Blog

MH3 Olympics, Sponsorship, Sports

Entitled: Levelling the Playing Field for Canada’s Female Athletes

This year marks the 40th anniversary of Title IX.

I highly doubt when the United States Congress brought the act into legislation in 1972 that it expected to be responsible for helping build the female sport system in Canada. But it has.

The original premise of Title IX was to ensure that women had the same access to competitive sports as men in terms of access to leagues, coaches, facilities, instruction, etc. That would be my technical interpretation of the bill. But the emotional interpretation would be to allow girls to play sports, just like boys.

Continue reading “Entitled: Levelling the Playing Field for Canada’s Female Athletes” →

MH3 Life Lessons, Living Life, Opinion, Travel, vacation

Summer Lovers

My kids finished school yesterday. Guess that means it’s summer vacation time. So why am I at my desk this morning? Better yet, why are you?

How jealous were you when your little rodents came home yesterday and announced they were sleeping in for eight straight weeks and had little intention of showering, changing their clothes or listening to you?!
What went through your mind as you drove them to the camp bus pick-up location or as their grandparents loaded them up for two weeks of cottaging? How did you feel when your teenager headed to the airport for their job in Banff or simply hopped on the same camp bus, as a CIT, that they used to board as a first-timer?

Look around your office and check out how many people have decided this is the weekend that officially marks summer, and smartly booked today off for an extra long weekend. Continue reading “Summer Lovers” →

MH3 Business, Canadian Sponsorship Forum, Marketing, Opinion, Sponsorship, TrojanOne, Work

Passion Juice

I love you.

It’s true.

I may not even know you, but I love you. Oh not all of you. Especially those I don’t know.

And not in a physical or otherwise unallowable manner. But certainly in a passionate manner, I do love you, I truly do. Because you read my blog. It’s the highest honour that you can bestow upon me. You take the time to share in what’s on my mind or happening in my life.

I’m pretty passionate about writing. I’m in a constant struggle with myself to move beyond these weekly unedited, unrehearsed, unscripted, underground submissions. Okay not so underground, but it did sound pretty romantic. Underground blogs. The struggle is to get my act together and write something longer, meatier, more worthy of your attention and effort. Continue reading “Passion Juice” →

MH3 Canadian Sponsorship Forum, Events, Sponsorship, TrojanOne, Work

Ha Ha Ha: Being Funny in a Speech is No Laughing Matter

One of the time-honoured secrets of speech making is to start with a joke.
Easier said than done.

Not that there is a shortage of material in this world. You can borrow a joke from a speaker you’ve heard in the past. Tread dangerously with an inappropriate line you picked up from the drunken MC at your cousin’s wedding. Search the “www” and commit larceny by using someone else’s material. If you’ve been drinking you may think it wise for some reason to try to write your own. Or if you’re a bonehead, you can always pick someone to make fun of.

I’ve tried all of the above and more. Unfortunately, I think I’ve used the “pick on the innocent” option much too frequently. It’s the chicken’s way out, but it’s far too easy.

But being truly funny. Wow. That’s an art. A craft. A science. Is it a gift? I would say to a point. But it’s a gift that needs the preparation, practice and refinement of an Olympic ski jumper.

I have been thinking about “being funny” in preparation for chairing the 2012 Canadian Sponsorship Forum. I’ve told my team that we need to be funny. Not silly. But funny. Forum is loaded with great information, research and inspiration. Serious stuff. Continue reading “Ha Ha Ha: Being Funny in a Speech is No Laughing Matter” →

MH3 Living Life, Opinion

Child’s Play: Today’s Kids Are Stressed, Too

Do you remember what it was like to be a kid?

I’m talking about being an eight year old. Or maybe ten. Twelve at the most.

What a time.

Your only worries were whether to play baseball or hockey. Go to your friends or have them to your house. Or which magazine to read first.

No bosses. No mortgages. No email.

Look at your calendar. Your June 1st of many moons ago was a welcomed date. It signified that your school year was coming quickly to a close. That your summer break was just a few weeks away. Your teacher was creating fun activities versus drafting tests.

