Chronicle - Fall 2012

How social media platform ChickAdvisorhas grown and the reason more brandswant to work with the duo behind it all.

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FOCUSEDLongstanding photo labToronto Image Works continually reinvents itself to serve artistic community.

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INDEPENDENTTop Montreal software firm GFI cuts its Frenchties and goes it alone as ACCEO Solutions.

ADVICE SQUAD

THE ALLIED PROPERTIES REIT TENANT MAGAZINE

VICTORIA • VANCOUVER • CALGARY • EDMONTON • WINNIPEG • KITCHENER • TORONTO • OTTAWA • MONTREAL • QUEBEC CITY

FALL

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[ P A G E 1 0 ]

+• In Calgary: UPPERCASE publishing in Art Central

• In Montreal: Wooky Entertainment looks beyond the toy shelf

• In Toronto: Cologix connects its tenants’ IT to 100% reliability

Ali de Bold and husbandAlex

With the closing of the Chamber of Commerce building acquisition and the scheduled close on the acquisition of the Demcor building in November, the number of Allied buildings in Calgary will grow 14 strong, totalling more than600,000 square feet.

The summer’s purchase of the Burns building (237-8thAvenue S.E.) on the north side of the Stephen Avenue Mall,just west of Calgary City Hall, adds this jewel in the rough to astring of high profile Calgary buildings, including Arts Central,Fashion Central, the Alberta Hotel and the Lougheed building.All are close to the core and all exhibit the historic characterthat is consistent with other Allied buildings across Canada.

While the Burns building is in need of restoration, work can’t begin fast enough for the Calgary Chamber of Commerce,which has temporarily located on the third floor of the buildingwhile crews complete its 10,000 square feet of office due formove-in next March.

The summer purchase of the Burns building was a redevel -opment opportunity from the start, explained Allied Presidentand CEO Michael Emory earlier this year.

“It will enable us to take advantage of the strong demand for Class I office space that we’ve experienced since establishingour Calgary portfolio,” he said. �

The two-storey building on Spadina south of King Street West currently features a Winners retail location and a handful of office tenants, but Allied expects to see it becomemuch more following a joint venture with land developmentcompany Diamond Corp. to make it a mixed-use property.

Allied sold a 50% interest in the property to Diamond,which will oversee the re-zoning of the property for residential, office and retail use. On completion of the re-zoning, Allied and Diamond intend to engage a partnerwith condominium expertise to oversee the further development of the property.

“As in the case of our ongoing intensification joint venturewith RioCan REIT, we want to work with ‘best-in-class’organizations for each project,” said Michael Emory,President and CEO. “We believe Diamond is just that in relation to the project contemplated at 57 Spadina.”

In the summer, RioCan Real Estate Investment Trust andAllied entered into an agreement to create a joint venture

to acquire sites in the urban areas of major Canadian citiesthat, on a stand-alone basis, are suitable for mixed use intensification.

The joint venture will also seek to identify properties currently within the Allied and/or RioCan portfolio that aresuitable for redevelopment or intensification. Projects currentlyin the works include two Toronto sites, one at College andManning and the other at King Street West and Portland. �

INCOMING...Allied adds more Calgary buildings to its Western portfolio

Urban intensification strategyspurs Allied joint ventures

al l iedre i t .com • 2

Built in 1913 as corporate headquarters for Burns Foods, 237-8th Ave. S.E.was renovated on several occasions from 1983 onward. The building isdesignated by the Province of Alberta as a historic resource.

57 Spadina Ave.

3 • AUTOMNE 2012

FSC LOGO HERE

www.alliedreit.comSend your company info, events and story ideas to

[email protected]: Yvan Marston • Design: Gravity Design Inc.

Allied Outperforms NationalTenant Service BenchmarksResults of a national survey launched throughoutAllied buildings earlier this year in May foundthat tenant satisfaction exceeded the industrybenchmarks in Canada. The survey focused on asking respondents whether they would recommend Allied buildings, as well as howthey felt about issue resolution and overall satisfaction of the ‘Allied Experience’. Resultswill help Allied identify areas outlined forprogress and improve the general provision ofservices consistently across its geographicallydiverse portfolio. Visit alliedreit.com for a summary of the survey results.

Allied surclasse les comparables nationaux : sondage Les résultats d’un sondage national mené dans les édifices d’Allied plus tôt cette annéeau mois de mai ont révélé que la satisfaction des locataires dépassait les normes deréférence de l’industrie au Canada. Le sondage se résumait à demander aux répondantss’ils recommanderaient les édifices d’Allied et leur point de vue sur la résolution desproblèmes et la satisfaction générale de « l’expérience Allied ». Les résultats aiderontAllied à identifier les domaines où des progrès sont souhaitables et à améliorer la prestation générale des services de façon cohérente d’un bout à l’autre de son portefeuillegéographique varié. Visitez alliedreit.com pour un résumé des résultats du sondage.

COMMUNIQUÉAre you registered withAllied Tenant Services? Our Tenant Services Request System allowsyou to easily submit, log and track workorders relating to building and or in-suite concerns. Our team is hands on in respondingto and resolving these issues in a timely manner. Not a User? Need to reset your Login ID? Contact Property Management today and use the system to:

• Submit online service requests

• Receive immediate assistance

• Access information easily

• Receive important notifications

• Track the progress of a repair.

Êtes-vous inscrit aux Servicesaux locataires d’Allied?Notre Système de demande de service auxlocataires vous permet de soumettre et d’enregistrer des demandes de travail en lien avec l’immeuble ou des problèmes dansles bureaux et d’en effectuer le suivi trèsfacilement. Vous n’êtes par un utilisateur?Vous devez réinitialiser votre identificateur d’utilisateur? Communiquez avec la Gestion des immeubles et faites appel au système pour :

• soumettre vos demandes de service en ligne

• obtenir une aide immédiate

• accéder à l’information facilement

• recevoir des avis importants

• faire le suivi de l’avancement des travaux de réparation

Kids & Company Wins E&Y Entrepreneur of the Year AwardVictoria Sopik and Jennifer Nashmi took top honours in the business-to-businesscategory this year at the Ontario Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year®

Awards for their work developing progressive childcare and eldercare options for companies. Their firm, Kids & Company, an Allied tenant at two Montrealsites, currently operates 44 child care centres across Canada. See the full storyon page 16.

Victoria Sopik et Jennifer Nashmi ont remporté cetteannée les grands honneurs dans la catégorie des produits et services d’entreprise à entreprise lorsde la remise des Grands Prix de l’entrepreneur2012 d’Ernst & Young pour la région del’Ontario pour leur contribution à l’élaborationde nouvelles solutions de gardiennage etd’aide aux aînés pour les entreprises. Leurfirme, Kids & Company, locataire d’Allieddans deux emplacements de Montréal,exploite actuellement 44 garderies à travers le Canada. Lisez l’article à la page 16.

KING WEST CENTRAL, TORONTO / - Despite the presence of its state-of-the-art, large format, high-speed digitalChromira 5x photo printer, the light vinegar smell of stop bath continues to haunt Toronto Image Works’ post-industrialstudio space. Twenty-seven years on, the photo printing studio is still anticipating the needs ofphotographers at every tumultuous stepof the digital revolution, all the whileremaining faithful to its fine arts roots.

