my sister quite the adventure. They’ve Louise, Alberta; staring down a Eastern Canada. and I started making yearly bucket lists,” says Joseph, a 33year-old physiotherapist. “Every Christmas, we sit down and make a list of everything we want to do over the next year.

The one rule is that you can’t exclude anything just because it seems crazy.”

Joseph’s initial inspiration for the trip came from the documentary television series Long Way Round and Long Way Down. The programs follow British actor Ewan McGregor Joseph at his final destination in Tofino, BC Heart and sole: Leaving a Canadian trace behind and actor/adventurer Charley Issue 101 - Summer 2011

The Source • 7

FINE PRINT

A selection of coverage of Roots in the media

LEARNING FROM THE PROS U.S. college students look to Roots in their study of digital marketing

Here are some recent sightings of Roots in the pages of newspapers and magazines:

• Zoomer magazine: July/ August issue. Test Drive section spotlights the women’s Ballet Flats.• Chatelaine: July. Features the Zip Around Wallet.

• Elle Canada/Elle Quebec: July. Capri sandal in black featured.

• Canadian Living: July.

Showcases the Mini Soft Saddle Bag and three bathing suits from the Roots swimwear collection.

• National Post: June 18.

Tuscan leather City Briefcase in tan featured in Father’s Day Gift Guide. Women’s Oxford Shoe also cited.

• Toronto Star: June 9. Kate Bag included in article featuring white accessories to wear in the summer.

• PostCity.com: May 30.

Highlights the Beaver Canoe collection in article about dressing properly for the outdoors during the summer.

• Metro News: May 26.

Features Robbie Robertson unveiling his new Canada Post stamp at Roots flagship store in Toronto.

• Globe and Mail: May 7.

Mother’s Day gift ideas article features Large Monika Clutch in Hibiscus Red. • National Post: May 7.

Orange Blossom Monika Bag included in Mother’s Day special.

• Globe and Mail: May 5.

Village Satchel showcased in a Bright Bags feature.

• Dailysqueeze.com: May 2.

Features the Roots Trainer Crop in San Marzano (vivid red) as a colourful workout wardrobe addition.

• Canadian Family: May. Pink and tan Isleeve included in Mother’s Day feature.

• Where Vancouver: May. Kristina bag in orange featured as a summer essential for moms.

• Lou Lou: May. Features white women’s watch.

• SweetSpot.ca: April 25.

Kristina Bag in bright red chosen as part of the “Mother’s Day Gift Guide.”

• TorontoisFashion.com: April 22. Provided a behindthe-scenes look at the Roots leather factory.

8 • The Source

Roots VP of E-Commerce, James Connell, (second from right) with university digital marketing students

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extbooks, lectures and essays: so passé. The new digital marketing class at Abilene Christian University (ACU) in Abilene, Texas, introduced during the recent winter semester, offers a refreshing alternative to traditional ways of learning. The instructors, which included Mike Willoughby, president of ecommerce services provider PFSweb, employ an innovative approach to teaching, which engages and rewards students.

Roots figures prominently in the course. The curriculum centers on providing the knowledge and skills to complete the all-important final assignment – devising web-marketing strategies aimed at a U.S. market for Roots, a long-time client of PFSweb. It was selected for this case study as PFSweb feels that of all its clients, Roots has the most advanced digital marketing, retargeting and email

marketing. They also believe that Roots would benefit the most from access to a new U.S. market.

To assist the class with their task, ACU asked experts from PFSweb to come in once a week to provide input on topics including product merchandising, establishing trust online and integrating social media. The students gained hands-on experience by sharing their ideas for presentations with the PFS pros. Keeping with this approach, James Connell, VP of E-Commerce, Digital Marketing and New Media, came to watch the students’ presentations in mid-April.

“I definitely agree with the hands-on approach to learning,” says James. “It’s great to contribute to the education of these students, get a fresh perspective on our online business from people who are in our target market, and have additional

GREEN TIP #65 Easy ways to help the environment SOAK IT TO ME: While sprinkler systems elegantly ensure that your garden never gets thirsty, they use as much water in one hour as an entire family can consume in a full day. Sprinklers throw water up in the air, which lands nowhere near the plants’ roots.

Soaker hoses, on the other hand, distribute water at ground level.

Soaker hoses use approxi-

mately 70% less water than sprinkler systems as they are made with extra-thick walls and tiny holes. This allows water flow to be more efficiently directed.

Further, soaker hoses (not to be confused with garden hoses) offer the convenience of a sprinkler system: all you have to do is turn the hose on and off.

