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Written by Kieran Delamont, Associate Editor, London Inc.
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Ontario SEO rebrands as Foundery Digital Marketing Group
Local digital marketing shop Ontario SEO has rebranded, unveiling its new identity as Foundery Digital Marketing Group this week. The agency, launched in 2005 by Wayne Atkinson, said the new name “was chosen to reflect our dedication to crafting marketing solutions that lay a strong foundation for your success.” Atkinson noted that “simply put, we have outgrown the Ontario SEO brand,” and added that “it is time for our branding to reflect our full range of services and the clients we work with.”
The upshot: Back in 2005 when it launched, Ontario SEO was a pretty nifty moniker. After all, at the time SEO may not have been the only digital marketing tactic in town, but it was the most important. These days, however, content distribution channels evolve at a breakneck pace ― and just about all of us are constantly learning and unlearning, predicting and reacting to an industry that accelerates at a frenzied tempo. As Atkinson noted, rebranding to Foundery better reflects the firm’s comprehensive suite of digital marketing services on offer. “While search engine optimization is still very much a core area of expertise,” he said, “digital advertising, organic social and consulting are also integral parts of our service offering.”
Read more: Foundery.ca
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AI music generator Staccato announces collaboration with Toronto film studio AMG
Staccato AI Inc., a local music-based generative AI company, announced that it is collaborating with Toronto film studio AMG, and has appointed Mark Berry and Duane Farley (both of AMG) to its advisory board. “Over the coming months, Staccato will work closely with AMG Visuals to produce music for two of their highly anticipated films, with Staccato being credited and promoted as co-writers and co-publishers for each project,” a press release from Staccato said. “This collaboration is poised to make history as the first time an AI will be used as a co-writer to produce studio-quality music for feature-length films and documentaries.” Staccato’s CEO and founder Jeff Lupker said that the company was “incredibly excited to welcome Mark Berry to our advisory board,” and added that his “extensive experience and his remarkable achievements in the music industry align perfectly with our vision of integrating AI and human creativity.”
The upshot: It will be interesting to watch what comes of this collaboration. Staccato AI ― a tool that uses generative AI tech to help with music and lyric composition ― got its start as a PhD project by Lupker, a Western grad and associate prof at the school’s Don Wright Faculty of Music. The tech is focused on being an AI-powered writing aid rather than a full-scale music machine. “When I left school, I just wanted to keep doing it, so that’s where the company formed,” Lupker told the Pitch Please podcast recently. Staccato has steadily been building its reach within the entertainment sector. Last month, it struck a deal with Adobe to work the Staccato technology into Adobe Express to generate royalty-free music clips, so it’s going to be interesting to watch how the company progresses. “The integration of AI with our music production is a game changer, and we are excited to see how this partnership will elevate our film projects,” said Farley, AMG’s executive vice president. “The potential for creative breakthroughs is immense, and we are looking forward to a successful collaboration.”
Read more: TechAlliance
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In provincial first, London adopts Nespresso Green Bag recycling solution
Nespresso drinkers in London will soon have an option to recycle their used pods more easily, as the coffee company is rolling out their ‘Green Bag’ pod recycling program in the city ― a provincial first. The program will allow Nespresso customers to put used pods in a green recyclable bag, which then goes straight into the blue bin and will be picked up and sorted by Miller Waste Systems in London, which will separate it from the rest of the recycling stream and pass it on to Nespresso’s existing recycling facilities. (Previously, only Nespresso Club members were able to recycle pods through the mail.) Carlos Oyanguren, president of Nespresso Canada, said “implementing the Green Bag program in Ontario has been a priority for Nespresso for years now ― we are proud that this additional solution is brought to London, Ontario.”
The upshot: The meteoric rise over the last decade of the coffee pod has presented sustainability challenges, to say the least. Keurig came out of the gate first with the K-Cup, a coffee pod originally made of non-recyclable plastic, whose impact was so severe that the inventor of the pods himself said he regretted the invention. (In 2020, the company began manufacturing them with recyclable plastic.) Nespresso’s mail-back program was a step in the right direction, but requires you to be locked into their monthly subscription program to access free shipping. The new Green Bag program, on the other hand, likely makes recycling the pods way more accessible to the average customer. “This initiative is a testament to the power of partnerships and collaborating with stakeholders,” said Allen Langdon, CEO of Circular Materials, an industry-led recycling program administrator. “By working together, we are bringing innovative solutions to improve recycling and enhance the recycling system in Ontario.” (If you’re curious about the comparative environmental impact about coffee pods, check out this article from Wired, which suggests that pound for pound, coffee pods might actually be better for the environment than traditional coffee brewing methods.)
