Kaldor’s work began with a brand strategy to articulate the brands architecture, platform and positioning statement that aligned with the company’s future business goals. To eliminate potential brand confusion and align with the new brand attributes, we recommended a name change to Faraday Telecom Group. The new name and identity systems aligned with the strategic focus of the company. We created a series of sales presentations that mapped across the sales cycle and a new Website to articulate why brands should consider the mobile opportunity and ultimately why they should partner with Faraday to create the program and the company’s areas of expertise.

Within months of unveiling the new brand, Faraday was purchased by Rogers Communications. Senior management at Faraday credit the rebranding process with helping them to articulate the Faraday brand and demonstrate the value of the business.

Pre challenge.
28 July 2011

I have three days to go before I go cold-turkey and stop buying plastic. I am suddenly aware of how difficult this might be. My day is a plastic-fest.

Cleaned my teeth with a plastic hairs on a plastic toothbrush covered with toothpaste out of a plastic tube. Shampoo was housed in plastic (are there even solutions for plastic free shampoo?), conditioner = plastic, same for face cream, deodorant and all other cosmetics. Hope like hell I don’t run out of any of these things over the next 31 days.

I had a long and especially gratifying glass of cold fizzy water and fresh orange juice (plastic + plastic). before leaving the house, and picked a little plastic sticker off my locally grown, organic apple.

At lunch time Benton Brother’s Cheese won extra points, not that they need any. They gladly wrapped my double-cream French Brie in wax paper to avoid Clingfilm. Nice! Not so good at Patisserie Le Beau, the mini chocolate covered waffles only come pre-packed in plastic.

Unpacked fresh veggies from plastic bags to make dinner. Then started on packed lunches for the boys’ camp tomorrow. Sandwiches from bread in plastic, cheese in plastic, ham in plastic, mayo in plastic. Chopped up organic tomatoes from a hard plastic clam shell, and picked organic stickers of the bananas, wrapped at the top with plastic tape to tell me they are organic (how the hell did we let that happen?) and added a little juice boxes lined with plastic.

Damn it, this could be harder than I thought.

Day One
Monday, 01 August
Day one was a doddle. Made so partly because I was loafing around on Salt Spring Island with nothing to do but sew mosquito net #003 (long story), and plant a wisteria cutting out of reach of the pesky deer. The only close call came at 9 o’clock at night, when I was gasping for a cold drink on the ferry ride home. Ha, not a chance Dasanji … I enjoyed a cold cup of refreshing water from the free water dispenser.

Feeling good. One down, 30 to go. I can do this, Oh yes I can!

Day Two
Tuesday, 02 August
Disaster approaches. Put the second to last roll of loo paper on the dispenser this morning. I figure I have about a day and a half to find out how to buy plastic-free loo paper before we run out. Bugger, should have stocked up a week ago.

Day Four
Thursday, 04 August
Feeling rather smug. Have not purchased anything with a smidgen of plastic, nope, not a thing. However, have resorted to eating baked beans for the last two days’ lunch … no time to think of a plastic-free alternative. Also, have not figured out the loo paper situation yet; I reckon I have less than half a day to go!

Had a close shave in Port’s, but the nice lady was able to take my lovely new dress out of the plastic garment bag and put it on a wooden hanger and into a paper bag. Phew.

Day Six
Saturday, 06 August
Ganges Market today. Thanks to the Heather-The-Bread-Lady not only for her sensational bread, but also for her small plastic bag tip. These lovely organic cotton bags can replace plastic (v expensive, I am def. going to try and make some of these, but for now am happy to have something to put my plums and potatoes into). Easy peezie to buy all the fruit, veg and supplies we need for the weekend sans plastic. Felt particularly fabulous when we picked beans, rosemary and mint from the planters on the deck. Plastic, I laugh in your face!

Day Eight
Monday, 08 August (black Monday)
I am getting the hang of this. Lovely plastic free day. Extra bonus even when I found a couple of extra packs of loo paper in SSI that I can bring back to Vancouver and delay the inevitable purchase.

