SpotlightSeptember2019

Please enjoy the September 2019 issue of Spotlight on Business Magazine

September 2019

— Bringing Sports Sponsorship into the Digital Age

Alberta Beer Festivals Inc.

— Growing an industry one festival at a time! Atlantic Fashion Week — Putting the East Coast Fashion Industry at the Forefront

SOLAR UNITED NEIGHBORS — Over a Decade of Supporting Solar Communities

COMMUNICATIONS AND ADMIN LEAD Calli Gregg SPECIAL PROJECT CONSULTANT Tanya Chedrawy VIDEO PRODUCTION CONSULTANT Brian Cottam

MANAGING DIRECTOR Rod Gregg EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Lee Ann Atwater RESEARCH TEAM LEADS Kate Carter Ashley Tanner

Calli Gregg Dan Monk Jordan Parker Brittany Pickrem Greg Rodman AJ Sauve

CREATIVE DESIGN LEAD Natasha Griswold WEBSITE DESIGN LEAD Amy Zhang GRAPHIC AND LAYOUT DESIGN LEAD Rui Hu

EDITORIAL LEAD Jamie Barrie

PUBLISHER Spotlight on Business Media

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Janice Buckler Jody Euloth

spotlight on September

Sometimes businesses are born out of necessity and sometimes they are born as a solution to a problem. But in the case of Solar United Neighbors, they were formed because of a simple five-word question asked by a middle school aged boy to his mother. That simple question would change the life of Anya Schoolman, Executive Director of Solar United Neighbors and thousands of other home and business owners across the country as the not-for-profit organization follows through on its mission to make solar the cornerstone of the energy industry, helping people go solar. Everyone has been to a sporting event, spent two or three hours watching their favorite team in the arena or on the field, but can you remember the names of the sponsors that were on the boards or around the arena or field? If you can great for you, but for most of us that is where Shannon Ferguson and Kris McCarthy and their company FanSaves platform comes into play. This month we chatted with Shannon and Kris about their new app that is giving businesses that sponsor events more bang for their sponsorship buck and something that truly engages potential customers. Bill Robinson, President of the Alberta Beer Festival Inc has always strived to have a positive impact on the industries that they represent while supporting local charities and communities on their mission to provide the ultimate beer and spirit experience for brewers, distillers and for festival goers. We chat with Bill about each of ABF’s six, yes six signature events which provide an interactive forum for breweries and distilleries to share their stories, passions, and products with the beer enthusiasts of Western Canada allowing them to grow the industry one festival at a time. Nova Scotia has always been known for its beautiful scenery, amazing beaches, succulent seafood and fantastic festivals. However, since 2008 for a few days in late summer, early fall Halifax becomes the epicenter for East Coast Fashion with regional designers engaging with those in the fashion industry and having the opportunity to showcase their designs with the rest of the nation. We chat with Angela

Campagnoni, Founder and Executive Director of Atlantic Fashion Week about how her career as a model at fourteen has transitioned her into the successful executive director of AFW and how the event provides an innovative stage for designers of various calibers to showcase their collections to a diverse audience of fashion industry connoisseurs and professionals. We hope you enjoy the issue and we would like to thank all of our featured companies for sharing your challenges, successes and for inspiring others to follow their dreams and passion. We also thank all those involved in putting this month’s issue together along with our advertisers and readers as we look forward to telling more stories about successful businesses and the people behind making it all happen.

Lee Ann Atwater Editor •

P.O. Box 35007, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3M 0G3 P: 902 593 0533 E: info@spotlightbizmag.com spotlightonbusinessmagazine.com

