Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside is known the world over as a tough neighbourhood. So when we were asked to brand a redevelopment of market homes on the border of this area, we knew it would not be easy. But with a strong developer and a surprising number of community advantages, this project has become a small but effective redevelopment success story.

Salient Group, with offices right in Gastown, has used their local knowledge and love of heritage renovation to launch some of the area’s most innovative residential redevelopments. Just a bit further east, a local property lending institution was stuck with an old stratified concrete and brick building which had sat vacant for a number of years. They called upon Salient’s expertise to reconceive, develop and market the homes.

Salient called Unicycle Creative.

Establishing the story
In the original branding session, we realized there’s more to Gastown and the Downtown Eastside than you’ll see on the evening news. It is home to some of Vancouver’s most exciting new restaurants, shops and businesses.

“Our buyers are people who know this area, and may even already live or work here,” says Robert Fung, President of the Salient Group. “They see the possibilities this neighbourhood has, and they like its creative ‘edge’. So we knew we didn’t want a traditional real estate campaign with smiling people sipping lattes.”

From a sustainability perspective, the re-use of an existing building shell, the addition of density to an ‘urban village’ neighbourhood and the focus on affordability for entry-level purchasers all reflected quite positively on the development. But a purely ‘green’ angle was secondary, we felt, to the rich story of the community itself.

21 Doors. A name that opens a lot of possibilities.
Intimate. Understated. An approachable scale of community development. A limited number of buying opportunities. These are some of the qualities communicated in this unique development identity.

“We knew an over-the-top creative name would be trying too hard,” says Unicycle Creative Director Lorne Craig. “Yet branding this building with the address alone would not say enough. We wanted people to imagine sharing time in the central courtyard with their neighbours. We also wanted to respect the fact that the Downtown Eastside is already a community, and we are part of that. 21 Doors has a close-knit quality to it that we hope will continue to inspire the people that live there.”

Celebrating a ‘Community of Independents’
The LiveAt21Doors identity was designed as a combination of art and journalism, using line drawings, gritty concrete textures and a duotone colour palette. A neighbourhood map boldly features hip new local restaurants and businesses right next to Downtown Eastside landmarks like the Carnegie Centre and Pigeon Park.

A gallery of artistic photographs by project designer Arno Apeldoorn brought a fresh eye to the Gastown area, showing off the textures and light that make this historic area such a treasure. These were also used prominently in the display centre.
The traditional glossy real estate lifestyle brochure was abandoned in favour of a simple door hanger, distributed to local businesses. This piece played off the ‘door’ theme, while showcasing the many benefits of living in the Gastown/Eastside area with a bit of fun. A print ad in the Georgia Straight drove more prospects to the LiveAt21Doors.com website, setting the stage for opening day.

Open for success.
After the dust settled on the first weekend of sales, 19 of the 21 Doors were spoken for. The affordable price point of these homes and the intelligent courtyard design by Taylor Kurtz Architecture & Design were the real draw. But overcoming the negative perceptions of a neighbourhood in transition by putting it in full view and celebrating its diversity no doubt played a valuable part in such a successful launch.

These units were never designed to gentrify the area with million-dollar homes. They were offered as an affordable opening into one of the world’s most expensive real estate markets.

So perhaps most satisfying statistic of all is the fact that over 50% of sales went to first-time buyers. The sales team worked extra hard to make deals happen for those new home owners who love the Gastown area and want to bring their own energy to the community.

All of which makes these 21 Doors a worthy contribution to the revitalization of Vancouver’s original neighbourhood.

So how do you tell that story in a way that appeals to the fashionistas? (And still include the sustainability branding of parent company Cadillac Fairview…?)

Well, everyone loves a good discount.

By framing the ‘Green At Work’ message in a 100% OFF price tag format, Unicycle Creative got instant shopper attention and described Pacific Centre’s waste diversion rate in one clean graphic.

The team at Pacific Centre went one step further, designing an in-mall Recycled Runway Fashion Show, using local artists to create a stunning ready-to-wear-it-again collection. Unicycle designed a pair of banners to frame the show and communicate key zero waste messages.

Some of my deeper green readers may look down their noses at the idea of such a bastion of consumerism dipping a pedicured toe into the sustainability pond. But I see it this way: Shopping isn’t disappearing anytime soon. Putting sustainability on the radar of fashion shoppers is an important step in creating the conditions that will put pressure on all parts of the retail supply chain to green up their act. Zero Waste is a solid start.

