Industry Recognition

Progress Magazine Names SwiftRadius as a one of the "Best Places to Work in Atlantic Canada"

lrousseau — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 12:57:02 -0300

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Halifax, NS ~ SwiftRadius has good reason to celebrate. For the second year in a row they have been given the nod by Progress Magazine, as one of the “Best Places to Work in Atlantic Canada”.

The SwiftRadius culture is empowering --- with a shared vision regarding entrepreneurial spirit, corporate culture and strategic direction, the entire team has embraced the expanded culture, everyone is invested; ownership is much broader than the principals. Notably, our clients have been key - recognizing and supporting that our “people” approach works, validating that it delivers highly motivated teams and
superior results.

“Our people are the key to our success, and to attract and retain the best and brightest, we continuously provide people with career opportunities and an environment that supports work-life balance,” said SwiftRadius CEO Scott MacIntosh. “To be recognized as Atlantic Canada’s Best Place to Work the first year was an honour. To be recognized, consecutively really validates our efforts to provide our colleagues with the programs and initiatives they value most.”

Culture and a strong employment brand are crucial to our continued growth and geographic expansion. With plans to launch a new location in St. John’s Newfoundland, and continued expansions in Charlottetown, PEI, Saint John, New Brunswick and Halifax, Nova Scotia, SwiftRadius is committed to preserving the culture and core values that have shaped the foundation and success of the company.

“We are excited and proud to be recognized alongside so many distinguished Atlantic Canadian companies,” says MacIntosh.

2009 marks the second consecutive year that SwiftRadius has been recognized as a top employer by Progress magazine. The company received recognition as the “Best Place to Work” in the Atlantic Region by Progress magazine in 2008, and ranked 2nd “Best Place to Work in Atlantic Canada” 2009.

About SwiftRadius

SwiftRadius is a dynamic, Atlantic Canada based IT consulting company comprised of an innovative and dedicated team of professionals that hail from a variety of backgrounds; coming together with the goal of creating the best in customer centric solutions.

As an enterprise solution provider, focused on enabling business through information technology solutions. SwiftRadius positions highly skilled teams to deploy and support: ERP solutions from strategy through to operations, progressive architecture and integration solutions to carry businesses into the future, innovative custom development that address client requirements for today and tomorrow, and evolutionary identity management solutions.

At SwiftRadius our value proposition reflects our mission, to deliver world-class business solutions to our clients by leveraging our technology and process skill sets, delivering the right solutions, on time and on budget. Our key differentiators include: our innovative "business repatriation" approach, our preoccupation with quality, our commitment to providing uniquely qualified resources, such ERP skill sets, our focus on total cost of ownership and our highly skilled teams.

Progress Magazine - Best Places to Work in Atlantic Canada

In today’s competitive business environment, it is a distinction to be named one of the 20 Best Places to Work in Atlantic Canada. This program was designed to recognize the best employers in the region – those who make it a priority to create better workplaces for their employees. Progress magazine and partner Best Companies Group are breaking new ground in Atlantic Canada with this program.

The Best Places to Work program recognizes organizations with 25 employees or more who demonstrate best practices in Atlantic Canada. This year, Progress Magazine partnered with Best Companies Group in an effort to offer regional organizations the opportunity to elevate their workplaces. According to Peter Burke, president of Best Companies Group, "identifying outstanding employers is a very effective way of recognizing the importance of creating cultures where employees love to come to work. From recruiting advantages to increased morale, these organizations will enjoy many benefits from this prestigious distinction. All companies that participated also received the results of their employee survey, which will be used to help make their companies even better places to work."

For information on Progress Magazine's Best Places to Work please visit www.progresscorp.com
For more information, please contact Bobbi Stillwell at 1.506.457.9091 or visit www.swiftradius.com for company details.

N.B. premier defends broadband industry award, ties to corporate sponsors

johnsgunn — Thu, 14 May 2009 10:05:51 -0300

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CBC News

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http://www.cbc.ca/canada/new-brunswick/story/2009/05/14/nb-graham-intelligent-community-556.html?ref=rss

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Premier Shawn Graham

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Premier Shawn Graham is defending the credibility of the Intelligent Community Forum, which has named Fredericton and Moncton as two of the seven "most intelligent" cities in the world.

The forum is funded by the broadband industry and one of its founders told CBC News that those companies see it as a way to market their products and services.

But Graham said on Wednesday that the forum has other sponsors and it's credible.