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what’s inside September 03 SPOTLIGHT ON AUGUST 08 SEPTEMBER INDUSTRY EVENTS 12 SPOTLIGHT ON INDUSTRY 14 THE DYNAMIC SOUL OF SELLING 3 Branding Tips We Can Learn from Drake’s OVO Bounce Festivities 16 SOLAR UNITED NEIGHBORS Over a Decade of Supporting Solar Communities 26 ALBERTA BEER FESTIVALS INC. Growing an Industry One Festival At a Time! 42 CONTRACTOR’S CORNER Business and Politics – Make sure your voice is heard 46 ATLANTIC FASHION WEEK Putting the East Coast Fashion Industry at the Forefront 54 ATLANTIC FILM FESTIVAL Turning Halifax into Hollywood 58 SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS 60 CITYFOLK FESTIVAL Ottawa’s an end-of-summer tradition 68 7 WAYS TO MAKE CUSTOMER FALL HEAD OVER HEELS FOR YOU BRAND 74 SPOTLIGHT ON INNOVATION 76 FAN$AVES Bringing Sports Sponsorship into the Digital Age 82 SPOTLIGHT ON HEALTH 84 HOLISTIC HEALTH 86 HOW TO BREAK OUR DIGITAL ADDICTION Solar United Neighbors began its work over a decade ago with a five simple words: “Mom, can we go solar?” This was asked of our Executive Director, Anya Schoolman by her then middle school aged son Walter, after he and his friend Diego had just seen “An Inconvenient Truth” and Oscar-winning documentary about the environment and the pair were motivated to take action. Up to the challenge put upon her by her son and his friend, Anya looked into going solar, but at the time it was expensive and complicated. Anya also quickly realized that if she was going to put in the time and work into making her own home solar, she might as well do it for the whole neighborhood. So, on the cover Everyone has been to a sporting event, spent 2 or 3 hours watching their favorite team in the arena or on the field, but can you remember the names of the sponsors that were on the boards or around the arena or field? If you can great for you, but for most of us that is where Shannon Ferguson and Kris McCarthy and their company FanSaves platform come into play. This month we chatted with Shannon and Kris about their new app that is giving businesses that sponsor events more bang for their sponsorship buck and something that truly engages potential customers. Alberta Beer Festival Inc strives to have a positive impact on the industries that they represent while supporting local charities and communities on their mission to provide the ultimate beer and spirit experience for brewers, distillers and for festival goers. Each of ABF’s six, yes six signature events provide a forum for breweries and distilleries to share their stories, passions, and products with the beer enthusiasts of Western Canada allowing them to grow the industry one festival at a time. 26 Nova Scotia is known for its beautiful scenery, amazing beaches, succulent seafood and fantastic festivals. However, since 2008 for a few days in late summer, early fall Halifax becomes the epicenter for East Coast Fashion with regional designers engaging with those in the fashion industry and having the opportunity to showcase their designs with the rest of the nation spotlighting the amazing talent we have within the East Coast Fashion Industry. We chat with Angela Campagnoni, Founder andExecutive Director of Atlantic Fashion Week about how her career as a model at fourteen has transitioned her into the successful executive director of AFW and how the event provides an innovative stage for designers of various calibers to showcase their collections to a diverse audience of fashion industry connoisseurs and professionals. SOLAR UNITED NEIGHBORS Walter and Diego canvassed their block and successfully got about 50 neighbors on board over a period of a couple of years and the first solar co-op was born. Word of this effort spread about this project aroundWashington, D.C and soon other neighborhoods followed suit. Fast forward to today, Solar United Neighbors helps thousands of homeowners across the country go solar each year. — Over a Decade of Supporting Solar Communities 16 — Bringing Sports Sponsorship into the Digital Age 78 Alberta Beer Festivals Inc — Growing an industry one festival at a time! Atlantic Fashion Week — Putting the East Coast Fashion Industry at the Forefront 46

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August The Riverfront Jubilee — a nova scotia signature event

Pictou County is the birthplace of New Scotland, now known as Nova Scotia. Famous for its majestic coastline, amazing

beaches, and home to one of Canada’s most enchanting places, the Cape Breton Highlands, but if you are on the lookout for the best iconic Canadian Music then New Glasgow is the place to be in Nova Scotia this summer for the 24th Riverfront Jubilee. We chat with Jubilee organizers about the 3-day event that is affectionately called, “The Jube” to find out how they have been so successful over the past 23 years and what Jube goers can expect from this year’s event.

August

B yputtingaspotlightonyour business, organization or community with effective and interactive media and advertising we will help you capture the interest of business leaders and potential clients, giving you an opportunity to promote your brand and grow market share through mobile, online, print, video and social media support, helping your business connect and stay engaged with your customers.

Toursec Manzer Apiary Inc. 5 WAYS to Boost your Brand this Summer

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September

XDS brings together a niche community of game developers and publishers, vendors, and middleware providers. The event itself is composed of industry players including: the Advisory Committee, Speakers, Sponsors, Exhibitors and of course Attendees who meet in beautiful Vancouver, Canada to contribute to the advancement of our industry through collaboration, sharing of best practices, networking and the delivery of a high-caliber, educational program. XDS is considered to be a professionals-only event. For more information on the event: http://www.xdsummit.com Follow on Twitter: @xdsummit Follow on Facebook: @XDSummit

outcomes. We will dive into design thinking, customer service, digital transformation, & employee experience. Youwill get to immerse yourself in the next generation of customer experience with keynote sessions, panel discussions and Interactive Discussion Groups. For more information on the event: https://cxweekcanada. iqpc.com/

For more information on the event: http://www. franchiseshowinfo.com/toronto-

Summit Beer Festival September 14th, 2019 Marina Green Park | Long Beach, CA USA The Summit Beer Festival is one the West Coast’s premier events for the beer community. This event is the largest craft beer festival on the West Coast that brings together more than 170 breweries from across the state of California. Brewers from across the state are all in town to pour their special releases and hard to find beers from across California in front of the Long Beach marina. For more information on the event: http://www. californiacraftbeer.com/craft- beer- summit/ CX Week Canada September 23rd – 25th, 2019 The Chelsea Hotel | Toronto, ON Canada The CX Week Canada will cover areas like Automotive, Human Resources, Healthcare and Finance allowing you to dive right into some interactive learning with your peers and the executives who do business best. With the largest global CX network with over 150K members, CX Week Canada pulls together 150 locally based enterprise leaders to set a stage of peer-to-peer bench marking, networking, and learning. This year focuses on the Customer Experience as the umbrella strategy for excellent business Follow on Twitter: @CACraftBrewers Follow on Facebook: @CACraftBrewers

september-show/ Follow on Twitter: @FranchiseExpoCA Follow on Facebook: @NationalFranchiseCan

