The Edmonton Arena District is a hot topic right now. Dare I say even hotter than the closure of the Municipal Airport (which by the way we are completely stoked about—awesome job Councillors!). Let the evolution begin!
That’s right. The Jungleheads and virtually everyone we’ve talked to supported the closure of the Muni, and now support the development of the EAD 100%. We see the vision. We want it to happen. We want to be a part of it. Now it’s just a matter of City Council getting it done.
Why do we support it? Let me count the ways.
The current situation is broken.
If we look at the existing situation and location with Northlands and Rexall Place, be it Oilers games, concerts, exhibitions, rodeos, shows, etc.—it’s broken.
What makes it broken? Because we (Edmontonians) say it’s broken.
Northlands clearly doesn’t think—or care that Edmontonians think it’s broken and there are some people out there with ulterior motives and conflicted interests that will preach to us that it isn’t broken. But all it takes is a quick look at some of the incredibly daft, narrow-minded comments on the various blogs out there and you’ll soon see that it doesn’t matter how broken this situation is, some haters (you know who you are), attempt to knock others down with negative comments and say, “I don’t think it’s broken fool…and here’s why….”
News flash haters—I don’t care that you don’t think it’s broken. If I think it’s broken, it’s broken. If Eric thinks it’s broken, it’s broken. If Sarah thinks it’s broken, it’s broken. If anyone thinks it’s broken, it’s broken!
How many Edmontonians out there love to race home after work, then race to Rexall, then hoof it for 3 blocks in freezing cold temperatures through the dumpiest part of the city; all just to watch mediocre play whilst forking over way too much money for bad beer and worse food; then hoof it for 3 blocks back to their unheated cars in freezing cold temperatures again, trying to beat the rush, and finally race back home? I doubt there’s any, but we do it anyway. What we have is one of the worst brand experiences in the entertainment industry and it’s amazing to see what Edmontonians will put up with just to be entertained. I wonder how positive and successful the situation could be if the entertainment experience in this city was fun? Warm? Easy? Taking this one step further, I wonder what it would be like if the downtown core was more exciting? More beautiful? More desirable to live in and be around?
The bottom line is the Edmonton Arena District solves more problems than it creates.
The evidence. There’s lots of it.
Read some of the blog posts out there. Councillor Iveson’s is a great place to start. Some people choose to look at the information, a.k.a. the “evidence,” and good on them for doing it (someone’s got to). While evidence is important, it’s not what Edmontonians are interested in. Evidence is what lawyers and accountants are being paid to come up with on both sides to rationalize their decisions and to persuade with in their pitches. I’m not interested in commenting on the evidence of either side, which is why I choose not to write about it.
In my opinion, rationale is not enough. Why? Because Edmontonians don’t have time for information. We eat on the run, we drive our kids to soccer and dance practice, we work, we workout, we do it all. We do not have the time, nor do we really care to be convinced that what happened in X city and at X arena intellectually was the wrong decision. We don’t care because it has no relevance to us. We are emotional beings and therefore, information isn’t a competitive advantage like it used to be. I'd also like to think that both the Katz Group and Edmonton City Council are smart enough to learn from the past mistakes of others.
This isn’t about the Oilers.
For some reason a lot of people keep bringing the conversation back to the Oilers; and more specifically, the taxpayers funding a billionaire’s hockey team. In my opinion this isn’t about the Oilers. If it were, I wouldn’t have bothered weighing in on this topic in the first place. I don’t care that much about the Oilers—that’s Katz’s business. What I DO care about is Edmonton.
The Edmonton Arena District is much bigger than the Oilers. This is about the evolution of Edmonton as a first class city. It’s about rebuilding a downtown core that we all can be proud of. In Katz’s defense, why should he have to foot the entire bill for a facility his team only plays in a small fraction of the year? Of course he should pay some, but should the City/Province/Nation decide to make a serious push for Expo2017, this is a facility that we would have to build anyway. The only difference is that now we can get it for 50% off. A 50:50 partnership seems fair doesn't it?
