TIFF AND RBC's GUERILLA MARKETING MAKES US THEIR SOCIAL MEDIA CHIMPS

How to say cheese in your very own TIFF selfie

The family that shops together selfies together for TIFF

The 40th annual Toronto International Film Festival starts in 4-days, but, for the social marketing wing of the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC)  their sponsored  Film Festival guerilla marketing campaign has long been underway.  
At the always popular Saturday morning market at the downtown Toronto St Lawrence Market, the bank's marketing team was on the job early. A team of young workers quickly set up a step-and-repeat wall covered in TIFF and RBC logos. The wall was framed with dark blue movie theatre curtains, two movie theatre style sign boards and a deep blue carpet. Shoppers were encouraged to walk the carpet and get their pictures taken against the logo wall.
"Shouldn't the carpet be red?" asks one woman as she stood in front of the wall waiting to get her 15-seconds of fame.
" No, our bank's colour is Blue. Blue is the new Red (Scotiabank's colour is red)," explained of the RBC TIFF  street team. 
No matter the carpet colour, shoppers streaming by the installation took their turns in front of the logos. Perky marketing people take "selfie" pictures using the smart phones, tablets and cameras of the shoppers.  Pictures taken they are given a chance to get a gift of either a $5-off movie ticket, or a small sample bag of flavoured Kernel popcorn.
The team has taken thousands of selfies this week in the downtown core. They say they are trying to get the "buzz on" for the popular 9-day September movie festival. People who get their pictures taken are encouraged to post those pictures to Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.  Even though the back wall is devoid of movie images and is simply a corporate tarted up ad, no one seems to mind.
The campaign is cheap, cheerful and mildly fun.  But will it work? Unless someone like Tom Cruise stops by for a selfie, it is unlikely that any of the pictures the team takes will get posted and go viral.  And, it can work against them - check out my TIFF monkey shot.  I am wearing my own guerilla marketing logo campaign for Scotiabank and the Toronto Caribbean Carnival. And, as you can see, my version is going viral!

Stephen Weir stealthily promotes Scotiabank for the RBC cameraperson

London Olympics Diversity Expert coming to Toronto to speak at Diversity Conference

Wirestory that I issued this morning. Will be of interest to Diversity and Business Editors

RBC Sponsorship of Upcoming Canadian Supplier Diversity Conference in March 2012 Announced

TORONTO, Dec. 12, 2011 /CNW/ - The Diversity Business Network, (DBN), is pleased to announce that RBC, Canada's largest bank, will be the presenting sponsor at the Canadian Supplier Diversity Conference 2012 - Diversity Our Economic Strength. "The Canada of today reflects diversity, and diversity for growth and innovation is one of RBC's key values," states Jennifer Tory, Regional President for Greater Toronto Region at RBC. "As presenting sponsor for the March conference, we hope to create opportunities to share ideas, collaborate and explore possibilities to help diverse-owned businesses develop, grow, and prosper across all our communities," Tory comments.

RBC annually issues a Diversity Progress Report highlighting its initiatives and achievements based on the theme that diversity makes us stronger. RBC has received international recognition for its commitment to diversity as one of four companies that received the 2010 Catalyst Award for Diversity. In 2011 Ms. Tory received special recognition from Catalyst Canada for her role in championing women and diversity in business. Catalyst is an organization founded on the principles of advancing culture-changing efforts within business through diversity and inclusion.

"We are thrilled to have RBC as presenting sponsor for the 2012 Canadian Supplier Diversity Conference," states Courtney Betty, President and Founder of DBN. "RBC has demonstrated what is possible when a Canadian business makes diversity a core value in its hiring and supply chain practices," he continues.

DBN was founded to create greater awareness among government, NGOs and corporations about the talent and capability of diverse-owned businesses in Canada and the cultural and economic contributions they can make to the country and the world. At the first conference held in the fall of 2010 in Toronto over 350 diverse-owned businesses and corporations participated. The focus of the 2012 conference, to be held at the Allstream Center at Exhibition Place on Friday, March 23, will be on the economic impact of diversity in the Canadian supply chain. Diverse-owned businesses along with Canadian companies seeking diverse suppliers will meet in a forum and breakout sessions to learn about each other and about practical ways to work together.

The keynote speaker will be Stephen Frost, Head of Diversity and Inclusion for London 2012, the organizing body for the upcoming Olympic Games. He will be joined by speakers from RBC and other leading executives from the public and private sector across North America who will talk about how they are addressing diversity in their procurement strategies. Breakout themed sessions will focus on how companies and organizations can transform their business practices through understanding, implementing and measuring supplier diversity.

About The Diversity Business Network

DBN provides tools, strategies and systems for corporations to become world-class leaders and benefactors of supplier diversity. Our mission is to make diversity in the supply chain a cornerstone of corporate Canada and to establish the standard by which supplier diversity effectiveness is measured within business and government.

For further information: Courtney Betty, B.A., LL.B. JD.
President and CEO
Diversity Business Network (DBN)
Website: www.diversitybusinessnetwork.com
Email: Courtney@diversitybusinessnetwork.com
Tel: O. 416-968-1181 | f. 416-968-7619

 

Stephen Weir
Stephen Weir & Associates | stephen@stephenweir.com
or sweir5492@rogers.com
2482 Yonge Street, Unit 45032, Toronto, ONT.
CANADA. M4P 3E3
Tel: 416-489-5868 | Fax: 416-488-6518
www.stephenweir.com

REVISED: Media Alert: Making the business of the Pan/Parapan American Games Diverse

OPPORTUNITIES FOR DIVERSITY-OWNED BUSINESSES WITH
TORONTO 2015 PAN/PARAPAN AMERICAN GAMES

Diversity Business Network Hosts “A World of Opportunity” Conference
Media Briefing/Q&A, Thursday, Sept. 17, 3.30 pm to 4.15
Ian Troop, CEO Toronto 2015, Business leaders, Minister Margarett Best and Olympian Ohenewa Akuffo

What: To prepare diversity owned businesses for the opportunities that the 2015 Pan/Parapan Am Games represent, the Games Organizing Committee has partnered with the Diversity Business Network to host, “Diversity Business Conference | Pan Am 2015 – A World of Opportunity, presented by Centerplate”. Attendees will receive a road map of opportunities from the Games Organizing Committee and key partners."

Who: Speakers include Ian Troop, CEO Toronto 2015; John Campbell, CEO of Waterfront Toronto; Antonio de Santiago, Executive VP of Infrastructure Ontario; Howie Wong, General Counsel of Toronto Community Housing; Andrew Weir, VP Tourism Toronto and Courtney Betty. CEO of Diversity Business Network (www.enablediversity.com). Olympian Ohenewa Akuffo will be attending the event to inspire diversity business leaders to get involved with the games. Canada’s foremost female wrestler will be available for photographs during the Media Briefing along with the Olympic Torch.

Title Sponsor: Centerplate. Leading hospitality provider to North America's sports stadiums and convention centres (a committed supporter of community /diversity). Other sponsors include the Royal Bank, MNP and Telus.

Where: Westin Harbour Castle Hotel. Queens Quay, Toronto.

When: Media briefing: 3.30 to 3.45 pm ( the actual conference is from 1pm – 6pm). Media briefing includes an opportunity to interview the keynote speakers. Thursday September 16th.

How: Media are requested to register by email or contact Roberta Atkinson, Diversity Business Network, 501 Oakwood Ave, Toronto, Tel: 416-728-8097, roborta@enablediversity.com

For more information, media please contact: Craigg Slowly 647-775-6659
Stephen Weir stephen@stephenweir.com
416-801-3101