Starting with 2,000 square feet in1985, and fulfilling a simple need fordarkroom rentals in a city devoid of suchfacilities at the time, Toronto ImageWorks (TIW) founder and renownedphotographer Edward Burtynsky soughtto cater to all levels of Toronto’s art community. Now occupying 11,000square feet, TIW remains one of thecity’s last-standing film processing labs, but focuses its efforts on high quality digital output and education.

“There’s a thirst for knowledge in this sector that is beingdriven by the need to understand application, to think beyondjust taking the photo,” says Jeannie Baxter, TIW’s managingdirector, explaining how the lab at King Street West and

Spadina began early on to expand its courses beyond traditionalportraiture and lighting to graphic design and web production.

PLACING 87% OF ITS STUDENTS Initially, students were asking for various computer skills so TIW sought out industryexperts and assembled a few courses. But now it offers

full-time, Ontario-accredited college-leveldiplomas in both digital publishing and multimedia web, and the photo lab’s classrooms are turning out approxi-mately 50 students a year with an 87%placement rate.

Its students are always in search ofhands-on skills, says Baxter. The schoolhelps them develop portfolios of appliedwork so that one’s ability to take good photos forms the basis for projects such as a balanced magazine layout, a striking

movie poster or an eye-catching package design.

“Now we have a lot of people coming from ad agencies whoare looking to learn the web side – art directors and creativedirectors who never worked on web sites but were doing theconceptual stuff,” she explains, adding that her team saw theneed for graphic designers to become web savvy some sevenyears earlier.

TheWORKSOne of the city’s last standing film processing labs, Toronto Image Works

is focused on high quality digital output and education. By Yvan Marston


[ P H O T O G R A P H Y ]

““There’s a thirst for

knowledge in this sector that is being driven by the

need to understand application, to think beyond

just taking the photo.”

5 • FALL 2012

A dedicated gallery space changes shows monthly and is also used to exhibit 4th year Ryerson photo student works as well as host adedicated show for Ryerson’s graduating MFA in image arts students.

Workstations let clients load files for printing, or scan from the Imacon orflatbed scanning stations.

TORONTOPhotos: Toronto Im

age Works

Edward Burtynsky needed a darkroom

When Edward Burtynsky graduated from Ryerson in the1980s it meant that he no longer had use of the school’sdarkrooms. This was a problem because there were nodarkroom rentals available to professionals in Toronto(the nearest facility was in Buffalo, NY). So, despite alack of experience running a photo lab, Burtynskysecured space downtown and started offering rentaldarkrooms in 1985.

While he remains president of Toronto Image Works,he has distinguished himself with his work, and isknown best for his remarkable photographic depictionsof global industrial landscapes. His imagery explores theintricate link between industry and nature, combiningthe raw elements of mining, quarrying, manufacturing,shipping, oil production and recycling into eloquent,highly expressive visions that find beauty and humanityin the most unlikely of places. His work is featured onover fifty major museums around the world.

“WHO WILL BE OUR FUTURE CLIENT BASE?” While digitalhelped to drive the demand for education, it had a reverse effecton the film processing side of the business.

“When most of our competition went out of business,” recallsBaxter, “we asked ourselves, who will be our future client base? Itwould be artists because they will always have a need for highquality prints. But they won’t want to have to maintain a printer.”

TIW kept the film processing to serve the needs of its specialistclientele, but shifted its energies to printing quality digital files.Baxter says the early years of running digital output were a lot ofhard work, mostly because the printing technology hadn’t caughtup to the quality of image being captured.

FINE ART PRINTING But TIW has remained at the forefront ofthis technological change and now offers such services as fine artprinting, where prints are made using archival inks on archivalsubstrates, including a wide variety of fine art papers available in considerable widths – depending on the medium (60 incheswide on photo-inkjet paper, for example).

Painters, illustrators, mixed media artists, photographers,designers and architects use this service to create a fine art version of their work, explains Baxter.

Besides offering a full range of photographic services (processingslide, colour and black and white film, high quality large formatprints and a host of mounting and framing options) TIW alsoremains actively involved in the community is serves.

It has been active with the Scotiabank CONTACT photo -graphy festival since its start and has 460 square feet of dedicatedgallery space that features a new show monthly. The space is also used to exhibit 4th year Ryerson photo student works as well as a host a dedicated show for Ryerson’s graduating MFA in image arts students.

Despite its expertise in the digital field, Baxter says she has seen a recent rise in the amount of film processing work the lab isdoing. “You can’t beat the speed of digital, but for some applica-tions, film is just better.” And in that respect, it is unlikely thescent of stop bath will ever truly leave the TIW premises. �

torontoimageworks.com

Photo: Yvan Marston


L’ENVOLÉEAprès avoir établi un partenariat européen il y a six ans pour prendre de l’expansion, ACCEO Solutions – et vole de ses propres ailes pour aller encore plus loin. Par Yvan Marston

CITÉ DU MULTIMÉDIA, MONTRÉAL / - Les préparatifsdu changement allaient bon train depuis des mois avant que les employés ne se présentent en ce matin de septembre. Le hall d’entrée du 75 de la rue Queen était décoré de ballons bleus et les portes d’ascenseur garnies de petits points bleus.Bien que l’annonce officielle aurait lieu plus tard en matinée à 11 h – en simultané aux 1 000 employés répartis dans huitplaces d’affaires de l’entreprise (y compris le bureau situé enFrance) – les sphères bleues indiquaient clairement la fin de GFI Solutions d’affaires Inc.

C’est avec tambours et trompettes que l’un des chefs de filedes solutions TI au Canada changeait son image de marquepour ACCEO Solutions en cette journée chaude d’automne, six mois après le rachat de la part de son partenaire français GFI Informatique par un groupe d’actionnaires locaux.

Le groupe français visait une croissance en Europe alors qu’à Montréal, Gilles Létourneau, président et chef de la direction de GFI Solutions d’affaires Inc., faisait de même pour l’Amérique du Nord. ENTIÈREMENT CANADIENNE « L’entreprise est maintenantentièrement canadienne et nous sommes déterminés à

poursuivre activement notre stratégie de développement à traversl’Amérique du Nord » confiait M. Létourneau au quotidienmontréalais The Gazette lors du lancement. « Ce changement de nom marque un tournant clé pour notre entreprise. »C’est en effet une étape importante pour cette entreprise qui

a débuté sous sa direction en 1988 sous le nom de Conceptum.Elle compte maintenant sur un chiffre d’affaires annuel de plusde 100 millions de dollars et propose des solutions d’affairespour les PME et les municipalités, ainsi que pour diversesindustries, y compris la construction, les quincailleries et les centres de rénovation, les garderies, les cabinets de notaires et de comptables, et les banques.

