Media Alert - Charles Taylor Prize - King Edward Hotel lunch time award Feb 9

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The Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction
Author Luncheon and Winner Announcement
Monday, February 9th

Media are invited to cover the 8th awarding of The Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction on Monday, February 9th at Le Meridien King Edward Hotel, Toronto.

The CTP Author Luncheon honours the 2009 finalists, and provides background on this year’s short listed books. The reception, luncheon and ceremony provide opportunities to hear from the authors and jurors, meet Prize trustees and talk with representatives from Canada’s publishing industry. The luncheon concludes with the announcement the 2009 Prize winner between 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m.

Finalists for the 2009 Charles Taylor Prize are Elizabeth Abbott for Sugar: A Bittersweet History; Tim Cook author of Shock Troops: Canadians Fighting the Great War, 1917-1918 Vol. II; and Ana Siljak, author Angel of Vengeance: The ‘Girl Assassin’, The Governor of St. Petersburg, and Russia’s Revolutionary World

This year’s jurors are past prize finalist Warren Cariou (Winnipeg), writer and journalist Jeffrey Simpson (Ottawa) and arts and culture expert Shirley Thomson (Ottawa).

Prize Chair, Noreen Taylor will present a specially comissioned crystal award and $25,000 in prize money on behalf of The Charles Taylor Prize Foundation. The two runners-up will each receive a $2,000 honorarium for being named finalists.

The Charles Taylor Prize recognizes excellence in Canadian writing. Among the most prestigious in the country, this national book award was established in 2000 to commemorate the life and work of one of Canada’s foremost essayists, the late Charles Taylor. Now in its 8th year, the Prize is presented annually to a Canadian author whose book best demonstrates a superb command of the English language, an elegance of style and a subtlety of thought and perception. The Prize is a driving force behind the growth of literary non-fiction and has been awarded annually since 2004.

The announcement will be carried live on CBC Radio One’s Ontario Today with Rita Celli and on the internet at www.cbc.ca/ontariotoday. For more information visit: www.thecharlestaylorprize.ca
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Media are requested to confirm attendance, special requirements or interview requests with:
Stephen Weir & Associates:
Stephen Weir 416-489-5868 • cell: 416-801-3101 • stephen@stephenweir.com
Linda Crane: 905-257-6033 • cell: 416-727-0112 • cranepr@cogeco.ca

When to hold a Media Preview. Breaking all the rules this Thursday

THE BIG QUESTION - WHEN

As a publicist I am often asked the big question - When? - by clients. When should I have a press conference? When should I send out a news release? When is the best time not to be noticed?

Most clients want the most publicity possible for their projects, others want to release information at a time when that information isn't going to be noticed (i.e. poor earning reports). I have a few standard answers ... if your story is real news, it doesn't matter when you release the information to the media. However, if your news is "soft" - a book launch, an art opening, an entertainment act, a celeb that has already been interviewed, a press conference and so on - follow these rules:

Never spring a media event on the media .... give them 48 hours notice
Never on a Monday morning
Never on a Friday afternoon
Never on weekends
Never in the evenings (unless it is an entertainment or society story)
Never after midnight
Never on a holiday
Never during the Toronto Film Festival
Never when there are other similiar events being released at other venues
Never during rush hour if you aren't downtown
Never when there are Oscar / Golden Globe / Walk of Fame events happening
Never when the budget is being announced
... and the newest rule I just learned the hard way ... Never when Obama is being sworn in.

Now if you don't want people to notice your information release, look at the above list and change never to always!

Of course over the years I have been involved in projects that had to, for one reason or another, break the rules. I assisted the Ministry of Tourism with an Isabel Bassett press conference that was held one New Years Day. I suggested that no one would turn out. I was wrong, even though media outlets were operating with skelton crews, ours was the only news event in town and we packed the press conference room.

On behalf of a family who lost a young son (he was murdered in school) I organized two press conferences for them. The first press conference I gave the media 3 hours notice, the next one 60 minutes. I was shocked that ALL of Toronto's news media made both events.

