6 Tips For Using Fourquare As A Powerful Tool For Your Business
This week we’re explaining the importance of using FourSquare as a lucrative marketing tactic for your shop, pub or restaurant and how to get the most out of it. As with the other social media networks we’ve covered in the previous posts, each platform must be suitable for your business. Since FourSquare allows users to check-into physical locations, it’s obviously necessary to have a customer-service oriented business. FourSquare has had most success in the realm of retailers, bars, restaurants and the like. If you’re not using FourSquare for your business yet, here are a few reasons why you should start and how it will benefit your business.
Statistics:
Over 1.5 millions businesses are on FourSquare
Over 40 millions users worldwide
Over 4.5 billion check-ins a day
- FourSquare makes it easier for your business to be found: If a user is looking for nearby places to eat or shop or get their dry cleaning done, your business will pop on the map if they are in the vicinity. By listing your business on FourSquare, the app has done the work of promoting your business. Offering discounts on your FourSquare account can also greatly increase the chances of your business getting more customers (we will go more into detail about FourSquare campaigns below).
- Promote your FourSquare account onsite: When a potential customer walks by your business and sees that you are on FourSquare, you have already increased the chances that your business will be visited by that customer. Since using FourSquare as a marketing tactic for business is still relatively new, users can look forward to being a valued customer to your business, especially if they will be rewarded. If they check in enough times, they can become the mayor of your business. When someone becomes the mayor of a business on FourSquare it means they have the most check-ins out of anyone else at that particular business.
- Reward system: This idea ties in closely with the previous one. A lot of the times businesses will promote a discount on their storefront if you check in using FourSquare. Create a contest or some sort of reward every time a user checks in to your place of business. You can also gain new customers by having a “newbie” reward. When a person checks into your business for the first time ever, they can get a free cup of coffee, for example. Or you can offer your customers with frequent check-ins a 15% discount on any item, depending of the nature of your business. This generates revenue for your business while engaging your customer – and every customer loves to be rewarded with free gifts or discounts. When you combine this campaign with promoting it on your storefront, you increase your chances of having your business succeed that much more. The beauty is that the customer puts in minimal effort by simply tapping “check in” on their app, and they are being rewarded for it. However, in order to offer specials and discounts you must become a verified business on FourSquare, see below.
- Become a verified business: In order to become a verified business, you must create a business account with FourSquare. If your business is already listed on FourSquare (a customer may have added it in order to check-in) you can claim it as your own business. You simply search for the business name, enter your phone number, and FourSquare will call you with an automated machine asking a few questions regarding the business. On that same page, you will also be provided with a verification code that you will then enter into your phone. After that, you can access your business’ FourSquare account, review statistics and check-ins, demographics, and manage campaigns.
- Users can connect their Foursquare account to Facebook and Twitter: Depending on whether their social media profiles are linked to their FourSquare, every time a customer checks into your business, it will show up on all of their social media accounts. Not only do their FourSquare friends see their check-ins, but now all their followers on Twitter and friends on Facebook also see them checking into your business. The promotional work is being done for you by your customers. But, once again, rewarding them with specials will only make your business that much more successful. If a users follower notices that the person who checked in to your business received a 15% off coupon just by checking in, others are much more likely to visit your business in order to get the discount too.
- Know your customers: One of the best parts about using FourSquare for your business is that you get to know your customers on a more personal level. You can view their profile photo, their latest check-ins, reviews that they’ve written, their badges that they’ve earned, etc. With FourSquare’s analytics tool, you can also track who’s linking their check-ins with their Facebook or Twitter pages.
To learn more about how to claim, create or manage your business on FourSquare, visit their how-to page.
