This post originally appeared in Marketing's issue, showcasing the "smartest, bravest and most creative ones to watch" from PR to advertising to media and beyond in the business. MELISSA SMICH, 26 Senior cultivator, Tribal DDB Melissa Smich calls herself a troublemaker. Her manager, Ed Lee, the director of social media at Tribal DDB Toronto, says this is a good thing. The title, which leads the Senior Cultivator’s Twitter bio, speaks to the need for DDBers to push themselves, their colleagues and their clients out of comfort zones, he says. “When she says she’s a ‘troublemaker’ it’s Mel’s way of showing she’s an instigator,” Lee says. “That she’s committed to shift disturbing—thinking about new ways to do things that will move our clients’ businesses forward.” In Toronto, Smich is something of a social media celebrity. Tech Vibes once referred to her as “one of Toronto’s best known social media personalities,” a position she’s leveraged at work by tapping into her personal network to help solve briefs and move projects forward. “The thing about being someone with a blog and Twitter presence is there is a commonality that breaks down borders,” she says, explaining that online influencers are usually receptive to her pitches. “I probably already know them in some way,” she says. “There’s already a face behind the name.” Smich’s social media expertise has landed her speaking gigs at South By South West Interactive, Podcamp Toronto and Toronto Social Media Week. The quintessential millennial, Smich is a member of the GenYTO planning team, which hosts events for 20-somethings who work in social media, startups and agencies. She’s also a member of the Royal Ontario Museum’s Young Patron’s Circle, a member of Breakaway Addiction Service’s board of directors and the founder of a dinner party series for young, career driven women.

The streets of Vancouver are once again adorned with art celebrating this year’s BC Lion’s Society’s City Public Art Projects. Similar to previous years’ Orcas, Bears, and Eagles, this year, limited edition Terracotta Warrior sculptures have been sponsored by companies, organizations, and individuals, to be painted by BC artists. Celebrating the cultural diversity of BC and promoting civic pride lie at the heart of this project, as local artists create a unique design and apply it to the surface of a seven-foot custom formed fiberglass figure, the Terracotta Warrior. DDB Canada has participated in the charity event since its inception, and has commissioned local artists to get creative on the projects in years past. This year, our very own Darren Palmer took on the art piece and painted the Terracotta Warrior, titled “The Union”. “The Union” is the first year Darren has participated in the citywide art project and as he explains, “The Terracotta Warrior stands on guard to defend the eternal spirit and love of Emperor Qin Shi Huang and Empress Dowanger Cixi within their “Afterlife Empire.” Darren’s piece is separated into the front and back of the Warrior, aptly named “The Earth” and “The Universe”. The Earth is comprised of images of carps, lotus, orchids, bamboo, cherry blossoms, the great wall, cranes and coins, with each element representing something particular, the Universe sees symbolic paintings of an eclipse, phoenixes, and stars. The sculptures are displayed in prominent public spaces around the city from now until October 2012. You can view a full list and map of where each Terracotta Warrior is located. After the display period, the sculptures will be sold at auction with all proceeds benefitting the BC Lions Society's Easter Seals Services. DDB Canada is a proud supporter of the BC Lions Society, is a registered charity founded in 1952, supporting children with disabilities through specialized services and programs, throughout BC and the Yukon.    