You can even set it up with a timer when you’re out of town.

Soaker systems work well for shrub, tree, perennial, annual and vegetable gardens.

• Source: Home Depot Eco Options

research done to determine how we can make business better for all our customers.”

Interestingly, many of the ideas reflected past, present and future marketing initiatives of Roots. James says this suggests that the online work the company has been pursuing is relevant to its target market.

Roots is a strong believer in this practical learning method.

For many years, the company has run a program for co-op students and interns, involving them in various areas of the business, including the ecommerce department.

“I’ve had many interns over the years and they come from all over the world to work with us,” says Victoria Lee, Manager of E-Commerce Operations. “They are quite helpful and a great source of energy and enthusiasm.

The assignments I give them are tasks a regular employee would be completing.”

ON THE MOVE

New appointments at Roots Amber Melanson, District Manager, South Western Ontario Peter Paquette, Director, Visual Merchandising Sandra Tan, Senior Director of Merchandising, Roots 73

SPEAK UP! Please send your letters, photos or story ideas to thesource@roots.com.

Issue 101 - Summer 2011

QUALITY TIME Customers elated by performance of watches and degree of service

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hen Canada’s lakes freeze over during the winter, the ice forms a protective barrier over all that lies beneath – plants, fish and… watches? At least one Roots watch spent this past winter hibernating underwater and made it out little worse for wear.

Last fall, Joanne Lajeunesse McKay of Hatley, Quebec misplaced her Roots R423 Caprice watch. With no idea where it was, she eventually resigned herself to the loss and replaced it with a new Roots watch.

“I bought a second Roots watch because I get an allergic reaction from other brands,” says Joanne. “A salesperson at The Bay suggested I try a Roots watch because of its stainless steel face. I liked the first one I bought so I thought, why change?”

Then in early May, while clearing away driftwood by her home on Lake Massawippi, she found the missing watch. It had spent the winter months in the lake and Joanne doubted it would ever come back to life.

After letting it dry out, she

replaced the battery. To her amazement, it immediately started working again, good as new. Now she is the proud owner of two Roots watches.

Manufactured by licensee Cosmoda Corpora- Roots watch put to the test after a winter in the lake tion, all Roots watches use long-life, mercurycustomers have when wearing free batteries and PCP- and the product, especially when AZO-free leather bands. PCP their watches exceed their (Pentachlorophenol) is an expectations and perform under insecticide and fungicide that has extreme conditions. We love it been used in the manufacture of when our products put a smile on many products, including some people’s faces. This story put a leather goods. AZO (Aromatic smile on mine.”

Amines) are dyes that are Cosmoda has made watches generally used in the making of for Roots since 1993 and textiles, fur, leather, rubber and provides the same high level of plastic products. Both comcustomer service that Roots pounds have been found to cause customers have come to expect. adverse health effects and are This spring, Cleveland State not used in the manufacturing of University law professor any Roots watch bands.

Michael Davis experienced “This is a great story,” says Cosmoda’s attentive service Jenn Hughes, Director of Brand first-hand. Initially skeptical of Marketing at Cosmoda. “We’re dealing with the licensee, he always thrilled to hear about soon realized his concerns were positive experiences that Roots unfounded.

While visiting Whistler, British Columbia this winter, Michael bought a Roots watch for his 8-year-old daughter. After a few days, its hands started to stick, causing the watch to stop working. When he returned to Whistler in the spring, Roots gave him a postage-paid envelope to send the watch to Cosmoda directly. Though he doubted an outside vendor would do a good job, he sent the watch anyway. Three weeks later, he received an email explaining that a faulty battery had caused the watch’s woes and that it would be back in his daughter’s possession shortly.

“I must say my initial skepticism was unwarranted and just reflected the innate suspicions of a New Yorker, even one familiar with the very different habits of our more honest and trustworthy neighbours to the north,” says Michael. “I could not be more happy with the watch, Roots and Cosmoda.”

In addition to Roots stores, Roots watches are sold at Sears, The Bay, duty free stores and 600 other retail locations across Canada.

KIDS STUFF TAKES ROOT Asian launch of new collection kicks off in Taiwan with special events

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n mid-May, in the latest development of the ongoing expansion of Roots overseas, Taiwan was the scene for the launch of Roots Kids in Asia.

The line features classic Roots styles – full-zipper hoodies, Kanga Hoodies, crew neck sweatshirts, T-shirts, fleece shorts and sweatpants. As part of the launch, Roots organized two special events that attracted widespread media coverage through a presentation of the collection, while also providing entertainment for the many kids that attended.

