We were happy to support our long-time client The Kettle Society as they broke ground on a new transition home for women. The ceremony, which featured speeches from representatives from The Kettle as well as B.C.’s Attorney General, Niki Sharma, and was covered by CBC, Global, CTV, CityNews and Fairchild.

Sylvia’s Place is a 10-unit transition home for women who are navigating the challenging journey away from violence and are simultaneously managing mental health and/or substance abuse issues. Funded by BC Housing and supported by the provincial government’s $19-billion investment in housing, Sylvia’s Place is set to open its doors in early 2025.

Part of a second stage program, Sylvia’s Place is designed to act as a bridge for women transitioning from licensed care towards an independent lifestyle, while still receiving support services.

Elettra recently had the opportunity to produce Vancouver Airport Authority’s (YVR) annual employee event at Science World. This year’s theme was Ignite Your Wonder, which encouraged guests to have some fun with Science World’s exhibits and connect with colleagues.

As part of YVR’s commitment to providing welcoming, inclusive, and accessible experiences for people of all abilities, this year’s event featured a sensory-friendly lounge. With over 700 guests, everyone has different sensory needs. This initiative was guided by YVR’s community partner, Pacific Autism Family Network (PAFN).

Placed inside Eureka Dark, the sensory-friendly lounge was not just a quiet room, but a retreat for guests who might find the sensory aspects of a large party overwhelming. The lounge was a carefully curated space with dimmed ambient lighting, low-volume music, soft seating, and two Haven cloud installations by Tangible Interaction, which allowed guests to enter and take a few moments to themselves.

The space was also equipped with various sensory tools to provide comfort and stimulation as needed. For those particularly sensitive to noise, noise-cancelling headphones were available, allowing individuals to fully control their auditory environment. NeeDoh fidget toys offered tactile stimulation to help soothe and relax.

The benefits of including a sensory-friendly lounge at YVR's employee party extended beyond individual comfort, contributing to a broader cultural shift towards inclusivity and awareness of neurodiversity in the workplace. The sensory-friendly lounge underscores the importance of acknowledging and accommodating the diverse needs of all employees, fostering a more inclusive, understanding, and cohesive workplace culture.

Here are some photos from the event:

Today, at the start of the Family Day long weekend, Sts’ailes held a Traditional Ceremony to recognize, celebrate and honour its jurisdiction over child and family services for its Xwelmexw te Sts’ailes (Sts’ailes people). 

“Today, after more than a century of historic disruption, Sts’ailes is asserting its unbroken and inherent right to care for our children and families according to our own laws and cultural practices,” says Sah-ahkw Ralph Leon Jr., Chief, Sts’ailes. “Our children are our most precious resource and, by assuming responsibility for their care, we are ensuring that they grow up with the love, support and connection to their culture that they deserve.”

The event had been intended as a ceremonial signing of a Coordination Agreement with the governments of Canada and British Columbia, the culmination of more than three years of negotiation. However, one month before the agreement was scheduled to be signed, Canada reneged on its commitment to meet agreed-upon deadlines for executing the agreement and provided no timeline for when it would be ready to finalize it.

Coverage featured in:

• The Globe and Mail

• The Canadian Press

• Vancouver Sun

• Agassiz-Harrison Observer

With more people experiencing homelessness in Vancouver, the demand for The Kettle Society’s services – particularly its Drop-In Centre – has increased over 180 per cent. In order to be able to keep helping people experiencing homelessness, mental illness and addiction in Vancouver, The Kettle turned to Elettra Communications to help them educate Vancouverites about the important work that they are doing and encourage more people to become donors.

The campaign, which includes a landing page, email drip campaign, targeted social media ads, display and native ads in local publications and an op-ed in the Georgia Straight, was timed to take advantage of the year-end giving season and will run until December 31st.

If you would like to support The Kettle, you can make a donation by visiting their website.

The Aboriginal Gathering Place at Emily Carr University hosted an Indigenous cultural ceremony to unveil the ‘Pacific Song of the Ancestors’ totem pole, a breathtaking new, permanent art installation.

The collaborative work by Master Carvers Dempsey Bob (Tahltan-Tlingit), Stan Bevan (Tahltan-Tlingit and Tsimshian) and Lyonel Grant (Māori and Pakeha) began nearly a decade ago and embodies the spirit of community building, Indigenous interrelationships and reverence for the diverse Indigenous cultures within B.C. and beyond.

