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Contributions
PRESIDENT’S Letter Dear Reader,
President: Jeel Shah Editor-In-Chief: Pearl Leung Managing Editor: Dimple Prajapati Creative Director: Serena Pece Writers: Gisela Haryanto Katya Kisselev Kelly Huynh Max Strychaluk Naomi Aregawi Vidish Parikh Editors: Brady Lauze Katya Kisselev Kelly Huynh Nicole Molinari Pearl Leung Graphic Designers: Karen Chow Serena Truong Cover Photo: Serena Truong
Everything old is new, again. It seems that the future is, as Peter Thiel put is in Zero to One, pessimistically indefinite. Our society feels that the future is bleak and doesn’t know what to do about it. This issue of the Atrium is about “Imagination.” We have taken a different approach to magazine in terms of design and content; gone are the issues of an ordered, well structured, cover. We have decided to venture out into the unknown and begin exploration. For all of the pessimism that exists today, my fervent belief is that the future is bright and it is our responsibility to grab it forcefully and design it, shape it and build it. My hope for you, dear Reader, is to imagine viscerally and think of the future which ought to be and set out to build it. It’s not undoable, it’s not impossible, it simply requires effort, planning and a constant, healthy imagination. This where we must be uncompromising. If everyone thinks and acts this way then the old won’t be new again; original ideas will be conceived and born into a reality which supports their construction. The future is (and will be) bright. I wish you the best of luck today and thereafter. Most sincerely, Jeel Shah President
EDITOR’S Desk Imagination is powerful. Simply by adopting a creative mindset, barriers are broken down and opportunities become endless. It is my hope that as you flip through these pages, you will be inspired to step out of your comfort zone and think outside the box. The first half of this issue conducts an introspective examination of imagination, exploring how you can leverage your creativity to be successful. With articles looking at the importance of keeping an open mind and how creativity plays into critical thinking, I hope you will finish this chapter with new ideas and a desire to tap into your creative potential. The second half of this issue examines the imagination of others, showcasing inventive advertising campaigns run by some of the world’s most renowned companies and delving into the minds of last year’s Ice Week champions. It is truly the forward thinkers who can overcome limits to build new technologies, implement more effective strategies, and move society forward. I hope that this chapter not only sparks some crazy ideas of your own, but motivates you to act on them. After all, we all have the potential to be visionaries and leaders in our fields—it just takes a bit of imagination, some solid planning, and a tiny pinch of luck. Pearl Leung Editor-In-Chief
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WHY YOU SHOULD NEVER STOP DREAMING BIG “Never lose sight of your dreams because they make you who you are.”
BY VIDISH PARIKH
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his past year has been a rollercoaster for me. It started with excitement and anticipation as I worked through my university applications. Feelings of joy and sadness quickly followed as I began to accept that my time in high school was slowly coming to an end. It was time for a new chapter—a fresh start The transition from high school to university has been intimidating—even frustrating at times. Naturally, as a first-year student, I came into university with many ambitions, but was not sure quite what to expect. Now, as I look back on my first year at university, I think I can say it has been the best one yet.
This does not mean that there haven’t been any stressful times because, trust me, there have been. There will be days when everything seems to be going wrong and your whole world is crashing down in front of you. These days will make you feel like you just want to give up. “I can’t do this,” you may say. Think again. This is the time, more than ever, that you need to remember what you are here for. What is your ultimate goal? Never lose sight of your dreams because they make you who you are. In many ways,university is about finding yourself and what you are truly passionate about. So, be persistent. Take advantage of your opportunities to get involved and do not let a mistake discourage you. Let me give you an example. I have always had a passion for writing. This, along with my interest in public speaking, has sparked my desire for a career in corporate law and journalism. As a result, I spent my first year searching for ways to get career experience while pursuing my passions. In fact, I started researching ways to get involved during the summer, even prior to my first year.
