Chris Sanislo

Having the opportunity to work on a company that's so connected to my hometown of Hamilton was very rewarding. The brand needed a bit of a shot in the arm heading into a recruitment campaign and the Pan Am Games presented such an awesome forum to provide that. The results far exceeded anyone's expectations. And from there, we kicked off our recruitment campaign directing potential employees to a cool site showing how being part of the ArcelorMittal Dofasco team is helping to make the community, and the world, a better place.  

Although Scotlynn's primary business is in the transportation field, it is clearly driven by the passion of its people. By creating a culture of expertise, balance, and comaraderie, the company has excelled in it's reliability and commitment to customer service.

To communicate this, a new website was developed to better reflect Scotlynn's brand attributes. This would be used as a recruitment tool, helping to keep pace with continued growth, as well as creating a welcoming destination for potential customers and members of the community.

To view the new site, go to: scotlynn.com.

The foundation of this idea came from a trip to an Apple Auto Glass franchisee. An off-the-cuff quip of “you educate them about how windshields equal safety and they’ll be here” was shaped into a strong, simple message that made some entertaining and memorable spots.   

The Alex Irish & Associates website was redesigned and updated to convey the personalized, elevated service experience this real-estate agency offers its customers.

As an established agency, Alex Irish & Associates reputation has been built on satisfied customers and, largely, word of mouth. Articulating their expertise and approach on an aesthetically pleasing new website expanded their presence beyond their home turf of Oakville and Burlington. The restructuring of the site, along with new descriptions of the neighbourhoods they specialize in, made for an easier, more inviting experience for visitors.

To view the site, go to alexirish.com .

D2 MedSpa has set out to be more than your average cosmetic clinic. In this new website, the challenge was to communicate to prospective clients that that they would receive treatments overseen by leading dermatologists, while relaxing in an elevated, spa-like environment.

To view the site, please visit d2medspa.com.

I definitely have a passion for writing about Hamilton. This project not only proved it, it required it. I had the opportunity to write about almost every neighbourhood in Hamilton and Burlington - as well as their natural and recreational amenities. An incredible amount of writing; but also a lot of fun, too. The objective here was to provide home-buyers from the GTA a knowledgeable window into the Hamilton market - and, ultimately, linking them to a local real estate agent. Feel free to check out the whole site at: https://realhoods.com/

It’s no secret; I’m proud to be from Hamilton. Writing about my hometown is definitely a passion, and something I frequently do in my free time. The opportunities I’ve had to write for Tourism Hamilton have always been fulfilling experiences. As an avid fan of the Hamilton Tiger-Cats, the chance to welcome fans to the 110th Grey Cup with this Tourism Hamilton article was one of those rare moments where the professional and personal planets align. Sharing these cool stories about what gives Hamilton its identity, and showing how our local teams have this remarkable power to bring communities together, has been incredibly rewarding. I'm always up for showcasing the unique intricacies and character of Hamilton, and encouraging others to come pay us a visit!

(To view the live version - while it lasts - click here.)

When it comes to energy bills, the last thing anyone wants is a surprise. We took this insight and turned it into a very entertaining and engaging "Boringly predictable" campaign. This was an extremely unique approach within a generally conservative category. 

We encouraged students to say “FU” to their student debt by offering them a chance to win one of five $5,000 awards. But, part of the requirement was getting votes through posting their personal photo, story and/or video. Social media was an obvious choice for this demographic and so we launched our own Facebook group – which generated over 300 members in the first week. At the end of the program, over 25,000 unique votes were cast, and over 50 Facebook groups created.

Being an enthusiastic advocate for its membership was The Credit Union’s key point of differentiation. Compared to a big bank, it was positioned as banking with a much more caring and personal touch. And by all accounts, it over delivered on this benefit. This campaign gave The C.U’s financial products that personal touch – using their near-universal acronym to highlight how these products would enhance our target audience’s life. 

Among potential mutual fund buyers, instilling the philosophy of patience – even during tough times – can be a tall order. But, this campaign illustrated the “Buy. Hold. And prosper.” philosophy through a series of real-world, relatable situations where positive results came from a little patience.

Plus, you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who didn’t like seeing a puppy sliding on a hardwood floor. 

Few copywriters get the chance to be the actual voice of a brand. Being Jack’s Twitter voice meant expressing the brand in real-time – and, man, was it ever fun! The fun led to some sizable success, too. Monthly mentions on Twitter jumped a massive 2,245% from 2 years prior. This bumped Jack’s share of voice on Twitter from 3% to 27% – assumedly, at the expense of less witty competitors. 

Redesigning the packaging for this Galt-based craft brewer was a great opportunity. Not only did it give us a chance to enjoy some fine local brews, we were able to inject – or, reflect – the stories that inspired the beers and the unique personality each of them bring

Firkin Pubs. Where everyone's a little different..and you get to write some really cool stuff - like inventing a holiday and recording a drinking song! 

We used clever, provocative headlines to connect with young pharmaceutical-industry professionals – inviting them to regular networking events. Introducing these events with a smile helped to, first, engage our audience, and set the tone for the event of a relaxed, approachable, fun environment. 

We relaunched a marquee Petro-Canada lubricant brand with creative that zeroed in on the product's key benefit - removing engine soot. We did this while simultaneously educating our audience how much of an impact soot can have on the efficiency, performance and longevity of their fleet. 

If I’ve got the chance to get a reaction, I’m taking it. Usually it’s to make you laugh, sometimes it’s to make you think. From a pretty cool campaign for our hometown Lacrosse team, to a couple ridiculous Kijiji ads, here is a small collection of pro bono, miscellaneous and/or non-paying work that’s generated plenty of attention.

Urbanicity has given me the amazing opportunity to write and share stories that I’m passionate about. For any writer, that’s a rewarding proposition. Plus, it’s been a chance to delve into the journalism realm - honing some skills and having a ton of fun doing it! (Find the links to the online articles beneath each image.)