Spent the early evening pondering birthday present options with Eliot (there were many). The Dairy Queen Blizzard maker which comes with DQ vanilla-flavored dessert mix with ice and cream was his number one pick, but was eliminated immediately! He is thrilled, he got just what he wanted. Ordered online and with enough time for it to arrive before his birthday, check. I am a good mum, check!
One moment of reflection later …. Bugger … his beloved and much anticipated Lego 7964 Republic Frigate is made up of One-thousand-and-twenty-two pieces of PLASTIC. Bugger. With each set of pieces wrapped conveniently in plastic bags. Double bugger.

Enjoyed a lovely evening in the garden with mum, Kat and a delicious bottle of Old Main Red. More friends popped by, more Old Main Red … hunger hit. We ordered a feast of Indian food to be delivered for some divine Vancouver summer evening al fresco dining. WHAT WAS I THINKING! Twenty individually packaged items. This is an Indian food plastic fest.

The Horror. The Horror.

Day Nine
Tuesday, 08 August
Waiting for me at the office was a little package containing the “Earth’s Berries Soap Nuts”. Wrapped in a cardboard box (good), then a lovely cotton bag (good), was a zip-lock bag holding the nuts (what?!). Pretty clear why they do that … turns out soap nuts are stinky little suckers; think packet of extra strong salt and vinegar crisps. Even the zip-locked plastic can’t contain the stench. Crikey, not sure what laundry is going to smell like after being “cleaned” by these bad boys. Ok, I will give it a try. This can be my penance for black Monday!

Follow along as we support one another through this 30-day challenge of self-discovery, restraint, and adventure!

July 29th Update

Sally Douglas
Challenge: No plastic (one exception, cheese!)

Why have you chosen this as your challenge?
A few years ago I worked with a super art director, Amanda Martens who gave up plastic for 40 days. I was inspired and tried the same thing. I was astonished by how hard it was. Yogurt, milk, cheese, take-out sushi, take-out sandwiches, take-out anything, batteries, loo paper, even organic apples have those annoying little plastic stickers on them for heavens sake! I did not do terribly well. I am ready to try again, and am determined to do a better job of it this time.

What part of the challenge will you struggle with the most?
Shopping for a family of 4 boys, a husband a dog and me will be tricky.

What are you going to do to prepare?
Nikki Anderson sent me a great link to My Plastic Free Life, I already ordered some soap nuts alternative to washing powder (bugger, just realized soap powder can come in a box, not plastic … needn’t have bothered). Couldn’t bring myself to add a chew-twig toothbrush to my shopping cart. Maybe next month.

any last words?
Gin and tonic (thankfully available in glass and tin cans) will undoubtedly be my saviors.

Keith Baker
Challenge: Doing a Spanish lesson every day for a month.

Why have you chosen this as your challenge?
I’m addicted to everything Spanish – the culture, the food, the music, everything! I’m hoping to go trekking in Patagonia within the next few years and would love to be able to do the trip using only Spanish.

What part of the challenge will you struggle with the most?
Remembering that I don’t need to be fluent by the end of the month. My Type A personality can kick in when I’m doing something I love – and before I realize it, I’ve set some pretty lofty expectations for myself.

What are you going to do to prepare?
Dust off all my current Spanish training material that I’ve never really used. And start emailing my Spanish friends in espagnol.

any last words?
I may need to start applying Melissa’s meditation challenge to my own life in order to keep my Type A personality in check…

Liz Ayre
Challenge: To resist purchasing celebrity gossip magazines or logging onto celebrity gossip sites

Why have you chosen this as your challenge?
To see how much I can save when not buying magazines, and to have a clearer mind!

What part of the challenge will you struggle with the most?
I will struggle at the supermarket checkout line when the celebrity rags are taunting me.