Sometimes you have to take calculated risks. This means never underestimating yourself and following your intuition through difficult times. It is important to seize opportunities because, more often than not, they only come once. Take small steps and celebrate each accomplishment while remembering the role it plays in helping you achieve your larger goal. Never let anyone discourage you from doing something. Have this “can’t give up, won’t give up” attitude. I truly believe that there are things that each of us are meant to do. I am currently majoring in Economics and working towards completing a minor in French. In my opinion, the advantages of being bilingual, especially in my desired profession, are numerous. However, studying French at university was extremely difficult at first and there have been times when I have had the desire to just give up. Every time I have this desire, I remember that my hard work will pay off in the long-run. I recall questioning my own decision to take French during my first semester at university. But with a lot of work and a little bit of luck, I was able to succeed. As I started to get better results, I began to understand the importance of just believing in yourself. You are capable of more than you think. In my example, I realized that studying French was something that I could do if I was willing to put a little effort in and challenge myself. At the end of the day, regret is one of the worst feelings you can experience. So, my message to you is just keep moving forward, day by day, little by little. Push yourself and expand your horizons. It will pay off, I promise.
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GET YOURSELF NOTICED: BUILDING AN EFFECTIVE PERSONAL BRAND “...Your personal brand must highlight your unique characteristics and qualities.”
BY KELLY HUYNH
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ersonal branding is the practice of marketing yourself, placing emphasis on your skills and qualifications . Successfully marketing yourself is not as easy as it seems: you might follow a “template” when you brand yourself; however, to truly stand out amongst others, your personal brand must highlight your unique characteristics and qualities. Personal branding requires consistently updating your portfolio so the people around you are aware that you are active in your career. To begin building your portfolio, there are important aspects and things to keep in mind, starting off with yourself. Start off by picturing yourself as a brand. What do you want to be associated with? How do you want to be perceived by your clients, employers, and colleagues? Personal branding involves bringing value to yourself. It makes no sense to brand yourself when you have no value, nothing to offer. This leads us to my second point: emphasize your value by associating yourself with well-known, strong brands. To do this, use the three C’s: company, college, and colleagues. On your portfolio, mention past employers to demonstrate your experience and knowledge across different fields or your expertise in one particular area. Speaking of your educational background is also important. Your educational qualifications can demonstrate your hard skills and can include the university or college you attended, and any designation that you have completed or are in the process of pursuing, such as the CPA. Mentioning your relationship with colleagues is beneficial if it is someone well-known in the industry.
really differentiate yourself from others who are trying to achieve the same goal as you, you need to be creative and unique. How can being imaginative take your personal brand to the next level? Take Walt Disney, creator of The Walt Disney Company, for example. He had original ideas and an open mind to innovation and implementation. He did not stop when he created the iconic Mickey Mouse, but went on to dream up the Disney Princesses and the rest of the Mickey Mouse Gang. Being creative and unique is fundamental to successfully branding yourself because not only does it differentiate you from everyone else, but it helps you stand out among those who are not creative with their personal branding. Accessibility is key. Branding is useless if the group you are targeting can’t see it. Therefore, it is beneficial to have a social media account specifically for your personal branding, such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, or your own website. These tools allow you to easily control how you want others to perceive you and your skill. It also makes it easier for employers or clients to find and contact you. As a result, you’ll start to see more opportunities open up. Arming yourself with these tips will help you build an effective personal brand. Remember, start with the basics, know your goal, then figure out a way to truly make yourself unique. Lastly, make sure your persona is accessible to your desired industry and employer. With this simple formula in mind, you can show the world that you’re one of a kind.
An effective personal brand requires having a mission— ask yourself what you want to get out of your brand. To
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A STUDY OF MINDS: THE VALUE OF DIFFERING PERSPECTIVES “...We each bring our own mindsets when we approach the unknown.”
BY VIDISH PARIKH
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icture this: You go to class one morning and find yourself in a group discussion with some of your classmates. Each of you decide to explain why you chose to study at Wilfrid Laurier University.
ing them an opportunity to introduce themselves, first informally and then more professionally.
One of you might begin by concentrating on the countless academic programs the university has to offer. Someone might touch on the diverse clubs around campus that give them the chance to get involved while pursuing their passions. Laurier’s tight-knit community might also be mentioned due to its relatively small size compared to other universities. The strong school spirit and willingness to make everyone feel welcome could be another potential line of argument.
What I heard intrigued me. Christine started off the informal introduction by explicitly emphasizing that she was talking informally. “Informally, hi. My name is Christine. I am a fourth-year health science student. I really, really, really like Harry Potter. I am a really big fan. I like to read […] and I like being outside, and lastly, I really like animals.” While she spoke about activities that she enjoyed, Yohann concentrated on the place he was from in his informal introduction. In particular, he explained that he was “from Toronto and went to Cawthra Park Secondary school.”
The point is, each of your group members, including yourself, will have differing perspectives. After all, your responses are a product of your personal experience. You might share the same opinion on many things, but you won’t agree on everything.
