I am pleased to announce the launch of Thornley Fallis & 76design’s new online presence.

Our new websites, conceptualized, designed and developed by our team of creative masterminds and technology all-stars, exemplifies our capacity to push the limits of innovation in the world of social media and digital marketing.

Thornley Fallis & 76design is made up of individuals with fun, smart and professional personalities; personalities that have all contributed to the success of marketing & communications projects. To fully demonstrate the range of personalities, talent and intelligence our team has to offer, we’ve done something a little outside the box. Something very brave… or maybe something very stupid – we’ll let you know

We’ve created a live LifeStream for every one of our employees. This is more than just a standard funny profile picture and biography. It is an aggregate of their work and online profile, intended to paint a picture of who they are, what they do, what they think and what they are interested in.

To explore the diverse and unique characters at Thornley Fallis and jokers at 76design, take a look through our people profiles and find out who you could be working with on your next project.

Not only is our team exceptionally talented (and good-looking), we are experienced & passionate about the work we do. While adventuring through our People pages, zoom over to the Work & Services sections to see what Thornley Fallis & 76design has to offer.

My colleagues and I hope you enjoy perusing through our new sites.

Oh and one more thing… if you like what you see, don’t hesitate to call us, we’d love to hear from you!

I am pleased to announce  the launch of  Thornley Fallis & 76design’s new online presence.

Our new websites, conceptualized, designed and developed by  our team of creative masterminds and technology all-stars, exemplifies our capacity to push the limits of innovation  in the world of social media and digital marketing.

Thornley Fallis & 76design is made up of individuals with fun, smart and professional personalities; personalities that have all contributed to the success of marketing & communications projects. To fully demonstrate  the range of personalities, talent and intelligence our  team has to offer, we’ve done something  a little outside the box.  Something very brave… or maybe something very stupid – we’ll let you know

We’ve created a live LifeStream for every one of our employees. This is more than just a standard funny profile picture and biography.  It is an aggregate of their work and online profile, intended to paint a picture of who they are, what they do, what they think and what they are interested in.

To explore the diverse and unique characters at Thornley Fallis and jokers at 76design, take a look through our people profiles and find out who you could be working with on your next project.

Not only is our team exceptionally talented (and good-looking), we are experienced & passionate about the work we do.  While adventuring through our People pages, zoom over to the Work & Services sections to see what Thornley Fallis & 76design has to offer.

My colleagues and I hope you enjoy perusing through our new sites.

Oh and one more thing… if you like what you see, don’t hesitate to call us, we’d love to hear from you!

Yesterday Thornley Fallis submitted a proposal in response to Canada Post’s RFP to develop a social media strategy, guidelines and policies for the Corporation, and to provide ongoing support and training.

Canada Post Evaluators: when you visit our websites and blogs to check us out, please leave a comment to let us know you were here!

Our team looks forward to drawing on our leading experience and expertise in social media and online communities to help Canada Post develop its social media framework.

While we can’t be accused of opening a hardware store, our front lobby has started to accumulate a nifty little collection of awards. Last week we were honoured at the inaugural CPRS Awards Gala when we won the PuRe Elements Awards of Excellence for Innovation in Communications (Water category). VPs Aimee Deziel and LeeEllen Carroll accepted the award on behalf of Thornley Fallis and 76design. They were part of a great team that ran the SHARP 1080pD82 challenge and helped Sharp succeed in getting Canadians to identify the Aquos television as the leader in high definition televisions. To take the TV from trade publications and into family living rooms, the team conceived and ran an integrated campaign which engaged first time bloggers in social media while reducing their carbon footprint.

Emcee Stephen Heckbert entertained the audience with his “Top Communications Moments of 2008″ presentation and he announced the winners of each category when he opened the sealed envelopes. “This was a creative ad compelling program with a great use of new technologies and an innovative way to involve your audience,” Heckbert quoted a judge as saying.

Canwest’s David Akin was the keynote speaker of the night. He regaled the audience with his behind-the-scenes take on CIBC faxing private banking information to a junk lot in West Virginia. It was a story he uncovered while working at CTV News. Listening to his storytelling was like imagining a kimono being unwrapped. Except this story involved the nation’s most trusted anchor.

Three other awards were presented. The Earth Award for Internal Communications went to the Queensway Carleton Hospital, the Air Award for External Communications was awarded to the Canadian Association of Speech Language Pathologists and Audiologists, and the Fire Award for Communicator of the Year was bestowed on Robyn Osgood of Blueprint PR.

CPRS pulled off this inaugural event by pulling together a solid group of volunteers, led by CPRS Ottawa-Gatineau President-Elect Laurie Murphy, LeeEllen Carroll (Thornley Fallis), Leisha MacDonald (76design), Katie Boland (Algonquin student), Adam Weitner (Service Master), and Calline Au (Queensway Carleton Hospital).

“We have very talented public relations practitioners in this area who uphold the values of the profession and of our society through their excellent work,” said CPRS Ottawa-Gatineau Chapter President Danielle Côté. “It’s important for us to recognize their work and their contribution to the field of public relations. Awards like these allow us to celebrate this excellence and share it with other who can learn from their work,” she added.

Since joining Thornley-Fallis a few weeks ago (and particularly since arriving here earlier this week) I’ve been receiving a lot of questions from friends, colleagues and associates in response to the announcement I forwarded to my contacts revealing my new career direction.

Q: Why did you move to Ottawa? (from everyone I have ever met)
A: I moved to O after 20+ years in TO because I wanted a lifestyle change. There are no reasons more sinister than that.

