I really appreciated the kindness of those agencies taking time out of their busy schedules to meet with a student, and I always try to pay it forward and meet with students, potential hires, and anyone else who asks for my time.

We’ve grown a lot over the past year at 88 Creative, and we’re lucky to have a lot of interest from new grads, students looking for internships, and people looking to make a career change. While we’d love to meet with everyone for informational interviews to tell them more about what makes 88 Creative great (hint: it starts with #winewednesday), we don’t have a devoted HR team, and since our team is small (13 people!) we can’t meet with everyone who gets in touch.

Our growth has also meant that while we have a passion for working with startups and small businesses, our minimum project size has grown, so we’re not always the right fit for very early-stage entrepreneurs or solopreneurs looking for advice. While we love talking shop and giving advice at events, we don’t have a great way for entrepreneurs to get free marketing advice, and that’s a shame.

But we have a solution! We’re opening our doors at 88 Creative and launching monthly Office Hours aimed at two groups: job seekers and anyone else who wants to learn more about our company from a hiring perspective; and entrepreneurs who are looking for advice on PR, marketing, or design.

Come by our office on the first Thursday of every month from noon-2pm and grab a slice of pizza and meet our team, and ask those burning questions we know you have: did someone on your team really research all the adult films in Agency or Porn? How can you get journalists to pay attention to your startup? And what’s the secret to viral videos (pro tip: there isn’t one)? We’ll give you a tour of our space, show you our office plants, and solve your marketing challenges before you leave.*

*Satisfaction not guaranteed…but we’ll try.

We’ll have team members on hand from our PR, design, and digital marketing teams, so come armed with your questions, and we’re excited to meet you!

Details:

Thursday, May 5th 2016

Noon-2pm

88 Creative office: 333 Adelaide St. W 6th Floor (map)

See you then!

From personalized video submissions to well-designed websites and resumes, we reviewed each and every application, then interviewed a handful of candidates for the position and hired our new 88C intern Diana Pasgas. Based on what we look for in a resume and a new hire, here are eight things to consider when applying for an internship position — or any position — at 88 Creative.

1. Pay attention – fulfill job post requirements

When applying, it’s important to pay attention to the job posting and include all required links and requests. We generally ask applicants to provide a resume, link to their LinkedIn profile, and relevant work samples. These three things are the first thing we look for in applications, and taking the steps to fulfill posting requirements demonstrates attention to detail. We’re not always looking for just resumes though – especially when it comes to design or digital marketing positions, your supporting elements (links to social channels/blog, design portfolio) are way more important than your resume.

2. Show initiative – take that extra step

Although we usually only require a resume along with a few work samples, some applicants take it a step further by crafting a personalized cover letter, or creating a video. One applicant even sent us a pizza! Creating additional materials to complement your resume can add personality to your experience and emphasize your initiative.

3. Experience isn’t everything – go above and beyond to supplement your application with additional writing samples

We definitely understand the Catch 22 of entering the workforce — you can’t find a job without experience and you can’t get experience without a job. We get this. Perhaps you may not have related work experience and samples but you may be able to show off your skills by providing examples from school projects, links to your blog, or even a personal online portfolio. Here’s a great example of a stellar blog put together by a former graduate seeking entry-level employment. Providing writing samples, whether academic or personal, is a great way to set yourself apart from other candidates and illustrate your creativity, style, and skillset, which carry over in a professional capacity.

4. Pay attention to your email – craft a winning email

Many applicants put a tremendous amount of effort and care into their resume, often consulting professors, teachers, friends, and family members to review their CV before sending – great job! But did you know that showing personality, and double-checking grammar, formatting, and flow in your email is just as important as in your resume? Consider your email the gatekeeper to your resume: if you capture the reader’s attention through your email, they’ll certainly take a peek at your resume and attachments. Your email is a reflection of your writing style and provides the reader (or in this case, myself, the PR Manager) foresight into your professionalism and provides a good indication as to how you’d communicate with clients and journalists.

5. Spelchek, spelcheck, spellcheck

If you’re applying for a job in ‘pubic’ relations, please don’t send us your application – I’m sorry to say, you’re applying for the wrong position, in fact, perhaps the wrong industry all together. All jokes aside, there’s really no excuse for spelling errors in your application or email, but do we understand human computer errors, and usually give applicants the benefit of the doubt on their first spelling error. The first error, spelling or grammatical, may have been accidental and the second one maybe coincidental, but the the third and fourth state something else altogether. Just be sure to use that handy spellcheck button – it’s there for a reason.    

