Mentoring and marketing have taken on a one-to-one match between Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Okanagan (BBBSO) and Madhouse Creative. With a strong need for male mentors and to increase awareness for BBBSO programs, BBBSO engaged in a thorough agency search and subsequently selected Madhouse as their agency of record. The challenge Madhouse has taken on is to develop and implement a comprehensive three-year marketing strategy to increase public awareness and understanding of BBBS’s programs for boys and girls ages seven to 14. The primary goal is to increase the number of volunteer mentors for children in our region. The marketing program will see Madhouse match BBBS’s marketing dollars providing their services at a significant discount.

“Madhouse has always taken an active role in supporting good causes in our community. This is an excellent fit for our agency with most of us at Madhouse having young families and a desire to make a positive impact for children in our region. We welcome the opportunity to work with the dynamic and progressive BBBSO team”, remarks Tammy Moore, Madhouse CEO.

This is not the first non-profit organization Madhouse has worked with in the community. Others include the Kelowna Women’s Shelter, Central Okanagan Foundation – Project Build, Rotary Centre for the Arts, BC Cancer Agency Foundation, Cops for Kids and the Kelowna General Hospital Foundation.

“Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Okanagan is excited to work with Madhouse. Their experience in creating effective marketing strategies combined with a strong commitment to the community is exactly what we are looking for. Having a strong, positive role model can change the life of a child and provides valuable benefits to mentors at the same time. We will be launching our awareness campaign valley-wide in September and we urge people to consider donating some of their time and sharing a little magic by becoming involved,” says Rick Maddison, President of Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Okanagan.

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada is the leading youth mentoring organization in Canada. It is committed to serving children and youth across the country by providing them with quality one-to-one relationships with volunteer mentors. They currently have 150 agencies in over 900 communities nation-wide and are serving approximately 21,000 children.

Madhouse has a long history in the Okanagan marketplace and offers fully integrated marketing communications. With a predominance of tourism and development organizations on the client roster, Madhouse is becoming a specialist in these areas and successfully competing with much larger agencies from throughout Western Canada.

The Canadian Home Builders’ Association (CHBA) of Kelowna held their annual Gold Tommies Gala on Saturday, January 20. Madhouse Creative was very pleased to have received seven Silvers in four categories for work with Kane Developments and Legacy, Rykon and Sonoma Pines, Eldorado Ranch and Copperhill, Larch Development Group and North Big White, and Treetops Developments for The Aspens. We were ecstatic to turn two of the Silvers into Gold!

The Tommie’s (Thompson Okanagan Housing Awards) are the development industry’s symbol of home building excellence. The competition strengthens every year - this year saw over 170 entries in 37 categories. Often creative and design work can win awards and recognition within the advertising community, but it is fantastic to receive this level of recognition within a client’s industry.

North at Big White earned a Gold Tommie for the website.
North’s website is a critical tool in linking from existing real estate portals and reaching prospective buyers who are researching Big White for their vacation plans or exploring real estate opportunities.

North’s professional web presence reinforces the brand impression of exclusivity, and a special location at Big White Ski Resort and within Canada.

These unique properties are showcased through the use of features which enhance the visitor experience such as:

• Flash animation gives life to the site and reflects branding elements in a different way than static print materials.
• Unusual navigation system that is easy to use, but still interesting, brand appropriate and memorable, and also encourages further exploration.
• A dynamic environment with high impact photography gallery of the homes.
• Intuitive and easy to access property specific details.
• Downloadable information and floorplans fulfils visitor’s information requirements and reduces need for extensive print materials.

Check out the site at northbigwhite.com

The Aspens at Big White received a Gold Tommie for logo design.
Central element is the aspen leaf that echoes the name and recognized for its beautiful shape. Provides an easily identifiable graphic element to extend the brand.

Font selection influenced by the fluted characteristics of the leaf’s edge providing sophistication, yet balanced and approachable through the combination of upper and lower case letters.

Square forms provide visual contrast, ease of execution and a selection of colours indicative of landscapes and the buildings A white leaf silhouette suggestive of snow, earth tones mirroring the building hues and dusky blue reflective of winter skies and shadowed, snow-covered hillsides. Warm, approachable and sophisticated.

Thanks to our clients that give us the opportunity to work with them, to craft work that gets results and wins awards.