Sources
http://www.htmlgraphic.com/the-importance-of-foursquare-for-a-business/
http://beeliked.com/resources/how-to-use-foursquare-for-business/
http://scorephoenix.org/2013/09/importance-foursquare-local-businesses/
The Anatomy Of A Great Infographic [INFOGRAPHIC]
Slightly reminiscent of the movie Inception, in which the characters are dreaming within a dream, this week’s infographic is about just that – infographics. It details their history (they’re much older thank you think), the contents that make up an effective infographic, what to do and what to avoid, and the overall anatomy of an infographic.
#WeeklyDisruptor: Anum Khan of SummerxSkin
Each week at Embrace Disruption we introduce you to an influential person in the digital, blogger, arts, culture, film, or media world! Every Thursday, you can check back at EDPR to find out who we think is particularly amazing at ‘embracing disruption’ within their respective industries.
This week, we’d like to introduce you to Anum, the fashionable and witty woman behind the Toronto style & beauty blog, SummerxSkin
What’s your official job title, and where did you go to school?
I studied print journalism at Sheridan College. After graduating I worked as a contract and freelance reporter, but eventually made the shift online. I am now a digital marketing & social media manager.
Elevator pitch. Describe yourself in a nutshell (or sea shell, or any shell for that matter).
Community manager by day, style & beauty blogger at night and fun conversationalist in general! I love to meet and interact with people. I’m a tad obsessed with red pandas and have recently discovered that I enjoy cooking when I have the time.
Why did you pursue what you’re doing now? What was the inspiration?
I have a keen interest in a few things: clothes, makeup, digital media and writing. I get to experiment and indulge in all of these things through my job and as a blogger. I never thought I’d actually be recognized for my work, but it’s a fantastic feeling.
What is the best part of your day-to-day?
Most people hate waking up early, but I really enjoy it! I have a pretty set routine of being up and out the door by 7 a.m. This way I get to conquer everything on my to-do list before going home to relax and sleep.
What’s the most challenging?
Finding a balance between work and spending time with family and friends. Sometimes I feel bad about scheduling everything in my life, but it’s the only way to get things done and still be able to relax and enjoy the company of your loved ones.
If you took a look in the cliché crystal ball, what do you see for yourself?
I have an entrepreneurial spirit, so I hope to create something eventually on my own and perhaps doing it for a living. I’d also like to be a dedicated wife and mom one day. 
Not anytime soon though!
How do you embrace disruption in your work and personal life?
You have to distract yourself throughout the day in order to get back into focus. I tend to read, watch TV or a movie and sleep during my “down time”. It’s also good to get away from the computer and go to a coffee shop or restaurant.
What is the most memorable moment in your career?
There have been a lot of memorable moments but I have to say that it’s truly amazing being praised for my writing and content curation, whether it’s from a client or blog reader.
Tell us what you see yourself doing at 65 years old.
Still writing and over-accessorizing my outfits. 
Just for fun: if you had to pick one app in the whole APPVERSE, what would it be?
Oh man! I can narrow it down to 2; Twitter because I like to stay connected at all times and WhatsApp because I have all my close friends on it.
Our Top 10 Halloween Costume Predictions for 2013
With Halloween just around the corner, some of you may be scrambling to find a costume last minute. Here are some ideas for what you should dress up as, and what you should not dress up as. These are our predictions for the most popular Halloween costumes in 2013.
10. Hunger Games’ Katniss
Because everyone loves Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss (and Jennifer Lawrence as Jennifer Lawrence). A Katniss costume is fairly simple to recreate, as shown in the photo below. You might already even have some of the items in your closet. If not, head to your local thrift shop and do some digging around. Trust us, you’ll find gold without having to spend a fortune on a pre-made costume.
9. “This Is My Costume”
We put this one up here because every year some person decides this is a clever and witty costume to wear – a t-shirt with “This Is My Costume” printed on it. Don’t be that guy, or girl. The time spent finding that shirt could be time spent finding any other costume but that. Please, help us stop this epidemic.