Avec cette nouvelle dénomination sociale, inspirée par lesidées d’accélération, d’ascension et d’accessibilité, et uneautonomie renouvelée, ACCEO Solutions n’a pas tardé às’établir, grâce à diverses acquisitions présentement en cours,comme fournisseur essentiel de solutions d’affaires électroniques.SOLUTIONS DE GESTION Et comme son offre est constituéeessentiellement d’un mélange de services de TI, de dévelop pe -ment de logiciels et de consultation d’affaires, les clientsd’ACCEO Solutions peuvent être à peu près tout type

[ I N F O R M A T I Q U E ]Photo: Denis Bernier

It forged a European partnership sixyears ago to move ahead but now GFI isrebranding itself ACCEO and branchingout alone – to go even further. By Yvan MarstonCITE DU MULTIMEDIA, MONTREAL / - The change had been in the works for months before employees arrived thatSeptember morning. The lobby at 75 Queen was decorated in blue balloons and the elevator doors decaled with bluedots. While the official announcement would be made later that morning at 11:00 – simultaneously to the 1,000employees across the company’s eight offices (including one in France) – the blue globes signaled clearly that it wasthe end of GFI Business Solutions Inc.

With much fanfare, one of Canada’s top software com panies was changing its name to ACCEO Solutions that warm fall day six months after its French partner GFIInformatique had been bought out by a group of local shareholders.

The French group was focused on growth in Europe while in Montreal, GFI Business Solutions president and CEO Gilles Letourneau had been pursuing opportunities in North America.

“Now we are wholly Canadian and can pursue our development strategy across North America,” Letourneau told The Montreal Gazette at the launch. “It’s a major turning point for our company.”

Indeed, it’s effectively another major turning point for the company that began under his leadership in 1988, thenunder the name Conceptum. Now it counts annual revenuesof $100 million, providing business solutions for SMBs and municipalities, as well as for a number of industries,including construction, hardware and renovation centres,daycares, notaries, accountants, and banks.

With a new name – inspired by notions of acceleration,ascent and accessibility – and a renewed autonomy, ACCEOSolutions has wasted little time establishing itself, through a series of ongoing acquisitions, as an essential provider of electronic-based business solutions.

And given that its offering is essentially a mix of IT service meets software development meets business consulting, ACCEO Solutions clients can be almost everyone,and at any stage of business development.

Some solutions start with home-based businesses, where a simple but powerful accounting software likeAcomba can serve a business through its growth as itbecomes a larger firm with more complex needs requiringspecialized management solutions like its business intelligence tools.

Other solutions include its point-of-sale integrated payment system used in 90,000 sales points across Canada

7 • FALL 2012

(continued on page 8)

(Suite à la page 8)

GFI se donne une nouvelle identité –

d’entreprise, peu importe leur stade de développement d’affaires.Certaines des solutions commencent avec des entreprises

à domicile, où un logiciel de comptabilité à la fois simple etpuissant comme Acomba peut être utilisé tout au long de lacroissance de l’entreprise alors que les besoins deviennent deplus en plus complexes et exigent des solutions de gestionplus spécialisées, comme des outils d’intelligence d’affaires.

Parmi d’autres solutions offertes, mentionnons la solutionde paiement intégrée aux points de vente, utilisée dans 90 000 caisses enregistreuses à travers le Canada et les États-Unis par des détaillants tels que les Boutiques Apple,Burger King, Ikea, Winners et Jean-Coutu; ses logiciels financiers ou de cour municipale sont exploités dans les systèmes de la quasi-majorité des municipalités au Québec. SYSTÈMES QUI COMMUNIQUENT « Notre vision desaffaires électroniques ne se limite pas au commerce électronique : il s’agit plutôt de systèmes qui commu-niquent avec d’autres systèmes et qui optimisent la gestionet les opérations » explique André Desjardins, directeurmarketing de l’entreprise et membre de l’équipe derrière les activités de changement de marque.« Toutes nos solutions sont conçues pour faire circuler

l’information – à partir de la prise des commandes en passant par leur exécution jusqu’à la facturation aux clients– toutes ces étapes peuvent être automatisées à l’intérieurd’un même processus » affirme M. Desjardins, ajoutantqu’un grand nombre de clients d’ACCEO Solutions sont de petites et moyennes entreprises qui ne sont pas assezimposantes pour justifier d’importants investissements dansdes infrastructures de TI mais qui pourraient profiter d’unesolution d’affaires électroniques complète et adaptée.

MONTRÉAL

Une Beetle VW portant la nouvelle dénomination sociale, inspirée par les idées d’accélération, d’ascension et d’accessibilité.


ACCEO Solutions se concentre donc sur la prestation de services permettant de trouver et de gérer chaque maillon de lachaîne d’affaires qui unit les clients et les consommateurs.

Depuis 1988, le cheminement de l’entreprise a été marqué parune série d’importantes acquisitions et d’importants partenariats.L’acquisition d’ActiveMedia, Fortsum, Bell Solutions d’affaires,Accovia et Tender Retail l’an dernier a permis à l’entreprise d’accroître la portée de sa mission et de passer officiellement d’unfournisseur de services à un fournisseur de produits et services.

À titre d’exemple, l’acquisition de Tender Retail (solution depaiement intégrée au point de vente), dont le siège social est situéà Toronto, a permis de boucler la boucle en s’appropriant des segments verticaux de la chaîne d’affaires électroniques de sorteque tous les aspects d’une transaction soient gérés par des solu-tions ACCEO.DANS CE DOMAINE DEPUIS LONGTEMPS Bien que l’entrepriseelle-même ait fait sa marque pendant plus de 20 ans, certaines de ses filiales œuvrent dans ce domaine depuis plus longtempsencore. Son équipe est formée d’experts spécialisés dans certainesdes solutions PGI (ERP) les plus en demande sur le marché : Sage 300, SAP Business One, Microsoft Dynamics GP, MicrosoftDynamics AX et IFS, de même qu’Acomba et Avantage, deux des solutions comptables les plus populaires auprès des PMEquébécoises.

Aujourd’hui, quelque 55 000 clients au Canada seulementcomptent sur les produits et services d’ACCEO Solutions pourpayer leurs employés, gérer leurs transactions, faire évoluer leursproduits à travers la chaîne d’approvisionnement et gérer lesinnombrables étapes logistiques qui font rouler l’économie.

La synergie derrière cette offre unique de produits et servicesstimule également la croissance professionnelle de ses employés.L’entreprise a instauré divers programmes de RH pour la formation, le perfectionnement professionnel et la gestion de lacontribution – qui reposent tous sur ses valeurs fondamentales de qualité, créativité, intégrité, responsabilité et respect. Le lancement de la nouvelle image de marque d’ACCEO Solutions a ainsi favorisé encore plus la création de cet environnement detravail stimulant et mobilisateur. �

acceo.com

and the U.S. with retailers such as Apple stores, BurgerKing, Ikea, Winner’s and Jean-Coutu, and its financial ormunicipal court softwares run in the systems of almostevery municipality in Quebec.

“Our vision of e-business is not just e-commerce: It is systems talking to other systems and optimizing management and operations,” explains Andre Desjardins,the company’s marketing director and part of the teambehind the rebranding effort.