Over the past 15 years, Roots has become one of the most popular lifestyle brands in Taiwan. With 40 stores and counting, its high profile there mirrors its prominence at home in Canada.

The main launch event for the Roots Kids collection took Issue 101 - Summer 2011

Model Patina Lin, (right), on the runway for Roots Kids

place in Taiwan’s capital city, Taipei, at a large banquet hall in the city’s tallest skyscraper. In attendance was Patina Lin, a Taiwanese celebrity model who participated in a fashion show of the new line, and later took part in a Q&A session with the press.

Another highlight was a performance by Ifkids Theatre, a Taiwanese acting troupe that produces shows for children.

They put on a play called Beaver Loves Earth – the title no doubt a literal translation from the original Taiwanese version. A popular local FM radio DJ hosted the entire event, which attracted around 90 journalists and was featured in that evening’s news by two Taiwanese TV stations.

A few days later, Roots Taiwan put together a Kids Collection VIP event for customers in its loyalty program and their children. The family-oriented

afternoon took place in the outdoor Kong Mitsukoshi XinYi New Life Square in Taipei.

Activities for the children included a performance of the Beaver Loves Earth play by Ifkids Theatre, a balloon specialist and a washable-tattoo station.

Adults received free refreshments and had the opportunity to watch a presentation of the Roots Kids Collection.

Presentation of a Roots-themed play by a Taiwanese acting troupe

The Source • 9

NEW & NOTEWORTHY A guide to just-launched Roots products

Adelaide Down Vest, Fatigue, $138

Vintage RA Kanga Hoody, Salt & Pepper, $74

Varsity Jacket, Cabernet, $98

Sorority Tote, Alberta Leather, Truffle, $268

Ballet Flats, Prince Leather, Black, $158 Mini Kate Bag, Tribe Leather, Africa, $168 Zip Around Wallet, Tribe Leather, Purple, $148

Boyfriend Sweatpant, Blue Iris, $64 Pocketbook, Tribe Leather, Desert, $198 10 • The Source

Varsity Fleece Mini, Salt & Pepper, $48 Issue 101 - Summer 2011

NEW & NOTEWORTHY A guide to just-launched Roots products Borden Baseball T, White/Blue Iris, $42

Brock Henley, Medium Grey Mix, $58

Granville Hooded Softshell, Black, $155 Trailblazer Messenger Bag, Prince Leather, Black Nylon, $348

City Briefcase, Tan Tuscan, $388

Oxford, Tribe Leather, Africa, $158

I-Satchel, Tribe Leather, Africa, $248 Lawrence Shawl Collar Sweater, India Ink, $82

Bronze Medallion T-shirt, White, $34

Stanford Club Jacket, Grey Mix/Black, $90 Issue 101 - Summer 2011

The Source • 11

SCORING ON A BREAKAWAY New hockey-themed film with a twist leads to an original collaboration

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ver the years, Roots has customized products to highlight countless places, causes, organizations and cultural initiatives. But for the first time, Roots has created an item that celebrates India and ice hockey, an unlikely pair that come together seamlessly in the new men’s Breakaway Award Jacket.

On the left sleeve, a patch features crossed hockey sticks; an Indian flag hangs from one while a Canadian flag hangs from the other, and a puck sits beneath them. Roots designed the jacket in conjunction with the producers of Breakaway, a film about an improbable allSikh hockey team in suburban Toronto.

Roots has a long history of involvement with special

all-Sikh ice hockey team called projects to create custom Award the Toronto Maple Sikhs,” he Jackets. Producers often order recounts. “It was basically Singh jackets as gifts for cast and crew passes to Singh, Singh shoots on members, but these specialty Singh, Singh misses…” items are rarely made available Traditionto the public. ally, all male The Breakaadherents to way Jacket, the Sikh faith however, is take the same on sale for surname of $498 at Singh, in Roots.com. order to Renowned eliminate Canadian caste discomedian crimination.

Russell The name is Peters stars derived from in Breakaway Comedian Russell Peters wears the Sanskrit and wears the Roots jacket in trailer for Breakaway word for lion. jacket in the Breakaway’s hockey team is film’s new trailer, in which he called the Speedy Singhs, and references a joke from his early their mascot is a lion, a nod to stand-up days. their shared surname.

“I used to do a joke about an

The back of the Breakaway Jacket bears the team name along with the lion head mascot.

