Students and faculty from Conestoga's Graphic Design advanced diploma program and Public Relations degree program volunteered in a day-long creative blitz on November 12 to create free-of-cost marketing tools for non-profit organizations across Canada.
Conestoga students and faculty in the Graphic Design and Bachelor of Public Relations programs collaborated with industry professionals at a creative blitz to provide free marketing tools to non-profits across Canada. Photo: Capacity Canada.
The annual event, known as Creative Day for Social Good (CD4SG), was hosted in collaboration with Capacity Canada, Intertek Catalyst, Manulife, Him and Her, and Kitchener Waterloo Community Foundation. This year saw the addition of students from George Brown College collaborating at a blitz in October. Together, volunteers supported 17 organizations with professional resources they may not otherwise have had access to.
"We have a minimal budget and currently no in-house expertise to create the marketing material we require," said Tenley Soares, director of development at the Child Witness Centre in Kitchener. "We understand the value of this program and it's great to have the opportunity."
Students virtually worked in teams in the weeks leading up to the event to prepare a creative brief based on their assigned organizations' needs and goals. Supported by art directors, writers, account managers and other industry professionals, teams began working on assets at 8:00 a.m. on November 12. They had until 11:00 p.m. to finish projects that included resources to help build brand and demonstrate social impact.
Teams presented their work to clients and event partners on November 13 through a virtual reveal. Organizers estimate more than $120,000 worth of pro bono work was generated over both the October and November blitzes.
Non-profits supported during CD4SG 2020:
- Canadian Clay and Glass Gallery, Waterloo Region
- Child Witness Centre, Waterloo Wellington
- Family and Children's Services of the Waterloo Region Foundation, Waterloo Region
- Habitat for Humanity Heartland Ontario
- Stonehenge Therapeutic Community, Waterloo Wellington
- Strong Start for Learning, Ontario
- The Meeting Place Tobermory, Northern Bruce Peninsula
- Timmins Learning Centre, Timmins, ON (including Schumacher, South Porcupine, and Porcupine)
- Tri-County Mennonite Homes, Waterloo Region & Stratford -Perth
- Working Skills Centre, GTA
- United Way of Bruce Grey, Grey and Bruce Counties
- Arts Council Wood Buffalo, Fort McMurray
- Canadian Association of Science Centres, Canada
- Empowering Indigenous Women for Stronger Communities, Newfoundland & Labrador
- Grand River Hospital Foundation, Waterloo Region
- Numus, Region of Waterloo
- Sunrise Therapeutic Riding & Learning Centre, Waterloo Wellington
Conestoga's three-year Graphic Design advanced diploma program is recognized as one of the top design programs in the province. It employs a project-based learning approach that addresses design, digital content creation, communication, inter-personal, mechanical, technical and enhanced employability skills.
Conestoga's Bachelor of Public Relations degree program was the first to be approved in Ontario and the fourth of its kind in Canada. Graduates are prepared with critical thinking skills and the practical experience required to manage reputations, responses and relationships on behalf of their organization.