A dozen avid teens took part in an after-school advertising training program at Top Drawer Creative on Queen Street East earlier this year, culminating in a presentation of potential new logos and branding ideas to a local business owner.
The group worked for six weeks on ideas to present to Ed’s Real Scoop for a line of sauces owner Ed Francis has introduced at his shops in the Beach and Leslieville. Francis said the sauces are the same ones that have been available for years at the counter, but at the urging of several customers, he decided to begin selling take-home jars.
Top Drawer’s Communications Director Nicole Pointon said Ed had no idea the extent to which the group delved into potential branding for the sauces.
“The most riveting moment of the whole six-week process was when Ed came in for the presentation, because I don’t think he really knew what he was getting into,” said Pointon. “He sat quietly for maybe about three minutes before he said anything and you could cut the tension in the room.”
Francis said he was indeed impressed, not only with the results, but with the presentation and the group of teens.
“They came out with some really nice designs, I thought. It was more professional than I had expected that I would get,” he said. “I don’t think I would have been, when I was in high school, as confident as they were.”
The group presented Ed with four graphic design options in a powerpoint presentation at the Top Drawer office, all designed by the Top Drawer designers, who worked with the budding marketers on the project.
“It was a really neat experience,” said Pointon. “I think he just expected a slight tweak.”
She said the ADventure program will likely run again in the fall, after the success of this round, which garnered a waiting list of young future advertising execs.
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