“All our solutions are designed to make information go around – from taking orders, to filling them to invoicingclients – it can all be automated into a process,” saysDesjardins, adding that many of ACCEO Solutions’ clientsare smal-and medium-sized businesses who aren’t largeenough to warrant investing in IT infrastructure but could benefit from a full-fledged and adapted electronicbusiness solution.

And finding and managing every piece of the businesschain that links clients and customers is what ACCEOSolutions is focused on delivering.

Since 1988, the firm has been on a path marked by aseries of significant acquisitions and partnerships.Acquiring ActiveMedia, Fortsum, Bell Business Solutions,Accovia and Tender Retail last year have helped the company broaden its mission and complete the shift from being a services provider to being a products andservices provider.

The purchase of Toronto-based Tender Retail (point- of-sale integrated payment solution), for example, servedto continue closing the loop by capturing vertical segments of the e-business chain so that every aspect of a transaction can be managed by ACCEO solutions.

Indeed, while the company itself has been making itsmark for over 20 years, some of its subsidiaries have been on the scene for even longer. Its team brings togetherexperts specializing in some of the most in-demand ERPsolutions on the market: Sage 300, SAP Business One,Microsoft Dynamics GP, Microsoft Dynamics AX, and IFS, as well as Acomba and Avantage, two of the most popularaccounting solutions used by Quebec SMBs.

Today, some 55,000 clients in Canada alone count onACCEO Solutions to pay employees, process transactions,move goods along the supply chain and manage thecountless logistics that make an economy function.

The synergy that is driving this unique product andservice offering is also fostering professional growthamong its employees. The company has various HR programs in place for training, career development andperformance management – all of which is based on its core corporate values of quality, creativity, integrity,responsibility and respect. And creating this stimulatingand engaging work environment has been tidily bolsteredby the new ACCEO Solutions corporate identity. �

(continued from page 6)

«« Ses logiciels financiers... sont exploitésdans les systèmes de la quasi-majorité des municipalités au Québec. »

Handling Holiday Hors d’OeuvreTORONTO

OFFER VARIETY. Serve a selection of cold, warm and hot, says Reading. “This relieves last-minute fussing,” she says because you can prepare the cold items in advance and concentrate on finishing the warm and hot items, which of course are alreadyassembled and ready to heat. Just pop them in the oven at the last minute or throughout the event. And keep your oven sethigh at around 375F, advises Reading.

USE QUALITY VEGGIES. Veggies and dips are always a great add-onplatter because they’re easy to put together and require very littlemaintenance from the host. “When putting together a crudité platter,use the freshest vegetables available and offer a selection of texturesand colours,” says Reading.

9 • FALL 2012

For class schedule and details, visit Calphalon.com/centers

Hors d’oeuvre can be time consuming, but if you’re up to the challenge, they can really demonstrate a host’s skills for planning andexecution. Indeed, the real art of hors d’oeuvre is to be able servethem without neglecting your guests. And that takes preparation,says Susie Reading, Executive Chef at Toronto’s Caphalon CulinaryCenter at King Street West and Spadina in Toronto.

Check the Calphalon Center course calendar for December andyou’ll find a couple of hosting-focused classes – including the sitdown holiday dinner class and another of holiday hors d’oeuvre. Ifyou don’t have the time to spend an evening learning, here are a fewof Reading’s tips to serving up a memorable evening of hors d’oeuvre.

Rare roast beef on herb crostini with grated horseradish

Seared scallops wrapped in pancetta

Hot brie melt on crouton with pear chutney

Stuffed mushroom caps

Mini pizzas

Smoked salmon on dark ryeround with dill cream

Veggie salad rolls

Crab and mango saladon crisp wontons

Salmon ceviche on tortilla chip

Melon wrapped with prosciuttoand goat’s cheese

Dips with a selection of olives,charcuterie and breads (“Thisis always a hit, says Reading,“but be sure to include a dishfor the olive pits.”)

HORS D’OEUVRE INSPIRATION

SERVED COLD: SERVED WARM:

SERVED HOT:

Grape tomatoes

Broccoli

Cauliflower

Tri-coloured peppers

Carrots

Celery

Cucumber

Green beans (blanched and refreshed)

Also try something exotic like: • Jicama (a sweet, root vegetablethat looks like a turnip)

• Daikon (long white crunchy vegetable from the radish family).

SAMPLE VEGGIE PLATTER

STEPS TO HOSTING AN ELEGANT HORS D’OEUVRE EXPERIENCE5

1. Build a menu that does not require cutlery.

2. Start early. Plan, shop and prep (as much aspossible) two days in advance of party.

3. Visualize your event. Draw a diagram of how the rooms will be set and where food and drinks will be placed.

4. Set up two beverage stations to avoid congestedareas. And don’t forget to pre-cut lemons andlimes, have plenty of ice and include a selectionof non-alcoholic beverages.

5. As guests arrive, set your oven at around 375Fso that it’s ready for the hot hors d’oeuvre.

[ C A L P H A L O N C U L I N A R Y C E N T E R ]

STRONG RECOMMENFrom electronics to electrolysis, user-generated reviews are the lifeblood of social media platform By Micayla Jacobs


KING WEST CENTRAL, TORONTO / - It’s been three years since ChickAdvisor broke onto the scene offering its brand of common sense product reviews from real women and building an online community of activist shoppers. But a new partnership announced in the spring is set to broaden its reach and bring its business to the next level.

In May, ChickAdvisor announced its partnership withBeyond the Rack, a Montreal-based startup named one of the fastest growing e-tailers in the U.S. last year by InternetRetailer Magazine. Essentially an online shopping club, Beyond the Rack’s members access authentic designer apparel,accessories, beauty and home décor products at a discountedprice through limited-time sales.

Beyond the Rack reaches 7 million consumers across NorthAmerica and ships 129,000 products each month. It’s a distri -bution bandwidth ChickAdvisor.com can leverage to expand itsreach, explains Alex de Bold, who founded the site with his wife and business partner Ali.

Operating from its sunlit offices at King Street West andSpadina, in Toronto, jammed with eight employees,ChickAdvisor currently acts as a facilitator for major brands like CoverGirl, L’Oreal and Garnier and their target audiences.

“Many brands right now typically use high velocity samplingwhere they have someone stand at Union Station handing outsamples, but that’s expensive and it isn’t targeted,” he says.

ChickAdvisor currently runs sample distribution programs for its clients, but they’re on a small scale sending out 200 to1,000 samples to a targeted audience. Working with Beyond the Rack’s North American distribution network could pushthat number to ten times its current size.

Going forward, the new model might look like this: a Beyondthe Rack client ordering a pair of shoes also receives a sample ofa new perfume that hasn’t yet hit the market. That client is theninvited to use the product and post a review on ChickAdvisor.

Despite a close relationship with its advertisers, ChickAdvisor’sproduct reviews are user-generated, providing a trustworthyplace for women to share advice on everything from beautyproducts to restaurants and retailers.

Authenticity is its currency and given that it’s a social site,there are also plenty of chats chronicling relationship issues,wellness and pop culture, but for the most part, users tend to be in search of product advice.

The tried and tested technology of ChickAdvisor, meshedwith the scale of Beyond the Rack allows for what de Boldargues is an unprecedented opportunity for brands across NorthAmerican to have a really targeted process-driven platform thatis extremely efficient.