6. Include job descriptions

When reviewing resumes we like to know where you worked and what your position was but we’d also love to know what your role was and what you accomplished as well. Many applicants send along beautifully designed resumes with custom logos, images and formatting, but their resumes lack the required information to live up to its purpose. My point: we want to know more than just your title.   

7. Do your research – know where and why you’re applying

Instead of sharing your resume with the infamous “whom it may concern,” or “sir or madam” research the name of the hiring manager, or person listed in the job posting and address them by their name. These bucket terms, though seemingly polite, actually come across as disingenuous. In the age of information, there’s no excuse for not typing in a few keystrokes to find the name of the person you’re sending your resume to. In our case, all our names are all in our emails (our format: [name]@88creative.ca).     

8. Don’t give up

We’re often limited by the number of positions available but it doesn’t mean that we weren’t interested in hiring you or that there was anything particularly wrong with your resume. We often file resumes that we love and stand out for six to eight months past the posting date in the event that another position becomes available – in fact we hired our Digital Marketing Coordinator Brittany almost a year after she initially applied because her application stood out so much (why? She had done her research and mentioned our social media posts & client projects; she linked to her past work projects & showcased success metrics; and she included a photo of a meme. Sold!).

If you’re interested in learning about our services or just want to say ‘hi’, contact us at [email protected] or email [email protected].

Charlene is a PR Manager at 88 Creative. You can follow her on Instagram at @charlenasariahanne.

“FW: FWD TO TEN PEOPLE IN THE NEXT HOUR OR YOU’LL BE ALONE FOREVER.”

I’d get one and wonder what would happen if I didn’t hit “send.” Would my crush really reject me at school in front of everyone? I imagine it’s close to the feeling of anxiety that brands have felt since Instagram announced it would be introducing an algorithm-driven news feed.

In a March 15th blog post, Instagram claimed that people miss on average 70 per cent of their feeds. According to the company, this means we don’t see the posts we “might” care about the most (I find this highly unlikely – unless I’m the only one that scrolls through my feed 20 times a day and double-taps until I get to the first image from my previous scroll every single time). Read: I see everything. 

Instagram’s answer to this problem: introduce an algorithm-based feed similar to Facebook. Posts will no longer appear in reverse chronological order, instead “the order of photos and videos in your feed will be based on the likelihood you’ll be interested in the content, your relationships with the person posting and the timeliness of the post.”

This announcement caused the usual uproar that Facebook (Instagram’s parent company) receives each time it changes its news feed algorithm. Sensational articles are claiming it’s ‘the END of Instagram.’ People are whining, complaining, and screaming bloody murder.

Users and brands are experiencing a classic case of xenophobia: fear of the unknown. Nothing has even happened yet. In fact, Instagram sent out a message to reiterate that nothing has even happened yet:

Still, Instagram had a complete connip-shit. Even Kylie Jenner, who has 56 million Instagram followers and gets close to one million likes on photos, was beggin’ for our attention.

My thoughts? A lot of people are saying, “Instagram, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” and I agree. Instagram will now, more than ever, be like a high school popularity contest. Brands will have to try as hard as ever to be the cool kid on the block, spending more time and money to be noticed.

What can brands with smaller budgets do to make sure they aren’t bullied off the platform? Here are a few things to think about:

1. Engagement – You’ve probably heard people rant about ‘like to follower ratio.’ Why does someone with 15k followers only get 23 likes on a photo? Make sure the users who follow your account are real, genuine users. Interact with your followers, reply to users, run contests. Start now before the change has even taken place, and use this time as an opportunity to strike up a conversation. 
2. Content – There are only so many latte pics we can like in one day. Focus on creating quality content that’s relevant to your audience. Hire a photographer, set up photo shoots, use editing applications, keep a consistent identity, or try different themes like a grid. Strategic captions can also up the ante of your visual content. Ask for your audience’s opinion, or include a specific call to action. My favourite, for example, would be “tag a friend you’d share your last slice of pizza with.” 
3. Analytics – As a business, you’re probably already studying the analytics of your post. If you’re not, now is a good time to start. Track and analyze the results of every upload so you know when your audience is online. You’ll be able to determine what posts are getting the most engagement and when. 
4. Hashtags – Don’t be afraid of the hashtag. They’re everywhere, but when used correctly, the hashtag will make your content easily searchable and increase your visibility. Begin testing hashtags to see what improves engagement. You can also monitor for hashtags that are trending and popular. Just don’t overdo it – I’ve started using Notes on my iPhone to hide my hashtags. 
5. Influencer marketing – Influencers, especially ambassadors for fashion brands, hold a lot of weight in the Instagram community because they attract loyal followings and connect with users on a more personal level. Brands would be wise to set aside a budget to work with influencers who can spread their message and resonate with the right audience.