8. The Royal Baby
Little Prince George is all the rage today. However, if you’re a grown man (or woman) it becomes difficult to dress up as a baby (or should we say dress down). To create this look, take a sheet that you can wrap around you to look like a diaper, buy a baby pacifier, and wear a massive amount of jewels and a crown on your head. People will understand the look you’re going for, as long as you have that royal touch of gold, silver, shine and glimmer.
7. Dexter – The Lumberjack
Forget the saran wrap and his ‘kill costume.’ Go as the newly transformed, lame-lumberjack Dexter. Put on a messy blonde wig, stick on some hair for the beard, wear flannel and don’t forget the axe. Here’s a funny meme for all those out there who were disappointed by the series’ finale (what Dexter follower wasn’t!?)
6. Game of Thrones – Crimson Wedding
We’ve seen a lot of Khaleesi costume ideas out there, but nobody seems to want to take on a costume that depicts the brutal ending to the recent Game of Thrones season, “Crimson Wedding,” If you have a few friends who are willing to do it with you, that will make the costume even better. You’ll need a lot of fake blood, though.
5. The Great Gatsby
Flapper-style costumes are far too common every year. Instead, jazz it up a bit and go as Daisy Buchanan or Jay Gatsby from Baz Luhrmann’s production of ‘The Great Gatsby.’ You’ll most likely find your Gatsby costume twin, or triplet, or quadruplet at whatever event you attend on Halloween. To really be unique, you can go as the ghost of F. Scott Fitzgerald with a gravestone above your head… you can occasionally roll around while you’re at it.
4. Amanda Bynes – the bat-*&@$ crazy days
With all this talk of Miley and twerking, we’ve forgotten about our favourite hot mess of the year: Amanda Bynes! To complete this look you’ll need: some fake, drawn-on studs on your cheeks (or, if you’re brave and slightly crazy, get the actual piercings), a wig that is a messy mop of blonde hair, a lot of poorly applied make-up (really pout – or inflate – those lips!), and a combination of the rattiest and skimpiest threads you can find. You can also go for the shaved-head look. Be sure to have your iPhone on you at all times so you can take frightening selfies.
3. Pregnant Kim Kardashian
That infamous photo of her in the black and white get-up while very, very pregnant is burned into everyone’s memory. We would suggest not being a reminder of that horrible time in pop culture, but if you must:
2. Breaking Bad’s Walt & Jesse
Don’t get us wrong, we love them. So so so much. And we were sad to see the show end. But everyone and their mother will go dressed as either of the two leading characters on Breaking Bad. Either in regular attire or the yellow hazmat suit, it will be overdone. To stand out more, go as a character not many would think to go as: think Gus Fring with half of his face missing.
The dog is optional
1. Miley at the VMAs
We would like you to keep a tally of how many VMA Mileys you see out on the streets, at costume contests or at parties this Halloween. The short hair, the strange nude-coloured bra and shorts, tongue always out and occasionally stopping to twerk like there’s no tomorrow. Instead, you can go as her tongue – that thing has a life of its own.
The resemblance is uncanny
8 Ways Your Business Or Brand Can Get The Most Out Of Pinterest
(Source)
Last week we wrote about different ways your business or brand can get the most use out of Instagram. This week we’re tackling one that is sometimes slightly more difficult for a brand, as it depends highly on the product and type of business you are promoting.
Many businesses create a Pinterest account because it is one of the many widely used social media platforms. It seems to have become a belief that as long as your account is present, you have a presence in the social media world. This is not true. Many businesses either do not use Pinterest correctly (as well as other social media platforms that we will cover in the next few weeks) or they do not use it at all because they do not see any or enough feedback. Here are ways to use Pinterest in order to get the most for you brand, product or business.
