Count. Cut. Compel.

Count. Cut. Compel. Launches as National Initiative
www.CountCutCompel.com Goes Live

Vancouver, BC (April 21, 2008) Ion Branding + Design is pleased to announce the launch of Cut. Count. Compel–the first beneficiary of the One Good Idea™ $25,000 prize. The result of a yearlong collaboration between the Sustainability Solutions Group (SSG) and Ion, Count. Cut. Compel. is an educational initiative modeled on the success of the waste reduction movement’s three R’s campaign (Reduce. Reuse. Recycle).

“The initiative is intended to bring awareness to the role individuals play in climate change, and provide links to resources that will help Count one’s contribution to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, provide information on how to Cut GHG output, and resources to Compel others to do the same,” said Ion principal David Coates.

Increasing public awareness on climate change and the frenzy over carbon offsetting, moved SSG to develop educational tools and resources that address the collective amnesia around opportunities to reduce GHG emissions before they are produced rather than offset them after the fact. Ion developed the identity and mark for the campaign as well as the website creative.

“We hope the 3Cs will have a similar impact as the 3Rs did for helping develop a broader societal understanding of what needs to happen to substantively deal with climate change,” said Ion principal Rod Roodenburg. “Ion and SSG have developed the slogan and tool and released it to the creative commons, meaning anyone can it use as they see fit.”

The CountCutCompel.com website is meant to provide background on the initiative and a rationale for each of the 3Cs – Count. Cut. Compel. CountCutCompel.com also provides free access under Creative Commons to graphics for those wishing to incorporate the logo and slogan into their own activities. And, finally, the site helps direct people to existing websites containing resources and campaigns related to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and addressing climate change.

ABOUT ION DESIGN
Founded in 1988, Ion Design is a Vancouver-based branding and multidisciplinary graphic design studio that develops strategic solutions for local, national and international clients. For more information on Ion Design, please visit www.iondesign.ca.

ABOUT SSG
SSG is a consulting cooperative the works with its clients to develop unique, creative strategies for ecologically, economically and socially responsible decision-making and action. SSG understands sustainability as a process, rather than a static outcome, and as such we seek human-driven solutions to today’s greatest challenges. For more information, please visit www.sustainabilitysolutions.ca.

Ion Announces One Good Idea™ $25,000 Contest Winner
Vancouver, May 29, 2007 – Ion Branding + Design, a Vancouver-based design studio, today announced the winner of the One Good Idea™ – $25,000 Sustainable Ideas Contest. And the winner is… the Sustainability Solutions Group Workers Cooperative (SSG) based in Montreal. The SSG has won $25,000 worth of strategy and creative services to develop their One Good Idea™. Ion will begin working with the contest winner June 4 to develop a campaign strategy and promotional package.

SSG Director Geneva Guerin is thrilled, she said “we been developing an idea for a climate change initiative for a while now, but have been a bit stalled in launching it.” She added that “as though someone waved a magic wand, the One Good Idea™ contest fell into our laps, and our proposal was selected. We very much look forward to collaborating with Ion on this project.”

SSG’s great idea will engage the public with a new mantra for the sustainability movement. The campaign will revolutionize how citizens think about their greenhouse gas emissions in a way that inspires and motivates them to take action.

Ion assembled a panel of distinguished judges to select the proposal with the most merit – Dr. Freda Pagani, Founder and Past Director of UBC Sustainability Office; Dean McNeill, MGDC, National President of the Society of Graphic Designers of Canada; and Michael Mucha, Director of Public Works for the City of Olympia, WA. All proposals were required to be submitted in PDF format, and the judges reviewed proposals and ‘met’ online through the help of collaborative software.

Dean McNeill described the SSG’s proposal as “topical, simple and potentially a rallying call for generations to come.” Mr. McNeill believes that “SSG’s idea has the vision and power to potentially affect a dramatic change in the consciousness of millions towards improving our world.” He also added that “the detail and thought provided stood out amongst the many fine submissions, and seems a perfect fit for the creative talents of the Ion team.”

Dr. Pagani was also pleasantly surprised by the quality of the ideas the contest has generated, she added “there were several entries that had the potential to become significant change agents, but I believe the SSG’s proposal has the most potential to create real change.”

David Coates, FGDC, Ion Branding + Design Partner says “We are really excited that SSG’s proposal was chosen by the judges because not only is their idea strong, but there is already synergy between some of our existing clients and their affiliates. We eagerly anticipate working with SSG to develop their idea and bring it to market. I would also like to thank all the One Good Idea™ proponents for their sustainable concepts and submissions, and encourage them to submit again next year.”

For more information about the contest visit onegoodidea.ca.

ABOUT ION DESIGN
Founded in 1988, Ion Branding + Design is a Vancouver-based multidisciplinary graphic design studio that develops design and strategic solutions for local, national and international clients. For more information on Ion Design, please visit www.iondesign.ca.