Now, please stop asking me to turn you on. The only thing that would really kill Instagram is getting up-to-the-nanosecond post notifications every. single. time. someone uploads a blurry vacation pic.  

And if you’re really upset about the update, you can always sign this change.org petition – or just come see us at 88 Creative.

Morgan is 88 Creative’s PR Account Executive. You can give her a pity follow on Instagram at @elyashamorgan.

With the support of each company’s management team and our fractional CFO, this person is responsible for the following:

• General cash flow management
• Accounts Payable
• Reconciliations (Bank, Credit Card, etc)
• General Month-End and Year-End Closing
• Completing tax submissions (EHT, HST, Payroll Liabilities)
• Invoicing and accounts receivable
• Manage ongoing client ad spend and track and bill back client expenses
• Payroll and employee expenses
• Deposit cheques in bank and update accounting system with all deposits
• Ad hoc finance and general management responsibilities
• Creating internal hours tracking reports and communicating to clients
• Ensuring employees complete weekly time tracking reports
• Creating client contracts and issuing change orders
• Coordinating client meetings as necessary
• Booking 88 Creative events
• Sourcing vendor/partner quotes
• Coordinating production for media kits or other items
• Managing orders for the office, including office supplies
• Help with client work as needed (could include coordinating media packages, research, compiling lists, and coordinating production)

Here are the qualities we’re looking for in this hire:

• Positive attitude and strong desire to learn
• Degree/diploma in accounting or similar field
• Computer-savvy: you’re comfortable with QuickBooks, and can easily learn new software platforms
• Resourcefulness: You won’t always know the answer to a question, but you can source it on your own
• Personality, both online and off: We’re both small teams and we like to have fun, so we want someone who fits the 88 Creative/Satori culture.

Requirements:

• 1-2 years experience in accounting or accounts payables

Start date:

April 4, 2016

Salary:

$40,000/year

About 88 Creative

88 Creative is a creative communications agency in Toronto specializing in digital marketing, public relations, and design. We work with clients in the technology and consumer/lifestyle categories to start, grow, or enhance their marketing efforts. We specialize in strategy and implementation for digital marketing and public relations campaigns, as well as graphic design and branding projects.

In the past year our agency has been featured in the Toronto Star, Marketing Magazine, Canadian Business, CBC, Global TV, CTV, and Digiday, and we work with clients including pet food brand Nutram, cinemagraph software company Flixel, and travel company Exodus Travels.

About Satori

Satori Communications Group is a boutique style experiential marketing agency built on over 25 years of industry leadership. We create unique, immersive, meaningful and memorable experiences that help reinforce your brand message.

We are a team of brand experts — a seasoned group of creative thinkers, logistics experts, event coordinators, ambassadors and experiential marketing leadership—positioned across the nation.

Where:

You’ll be working out of 88 Creative’s office 3 days per week at a brick and beam space at Spadina and Adelaide in the heart of downtown Toronto. The other two days you’ll be working out of Satori’s office in Leslieville.

Perks of the job:

• Full-time salaried position
• Positive, open and supportive work environment
• Unlimited healthy snacks
• Monthly fun activities
• Full benefits
• Half-day summer Fridays

Think the position is a great fit for you? Email [email protected] with your resume and qualifications, and tell me why you think you’d make a great addition to the 88 Creative/Satori teams.

I remember when Princess Diana was killed, and my parents remember the Kennedy assassination. Both of these events shook the world, and even for people who have no personal connection to either of these incidents or the people involved, remembering them somehow feels like we were there. The mere fact that we existed in the world at the moment that these individuals met their tragic ends grounds us in history.