The body is navy melton wool and the sleeves are black deerskin. A gold patch on the right sleeve features the Khanda, an emblem that reflects the main concepts of Sikhism: continuity, the power of the creator, and spiritual and political balance in the universe.

Vinay Virmani, who plays the lead and co-wrote the script, recently tweeted a picture of himself in his new Breakaway Award Jacket, as did fellow cast member Anupam Kher. Breakaway also stars Rob Lowe and Camilla Belle and features cameos by rappers Drake, Ludacris, and Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar. The film is slated for release in September.

STANDING GUARD Measures taken to bolster online security for protecting customer details

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s the world becomes inexorably more digital and people conduct more of their life online, new opportunities arise for those with nefarious motives. According to ComScore, a leader in measuring internet-related developments around the world, Canadians spend more time online than any other country. We browse and often buy an infinite array of products and services with a few clicks of our mouse.

While these services can save time and make our lives easier, they aren’t without risk.

In recent months, large companies, notably Sony and Honda, have experienced security breaches that affected millions of customers across Canada.

Compromised information included customer names, email addresses, passwords, birth dates and, in some cases, even credit card information.

As a company with an extensive e-commerce operation, Roots makes the protection of customer information a top priority. With hackers constantly on the prowl, no company can

12 • The Source

claim to be invincible. However, it can act proactively and take steps to make its online activities as secure as possible. Since launching its online services in the late 1990s, Roots has never experienced a security breach that has exposed customer data.

The company uses advanced security certificates when collecting information online.

This means that data entered by customers is encrypted while being transferred between their computer and the Roots servers.

“Online transactions are just as secure as those that occur in-

person,” says James Connell, VP of E-commerce and Marketing. “In the offline world, more data thefts occur on a daily basis than they do online, but it happens one card at a time so the incidents aren’t often reported in the media. The largest threat to personal data security online is submitting information to a dubious website that is either impersonating a more reputable business or engaging in questionable business practices, like get-rich-quick schemes and offers for free products or services. Just like in the real

world, if it looks too good to be true, it likely is.”

The e-commerce provider for Roots and its order management systems also use advanced methods of encryption. Both service providers require multiple authorized personnel to access customer information vaults. This means that no one person has access to it at any time. In addition, both are PCI (Payment Card Industry) Level 1 certified by the Security Standards Council (SSC), indicating that they are at the lowest vulnerability of credit card attack. Founded by several leading credit card providers including American Express, MasterCard and Visa, the SSC is responsible for developing and implementing credit card security standards.

“At Roots, we work with some of the best and most secure service providers to protect our customer data the best we can,” says James. “We have access to experts who review the newest technology and schemes by fraudsters to keep us up-to-date with the latest security solutions.”

Issue 101 - Summer 2011

MAKING IT REAL Roots celebrated as iconic brand at Canadian Club event in Toronto

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he focus was squarely on Roots during a recent luncheon held by the Canadian Club at Toronto’s Fairmont Royal York Hotel. In early June, nearly 300 people attended the event, titled: Making it Real: Behind the Canadian and International Success of Roots.

Roots Co-Founder Michael Budman joined a distinguished roster of prime ministers, presidents, business titans, celebrated entertainers and athletes and other prominent figures when he was invited to be the keynote speaker at the Canadian Club event.

In conversation with CBC senior business correspondent Amanda Lang, Michael discussed Roots and the importance of manufacturing in Canada. He spoke about the decision to keep the leather factory in the country, despite recommendations from consultants to close the facility and move production abroad.

“Manufacturing is part of our DNA,” said Michael, citing the strong influence of both his own father and Co-Founder Don Green’s late father. “From day one, we always wanted to make the products ourselves. No matter what anyone said, we

CBC Correspondent Amanda Lang interviews Michael Budman about Roots at CC event

decided we were going to make the leather goods in Canada.

Keeping the manufacturing here is one of the best decisions we ever made.”

Michael told the audience that having access to the factory, which employs more than 200 people, is important to him, and that great creativity comes from the shop floor. Being able to come up with an idea for a product on a Monday and produce it by Friday, in time to test it in stores over the weekend, is one of the advantages of having a factory in Toronto as opposed to overseas.

Keeping things local was a theme at the lunch. Attendees listened to Canadian music

legend Robbie Robertson’s new album while dining. Under the high ceiling of the storied Imperial Room, guests enjoyed local, organic produce and ate ice cream with honey harvested from beehives kept on the roof of the hotel.

Established in 1897, the Canadian Club is a forum for leading figures in politics, business, law, the arts, and the media to discuss issues of current interest.