Why a partnership? Because a partnership is the only way this idea will work. Partnerships create accountability. Molson failed in the development of Montreal’s arena partly because there was no incentive for the city to make it work. The same goes for the cities that were 100% responsible for building their arenas—there was no vested interest of the teams’ owners. Some people call this proposal "too risky." Yes technically it's a risk, but given the current state of Rexall Place I think it’s a bigger risk for City Council not to pull the trigger on this deal. As a true 50:50 partnership, both sides will make it work because they have to, thus mitigating the risk.
We don’t know how lucky we are.
I think we should consider ourselves pretty fortunate to have a hometown boy that actually gives a damn about investing in Edmonton and evolving this wasteland of mediocrity into an amazing place that everyone will talk about, appreciate, and reap the rewards from for generations to come—not many other cities have this luxury.
Kudos to the Katz Group. Kudos for taking a bashing like they do and still caring about Edmonton. Their hearts seem to be in the right place and we should respect them for it. Kudos for having a vision. Their vision is what has—and will continue to inspire us. As for those who feel a sense of entitlement? Shame on you. You act as if Katz owes us something. Grow up and get real—he doesn’t owe us a damn thing. He is a businessman who owns a team that many Edmontonians happen to care about. At the end of the day the haters and naysayers need to be reminded that he has the right to do whatever he wants with this team—just as any business owner does with their business. Katz has done a lot of good for Edmonton but it still doesn’t seem to be enough. There’s always someone ready to pounce on him for not doing more.
Moving on.
If you are anything like me you want more for our city. Wouldn’t you like it so that when people think of Edmonton they don’t think of “the mall?” Wouldn’t you like it so that when people ask you, “why the heck do you live in Edmonton?!” you have more reasons to give them than, “because my family lives here.” I know I do.
Edmonton is a business, and part of any successful business is caring about customers and creating experiences that we love and are proud of. The Edmonton Arena District (in it’s proposed location) is the catalyst to creating a critically contagious pulse in this city. A pulse big enough to give us not only a minute shot at winning Expo2017, but a chance at becoming a creative and intellectual mecca.
In my opinion we are in the beginnings of what could be one of the most profound times in Edmonton’s history. We are re-establishing our city. This is the age of Edmonton’s self re-discovery.
The sleeping giant is waking up and everyone at Urban Jungle is stoked to live here and be a part of it.
To most of us the idea of flipping a car, let alone rolling one a full 180 degrees, sounds like an idea to avoid. For Mercedes, shooting a two-minute spot to do just that, in the Canadian China Bar Tunnel, was the main component of their creative brief.
Despite the valiant efforts of the throes of car advertisers out there, few have ever achieved the level of audience intensity and viral attention that the Mercedes group has with their latest piece shot to promote their new AMG sports car; the SLS.
It is shot in quick cut, behind-the-scenes style marrying action movie chase music with slow motion frames to keep its audience squirming in their seats while attempting to slow their ever racing pulse. The quiet, yet breathtaking, British Columbian landscape is used as juxtaposition as the roar of the 5.5 litre, V8 biturbo engine chainsaws through the silent backdrop.
Employed to take down this ever-impossible stunt, while making this mad machine look as sleek and sexy as possible, is the seven time F1 Driver Champion, Michael Schumacher. The sheer impossibility of him actually making it will have you watching it repeatedly. AND for the true car buffs, you are doing just as Mercedes planned; chatting about it on blogs, emailing it to friends but best of all you are trying to sort out just how you are going to finance this beast.
(Thanks to the car buff in my family who sent me this!)
Talk about taking a campaign to the next level. Not only did Wear It With Pride encompass web, print, apparel and public events into their marketing plan, they also helped create a hit single and spark a fashion movement in Australia.
When Australia reformed their 85 formerly discriminatory same sex laws, a national campaign called Wear It With Pride was formed to educate the public about the changes. The campaign officially launched February 2nd, 2010.
Wear it With Pride, along with designer/art director Hannes Ciatti, commissioned 85 artists to interpret each law and create a t-shirt graphic around it. These t-shirts would become the centre point of the campaign.
Apart from the shirts there was also an interview/story element of the campaign showcasing various Australian celebrities and public figures battle with discrimination and homophobia. The stories and interviews were published on the site and created into posters to be displayed across the country. Ciatti commissioned a number of typographic artists to work on the posters, and the end result is really eye catching and powerful.