Even before the digital age, mourning celebrities was something everyone could join in on. Placing candles and flowers, watching the news coverage of tributes to the deceased from around the world – the sense of belonging and community can be compelling. Often the death in question can bring serious issues back into the spotlight. Suicide and depression, AIDS, and drug addiction are some common issues that suddenly become more pressing when they result in a celebrity death. But is this phenomenon simply driving clicks, or is there some way it can help regular people? The potential for change seems to be there, and yet the newsworthiness of any one death has a shelf life.

When a celebrity dies, everyone on Facebook suddenly appears to be intimately connected with the music and films of the deceased celebrity as soon as news of their passing spreads. A few people share a more profound memory or a deeper knowledge of that person’s career, but for the most part it’s echoes of “R.I.P. David Bowie,” perhaps with a link to The Man Who Sold the World or a clip from Labyrinth.

There’s no question that Labyrinth was playing on a loop in the background throughout my childhood. I think that when the creator of culturally important art passes away, it becomes meaningful to people who experienced that era, even if they weren’t particularly fans of that artist. David Bowie’s death is a reminder that the 70’s and 80’s are most definitely over, and that the people who were in their prime during those decades are over the hill. Younger people can easily be swept up in nostalgia, and they have an opportunity to show off their knowledge of classic rock.

The tribute performances at the Grammy’s, particularly Lady Gaga’s tribute to David Bowie, were all about taking that sense of nostalgia and making it feel fresh for a new generation. Everyone – whether they’re old enough to remember or not – can unite in the gratitude that this music is with us and the sadness at the loss of a great talent.

Celebrities aging can have a similar effect. Like seeing images of Macaulay Culkin today when you remember him so vividly in Home Alone. Or when my dad went to see the (remaining) Mamas and the Papas perform and noted how old they looked. It’s a reminder that time is passing and your present is rapidly becoming history.

What is 88 Creative?

We’re a team of 11 based out of a brick-and-beam office at Adelaide & Peter in downtown Toronto. We work with clients in the real estate and consumer/lifestyle categories, assisting with top-down design, digital marketing, social media marketing, influencer outreach, public relations, events and more. We’re an up-for-anything group who’s comfortable going outside our wheelhouses to serve our clients, and you should be too!

Who we’re looking for:

As an all-things-digital person, you’re up on the newest trends and comfortable working across many platforms. You’re smart, ambitious, and resourceful, and are comfortable taking direction and running with it. Here’s what we’re looking for:

• Social media literacy: You use social media and are an early adopter of emerging platforms.
• Resourcefulness: You won’t always know the answer to a question, but you can source it on your own
• Love for words: You love writing, whether it’s a 500-word blog post or a 140-character update. You have a passion for nerdy things like spelling and grammar, and would never be caught dead using the wrong your/you’re or its/it’s
• Personality, both online and off: We’re a small team and we like to have fun, so we want someone who fits the 88 Creative culture. We also need you to have a personality that shines through in your client work – there’s lots of writing in this job, and none of it should be boring. 
• Creativity: We’re constantly cooking up creative ideas for our clients, and we need someone who’s not afraid to throw out 15 crazy ideas to find the one idea that works
• Time management/attention to detail: You’ll be working on several clients and lots of tasks every day, so don’t say we didn’t warn you.

What you’ll be doing:

• Assisting in production of client content including email newsletters, blog posts, and social media content
• Scheduling posts and assisting in execution of content calendars
• Sourcing third-party content for client distribution
• Managing client social media accounts: engaging with followers, answering questions, scheduling and sending out updates
• Building followings on social media accounts
• Sourcing influencer lists for campaigns
• Working with digital team on reporting and analytics assessment  
• Contributing to brainstorms
• Project research, including competitive analysis and industry trends

Perks of the job:

• Pay! Seriously! 
• Positive, open and supportive work environment
• Every day is different – you’ll never be bored, and you’ll always be learning
• Uber-casual dress code
• Unlimited healthy snacks

Think the job is a great fit for you? Email our Digital Account Manager Danielle, at [email protected] with your Linkedin profile, social accounts and your resume, portfolio or relevant materials. Good luck! 

“One weekend this summer, I rolled up my sleeves and dove into the trenches”

“I’m not a pro, but I know enough to be dangerous :)”

“That happens, when you start to know who you are.”