1. Determine your audience: While Instagram is devoted to just images (which can cover a wider scope of businesses and brands), Pinterest is a combination of images and content. It’s also important to remember that Pinterest is a social media platform that caters to DIY crafts, recipes, design tips, fashion, etc. Determine the type of product you are promoting or the nature of your business and whether or not your audience would benefit from your boards/pins. For example, a furniture designer could boost their popularity by pinning images of their past, current or future design projects. One board could be devoted to furniture they have designed, while another board could be devoted to simple, low-cost design ideas for interior spaces. By doing this, they are simultaneously promoting their brand and giving design tips to their followers without appearing to be pushing sales on a specific product.
2. Pinterest takes time: Just like most social media networks, you need to devote a lot of time and patience in order to create meaningful and quality content that will draw attention and get re-pinned. There is no quick and easy way to get thousands of followers and re-pins, so it’s important to be realistic and manage your time accordingly.
3. Stick with a familiar username: If you have a specific username that you have used for your Instagram or Twitter accounts, make sure your Pinterest (and other social media accounts) are the same. If the username is unavailable, alter it (for example a number at the end or a dash in the middle) but keep the name the same. By using your business or brand name for your username, it will be much easier for your customers to find and follow you. When your content gets re-pinned, then your brand or business name becomes visible to a much larger audience.
4. Link accounts: If you already have established Facebook, Twitter or Instagram accounts, be sure to link those accounts to your Pinterest. Your followers that are already on Pinterest can now follow you and have access to more of your content.
5. Give your pin boards descriptive names: Boards function as a virtual pinboard where your business or brand can share their latest ideas, designs, etc. Using descriptive names makes it easier to organize your pins and, consequently, your ideas as well. Cluttered boards with mismatched or irrelevant pins are an eye-sore, which could hurt your brand’s reputation by driving away potential customers. Narrowing your boards even further (for example, to specific colours of a certain product) can make it easier for your followers to find a design in that specific colour.
6. Re-pin and follow: Possibly the most important part of Pinterest (we just love alliterations), re-pinning and following businesses or brands similar to your own helps to promote your own business. Re-pinning also helps to get your business’ name out to customers as well as potential clients. If you own a textile company, you could use Pinterest to target a specific designer you would like to work with and re-pin their images. This helps you to network and open up communication between businesses with which you could potentially collaborate.
7. Curating content beyond your brand: This blurb goes hand in hand with the one above in regards to re-pinning. You can devote one specific day a week where you select a unique idea, product or design beyond your brand and re-pin it onto your specific board. You can choose something simple and catchy, such as “Friday Fashion Find.” By curating these unique designs and products, your business is viewed as knowledgeable and up-to-date in the field.
8. Be creative: We’ll keep this one short and sweet. Pinterest is all about creativity! If your pins come off as too serious or are blatantly trying to drive sales, you will lose your followers and your customers’ interest. Pinterest users want to see real people behind the business or brand. By portraying this aspect of reality, or real people behind a business, it enables your costumers to relate more to your product.
#WeeklyDisruptor: Mr. Fab (aka. Ryan Massel) of I’m Mr Fabulous!
Each week at Embrace Disruption we introduce you to an influential person in the digital, blogger, arts, culture, film, or media world! Every Thursday, you can check back at EDPR to find out who we think is particularly amazing at ‘embracing disruption’ within their respective industries.
This week, we’d like to introduce you to Ryan, the fashionable and fabulous man behind the lifestyle blog, I’m Mr. Fabulous!
Ryan Massel (a.k.a. Mr. Fab) began www.immrfabulous.com nearly three years ago, and quickly achieved national recognition. Awarded “Best New Blog” (2011) and “Best Humour Blog” (2011 & 2012) in Canada, he continues to receive acclaim for his witty and unique perspective. Ryan travels the world covering lavish parties and events, always seeming to get the inside scoop. He engages readers with his charm and shares his belief that we all deserve a moment to feel fabulous.
What’s your official job title, and where did you go to school?
I went to school in Regina, Saskatchewan, and spent my summers on the farm. When my grade 12 English teacher Ms. Lewis gave me a mercy pass, I thanked my lucky stars, and decided formal education wasn’t for me.