Now, it’s quite clear that Christine was enthusiastic--she repeated the word “‘really” three times. But what you cannot tell by words alone is the tone of their voices. They both spoke with much more emotion in their informal introduction compared to their professional one.
However, this is what makes a discussion so enjoyable the fact that you have to learn to acknowledge another person’s perspective. Without this, the world would be quite a monotone and melancholy place.
They also each decided to concentrate on different things in their informal introduction, suggesting that we present ourselves differently depending on the context of the situation.
A complex range of factors shape our perspectives. What follows then is an exploration into two different points of view: one of first-year economics student Yohann Huidrom and the other of fourth-year health science student Christine Tadros. I asked both students the same series of questions, hoping to see the differences in their perspectives.
When asked to introduce himself professionally, Yohann got up to firmly shake my hand. Both of their tones also got much more serious. They each highlighted their career aspirations. Christine noted that, one day, she hoped to become an Allied Health Professional and Yohann acknowledged that he is a student at the Lazaridis school of business and wants to be an Entertainment Lawyer.
As with any conversation, I decided to start off by giv-
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I also noticed that they both said their full name - first and last - in the professional context. Then I decided to ask each of them where they saw themselves in five years, after they graduated. What I anticipated was that Christine, the fourth-year student, would emphasize more on her career whereas Yohann would bring the discussion back to his first year as he had just entered university. However, they were equally focused on their long-term careers. “I am more focused on finding a job […] I want to keep going, keep learning,” said Christine. “Hopefully, I would like to finish law school in entertainment law so I can start being an entertainment attorney,” Yohann replied. The main difference arose when I asked them: If you had to choose to live without one of your five senses, which one would you choose and why? Christine spent a great deal of time explaining the rationale behind her choice. This allowed me to put myself in her shoes and understand her mindset. “It’s either between smell and taste. I think I would give up taste. If you can smell food, you would be able to tell if the food is good or if you don’t like it.” Yohann employed a different strategy. He chose to give up smell. Interestingly enough, he also narrowed down his options between smell and taste, ultimately acknowledging that “the thing is, when you taste the food it’s so much different than actually smelling the food because you can feel it. So, that’s why if [he] had to lose one sense, [he] would lose the sense of smell.” What is interesting is that, although both students used a similar reasoning to eliminate which senses were absolutely vital, they arrived at two different outcomes. I then went on to ask them whether they would rather be a jack of many trades or a master of one. Christine and Yohann both agreed that being a jack of many trades was preferable, and they both used the phrase ‘transferrable skills’ in their response. Christine explained she would love to learn as many things as she can. “I would rather be able to do many things,” she said. On the other hand, Yohann used a rhetorical question to provoke thought. He pointed out: “Why would you pick someone who can do one job when you have a person who can do that one job and can assist you in more.”
year students. Yohann, as a first year himself, said “when it comes to academics don’t mess around. Don’t let high school bother you. Leave the past behind and look forward to the future.” When I asked each of them what they were most grateful for, they related the discussion back to family. This showed me that, in both their views, their families played a large role in their successes as individuals. Christine said, “I think a lot of the things I am grateful for I wouldn’t be able to have without my family,” and Yohann agreed. He explained “my family is the biggest reason I am here today.” Both also discussed how grateful they were for the opportunities they were given to study in Canada. Ultimately, their responses showed me two things. One, our differences are what give us a voice; they are what make us unique. This is why your truth is different from my truth. And two,we are each a product of our our experiences. This is why we each bring our own mindsets when we approach the unknown. For me, it was clear that both Christine and Yohann had a similar way of thinking despite their age gap. The differences in viewpoints arose more as a result of their areas of study. Yohann used more of a business and economics mindset when approaching the questions while Christine went further past her program. Christine had an added feeling of comfort as she was nearing the end of her university career and was able therefore more comfortable providing more holistic advice on her four year university career. This is likely due to her vast experiences as a university student. This leads us to the conclusion that our opinions are inherently influenced by our areas of study but that our experiences,as an individual, make us more comfortable when delivering advice. In a sense, citing an example from your personal life is a persuasive tool when you attempt to convey your opinions. So, the next time you are in a group, make sure you acknowledge each person’s views, because we each bring our own unique point of view when we approach a situation and it these viewpoints that add a different dimension/more depth to our conversations. Remember: two people can look at the exact same thing and see something totally different.