Q: Why did you join Thornley-Fallis? (from a client)
A: A career in public relations is a very public experience. After 8 years with my own practice it was time to challenge myself and invigorate my career with new colleagues, new experiences and I wanted to have partners with whom I could work and grow a business. I made sure that the jump I was making was the right jump for me. I wanted to be able to contribute and have a learning curve at the same time. I also knew that change is good. (It is not, however, anywhere as good as a rest despite the old adage.)

Q: Was this a rash decision? (from family)
A: I never make rash decisions. I decided in early 2008 to make some career changes and I joined T-F in July. I spent time networking and speaking to a lot of people. I touched base with people whom I consider to be mentors, plus with clients and friends who knew me and my career path. I also trusted my own instincts.

Q: Don’t you miss Toronto each and every day? (from a downtown TO hipster)
A: I miss the club sandwiches at Swan on Queen Street each and every day.

Q: Are you still in touch with your colleagues and biz associates in TO? (from a friend)
A: Of course. It’s called email.

Q: Are you having fun? What’s T-F like? (from a colleague contemplating a career change of her own)
A: I am having fun. I am growing. I am learning and I am making a contribution. I am working with smart people who are dedicated. I’ve been fortunate that throughout my career I have been able to work with people who are at the top of their game and Thornley-Fallis is no different.

Q: Did you manage to find parking? (from my father)
A: At long last. And it is no cheaper than parking in the financial district in Toronto. Go figure.

Q: What are your colleagues like? (from a client)
A: Solid. Check out their bios and see for yourself. Note who has published a book or an article or who is a thought-leader in social media. Check out the diverse experience and wide range of talent. Surf around our design shop–76design–or read a few blogs. Note the wide range of clients and if you want to learn more just call me.

Q: Who got your apartment in Toronto? (from a contact who wants to move)
A: Faysal Jaber worked for me for a few years and he scored the apartment at Avenue Road and St Clair. Faysal is completing his MBA and the apartment, which must be the most valuable parting gift ever presented to an employee, is now his. (If you want to get your hands on it you’ll have to negotiate a deal with him.)

Q: What are you working on? (from an old client and friend)
A: Lots. Check back in from time to time but in the meantime I am working on some interesting projects for a variety of clients. I am also reaching out to former clients to see what we can do for them. I am crafting some proposals for some projects that are challenging, unique and destined to be fun.

Q: Are you back to blogging? (from a webhead who lives online)
A: I never left. If I am guilty of anything it is lurking, not leaving.

Q: How do I reach you? (from a person who lost my number)
A: bmw@thornleyfallis.com or 613-231-3355 x 225

Like all of my colleagues, I am revved up about the SHARP 1080pD82 Challenge. It’s a program we’ve launched for SHARP Electronics of Canada. Thousands have signed on in the hopes of winning a great tv by improving the environment.

This Aquos tv is manufactured in one of the world’s most sustainable plants. We’re sending a group of journalists over  to Japan this week to tour  the facility and take the opportunity to interview a number of SHARP Executives. The offer to travel on this trip came up, and like a fat kid on a smartie, I was all over it.

And greenhouse gases are all over it too. A round trip from Ottawa to Osaka produces over five tons of carbon emissions. Our team decided to purchase carbon offsets. It’s a simple step. By doing so, we’re investing in renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. Though using and producing on one hand, we’re trying to reduce at the same time.

Sharp Electronics of Canada has chosen our firm Thornley Fallis as its Canadian agency of record for the Consumer Products Division after a competitive review of the account. 

Congratulations to the Thornley Fallis and 76design team who contributed to winning this account, particularly Michael O’Connor Clarke and Tamera Kremer.

Sharp said we stood out because of our, “truly innovative approach and valuable insights into the factors that drive our market.”

Thornley Fallis will help promote the full range of Sharp LCD TVs, as well as a number of other consumer products in Sharp’s line-up, including Plasmacluster Ion Air Purifiers, Calculators and Electronic Dictionaries.

As a golfer, even before winning this account, I loved the ‘Nothing is Lost’ Aquos ad campaign – very clever, particularly the TV ad.

Lockheed Martin who makes the C-130J Super Hercules is a client of Thornley Fallis and I manage the account.

In late November 2006, the Government of Canada identified Lockheed Martin’s bid of the C-130J Super Hercules as the only successful qualifier through their Statement of Interest and Qualification (SOIQ) process for their Airlift Capability Program – Tactical.

In the wake of this announcement, some media reports and opposition party politicians questioned the capabilities of the C-130J.

Tomorrow, the US Ambassador is hosting Colonel Larry Gallogly, Commander of the 143rd Airlift Wing, Rhode Island National Guard in Ottawa.

Col. Gallogly will give a presentation to government officials and media to articulate what Canada can expect from the C-130J.

Col. Gallogly led the first combat deployment of US Air Force C-130J aircraft.  He has more than 5,500 hours as a pilot in the C-130A, C-130E and C-130J, and will share his views and experience on the performance and capabilities of the C-130J Super Hercules as a tactical airlifter in actual theatre operations. 

Lockheed Martin C-130Js operated by the U.S. Air Force have just completed a 20-month deployment to southwest Asia where they soundly demonstrated the ability to maintain a high operational tempo under demanding desert conditions.  During the two year deployment, four C-130Js conducted 5,444 sorties over 10,750 flight hours, delivered 12,681 tons of cargo and carried 70,350 passengers.

The deployment involved aircraft from the Rhode Island 143rd Airlift Wing based in Quonset, R.I., the Maryland 135th Airlift Group based in Baltimore, Md. and the California 146th Airlift Wing based in Channel Islands, Calif.

C-130Js are now being operated at a high tempo around the world in both combat and relief support operations with the worldwide fleet exceeding 340,000 flight hours. The United States, United Kingdom, Italy, Australia and Denmark are all experiencing first hand, the high reliability and increased range, speed and payload capabilities of the C-130J.