LEBOW, a small advertising and design studio based in Toronto, has won one Gold and two Silver awards in the 2012 Summit International Awards. Gold was awarded in the Consumer Service Logo/Trademark category for a logo/identity created for Poker Player’s Unite, a charity organization based in Philadelphia.

One Silver was awarded in the B2B Logo/Trademark category for a logo/identity created for Katapult Business Solutions, a company based in Toronto. The other Silver was awarded in the Consumer Newspaper Campaign category for a series of ads created for RINX, an entertainment facility in Toronto.

“Being able to bring home three trophies, while competing on a global scale, knowing that I’m working all alone in a home-office environment is a huge accomplishment,” says Ronnie Lebow in a press release.”I love this business, I love seeing my clients marketing goals achieved, and this is a nice pat-on-the-back from my industry peers to keep on walking the (freelance) path I have chosen.”

The Summit International Awards, celebrating its 18th year, was created to recognize exceptional work by marketing creative firms, including advertising agencies, video production companies, multimedia firms and other creative groups with annual billings of $30 million or less. This year’s competition received thousands of entries from more than 22 countries, including Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Kazakhstan, Malaysia, Mexico, Northern Ireland, South Africa, Spain, Sultanate of Oman, Sweden, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and the United States.

From Trigger Communications art director Brian Allen:

London Barbers in Calgary is a classic barbershop that cuts any type of hair, and shave and trim facial hair. Naturally, we created a series of ads that demonstrated this by hitting people were it mattered: their faces.

Art Director: Brian Allen
Copywriter: Jordon Lawson
CD: Todd Blevins
Photographer: Roth and Ramberg

About 15 years ago, internships started finding their way into the ad business in earnest. It’s a construct borrowed from the world of medicine. After years of studying textbook theory, medical students were required to acquire hands-on practice to become full-fledged doctors. Thus internships were borne. At many advertising colleges in Canada, it’s now mandatory for students to have practical  co-op experience in order to graduate. As a result, every spring a fresh new crop of potential interns comes knocking at our door.

The question is: are internships a necessary evil or a priceless apprenticeship? . . . Read Karen Howe’s column.

From the blog of Calgary-based Roth and Ramberg: 

We got an email from Brian at Trigger Communications. He had this idea of shooting a photograph of a sushi chef getting ready to cut into a fresh fish [see concept drawing below]. The trick was he wanted to show it from the angle of the fish. What better lens than a fisheye to shoot from the angle of, well, a fish’s eye.

We shot at Momoyama Sushi restaurant in Calgary. It’s located in a tiny strip mall in southwest Calgary. We went in to scout and to have lunch (very yummy sushi) and returned the following week to shoot.

The owner Mark was a great guy. He was the perfect model who not only looked great but was quite adept at holding still. We wanted to get just the right reflection on the blade, which took some pretty precision movements. One thing we learned was the sushi knife he was using cost $1000. Definitely not bought on the shopping channel. The shoot lasted a couple of hours and afterward the prop became our lunch. Mark graciously cooked up the salmon along with some delicious sushi for us. He also included a generous helping of sake. A very civilized way to photograph.

Montreal printer Pazazz, Design Postimage and photographer Christian Fleury collaborated to create a large-format poster that captures Old Montreal at dawn. Combining 20 photos taken on March 19 between 6:33 a.m. and 11:50 a.m., the design presents the architecture, textures and ambience that characterize Old Montreal’s allure. The drama of the morning light is enhanced with the use of special coatings and effects.

Winnipeg-based advertising and marketing agency McKim Cringan George (MCG) has launched a multimedia campaign (including web, print, outdoor and broadcast)  for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers’ 2012 season. The Always Your Team campaign promotes the  ”tenacity, commitment and perseverance that are the hallmarks of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers team and fans.”

The Blue Bombers have won the CFL’s Grey Cup championship 10 times, most recently in 1990, and have a loyal fan base with a passion for the Blue and Gold. Part of the campaign includes a two-minute tribute video, launched at a recent press conference at the Bombers’ future stadium site at the Investors Group Field.

An ongoing digital strategy, also developed by MCG, will underpin the communications’ efforts throughout the season and includes offering interactive contests to the Bombers’ 45,000-plus Facebook fans. The current contest asks fans to submit their Bombers’ photos to help build the team’s Facebook timeline. Last year’s Our History. Our House campaign saw the Winnipeg Blue Bombers break their all-time season ticket sales record.

The Graphic Design Clinic, part of Colagene Illustration Clinic in Montreal, has created a website and iPhone & iPad apps for Solo Houses in France. Its Architecture de Collection sells unique second homes designed by some of the “most talented international architects of their generation,” set in idyllic, natural locations.

Red Stripe, the Jamaican beer, recently commissioned Scottish artist Spaceboy to create an animated installation at Edinburgh’s Newhaven Harbour. Spaceboy’s stop-motion illustrations were brought to life by production company Blac Ionica and graphic design students from Edinburgh College of Art.

As part of Make Art on the Street, Spaceboy transformed a set of waterside shutters in Edinburgh into an evolving artwork . Using spray paints and pasted-up drawings, Spaceboy and his group of students took inspiration from the Jamaican studio culture of the 1970s and paid homage to some of the great Jamaican reggae artists. The work features many images of old school tape decks and references to Lee Scratch Perry’s Black Ark Studios.

[Not to Adverblog]

Spark Productions of Toronto has announced an “exclusive union” with local director Kelsey Larkin, also a photographer. Larkin started here career directing a series of “beautifully executed” music videos, abstract short films and a commercial campaign for Toronto’s Bikes on Wheels cycles shop.  With her background in photography, Larkin’s “knowledge of light, angles and subject” enables her to bring stories to life in video as well. See her reel here.

From Toronto photographer Steve Carty:

Last month I spent two weeks in London shooting for the D&AD awards, which celebrates creative excellence in design and advertising. This year was the 50th anniversary of D&AD and they flew me out there to shoot 200 of the worlds most important creatives. In the coming weeks I’ll be able to share the work created during that four-day portrait fest.

Some of the best graffiti and street art I’ve seen is in London. Street art has always played a large role in my work and has graced the background of many photo shoots. I love it. Here are some of the pieces, installations and tags I saw in while I was there. All shot on my iPhone 4 and processed in Instagram.