“Go with your gut feeling and don’t underestimate yourself,” Christine said as one piece of advice to first-
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CRITICAL THINKING IS JUST CREATIVITY IN DISGUISE “There is a misconception that creativity and critical thinking are different.”
BY PEARL LEUNG
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will be the first to admit that I completely misunderstood what it means to be a business-person. As a little girl, I treasured the sparse occasions when I could follow my mother to work. I was a shy child, so I would cling onto her hand, as we walked through the streets of downtown Toronto. All around me, I would see smartly-dressed adults—the men with their crisp suits and ties, the women with their smooth skirts and modest heels. It was a little bleak, very daunting, and incredibly impressive, all at once. To me, these people seemed like they lived in a different world. They looked sharp, as if their intelligence could cut through you like a knife. Up until university, I never associated business with creativity. To me, creativity is bright. Creativity is fun. Creativity is a messy rainbow of colours splattered on an endless canvas. Creativity is not black and grey suits, or an almost robotic 9 to 5 job. Oh, how I was wrong. Business is nothing without creativity—we just don’t call it that. Instead, we are told to be critical thinkers and come up with innovative strategies. But really, aren’t they all the same thing? “Organizations that aren’t creative find themselves copying others,” says Karin Schnarr, Business Strategy Professor at Wilfrid Laurier University. “Creativity is what gives [them] a sustainable competitive advantage.” Schnarr cites Chipotle as an example: Steve Ells was unsatisfied with the fast food choices laid before him, so he started to wonder, “how can I change this? How can I make this better?” His answer? The ability to choose,
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paired with fresh, sustainable ingredients, gave Ells a product that was hard to imitate. By continuing to wonder “what else?,” Ells was able to launch a successful fast food chain that is taking the world by storm. “There is a misconception that [creativity and critical thinking] are different,” say Schnarr. “Analytics will only take you so far. You need to embed creativity into critical thinking.” First, establish the facts. Do a bit of research if you need to. This is the easy part. Then, tap into your imaginative side and start questioning. What will make your product or solution novel? Unique? Unpredictable? Sift through your alternatives in a logical manner, and never stop asking questions. Why is this solution the best? Why would it not be the best? Always question assumptions--this will help you figure out weaknesses and allow for you to turn them into strengths. “The biggest mistake students make is assuming there’s a right and wrong answer,” advises Schnarr. “Take risks backed up by analytical thinking. Failure is okay, and it’s common.” “We all have creativity within us,” she adds. Critical thinking and an innovative mindset can be learned. Complacency and contentedness are innovation’s greatest enemies. Don’t let your crisp, black suit and smart heels constrain your thoughts. Make everyday a Casual Friday in your head; think about what you could do if you didn’t have any limits. And finally, train yourself to question everything—never stop asking “what else?”
WHY A GOOD LEADER HAS TO BE OPEN MINDED “If a leader is open minded in their approach then they have no fear...”
BY JEEL SHAH
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promise to not stop the best idea from winning.” A leader must take this oath and repeat it to themselves every time they encounter a problem which needs to be solved. The best idea does not have any owners; only executors. Problems are ever present in an organization and the world at large. They are some kind of inefficiency which perpetually irritates the mind and acts like a little pebble in your sandal when you’re enjoying the sunset on the beach. If one is fortunate to identify the right problem through careful analysis, then they must address it with the right idea. The right idea will circle the problem like how lions circle an antelope. The lions don’t leave anything up to chance. This is a matter of life and death and should the antelope, in some edge case, run away, then the downside is devastating. Not only does one lion suffer but whole pack has to face the night with grumbling, rumbling stomachs. The right idea can only be found through discussion. The space of all ideas is infinite; variations on one can lead to another and then many more spawn like ants sprawling over biscuits. An attempt to determine the best from an inexhaustible list leads to a paradoxical situation. So, a top down approach through pure idea generation has no use. One method that is sure to work is thinking on the basis of first principles and interweaving each step with discussion. For this to happen, the leader must be open-minded.
the purest form. They and their team are finding the best idea and are doing it together. The problem of ego and a strict adherence to the often subconscious notion that the leader’s idea is the best idea disappears. This is only possible if the leader is open-minded and ready to accept, themselves, that the best idea is found together. However, it can be difficult for a leader to be open-minded; after all, the power of decision-making is vested in the leader. In these cases, there can be a certain sense of entitlement; a self-importance begins to develop which reinforces that the leader has the best ideas and therefore, the best answers. During times like these, a good leader is empathic to themselves, at least to remind themselves that their sense of entitlement is in their head. Their open-mindedness comes from the same empathy. Ideas are independent of ownership. If a team member suggests an idea which seems to solve the problem then the best approach is to treat the idea independently of the person. From there, it becomes much easier to stretch and feel the idea so it becomes tender enough to use the scalpel of reason. Through this process of open-minded discussion, the best idea comes to the top. The best (right) idea solves the right problem. Every leader should take the oath “I promise to not stop the best idea from winning” and live by it.