With over 2,000 Proctor & Gamble and Unilever products in each category and some 56,000 reviews, brands working withChickAdvisor are not only able to target consumer segments,but also collect metrics on who is receiving a sample and whatthey thought of it.

And it is information brands use, explains de Bold, citingChickAdvisor reviews being referenced in ad campaigns both in print and social media. The new partnership betweenChickAdvisor and Beyond the Rack will only help to broadenthat reach. �

ChickAdvisor.com

[ M E D I A ]

““Many brands right now typically use highvelocity sampling where they have someonestand at Union Station handing out samples,but that’s expensive and it isn’t targeted.”

Photo: Greg Tjepkema

DATIONS ChickAdvisor and the reason brands are working with the duo behind it all.

11 • FALL 2012

TORONTO

Despite a close relationship with its advertisers, ChickAdvisor’sproduct reviews are user generated, providing a trustworthyplace for women to share advice on everything from beautyproducts to restaurants and retailers.

Offering direct access to‘flash sales’, Beyond theRack is a private shopping

club for women and men that offers designer brand appareland accessories at prices up to 80% off retail. Sales arealways limited-time events and each starts at a specific timeand typically lasts only 48 hours. When an event ends, themerchandise is no longer available. Members are notified byemail in advance of each upcoming event according to theirpreferences. Membership is controlled to ensure membershave adequate access to the merchandise. Typically youmust be invited to join but you can submit a request formembership directly.

Photo: ChickAdvisor


Photos: UPPERCASE Publishing

13 • FALL 2012

ART CENTRAL, CALGARY / - In a way, it started withShatner. Inspired by a 2006 cross-Canada road trip duringwhich she and her husband repeatedly listened to WilliamShatner’s spoken word album Has Been, Janine Vangool decided to curate an exhibition of Shatner illustrations.

The Calgary graphic designer put a call out to the international illustrator community and opened a show in her 580-square-foot gallery at Art Central in the summer of 2007 featuring 76 original images of the ubiquitous showman, one for every year of his life. Then, she publishedher first book: The Shatner Show.

Vangool admits it was an odd choice given she’s not a Star Trek superfan, but she was intrigued by the possibilitiesand potential interest it might bear. And indeed there was.Besides an endorsement from the actor himself (see sidebar on next page), several newspapers picked up the story.

“That was a turning point. It really put us on the map,” says Vangool, whose space in downtown Calgary started out as a graphic design studio/retail space/ gallery but is now best known as the home of UPPERCASE magazine, a quarterly craft, illustration, and design journal.

In 2005, Vangool moved into the bright space on the thirdfloor of the building, tenanted by art galleries, small retailersand studios, to open a graphic design firm serving Calgary’s art and culture industry.

She started the UPPERCASE brand as a side project butquickly became engrossed in the task of creating her own notecards, handmade notebooks, hand-sewn paper pouches,assembled packs of wood type and other type treasures.

“I enjoyed the challenge of conceptualizing, designing, packaging and selling my own things,” she recalls. “When Ihad the retail environment, I could gauge the success of a product by seeing a customer’s reaction. Now that interactionand engagement typically happens online through our blog and social media.”

The 2007 Shatner Show and subsequent book changedthings: it helped Vangool realize that conceptualizing contentand bringing it all together was what she really wanted to do.

In 2008, a magazine she had been working on stopped publishing and she took what she’d learned there, combined itwith her love of creativity, and in January of 2009, launchedUPPERCASE – a magazine for the creatively curious.

CONCEPTQUEENNine books and 15 magazine issues in, UPPERCASE publisher Janine Vangool is a creative force to be reckoned with.

[ P U B L I S H I N G ]

CALGARY

Vangool’s space at Art Central indowntown Calgary started as agraphic design studio/retail space/gallery but is now the home ofUPPERCASE – a magazine for thecreatively curious.

(continued on page 14)


Subscribers are typically creative in some way and many are designers andillustrators.

“But being creative in a professional way is not a prerequisite for enjoyingthe magazine,” she says, adding that many work on crafts and art in their sparetime and are simply looking for inspiration. Currently counting some 2,300subscribers, UPPERCASE’s fan base is chiefly in the U.S., with 50% of themagazine shipping there, 25% throughout Canada and 25% to other countries– mostly the U.K. and Australia.

Now into its 15th issue, UPPERCASE explores a broad range of subjectsbut always with an eye to the creative. Its inaugural edition featured articlesabout the history of the screw, Heini Koskinen’s fashion style, Blanca Gomez’sillustrations, and Toronto crafting business The Workroom.

This latest explores the creative side of science, with a look at the art of retroscience books and field guides to an article on the rat’s keen awareness ofchanges in its environment. Other pieces include profiles of furniture designersand a small stationery firm as well as a collection of illustrations united bytheir ability to glorify the bitmap (the tiny squares that make up digital print).

Besides managing the demands of a young family and running a quarterlymagazine, Vangool still finds time to develop book projects. UPPERCASE haspublished nine so far, and each bears witness to the powerful creative forceVangool channels into every project. �

uppercasemagazine.com

UPPERCASE Publishing’s nine titles are a celebration of printed matter by attending to every detail in making theseobjects of beauty. Each is characterized by a playful exploration of creativity, an affinity for vintage ephemera, and alove of typography.

This second edition ofWork/Life features 100 illustrators fromaround the world withpeeks into their studios,sketchbooks and insight into what fuels a creative life.

“Every artist has their muse. Leonardowas inspired by the ceiling in the greatchapel. Michaelangelo found his art inthe Italian marble. Who am I to standin the way of all these fine artists andartisans who want to use my lumpy,aging face for inspiration?”

– William Shatner on beinginformed Calgary artgallery UPPERCASE hadcurated a show featuring76 illustrations of the actor.

(continued from page 13)

An exploration of the peachy,crafty life of a British womanliving in the suburbs ofSeattle. Features how-to crafttutorials, personal anecdotesand lots of inspiring images of vintage-inspired decorand craft.

The Suitcase Series Volume 2: Dottie AngelWork/Life 2: The UPPERCASE directory of illustration

A Collection a Day by Lisa CongdonHoused in a collectible tin, 365 eclectic collections amassedby San Francisco-based illustrator Lisa Congdon are presented here. The foreword was penned by Fritz Karch,the collections editor at Martha Stewart Living magazine.

15 • AUTOMNE 2012

In a Pilates class or working with a trainer, you’ve probably heard the term neutral spine used todescribe the start position of an exercise. While most of us just pull our shoulders back, stand up talland hope for the best, finding neutral spine involves a bit more than that. And it’s important.

“Neutral spine is about keeping the natural curve of your spine. Not too much flexion or extension,”explains Rianna Alvarez, the personal training director at Totum Life Science on King Street West. In thisposition, she says, you decrease the likelihood of injury and, used every day, you can reduce long termback problems.

You should practice getting into neutral spine when sitting, standing and when exercising prone.Finding neutral spine by lying down is the easiest of the three. Here’s how:

totum.ca

1. Lying on the floor, tilt your pelvis upso that your back is flat on the mat(think: pushing your navel thoughyour body and out the back).