What are you going to do to prepare?
Consume as much frivolous information as possible. Maybe go for a jog.

Melissa Hicks
Challenge: 60 minutes of sitting meditation a day

Why have you chosen this as your challenge?
In the name of science and some well needed mental floss.

What part of the challenge will you struggle with the most?
Being diligent with the chosen technique for that length of time.

What are you going to do to prepare?
A hell of a lot of stretching before sitting on my duff

any last words?
I have a check in mentor and a rockin’ cushion

Angela Buttjes
Challenge: Vegan-ism

Why have you chosen this as your challenge?
If you choose to go Vegan (and if you do it right) you can make a positive impact on the environment help with the global food supply problem, increase energy, prevent diseases and save animals from a life of suffering and death.

What part of the challenge will you struggle with the most?
The biggest challenge will be family dinners. My Italian family will probably yell at me for not partaking in the meatball spaghetti, antipasto platters, and other meaty and cheesy delights. We also always have brunch on Sunday’s complete with eggs and bacon, luckily I already found a vegan Benedict recipe.

What are you going to do to prepare?
I consulted with my one Vegan friend and she pointed me in the direction of some good blogs, and I will also be visiting the all Vegan store in New Westminster called Karmavore which apparently sell vegan shoes, bags, makeup, etc. upstairs and downstairs they have a vegan deli and small grocery store. I will also make a trip to Finlandia the natural pharmacy and health center to get advice and any additional supplements I might need.

any last words?
On Sunday, the day before the challenge, I plan to seek out the best, most tasty burger in the city and eat one. Maybe two.

Grant McMillan
Challenge: One hour of exercise per day.

What part of the challenge will you struggle with the most?
The fact that five minutes of jogging currently leaves me exhausted.

What are you going to do to prepare?
Put lot’s of 80′s training montage music on my ipod, buy some kind of pants that aren’t jeans.

Any last words?
I have done no research for this at all.

Playland Apr 30 – Sep 25
Tip: To avoid lines, go on a rainy day (it’s actually quite pleasant!).

Bard on the Beach Jun 2 – Sep 24

Vancouver Jazz Fest June 24 – July 3

Folk Music Festival at Jericho July 15 – 17

Vancouver Live 125 July 8 – 10

Celebration of Lights July 30 – Aug 6
Tip: Try to get on a boat, or a roof or best of all the roof of a boat (a boat on a roof is also fine.) Avoid English Bay unless you want to be packed like a sardine.

Vancouver Pride Parade July 31
Tip: If there was ever a moment in your life to wear that sequined, rainbow, or feather ensemble you have buried in your closet, now is the time.

All around goodness:

Biking is the new walking, and an afternoon ride around the seawall is hard to beat on a sunny day. Instead of renting a bike for “a million dollars” an hour, buy a used one for $130 from Craigslist, or Our Community Bikes on Main Street, and enjoy it for the whole summer.

Don’t ignore the natural beauty that surrounds us, there are so many trails, beaches, bridges, lakes, trees to climb, and rocks to scale that you could fill a whole summer trying to them all. Get into it!

Vancouver is only a short ride from some great places including; Whistler, Harrison Hot Springs, Kelowna, Vancouver Island, The Gulf Islands, Portland and Seattle. The road trip is often the best part, so don’t forget to stop at the attractions on the way!

Farmers Markets are always a fun way to get local produce and other delights, there are some great ones at Trout Lake, Kitsilano, Downtown, and on the North Shore. Start there then bring you findings to the park.

Get your kit off and enjoy a glass of cold bee- I mean, “Juice” at Wreck Beach! Don’t forget to sample the baked goods, and pick up a sarong while your down there why don’t cha!

Rainy days are frequent here in Vancouver, but luckily we’re equipped with museums, galleries, shops, and plenty of other dry places to go.

For more info on Vancouver events and other activities visit these very helpful sites: Vancouver Is Awesome, MOV, Tourism Vancouver, The Georgia Straight and Miss 604 and if your still not satisfied check out Scout Magazines 101 Greatest Things About Life In Vancouver

Be safe, have fun, and don’t forget the sunscreen!