"This competition is brought forward at an academic level through New York University. It's been well-recognized across the globe as one of the most important competitions to enter into," Graham told reporters.

"And today you know I'm very proud of the fact that we have two communities in New Brunswick, both Fredericton and Moncton, in the intelligent communities competition."

Other cities in the event are in the United States, France, Sweden, Estonia and the Netherlands.

Graham is heading to New York on Thursday for the forum's annual conference along with officials from his government and Moncton and Fredericton.

The provincial government is co-sponsoring a reception at the ICF conference on Thursday evening.

The forum will announce Friday afternoon the city it considers the most intelligent community in the world.

GreenNexxus named most promising start-up

Rowser — Mon, 11 May 2009 09:34:14 -0300

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Brett Bundale

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Telegraph Journal, Published Friday May 8th, 2009

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http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com/rss/article/660696

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Fredericton Mayor Brad Woodside, left, stands with GreenNexxus’ Ric Cuthbertson and Peter Corbyn at the 2009 KIRA Awards at the Delta Hotel in Fredericton Thursday night. GreenNexxus won first place in the most promising start-up category. Other KIRA Award winners were Q1 Labs Inc. for best export product; Chalk Media Corp. for private technology advancement; the Saint John Zone Breast Health Program for public technology advancement; and Ed Barrett won a KIRA for industry person of the year. Photo by: James West /Canadaeast News Service

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The KIRA Awards recognize innovation throughout New Brunswick

Going green has never been easier thanks to GreenNexxus.

The homegrown start-up company - co-founded by Fredericton's Peter Corbyn - is an online social networking platform dedicated to solving environmental issues and promoting eco-friendly technologies and lifestyles.

"It's a Facebook-style site to swap environmentally friendly tips," Corbyn said. "It's a place where members can post things that they're doing in their home life or businesses to be green."

On the heels of its success across the country, GreenNexxus won a KIRA Award Thursday night for most promising start-up.

"This kind of recognition from your peers is really appreciated," Corbyn said. "We've been fairly lucky this year and it's just really nice to be recognized."

For over a decade, the Knowledge Industry Recognition and Achievement Awards have recognized excellence in information and communication technology and learning and education innovation throughout New Brunswick.

The 11th annual gala at the Delta Fredericton was packed with the best and the brightest business leaders in the province. Following the clinking of drinks in the lobby and a five-course meal in the hotel's ballroom, the winners of seven categories - including best export product, technology advancement and industry person of the year - were announced.

"It's our way of shining the spotlight on these genuinely deserving organizations and individuals," said Doug Motty, CEO of Enterprise Fredericton, host of the annual event.

"I think it's important to recognize the companies in the province that are successful and celebrate their accomplishments," he said. "This event showcases what can done right here in our own backyard."

Accreon Inc., a Fredericton-based business consulting and information technology service provider, was the only company to win in two categories for export services and employment growth.

The other KIRA Award winners were Q1 Labs Inc. for best export product, Chalk Media Corp. for private technology advancement, the Saint John Zone Breast Health Program for public technology advancement and finally Ed Barrett won a KIRA for industry person of the year.

Fredericton Mayor Brad Woodside said the accomplishments of these companies show that the province has the right climate for business.

"I couldn't think of a more wonderful place to do business than in New Brunswick," he said. "There is so much talent in this room and these people have worked hard to get here. And once a year we come together to applaud their work and encourage new businesses in the province."

The awards were hosted by Bette MacDonald, Gemini award winner for her CBC television performance in the Halifax Comedy Fest.

Premier Shawn Graham, who attended the event with his wife Roxanne Reeves, said the awards demonstrate the province's success over the past decade.

"Today information and communication technology is the second most important industry in the province," he said. "And it continues to grow at such an explosive rate - it's a testament to what the future holds for New Brunswick."

The KIRA Award is a harbinger of up-and-coming success for companies and GreenNexxus is ready to break out on a bigger stage.

The tech firm had one of its first breaks creating the online community forum behind Al Gore's Climate Project and more recently worked with CBC and Cisco Systems Inc. developing online tools for the One Millions Acts of Green campaign.

"There have been 1.6 million acts of green so far, saving 85,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emission," Corbyn said. "And we're now moving the project into the United States so we expect to see that number jump up."

GreenNexxus currently has six employees at its Fredericton headquarters. In addition to Corbyn the company has three other co-founders.