You weren’t thinking of hitting your Q2 numbers, about covering for a co-worker’s vacation or if you were even going to be able to take your own.

Kids have nothing to worry about.

If you believe that, then perhaps your head is buried deep in the sand of your summer cottage rental.

I have no expertise on the subject, but through my work with several clients in the sector, it’s abundantly clear that today’s children face more issues than those of my generation could ever imagine. Divorce. Bullying. Depression. Obsession. Poverty. Obesity. Violence. Isolation. Racism. Continue reading “Child’s Play: Today’s Kids Are Stressed, Too” →

MH3 Opinion, Sports

Playing To Win

I have made this speech before.

Not on a single stage. Not all in one place. Not completely in one writing. But I have given it a go in various blogs. I have hinted at it in conference presentations. But being at SportAccord in Québec City this week has allowed my thoughts to ferment even further, and now I am going to liberally pour them out to you today.

The speech itself is quite short. It is only three words. But its impact reaches across economics, health care, marketing, tourism, business, international development and politics. “Play to Win.”


Play to Win is a mantra we should all adopt. Continue reading “Playing To Win” →

MH3 Events, Sports, TrojanOne

She’s Grand

Babies.
Kids.
Pets.
We all have our cute names for the projects or initiatives we love. When we create something from scratch, conjured by the heights of our imagination, and fermented by the hard work of many hands; there is no greater feeling.

This past weekend was one of those moments for me. The inaugural Nike High School Grand Prix, held at Varsity Stadium at the University of Toronto, featured over 250 athletes from all over Canada. Built with our partners at School Sport Canada, and obviously entitled by Nike Canada, the Grand Prix was designed to be a celebration of high school track and field. Boy was it ever.

But to get you to read further, I am not going to painstakingly take you through the schedule, the special events or the exhaustive media coverage. No, I want to tell you a story. Continue reading “She’s Grand” →

MH3 Marketing, Olympics, Sports

Give Your Everything

On Monday I was privileged to play a very small part in the Toronto launch of the Canadian Olympic Committee’s new brand campaign.

Sown from the creative blood, sweat and tears of the COC’s Derek Kent, Rob Pashko and their AOR Proximity, the new campaign delivers on its promise to be athlete-centric and genuine to the movement. Many an Olympic campaign holds out the same promise – to be athlete-centric – but all too often drop the relay baton between idea and execution.

But aided by the creative brilliance of director Henry Lu (of Nike “Just Do It” fame), this is not your “father’s Canadian Olympic campaign” to bastardize another old, actually ancient, advertising tagline. The campaign is not only about the athletes, but it’s also about their intensity, passion and relentlessness to represent their country. Continue reading “Give Your Everything” →

MH3 Business Lessons, Marketing, TrojanOne, Work

Best Behaviour


Marcello Pizzeria was the place.

April 20th was the date.

Noon was the time.

My guest? Anonymous.

In hindsight, I did not arrange this luncheon to be secretive, clandestine or remotely mysterious. It was simply an opportunity for me to enjoy a first meeting with a highly regarded marketing maven. In some circles they call it networking. Critics may call it schmoozing. Detractors may call it glad-handing. Blah…blah…blah. Continue reading “Best Behaviour” →

MH3 Business, Events, Marketing, Sponsorship

RBC Royal Bank Bluesfest Gets “Electro-fied”

Mark Monahan, Executive Director of the Ottawa Bluesfest — *ahem* the RBC Royal Bank Bluesfest — had a lot to sing about on Tuesday night.

Horrible music pun, I know.

I should have toned it down. Especially since he is a rockin’ client of ours. Duly noted.

No? Not even a little grin?

Okay, back to this week’s lyrics.

Monahan and his merry band of festival conductors, marched into the Ottawa War Museum to announce the headliners for the 2012 RBC (sorry branding
police) Bluesfest. Continue reading “RBC Royal Bank Bluesfest Gets “Electro-fied”” →