This profile was originally published in the July issue of Direct Marketing. Barb Williams, R.G.D., Creative Director of RAPP, has had one hell of a ride moving from one country to another, experiencing different cultures, meeting wonderful people and encountering many adventures. As she said, “Well, you can’t put a value on the world experience.” And what an experience it has been for her. She began by studying Classical Animation at Sheridan College but found it too mundane so she went on to study Graphic Design at George Brown and later Information Design at U of T. As she explained, “I started working at fifteen with three jobs and never stopped. This work ethic has made a huge impact on where my life has gone. “My first job was working for a repro/film company in Richmond Hill. My days were spent running large format printers and developing local ads and designing various collateral materials. It was small and privately owned so I quickly learned crucial business and entrepreneurial skills that have definitely helped me today. “While on maternity leave I found out about a design job at a marketing firm in Oakville called Communicaide Marketing Group. Once again this was a privately run small firm. At the job interview I mentioned to them that I had a 6-month old son. It’s when they told me that I could bring him to work, that I knew I was in good company. Working for a small company, without the support of departments like HR or IT, forces you to really learn how to deal with issues and solve problems, since there’s nobody else to do it for you. However, I found it very tough as the deadlines and late nights were stressful and tiring while trying to raise a young child and have a normal life.” Besides having worked in Toronto, Barb has also worked in Dubai and Hawaii. And what a enriching experience and adventure it has been each time. Here are just a few episodes she narrated to me: The decision to move to Dubai, as Barb explained, was a turning point in her life. “In 1997 I accepted an offer to work at one of Dubai’s first branding and design firms. I had never actually seen the people I would be working for. The company was owned by a couple of local UAE businessmen and I had only talked to them on the phone. “I was booked into a hotel which would be my residence for the next few months. The first morning in Dubai I woke up all excited to meet the people I’d be working with and start my new job. There were two other designers, one from the UK and one from Scotland, who were also starting that day. I had received a note under my hotel room door the night before that the owners would be picking all three of us up at the hotel at 9:00 a.m. “I went down to the lobby at 8:30 to have a coffee. As I stood in the lobby looking for the cafe I saw a few local nationals sitting in the lounge area drinking coffee. They noticed me and waved me over to join them. I was excited to meet my new bosses will we waited for the other two designers. They offered me coffee and we chatted for a bit as I told them about my flight and they asked if I was looking forward to working in the UAE and getting to know the culture and its people. “As we chatted I started to feel that something wasn’t right and looked around the hotel only to see a couple of British guys with another local National talking to the woman at the front desk who pointed towards me. “It turned out the gentlemen at the front desk were my new employers while the men I was sitting with had happily thought I was a newly arrived prostitute soliciting their services. “Another episode, though not directly work related but I think one of my favourites, is also from my time living in Dubai. My friends and I were driving home from a late night out when my car was suddenly being chased through the streets by a dark Range Rover with tinted windows. We came across the CID (local police) who we thought would be of help but instead they put us in jail for giving “the American finger”. Luckily things turned out okay in the end and we laugh about it today, but it was scary at the time.” What is work related is that Barb designed the logo for Emaar the property builders of one of the world’s tallest structure and did all the branding work for one of the biggest Malls in Dubai. Barbara came back to Canada in time to have her daughter, Tory, on home turf. “In 2005, while working for RAPP, my copywriting partner ML Lalonde, and I were sequestered on a small island called Texel just off the coast of the Netherlands to participate in a week-long, creative challenge with top creative teams from our global network. The goal was to come up with an idea that would be developed into a global campaign for a potential client. “After 5 long days of brainstorming (and lots of wine) all the teams presented 72 ideas. After a day of deliberation the client executives announced that not one, but two ideas were chosen. They were the ones to be developed further. Both the concepts had come from ‘the Canadian team’. It was the best day ever,” she said with a proud grin. “In 2007 I moved to Maui for three years. I took a short break from the rat race and started my own design firm. “It worked out well because many of the clients did not want to pay Agency fees so I was kept busy. Many of the jobs I got were even from referrals from my former agency DDB. “I came back to Canada once again when my son, Conner, was diagnosed with Type-1 Diabetes.” When discussing work Barb said, “It’s not so much about the awards shows and the shiny trophies but the pitches and new business wins. “I really enjoy film. I love the entire process from concept to final editing to music, etc. Not only is it the ultimate form of storytelling, but also you really develop strong bonds and long-term friendships with people who you’ve spend every waking moment working, eating and traveling with. “Recognizing that technology or new media is a facilitator and not the starting point, that Direct is an intelligence not a medium or specific discipline and that it’s all just information whose importance is realized by what we do with it, creatively and strategically, will always be the key to success in our business. “As for people, you have both the pleasant and unpleasant kind, and the unpleasant ones are everywhere, especially in this business. But what can you do really? My outlook is that if someone is going to be an arse, causing problems and issues for all those around them, it must really suck to live with so much insecurity and anger. The flies with honey analogy couldn’t be truer. “I’ve had two people in my career who have taught me the importance of integrity and the value of good people. By example they’ve shown it’s the people not the product that make companies successful and I’m amazed at how many organizations are still getting it wrong. “When not working, I enjoy going to my cottage in Halliburton with my kids, Conner and Tory and our crossbreed, a Lab/Rottweiler named Steve. I was PADI scuba certified while in Dubai and learned to surf and paddle board while living in Hawaii (my new found passions) and I really hope to live near the ocean again one day. On Canadian soil and water I’m either running, reading or in my canoe. “I love being a mom but I also love my own time. It’s important as I think it keeps you sane(ish). I love to travel— alone and with my kids. There’s just not enough time or money to see all the places I want us to see and do all the things I want us to do. The time with your kids goes by so fast and soon they don’t have time for you anymore so from the minute they’re born, you just gotta show them the world. “For the most part it’s been my life experiences, good and bad, that have shaped who I am and where I am. “After all these years, it’s not the work that I think of when I look back, it’s the people (a lot of crazy people), the good times and the good travel I think of most. This business has allowed me to meet amazing people and travel to amazing places. “By learning to overcome cultural, professional, religious and physical challenges, I’ve been able to overcome the most stressful situations and find the patience in others. These two skills alone have been instrumental in shaping my career and my life. “Seriously, there have been many challenging times but I don’t know if I’d go so far as to say dark. It’s all part of the life story, right? How boring is a movie without drama and danger? “Never have I felt I should be doing anything different. Many times I’ve wondered where the hell I was going but I just try to keep my eye on the latest and greatest in this industry, along with the world in general, and let my gut guide me.” In conclusion I think, Barb’s mother said it best when describing her daughter’s life and career. She said proudly, “If it was easy, everyone would be doing it!”

