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Ad Lounge Public Relations Manager
press@adlounge.ca
416-803-9248
PRESS RELEASE
Marketing mavericks create “Art from the Unexpected”
Ad Lounge event supports local arts charity for street-involved and homeless youth
Toronto, May 7, 2009 – Prepare for a bolt from the blue. Twenty of the most outspoken mavericks in marketing have been tasked by Ad Lounge with one of the most unique challenges of their careers: to step out of the boardroom and create an original piece of art.
Exploring the bounds of creativity, Ad Lounge, an organization that brings together forward-thinking professionals in creative industries, will be unveiling these art works with the advertising legends and corporate leaders who made them at an unusual silent auction and fund-raising event called Art from the Unexpected.
Art from the Unexpected is being held on June 16th at the Steam Whistle Brewery in Toronto and is open to members of the advertising and marketing community, as well as the general public. The art created for the event is being sold to raise funds for SKETCH, a Toronto arts charity for street-involved and homeless youth. Tickets for the event are $100 and can be purchased at www.adlounge.ca/event.
“Ad Lounge has challenged some very colourful business leaders, who don’t typically get to be visually creative in their day-to-day roles, to create an original art piece,” says Trina Boos, Founder of Ad Lounge. “Art from the Unexpected will provide a rare opportunity to see a side to these leaders we don’t know or expect.”
Art from the Unexpected will be co-hosted by Terry O’Reilly, host of CBC Radio’s “Age of Persuasion” and founder of Pirate Radio & Television. The event will feature the following 20 top marketers and business leaders from Toronto, Vancouver, New York, and San Francisco:
- Dave Stevens, general manager, MySpace Canada
- Frank Palmer, chairman and CEO, DDB Canada
- Andrea Stairs, head of marketing, eBay Canada
- Cam Heaps, president, Steam Whistle Brewing
- Paul Lavoie, chairman and chief creative officer, TAXI
- Kerry Munro, general manager, Yahoo! Canada
- Tony Chapman, CEO, Capital C
- Ian Heaps, co-founder, Blundstone Canada
- David Feldt, senior vice president, managing director, Organic Inc.
- Lee LeFever, founder, CommonCraft.com
- Mitch Joel, president, Twist Image
- Dawna Henderson, president, henderson bas
- Kevin McLaughlin, president, AutoShare
- Jack Bensimon, CEO, Bensimon Byrne
- Geoffrey Roche, chief creative officer, Lowe Roche
- Goodwin Gibson, president, MacLaren MRM
- Shelley Brown, managing director, Zig
- Tony Lacavera, chairman and CEO, Globalive Communications Corp.
- Mia Wedgbury, president, High Road Communications
- Jacquelyn Corbett Cyr, CEO, Espresso
Boos adds: “The event was created out of a desire to encourage creativity in business at a time where it’s needed most. Gaining a new perspective from seeing what motivates these industry greats to be creative will radiate inspiration, enabling others to colour outside the lines of convention.”
Among the roster of notable participants, Frank Palmer, CEO and Chairman of DDB Canada, was first to endorse Art from the Unexpected and donate a painting.
“Art from the Unexpected will give a fascinating glimpse into the creative minds of Canada’s best-known marketers," Palmer said. “I believe inspiration and creativity come from the unexpected. A year ago, not very many people imagined hard times. Now more than ever, society has to value, foster and reward creativity to evolve. Businesses need to do this too, to remain competitive and survive.”
Dave Stevens, General Manager of MySpace Canada adds, “I’m not a visual artist, but I’m definitely looking forward to this unique challenge. Hopefully I don’t embarrass myself too much.”
"Art from the Unexpected is an inventive way to celebrate the power of creativity and raise money for SKETCH,” says Phyllis Novak, artistic director and founder of SKETCH, a Toronto-based non-profit arts organization known for its innovative response to youth homelessness and poverty. “Funds raised from the event will help us provide the tools for artistic expression that can place street-involved and homeless youth in a position to promote both personal and social change.”
Art from the Unexpected has been made possible through the generous support of it sponsors. Principle sponsors are Secret Location, Astley Gilbert, MySpace Canada, DDB Canada and Creative Niche. Other contributors include Hooplah, eBay Canada, Canoe.ca, and Electric Company.
About AD LOUNGE:
Community, diversity and creativity – three words that describe Ad Lounge. Founded in 2001, Ad Lounge brings together forward thinking professionals in Toronto’s advertising, marketing and creative industries to meet, share and connect. Ad Lounge creates opportunities for thought leaders to accelerate their personal and professional development. Through a series of networking and educational events, we provide a social platform for members to stimulate ideas, build business alliances, and provide learning opportunities about issues and trends pertaining to the advertising industry. www.adlounge.ca
Facebook Group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=5633661382
MySpace Page: http://www.myspace.com/adloungecanada
YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/theadlounge
Twitter: http://twitter.com/adlounge
About SKETCH
SKETCH is a community arts initiative that creates opportunities for street-involved and homeless youth aged 15-29 by offering them tools to engage in the arts, a safe place to express and create, and opportunities to creatively integrate back into community life. SKETCH supports and facilitates community connections with education, leadership and apprenticeships in arts industries through exhibition, performance and sale of artwork.www.sketch.ca
For more information, please contact: Trina Boos, founder, Ad Lounge
(T) 647.299.1247 (E) trina@adlounge.ca
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