Read more: CTV News London | Packaging Gateway
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City renews Film London funding
The city is extending a funding plan for Film London, leaning into efforts to grow London into a film and TV production hub. Councillors voted unanimously to recommend extending the funding for the office through 2027; the actual funding plan will be laid out during next year’s budget, but will likely look similar to the $300,000 that Film London, launched in 2021, receives annually (the report suggests indexing it to inflation). City staff issued a report on Film London, indicating it has been a successful investment. “Film London’s commitment to the film industry is evident and their efforts are positioning the city as an attractive destination for filmmakers,” staff wrote. “With a focus on workforce development and community engagement, London is becoming an exciting hub for filmmakers.” The funding extension got a lot of support from city politicians, too. “The money has already paid itself back in its return on investment many times over, and I know there’s a lot of great opportunities still to come,” said deputy mayor Shawn Lewis.
The upshot: Film London’s efforts to boost London’s appeal as a production hub are still in their early days, but there has been a lot of momentum lately. A Netflix production will be coming to town to shoot next month, while an Amazon Prime series was shooting scenes on the Blackfriars Bridge in April. There’s also been teams from AppleTV, NBC and Sony shooting projects here. Andrew Dodd, Film London’s manager, said they are on track for 15 to 20 productions this year alone, adding that filmmakers are increasingly looking outside of cities like Toronto in search of new locations. “Us having a presence, us advertising, us doing outreach, us being able to be the concierge for productions … I think has really built up our reputation,” Dodd told CBC News London.
Read more: CBC News London
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Carnival London debuts this weekend
A new festival kicks off in Victoria Park this weekend: Carnival London, a celebration of Caribbean culture. “This festival shares a part of our history and culture with people,” festival organizer Lauri Morrison told The London Free Press. “It’s a way for us to express our emancipation and freedom from slavery…we’re putting it on to keep in touch with our roots.” Drawing comparisons to Toronto’s huge annual Caribana festival, the organizers said they are building on the popularity of two smaller festivals ― the Summah Sizzle, launched last year, and the Winter Dung Ah Town Festival, launched in 2022. “People were asking for more,” Morrison said. “Those festivals have been building and leading up to Carnival London.” The festival is free to enter, and organizers are also selling VIP packages for the weekend’s festivities, which kick off on Friday evening.
The upshot: It’s good to see a prime weekend slot in Victoria Park is being filled ― this was the weekend traditionally held by the Home County Music & Art Festival, after all. If all goes well with this first iteration of Carnival London, organizers have an eye on making this a regular fixture on London’s summer festival calendar. They’ve got sponsorship money from the tourism bureaus of Antigua and Barbados, and the Free Press reports that organizers are in talks with the city on a five-year plan for the festival, including the potential for a scaled-up parade in future years.
Read more: Carnival London
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Grand Theatre taps new executive director from within
Lyndee Hansen will take over as the Grand Theatre’s executive director as of Monday, the theatre announced this week. Hansen has been with the Grand Theatre for the past nine seasons, serving first as production manager and then producer, following a theatre career that has seen her in leadership roles at Crow’s Theatre in Toronto, the Geordie Theatre in Montreal and Alberta Theatre Projects in Calgary. “The very first professional theatre production that I ever saw was Godspell at the Grand Theatre, at six years old,” Hansen says. “I am so honoured and thrilled to move forward in my leadership journey with an organization and team that means so much to me.” George Kerhoulas, president of the Grand’s board of directors, called Hansen “by far the best person to take on this role,” and praised her ability to build industry relationships over her previous nine years with the Grand Theatre.
The upshot: Hansen steps into her role at the helm of the Grand at an interesting moment for the theatre. There’s been some unsteadiness at the top ― outgoing executive director Evan Klassen had only been there a couple years before he left to take a job in his hometown of Winnipeg ― not to mention financial challenges, as the theatre emerges from the Covid era (earlier this year, the Grand was a bit miffed to see a funding request shot down in the city’s budget). Those will all be top of mind as she works with the board of directors on the upcoming strategic plan, which they were expecting to finalize this summer. But Hansen looks like a stable, long-term leader for the Grand, and has a good working relationship with the artistic director, Rachel Peake. “I want to continue to work with Rachel to continue to grow the excitement for the theatre here in London,” Hansen told The London Free Press. “I wish for the continued increase of success we’ve seen this season, which has been met with an incredibly warm reception, increased ticket sales and an excited theatre community.”
Read more: Stratford Festival Reviews | London Free Press
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Dispatch: July 26, 2024
A summary of recent business appointments and announcements, plus event listings for the upcoming week.
View listings here
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