Social media in its simplest definition is communication turned to conversation through technology. As word of mouth has always been one of the most (and in some cases, the most) persuasive tools in the path to purchase, manufacturers and retailers alike have cast a global-sized net vying for collective attention and trying to morph social media into earned media. What has been fascinating of late has been three curious trends impacting socialized purchase behavior: the evolving role of Facebook in the shopping process, the redefinition of media influence, and the way retailers are ""out-socializing"" brands in the mobile space. Here are three things you may not know about Social Shopper Marketing: 96 per cent of people who ""Like"" a brand page… never go back to that page. Many briefs we come across have ""increased number of Facebook Likes"" as a quantitative metric. However, interestingly enough, it has yet to be proven that a ""like"" immediately translates to purchase. There have been arguments made by ComScore and others that concur that Likes on Facebook for brands increase brand awareness, affinity, loyalty and purchase intent, however a recent article in Mediapost explores the fact that changes to the News Feed make earned media like that a much tougher proposition, as only 4 per cent of people return to a branded page to immerse themselves. As ""social"" shopper marketing can only be successful through shared engagement along the path to purchase, the dearth of return visits indicates that marketers and moderators will need to post more relevant content and spend time on how to be relevant to both create and identify opportunity. More young people like Starbucks on facebook than actually step foot in the store, but their ""shared interest"" in the brand suggests that the intent to purchase is there when they have the chance to go inside. There is a defined generational gap not only in how Canadians research products, but also in the definition of media itself as an influencer. A landmark study was published earlier this year by the Canadian Council of Public Relations Firms. The research focused on the dynamics of influence on Canadians' shopping habits, examining media influences, 'circles of trust,' and the impact of social media on our buying process. There is a hierarchy of influence in the average consumer's path to purchase, with Twitter as the least influential, followed by Facebook, then blogs and finally a company's website as the ""go-to"" source of information during the pre-purchase phase. However, all of them are outranked apparently by traditional TV, radio, and print editorial content. What was equally revealing, however, was the complete different emphasis that younger Canadians place on various tools in the pre-search influence: it was reported that a significant portion of Canadians 18-34 see blogs, YouTube, Facebook and company websites as credible sources of news, even more in some cases than traditional media outlets. This suggests the boundaries of credibility between content and opinion, authenticity and credibility, and impact and influence are now and forever blurred as well as viewed differently by different demographics. Social channels are now not only gaining influence over consumers' purchase decision-making process, but they are also, in effect, shaping them based on a different platform of authenticity and trust. Retailers are socializing the mobile space better than brands! Shopping apps are on the rise, with downloads of these types doubling since last year. With all of the apps being developed by individual brands who are jumping on the mobile bandwagon, we are starting to see the limitations of what an individual brand can achieve in the shopper marketing space. Many branded apps are great tools: recipe builders, price comparisons, etc. But there are there are very few –if any- ways for people to connect with one another through the app to drive next-level purchase intent. Canadian Tire was one of the first retailers in the country to not only have a mobile app, but also a social tool with scanning functionality that could automatically cross reference a UPC with a user generated product review right inside the store. Walmart has set up @walmartlabs, a separate division made up of acquired companies to combine social, mobile, and digital with the explicit purpose of owning the landscape of retail; they are experimenting with mobile app building and data harvesting that will be used to give shoppers information while in-store, such as what brands their friends bought on their shopping trips and how much they liked a certain product in a certain section of the store. Many brands are leveraging real and virtual ""shopper communities"" to gather data, float product and pricing initiatives, and spread incentives. It's a pity that individual brand teams aren't able to harness that power and translate that into mobile apps that can help connect communities in-store – or, even better, through the entire path to purchase. In a social media sense, it's definitely an idea worth sharing. Jason Dubroy is the VP of Shopper Marketing for DDB Canada This article was first published by retailonlineintegration.com where we contribute content