These are the words of lost souls. They have forgotten who they are, and in a desperate attempt to cling onto something real and tangible, they put out their arms, grab onto their in-house design teams, and scream into the void “I’M A DESIGNER NOW.”

A trend is on the horizon, and it’s a troubling one. The CEOs are coming, and they have Adobe Illustrator and DaFont.com.

Earlier this week, Uber announced a total brand overhaul. It has been met with resounding shrugs and perplexed tweets. Granted, the old look and feel wasn’t that polished or refined (despite the intention for it to bring to mind luxurious town car services) but the new one just doesn’t make sense. The icons are hieroglyphics, practically indecipherable except to those who have read the extended explanations on them. In addition, the illustrative elements are a fever dream of mid century modern lines mixed with 1980s Miami Vice/Memphis Movement colours. Normally that wouldn’t be a criticism coming from me, seeing how that’s a vibe I chase, but in this case it’s totally offside.

All of this aside, this post really isn’t about critiquing the rebrand (but credit where credit is due, I like the wordmark). No, this post is about CEOs who think they’re designers.

Those quotes, above, are from Travis Kalanick and Marissa Mayer, CEOs of Uber and Yahoo, respectively. Both have a history and proven track record of leadership, growing and building businesses, and managing large multi-billion dollar companies. Neither are trained professional designers, yet both have taken the wheel when it came to their company rebrand, with less than stellar results.

“I love brands, logos, color, design.” – Marissa Mayer

Yes, I’m sure you do, Marissa. Anyways —

“And, most of all, Adobe Illustrator. I think it’s one of the most incredible software packages ever made.” – Marissa Mayer

Please sit down, Marissa. Anyways, designers already have a bit of an uphill battle these days. Design has become more mainstream and is discussed more often, and with that has created this environment of commonality. People are no longer mystified by good and bad design. They know they like Apple products, and that Apple stands for good design, so if they can see the good design, and can tell you what good design is, they shouldn’t have to pay you for that good design. It’s something every designer has come up against. The client wants you to make something, you make it (having agreed on a price and the expectation that upon completion you will be paid), only to have the client decide that’s not what they’re looking for, or that they would have done it like “this.”

Designers are workers. They are trained professionals who are well informed, highly detailed, and understand nuances of design. They work for years to become good at what they do.

I’m all for people bettering themselves (I bought Gwyneth’s cookbook), and I don’t really believe in the idea of “staying in your lane.” We should all try new things. But I also don’t think a CEO should roll up their sleeves and take the design process by the throat, strictly because they’re so gosh darn keen to figure out all that fancy kerning and colour harmony. A CEO should be empowering their employees, and by reducing the job of an entire department into a discussion over what’s pretty, they are doing more harm than good.

Obviously a CEO will (and rightfully should) have input in the creative process. Everyone involved with a brand should, to an extent. But at the end of the day, when you’re dealing with something as critical as a total overhaul of a valuable brand, it is in the best interest of the company, to let designers, well, design. In exchange, I won’t get in the way at the next Board of Directors meeting.

Tim Singleton is a junior designer at 88 Creative. You can chase his vibe on Instagram and Twitter.

This is a 12-week paid internship with the potential to join full-time if needed.

With the support of our PR team, this person will:

• Monitor and research all forms of media, industry news, trends, and competitors on a daily basis
• Search for press clippings and update coverage reports

• Draft media materials – pitches, media briefs, and first drafts of press releases
• Assist with proofing written materials for grammar, style, etc.
• Assist with media and influencer outreach
• Assist with research for existing and new clients
• Research and compile media lists
• Compile media kits and run errands for client activities as needed

Here are the qualities we’re looking for in this hire:

• Positive attitude and strong desire to learn
• Degree/diploma in communications, or public relations
• Social media literacy: you not only use social media in your personal life, but have incorporated social media into your PR campaigns in the past
• Resourcefulness: You won’t always know the answer to a question, but you can source it on your own
• Love for words: you love writing, whether it’s a press release or writing your own personal blog posts or stories. You have a passion for nerdy things like spelling and grammar, and would never be caught dead using the wrong your/you’re or its/it’s
• Personality, both online and off: We’re a small team and we like to have fun, so we want someone who fits the 88 Creative culture. We also need you to have a personality that shines through for each client, while still staying true to that client’s goals and voice
• Creativity: We’re constantly cooking up creative ideas for our clients, and we need someone who’s not afraid to throw out 15 crazy ideas to find the one idea that works
• Great time management/attention to detail: You’ll be working on several client accounts every day, and juggling multiple responsibilities and various platforms

About 88 Creative

88 Creative is a creative communications agency in Toronto specializing in digital marketing, public relations, and design. We work with clients in the technology and consumer/lifestyle categories to start, grow, or enhance their marketing efforts. We specialize in strategy and implementation for digital marketing and public relations campaigns, as well as graphic design and branding projects.