Why did you pursue what you’re doing now? What was the inspiration?
Growing up, I saw my family fall into the expected. A firefighter, a government worker, a plumber; all very talented but not the direction I saw myself headed. I’ve always wanted to make people laugh, and share fun stories that might inspire people to choose the path less taken. Forge their own story in life and be who and whatever they want to be!
What is the best part of your day-to-day?
My emails are always the best part of my day. When I wake up and see a dozen sitting there, I open them like a stack of presents; anticipation and joy for whatever’s inside. An invite, a compliment, it’s always something new and it’s always exciting!
What’s the most challenging?
Every time I share a story, it’s a bit nerve-wracking. Will they like it? Is it well written? Who will read it?… Over 750 posts in the last 2.5 years and I still dread a flop.
If you took a look in the cliché crystal ball, what do you see for yourself?
I’ve always wanted to host my own tv show. Maybe it’s a game show, talk show or morning show. I would also reluctantly date a Kardashian just to get the camera on my face.
How do you embrace disruption in your work and personal life?
I live a life of not letting obstacles get in my way. No ticket? No problem!! Heck, I’ve even worked at a catering company to get access to a party I wasn’t guest listed for. Where there’s a will, there’s a way – you’ve just got to get creative!
What is the most memorable moment in your career?
Every day new opportunities present themselves, and my most memorable moments grow. Being flagged over by Tom Moran, the lead designer for J.Crew, at his show in NYC so he could ask my opinion in his S/S14 collection made me pinch myself. Or there was the interview turned carnival-games competition with famed country music singer Paul Brandt. Anytime I meet a celebrity and we laugh through an impromptu selfie photo shoot I think about how amazing my life is. I know I’m a lucky guy and I feel grateful everyday.
Do you support any initiatives or charities?
If your charity involves giving the best life possible to children, sign me up! I’ve done charitable work supporting Big Brothers Big Sisters, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Ronald McDonald House, and for the good people at ivebeenbullied.ca. Our youth need mentors in their lives who motivate them and let them know that the world is their oyster!
Tell us what you see yourself doing at 65 years old.
Being 65 and fabulous, making the most of every opportunity!
Just for fun: if you had to pick one app in the whole APPVERSE, what would it be?
1 app!? Since I’ve never been one to stick to rules, I have 4.
-Twitter keeps me alive, and I love having fun dialog with my tweeps.
-Songza gives me endless music and gears me up.
-And lastly, photos would be so boring without Cat Effects!!
How To Be The Ultimate Guest Blogger
This guy ^ is overly excited to be a guest-blogger
(Source)
Contributing to blogs is a great way to build your writing resume and get your work featured in front of a larger audience. Guest-blogging can also be a great opportunity to drive traffic to your own site while offering meaningful content to another blog at the same time. You can build your credibility, create great references, and build networks all while improving your writing skills. If you’re just getting started, here are a few tips to become a successful guest-blogger.
Research: When guest-blogging, you need to do your research in order to find the right blog to contribute to. You will write more meaningful articles when you are truly interested in and knowledgeable about a topic. Research topics that fit into your niche or industry and figure out which blogs would be a good match for the content you will be writing. When you focus your content on a specific topic that you know, your chances of becoming a well-known guest-blogger in that targeted field are that much higher.
Write your best: When you’re contributing to someone else’s blog, you are writing for their established audience, brand and voice. Adhering to the blog’s particular writing style and voice can also help you to become a more fluid writer by being able to adapt writing styles that are different from your own. If your guest post on the blog is successful and gets many viewers, you have boosted both the blog’s popularity and your own popularity as a writer.
Read the guidelines: This is extremely important to do before you start writing. However, if you’re a procrastinator, then it’s especially important to read the guidelines before you send off your finished piece to the blog. Failing to follow certain guidelines of the blog could make you appear disrespectful in that you did not do your research and read the rules. Always be mindful of the rules established for guest-bloggers. One slip up could damage your reputation as a guest-blogger, which will make it difficult to get more opportunities in the future.