They ranged from all over the world, some dating back to the the 1800s. All were unique and special, none however, resonated with me as much as the Canadian stamps. Mainly because they are from my homeland and also because they are a reminder of the amazing people and artists we have here in Canada.

The stamps are thoughtfully crafted with intricate shapes, patterns and designs in a tiny square no larger than a thumbnail, each more original than the last. They weave an intricate story of Canadian artistic history from traditional British beginnings, to the bold and bright 60s, to current times, exploring environment, community and our ever-changing nation.

After unearthing the collection, I geeked out for a good couple of weeks. I knew I had to share my favorites with my fellow designers. If you want to learn more, you can visit the online Canadian postal archives here.

Enjoy!

We treat the creative development of the cards as if we’re our own client – our designers are given a brief, and the ideas are concepted and presented back to ourselves for feedback. Not only is it an opportunity for our creative folks to flex their illustration muscles, but it’s also a chance for us to create something that we our clients will find beautiful, and useful.

As tradition would have it, each year we time the printing of the cards to coincide with Christmas. So packaging them up and sending them out is also chance for us to get together in the boardroom with some egg nog to reflect on the year gone by and wish each other well before the calendar turns over. For the recipients of the cards, we hope it’s a year-long reminder of our gratitude.

In the end, we like to think it’s a win-win situation for everyone.

I can sympathize with the pressure and excitement that comes with graduating, as I’ve only been out from under that rock for a short year.  It took me a few months to decompress and feel normal after the notoriously demanding IDEA program and countless all-nighters. So grads, my advice to you is this: Take your time entering the real world, think about what you want, then go for it!

Speaking of which, this year’s IDEA-ers from Capilano University have just completed their show. As always, the show was a success and had an array of up-and-coming photographers, illustrators, and designers. The show is always a great opportunity to see amazing work, hob-nob with the newbies and the oldies in the industry and have a free glass of wine. If you missed most of the show and went straight to the after party (like me) you can get a first hand look at all the work here: idea11

As the season progresses, we Kaldorians expect to see some great additions to the Vancouver design community. Next up! The Kwantlen Graphic Design for Marketing Show, May 2nd to May 14th, and the Emily Carr Degree Exhibition, May 7th to the 22nd.

Another thing I love about gardening is that it’s both a science and an art. Trial and error and experience, and creativity as well, are key to making a garden work. There is so much within my control, but so much outside of it as well. I can only do my best to create a nurturing environment for the plants, but it’s up to the weather, the creatures, and grace (things working out in spite of my inexperience) to make a successful crop. It is amazing how just a little bit of care and attention can make the garden a summer-long feast.

When I think about it, gardening is a lot like design. You need knowledge and experience to create the most nurturing environment for your idea to take root and grow, and you need a program of maintenance throughout its lifecycle to keep it growing stronger. You have to watch the fruit and pick it while it’s ripe, not a moment before or after. But as much as you know and as diligent as you are, the success of your design is subject to factors outside of your control. You have to be perceptive as a gardener, paying attention to weather, paying heed to the wisdom of the more experienced; likewise, you have to listen and watch carefully as a designer, and with experience you build up your inner almanac, and your garden grows more and more fruitful. Meantime, it’s time to get out there planting!

—The Kaldor Gardener

In 2010 we invited esteemed Trinity College alumnus and internationally-acclaimed author Malcolm Gladwell into the fold, and developed an augmented reality piece for the front cover of U of T’s viewbook. Over the course of 90 seconds, Gladwell comes to life to explain the history of his thought process and how his method of “connected” thinking began during his studies at U of T.

Our approach to this format was twofold: Firstly, we wanted to embrace a sophisticated digital platform to provide our client with a standout and timely piece. Secondly, we wanted to give U of T a resounding voice that left a lasting impression on recruits from around the world.

