BC's Best Young Designer

South Surrey, BC; September 28, 2010 – Organizers today announced the launch of the BC’s Best Young Designer competition. Participants will compete for the title and a trip to the design mecca of New York City by applying their creative design skills to decorating and furnishing newly built suites in the Morgan Crossing village.

Up and coming designers - both professionals and amateurs alike - are encouraged to upload a personal video to www.bestyoungdesigner.com explaining why they deserve to win the BC’s Best Young Designer title. The deadline to submit is November 30, 2010.

The public is encouraged to visit the website to vote for their favourite entry before November 30. From the top 15 entries, a panel of judges will then choose six finalists who will be given a $10,000 budget and five weeks’ time to decorate and furnish a one-bedroom + den suite in Morgan Crossing.

In early January, once all six suites have been decorated, the competition units will be available for public viewing and voting. The public will determine one “fan favourite” winner who will win a $2,000 cash prize. The judges will also choose one overall winner who will receive a grand prize package that includes the title BC’s Best Young Designer and an all expenses paid trip to attend one of the world’s premiere design events, the Architectural Digest Home Design Show in New York City.

“We’re seeing a trend today with people from all walks of life becoming interested in and passionate about design,” says Michelle Hughes, Design Competition Director, Morgan Crossing. “Morgan Crossing is providing a blank canvas for those young designers who would like to experience decorating a residence with their own inspiration as their guide and a generous budget at their disposal.”

“Winning the title BC’s Best Young Designer will give a young interior designer credibility,” added Hughes. “To know that your peers and the public voted your design as the best will certainly provide an up and coming interior designer with an edge over others.”

The competition is open to all BC residents 30 years old or younger as of contest close on February 19, 2011. The competition is open to students, young designers, interior decorators, homeowners; anyone who wants to demonstrate their creativity. All entries must be creative, original and not violate copyright law.

Condo marketer promises Escape from Boringville

By Eve Lazarus

http://www.marketingmag.ca/english/news/marketer/article.jsp?

content=20091106_143338_7112

West Vancouver based Larco Investments has kicked off an unusual print and outdoor campaign to flog condos in their latest development, Morgan Crossing.

Called “Escape from Boringville,” Fingerprint Strategies, a real estate marketing firm, and Spring Advertising have created a billboard art installation, online banner ads as well as print and classified ads meant to make new home buyers think twice before buying a generic condo.

To launch the billboard execution, Spring bought a 1992 Plymouth Voyager and five mannequins and had everything spray painted beige. The mannequins have left the car and are positioned scrambling up the billboard desperate to get a glimpse at life in Morgan Crossing, said Rob Schelycher, creative director at Spring.

A print ad running in local papers shows two beige people outside a row of beige houses and the caption “There’s a ton of stuff to do, if you have a full tank of gas.”

Larco figures that house buyers are looking for more than just a front door, garage and mini van that they have to drive to the corner store.

“It’s a very European style in that it’s a walkable community where everything you want to do is right outside your door,” said Schelycher. “We are taking the people who would ordinarily buy a very generic condo in a generic community and showing them that it’s not a very exciting way to live. We’re giving them Morgan Crossing as an alternative where they can have a life and have fun in their neighbourhood.”

Schelycher said the campaign targets first time home-buyers, people downsizing and those moving from smaller condos in the suburbs.

“So much real estate advertising tends to assume that people are interested in the message. This work is meant to get people interested and paying attention to an alternative real estate message which is not to buy a regular condo but to live in a community,” said Schelycher.