California Craft Beer Summit

September 12th - 13th, 2019 Long Beach Convention Center | Long Beach, CA USA The California Craft Beer Summit is the premier event for the beer community across the entire West Coast. The Summit is the most important event of the year for anyone who loves tasting beer or is interested in building their business in the craft beer industry. The two-day event starts off with hands-on education, tastings, pairings, interactive exhibits and networking opportunities for brewers, retailers,distributors,craft beer lovers, and homebrewers. For more information on the event: http://www. californiacraftbeer.com/craft-beer- summit/ Follow on Twitter: @ CACraftBrewers Follow on Facebook: @ CACraftBrewers

California's largest collaborative working environment with b u s i n e s s - s t r e n g t h e n i n g benefits for the petroleum and convenience store industry. For more information on the event: http://www.petroshow.com/

Follow on Facebook: @pacificoilconference

September 3rd – 5th, 2019 Manchester Grand Hyatt | San Diego, CA USA Pacific Fuels and Convenience Summit (PFCS) FormerlythePacificOilConference (POC), the Pacific Fuels and Convenience Summit (PFCS) is an engaging, comprehensive, three- day event offering you multiple ways to network with others as fuel marketers and gas station or convenience store operators; access to exclusive education sessions led by business professionals who understand the challenges you face; and the opportunity to meet with vendors offering the products and services you need to make you a leader among your peers. Withover 1100 attendees annually and over 110 vendors the PFCS is

Prince Edward Island Beer Festival September 27th – 28th, 2019 Delta Prince Edward | Charlottetown, PE Canada The Prince Edward Island Beer Festival is part of the Fall Flavours Festival. This event is focused on educating visitors and Islanders alike on the art and craft of brewing and tasting beer and cider. The festival always features a great variety of beers, live entertainment and great vibes. The city comes alive after the festival ends each night with live entertainment featured across the city at various venues! Great beers and ciders along with great entertainment. All things that go down smooth, especially when together.

The Franchise Expo September 7th - 8th, 2019 The International Centre | Mississauga, ON Canada

External Development Summit (XDS) September 4th – 6th, 2019 Parq Vancouver | Vancouver, BC Canada External Development Summit (XDS) is the only annual, international games industry event with a primary focus on external development for art, animation, audio, software engineering, QA and localization.

The Franchise Expo – Toronto is North America’s largest circuit of successful and proven events. National Event Management’s Franchise Shows are unquestionably the largest and best attended regional shows in North America. This show is your opportunity to meet face to face with thousands of potential franchisees or business partners eager to own their own business.

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International Make-Up Artist Trade Show September 28th – 29th, 2019 Metro Toronto Convention Centre| Toronto, ON Canada The International Make-Up Artist Trade Show-Toronto, or IMATS, is the make-up world’s biggest Acoustic entertainment provided by local and regional players will be the highlight during the tasting sessions that will feature over 100 various styles and varieties of local and not-so-local beers and ciders to keep things interesting. For more information on the event: http://beerfestpei.com/ Follow on Twitter: @peibeerfest Followon Facebook: @peibeerfest Follow on Instagram: #peibeerfest

IMATS also features a make- up museum and the Battle of the Brushes student make-up competitions, where international make-up students race to create winning looks. For more information on the event: https://imats.net/2019- toronto/ Follow on Twitter: @IMATS Follow on Facebook: @theIMATS Follow on Instagram: @ IMATSoffical

gathering. Thousands of make-up artists, exhibitors and enthusiasts discuss, display and collect the best the industry has to offer. Make-up pros from fashion and film (including Oscar, BAFTA, and Saturn award winners) provide education and demonstrations at IMATS, and new products often debut there.

STEP UP.

NSCC is designed for tomorrow’s makers and builders, those who push boundaries as hard as they push themselves. NEVER BACK.

Get it touch or drop by: Pictou Campus 39 Acadia Avenue, Stellarton 902-755-7299 nscc.ca/pictoucampus

JORDAN MCMILLEN Machining

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Keeping an eye on passengers, while in the sky H ong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific Airline announced in an updated privacy policy, published at the end of July, that it has been collecting footage of passengers whilst on board and recording their use of its in-flight entertainment system. The footage, captured via CCTV cameras located around the aircraft, is intended for “security purposes,” according to Cathay. In its updated policy, the airline said its data collection processes were intended to improve the flying experience and enable greater personalization. However, it added that personal data may also be shared with third-party partners for marketing purposes fueling new privacy concerns. The announcement comes months after it was revealed that multiple airlines have cameras installed in their IFE systems however, had no plans to activate their cameras to keep an eye on passengers.