As if the web site, print and t-shirts weren’t enough, the Wear It With Pride Campaign also partnered with Australian pop star, Natalie Bassingthwaighte who dedicated her single ‘Love Like This’ to the cause, donating all the profits to the LGBT community. Within 24 hours the single had reached number 10 on the iTunes album charts.
One of the things about design that is sometimes misunderstood is that it’s more than putting a pretty cover on something. There is a great deal of thought and planning that goes into every project. Whether it’s a postcard design or branding for a multinational company, there is hours (Sometimes days…sometimes MONTHS!) of research that happens before the completed design is presented. Things like “Who is the audience?” and “What are we trying to convey” must be considered if it’s to be successful. It’s always great to see behind the scenes of a project and get a feel for the creative team’s thought process.
Design For Fun (The portfolio site of the amazing Bernard Barry) recently put up a great case study on the work that went into branding Facebook’s semi annual Developer Conference, f8. The study covers everything from logo design to signage to conference attendee experience. No rock was left unturned on this project!
This is the kind of stuff that elevates design beyond being simply pretty images. It’s informative, thoughtful and communicates confidence and competence. Take a few minutes to read through the study, it’s incredibly interesting and awe inspiring to see a project go above and beyond simple branding. (Personally I’m smitten with the printed glass tables, especially the one by Frank Chimero…a bit of a design hero of mine!)
Although I’ve never been there, I’ve always held a special place in my heart for Iceland. They devote so much time and government spending to the arts, they produce amazing musicians (Sigur Ros and Bjork anyone?) and it’s just a damn beautiful looking place with beautiful looking people.What’s not love?! I’m also married to a travel agent and as a result have seen my fair share of tourism campaigns…some great, some terrible. That’s why it was so great to come across the Inspired By Iceland tourism campaign.
Lately Iceland has been hit pretty hard. The global recession lead to some of their major banks collapsing and as if the threat of national bankruptcy wasn’t enough, in the last few months a major volcano, Eyjafjallajokull, erupted causing wide spread flight cancellations and massive damage to the country’s rural areas. So much emphasis was placed on the impact the volcano had on European air travel that people seemed to forget that it severely impacted Icelanders way of life.
Anyways, it’s great to see something as positive as the Inspired by Iceland campaign come out of all this hardship. It really shows how beautiful and optimistic the country is. The campaign successfully integrates beautifully shot videos, web marketing and interactive features like user generated stories and galleries. The Inspired by Iceland video is fantastic, showing off the amazing landscapes and the fun loving spirit of its people (beware…tiny bit of nudity…not unlike a Sigur Ros album cover. *blush)
The Website is fantastic looking (Although I do have to say the background images weren’t big enough for my 27” monitor…but that happens sometimes) and has a ton of great content and links. I love that they included a “Book a Flight” link in the top corner, capitalizing on people being absolutely awestruck by the imagery. The user generated content is a great place for people to add photos and stories about why they loved their trip to Iceland and the live video feeds of various locations around the country are a nice touch.
I love that Inspired By Iceland understood that tourism is more than generating sales for local businesses. It’s about creating a memorable and emotional connection with the visitor, one that they will never forget. All in all a really great campaign that raises the bar for other countries looking to market their destination.
I thought for my inaugural Urban Jungle post I would talk about stuff that I really like. T-Shirts, Fancy Typography, Branding and Baked Goods! Johnny Cupcakes does not, contrary to popular belief, sell cupcakes rather an awesome looking clothing line….but let’s be honest, the clothing is great, but the branding is what really gets my motor running.
Johnny Cupcakes is definitely taking the baked goods theme and running with it. Their stores look like bakeries, their print collateral looks like it’s adorned with sprinkles, and although I don’t own any of their clothing I imagine it smelling like birthday cake the first time you wear it (Doubtful, but wouldn’t that be AWESOME!!) The activity book from their LA store has some fantastic illustrations and typography and really conveys how much fun the company is.
Speaking of fun, check out the video Johnny Cupcakes made with video geniuses Kamp Grizzly. Cupcake Cannon? You betcha! Really inspiring to see a company taking their branding to the next level and being incredibly successful at it.