I help the McMichael Canadian Art Collection in Kleinburg, Ontario with their publicity needs. Over the past 14 years we have made a point of holding individual media previews for each new exhibition. Last year we had two exhibitions opening within days of each other. I suggested that it would be better to hold two media events rather than one. For budget/manpower reasons we held one large preview rather than two ... I was wrong, it was a big success. So this Thursday we are doing it again ... this time three major shows being presented to the media at once. All media are invited to help us break the rules by attending this important Canadian Cultural Event!




MEDIA ALERT


Meet Canadian War Artists at the McMichael premiere of a significant exhibition organized by the Canadian War Museum and the Canadian Museum of Civilization in partnership with the Directorate of History and Heritage, Department of National Defence.

When: Thursday, January 29, 2009, 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
Where: McMichael Canadian Art Collection, 10365 Islington Avenue, Kleinburg (just north of the Major Mackenzie Drive, Islington Avenue intersection)
Why: The McMichael Canadian Art Collection kicks off 2009 with three new, must-see exhibitions: A Brush with War: Military Art from Korea to Afghanistan; Yousuf Karsh: Industrial Images; and “Karshed”: Yousuf Karsh Selected Portraits. A Brush with War: Military Art from Korea to Afghanistan is an exhibition of extraordinary war art, premiering at the McMichael before it tours throughout Canada. Also, opening on January 31, in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of iconic Canadian photographer Yousuf Karsh, McMichael visitors will have the opportunity to view two exhibitions that showcase a selection of Karsh’s industrial works and an exclusive collection of thirty of his rare, limited-edition portraits.
Who: Meet curators and artists involved in the creation of these exhibitions; meet McMichael Executive Director and CEO, Tom Smart.
Artists representing A Brush with War: Military Art from Korea to Afghanistan will be Bill MacDonald, Scott Waters, Erin Riley, Sharon McKay, and Ken Steacy.

What: Three exhibitions: Yousuf Karsh: Industrial Images, January 31 – June 28, 2009
“Karshed”: Yousuf Karsh Selected Portraits, January 31 – June 28, 2009
A Brush with War: Military Art from Korea to Afghanistan,
January 17 – June 14, 2009

About the Gallery
The McMichael Canadian Art Collection is an agency of the Government of Ontario and acknowledges the support of the Ministry of Culture. It is the foremost venue in the country showcasing the Group of Seven and their contemporaries. In addition to touring exhibitions, its permanent collection consists of more than 5,500 artworks, including paintings by the Group of Seven and their contemporaries, First Nations, and Inuit artists.

The gallery is located on Islington Avenue, north of Major Mackenzie Drive in Kleinburg, and is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission is $15 for adults, $12 for seniors/students and $30 for families. There is a $5 fee for parking. For more information about the gallery visit www.mcmichael.com.

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To RSVP, for further information, or to receive high resolution photographs, contact:

Stephen Weir, Publicist
Gallery: 905.893.1121 ext. 2529
Toronto Office: 416.489.5868
Cell: 416.801.3101
sweir@mcmichael.com

Post Script to McMichael Media Preview of Three Art Exhibitions

So, after reading about how the McMichael Canadian Art Collection went against traditional PR practises and staged not one but three art exhibition media previews at the very same time on the very same day, you must be wondering how it played out? Very well -- although the very unstructed nature of the event(s) called for flexibility that even I found difficult to provide.
This is what happened. The National Post did not respond to the Media Alert. Instead, a reporter from the Ottawa Citizen called the gallery and conducted a phone interview about the Brush with War exhibition. His story appeared 10 days before the media event and was picked up by a number of Canwest papers. A few days before the Media Preview, the National Post called the gallery and requested pictures from the War exhibition. Three days before the Preview, the National Post ran a two-page expanded version of the Citizen story.
The Toronto Star called to say they wanted to see the two Karsh shows. "But", they told me, "We can't wait to Thursday. We have to come out Tuesday or we won't be able to come at all." Their reporter did visit the gallery and did get to see the Karsh exhibitions ... sorta. Not all of the pictures had been framed yet and nothing was hung ... we leaned the Karsh masterpieces against the freshly painted walls at floor level to give the reporter an idea of what the show will look like by the time the Media Preview rolls around.
The Vaughan Weekly came out a half-hour early on press preview day, and left just as the event began. The Vaughan Citizen, Rogers TV, a Chinese Daily Newspaper, Beach Digital and the Globe and Mail came out on Thursday at 11 and got to meet six war artists who saw action while covering Canada's involvement in peace keeping assignments and in war time. They also got to interview the three curators of the exhibitions and take pictures of the people installing the art. And, for the first time in years we had coffee and tea thanks to he Canadian Forces.
After the Media Preview ended a TV crew from Bravo came and did a story on all three shows (we asked the curators and artists to stay for the taping). At the very end of the day North Magazine came by to take photographs of the McMichael's CEO and the gallery's new head curator.
Great turnout for the McMichael even if they went, as usual, against Weir's rules for when to hold a press event.