2. Now exaggerate this motion the otherway and pretend that your navel isbeing pulled up to create a curve inyour back (enough for someone toput their hand through).

3. Now, relax your core, keeping thepelvis slightly tilted and abs slightlyengaged.

1. Stand normally in front of a mirror withknees slightly bent, tuck your pelvisbackwards pushing your butt out andaccentuating the curve in your spine.

2. Now tilt your pelvis forward keepingyour shoulders back.

3. Next, relax enough to bring your corebetween the tuck and tilt positions,tighten the muscles around your stomach and buttocks so your lowerback becomes very flat. Keeping yourpelvis in this neutral position, stand tallwith your ears and shoulders lined upover your hips and your shoulders.

Alvarez

TORONTO[ T O T U M T I P S ]

START IN NEUTRAL Maintaining good form while exercising all comes down to

knowing how to find your neutral spine position.

1

1 2 3

2 3

STANDING

PRONE


A National Childcare StrategyWith 44 locations (and counting) across Canada, Kids & Company’s corporate clients are discovering the strength of child care as a creative benefit. By Micayla Jacobs

SAINT CATHERINE STREET, MONTREAL / - For working parents, finding quality child care is both a challengeand a financial drain. But increasingly, companies seeking to attract and keep excellent employees are offering more creative benefits like flexible full and part-time child care, and emergency back-up child care and even elder care.

Enter Kids & Company.

Ten years ago it was a Toronto-based child care centre with quality care givers and a solid educational program. Now, it counts 44 centres across Canada, and continues to grow (and it just recently won an Ernst & YoungEntrepreneur of the Year® Award).

Kids & Company offers a list of proprietary programs –from a physical activity program designed to teach balance and coordination, to sign language, early literacy, arts based program, and second language skills. Its attention toquality, flexible offerings and no late pick-up fees has made it attractive to working parents. And that makes it attractive to employers.

“Most of our centres are corporate focused,” explains Linda Starr, director, sales and marketing at Kids & Company,discussing one of the latest facilities to open in Montreal.

This one on St. Catherine Street is the third in the city’s core and offersguaranteed full-time, part-time and emergency back-up child care for theemployees of several blue chip clients.

Managing child care is one of the topstress inducers of contemporary life, saysStarr. Studies consistently show that thisinability to balance work, family andcommunity has been linked to reducedwork performance, increased stress, higheremployee turnover and poor morale.

It’s one of the reasons organizations inthe banking, accounting, law, govern-ment, services and many other industriesbuy memberships at Kids & Company as they can offer a variety of custom childcare benefits to their staff.

Some corporations will pay for thebasic membership and help subsidize the cost to their employees. A basicmembership gives employees guaranteedaccess to care, shortening the wait timefor a spot from 18 months to six.

Many companies will do this as well as provide employeeswith a fixed number of emergency back-up child care dayseach year as support when existing care arrangements break-down or to help when school-aged children have a PD day, or other school related holidays and closures.

“The emergency back-up package is very inexpensive and a number of our clients’ employees use it to manage those situations where they just can’t miss work,” says Starr.

Kids & Company goes beyond the standard in child careoffering a number of proprietary programs that are consistentacross the country. These programs include Alpha-Mania, anearly literacy program, and Mini Masters, an art programteaching kids about famous artists from around the world.

They also offer basic French (English in Quebec centres) and beyond the mandated two hours of physical activity, havea program called Munchkinetics, teaching kids gross motorskills like catching a ball and hopping on one foot.

Beyond child care, Kids &Company partners with otherorganizations to offer elder care services, nanny placement and after-hours babysitting service. �

kidsandcompany.ca

[ S E R V I C E ]

MONTRÉAL

17 • AUTOMNE 2012

Une stratégie nationale de soins aux enfantsRUE SAINTE-CATHERINE, MONTRÉAL / - Pour des parents qui travaillent, trouver une garderie de qualité représente à la fois tout un défi et un gouffre financier. Toutefois, les entreprises qui désirent attirer et conserver d’excellents employés offrent de plus en plus d’avantages sociaux créatifs et adaptés à leurs besoins tels que des services de garde à temps plein ou à temps partiel, des soins de dépannage et même des soins aux aînés.

Et voici justement l’arrivée de Kids & Company.

Il y a dix ans, c’était un centre de garde d’enfants de Toronto où travaillaient des éducateurs de qualité, avec un programme éducatif solide.Aujourd’hui, l’entreprise compte 44 centres à travers le Canada et elle continue de croître. De plus, elle vient de recevoir tout récemment un prixErnst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year® Award.

UNE GAMME DE PROGRAMMES EXCLUSIFS Kids & Company offre une gamme de programmes exclusifs – à partir d’un programme d’activitésphysiques conçu pour enseigner l’équilibre et la coordination jusqu’au langage des signes, en passant par l’apprentissage précoce de la lecture etde l’écriture, un programme axé sur les arts et des compétences en langueseconde. L’attention portée aux services souples et de qualité offerts et l’absence de frais de retards rendent l’offre attrayante pour les parents sur le marché de travail et par le fait même, pour les employeurs.

« La plupart de nos centres sont centrés sur les entreprises », expliqueLinda Starr, directrice des ventes et du marketing de Kids & Company, à proposd’un des plus récents centres qui ouvrira à Montréal. Ce dernier, situé sur larue Sainte-Catherine, est le troisième à voir le jour au cœur de la ville et offredes soins garantis à temps plein, à temps partiel et en cas d’urgence auxenfants des employés d’un grand nombre de clients de premier ordre.

GRANDS FACTEURS DE STRESS « La gestion des soins aux enfants constitue l’un des plus grands facteurs de stress de la vie contemporaine »,déclare Mme Starr. Les études révèlent année après année que cette incapacité à équilibrer le travail, la vie familiale et la vie communautaire est liée à une baisse de rendement au travail, à un stress accru, à un plus haut taux de roulement des employés et à un moral à la baisse.

C’est l’une des raisons pour lesquelles les organisations des secteurs bancaire, financier, juridique, gouvernemental, des services et de biend’autres industries s’abonnent à Kids & Company car elles peuvent ainsi offrir à leur personnel une variété d’avantages personnalisés en matière de soins aux enfants.

Certaines entreprises paieront les frais d’adhésion de base et con-tribueront à financer le coût pour leurs employés. Un abonnement de base permet à l’employé d’avoir un accès garanti aux soins, réduisant ainsi la période d’attente pour obtenir une place de 18 mois à six.

Bon nombre d’entreprises procéderont ainsi et accorderont en plus à leurs employés un nombre fixe de jours de services de garde de dépannagechaque année pour les dépanner en cas de problème avec les dispositions de garde existantes ou lorsque les enfants d’âge scolaire ont une journéepédagogique ou tout autre congé scolaire ou fermeture d’école.