Immediately after the lunch, Lang took to the stage with Michael. She began by showing the feature report she did on Roots manufacturing in Canada, which was broadcast last December on CBC’s The

National. Guests were then encouraged to submit questions on cards, which were collected periodically throughout the interview. These queries were interspersed with Lang’s own questions, many of which focused on the costs of manufacturing in Canada.

Michael explained that branding Roots as Canadian is not economic patriotism, but rather a choice he and Don made because they truly love manufacturing. He lamented that Roots has to import leather from Italy because Canada no longer has tanneries that meets its needs.

Michael also said that making goods domestically is not always feasible.

“There are certain apparel products that are impossible to make here,” he said, “but wherever we can, we try to make it in Canada.”

Keeping production in Canada is not only important to those who work in manufacturing, but to consumers as well.

“It’s who we are and what the essence of the company is all about,” said Michael. “Canadians love their hockey and they also love their Canadian-made products.”

• A video of the interview is available at www.canadianclub.org.

WELL RECEIVED A Toronto welcome for hundreds of visiting hotel concierges

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edicated to meeting the varied needs and requests of their guests, hotel concierges are rarely on the receiving end of special treatment. Yet in April, concierges from around the globe experienced some Canadian hospitality courtesy of Roots. Each of the 600 attendees of the 58th Union Internationale des Concierges d’Hôtels (UICH) Congress in Toronto received a customized Roots 24-Hour Bag. In addition, more than 200 visiting concierges from Brazil, Korea, Belgium, the United States and beyond enjoyed an afternoon of shopping and refreshments at the Roots flagship store on Toronto’s Bloor Street.

The conference was hosted

Issue 101 - Summer 2011

by Les Clefs d’Or Canada, a non-profit association of concierges. As a member of UICH, Canadian concierges are part of an international network of more than 3,500 professionals from 42 countries.

“I love the Roots bag,” says Holly Stiel, who debuted her new book, The Art and Science of the Hotel Concierge, at the Toronto congress. “I love the

weight of the bag. I love how the straps feel. I love the size. I love the feel of the leather. It’s such a great gift.”

An attendee of UICH congresses for the past 33 years, Holly is a concierge turned author, trainer, consultant, speaker and coach.

In 1978, she became the first American woman admitted into Les Clefs d’Or and was one of the founding members of its US chapter.

Members of Les Clefs d’Or, meaning “the golden keys,” are devoted to “service through

friendship” and have a knack for making the impossible possible for their guests. Identified by the crossed gold keys on their uniform lapels, they can be found at four and five-star hotels and resorts in every region of the world.

Holly Stiel: One of the world’s top hotel concierge trainers

The Source • 13

ROOTS TO THE RESCUE Baby ducks find safe haven in Ottawa store

Roots: Destination of choice for ducklings rescued from city street

I

DÉJÀ VU A vintage Roots moment from 1979 In the late 1970s, Roots began diversifying its product line with the introduction of stylish apparel, including vintage-inspired varsity letter sweaters seen above. And who better to model them than Roots CoFounders Michael Budman, (left), and Don Green. This photo, taken in Toronto on University Avenue in the summer of 1979, was used for an ad in Andy Warhol’s Interview magazine promoting Roots apparel at Saks Fifth Avenue stores in the United States.

t was an early spring morning in Ottawa when Roots customer Carol found six ducklings attempting to cross busy Bank Street in the South Keys area. With the babies’ mother nowhere in sight, Carol herded the ducks into her son’s backpack out of harm’s way. In a rush to get to a special needs event with her son, she needed to entrust her new brood to someone else’s watchful eye.

So where to drop them off? At Roots, of course!

Carol knew of the company’s eco-responsible reputation and the pet-friendly nature of its stores, so she brought the

ducklings to the Roots store in the nearby South Keys Shopping Centre. Assistant Manager Alice Cardozo and Sales Associate Sierra Phillips were touched by Carol’s concern for the ducks and offered to watch over them. They called the Humane Society and happily babysat the tiny ducks until they could be picked up.

“Taking care of the ducklings was such a surprising and wonderful way to start off the day,” says Alice. “It was so great to see the Earthfriendly reputation of Roots in action.”

DESTINATION: SUNSHINE COAST Thousands compete in contest for prize of a holiday in British Columbia nature haven

S

tarting with Ontario’s Algonquin Park, the breathtaking beauty of the Canadian landscape has always been a key component of Roots.

The country’s boundless nature and wilderness figure prominently in many visuals for the brand.