ADVISORY TO NEWS & ARTS MEDIA - CHARLES TAYLOR PRIZE FOR LITERARY NON-FICTION SHORT LIST TO BE ANNOUNCED AT TUESDAY MORNING MEDIA EVENT

ADVISORY TO NEWS & ARTS MEDIA
December 31, 2008

The Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction
2009 SHORTLIST PRESS CONFERENCE
Tuesday, January 6th at 10:00 a.m.

WHAT: Announcement of the finalists for the 2009 Charles Taylor Prize
WHEN: Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Announcement: 10:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. sharp
WHERE: LE MERIDIEN KING EDWARD HOTEL
Consort Bar, Main Floor, 37 King St. East, Toronto
(Parking: Public lot east of King Edward Hotel on Leader Lane)
WHO: Noreen Taylor, Chair, The Charles Taylor Foundation
Prize Juror Jeffrey Simpson
Prize Trustee & author Dr. David Staines
Canadian book publishers
WHY: The Charles Taylor Prize is the country’s most prestigious literary non-fiction award. Since 2000, the Prize has been the driving force behind increased recognition and growth of Canadian non-fiction.
Now in its 8th year, the Charles Taylor Prize for Literary Non-Fiction celebrates Canada’s rich literary voice, and the exceptional authors and journalists who captivate us with their stories, insights and style. The Prize commemorates the late Charles Taylor, one of Canada’s foremost essayists, a foreign correspondent and a prominent member of the Canadian literary community whose dream was to raise the public profile of non-fiction. CTP is presented annually to a Canadian author whose book best demonstrates a superb command of the English language, an elegance of style and a subtlety of thought and perception. Originally awarded every two years, since 2004 the Prize has been awarded annually.
135 submissions are competing for the 2009 CTP Shortlist. The Prize consists of $25,000 for the winning author and an award of $2,000 for each finalist with promotional support for each shortlisted title. The winner of the 2009 Prize will be announced at the CTP Author Luncheon Monday, February 9th. The Prize is presented by the Charles Taylor Foundation with generous support from AVFX, Ben McNally Books, CBC Radio One, CTV, CNW, Le Meridien King Edward Hotel, The Globe and Mail, Quill & Quire, and Windfields Farm. For more information: www.thecharlestaylorprize.ca

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Media are requested to confirm their attendance with Linda Crane, Stephen Weir & Associates

Stephen Weir 416-489-5868 cell: 416-801-3101 sweir5492@rogers.com
Linda Crane: 905-257-6033 cell: 416-727-0112 cranepr@cogeco.ca

Writing about shipwreck finds - let the bun fight begin

Over the past thirty years I have found myself writing about shipwrecks and the men who find them. I wrote a book about the sinking of the Mayflower near Barrys Bay. Ontario. I have had over 10 articles published about the Edmund Fitzgerald (I can't even count the number of Titanic projects I have worked on) and I have interviewed Great Lakes wreck hunters. in ALL cases, the wreck stories have raised a boatload of controversary.

There is no money to be made in finding shipwrecks - Wreck expeditions cost big money, thousands of hours on the water and now and then, the accidental death of divers. Why then such "mashing up" about mashed up ships? It is all about that 15 minutes of fame (20 if you work with Stephen Weir & Associates), the public adulation that wreck hunters always garner after announcing their finds. And, for some, there is the chance that that fame will help them recoup some of their expenses through book deals, movies and speaking gigs.

