Our fall and winter campaign shows how we transform classroom learning into real-world success and embrace our place in Canada's largest urban centre.
City is our Classroom
Starting today, the City is Our Classroom campaign launches on broadcast television, in online spaces and social media, on public transit and in other out-of-home placements, including billboards and digital screens.
"Toronto is embedded in George Brown College's DNA. Our students learn inside and beyond our doors in countless experiential learning opportunities each year. The City is Our Classroom campaign boldly celebrates that relationship," said GBC President Dr. Gervan Fearon.
The Downtown Advantage
Studying downtown offers proximity to top employers for experiential learning and networking opportunities, easy access to public transit and immersion in an exciting and multicultural city. With the new campaign, GBC highlights our spot on the map and why it makes us stand out.
The diversity of GBC students featured in the City is Our Classroom campaign adds a new level of excitement and authenticity to the TV ad and photography. The people you see on screen represent the GBC student experience. The campaign features GBC community members of different ages, ethnicities and gender identities and people who identify as Deaf and as having physical and learning disabilities.
The television shoot also reflected GBC’s commitment to real-world learning. Aspiring director Oluwafeyikimi (Fey) Olusoga, a student at the School of Media and Performing Arts, got to shadow director Emma Higgins during the filming of the TV ad (pictured). Higgins also shot GBC's 2022 Find a Class of Your Own ad.
Prospective students’ feedback also contributed to the campaign development process through focus groups.
"When planning the new ad and photography, we wanted to bring our students, employees and spaces to the forefront," said Sumi Shanmuganathan, GBC's Associate Vice-President of Marketing and Communications. "We were thrilled to work with over 50 students, faculty and staff from all the academic centres."
The television spot showcases program areas from across the college, including interpretation (American Sign Language – English), culinary, engineering and architectural studies, media, and business, with nods to other areas including nursing, hospitality and construction.
Collaboration with top creators
We developed the City is Our Classroom campaign with respected creators who captured the essence of the college and our students' achievements and helped us spotlight what makes GBC great. On the televised ad, we collaborated with our agency, No Fixed Address, production company Fela, and director Emma Higgins.
For the static ads, GBC's creative services team worked closely with award-winning Toronto photographer Dan Lim on images representing three academic centres, with more photography representing all eight centres happening throughout the fall. Lim carefully scouted our campuses for the perfect locations to showcase GBC students and the city of Toronto.
"It's been an absolute pleasure to work with George Brown College, which has such an impact on Toronto," Lim said. "Working with GBC students was a great experience. I'm proud to have captured their enormous potential by photographing them in both classroom and real-world settings."
Soon, you'll see the City is Our Classroom campaign on TV, your social feeds, and at the bus stop. When you spot it, let us know! Tag us on social.
Acknowledgments
GBC Marketing & Communications
Project Leads: Sumi Shanmuganathan, Nicola McLaughlin, Joey Dellemonache, Maryam McKenzie
Design: Derek Jensen and Marisol Escobar
Production, launch communications and focus group support: Fatima Kalim, Shawne McKeown, Gage Fletcher, and Gary Roberts
Still Photography: Dan Lim Photography
Creative Agency: No Fixed Address Inc.
Commercial Director: Emma Higgins
TV Production Partner: Fela
GBC Marketing and Communications wishes to thank:
- Our director Emma Higgins, production company Fela, and agency partners No Fixed Address Inc.
- The GBC professors and staff who participated on screen: Irene Gomez, Daniel Oliveira, Chef Vi Van Lam, James Etheridge, Dylan Fernandes.
- All of our student and alumni participants.
- Tara Montgomery-Ferguson, Corene Kennedy, Rhondda Reynolds, and Bill Hawrychuk for attending the shoot to advise on their schools and subject areas.
- Estefania Musso who helped coordinate the culinary shot and the dishes featured.
- Our on-set interpreters (Jessica Warne, Kim Osler) and the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services team for their support.
- The Chefs' House team for hosting us for two scenes (Eoghan Banks, Pierre Marguet, Arleen Galano and Jaysen Chettiar).
- Melissa Maharaj and the St.James Public Safety and Security team for facilitating a very busy day on site.
- Sue Maynard, Asim Ayub, Heather Gonyea, Coreen Dawkins, and the TBM service group and Allied Properties for logistical support and making our spaces look their best.
- Adel Esayed, Patricia Chorney Rubin, Trent Scherer, Jeff Steen, Tammy Vaillancourt and Doris Miculan-Bradley for their help with project participant outreach.
- The Senior Leadership Team for their support of the new campaign.