I love going through branding exercises with our clients. Why?
First, I find it absolutely fascinating to get to the root of the big questions.
Why do you exist?
What inspires you?
Why do you get up every morning to do what you do?
What experience do you want your customers to have?
These are tough questions that many business owners haven’t thought of since they wrote their business plan (you know, the one that’s sitting at the bottom of your desk drawer collecting dust).
I believe time should be dedicated to thinking about these questions on a daily basis, and at the very least, weekly. I realize that’s easier said than done; as a business owner myself I know all too well that it doesn’t take much to get bogged down in the details.
However, by forcing yourself to take a step back and “see the forest from the trees,” you will no doubt find new energy to persevere. The answers might take a lot of thought and probing, but once redefined, they always seem to give a greater sense of purpose, direction, and rejuvenation.
Second, the exercises force me to rethink the same questions for myself and the company I’m trying to build.
What’s at the heart of Urban Jungle? What guides me to want to build Edmonton’s next big success story?
1. For starters, I strive to keep good company.
Relationships are what my world is all about. Without them I have nothing. My family and friends are amazing and have supported me through some very difficult times. As some may know, I have recently expanded the Urban Jungle team and in doing so I have surrounded myself with amazingly talented and über cool people. Their creativity and passion inspire me and give me a reason to wake up every morning.
2. I try my best to only work with people whom I can see myself becoming friends with.
It’s definitely not the best decision from a business owner’s standpoint as I’ve turned down many well-paying jobs and I’ve fired lots of customers; but to me, negativity, nay-sayers, and uninspired people are not worth it – no matter how good the money may be. Most of my clients have become great friends. We go out for pints, we golf, we BBQ, and we have even attended each others’ weddings!
3. We want to help change the face of Edmonton one business at a time.
That may sound a little flaky but it’s true. There’s a lot of ugly, a lot of noise and a lot of misleading out there, and we Jungleheads see it as our mission to help change the way businesses relate with their customers. We want to grow, we want our customers to grow, we want Edmonton to grow, and we want to be a catalyst for change. While Urban Jungle will always be a small idea factory, we feel that simply by being a part of the creative process we can help elevate our city’s culture and be an agent of growth and positive change for our future.
Notice the ordinary. Preserve the ephemeral. Create ideas for everyone. Keep it simple. Don’t ever tolerate “o.k. anything.” Remember your responsibility as a storyteller. Make ideas your life (and life, your idea.) Leave something behind.
That is our mantra. And we try our best to live it every day.
Stylized Graphics Set Tone (& Texture) for 2010 Games
Upon first glance I immediately thought “there is something different about the way Vancouver is presenting their Olympics”; it wasn’t until my second that I realized what it truly was. Vancouver 2010 was completely photography free. Free from the concern about rights usage and proper resolution. Free from formatting issues and Photoshop hours. And free from the limiting factors of depicting specific style, positioning, age, race as well as gender. Below are they ways they gained from their new found freedom as well as the journey through creative process that lead their team to this conclusion.
Multiple Elements Allow for Multiple Uses
These subtle yet impactful designs base their look on energy and movement however, an emphasis on form and flux can quickly become overpowering if not developed carefully. To do so successfully it is imperative that a foundational formula be built. Consistently inconsistent use of swoops and swirls piled with textures in hues of blue and green create the basis of this framework. Because of the organic, and almost random, nature of the layered background textures it allows for quick and easy application to all designed pieces. Here are is a listing of the variety of ways they I have seen them applied:
- Banners flanking presentation stages and along fences – Bus Passes – Commemorative programs – Detail on volunteer uniforms – Website banners: Vancouver2010 – Bookmarks – Flags
The Message
It is easy to convey a single emotion with a single image but to convey multiple emotions repeatedly in multiple images involves true mastery of the art of design. These illustrations for me do just that. In fact the depiction of each of the athletes constantly convey a strong feeling of perseverance, focus and drive regardless of the sport. Added to that are the elements of nature that speak to what Canada, physically, really is. The environment is woven into these icons through their developed colour pallet and natural references whether it be dragonfly wings on a float plane or the presence of stylized clouds subtly placed onto the background. Overall, I feel that through these designs we as Canadians are better able to tell the story of what makes us who we are.