This summer I was in Kingston, Ontario to take part in a shipwreck festival. One of the highlights was to be a slide show of recent finds in the St Lawence River. I drove to Kingston to sit on the slide show. It didn't go so well, as this unpublished Diver Magazine story documents.

Kingston Underwater: A Celebration of Marine Exploration
Controversy, infighting amongst wreck hunters almost kills Kingston’s first shipwreck festival

Cutline: Kenn Feigelman, the president of Deep/Quest 2 Expeditions pictured in downtown Kingston, Ontario.

It got off to a wobbly start when the featured speaker refused to take to the podium, but, the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes was able to right the ship and launch its first annual shipwreck festival in 2008. Kingston Underwater: A Celebration of Marine Exploration, was a three-day event that featured underwater demonstrations, shipwreck displays and lectures and slide shows given by local divers.

Kingston has one of North America’s largest concentrations of fresh water wrecks ranging from 19th century warships, and paddle wheelers to modern tugs and ferries. It is estimated that there are between 400 and 450 wrecks within easy reach of Kingston. In an effort to promote the growing interest in Kingston as a wreck dive destination, the Museum along with the Preserve Our Wrecks-Kingston Association and the Kingston Economic Development Corporation partnered to organize the mid-summer weekend event.

The launch of the shipwreck festival was almost sunk by infighting amongst the very people it meant to put the spotlight on. Kenn Feigelman, the president of Deep/Quest 2 Expeditions, Kingston’s underwater exploration and film documentation organization, was asked to open the conference by giving a multimedia presentation showcasing the work of the association. Mr. Feigelman has reported making a number of important discoveries in the St. Lawrence River, however, his multi-media presentation was going to be about other expeditions his association has made at the “By Invitation Only” talk.

The opening film and lecture night was held in inside the downtown St. Lawrence riverside Museum. Close to 50 people from around Eastern Ontario were in attendance that night to hear Mr. Feigelman’s talk.

Although the wreck hunter was in attendance, the lecture wasn’t given that night. The reason? Apparently an underwater photographer who at one time had been involved in a Deep/Quest 2 expedition, was in the presentation room using another person’s invitation. Mr. Feigelman refused to take to the podium as long as the photographer remained in the audience. For his part, the uninvited guest refused to leave.

As a result the abbreviated evening consisted of curator Ann Blake talking about the work of the Museum and Stewart Deline showing slides of a recent trip he took to the Cayman Islands. Mr. Deline is a traditional Mohawk environmental awareness speaker and faith elder who learned to dive in 1980 while in the Armed Forces.

Saturday and Sunday, the second and last day of the Festival, the problems of opening night had been settled. Northern Tech Divers and Shark Marine Technologies, conducted scuba diving demonstrations, a demonstration of an ROV (remotely operated underwater vehicle) and high definition underwater photography demonstrations took place in the dry-dock adjacent to the Marine Museum. Mr. Feigelman came back to the Museum and gave the talk he was suppose to give the night before.

Interest in the public portions of the Shipwreck Festival was strong enough in 2008 to convince the organizers to make the event an annual event. Details about next year’s weekend symposium, including a list of speakers, will soon be posted on the museum’s website www.marmuseum.ca/

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Sidebar #1

Ontario’s premier shipwreck museum is in Kingston

The Marine Museum of the Great Lakes is located inside an historical building built beside a 19th century dry dock. Floating inside the dock is a 3,000 ton icebreaker, the Alexander Henry (which is both a museum exhibition and functioning Bed and Breakfast operation). The museum's extensive exhibits provide a look at 19th and 20th century shipbuilding and life on the Great Lakes

Sidebar #2

So what has Kenn Feigelman been down to lately?

Diver Magazine attended the abbreviated Opening Night of the Marine Exploration Film Night and interviewed Kenn Feigelman, several times over the summer and fall. Diver asked Mr. Feigelman what he has discovered while exploring the waters around the city of Kingston.

“We found four warships!” he told Diver Magazine in September. “No doubt they are scuttled British warships… we found two of them today and two a few days ago. We found them basically in the St. Lawrence, right off the city of Kingston where the Lake Ontario becomes the St. Lawrence.”