U of T Augmented Reality is a Webby Honoree
Of the nearly 10,000 entries submitted to the 15th Annual Webby Awards, fewer than 10% were distinguished as an Official Honoree. We agree with the folks at Webby; this honor signifies an outstanding caliber of work. A big thanks goes to our friends at U of T, who worked with us to make the augmented reality a reality!

Here’s a list of our competition.

Baba’s Mantle Clock
My Dad’s mother, my Baba, was a remarkable woman. A first-generation Ukrainian-Canadian, you’d never be able to guess she had endured any hardships whatsoever during her lifetime. Her seemingly endless generosity and beautiful spirit were an ongoing highlight of my childhood, and I can vividly remember the many visits to her house in Fort William, Ontario. In addition to the warm smell of her cooking and the sound of laughter over games of cribbage, another standout memory for me was the things she had around her household. This mantle clock is from her living room – it doesn’t work anymore and it’s a bit beat up and missing a leg, but since she passed away in 1989 this clock has been a fixture in my own living room…mantle or no mantle.

Ducks
I can’t remember exactly when, but it has to be at least 10 or 15 years since my family stopped exchanging gifts on Christmas. For the most part, this was due mostly to a combination of geography and tastes. These days, we’re more inclined to use “gift money” on airfare so we can actually spend the holidays together. Despite this tradition, every year my Mom will still buy me something small and inexpensive. Usually, it’s either some relic she picked up at a garage sale or a knick-knack she found in an antique store. These ducks were two such gifts from her, and they’re just so…Mom. Quirky, cute and funny.

Hohner Accordion
When my Great Uncle Harry was still alive he would play this accordion at nearly every family get-together we had, big or small. Sometimes the kids in our family just asked him to pull it out when we were sitting around the kitchen table at Baba’s, and he’d goof around by making it squawk something awful. But for what looks like such a simple instrument – one row of white buttons and some bellows – Uncle Harry could turn it into a polka or a ballad at the drop of a hat. He wasn’t a musical genius, but it sounded fantastic to me.

HAIR the Musical – Poster
In the late 1960s, my parents attended a performance of the HAIR musical in Toronto. My folks were hardly hippies or participants in the counterculture uprising, but they were always interested and in-the-know with what was happening in the world. My Dad removed this poster from a signpost outside the Royal Alexandra Theatre, and it was a keepsake that lived on a basement wall in our Ontario home for many years. I’ve since had it dry-mounted to preserve it through the years, but the corners are still beat up from thumbtacks and general wear’n'tear. It’s in remarkably good shape for something that’s almost half a century old. And the artwork is amazing.

My Vinyl Collection
Owning vinyl records is a commitment. All at once, even the most moderate of collections is fragile, heavy, cumbersome and in need of a proper shelving unit. And whenever a vinyl collection needs to be moved, it has to be transferred into plastic milk crates 75 at a time. But even though the vast majority of my current music collection is digital and fits on a hard drive about half the size of a common toaster, I can’t bring myself to get rid of my LPs. Sometimes I just like to pull them out of their sleeves and admire the artwork and the grooves. And there really is no substitute for the sound of a needle being placed on track #1, dust and scuffs and all.

Tibetan Temple Bells
If there was one person who made a distinct impression on me during my studies in the music department at U of A, that person is Dr. Brian L. Harris. We were at least one generation apart, but Dr. Harris and I bonded quickly and I proceeded to register in as many of his courses as I possibly could. He is an encyclopedia of music knowledge dating back to the dawn of civilization up until the present day, and one of the most outstanding professors under whom a person could ever study. I had the pleasure of helping Dr. Harris on a number of occasions over the three years I knew him, mostly just to move audio/video equipment around or by assisting with small extracurricular events for fellow students. To thank me, he brought back this set of temple bells from a summer trip he took to Nepal. They make only one sound, but it’s one of the most beautiful sounds I’ve ever heard.