Read the blog: This seems like a total no-brainer, but it still needs to be noted that it’s important to read the blog to white you’re contributing. Do not contribute to blogs you found five minutes ago just to get publicity and your writing out there. Follow the blog for a few weeks (if they post often) or a few months (if they don’t post as often) to really get an idea of the style, tone and viewpoint of the blog. If you’re not interested in the blog, how can you contribute your writing to it if you wouldn’t read your own article? Seems silly, right? So read the blog!
Establish goals: Before you decide to contribute to a blog or become a guest-blogger, decide where you want the guest-blogging to take you. Do you want more viewers on your own blog? Do you want your writing to be made available to a larger audience? Do you want to establish yourself as inventive or as a leader in your industry? Decide what you hope to gain from guest-blogging and set out to achieve those goals by finding the right outlets/blogs.
7 Ways Your Business Or Brand Can Get The Most Out Of Instagram
Whether you’re a business that’s just starting out or a well-established brand releasing a new product, having an active social media presence is vital for today’s market. Recognizing the importance of social media and having an executable social media plan is necessary in order to have a successful social media campaign/presence. Simply having an account that’s there but is idle most of the time is not enough. Here are seven ways your brand or product can effectively use Instagram.
Determine whether or not your type of business is visual: Instagram is all about visuals and telling a story through images. If you think your brand or product is not at all associated with images, keep brainstorming and get creative. We once saw a car wash company like every image that had the hashtag #haboob during one of Arizona’s severe dust storms last summer (by the way, A haboob (Arabic: هَبوب “blasting/drafting”) is a type of intense dust storm carried on an atmospheric gravity current. Haboobs occur regularly in arid regions throughout the world. Wikipedia). They also posted before and after pictures of dust-covered cars coming out squeaky clean after the wash. Although, sometimes you must come to terms with the fact that your business is not (or should not) be visual and that Instagram may not be the right outlet. For example, if you own a funeral home, it would be fairly inappropriate to have an Instagram account to promote your services.
#Hashtag: Using relevant hashtags in the caption of your photo helps to spread your message even further. It enables your product to become visible to a much larger audience beyond just your followers. We have to note that the keyword there is ‘relevant.’ Viewers/Followers will know you’re spamming them if you use too many hashtags and irrelevant hashtags. It would be in poor taste to post a photo of your restaurant’s new dish (yes, pun intended) using hashtags about a recent tragic event. Make sure they are targeted to your specific audience.
Photo Contests: Creating a photo contest on Instagram is the perfect way to engage your followers and potential customers. Make sure the prize is relevant and will entice your audience. Create a hashtag specific to your brand’s contest, for example #’X’companyPhotoContest, and remember to engage with your followers who entered the contest. A good way to do this is to post their image on your brand’s Instagram account and mention them in the caption. You can also comment on their photo thanking them for the entry and wishing them good luck. People love contests and they love to be rewarded – it’s important to show your customers you love them!
Follow me, Follow you: The title of this is fairly self-defining. When you get a follower, follow him/her back. Be cautious, however. Don’t bother following back the spam accounts that promise you thousands of followers within minutes. Similar to our previous post about effectively gaining followers on Twitter, you want quality followers who will be genuinely interested in your story and your product or brand.
Track image analytics: There are tools available for you to track likes, comments, followers, etc. on your Instagram account. Try BlitzMetrics or Curalate.
Be creative and fun: Instagram is a great tool for a business’ marketing campaign, but for the public, it’s a fun outlet used during downtime. If you appear too serious and dull, you won’t engage your followers. You can post fun photos of your employees at a company function (just make sure they’re sober and you have their consent, of course) or of a typical day in the office. This gives your business personality and makes the customers see that there’s real people and real life behind the scenes.