Madhouse is pleased to be working with Solido Group again. The Edge is the fourth project at Big White Ski Resort that Madhouse has worked with Christopher Sherriff and the Solido’s team.

The Edge is a multi-family site of 26 outstanding stand-alone and duplex homes. With unique architectural features based on the inspiration of Frank Lloyd Wright, these units will be a spectacular addition to the Solido Group’s on-mountain condominium offerings.

With a Western Canadian ad campaign running, cohesive marketing materials and on-mountain signage all coinciding with the falling snow, The Edge is ready to go to market for the 2006-2007 ski season. The Discovery Centre opened in Big White Ski Resort Village on December 15th, and well worth taking the time out for a visit if you have the opportunity to go skiing at Big White.

“We are happy to have the opportunity to work with Chris on this new development project at the mountain. It is great to have Chris’s confidence that Madhouse will come through on the project and will make it happen.” states Scott Davis, Creative Director of Madhouse Creative in Kelowna.

Did you know that at the BC Cancer Agency, Centre for the Southern Interior, there are more than 2600 patients that visited the clinic in 2004? And that in 2005, more than half of the 20,000 new cases in BC may have been preventable? 20,000 That’s more than the population of Westbank.

That’s just a couple of the things the Madhouse Team learned while going through the process of being chosen advertising agency of record for the BC Cancer Agency, Centre for the Southern Interior. The Madhouse team is proud to be working with this extraordinary group to create patient information materials, displays, advertising, photography and research presentation materials.

Creativity, reliability and efficiency were the criteria on which the selection was made and we look forward to living up to our promises as a competent, trusted and reliable partner.

PROJECT BUILD BREAKS NEW GROUND

An invitation to help shape our region is extended to the Okanagan’s developers, contractors, builders, suppliers, trades, realtors and professional service providers. The door is open for everyone to get involved in Project Build, a collaborative initiative to raise funds for the community’s future, to be managed by the Central Okanagan Foundation, “COF.”

Derek Trethewey of the Okanagan Land Development Corporation kicked off the project with a contribution to COF of $275,000 - donation of a building site in The Lakes valued at $140,000 and an additional $135,000 in funds. (more…)

The Canadian Home Builders’ Association (CHBA) of Kelowna announced the Silver Award Winners for the Tommies - the Symbol of Home Building Excellence, at their AGM on November 7, 2006.

“Considering it was the first time entering the Tommies, Madhouse Creative definitely held our own. With an astounding seven silvers, we’re very proud of the showing. Recognition from within our clients’ own industry speaks to the level of work that our clients encourage and trust us to do for them”, explains Scott Davis, one of the Principals and Creative Directors of Madhouse. “This is also great recognition for the level of talent, skill and expertise that each member of our team brings to the projects.”

Hats off to our clients, and thank you for the opportunity to work with you.

• The Aspens, Treetops Development Corporation for Excellence in Logo Design

• North at Big White, Larch Development Group for Excellence in Brochure Design

• The Aspens at Big White, Treetops Development Corporation for Excellence in Brochure Design

• Sonoma Pines, The Rykon Group for Excellence in Print Advertising

• Copperhill, Eldorado Ranch Developments for Excellence in Print Advertising

• Legacy, R&B Construction for Excellence in Website Design

• North at Big White, Larch Development Group for Excellence in Website Design

Read the news release: http://www.chbakelowna.bc.ca/fullnews.html?sectionID=208

Well if you are a first time visitor to our site, then you have no idea what the site looked liked before, so really it would not be a new site and blog system, but just a site and blog system.

If you are returning to the site to check up on us, or get some ideas, then welcome back. We would be thrilled to hear what you think.

Changing over a website design and server is kind of like going to Disneyland when you are about 27 years old, it really sounds like a good idea, and then you get there and realize the ‘true’ magic of the place must only be present when you are under 13.

Then after walking around the place and spending 9 bucks on a goofy hot dog,

(which for some reason the bun is way to small for the meat portion, so you start and end with two difficult and kind of uncomfortable bites)

…you come back to a place with a Red Roof, realize a travel agent stuck you in the middle of Anaheim, and the closest spot to anything remotely fun, is about and hour and away.

So.. we hope you enjoy the new look, and I would encourage you to tell us what you think!

We would like to welcome Darren Hull to the Madhouse Creative Team. Darren has joined us to assist and strengthen our web design, development, and interactive department.