Is Hydrogen the answer in quest for clean energy economy? H ydrogen, which has been overlooked for decades by Germany’s energy planners, is gaining ground as alternative to fossil fuels as the nation scrambles to recover lost ground on its climate promises. From government officials to utilities and power grid operators, hydrogen is being touted as a cleaner way to break Germany’s dependence on coal. Germany’s Economy Ministry has unveiled 20 labs to research the fuel, and natural gas pipeline owners have asked for rules that would allow them to carry more of the lightest element. Hydrogen releases only water when burned and therefore is considered cleaner than coal, oil or gas, which emit greenhouse gases. That’s already prompted policymakers in Japan, the China and Britain to encourage using hydrogen. Germany is already home to the first hydrogen-powered train, but it was only in July that Economy Ministry Peter Altmaier declared his goal for the nation to become “the number one in the world” for the technology. Many believe what has held back hydrogen and a green alternative for decades is the cost and complexity of the technology. Current production methods are expensive, and the fuel is volatile and highly flammable. However, hydrogen is now seen as an important option to fill the energy gap left from the impending closure of nuclear stations and the phaseout of coal-fired power.

Households cutting the cord on traditional TV P eople are not watching TV the way they used to and data is showing that viewers cutting their ties with cable is on the rise and the trend is not about to change. According to data by the market research company, eMarketer, nearly 25% of households will ditch traditional television by 2022. This year alone, approximately 19% of American households have cut ties to cable companies moving to alternatives like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime, all offering vast amounts of content for far less than cable subscriptions are a huge reason for the decline. The cable companies are well aware of these trends and that is why those that also offer broadband internet, usually as part of a bundled deal, are now charging higher price for internet and improve their own profit margins, much like they did when the people moved from traditional phone to mobile.

Oil versus green alternatives battle continues O il still has ‘massive’ scale advantage over green alternatives like solar and wind. In 2018, as oil supplied 33% of global energy with only 3% from wind and solar. However, wind and solar power can produce seven times more useful energy for cars, dollar for dollar, than gasoline with oil prices at their current levels, according to BNP Paribas SA. With that said oil will have to fall to $9-$10 a barrel in the long-term in order for gasoline cars to remain competitive with clean-powered electric vehicles, and to $17-$19 a barrel for diesel, Mark Lewis, global head of sustainability research at BNP’s asset management unit, said in a research report.

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by Jody Euloth

The Details — From the moment you pull up to the gym, you can tell something special is going on. It starts outside as the building is decaled with a large white OVO logo and the brand image, the owl. As attendees pull up, most don’t enter the building until videos and pictures are snapped posing with this as the background. Inside, the branding continues and, though it is subtle, it is everywhere: on every rise of the staircases, on all doors, on the glass surrounding the upper level of the gym, on digital screens and scoreboards, t-shirts and even a 16-foot image of the owl on a concrete wall that was popular and highly Instagram- able. When you experience details done the right way, it makes all the difference. Interaction and Engagement — Also known as the event’s energy, the energy at OVO Bounce was high. When you stepped into the building and onto the court, you could just feel it. The music was loud and bumping, the hype man on the mic was funny and entertaining, and the basketball on the court was high-flying. The athletes came to play, and the crowd was loving it. Red Bull activated an entertainment station equipped with beverages and video games and the canteen was pumping out patties at a pace. The atmosphere was curated thoughtfully for the audience which kept them engaged, entertained and energized. Leaving an event after a time like this only strengthens one’s association with the brand. Strategic Partnerships — For the event, OVO partnered with brands that align with their vision. Starting with the venue, the Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport at the University of Toronto is a world-class facility and the optimal place to host this event. The event aligns with the universities new Basketball Excellence Program, which strives for excellence for its’ students both on and off the court. Partnerships extended to include Nike and Red Bull, both world-class brands who bring a level of excellence on their own. Both brands are serious about engaging their audiences and their involvement in the OVO Bounce festivities positively enhanced the experience for participants. Being smart about the brands you collaborate and align with is a strategy that must not be overlooked. •

E vents play a critical part in a brand’s strategy. They help generate awareness, create valuable face to face time with customers, and build memorable experiences, strengthening trust and loyalty.Over the longrun, these benefits will ultimately help drive revenue for your brand and still many company’s often overlook events in their annual sales strategy and marketing plan. And the times which they are included and executed, the events can often fall flat due to lack of human resources, budget and creativity. Drake’s OVO Bounce festivities, held at the Goldring Centre for High Performance Sport at the University of Toronto is the basketball portion of a larger FESTival. The week also includes a summit of educational seminars, catered toward creative visionaries, and two days of music concerts with world-class entertainers, of course. OVO Bounce brings together all walks of life to celebrate unity through sport, and at the same time showcases excellence on the court from athletes in the NBA, other professional leagues and new up and comers trying to make their name. From the tip, the quality of the branding the OVO team delivered was impressive. And though budget was not likely a concern, we can scale the concepts to apply to all experiential events. Here are three branding tips we can learn from Drake’s OVO Bounce Festivities.