It might as well look good on them.

The theme of my talk was Sustainability Literacy, and as part of this Powerpoint extravaganza, I ended up compiling a few resources for further reading. It occurred to me that some of my regular Green Briefs readers might be interested in a couple of these links as well. So here is your Sustainability Literacy reading list for the week.

5 Green Consumers You Need To Know
This is actually cheating, as it is a link back to my own blog article. But even though this list was compiled 4 years ago, the idea behind sustainability behaviour as a technology adoption curve still stands.

Global Reporting Initiative
The global standard for corporate sustainability reporting. Short-cut to the G-3 standards page for a how-to lesson in compiling your own sustainability report. Not light reading, but thorough.

The Sins of Greenwashing

My friends at the environmental agency Terrachoice started this concept over 5 years ago, and it is still going strong. This is the definitive guide to critical analysis of product claims, and while it has been criticized for being too critical, the theory is sound. Kudos for their new family-friendly site, too.

Nature’s Path Organic Sustainability Report
One of the most readable, user-friendly documents on the subject that I have yet found. Not a thick corporate tome, but practical and warm. All from a great family company that continues to buck the Big Food Corp trend. Scroll down the page to read it onscreen in a virtual-magazine format. Buy their food, too.

GreenDeal.ca by London Drugs
Another shameless self-promo, I guess. (Copy and branding by Unicycle Creative) But as an overview for a retailer who is doing some great things, it’s one client case I love to share. Green products, package take-back and even styrofoam recycling. Everyone should shop there.

Patagonia Footprint Chronicles
Ever want to know where that sweater came from? Follow along on this visually-compelling site. A great supply-chain primer for anyone wanting to understand more about the effects of globalization on manufacturing.

Sustainable Brands Conference
This is my favourite annual event for green marketing, and the people who put it on, (Sustainable Life Media) do a great job of maintaining the network of professionals all year long. Click to see my video below from the 2011 event for an idea of what it is like.

Nike Better World
OK, I know, the old Nike marketing example. But they DO a great job, despite all the money and resources they have at their disposal. I love the way they link sports to a better world, and for an inside look at how they are planning to embed sustainability throughout the organization, check out their internal launch video as well. Narrated by CEO Phil Knight, no less.

So what’s YOUR favourite sustainability or branding link?
Share and I’ll send you a prize*

(*Quantities limited, not for resale, prize must be accepted as offered, no rainchecks, void where prohibited, and oh yeah, I may forget…)

“Well I woke up this mornin…
and my SUV had died.

And my dog ran away… to get some
free range exercise.

Then my woman she left me…
to take that long SkyTrain ride

I got them low down Crazy,
Sustainable Commuting Blues…”

That’s how my Thursday morning started as I joined the herds heading for work with the Crazy Sustainable Commute 2011. Naturally, unicycling came immediately to mind as an appropriately whacked mode of transportation, but I thought singing the blues accompanied by ukulele would top it off in a suitably twisted fashion.

This is the second year for this event that challenges commuters to find really alternative ways to get to the office. It’s also the second year that Unicycle Creative has created a promotional video for the event. If you haven’t seen the incredible chicken-powered rocket sled, you should check it out here.

I must say, riding a unicycle while playing an instrument is definitely a challenge. There were several times when I had to choose between missing a chord and missing a curb. Overall, I don’t think it’s going to replace my usual city bike. And now I wonder how I’m going to top it next year…

We wish to thank producer Shelley Stevens, Director and Cinematographer Don Barnard and our talented friend Hermann Fruhm, who was the stunt double for Dr. Von Hunn. For more information on commuting options, please visit http://www.crazyzustainablecommute.org

“Good Afternoon, Mr. Mayor, Councilors, Citizens. Thank you for the opportunity to speak today.

My name is Lorne Craig. I am a Vancouver business owner and have been for over 20 years. I run Unicycle Creative, a strategic marketing agency focused on sustainable business. I also write the GreenBriefs.ca blog on sustainability.

In other words, I am a Green Capitalist.

Unicycle Creative is one of the 395,000 small businesses that run the engine of BC’s economy, providing some 57% of private sector jobs. And believe me, I’m pedaling as fast as I can. So today I wish to speak out in favour of adopting the Greenest City Action Plan. Because for small business, green is a growth industry.

