News

With the road to the summer Olympics largely paved with politics and controversy, we didnt want to lose sight of the fact that the games are supposed to be about excellence, perseverance, dedication and the human spirit. All things we strongly believe in.

The "romance novel" idea used in this campaign was based on this insight: Even the perpetrators of domestic abuse often wonder how they’ve arrived in an abusive relationship. No one plans to be in it. Obviously no one dreams of being in it. And those who find themselves in one often just don’t know how they got to that point. Or how to get out.

At the 2008 Marketing Awards held May 1st in Toronto, Karo Group received a Gold for its Calgary Stampede “Rides” outdoor campaign.

Karo Group, in collaboration with lead consultant Open Road Communications, has been chosen to redevelop and redesign ICBC.com, The Insurance Corporation of British Columbia’s public website.

The 2008 Anvil Awards Gala is a celebration of the best work produced in Calgary for Marketing and Communications from January to December 2007. This year, the Anvils were stronger than ever. The number of entries continues to grow, the categories are streamlined and more competitive, the caliber of judges brought in are world-class, and this year, the gala was a sold out event, Friday, April 25th.

Karo Group was awarded Anvils for the following categories:
Best of Show - Alberta Securities Commission, “The Cheque”
TV Single over $50,000 – Alberta Securities Commission, “The Cheque”
Out-of-Home - The Calgary Stampede, “Mega Drop Elevator”
Public Service Print – HomeFront, “Romance Novel”
Best Illustration – HomeFront, “Romance Novel”

Merits in the following categories:
TV Single over $50,000 – The Calgary Stampede, “Fireworks”
TV Series – The Calgary Stampede, “Rodeo/ Fireworks”
Outdoor Single - The Calgary Stampede, “Rides”

 

In mid-April 2008 Karo was awarded two new projects involving rebranding, signage and wayfinding for two prominent shopping malls in Calgary and Vancouver.

Park Royal, West Vancouver

Karo will undertake the re-branding and complete Wayfinding & Signage for Park Royal Shopping Centre, one of the first shopping centres in Canada. The owners want to emphasize the centre’s premium retail offering and new master plan. The first phase will be launched as part of a new Fall campaign. Subsequent phases will feature new development from entertainment to a boutique hotel as Park Royal expands into a major regional urban centre.

Southcentre, Calgary

Over the past two years Karo participated in planning and some initial work on the site, and has now been selected for the complete wayfinding and sign program for Southcentre, a 33-year-old mall in southeast Calgary. Southcentre is in the midst of a major upgrade, including a new food court on its north side.

Southcentre is our fifth major project for Ivanhoe Cambridge, following Karo’s re-branding, wayfinding and signage work at Metropolis at Metrotown, which started in 1999.
That project continues to this day with the ongoing refinement of site wayfinding, development of a third office tower, and inclusion of a seasonal entertainment centre.
Understanding how shoppers navigate from store to store, and creating a pleasant shopping atmosphere for them is how Karo helps strengthen a mall’s brand. We know the customer experience is the brand. With that knowledge, we’re able to revitalize two landmark malls in two major Canadian cities.

“When we acquired the mall adjacent to our existing property (Metropolis at Metrotown), we knew the two had to be brought together under one powerful and cohesive brand. The new brand identity and retail wayfinding program Karo created was so well conceived that it is one of the reasons our revenues have increased significantly.”
Brian Castle, Senior Vice President, Ivanhoe Cambridge

Instead of buying your sister-in-law a new sweater or a singing fish for her next birthday, ChristmasFuture invites you to give a project in the developing world instead that will help end extreme poverty.

Alberta’s Climate Change Central has been focusing their efforts on strategies to reduce greenhouse gases since 2000 and Karo has joined in to help out in this important work. We have partnered with Climate Change Central to help raise awareness of the not-for-profit’s long list of efforts.

Lara Presber got her first hammer from her dad when she was only eight years old and her first sewing machine from her mom when she was 10.  Little wonder that Lara grew up to be an architect and fashion designer (and integral part of Calgary Karo’s Environments department).  Lara’s second collection – for Fall 2008 - has been chosen as one of the four finalists in Toronto Fashion Incubator's New Labels competition.  Lara’s story made it to the front page of the Calgary Herald Real Life section recently.  Read it here...

Newalta, Canada’s leading industrial waste management and environmental service company, wanted to change people’s perception of waste management. They wanted people to start thinking of waste as a valuable resource instead of something to discard— or to find ways to eliminate it entirely. Environmental regulations are constantly evolving, and Newalta is committed to staying on top of changes and helping their clients to do the same. They asked Karo to help them reposition their company in the market, while engineering a change in perception about waste across the industry.
Karo expressed Newalta’s new brand position in an Annual Report, which was accompanied by a redesigned website and a video offering an interactive “Newalta story.” The website and video were launched in March 2008. Newalta’s reaction? “Karo completely understands us, and as a result they made it easy for us to explain to our clients and to the general public how we’re redefining the concept of waste.”