3 BRANDING TIPS WE CAN LEARN FROM DRAKE’S OVO BOUNCE FESTIVITIES

Jody Euloth is the CEO of The Mesh Media Network and Founder of The Dynamic Soul of Selling . She helps entrepreneurs, business and sales professionals and creative visionaries get over their fear of selling so they can generate more revenue and make a bigger impact in business.

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by Greg Rodman S olarUnitedNeighborsbegan itsworkover adecadeago with five simple words: “Mom, can we go solar?” This was asked of our Executive Director, Anya Schoolman by her then middle school aged son Walter, after he and his friend Diego had just seen “An Inconvenient Truth” an Oscar-winning documentary about the environment and the pair were motivated to take action. Up to the challenge put upon her by her son and his friend, Anya looked into going solar, but at the time it was expensive and complicated. Anya also quickly realized that if she was going to put in the time and work into making her own home solar, she might as well do it for the whole neighborhood. So, Walter and Diego canvassed their block and successfully got about 50 neighbors on board over a period of a couple of years and the first solar co-op was born. Word of this effort spread about this project around Washington, D.C and soon other neighborhoods followed suit. Fast forward to today, Solar United Neighbors helps thousands of homeowners across the country go solar each year. In the U.S. alone 2.7 gigawatts (GW) of solar photovoltaics (PV) capacity was installed in the first quarter for 2019 increasing the total installed capacity to 67 GW, enough to power 12.7 million American homes. This represents an impressive year-over-year increase of 10%. In saying that, the total installed U.S. PV capacity is expected to more than double over the next five years and by 2024, more than 15 GW of PV capacity will be installed to the growing total installed capacity annually. This month Spotlight on Business spoke with Carra Cheslin, Director of Engagement and Ben Delman, Communications Director of Solar United Neighbors about the non-profit that started in Washington, D.C. back in 2007 after a simple question about solar that now supports communities in 13 states and has overseen 4,100 installations for a total of 32 megawatts of electricity. So how does Solar United Neighbors help people make the switch to solar energy? According to Delman, “First it is to educate people about solar energy and the benefit of going solar,” Delman goes on to say, “then it is about helping them go solar, whether that is installing solar panels on their home and or business, or having them participate in a community solar project, it is all about building a community of solar supporters.” You understand when speaking to Delman the importance of having a community of supporters who are not only excited about solar, but that are also educated and engaged with their communities. “They make a real strong and compelling group of advocates for solar energy and the benefits that can be had for everyone as more and more people make the switch to solar energy, “say Delman.

SOLAR UNITED NEIGHBORS

— Over a Decade of Supporting Solar Communities

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Solar United Neighbors through education and helping people go solar, allows homeowners and businesses to take control of where the electricity comes from and one of the great ways that we do that is through their solar co-op program. These programs empower solar supporters to join together, and fight for their energy rights and be an advocacy for better government solar energy policies and promote energy independence sharing the vision of an energy system with rooftop solar at the cornerstone, which allows people to save money by producing their own power while creatinggood industry jobs, improving the strength and reliability of the nation’s energy systems and helping to reduce pollution and protecting the environment. Solar United Neighbors provides the technical expertise and consumer advocacy for people, business and communities going solar, they are not a sales company, they do not sell solar energy systems. However, they work closely with partners to spread the word about solar and help you make the switch to solar as easy as possible. Solar energy benefits us all. For individuals, organizations, and businesses, going solar can create real opportunities for cost savings and community development. This is especially true for municipal governments. Given their high electricity

costs and access to sunny real estate, municipalities are uniquely primed to take advantage of the benefits of going solar. Solar United Neighbors helps individuals, organizations and businesses go solar. “If you go to the Solar United Neighbors’ website, you will see that we have created a directory of businesses that have gone solar,” Cheslin, goes on to say, “Many have been featured on the site so that you can learn more about the businesses and their solar energy systems.” Thedirectory helps solar energy supporters connect with and support businesses in their community that are solar advocates in their own right.

“Mom, can we go solar?”

This competition recognizes each brewery’s commitment to solar, whether it was to save money, be more environmentally sustainable, support their local clean energy economy, or become energy independent, there are as many great reasons for the 150 solar-powered craft breweries to go solar as there are great craft beers and this competition celebrates them both. If you are looking to get more information or would like to get your brewery involved or just would like to see the brewers that have made the switch to solar check out their website at brewsfromthesun.org Solar United Neighbors’ second major event is the National Solar Tour which officially takes place on October 5th and 6th. The National Solar Tour is organized by Solar United Neighbors in partnership with the American Solar Energy Society, along with the support and local organizing efforts of over 130 partner organizations and companies. The National Solar Tour is free and open to the public, as hundreds of peoplewhohavegone solar across thenationopen their homes, businesses, non-profit organizations, municipal buildings, religious institutions, schools, and community solar gardens, hosting solar open house events to engage their communities around the power of solar energy.