Every day I work with great local green businesses. I am also fortunate to advise regional companies like London Drugs as they implement industry-leading recycling programs.

Today I would like to talk about the value of the Greenest City brand.

Last month I attended Sustainable Brands 2011 in Monterey California, North America’s largest green branding conference. There, I discovered that Vancouver is already on the radar as a green business hub. But I believe our opportunity is even greater. One by one, world-leading brands took to the conference stage with their sustainability plans and accomplishments. And these were not the corner hemp store type of companies. These were Nike. SCJohnson. Starbucks. Adidas. Unilever.

These forward-thinking companies know that the tides of public concern, demand and legislation are steadily turning toward a more sustainable future. They also see there is money to be made. That’s why, all across the globe, corporations are investing to embed green thinking and practices directly into their operations and business models. So I think it makes sense for the City of Vancouver to do the same.

To the critics of this plan who say it ignores traditional industry sectors, I say that ‘green’ is not a ‘sector’. It is a survival strategy that runs through all businesses and sectors. From more sustainable film production, to high technology companies that enable greater efficiency, to resource companies that must do their jobs in new ways.

Our cities are where we must import food, live with pollution, deal with waste and generally start to clean up the mess. This is a time for bold goals, and municipal governments are in an excellent position to set them.

Striving to become The Greenest City in the World, Vancouver will attract the best businesses, while providing a role model for municipalities on the world stage.

But the local small green businesses of Vancouver could use more. We need more networking opportunities, quicker local procurement policy development and more small business support.

All of this could be achieved by taking Vancouver’s Green Capital brand just a bit further. Unite local green businesses under a ‘Green Capitalist’ brand extension. Organize local business trade shows and events. Let our legions of Green Capitalists proudly declare their status in the City of Vancouver and beyond.

I look forward to seeing the Greenest Cities Action Plan being approved by Council, and to be part of it as a proud citizen and Green Capitalist.

Thank You.”

But for homeowners, durability is really the #1 test of a wood stain. This is especially true of those who have to protect wood in the harsh, damp environment of the Coast Mountains. What better to do that job than a product formulated and tested right there by a local log home builder?

The ad shown here ran in the Whistler Question – one of the local papers in a town that defines the term ‘variable weather’.

So the ad became less about the earth-saving advantages of BRODA® and more about its ability to protect homes with local expertise, using the famously damp spring of 2011 as our reference point.

The lesson here: Look at your own brand’s ‘green’ advantages from another point of view. You just may discover an angle that resonates even more with your target market.

BC retailer London Drugs is the only major regional retailer who takes back all of their packaging for recycling, including the styrofoam. It’s a program called Bring Back the Pack, and to date, stores have relied mostly on word-of-mouth, PR and social media to spread the news about it. But what would happen if they took the news to the airwaves, newspapers and the streets? Would it increase store visits or market share? Unicycle Creative was asked to find out.

StyroCycle gets the campaign rolling – literally.

The media strategy consisted of radio ads, newspaper advertorials and PR in the Victoria area. But the most unique media vehicle of all was the one pedaled by Victoria Pedicab Company President and Owner Andrew Capeau. The StyroCycle was inspired by on-line photos of cyclists in Asia hauling styrofoam blocks in outrageous stacks. Unicycle Creative took this idea and designed a pedicab shell that would be visually arresting, stable and safe, and still allow for passengers. Then we designed a month-long schedule of weekend appearances, store visits and media opportunities.

Stop. Gawk. Take a picture. Ask questions.

Victoria Pedicab President Capeau is used to getting stares, but found that the StyroCycle was a bona-fide attention-magnet.

“Pedestrians, car, bus and truck drivers are gawking with jaws wide open.  I am seeing double takes, triple takes and even full on stops with fingers pointing.  Skateboarders to baby stroller pushers are giving me the thumbs up.  I’m posing for pictures, high fives are exchanged…it’s a love in, baby!” (For his full Day-in-the-Life of a Guerilla-Media StyroCycle Pilot blog, click here)

Pocket-sized recycling cheat-sheet handouts gave potential customers even more reasons to visit one of the four Victoria stores. Meanwhile, the London Drugs PR team was busy arranging interviews, and the StyroCycle made good on-camera opportunities for both the Mayor of Victoria and BC’s Minister of Environment.

