"Help Us Pick Up The Pieces" JIVE Productions, New Brunswick Nurses Union & Pilot Communications

When you can use your particular skill set as a tool to promote change and betterment, it’s an incredible feeling. We were awarded that honour when our friends at Pilot Communications approached us to help produce a campaign highlighting the current state of nursing in New Brunswick. Tasked with video production, photography, and printing for the job, we needed to demonstrate the very real struggles nurses in New Brunswick are facing today. We were up for the challenge, but didn’t realize how affected we would all be by hearing the stories of these health professionals. 

The creative direction from Pilot Communications and the New Brunswick Nurses Union sought to tell the story of a system that was quite literally torn to pieces. We set out to do so by showing an actual torn photo of a nurse on shift, being taped together by our hero health professionals (see video below). There were of course multiple challenging elements to accomplishing this. First, we had 3 days to produce all asks. This meant day one had to be environment and portrait photography so that we would have that evening to print the photos to be used in our video components over the next two days. Day two would be interview portions and b-roll footage, while day three would be reserved for capturing our :30 second HERO spot, both of which would use photos printed from day one.

To make sure this happened seamlessly, we relied on prep work, and testing. Knowing the shoot would be in Moncton, we gathered as much info prior to leaving from Halifax as possible. This meant collecting photos of the shoot location to flag any obstacles ahead of time, and also creating call sheets that were efficient and manageable- after all, we were working with REAL nurses who were amazing enough to agree to shoot on their days off. Once those logistics were in place, we had to make sure our plan would work. This meant extensive testing to ensure we would be able to print quality photos on the spot to be used next day. We also had to experiment with tearing the photos, and taping them together to create the proper visual. Thanks to this preparation, we knew there would be no surprises - we even brought an extra printer with us for the road trip just incase! Lucky for us - everything went smoothly, making the job that much more enjoyable.

What we didn’t factor in was how incredibly moving and emotional this experience would be for our team. Meeting these nurses and health professionals and hearing their stories affected us deeply. The health care system in New Brunswick is in bad shape, and nurses are taking on the brunt of the load. Listening to their stories about how difficult their profession has become was absolutely heart wrenching. We hope that we have made a campaign that will help the public understand this struggle in the same way that our eyes were opened while producing it.

The campaign is now live, and we’re incredibly proud of the final product. This is the magic that comes from all encompassing prep work, big hearts, and an incredible team chemistry. Working with Pilot and NBNU was an absolute dream. We were all on the same page, and we believe we came our with something truly impactful. Check out the different elements of the campaign here and let us know what you think…

MAKE MY LOGO BIGGER SEASON FINALE: WITH SPECIAL GUEST SAVIOR JOSEPH

In the season 1 finale of Make My Logo Bigger we have the privilege of chatting with none other than the multi-talented, Savior Joseph. With a rich past of marketing experience from his time as Senior VP of Global Marketing with Aurora Cannabis, and his time as President of Digital Advertising Agency, Colour, Savior is no stranger to what it takes to be a leader in the marketing realm. He now sits as President of Breathing Green Solutions, Nova Scotia’s first licensed producer of Cannabis, and spends his spare time working as a mentor, and sitting on multiple boards in the community while also working as a youth basketball coach. 

Sit back as we discuss the importance of gratitude, resilience, humility and inclusion. Savior serves as an incredible example of someone who is setting up the world for the next generation to prosper. With a focus on the law of karma, removing barriers and being a compassionate, contributing member of society, you will feel inspired to effect the kind of change Savior demonstrates in his day to day work. On top of these life lessons, we discuss the real goals of marketing, why people are more important than the algorithm and the undeniable connection between sport and entrepreneurship. This is an epic episode to finish our first season with - and we hope you enjoy!





 

"MAKE MY LOGO BIGGER: WITH SPECIAL GUEST SARAH YOUNG"

In this instalment of Make My Logo Bigger, JIVE has the absolute pleasure of chatting with entrepreneur, Partner & Senior Counsel member of National PR and Founder and General Partner of Sandpiper Ventures, the one and only - Sarah Young.

Join us as we dig deep into Sarah’s success as a problem solver and communications expert. Sarah generously shares invaluable advice for creating a powerful team that values different perspectives and creativity, and explains how this outlook can lead to new answers to old problems. Sarah doesn’t accept “but it’s always been done like this”. It’s her belief that “if it should change, let’s change it”, and this helps explain her notable success in this industry. With thought provoking conversation about PR, growth and the importance of women and diversity in the venture capitalist market, this episode is a must listen.