“We know, they were built as war ships,” he continue. “They are sturdy -- one was in 62 ft of water, the other in 50 ft. The same situation holds for the other two ... we found them in 49 and 55 ft of water.”

“We are going crazy (with our finds). Two weeks ago today, we were going down the St. Lawrence towards Hall Island when we came upon an anomaly (on their side sonar screen). At this point the riverbed itself is 60 to 70 feet down. We found valleys or gouges, into the flat river bottom.

“ I stayed on the boat, and kept the engine running, “ said the explorer. “ (Our divers) found the hull and stern post of a large ship. We are finding all kinds of stuff down there.”

Mr. Feigelman will be researching his finds over the winter, but, suspects that he has rediscovered the wreck of the War of 1912 warship the HMS Montreal which he says was sunk in the 1830s and thought to have first been located in the 1980s.

He is unsure of the identity of the other three warships. Next summer he plans to use his SeaLife photographic equipment to take complete digital photographs of the wrecks and create mosaic pictures of all of the wrecks.

Exploring the St. Lawrence Shipwrecks is just one of many projects Deep/Quest 2 Expeditions is involved in. The company will be launching an expedition next year to photograph and film Greenland Sharks in the upper regions of the St. Lawrence River. On the books in 2009 will be underwater expeditions in the waters around Cuba.

The Press Release - very faint voices shouting into hurricane force winds

The Press Release. Aghh! Sometimes light humour can help

Every PR campaign needs a press release. Writers spend days writing only a few hundred words. PR managers spend an equal amount of time rewriting these tomes of commerce. Days are spent crafting the ulitimate quote. Clients agonize over every last comma. Large profitable companies like Canada News Wire Group and PR Newswire Group have armies of young journalism grads working around the clock to email, text, post, fax and mail that release to working journalist around the world.
Yet for all that sweat and bother, the media rarely read a release. At best the headline of the release will be looked at ... for a nano second. Aside from Saturdays and Sundays, thousands of press releases are issued every hour in North America. There are just too many releases arriving at a news outlet computer for a reporter or editor to actually read. As a result, most press releases never end up being used by anyone!
One of the ways a press release can catch the attention of a jaded reporter's eye is by using gentle humour. Below is a release recently written for the state of New Hampshire. It uses rhyme to bring attention to events and places that normally would not make it into print.

For Immediate Release
March 26, 2008

On the first day of Christmas, New Hampshire gave to me
A Chop and Shop Weekend and a big free holiday fir tree
The Granite State gears up for holiday season with pizzazz and price conscious events

Toronto – Toronto – New Hampshire has so much on the go this winter that it would take more than just 12-days of Christmas to experience the best that the Granite State has to offer. And the State has it all –- which makes it really hard to pick just a dozen unique things that tourists can enjoy before December 25th. Consulting the Official 2008 In-State Visitors Handbook and using a dash of poetic licence, visitors should consider the following:

On the first day of Christmas, New Hampshire gave to me, a Chop and Shop Weekend and a free holiday fir tree! The Gale River Motel and Cottages in Franconia provide two nights accommodation, dinner for two at the Sugar Hill Inn, a 22-inch Balsam Fir Wreath and an 8 ft tall Christmas tree. The special is $290 US and the hotelier will help load the tree onto the roof of your car! www.galerivermotel.com/aspecials.html

On the second day of Christmas, New Hampshire gave to me, amazing holiday shopping that is always tax-free. This is the best time to get one’s Christmas shopping done sans tax in the outlet stores of Settlers' Green Outlet Village and North Conway Village. For just $198 the Cranmore Mountain Lodge in North Conway has an affordable Shop Till You Drop package for visiting couples. Package includes a bag of samples and coupons and a standard room for two nights. www.cranmoremountainlodge.com

On the third day of Christmas, New Hampshire gave to me, an antique hunter’s map and a bottle of wine for thee. In December The Glynn House Inn in Ashland has an Antique Get Away For Two. Guests receive a delicious picnic lunch for two, including a bottle of wine, plus a special folder containing information about the best antique shops and auctions. www.glynnhouse.com