They are ready: to facilitate discussion, to jab and prod at what appears to be not true, and to question assumptions. If a leader is open-minded in their approach then they have no fear; they can very easily shake an assumption to test its foundation and guide the discussion down dark and cold alleyways. Here the leader is leading in
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IMAGINATION IN THE WORLD OF BUSINESS “Creativity is the keystone of all successful modern businesses.”
BY MAX STRYCHALUK
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sking whether imagination is important is a bit like asking whether Hugh Jackman is doing another Wolverine movie: you know the answer is yes even before you ask the question. But why is it so important? The obvious answer is that, if it weren’t for imagination, we’d still be complaining about how cold it is in our teepees and how extremely inconvenient it is to have to hunt for all of our food. The not-so-obvious answer is that imagination is important because it leads to innovation—and in the world of business, innovation makes money. Creativity is the keystone of all successful modern businesses. In an environment where your business fights to survive among competitors, substitutes, and regulations every day, ingenuity can keep your business alive. This is quite obvious in the tech industry, where firms will be demolished by their environment if they do not innovate—but those who do, profit like few others. Apple, for example, beat out IBM because they didn’t believe that personal computers would take off. Big mistake. So how do firms innovate? Major corporations have R&D departments in order to improve their product or service, but the small businesses that form the majority of jobs in North America are far too small to afford an entire department just for this. Given this, the onus of ingenuity falls on every one of their employees; it is up to every worker to improve the process through which their product or service is created or delivered. And the only way in which this is possible is by keeping an open mind.
If your employees are to see solutions that your competitors have yet to conceive of, then they must, pardon the platitude, be willing to think outside the box. Practices like business decision models, business model canvases, organizational behavior, and many more have reduced business to a science. But there is a place for imagination and creativity between these monotonous templates and procedures. That place is innovation. When I say innovation, I’m not talking about revolutionary discoveries that come once a decade. I’m talking about the small improvements that can be made every month; improving employee efficiency by changing shifts, small design alterations to a product, or a more convenient means of product delivery to a certain market. These little improvements add up to create a unique, profitable business. So what does this mean for the individual? If you work for a small business, imagining how it can be improved will be a part of your job. You will be the one who has to think of unique solutions to the small problems you’re confronted with every day. With an open mind, it can be done, but if you’re too stubborn to use your imagination to innovate, you will wind up left behind by your competition. Imagination is what drives ingenuity and innovation, and these generate profit in the business world. Whether or not it is immediately apparent, imagination is the epicenter of all successful businesses.
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TOP 10 MOST CREATIVE AD CAMPAIGNS OF 2016 “...it was a year bursting at the seams with creativity and wonder.”
BY NAOMI AREGAWI
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hat a year—three words that seem simple but are inexplicably all the more appropriate to describe the craziness that was 2016. In the world of marketing specifically, it was a year bursting at the seams with creativity and wonder. It had us constantly asking ourselves the question of, “what’s next?” and then would have us reel back by the shock of what we were hit with. So as we move forward into a new year with anticipation and excitement, it only seemed right to round up and reflect on the 10 most brilliant and moving ad campaigns that dominated the year of 2016.
bedroom paintings in an effort to highlight the newest exhibition titled “Van Gogh’s Bedrooms.” For just $10, visitors looking to get a unique experience were given the opportunity to reserve a night, in a transformed apartment located in the city’s north end, through the popular home-sharing website Airbnb. Essentially allowing patrons the chance to be placed into the classic world of Van Gogh, the concept, which was announced by means of a visually-stunning ad, was an interesting effort on the part of the Institute that creatively extended the experience of the exhibition beyond the confines of its physical space.