In a refreshing, honest chat about approach, Sarah reminds us that flexibility and malleability are key to finding answers. When A and B aren’t working - maybe it’s time to link arms with the client and discover choice C! This understanding of compromise and creativity has made her work at National PR stand out, and has put Halifax’s chapter of the Public Relations company at the forefront. It’s no wonder she is the force she is today.

Furthermore, Sarah gives us an inside look at what she has learned about venture capital. With shockingly low female startup founders being supported and even fewer female venture capitalists, she became painstakingly aware of a hole in the market. Missing out on innovation by not uplifting diverse groups of women became unacceptable, and so Sandpiper Ventures was born. With this she hopes to foster significant advancements and disrupt venture capital as we know it.

In conclusion, Sarah advises those just starting to dive in with confidence, to celebrate the small wins and stop waiting for the milestones. Listening, compassion, and bravery seem to be her secret sauce, and we hope this episode inspires you to prioritize those as well. Happy listening!

Learn more about Sarah Young:

Sarah Young on LinkedIn

Sarah Young NATIONAL PR

Sandpiper Ventures

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JIVE PRODUCTIONS TACKLES ALC'S SCRATCH N' WIN CAMPAIGN!

Recently, we were approached by our good friends at Arrival + Departures to help bring to life their vision for a new Atlantic Lottery Scratch N Win Campaign. Our job was to produce stills/prints that would extend the concept of the video component from another aspect of the campaign. We needed to tell the story that Scratch N Win can bring joy and fun to even the most mundane of moments, or even when you just have time to kill.

The overall concept was to create/build a stylized set that would lend itself to three separate scenarios. We needed this set to become a bus stop, an airport, and a home. After much discussion and planning, we set out to paint the back wall of the studio that identifiable ALC blue. After accomplishing this aspect, we moved forward laying 4 sheets of 4 x 8 plywood in the foreground, painted those to match the wall, and there we had it - our ALC set.

We ended up with a blue universe that was roughly 17 feet wide, 10 feet high, with an 8 foot foreground. Creating a clean, simple, minimalist set allowed us to dress each of the scenarios accordingly, moving efficiently through the shoot. We had just enough props to tell the story, but not enough to divert from the primary messaging.

To draw attention to our hero talent, we ensure they were dressed in colours that would pop against the blue, while secondary talent wore more natural colours. The hero talent, scratching their ticket, were directed to be excited and engaged, while the secondary talent were directed to just look natural. This draws the eye to our hero talent, without changing the desired messaging.

This was a big shoot, that took days to prep for, and called on many folks to make possible. We owe a huge thank to the incredible wardrobe stylists, make up artists, talent and art direction that made this all possible, and as successful as it was. Major shout outs to Full Spectrum Talent Agency for the talent they brought in, as well as their professionalism, and to Arrivals + Departures who were incredible to work with - as always.

This was one for the books - We hope you like the finished product.

JIVE PODCAST: "MAKE MY LOGO BIGGER WITH SPECIAL GUEST IAIN DEANS"

On this episode of Make My Logo Bigger, JIVE sits with multiple national and international creative award winner, incredibly talented copywriter and creative director, Iain Deans. Iain now holds the title of Senior Counsel for Creative Strategy at NATIONAL PR Atlantic, and has years of experience creating meaningful strategy for the clients lucky enough to have worked with him and National PR. From discussing a fresh and unique approach to pulling brand narrative from those you least expect - to mental health and creativity, no rock is left unturned. With meaningful discussion about corporate therapy, relationships, and the importance of curiosity and listening, this is an episode that will shift your approach to the work from here on out. A must listen that we are excited to share.

Iain is insightful and inspiring as he discusses the importance of ego-free work, and of hiring smart people, and giving them the space to be just that - smart. Collaboration, listening, and expression are the pillars of the strategic work that can create an actual difference, and this is proven with his interesting anecdotes and examples from the field. As Iain so eloquently shares, its about getting to the truth for the client, and to do that, we must look at everyone involved - even those you least expect!

One Port City Campaign shot by JIVE Photographic Productions in collaboration with The Port Of Halifax and National PR Atlantic

Recently we had the pleasure of working with Iain and National PR recently for their #OnePortCity campaign with the Port of Halifax, and we truly learned so much from the experience. It has quickly become one of our most memorable jobs, and one that has expanded our understanding of branding and strategic planning. We believe this episode of Make My Logo Bigger does this as well. We hope you enjoy - and don’t be shy to let us know what you think! Happy listening!

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