Solar UnitedNeighborsworks togrow the community of solar supporters in many ways. Two of these are Brews from the Sun and National Solar Tour. These events allow businesses and homeowners to spotlight solar energy systems along with their commitment to solar and the benefits of going solar for others that are either interested in making the switch or have made the switch themselves. Solar United Neighbors’ Brews from the Sun competition brings together two growing industries; craft beer and solar energy. The Brews from the Sun competition allows craft beer enthusiasts and solar energy supporters celebrate the many craft breweries across the nation who have made the choice to go solar in the pursuit of unique and flavorful beers. The craft brewing supporters very much like solar energy supporters believe in community and making a difference for the people they service in the neighborhoods. That is why for the last two years, solar-powered craft breweries from across the country compete in a six-week completion during the spring to receive votes and be crowned America’s Favorite Solar Craft Brewery of 2019 in one of three categories; Brewpub, Microbrewery and Regional Brewery.

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“If you would like to host an open house it is not too late as solar owners can sign up to host solar open houses on the National Solar Tour through September 6th, 2019. If you are interested in hosting an open house or learn more about where you can attend next year, please go to the National Solar Tour website at nationalsolartour.org to register”

The benefits of solar extend beyond savingmoney: ◆ Job creation: The solar industry now employs more than 250,000 people. Solar jobs are diverse, ranging from installation to manufacturing to sales. installing solar on one or more buildings, municipalities can fuel solar job creation in their local community. ◆ Local economic development: Installing solar panels on one or more of their buildings can help municipalities jump-start the local clean energy economy. You can leverage your community outreach resources to educate constituents about renewable energy systems during installation, growing the local customer base. Municipalities can boost local clean energy employment by opting to work with local contractors for installation. Municipalities can pair their solar installation with updates to their internal solar permitting practices. This can signal to the community that your municipality is committed to growing the local clean energy economy. ◆ Sustainability commitments: Installing solar can help your municipality meet its sustainability goals by decreasing its consumption of fossil fuel-powered electricity and offsetting its carbon emissions. ◆ Resiliency: As battery technology drops in price, many municipalities are considering solar plus storage to use during power outages. It is easy to see how everyone benefits from solar energy eitherdirectlyor indirectlyandwhypeoplearesopassionate about this growing sector of the energy industry. Next month we will spotlight the National Solar Tour but, in the meantime, if you would like information on going solar or about how Solar United Neighbors can help you go solar or any of their solar events visit solarunitedneighbors.org •

This year’s National Solar Tour event currently has over 350 individual solar open house events, 50 locally organized multi-site solar tours and 45 states participating in solar open houses and local tours to help spread the word about going solar. You can see the full list of events on the National Solar Tour and RSVP to attend one or more of them at nationalsolartour.org/map. “First it is to educate people about solar energy and the benefit of going solar… then it is about helping them go solar” “If you would like to host an open house it is not too late as solar owners can sign up to host solar open houses on the National Solar Tour through September 6th, 2019. If you are interested in hosting an open house or learn more about where you can attend next year, please go to the National Solar Tour website at nationalsolartour.org to register,” says Cheslin. If you do not wish to host an event as part of the National Solar Tour but you would still like to spotlight your solar energy system, then the “I Love My Solar” website at ilovemy.solar, which is a joint project between Solar United Neighbors and Vote Solar, is a great way for you to share your story about going solar. Well if you do not want to wait for the National Solar Tour and you want to go solar now for your home or business but want to do it on your own it is as simple as becoming a member. If you decide to make the change then you can do so with one-on-one help at your own pace from Solar United Neighbors’

knowledgeable members-only Solar Help Desk. This support service offers real-time advice when and where you need it. They are ready, able and more than willing to help you go solar, so you have the confidence and knowledge to get the right system for you and your needs. Not looking to do it on your own then Solar United Neighbors offers a solar co-op project, which has helped thousands of people go solar each year. Co-op programs will organize 50 to 100 neighbors in a group to go solar together, making it a true community approach. Their knowledgeable experts support you through each stage of the solar process. Co-op members leverage bulk-purchasing power to get discounted pricing all co-op members sign individual contracts so that you are in control and have the right system for your home or business. Solar UnitedNeighbors helps individuals, businesses and organizations and also helps municipalities go solar as there are also many benefits for municipalities. By generating their own electricity from solar power, municipalities can reduce their monthly electric bills. And that means serious cost savings. Powering schools, libraries, municipal office buildings, and maintenance centers requires a lot of energy. For the typical local government, energy expenditures are the second largest budget item. So, saving money on electricity can significantly cut operating expenses. “If you go to the Solar United Neighbors website, you will see that we have created a directory of businesses that have gone solar”

