Marketing the County

Mayor Robert Quaiff with Robert Lamb, past president of the Economic Developers Council of Ontario.

County takes top honours at Economic Developers Council of Ontario conference

It was a big night for the County’s community and economic development department at the Economic Developers Council of Ontario annual conference in Toronto last week.

The County took home top honours in two categories: advertising and promotional materials.

Progress Redefined is an 80-second commercial produced by Toronto ad agency BBDO, featuring wistful, slow motion footage of the County’s natural beauty, wineries, beaches and pastoral landscapes. The unseen narrator describes the negative connotations of what we used to perceive as progress, then endeavours to enunciate a new idea of progress. The words and the lush images of nature, history, food and creativity put visual context to the ad’s message.

The ad was produced at no cost to the County, explained Neil Carbone, director of Community and Economic Development.

“They’re a big-time firm—and usually high-priced—but offered to do some probono [work] for us because they like the County so much,” said Carbone.

The commercial can be viewed by clicking here.

The second award recognized the County’s Visitors Guide, a multi-page print piece distributed with Food & Drink magazine in Toronto, and The Globe and Mail in Ottawa and Montreal. The attractive promotional piece leans heavily on sumptuous images of food, art and natural beauty. The images and layout offer an inviting means of sharing with the reader the array of events and attractions in the County.

The County’s Visitors Guide can be viewed  by clicking here.

While Carbone or other departmental staff were unable to attend the awards dinner, Mayor Robert Quaiff accepted the awards on behalf of the County.