The project is rooted in a longstanding connection between the Aboriginal Gathering Place (AGP) at Emily Carr University and communities in northern B.C. that began when Brenda Crabtree oversaw the creation of an articulation agreement with the Freda Diesing School of Northwest Coast Art. This agreement allows Indigenous students to ladder into a degree program at ECU — Canada’s top-ranked school for art and design and one of the best worldwide.

The 25-foot, 2,600-pound pole was primarily carved in Bevan’s studio in Terrace, B.C. with contributions from local carvers and students from the Freda Diesing School, who worked as apprentices. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Bob and Bevan intensified their focus on the pole. Crabtree surmises this newly found time to “hover” and develop the project led to the pole’s exceptional refinement and superb sculptural character. 

In the summer of 2021, the pole was transported to Emily Carr University and craned up to the main floor where it lay covered at the AGP. The following summer in 2022, Bob and Bevan worked to complete the pole alongside visiting artist Lyonel Grant from New Zealand.

We helped Emily Carr University with a media relations campaign, including pitching to media, an event advisory, media release, media advisory, and support for artist interviews with the media.

We’re thrilled to reveal our first project with our new client, Wesgroup Properties!

Wesgroup, one of Western Canada’s biggest private real estate companies, has completed construction of the largest rooftop solar power project ever built in B.C. Located atop a warehouse in Delta that was also built by Wesgroup, the solar array is arranged to form the logo of building tenant, Lululemon.

The solar array’s 2,592 solar panels have a capacity of 1.2 megawatts and produce enough electricity to power the equivalent of 100 homes. The array is the size of four NHL-size hockey rinks and is as large as it could be under BC Hydro’s net-metering requirements.

The completion of this solar project is one of many initiatives that Wesgroup has taken over the years to enhance the sustainability of its developments. In the past five years, 1,200 Wesgroup-built homes have achieved Built Green or LEED Gold standards and, of those homes, 68 per cent of the construction waste has been recycled.

We recently had the opportunity to work with our client, Vancouver Airport Authority (YVR) to organize and produce their annual employee event. Held at Vancouver Convention Centre with the theme Creative Connections, it was a vibrant and engaging experience for all guests who attended. The evening was filled with exciting activations, music, and food that made it an unforgettable experience.

Some of the highlights of the event included live mural painting, a digital graffiti wall and button maker, a breakdance performance, giant paint by numbers, a 360 video booth, a photo booth, music by DeeJay Juice, giant yard games, and a diverse food menu with a signature mocktail by Vancouver Convention Centre.

We helped YVR with the creative theme, booking activations, and overall event planning. The activations provided a wonderful opportunity for guests to engage and connect with each other while having fun and exploring their creative sides. It was a great way to celebrate the hard work and dedication of the employees and create lasting memories.

Here are some photos from the event:

We’re celebrating today because it’s been 15 years since Elettra Communications was born.

Over the years, we’ve worked with countless wonderful people and we’ve contributed communications expertise to hundreds of projects and programs. We’re grateful to all those who’ve trusted us with their stories - our fantastic clients - and all those who’ve helped tell those stories - our teammates and our valued suppliers. It’s been quite a ride and we can’t wait to see what the future holds.

Here’s to the next 15!

It’s been a busy and exciting month with events as our clients, GWL Realty Advisors, officially opened the much-anticipated Vancouver Centre II (VCII).

Located at 733 Seymour Street, Vancouver Centre II is the evolution of the Vancouver Centre complex, which includes Scotia Tower and Vancouver Centre Mall. Together, the two Vancouver Centre towers form one of the city’s most amenity-rich, spacious, and sustainable office developments.

For VCII, GWL Realty Advisors commissioned a work of public art from renowned Vancouver artist, Douglas Coupland. Spawn is a 30-foot stainless steel salmon that swims through the air above VCII’s atrium. Coupland says, “mythologically, fish represent the soul. What is Vancouver’s soul? We are lucky to live in the city we do, but it’s a privilege, not a right to be here. Part of that privilege is a pact between us and nature - that we nurture it alongside our metropolitan lives, and that we never think of ourselves as being the more important side of the equation.”

VCII has been certified as SmartScore Platinum and WiredScore Gold, and the project team is also pursuing WELL Gold certification and LEED Platinum certification. As such, VCII is an industry leading building that offers occupants exceptional comfort, meets these standards of sustainability, and has advanced digital infrastructure and the capacity to meet the evolving needs of the future.

We helped GWL Realty Advisors celebrate the grand opening with an event, ribbon cutting ceremony and media relations outreach.

Here are a few photos from the event:

Kicking off 2023, our clients, GWL Realty Advisors, officially opened The Bowline, the largest purpose-built rental residential project in Lower Lonsdale.