With a background in usability, positioning and development of effective websites and interactive projects, Darren will be a great asset to our team. We look forward to being able to offer our clients greater resources and tools that will strengthen their web presence and track campaign effectiveness.

Darren also knows how to wield a camera and has been doing commercial and portrait photography for over 15 years, first in Vancouver and now the Okanagan Valley.

In case you haven’t heard about it yet , GiftTRAP www.gifttrap.com the board game Madhouse helped design earlier this year – is holding its Massive Play event this weekend.

How cool is this! Thousands of people playing at thousands of locations around the world - all on the same weekend. Everyone at Madhouse is taking part and we invite you to be part of it too.

The goal is to raise $1 million dollars over the weekend for Right to Play Children’s charity - and set a new world record in the process.

Canadian Right To Play Athlete Ambassadors also playing on the weekend in support of the charity will include Canadian Olympic medal winners:

Vicky Sunohara and Sami Jo Small from the Canadian Women’s Hockey Team

Kristina Groves and Arne Dankers from the Canadian Speed Skating Team and Adam van Koeverden from the Canadian Kayak Team

UK Olympic athletes John Regis (sprinter) and long jumper Greg Rutherford will also be playing across the pond

And also playing and providing support will be Right To Play’s CEO and President, Johann Koss- Norway’s four-time Olympic gold medal winner.

If you don’t have your copy of the game don’t worry, we have a solution! Call or email us and then come by the Madhouse office to pick up your copy of GiftTRAP. In return, you must arrange your own game over the Thanksgiving weekend. What you have to give in return is simple.
Have some friends or family play a game of GiftTRAP over the Thanksgiving weekend – don’t forget to register your event on the GiftTRAP website at www.gifttrap.com

Take some photos of everyone having a blast playing the game

send the pics with a short blurb about how your game went to GiftTRAP

then auction off the game afterwards and send the proceeds to Right to Play.

It’s that easy. And because GiftTRAP is the game that keeps on giving, registered volunteers who send in pictures and testimonials from their events and who donate to Right to Play are eligible to win a fabulous $15,000 value prize, including five nights at B.C.’s beautiful Big White ski resort along with complimentary ski passes.

Now that’s giving and receiving at it’s very best!

But don’t just believe us, here are some recent GiftTRAP reviews …

Tom Vasel: GiftTRAP is a blast!
“GiftTRAP was a blast, and a roaring success with all those I played it. I give GiftTRAP a high recommendation. Given the natural theme of the game - the giving of gifts, most people I teach it to pick it up quite easily. With lavish production values, and enjoyable, quick gameplay (our games lasted about 45 minutes), GiftTRAP is an interesting party game that I think most folk should check out.” Tom Vasel Want to see more ….

GiftTRAP wins new award for a kinder kind of fun
‘GiftTRAP is a party game about giving each other gifts. The better you are at giving people the things they really want, the better you do at the game. How do you like that for a party game premise? giving each other presents… Well, we loved it!
GiftTRAP is masterfully packaged … GiftTRAP is a new kind of party game. A kinder kind. A Major FUN kind.’ Want to see more ….

Scott Nicholson : GiftTRAP gets an ‘A’
“Big kudos, people are attracted to the packaging and get excited when I pull out the gift bags. Big thumbs up for its production!
GiftTRAP is best played with people you know and can laugh with and have fun with. It’s a fun game where you laugh and giggle about what people want. I give this game an ‘A’ with people you know.” Scott Nicholson Want to see more ….

Don’t miss out on the fun! Register to be a part of Massive Play today.

Wayside Press of Vernon awarded silver medal for exceptional print quality.

Bergamot Wellness Centre of Kelowna wanted to step up their approach. A beautiful and sophisticated new brand and some strong collateral material were created by Madhouse Creative.

Bergamot’s print material was just awarded a Silver Medal from the International Gallery of Superb Printing. Wayside Press of Vernon produced the work and was the proud recipient of the award for exceptional print quality.

“We believe in working with local suppliers as much as possible - we live, work and play here, and we want to support the local economy as much as we can.” states Tammy Moore, Principal of Madhouse Creative. “The quality of our local production houses competes with much larger firms and is often more convenient from a working process. This prestigious award just accentuates our commitment. We offer our congratulations and thanks to Richard Finn, Rhonda Hove and the rest of the team at Wayside Press.”