In the past year our agency has been featured in the Toronto Star, Marketing Magazine, Canadian Business, CBC, Global TV, CTV, and Digiday, and we work with clients including pet food brand Nutram, cinemagraph software company Flixel, and travel company Exodus Travels.

Where:

You’ll be working at a brick and beam space at Spadina and Adelaide in the heart of downtown Toronto.

Perks of the job: 

• Paid internship
• Positive, open and supportive work environment
• Uber-casual dress code
• Unlimited healthy snacks
• Monthly fun activities

Think the position is a great fit for you? Email [email protected] with your resume, your LinkedIn profile, and any work samples.

Here you have it — these were the top 10 moments that broke the internet in 2015:

#TheDress
The Black/Blue/White/Gold dress debate may have been the biggest thing to happen to the internet this year. The story goes like this: a photo of said dress was posted on Tumblr back in February, which sparked a week-long debate across the internet as to whether or not the dress was blue and black or white and gold. Buzzfeed reported that they broke their traffic records in just one night with the story. Everyone from your grandma to your favourite celebrities and brands were in on it – was the dress blue and black or white and gold? We needed to know!!!!!

From this day on, the world will be divided into two people. Blue & black, or white & gold. http://t.co/xJeR7GldwP pic.twitter.com/i6BwVzPzSZ

— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) February 27, 2015

Caitlyn Jenner joined Twitter
Bruce Jenner’s transition to becoming Caitlyn Jenner was a big news story this year. Between her grand debut in Vanity Fair and joining the Twitterverse back in June, the star broke the world record for reaching one million Twitter followers in just four hours. It was the world’s first look at Caitlyn.

I’m so happy after such a long struggle to be living my true self. Welcome to the world Caitlyn. Can’t wait for you to get to know her/me.

— Caitlyn Jenner (@Caitlyn_Jenner) June 1, 2015

#PrayForParis
People around the world took to social media to share their thoughts and prayers with Paris after the terrorist attacks in November. According to TIME Magazine over 70 million people shared images on Instagram showing their support, with a total of 430 million interactions (that includes posts, likes, and comments). You probably saw artist Jean Jullien’s “Peace for Paris” illustration shared more than a few dozen times on your news feed. 

Peace for Paris

A photo posted by @jean_jullien on Nov 13, 2015 at 3:05pm PST

Taylor Swift Schooled Apple Music
When Apple announced that they would be offering users a free 3-month trial for their new streaming service called Apple Music, Taylor Swift wasn’t happy about it. She wrote an open letter on Tumblr to the company’s CEO, Tim Cook, about why it was unfair that artists would receive no royalties during the free trial period. Long story short, when you have the biggest pop star of the year call you out online, even if you’re Apple, it’s a good idea to abide.

To Apple, Love Taylor http://t.co/GN9jiRkqlj

— Taylor Swift (@taylorswift13) June 21, 2015

Kendall Jenner Won Instagram
For yet another year in a row, a member of the Kardashian/Jenner family took home the prize for most ‘Liked’ photo on Instagram.  Last year, Kim Kardashian’s photo of her and Kanye West at their wedding won the title with 2.4 million Likes. This year, Jenner has topped that with 3.3 million.

❥

A photo posted by Kendall Jenner (@kendalljenner) on May 25, 2015 at 3:51pm PDT

Justin Trudeau Won Hearts Everywhere
Not only was the Liberal government winning the election one of the biggest things to happen in Canada this year, but it had the whole world watching. Between Canadians getting excited that Harper would finally be out and the rest of the world thinking our new Prime Minister was hot, over 4.5 million tweets were sent out during the election period using the designated hashtag #elxn42. Facebook reportedly had 7 million users contribute 50 million interactions (posts, likes, shares, comments) about the election too. That’s a whole lotta Canada right there.