The Notable
8. Pret a Manger, Not Just for Veggies: At number eight is Pret a Manger. In an effort to battle misconceptions about vegetarianism, the fast-food chain Pret a Manger unveiled a massive campaign encouraging skeptical meat-eaters to sample food from their vegetarian menu. Originally run in-store, online, and across social media channels, with a subsequent all-veggie popup shop having been opened in the UK, the campaign featured carnivorous animals shaped out of fruits and legumes. It was an interesting idea that was curiously coined from an equally interesting concept. Having had the idea crowdsourced from the public, the company’s unconventional approach to marketing served to not only reassure consumers that the brand is adamant on hearing their views, but more so was an attempt on the part of the company to breakdown the steadfast notion that unfortunately surrounds the term “vegan.”
10. H&M, Come Together: At number ten is H&M. Having ingeniously collaborated with fashion designers of the likes of Alexander Wang, and with artists like Beyoncé having been the past face of the brand, there is no question that H&M has continued to maintain its sought-after spot as the international fast-fashion powerhouse. But this past winter, the company surprisingly outdid itself when it decided to sign on THE Wes Anderson (of The Grand Budapest Hotel) to be the director for its newest Christmas short titled, “Come Together.” Having been hailed as the UK christmas ad of the year, the campaign was not only a refreshing take on the traditional concept many may be familiar with, but it furthermore reinforced the idea that a subtle message and just a hint of creativity is all that it takes for a concept to do wonders. 9. Airbnb/Art Institute of Chicago, Van Gogh’s Bedroom: At number nine is the Art Institute of Chicago’s “Van Gogh’s Bedroom” campaign. The Art Institute, in a pleasantly surprising collaboration with Airbnb, recreated a replica of one of Van Gogh’s famous
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7. Channel 4, We are the Superhumans: At number seven is Channel 4. This past July, in an attempt to repeat the mass success of its campaign from the 2012 Olympics, Channel 4 launched a new campaign for the Rio Paralympics that featured more than 140 disabled people. Given the title, “We are the Superhumans,” the
ad campaign, which was crafted by an in-house team, had managed to impressively attract more than 24 million video views to its content within the first week. Looking to celebrate the awesome abilities of people with impairments, the moving campaign, which served as an anthem, was an indicator of the fact that though we may be far from completely dispelling the stigma, we are definitely one step closer in the plight to help society understand the truths and myths of disability.
The Innovative 6. OK Go/Morton Salt, One Moment: At number six is the Morton Salt “One Moment” campaign. Many people familiar with OK Go will recognize the Chicago-based indie band for its distinct style. Quirky, fun, and known for creating vibrant music videos that have amassed views of upwards to 35 million, the band, in its latest collaboration with Ogilvy & Mather and Neo@Ogilvy, released a video featuring its newest song in precisely 4.2 seconds of footage. Presented by Morton Salt as an extension of the brands inspiring “Walk her Walk” banner, the music video, which starts off in real-time before proceeding to slowed-down footage, essentially worked to illustrate the brilliant message that “it only takes one moment to make a difference.” 5. Spotify, Thanks 2016, It’s Been Weird: At number five is Spotify. This past November Spotify, in a bid to close off 2016, launched its biggest global campaign yet. Using the sign off “Thanks 2016, it’s been weird,” the brand, through compiling data generated from listener trends and pop culture topics, cunningly created hyper-localized messages in an effort to playfully highlight some of the bizarre user habits from 2016. With ads having reached countries such as the U.S.and Germany, it was a clever move on the part of the company that not only brought a humanistic quality to technology but ultimately gave consumers insight into the emotion that people had experienced in the year of 2016. 4. Manchester United/Adidas, #Pogback: At number four is Adidas. When soccer athletes are transferred from one club to another, the move is typically announced through means of a press conference and a photo-shoot. However, in the case of Manchester United and Paul Pogba, instead of opting for the traditional route, the club redefined the rules of sports marketing by partnering with Adidas in a viral campaign to unveil the record-breaking £89m move. From videos to twitter hashtags to the release of a viral online music video featuring the UK rapper Stormzy, the move was a meticulously planned and well-executed reveal that to this day is still talked, texted, and tweeted about.