« Le service de garde de dépannage est très peu dispendieux et bon nombre d’employés de nos clients l’utilisent pour gérer les situations où ils nepeuvent tout simplement pas s’absenter du travail », affirme Mme Starr. �

Facilities, like the one on St. Catherine Street inMontreal (TOP), have been opening across Canadawith regularity. Kids & Company offers a list ofproprietary programs from a physical activitydesigned to teach balance and coordination, tosign language, early literacy, arts-basedprogramming, and second language skills.


The last decade has seen IT move from office serverclosets to colocation in secure centres with perpetuallycooled spaces, miles of cabling, back-up power, andmultiple connections. Now, the demand for cloud computing is driving growth in this sector even further.

Cologix Canada president Sean Maskell in one of the company’s suites at 151 Front Street West.

Photo: Yvan Marston

19 • FALL 2012

[ T E L E C O M M U N I C A T I O N S ]

TORONTO

FRONT STREET WEST, TORONTO / - It’s a bit stark. The long rows of matte-black mesh cabinets, raised white-tiledfloor and über-bright overhead LED lighting look like a highschool locker room as imagined by a James Bond villain. Andwhile it may appear plain and simple, it’s anything but that for Sean Maskell, a telecommunications entrepreneur whowent from supplying racks and server equipment to becomingPresident of Cologix, one of Canada’spremier colocation providers.

Colocation is the business of outsourced infrastructure management,providing secure space, reliable powerand cooling to support customer serversand switches. This now represents amulti-billion dollar industry, set on a pathof growth – in part by business’ nearpathological need for 100% reliabilityand broad connectivity. Technologyresearcher Gartner estimates the globaldistributed control systems market generated $150 billion globally as of2011, and is projected to grow to $200 billion in 2012.

OUT OF THE SERVER CLOSET Maskell witnessed an initialstage of growth in the industry in the wake of the 2003Northeast Blackout as companies moved away from using their office server closets to instead backing things up off-site in early 2004. “IT departments started to say: We need tomove our systems out of the office because our businessrequires a higher standard of system reliability,” he says.

To take advantage of guaranteed performance and the added benefit of reduced costs, enterprise clients have beenincreasingly moving mission critical IT infrastructure to third-party colocation datacentres, a trend Maskell estimates hasbeen developing over the last eight years.

Now, he is seeing is a push from clients already operating incolocation datacentres for additional space, often to replicate a system at another site to provide redundancy in the event the first centre goes down.

Reliability requirements to support services like cloud computing are moving beyond individual sites and appears to be driving much of this demand, says Maskell.

CONNECTING CLOUD “Clients are now asking for access tomultiple geographies, each with redundant infrastructure, and access to multiple network carriers in order to connecttheir cloud infrastructure as well as facilitate services to theircustomers,” he says.

In response to these trends, Cologix recently completed twonew suites in 151 Front Street West that use industry-leading

technologies to increase reliability andefficiencies, explains Maskell.

Part of the new technology platformincludes a shift to more efficient racksfor holding servers and a highly effectivecooling system focused on containingthe heat output of the equipment. Thistechnology enables Cologix to developefficient layouts, which in turn, allowsthem to distinguish themselves by offering scalable solutions for cloudproviders, content providers and financial firms with growing needs.

EXPANSION SUITES In addition,Cologix has made significant investments to bring more network-neutral capacity in Toronto’s downtown, where networks are most present. The company is near completion of its new Tier 3, state-of-the-art data center at 905 King StreetWest, which is also owned and managed by Allied Properties.

Both the expansion suites and 905 King Street West, featurethe industry’s highest standards for space, power, cooling andsecurity. The 905 King Street West data centre offers a diverse,but natural extension to 151 Front Street West by leveragingthe dedicated, low latency fiber ring connecting the two facilities.

Upon completion of 905 King Street West (early Q1 2013),Cologix will operate 50,000 square feet of data center space in downtown Toronto where it hosts more than 140 carriers,networks, and ISPs available for interconnection, says Maskell, attributing Cologix’s success in Toronto to leadinginfrastructure, high touch local service and access to a largerplatform that also includes Montreal, Vancouver, Dallas and Minneapolis. �

cologix.com

RELIABLY REDUNDANTBy Yvan Marston

Clients are now asking foraccess to multiple geographies,

each with redundant infrastructure, and access tomultiple network carriers in order to connect their cloud infrastructure...”

YATES ST., VICTORIA / - After 33 years of selling fine art and posters, Love’s Olde Towne Gallery on Yates St. in Victoriafinds it is catering to a new crowd – today’s mobile phone photographers. A mix of everything is available on its walls –original work by local artists, posters and prints. But the printing and framing of self-produced pictures is now a biggerpart of business for gallery owners, brothers Adam and ChadLove. It’s just the latest trend in an ever-changing landscape.

“About 12 or 13 years ago, the biggest part of our businesswas posters and poster framing,” Adam explains. “Then the trend was to mount posters on canvas. Following that, it was reproducing images from posters directly on a canvas [a technique that allows the character of the canvas to be appreciated behind the image.]”

While all of these products and techniques are still good fortheir bottom line, customized printing and framing are now atthe heart of what Olde Towne does.

“People are taking pictures with their digital cameras andiPhones,” says Adam. “And they want to see those images blownup to huge proportions. They want to see something of theirown hanging on the wall.”

FROM ORIGINALS TO REPRODUCTIONS To accommodate thisdemand, the gallery offers high-quality prints as wide as 44inches, and pretty much as long as a customer could want. Thecompany’s printer is an Epson 9800 wide format printer. It useseight very high quality archival inks. “We chose this because itwas user friendly and can be used with any computer,” saysAdam.

“Much of the time, people bring in their own images to useon these huge canvases, but sometimes they just want an imagethat will fill a condo wall. Of course, we have plenty to suggest,”Adam continues.

Old posters and classic works of art are available for reproduc-tion, but the gallery also features a selection of original pieces.

‘PROMOTING ARTISTS WE LIKE’ “It’s fairly easy for artists to manage their own reproductions of their works, so there are a number of cool, younger artists that we carry,” says Adam.“Again, it makes us a little more diverse, and at the same timewe can promote artists we really like.”

One artist in particular is a favourite of Adam’s – his wifeLeslie Wiegand (wiggylove.com). “We keep it in the family abit,” he jokes. Much of Wiegand’s work is acrylic on wood –portraits and special commissions are her specialty.

Adam and Chad bought the business from its original owner13 years ago, and in November 2010 relocated to their currentaddress. It was a strategic move as much as it was an aestheticchoice.

“I had been aware of this spot for some time, so when itbecame available, I jumped at the chance to move in,” saysAdam. “This is the direction that our business is going – asmaller, more custom shop.”

PURSUING A ‘LOCAL VIBE’ At the old location, the gallery was primarily serving the tourist trade, selling lots of posters.For that, they required a lot more square footage. In the newerspace, there is still two storeys worth of wall space, but it’s a more intimate setting – off the main strip, close to manyrestaurants and places where locals hang out.

“We have local people coming in now who had no idea about us when we were around the corner,” says Adam. “It’s avery different clientele.”

Adam notes that with U.S. tourism being so affected by the high Canadian dollar, it was important for them to pursuemore of what he calls “a local vibe”.