Native Advertising and Content Marketing: What’s the Difference T he world of marketing continues to become more and more technical as internet marketing continues its growth over the last two decades. As our marketing efforts evolve so do the terms we use to define the many parts that must grow along with it. Enter native advertising and content marketing, while these are often part of the same conversation, they are not at all alike other than the fact that your favourite websites are their medium to get your attention as a reader and consumer. by Jamie Barrie

native advertising

It’s a type of online marketing characterized by a streamlined and unobtrusive ad placement and the targeted and valuable information that it provides to a specified demographic. Native ads areplaced seamlesslywithin awebsite so that they don’t disrupt the experience of the reader or viewer, like in between paragraphs, and usually do not appear like a traditional ad in that they may not directly advertise but acts as reference to a relevant topic or interesting information to engage with the readers that the business is targeting on someone else’s domain. Whereas content marketing is based on “owned media” native advertising is based on paying for others’ media space. Form this perspective, it seems more like other, more traditional advertising formats but careful! In this case we are not paying

for a “banner-like” space, but to integrate our content in a way that blends into the rest of the articles, videos or other items published on the page. Native advertising is very similar to a TV commercial. You can tell native ads apart fromother banners and the website they are being hosted on by the small label saying something like “ad” or “sponsored content” that appears on each one but these are becoming increasingly hard to detect as online marketers are becoming more creative. Native advertising is very similar toa TVcommercial. You can tell native ads apart fromother banners and the website they are being hosted on by the small label saying something like “ad” or “sponsored content” that appears on each one but these are becoming increasingly hard to detect as online marketers are becoming more creative.

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content marketing

On the other hand, content marketing is a much bigger idea and has a wider and longer-term focused goal. Like native advertising, content marketing provides valuable knowledge to raise brand awareness while targeting a specialized group of potential readers, viewers and customers. Content Marketing is a marketing strategy that is based on continuously creating and distributing valuable, relevant and attractive content, to reach out to our target audience you the reader or viewer. As with other types of marketing, the ultimate goal is to influence the consumer and to increase business or in most cases sales. With content marketing you are building trust, credibility and authority through a long-term relationship with the consumer. It has been gaining so much importance in the last years in fact, that it has even become an expression in the digital marketing world to say “content is king.” To distribute all this content, content marketing relies on ownedmedia: personally, owned places to share your content. The classic example of owned media is a businesses’s own website, blog

or social media page which can include written articles, videos, downloads. memes, gifs along with courses and webinars which people do not hesitate in sharing with others However, content marketing goes further in that its primary focus is to transfer the lead, you, as part of a long-term process with the end result being the conversion to a customer of a product or service. This type of marketing is not a single piece of content but an ongoing process that integrates into an overall marketing campaign. Another important distinction is that the media shared through content marketing is owned by thebusiness that is sharing it andcanbeavaluable asset of theirs, while native ads traditionally run on a “pay to play” basis on platforms that the company does not own. So why does this matter? Well understanding the difference between these two aspects of digital marketing allows you the business owner and entrepreneur to capitalize on them and market your products and services better in the global economy.

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Alberta Beer Festivals Inc. — Growing an industry one festival at a time!

by Jordan Parker A lberta Beer Festival Inc strives to have a positive impact on the industries that they represent while supporting local charities and communities on their mission to provide the ultimate beer and spirit experience for brewers, distillers and for festival goers. Each of ABF’s six, yes six signature events provide a forum for breweries and distilleries to share their stories, passions, and products with the beer enthusiasts of Western Canada allowing them to grow the industry one festival at a time.

Bill Robinson is pretty comfortable saying he got into the craft beer business before most people knew there was a market. The president of Alberta Beer Festivals just finished the 15th Annual Calgary International Beerfest, to much fanfare, but craft beer wasn’t always an easy sell in the province. “When we started this, we were working in the communications sector initially. But we had a sharp turn into events when our clients were bought out,” said Robinson. The company began working with rugby events, the stampede, and did a food and wine show. “We could get a young demographic, andwe noticed there were no festivals specific to beer. We thought we had a good opportunity,” he said. There were only six breweries in the province when they began, two of those being brew pubs. But

thanks to open liquor laws regarding taxation, the Calgary International Beerfest was born. “We lacked local beers at first, but we were able to bring beers in from all over at a small cost. As things got better and bigger, we expanded to Edmonton,” he said. “They had 14 breweries there, and we thought that was huge at the time.” “We could get a young demographic, and we noticed there were no festivals specific to beer. We thought we had a good opportunity.” Fast-forward to 2019, and the company just saw a Calgary Beerfest that had a higher coat check number than their first event’s attendee total. “It’s just amazing now, and we’re running six festivals a year. People come from all over the place for this. Breweries have rotating, seasonal lines, and we added ciders and spirits,” he said.

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Jasper Beer & Barley Summit

Calgary International Beerfest

Your mountain adventure awaits! This event is hosted at the world- renowned Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, is unlike any beer festival experience in the world. It is part beer festival, part spirit festival, part seminar, and part wilderness adventure combined into one. Each night of the 2-night festival will feature a different line up of tantalizing craft beers and spirits to sample, as well as succulent chef prepared foods. The Jasper Beer & Barley Summit is a unique mountain retreat. Those who experience it will want to keep it secret, so you’ll need to be there to discover what this mountain adventure holds in store for you!