In recent years, especially when seasonal considerations make shooting in Algonquin Park impractical, the Roots creative team has used other locations in Canada as the backdrop to photograph new collections. In each case, the place had to reflect the aesthetics and lifestyle of the company.

In the spring, the rugged 14 • The Source

that Roots decided to use the nature of British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast as the prize Sunshine Coast provided an destination in a sweepstakes it ideal setting for the Roots ran from early May until midOutfitters Collection photo June. With no roads connecting shoot, which was done in conjunction with the BC Tourism to it, the Sunshine Coast is a secluded natural haven in Board. Launched in early May, southern BC that can only be the collection featured an reached extensive by water. selection of “I feel outdoorslike the inspired contest is clothing and helping camping our gear. customers The make a response to connecthe camtion with paign was The Sunshine Coast: Only accessible by the place boat or plane so positive

where we shot the campaign,” says James Connell, VP of ECommerce, Digital Marketing and New Media. “It reminds our customers that we are a Canadian company that likes to promote Canadian places, people and initiatives.”

The contest required entrants to fill in a short, standard, online form with their contact information. Each person was normally limited to one entry per day.

However, by watching the Roots Outfitters video on the company’s website, participants received a bonus code, granting them three extra entries. The winner was selected through a random draw in late June.

Issue 101 - Summer 2011

SOMETHING IN THE AIR Never seen but always heard, Roots Radio plays central role in stores

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usic has always been an intrinsic part of Roots culture, especially in stores where, in the form of Roots Radio, it appeals to employees and customers alike. For this summer’s aural serving, Davin Bujalski, head of Roots Radio, has handpicked a musical mix fit for the season and in keeping with the company’s aesthetic. Over the next few months, expect to hear more reggae than usual as Davin feels its upbeat sound complements the season.

There’s no set musical genre for Roots Radio. Invariably, the selection is lively, eclectic and timeless. What is played is based primarily on the message, voice and upbeat rhythm of each song.

Each week, Davin organizes playlists of songs ranging from oldies to current mainstream.

“The music must have a lasting, staying power that transcends generations,” says Davin, 36, who’s proud his evolving playlists don’t simply repeat popular hits. “One main criterion dominates my choice. I want songs that make people feel glad they came inside Roots today. Even if you don’t know the song, even if it’s an old classic, it should just have that vibe that says Roots.”

Davin frequently consults with Roots Co-Founders Don Green and Michael Budman, both of whom have a strong passion for music and have always had a direct influence on

what’s heard in the stores.

“Along with A good listener: Davin Bujalski’s the sales people passion for music and the physical makes Roots Radio look of the store, a delight for the music has a ears major impact on setting the tone and atmosphere for each location,” says Don. “Michael and I enjoy working with Davin in developing the Roots soundtrack, which is critical to creating the right mood in the stores. The challenge is to have a wide diversity of music The festive atmosphere often while at the same time striking spills out onto the sidewalks of the right balance.”

Bloor Street, where it’s not Roots Regional Leather uncommon to see customers Specialist Andy McCurbin, dancing to the music that flows who works in Toronto’s Bloor through the outdoor speakers.

Street store, explains that while Unlike a conventional radio the choice of songs is critical, so station, Roots Radio does not is the volume. “In the mornings, have commercials. Instead, the music is kept very soothing, Davin replaces them with very calm and not too high,” promotional “musical breaks.” says Andy, whose has long been Many of them are written by involved with Roots Radio.

Andy and spotlight Roots “During major shopping hours, products, upcoming events, staff, the volume reflects a higher and featured friends of the energy but still allows you to company such as legendary speak to people. At around five Canadian musician/singer o’clock, it’s lowered again, but Robbie Robertson, whose latest turned up again at six to keep up album has been playing recently energy going through the on Roots Radio. evening. It’s like a party.”

With his deep, appealing

voice and vast experience as an MC at special events, Andy has a regular presence on Roots Radio doing voice spots. In the months ahead, Davin also plans to introduce additional voices to better reflect the ethnic diversity of Roots staff and customers. To that end, he invites anyone interested in getting involved in Roots Radio to contact him.

In the early days of the business, long before the advent of Roots Radio, each store played individual cassettes, and later, CDs. In time, Don and Michael had customized CDs made for use in the stores. In 2005, Davin created the modernday Roots Radio, using the Internet to broadcast the same music and programming to all the stores.

Today, in addition to overseeing Roots Radio, Davin coordinates various DJs (including himself) who work at the company’s largest stores on weekends and special occasions.