How they got there
Hours of brainstorming and inspiration collecting was the platform in which Vancouver 2010’s Creative team used as their jumping point. Check out the video outlining their process!
A glimpse into the ethereal experience that is Vancouver.
This video has it all, beauty, mystery, sensuality. Thank you InnerLife & Linda Ganzini; you’ve inspired me to want to share the beauty of my city.
Recently, I outlined 2 of the 5 keys to successfully creating a mysterious brand. Today I’ll outline the final 3.
3. Tap into dreams.
Dreams inspire action and action encourages dreams. If you know what your customers or clients dream, it can only mean you are trusted and loved by them. Tapping into dreams is about listening to people. Being curious. Asking lots and lots of questions. The only way to be heard is to listen. Not just keeping your mouth closed between all the brilliant statements that you make, but really listening. Tapping into dreams is a powerful way to show others that you understand their desires and you can turn them into a joyous reality.
4. Cherish your icons.
Too often do I hear statements like, “It’s just a logo,” or “Logo’s aren’t that important – people put too much emphasis on them.” When an icon is belittled to the point of being called a logo, this is true. And for these people, that’s all it will ever be (poor them).
However, if an icon is truly cherished, nothing could be more untrue. Imagine a newspaper, choc full of information, headlines, facts, stories, and pictures. Now imagine as you turn to page B8 of the Business Section. Your attention is stolen, only for a fraction of a second. There is a little pink icon at the bottom right hand corner of the page. It is the Pink Ribbon of the Breast Cancer Society. Consider the power this icon has even though it entered your mind only for a millisecond! This little pink ribbon represents so much! Pain. Passion. Perseverance. Nothing out there cuts through everyday clutter like a simple, well designed icon. Why? Because great icons trigger memory and your heart is irrefutably attached to your memory.
5. Build on inspiration.
Inspiration is sudden brilliance. Inspiration has always had the power to transform lives, and inspiration can navigate people through the craziest, the darkest, and the most upside-down of times. Nelson Mandella. Have your ever heard 5 syllables tell such a compelling story? Very few names conjure more inspirational thoughts and ideas than his. Mandella is a true metaphor for doing what is right and holding to your principles. Capture the essence of inspiration and you too will be able to motivate others to act and change.
I’d like to share a little bit of my inspiration process with you today. It’s very easy to look at a singular item and think to ourselves, ‘I like this, I don’t like that’… but pulling together a cohesive brand presence incorporating the look, the energy, the spirit, and the voice across multiple mediums can sometimes feel frustrating and at times even impossible. Especially when you have a myriad of stakeholders and agendas.
One thing I have always tried to maintain in my creative process is to constantly be open what’s going on in other creative outlets. The cool thing is that inspiration can really come from anywhere. For example, the curves and lines of a brochure piece might be inspired by the lines of a clothing design; a color composition for a new corporate identity might be inspired by an abstract painting I saw in an art gallery. Inspiration can essentially come from anywhere. Even the most brutal designs inspire me – I want to do it better.
Almost everything I see and do gets digested (either consciously, subconsciously or superconsciously) and comes out in my work. Designers, like painters, sculptors, writers and musicians, have a distinct way of looking at the world around them and translating what they see into something new and beautiful so that others can learn to appreciate it. Everyday I feel blessed to have the opportunity to explore my creativity through my work, and I don’t think that is something that everyone can say.
Edmonton City Council - Please Approve the EAD
Edmonton Loses the Indy! (Part 2 of 2)
Edmonton Loses the Indy! (Part 1 of 2)
Mercedes Attempts the Impossible
Lovemarks
Now imagine as you turn to page B8 of the Business Section. Your attention is stolen, only for a fraction of a second. There is a little pink icon at the bottom right hand corner of the page. It is the Pink Ribbon of the Breast Cancer Society. Consider the power this icon has even though it entered your mind only for a millisecond! This little pink ribbon represents so much! Pain. Passion. Perseverance. Nothing out there cuts through everyday clutter like a simple, well designed icon. Why? Because great icons trigger memory and your heart is irrefutably attached to your memory.
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