The Forward-Thinkers 3. Diesel, Road to Tokyo: At number three is Diesel. In an effort to celebrate 30 years in Japan, the Italian fashion brand Diesel expertly crafted a short-film titled “Road to Tokyo.” What was the twist? Everything featured was fully purchasable. Now in the past similar concepts of shoppable videos have been done but what separated this ad campaign was its simple yet raw mix of plot, product, and music. Essentially working to use these elements to close the consumer gap between inspiration and “clicking buy,” the video, which was directed by Alexander Turvey and shot in Tokyo, was an excellent example of a global brand taking a forward and imaginative approach to their use and future use of technology. 2. L’Oréal, #Yourstruly: At number two is L’Oréal Paris. The brand, along with twenty-three of the most inspirational beauty influencers of the UK, celebrated diversity and equality in an invigorating ad campaign that was launched this past summer. Focusing on the gruelling, yet honest experience of finding one’s perfect shade of foundation, the ad campaign, titled “Yours Truly,” detailed each individual’s beauty story and then conveniently coupled it against one of the brand’s unique shades. What made headlines though was not its range of different colours but rather the brand’s inclusion of one particular individual—Gary Thompson. Having been the first male ever featured as an ambassador for the L’Oréal brand, the campaign, in its inclusion of Thompson, defied the limits of gender through having conveyed the practical idea that makeup is not just for women. 1. Pearson, Project Literacy: At number one is Pearson. When one thinks of Pearson, the first thing that comes to mind for most is textbooks. We’ve all seen them and, more likely than not, we’ve all had one. This past year though, the publishing company completely refined its focus on education and learning by partnering with 48 brands to bring forward the global campaign that is project literacy. Giving a whole new meaning to the term brand purpose, Pearson, in collaboration with FCB Inferno, created and produced a catchy yet grim version of the alphabet song, with a world evil for each letter, in an effort to show that most, if not all, of the world’s evils can be tied back to the plaguing issue of illiteracy.
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ICE WEEK: HOW IMAGINATION WILL WIN THE COMPETITION “Creativity is no fluke; it takes effort.”
BY GISELA HARYANTO
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ast year, the Lazaridis School of Business and Economics partnered with Molson Coors Canada with a case that would challenge over 450 thirdyear BBA students. The mission? Develop a plan to grow Molson Excel, Molson’s foray into the non-alcoholic beer market. After a grueling week, students Shamir Rizvi, Michael Marshall, Zachary Northey, Rachel Li, and Darren Kitto presented a three-tiered product growth plan, and knocked the case out of the park.
unique? It’s non-alcoholic. What does that allow? Homogeneous freezing. Bam, you have the basis for Molson Snow.
The proposal? Part One: Employ nostalgia marketing to connect with older-generation consumers. Part Two: Execute Molson Colour, a campaign connecting consumers with the brand through locally-submitted art across Canada. Winning pieces were to be featured on the beer cans. Part Three, the crown jewel of their plan: create Molson Snow, an alcohol-free beer slush.
Despite all their preparation, the Molson Snow team had some lingering doubts going into their first presentation, and with good reason; ideas can fail and that can be disheartening and cause doubt. But completing that first presentation gave the group the affirmation they needed to go into the following rounds of competition with a little more moxie. “We got some great feedback from the judges which validated our ideas. After getting the nerves out of the way and a boost in self-confidence, we were able to be more creative with our persuasive talk and persuasive writing to get the judges even more on-board with our proposal.”
Most ICE groups will tell you idea generation is the toughest part of the week, and the same can be said of the team behind Molson Snow. “We spent the first 18 hours in a room just bouncing ideas off each other and probably filled up 17 whiteboards, because we knew our idea had to be something unique.” The group didn’t just sit around and wait for a light-bulb moment; they actively built on ideas and forced each other to think outside the box.
That said, winning ICE week takes more than a eureka moment. Once you come up with ideas, you have to find some way to support them with business concepts. You want to make sure the plan is financially viable, the product is marketable, and work out all the little details.
Creativity is no fluke; it takes effort.
There are no shortcuts to being creative on command—or in this case, applying imaginative thinking to a business case. Although the idea for Molson Snow was developed in an 18-hour window, it was also the culmination of 3 years of university experience and a variety of individual backgrounds and experiences.
Sometimes the best ideas are common property right in front of you. In Molson Snow’s case, a huge non-alcoholic beer market already exists in Dubai, and alcohol-free beer like Barbican is as popular as Coca Cola.
There may not be a clean formula to winning ICE, but with a diverse group, some dedicated brainstorming sessions, and a dash of confidence, your team will have as good a chance as any.
The group recognized that beer without alcohol would give consumers a new experience. Why is Molson Excel
23/Atrium Magazine Winter 2017
sbeatrium.com 24/Atrium Magazine Winter 2017
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