Ready. #elxn42 pic.twitter.com/UaH4MLArNH

— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) October 20, 2015

Starbucks Red Cups
One of the more ignorant moments of the year was when people freaked out about the new Starbucks holiday cups. The company’s annual holiday cup was released on November 1 and this year they decided to go with an all red cup – needless to say, it didn’t go unnoticed. A fury of people took to social media to share their outrage over the fact that the cup was not Christmasy enough. The words “red cup” were used on Twitter more than 60,000 times during that week. 

Now @Starbucks is blowing off Christmas with their non-Christmas coffee cups. I’ll never step into a Starbucks again. #boycottstarbucks

— Nick Mangene (@nick_mangene) November 9, 2015

Bautista’s Bat Flip
The entire country was watching the Blue Jays this past season as they made their way into playoffs for the first time in… forever. In Game 5 against the Texas Rangers, Jose Bautista hit a three-run homer that resulted in their win and his now famous bat flip. The bat flip quickly became a phenomenon is Canada with people getting the image printed on shirts and even tattooed. That doesn’t mean that the rest of the world wasn’t watching either — the hashtag #ComeTogether was trending at number one worldwide on Twitter during the game.

#DeepInTheHeartOfCanada

A photo posted by Jose Bautista (@joeybats19) on Oct 14, 2015 at 6:33pm PDT

A Dancing Drake
Drake released his video for Hotline Bling at the end of October and I don’t think he ever could have imagined how people were going to respond to it — or maybe he did. Not only were people loving the fact that their favourite rapper was dancing, but everyone quickly realized his moves seemed to be oddly in sync with a number of other songs… resulting in some of the best memes of 2015. 

That’s So Raven Theme Song pic.twitter.com/tWJ6e9nSvS

— Drake Dancing (@DrakeDancingTo) October 20, 2015

Fashion Santa
Finishing off the list is the internet’s latest phenomenon: Fashion Santa. Yorkdale Mall in Toronto hired model Paul Mason to become ‘Fashion Santa’ to draw people in to do their holiday shopping there. Needless to say, it worked! Not only was their marketing ploy bringing herds of people to the mall to snap a photo with him, but Fashion Santa has garnered attention from people all over the world. Even everyone’s favourite Instagram account The Fat Jewish posted about him. 

#YorkdaleFashionSanta makes our days merry & bright His appearance dates are on the blog https://t.co/1bt5QZkz1S pic.twitter.com/r0pkC0JEn3

— Yorkdale Style (@YorkdaleStyle) December 1, 2015

Did Canada kill it this year or what?!
Other honourable mentions include:

Left Shark

“Yes i have 4 years of Juilliard and i was shark number 2 in a little production called the Super bowl” pic.twitter.com/hiVCZtDI8B

— Desus Nice (@desusnice) February 2, 2015

The Llama Chase

The Pizza Rat

Claire Owens is a Digital Account Executive at 88 Creative.

88 Creative Picks

1. Gabriella’s Pick: the 3d Doodler, $99

2. Tim’s Pick: Lumenati CS1, $199

3. Cory’s Pick: Gerstner Utility Chest, $588

4. Morgan’s Pick: Pizza onesie, $129.95

5. Claire’s Pick: Nixon Kensington Leather watch, $150

6. Meaghan’s Pick: Geometric skull planter, $24.68

7. Erin’s Pick: Moscow Mule mugs from Giftagram, $49 for a set of 2

8. Brittany’s Pick: Parachute Coffee subscription and a mug, $25/month and $21.94

9. Danielle’s Pick: Selfish by Kim Kardashian, $19.95

10. Charlene’s Pick: Owl wall tapestry, $79

Stocking Stuffers

11. Acid phosphate for your bar, 15.95

12. Prisma picture frames, $19.95-$36.95

13. S’well Bottle, $25-$45

14. Swell Made Co. cards, $5

15. Harry Potter: The Official Coloring Book, $20

16. Rifle Paper Co. 2016 birch floral planner, $34

Wish List

17. Satin Speckle Bloom Phone Vase, $32

18. Hermès Apple Watch, $1700

19.  Denim 12″ Bowl, $79

20. October’s Very Own Original Owl hooded sweatshirt, $152

21. Lick by Ty Foster, $15

Danielle is a Digital Account Manager at 88 Creative. You can follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @DFabes.