The Bowline includes 159 new, high quality, secured market rental units. Located at 222 E 2nd Street in North Vancouver just steps from the Shipyards District, minutes to downtown Vancouver and within reach of those iconic coastal mountains.

We helped GWL Realty Advisors celebrate the opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony. So thrilled to help our clients with this special event!

Here are a few photos from the event:

We are pleased to welcome Leana Santos to our team at Elettra.

Leana Santos has joined Elettra Communications as Account Manager, specializing in events, digital, and marketing communications.

During her final year in the Public Relations program at MacEwan University, Leana seized an opportunity to move to the West Coast to complete her practicum at a major film studio in Santa Monica, California. She assisted with international marketing campaigns for one of the highest grossing films in 2014, The Hunger Games — Mockingjay: Part 1.

Leana moved back to her hometown of Edmonton, Alberta after her summer in California to pursue a career in marketing and events, working in the non-profit sector. However, her love for the West Coast never faded. A couple of years later she spearheaded an annual fan convention for a hit sci-fi show filmed in Vancouver which united loyal fans and nearly the entire cast in Hollywood North.

In 2022, Leana made the permanent move to Vancouver to join Elettra as Account Manager. Leana is excited to bring her event planning, PR, and marketing skills to the team and help clients execute their vision.

Outside of work, you can find Leana at the park with her dog, at the VIP theatre watching the latest movie, or at the gym.

We’re proud to continue our video content work with UBC Forestry. This fall, we produced a video designed to highlight the many great reasons why students come to study at UBC Forestry from around the world.

Are you the CONTENT CREATOR & EVENT ORGANIZER we’re looking for?

COMPANY PROFILE:

Elettra Communications is full-service communications agency offering stakeholder communications, media relations, event management, and social media services. www.elettra.ca

We are a team of smart, informed, resourceful, quality-driven, and accountable individuals. We are currently looking for an Account Executive to handle Content Creation & Event Production.

JOB DESCRIPTION:

This is an exciting opportunity for a multi-disciplinary communicator who values variety in their career. Core responsibilities in this role are providing event production and content creation services to our clients. The role also offers the opportunity to participate in the agency’s media relations and stakeholder communications work. You will be responsible for:

Corporate Event Planning

• Coordinating and executing comprehensive event plans and working with suppliers and clients to create top-notch events. 

• Handling event logistics, managing collateral production, scripting, and project management (managing timelines and budgets).

Content & Digital

• Developing a variety of content for on/offline uses.

• Developing social media content calendars, managing communities, and managing paid ad campaigns.

• Working with videographers and photographers to produce compelling visuals to support campaigns.

General

• Providing exceptional client service on all projects.

• Supporting agency media relations work by preparing written and visual materials, researching and crafting story angles, and pitching media. 

• Developing written copy.

• Pitching in on a variety of agency projects, both internal and external.

ATTRIBUTES FOR SUCCESS:

Smart: You are sharp and quick-thinking.

Informed: You are informed about our city and our country.

Resourceful: You are not daunted by obstacles or uncertainty. You simply find a way to get it done.

Quality-driven: You are dedicated to producing work of the highest standard.

Accountable: You keep your commitments. You take responsibility and ownership over your work.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree or Diploma in Communications, Business, Arts, Marketing, or Public Relations

• Minimum 1-2 years’ experience in communications, events, or public relations. NOTE: we look forward to applications from candidates with a variety of experience levels. Salary will be commensurate with experience.

• Experience developing social media content calendars, creating content, managing social media communities, and managing paid social ad campaigns.

• Experience organizing corporate events.

• Strong writing skills. You write clear and sophisticated prose in a variety of styles.

• Experience in communications project management, working with multiple suppliers, managing timelines and budget.

• The following are considered assets: Adobe Creative Cloud proficiency; photography skills; WordPress / Squarespace skills; experience with video production; agency experience.

POSITION DETAILS:

This is a permanent, full-time position.

WHAT WE OFFER:

• Salary range of $50,000 - $62,000 depending on experience

• Extended medical

• Three weeks of paid vacation +2 bonus days

• Hybrid work from home / office culture. Our office is downtown and next to a Canada Line station

• Onsite gym

• Annual professional development grant

• Mobile phone plan subsidy

• Guidance and mentorship from PR industry veterans

APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

Send us your cover letter, resume, and any relevant portfolio pieces to careers (at) elettra.ca.

 Application closing date: Monday, September 26, 2022