Along with his sound recording and production business, Davin is also the long-time music columnist for The Source.

Looking ahead, Davin has plans to stream Roots Radio online in order to attract a broader audience outside the stores.

If you would like to become a voice on Roots Radio, find out the name of a song played, request a song, or simply give feedback, please email Davin at Roots@rootsradio.com.

- Madeline Kanuka

GREAT MOMENTS IN RETAIL Spotlighting the top performing Roots stores in recent months based on their sales results

Back row: (L to R), Samuel Lin, Vincent Huynh, Stephanie Harris Middle row: (L to R), Cindy Cheng, Leanne Green, Ami Thuevson, Carol Tang, Rajnita Jagpal Front row: (L to R), Mary Yang, Susana So Issue 101 - Summer 2011

Before this issue of The Source went to press, we received the final sales figures for stores in recent months. Taking the top spot for company stores in June was the Rosedale location in Toronto. The month before, it was the Metrotown store, (pictured), in Burnaby, BC. As for the Roots 73/Outlet category, the Trinity Common location in Brampton, Ontario captured top spot in June, while the South Edmonton Common outlet in Edmonton, Alberta took the honours in May. Congratulations to Nathalie Delique, Manager of the Rosedale store; Leanne Green, Manager of the Metrotown store; Nadia Hoang, Manager of the Trinity Common outlet; and Jo Chute, Manager of the South Edmonton Common outlet; and to their respective teams for their exemplary performances.

Hats off to all of the other stores that surpassed their sales goals in June and May. The Source • 15

STAYING POWER

Saluting those who go the distance

Siegmar Pischkitl, DC Forklift Operator, 20 years Maria Torres, Leather Stitcher, 20 years Johanne Chute, Store Manager, 15 years Jeannette Fortin, Assistant Manager, 15 years Mary Jane Saliba, Senior Product Coordinator, 10 years Kevin Smith, Leather Shipper, 10 years Mirjana Vujovic, Store Manager, 10 years Kuo-tsai Yang, DC Material Handler, 10 years Caroline Bain, Sales Associate, 5 years Rosemary Berlingieri, Keyholder, 5 years Monica Chiu, Sales Associate, 5 years Leanne Green, Store Manager, 5 years Lisa Kilfoy, Keyholder, 5 years Sierra Phillips, Sales Associate, 5 years Nora Phommavong, Keyholder, 5 years Kate Riediger, Sales Associate, 5 years Selina Terra, Merchandise Manager, 5 years Pierre Truong, Technician, 5 years

STARTING LINEUP

Introducing the people who make it happen at Roots stores As part of our continuing series of team pictures from the Roots retail family, this issue of The Source is spotlighting the Roots Central (Eaton Centre) store in Toronto, Ontario. Back row left to right: Spencer and Adam. Third row left to right: Marwa, Andrew and Tinley. Second row left to right: Patrick, Kate, Maria, Hatley and Emily. Front row left to right: Peter, Veronica and Luke.

SPEAK TO MY AGENT

The littlest customers show their Roots

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e often receive unsolicited photos from people eager to show us pictures of their children, cousins, grandchildren, or even pets, wearing Roots.

Sometimes the senders ask if we could use the photos in a future advertising campaign for Roots. While we can’t promise that, we are happy to publish them in The Source.

Kael Bujalski, 3 months, Toronto

Everyone is welcome to submit their favourite shots to be considered for publication. Please send your pictures to photogallery@roots.com.

Be sure to include the name and age of each child or pet in the photo, where it was taken, place of residence and a sentence stating that you agree for the photos to be used in The Source.

Alexe Bossy Lepine, 18 months, Rosemere, QC

Rafael Fischer and son Daniel, 6 months, Jerusalem, Israel

Jack Wetlaufer, left, and Liam Davidson, both 2 years, Toronto 16 • The Source

Nate Perlmutter, 3 years, Toronto Issue 101 - Summer 2011

MUSICAL ROOTS

Spotlighting Dallas Green of City and Colour and Alexisonfire

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is haunting voice resonates with fans and intrigues those who know him only as Dallas Green, front man for the aggressive, posthardcore Canadian band Alexisonfire. However, the versatile songwriter takes a break from screaming and sings a very different tune when he performs by himself under the name City and Colour.

Green has achieved international success writing, recording, and performing folk music under his alias (City and Colour), derived from his first name Dallas, (city), and his surname Green, (colour). A few weeks ago, Green released his third City and Colour studio album, Little Hell, which debuted at #1 on the Billboard Canadian Albums Chart, selling more than 20,000 copies in its first week.