Sneak-peeks: If you’re designing a new product, take a short video or a photo associated with the product and post it as a teaser for your customers. If your Spring 2014 Fashion Line includes pieces that all incorporate a specific fabric, give your audience of hint of what’s to come by uploading a photo of that fabric.
Stay tuned for next Tuesday when we cover how to get the most out of Pinterest for your brand or business.
Here Are 8 Things Successful People Do [INFOGRAPHIC]
We’re bringing you a #MotivationalMonday with today’s INFOGRAPHIC from fastbusiness Canada. Based on an Inc.com article written by Jeff Haden, aptly titled 8 Things Remarkably Successful People Do, this image takes you through some of the top traits accomplished people possess.
Our favourites?
- Work more ….like, a lot more!
- Avoid the crowds and avoid the herd. (ie. you won’t find innovation by doing what everyone else is doing)
- Learn to sell, and sell WELL!
- Never (EVER) be too proud.
Check out all eight in the image below:
Client News: Starlight Children’s Foundation™ Canada Announces Release Of Fifth Collectible Bear
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – October 3, 2013
Starlight Children’s Foundation™ Canada Announces Release Of Fifth Collectible Bear
Organization collaborates with Toys“R”Us Canada and child to create a stuffed toy with meaning.
TORONTO, ON – Starlight Children’s Foundation™ Canada, in partnership with Toys“R”Us, Canada, is pleased to announce the release of Beario, the fifth limited edition collectible Starlight bear to be sold in Toys“R”Us and Babies“R”Us stores across the nation this fall. A portion of Beario’s sales will go towards funding Starlight’s in and out-of-hospital programs, brightening the lives of seriously ill children across Canada.
Seven-year-old Starlight child Dylan, who lives with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy, was selected by Starlight to design this year’s collectible bear. With the help of his big brother Connor, Dylan modeled the bear, which boasts a charming smile and a red star on its paw, after his favourite video game character, Super Mario™.
“The Starlight bear continues to be a powerful and important part of our partnership with Toys“R”Us,” said Starlight’s Executive Director, Brian Bringolf. “As with Starlight bear collaborations in the past, we hope that Dylan’s unique design will help raise awareness of his and other Starlight children’s courageous stories.”
With the support of both employees and customers, Toys“R”Us Canada has raised over $11 million dollars for Starlight in the last 15 years. In addition to distributing and manufacturing Beario, Toys“R”Us will be donating grants to hospitals across Canada to further assist in developing Starlight programming.
“Working with a Starlight child to create their very own unique and collectible Bear each year is an incredibly rewarding process for Toys“R”Us and Babies“R”Us,” said Kevin Macnab, President Toys“R”Us, Canada. “We believe kids should be kids, especially when going through difficult times, and by selecting Dylan to design this year’s bear, provides not only him, but his family with a fun and creative distraction from his ongoing medical treatments.”
Starlight Children’s Foundation Canada’s collectible Beario is $14.99 and will be made available in Toys“R”Us and Babies“R”Us stores across Canada and through http://www.toysrus.ca in late October.
About Starlight Children’s Foundation Canada:
Starlight Children’s Foundation Canada is a charitable organization that brightens the lives of seriously ill children and their families in communities across Canada. We are the only charity in Canada that helps seriously ill children in and out of hospital, from diagnosis throughout the course of their care journey.
Website: http://starlightcanada.org
Twitter: @StarlightCanada #Beario
Facebook: http://facebook.com/starlightcanada
YouTube: http://youtube.com/canadastarlight
About Toys“R”Us, Canada:
Toys“R”Us (Canada) Ltd., is part of Toys“R”Us, Inc., the world’s leading dedicated toy and juvenile products retailer. Toys“R”Us, Canada operates over 80 stores across the country. For store locations and convenient online shopping visit www.toysrus.ca or http://www.babiesrus.ca
For additional information, photos or interview requests, please contact:
Cory Stewart, Founder
1.416.963.9857