On the fourth day of Christmas, New Hampshire gave to me, ten-minutes of quality time up on Santa’s knee. The North Colony Motel & Cottages in Bartlett offers a Santa’s Village two-night package (starting at $212) for families which includes 2-nights lodging for 2 adults and 2 children and 4 Santa's Village tickets. www.northcolonymotel.com

On the fifth day of Christmas, New Hampshire gave to me, turkey dinner and a huge Bingo win under B Three! Join the Lake Winnipesaukee Historical Society at the Funspot Bingo Hall every Tuesday in December . Doors open at 4:00 pm. The charity Bingo is catered by Hart's Turkey Farm Restaurant. Weirs Beach www.LakeWinnipesaukeeMuseum.org

On the sixth day of Christmas, New Hampshire gave to me, a mountain hike to photograph a moose behind a tree! Grab your camera and come see the views and maybe a moose, December 20th and 21st. Outdoor Escapes New Hampshire holds its popular 2-day Guided Nature Backpacking Tour, in the Great North Woods. The price for 2 days of guided hiking with a nature/history focus and 1 -night remote camping is $200 per person. www.outdoorescapesnewhampshire.com

On the seventh day of Christmas New Hampshire gave to sis, a hayride in the snow you don’t want to miss! This December 13 th tourists are invited to the Farm Museum in Milton to celebrate Christmas on the Farm. Take a sleigh or hayride, make a gingerbread man and tour the beautifully decorated farmhouse. www.farmmuseum.org

On the eighth day of Christmas, New Hampshire gave to you, a walk in the park with the state’s solstice crew! The Margret and H.A.Rey Observatory in Waterville holds a very popular walk every winter solstice. The free annual winter solstice hike to the Solstice Stone on Dickey Mountain will be held on Saturday December 20th. www.visitwatervillevalley.com

On the ninth day of Christmas New Hampshire gave to me, snowshoeing followed by eggnog for free! From December 19 to 29 children and adults of all ages will find winter merriment at Mount Washington Resort. Enjoy a festive celebration of sleigh rides, snowshoeing, skiing, stories with Santa and holiday refreshments. Snuggle in front of the fire before being tucked in by one of Santa's elves. Christmas Day invites a full day of skiing and outdoor adventure! www.mountwashingtonresort.com
On the tenth day of Christmas, New Hampshire gave to dad, a guided snowmobile ride that is really really rad. Alpine Adventures have guided snowmobile tours through the White Mountain’s Franconia Notch during the holiday season. www.alpinesnowmobiling.com/

On the eleventh day of Christmas New Hampshire gave to us, a magic light show worthy of a fuss. After a day on the slopes head to the White Mountain Holiday Magic Light Park in Campton where you can ride through a mile of animated light displays with thousands of enchanting lights. Take a family portrait with Santa, snuggle up on a free wagon ride, build a free craft with the kids, and sip hot cocoa by the bonfire. www.holidaymagiclightpark.com

On the twelfth day of Christmas New Hampshire gave to families, an invitation to ski on New Year’s Eve above the trees. Ring in 2009 at Cranmore Mountain’s Crantastic New Year's Party. Ski until midnight, and enjoy tubing, music, fireworks, party favours and more. www.cranmore.com

The 2008 Visitor’s Guide Book is supported by a sophisticated, user-friendly website (www.visitnh.gov ) which has comprehensive sections geared specifically to the Travel Trade. The site is updated daily and has the latest information on holiday season event listing throughout the state.

To find out more about New Hampshire or to receive the new free visitor’s guide, call 1-800-FUN-IN-NH (386-4664) or visit www.visitnh.gov. Canadian travel trade and media may call 1-888-423-3995, or email visitnh@travelmarketingexperts.com.

A Calvacade of New. Giving 2-bite brownies for dogs 20 seconds of fame.

cutline: John Scott on the set of Canada AM, showing new food products coming to a store near you this winter.

Three days of PR work (and some midnight veggie shopping) for a brief but fruitful food segment on the Canada AM news show

The media consumes New. New movies. New faces. New problems. New leaders. New messiahs. New ideas on old themes. New New New. And that was just last week's headlines.