The shop has taken on a very family-focused managementstyle as well. When neither Adam nor Chad can be on site, their mom, Gail, takes over the running of the gallery.

“We couldn’t keep this business going without our mom,”says Adam. “Both Chad and I have outside pursuits that fascinate us – I’m fascinated by archaeology, and Chad is building a cabin during the summers up in Cariboo. Our mom encourages us to follow these interests when we can.” �

oldetownegallery.com


Custom prints create a modernniche for Love’s Olde Towne Gallery

[ F I N E A R T ]

21 • FALL 2012

VICTORIA

While it carries a number of works from original artists, Love’s Old Towne

Gallery also prints client photos, offering high-quality prints as

wide as 44 inches. Original works seen here include: Model Car 1,

Leslie Wiegand; Logger, Bus Griffiths, and; Crow, Rudi Hurzlmeier.


CITE DU MULTIMEDIA, MONTREAL / - Between developingplay patterns, designing collectability and building the DNA ofseveral brands, running a toy company can be serious business.Worldwide toy sales topped $83.3 billion in 2010*, and most ofthat money was made in the last quarter of the year as holidaygifting drives parents to search for the season’s hottest toys.

But almost 18 months before any December sees lineups for Beyblade action figures and Lego minis, Kevin Richer andhis team are hashing out ideas – not just for actual toys, but for brands.

“Toys are just one element of a much larger business: theentertainment business,” says the 34-year-old president ofWooky Entertainment. “The toys getting coveted places on the shelves of the big retailers all have strong brands rooted in entertainment.”

The Montreal-based toy company started in 2007 and wentfrom a few small games to developing and distributing 200products in some 45 countries.

“We don’t want more than 300 products at the most,” saysthe stocky Richer, dressed casually in jeans and an un-tuckedshirt, and sporting a three-day beard. “Really it’s about increasing the production run of each product. But you don’twant to grow too quickly because it puts a lot of pressure onyour distributors.”

There’s no shortage of ideas in the company’s third-flooroffices at Cite du Multimedia, explains Richer, but the goal

is find concepts that can be developed and manufactured with a minimum of fuss.

Development takes anywhere from three to 18 months,explains marketing VP Christina Sklavenitis. It depends on the product, she says, adding that a paper product can generallybe developed faster than something requiring molds and special materials.

“And for something more complicated, we have to come upwith the brand’s DNA – so not only what will it look like butwhat is the play pattern, how will it be adapted,” she explains.

The Style Me Up jewelry kits are by far the company’s fastestgrowing product line. Other brands such as its innovative stackable Block Crayons for toddlers, its click together Mixyjewelry for the 4 to 7 crowd and Mathable, a math-focusedboard game with a style of play similar to Scrabble, are alsodriving growth in the company that is continually looking for designers to help develop its brands.

All the brands have their own web sites and in some cases,even more.

The Artzooka line of art products was developed in conjunction with a production company and is also a half-hourCBC kids series blending live action and animation to showkids that art is everywhere. And Mathable, a Scrabble-meets-math board game that has been popular since the 1980s hasbeen reinvented in five variations as an iPad paid app. �

wookyentertainment.com

Brand New GameBringing innovative play to international markets is one thing, but as Montreal’s Wooky Entertainment builds its brands, it is setting its sights beyond the filling of toy department shelves.

[ E N T E R T A I N M E N T ]

*Global Toy Market Estimates: 2011 Edition, The NPD Group.

Photo: Yvan Marston

CITÉ DU MULTIMÉDIA, MONTRÉAL / - Mis à part ledéveloppement de concepts de jeux, la conception de produits de collection et la création de l’ADN d’un grandnombre de marques, la direction d’une entreprise de jeuxpeut parfois être une affaire sérieuse. Les ventes de jouetsà travers le monde ont atteint quelque 83,3 milliards dedollars en 2010* et la majeure partie de cette somme avaitété amassée au dernier trimestre de l’année, alors que latradition des cadeaux de Noël pousse les parents à vouloirdénicher les cadeaux dernier cri pour les enfants.

Mais près de 18 mois avant les files d’attente dedécembre pour se procurer les figurines Beyblade et les mini Lego, Kevin Richer et son équipe sortent des idées – non seulement pour des jouets mais aussi pourdes marques.

« Les jouets ne constituent qu’un élément d’une indus-trie beaucoup plus vaste : l’industrie du divertissement »déclare le président de Wooky Entertainment, âgé de 34 ans. « Les jouets qui se méritent des places convoitéessur les tablettes des grands détaillants portent tous desgrandes marques reliées à l’industrie du divertissement. »

L’entreprise montréalaise a vu le jour en 2007 et elleest passée de quelques petits jeux à la mise au point et ladistribution de 200 produits dans quelque 45 pays.

Les trousses de bijoux Style Me Up sont de loin lagamme de produits de l’entreprise qui a connu la plus fortecroissance. D’autres marques telles que ses crayons blocsempilables (Block Crayons) innovateurs pour tout-petits,ses bijoux Mixy dont les pièces s’imbriquent les unes dans les autres, destinés aux 4 à 7 ans et Mathable, un jeu de société axé sur les mathématiques qui s’apparenteau Scrabble, connaissent également une croissance ausein de l’entreprise qui est constamment à la recherche deconcepteurs, pour l’aider à mettre au point ses marques.

Toutes les marques ont leurs propres sites Web etmême plus dans certains cas.

La gamme de produits d’artisanat Artzooka a été mise au point en collaboration avec une compagnie deproduction et elle fait également l’objet d’une séried’émissions pour enfants d’une demi-heure à CBC,mélangeant action en direct et animation pourmontrer à ces derniers que l’art est partout etque chacun possède en soi un côté artistique.

Puis, il y a le fameux Mathable, tel quementionné, un jeu de société qui est en fait un croisement entre le Scrabble et les

mathématiques; il est populaire depuis lesannées 1980 et a été réinventé en cinq déclinaisonscomme application payante sur iPad. �

Wooky Entertainment vise plusque de remplir les étagères desdépartements de jouets

23 • AUTOMNE 2012

What’s the hot toy trend for 2012?

MONTRÉAL

“Collectability,” says Kevin Richer, president of Wooky Entertainment, Toy’s R Us’ largestsupplier of creative products for girls 5 to 12. “If you look at all the huge successes of the lastfew years, they are lines based on collectableconcepts.” Wooky’s own line up consists of anumber of creative tween products – from build-your-own jewelry kits to fashion sketch-pads, tattoos, messenger bags and iron-ontransfers. This year, Mixy, its click-together jewelry sets for younger girls, features collectible plastic beads in a variety of coloursand shapes – some even with prints andsparkling gems.

Artzooka line ofart products tiesinto a half-hourCBC kids series.

Mathable, a Scrabble-meets-math board game popularsince the 1980s, has been reinvented in five variationsas an iPad paid app.

Available urban office environmentsnow at your fingertips.

WESTERN EASTERN

Use the new LEASING tab to view availabilities in over 7 million square feet of office space across Canada.

CENTRAL

The Loughheed, Calgary King Street West, Toronto Cite Multimedia, Montreal

www.alliedreit.com

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Chronicle - Fall 2012