The Calgary International Beerfest brings the beer world together at Canada’s largest beer festival. Rated as one of the best beer festivals in the world, with over 700 beers from over 200 breweries, your biggest challenge will be deciding where to start. The Calgary International Beerfest is also home to the Canadian International Beer Awards – judging is held during the event – and the list of past winners can be a great way to plan which booths you want to hit first.

Edmonton Craft Beer Festival

Banff Craft Beer Festival

One of the fastest growing beer festivals in the world, the Edmonton Craft Beer Festival is the City of Champions’ premier beer, spirit and food festival. This event offers over 500 beers along with a wide range of ciders, meads, spirits and other beverages from more than 100 breweries and distilleries – there really is something for everyone.

This event is widely considered the World’s Most Beautiful Beer Festival and will be taking place at the home of Canada’s First National Park. Ever since 3 railway workers stumbled upon the historic site in 1883, the Cave and Basin National Historic Site has been a place of adventure. This event allows you to enjoy delicious Alberta made craft beer and spirits against the backdrop of the spectacular Rocky Mountains with its pristine wilderness and glacier fresh waters. This festival is more than just amazing spirits, food and beer – it’s a chance to dive into the past, to seek new discoveries, and most importantly – it gives you the opportunity to choose your mountain adventure!

The Mashing — Edmonton

The MASHING (the common process used in brewing, distilling, and cider making) brings together the best distilleries, breweries, restaurants, artists and community in a unique space for a sampling event unlike any other in the world! At the MASHING, you’ll be able to immerse yourself in many of the things ABF believes in – the concepts of grains to glass and farm to table, all things local, art, culture, community, and a strong charitable component – all while sampling from incredible distilleries, breweries, cideries and restaurants.

The Mashing – Calgary

As mentioned before “The MASHING” (the common process used in brewing, distilling, and cider making) brings together the best distilleries, breweries, restaurants, artists and community in a unique space for a sampling event unlike any other in the world! You’ll be transported to a whole new world just by stepping out in your own community. Live deep at the Mashing!

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“It’s just amazing now, and we’re running six festivals a year. People come from all over the place for this. Breweries have rotating, seasonal lines, and we added ciders and spirits.”

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“What is really eye-opening is when people we gave media exposure or fundraising opportunities to in the past come of age and then show up to our festivals with such great memories.” What Robinson loves is the rigour with which breweries and distilleries have cropped up, he’s so happy with the industry. “We really love the courage and sense of adventure these brewers and distillers have. We have worked hard to promote craft beer in Alberta, and with the growing number of craft distilleries, we want to now do that for them as well,” he said. “The big challenge is getting people to find a new favourite. Past experience has shown that if we can get someone to move out of their comfort zone and try something different, they will embrace not only the beers and spirits, but also the culture and community that has grown up with them.” One thing the Alberta Beer Festivals company has been lauded for is their sly, humorous marketing campaigns. “We’re a small shop of five, and we’re family and friends. We’re so proud of what we do. The fact with the growing number of craft distilleries, we want to now do that for them as well.” “We really love the courage and sense of adventure these brewers and distillers have. We have worked hard to promote craft beer in Alberta, and

There are now over 180 cideries and breweries in the province, and Robinson equates their quality to a few area-specific advantages. “We have grown some of the best two-row malt barley in the world, and we have access to some of the best water. It goes to Banff to be filtered, and has to be by law, but they’re amazed at the clarity,” he said. “We’ve come a long way. When we started this, no one had the idea of trying beer festivals. But when people came out, they loved it, and these things grew at such a rapid rate.” Their sense of humility and community spirit never faltered when they became successful. Robinson says everything they do is for the people around them. “We’ve come a long way. When we started this, no one had the idea of trying beer festivals. But when people came out, they loved it, and these things grew at such a rapid rate.” Each event has two charities that will directly benefit financially, and over 70 charities have seen that benefit through ticket donations and other fundraisers. To date, they have donated over $300,000 as a company. “We first started doing Christmas charity funds, but we always knew from the start we needed a charitable and philanthropic arm to this business,” he said.

“We created this Beer U Quiz, and when people visited booths, they took quizzes at the end. There was a leader board on a screen, and people loved it. If you passed at the end, you got an MBA – a Masters in Beer Appreciation,” he said. They also ran a Cough Coach campaign, a satirical ad campaign that will help you fake an illness all week so you can go to beerfest. The campaign – built in-

“We like to be funny and market that way, but we also see the need to support these breweries. Palates change so quickly, and as a festival company, we need to draw more and more people in.” people in, and makes them chuckle, we can show them these festivals are the most fun place on earth and keep them coming back.” •

house -- gained national recognition. “We like to be funny and market that way, but we also see the need to support these breweries. Palates change so quickly, and as a festival company, we need to draw more and more people in,” said Robinson. “We truly believe once people come and try this out they’ll be truly invested. If that sort of marketing gets

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we’ve been recognized for our unique festivals and the way we promote them is amazing,” he said. They started a Beer University, meant to get people aware and thinking about the industry and what they drink. They brought malters, hop growers, canners, and home brew equipment companies together for a partnership with the Just Beer app.

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