More recycling = more visits?

London Drugs is still analyzing the overall results of the campaign, but anecdotal response is strong.

• Some stores reported increases in recycling as high as 200% the week after the StyroCycle’s appearance.
• All stores reported positive customer feedback
• StyroCycle has appeared in blogs, videos and too many snapshots to count
• One customer evcen took the time to write a letter saying the recycling policy would positively impact their future buying decisions.

For a multi-category retailer like London Drugs, where almost every store visit results in a purchase, driving store visits with recycling is a great way to do good and get more sales. By going the extra mile to market a unique program like Bring Back the Pack, recycling can even build longer term brand loyalty.

Facebook, Blogs and the StyroCycle YouTube video will continue to get the message out beyond the campaign end date, but will the StyroCycle ride again? Time will tell. But if not, at least we know it will be recycled.

BC Minister of Environment Terry Lake with London Drugs Senior VP Clint Mahlman checking out the big bumper sticker.

There’s fair trade, there’s direct trade, then there’s coffee bought straight from the farmer at a single family plantation in Atenas, Costa Rica. With such a singular product and such a genuine story to tell, Unicycle Creative was stoked to have the opportunity to name this unique blend and design its packaging.

I wanted to communicate the intimacy of this supply-chain in a way that was both fresh and human. When I found out that the name of the matriarch of the farm was ‘Sole’ and that the word has the same meaning in Costa Rican Spanish as in English, I knew I had to look no further for the perfect branding.

Using images from a Juanita, a photographer and friend of the family farm, and working remotely with my client, I designed labels for medium and dark roast varieties using portraits of ‘mama’ Sole and ‘papa’ Gerardo.

My client, Primal Echo, is based out of Fort Collins Colorado. Ana Arias, the Primal Echo ‘Chief Monkey’, actually grew up in Costa Rica and is using her local roots to design a whole line of artisan products from the ground up. Because of the limited initial quantities, Ana elected to use adhesive labels printed locally and applied to the bags. So it was that I ended up sending press-ready PDF’s all the way to San Jose Costa Rica where they were printed by Duenografica.

When Ana sent pictures of our label subjects actually holding the packages at the farm, I was incredibly pleased with both the graphic outcome and the miracle of Internet technology.

To have designed a package in Vancouver Canada for a client from Fort Collins Colorado which was printed and produced in Central America brings the whole world closer together.

But now I really think it’s time for a trip to the farm…

Find out more about Primal Echo, Sole Coffee, and the family farm on Ana’s blog here. To order online, visit PrimalEcho.com To talk more about supply-chain-conscious branding, drop me a line.

After 5 years of shredding the product shelves, the skier on our BRODA PRO-TEK-TOR wood stain can was tired. He had done remarkably well on those old-school skinny skis, especially for a royalty-free image sourced online. But we knew he needed a break.

The whole idea of using west-coast mountain imagery on BRODA labels came from their roots as a Whistler company. The product is designed for that harsh environment, and people who live the mountain lifestyle are a major target customer group. So who better to ask for help in finding a new image? And what better way of reaching them than with social media?

Thus the BRODA Photo Contest web page was launched, with a $500 first prize. We researched as many photographers, bloggers, and mountain types as we could and began sending out emails. So far, response has been great. We already have more than one image that could easily be a winner. What’s more interesting, we have discovered two of our trades customers who are also avid outdoorspeople and photographers. And we’re only three days into the contest.
Thinking about running a customer content contest? Here are a few things to think about:
1. Make sure the prize is worth it. In our case, we could maybe get a royalty-free image for less, but $500 (while low for high-end pro shots) is an amount at least worth looking through the archives for. And we have some awesome Whistler pros sending in images, too.
2. Be clear about the rights you expect for usage. If you want full and unresrticted ownership of the content, say so. In our case we opted for 5 years non-exclusive use (the photog can still sell the image for other uses)
3. Have fun and be appreciative. We plan on sending something out to all the finalists, and we acknowledge every entry.
So if you need some content, consider a customer contest.
4. Pay it forward. Look to amateur sites such as Flickr, as well as pro communities. Make comments on their blogs, shots and sites and help be a social media connector for them, too.

Above all, make sure you enjoy the process. See it as an opportunity to make new connections and social media friends. The brand, and the customers will thank you for it.