Public Relations practitioners who represent clients that have New, will find a welcome reception from usually frosty television show bookers when pitching new. A broadcast favourite is a 5 minute segment that puts the spotlight on a procession of new products - be it clothing, cars, tools, gadgets or new foods. The biggest challenge for PR people is not finding a TV show interested in New, but, deciding which show to offer the Cavalcade of New to.

One of the best places to showcase freshly minted products is on CTV's nationally broadcast morning news/talk show Canada AM. Although its numbers have dropped, it is one of the few Toronto created shows that has a daily cross-Canada English audience. A show and tell with purveyors of New is a welcome break from stories of fires, murders and scandals.

Every so often I help Crane Communications (an Oakville PR firm) with the pitching and servicing of Cavalcade of New segments for Toronto television shows. Owner Linda Crane has a well respected expertise in placing new products on TV, be it on Canada AM or CITY TV's Breakfast TV, Global Television's morning show, Rogers Daytime and now and then the Weather Network. Crane has showcased everything from new boat products (bikini clad models with its bitsy life jackets), to home show cleaning products. Last month I assisted her with the Grocery Innovations Canada trade exhibition and the PR campaign which included bringing shopping carts filled with NEW food products onto Canada AM. Viewers got a chance to see new products that will be making their way onto store shelves this fall and coming winter.

Grocery Innovations Canada, is the country’s largest grocery trade show and conference. Staged for the owners of independently owned food stores, the conference was held on Sunday, October 26 and Monday, October 27 at Toronto Congress Centre.

John F.T. Scott, president, Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers (pictured above on the set of Canada AM), was our presenter on a Thursday morning Canada AM broadcast. Along with host Seamus O'Regan, the pair managed to look over 50 new things that you will soon see in independent food stores. The show-and-tell ran the gambit from 2-bite brownies for dogs (people can eat them too), to squeeze bagged Ketchup sweetened with honey instead of sugar. Seamus O'Regan sampled new cream cheese spreads on new glutton-free crackers. He took a pass on peanut butter made with soya and only sniffed at 100% peanut free chocolate chip cookies but seemed to be fascinated by new East Indian sauces made in Saskatoon.

The whole process, like the medium itself, is fast, furious and not particularly in depth. Unless viewers have a pen and pencil beside their TV sets, it is unlikely that consumers will actually be able to remember the names of the products they saw flash across their screens. Despite the lack of specific brand recognition, the broadcasted food segment did reap rewards for the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers -- the producers of the trade-only exhibition where the new products were debuted to food store owners.

Scott's performance graphically showed consumers that small independent food stores continue to be an important part of the country's economy. A 2008 Kraft Canada/Canadian Grocer sponsored study reports that independent grocers (including franchises) comprise 40.2 % of Canada’s $76 billion grocery industry.

The independent stores continue to be strong even though their competition is huge -- think WalMart, Price Club, Metro, Soebys and the Loblaws Superstores. The Canada AM segment not so subtlety showed that the corner store is the place to shop to find cutting edge new products.

The under current messages? Independents are concerned about the health of its customers. Many of the product labels shown on TV that morning included the word organic in their names. Some of the new products answer the dietary concerns of a changing population. There were many new ethnic foods launched and the segment also showed that the independents have a desire to go with the 100-mile diet concept ... selling food that is processed within 100 miles of where their ingredients are grown.

5-minutes of television on the run doesn't come easy. Three people spent two 8-hour-days collecting product samples from producers and another 8-hr day to get even more samples (after it was determined that the line-up was a little light). Scripts and back-grounders had to be written, and one run through with John Scott was held via phone conference. Scott had to know everything about every project displayed on TV in anticipation of an out-of-left-field question from a sometimes wacky Seamus.

I personally scoured the market for ornamental gourds, dried Indian corn and orange squashes to decorate our show-and-tell TV set table. I bought veggies at midnight (to be fresh under the lights at 7-am the next morning) and drove an SUV filled with product to Canada AM's east-end Toronto studio at the crack of dawn. Two of us spent an hour dressing the table with the products prior to John Scott going on air.

After the show ended the producers of Canada AM came on set and congratulated the Grocery people for a job well done. We were asked to come back next year ... provided we had something Newer than this year's New to talk about.