The album was recorded and mixed at Catherine North Studios in Hamilton, ON, at a converted church 65 km from Green’s hometown of St. Catharines. The theme of the album is relationships and, Green explains, focuses on “the little hells you have to go through to get to the really great parts of love and life.”

The record touches on blues, folk and soul, thanks largely to the honesty and natural instrumentation of Green’s vocals.

“With this record, I tried to use every facet of my voice,” says Green. “Low, high, quiet, and loud, so it’s like another

Dallas Green, of City and Colour and Alexisonfire

instrument. I’m just always aiming to become a better player and a better songwriter. This album is a culmination of that.”

Now 30, Green began writing music when he was only 16.

Many of the songs he has written over the years were country and folk-inflected, not exactly Alexisonfire’s usual sound.

“I don’t necessarily write one type of song,” says Green. “I had all these acoustic songs I’d written that were never used for anything. I didn’t know what to do with them.”

“Writing is a very cathartic experience,” explains Green.

“It’s my way of coping with things, whether they’re positive or not, and I think people can often identify with how they’re interpreted.”

Green began to focus on a solo project while touring with Alexisonfire, working on

rewriting his songs during time off between shows. He started to release tracks online under the name City and Colour and, with the encouragement of his manager, soon cut an album from his studio recordings.

Shortly after releasing his freshman record, Sometimes, in 2005, Green began touring on his own, selling out small but intimate venues across Canada.

Before long, City and Colour was playing sold-out shows all over North America and the UK, and in 2006, the album went gold and won a Juno Award for Alternative Album Of The Year.

In spite of the acclaim, Green says that not all Alexisonfire fans embraced his new material.

“There were people who thought the whole project was contrived, that it was put together because it would sell more records than Alexis,” Green says. “But I can’t help what kind of songs come out of me, and all I can hope for is that somebody gets it.”

Balancing bands with two very different sounds is no easy feat but Green handles the pressure with a laissez faire attitude.

“I don’t really decide when it’s time to make an Alexis song and when it’s time to make a City and Colour song. I just never stop playing guitar. I’m always working on writing a better song.” – Davin Bujalski • For more info or to purchase music by City and Colour, visit http://cityandcolour.ca/

HEALTH TIP #62 Easy ways to stay healthy HEALTHY SKIN IS IN: Soaking up the sun may be tempting but you should know its potential hazards. While the UV reflectors tan-seekers used in the 1950s are largely a thing of the past, many people still bake in the sun, risking their health unknowingly. Here a few tips for protecting your skin against the sun: Antioxidants: In addition to harmful UV damage, the sun also produces free radicals – molecules that cause aging and tissue damage. Applying an antioxidant-enriched moisturizer and/or consuming foods and beverages containing antioxidants can help your body prevent these free radicals from attacking.

Covering up: Most people know to cover up when exposed to direct sunlight, especially between 10 am and 3 pm when the sun is most intense. However, for better UV protection, wear dark colours and tightly woven fabrics.

Vitamin D: Myth: A little sun once in a while is healthy as it allows the body to produce vitamin D, which keeps bones healthy and supports the immune system. Fact: Even a little bit of sun causes cellular damage that can lead to aging and cancer.

Still craving a bit of colour?

Currently, it seems there’s only one safe way of getting “the glow.” Studies show that women who use self-tanners spend less time in the sun. It’s never too late to slather up.

• Source: www.health.com

CHEF’S CORNER

Roots-friendly recipes for a healthy diet and to bring pleasure to your palate For this issue’s Chef’s Corner, we present the recipe for making Pea Green Soup.

INGREDIENTS: 8 cups (2 pounds/1kg) frozen peas 1-cup (250mL) light cream (56%) Salt and pepper Grated Parmesan, for serving (optional) Chopped fresh mint leaves DIRECTIONS: 1. Bring 3 cups / 750 ml water to a boil in a saucepan with a Issue 101 - Summer 2011

pinch of salt.

2. Add the peas, bring back to the boil, cover, and cook until soft, about 10 minutes.

3. Blend to a purée with an immersion blender. Strain into a clean saucepan.

4. Stir in the cream, season according to taste, and serve with chopped mint and Parmesan scattered on top.

Try serving this soup chilled for a refreshing summer alternative

Prep time: 5 min Cook time: 30 min Servings: 4 Source: www.foodnetwork.ca The Source • 17

18 • The Source

Issue 101 - Summer 2011