Ryan Groom and Paul Methot are both known as the "techies" and although his business card says "Chief Greennexxian," Ric Cuthbertson is known as the "money guy." Corbyn - with the official title of "Catalyst-" is known as the "green guy."

2009 Junior Achievement New Brunswick Business Hall of Fame nominations

Rowser — Mon, 11 May 2009 09:28:54 -0300

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TIME TO SHINE

Now accepting 2009 Junior Achievement New Brunswick Business Hall of Fame nominations

If you know someone in the business community who deserves to be nominated to the New Brunswick Business Hall of Fame, visit www.janbhalloffame.ca Nominations close Friday, May 29, 2009 at 5 pm AST.

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Save the date:

13th Annual New Brunswick Business Hall of Fame Gala Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Delta Beauséjour Moncton.

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For more information, please contact:
Connie Woodside
jafrednb@nb.aibn.com 506 455 6552

Knowledge industry set to honour its best

Rowser — Tue, 05 May 2009 10:19:59 -0300

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John Pollack

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Telegraph-Journal, Published May 4th, 2009

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http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com/rss/article/655579

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Carolyn Kervin, one of the co-chairwomen for the 11th annual KIRA Awards in Fredericton this week. Photo by: Cindy Wilson/Telegraph-Journal

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Eleventh annual KIRA Awards will be handed out Thursday in Fredericton

At a time when the recession has slowed growth for many companies and caused layoffs and closures for some others, the knowledge industry is preparing to celebrate its successes.

The 11th Annual KIRA Awards are set for Thursday night at Delta Fredericton to recognize achievements by companies and individuals over the last year.

Planning committee co-chairwoman Carolyn Kervin says the knowledge industry may have a little more to celebrate than most others do.

"As in any industry there's going to be successes and failures," she says, "(But) I don't see from where I sit that we're being as heavily impacted."

She says the industry felt more of the crunch around 2002/03 after a combination of big Y2K spending and the panic after 9/11 dried up the IT budgets for many companies.

The company Kervin works for, SwiftRadius, has hired three people this year.

"We're doing well and I know other companies in town are as well," she says.

Some of the KIRA planners were worried companies wouldn't be interested in sponsoring the event this year because the downturn has tightened budgets, but that wasn't the case. All the sponsorship spots for the event have been filled.

"That is kind of a sign of how important companies feel it is to go out there and celebrate the successes," Kervin says.

The awards create awareness across the industry by familiarizing companies with one another, she says.

"If you have an opportunity that you may need to partner with somebody it makes you aware of what else is out there," Kervin says. "It's not just knowledge across the industry but knowledge of our industry to the economy in general, or to somebody who would be interested in buying services or products from the knowledge industry."

"It's promoting what we have to offer and celebrating successes in New Brunswick."

And this year there are more new successes than usual.

Sixteen different companies are nominated in seven categories, some in more than one. Only eight of the nominees have won an award before.

Though all the nominated companies are from the knowledge industry they are all very different.

"You're not seeing 16 different companies who offer the same type of services," Kervin says.

Beyond the handing out of awards the event will also take the time to recognize an achievement the whole industry can take some credit for as opposed to just one company.

"In addition to celebrating the knowledge industry, we're going to (acknowledge) that Fredericton and Moncton have been named on the smart cities list," Kervin says.

She believes all the celebration is good for the industry.

"It helps promote health within industry just by that recognition," she says. "If everybody is very negative I think that will contribute to even more downturn."

This year's KIRA finalists a good example of how local compaines are breaking barriers

Rowser — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 11:26:22 -0300

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Kyle Mullin

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Daily Gleaner, Published Thursday April 23rd, 2009

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http://dailygleaner.canadaeast.com/rss/article/644270

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AWARD MAKERS: Carolyn Kervin, left, and Colleen Benson are co-chairs of the KIRA awards. Photo by: Stephen MacGillivray

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Ed Barrett says the KIRA awards aren't designed to showcase gizmos and gadgets, but highlight how local companies are helping people across the province become better connected.

"I suspect if we all had the opportunity to sit and share our experiences we'd find we had a lot in common," the co- chief executive of the Barrett Corp. said of his fellow nominees. "I think we'd all share a zeal to provide communication vehicles for people's lives, for their education, for their pleasure."

The KIRA awards recognize breakthroughs in IT across New Brunswick. Barrett is this year's finalist for Industry Person of the Year for his company's work in bringing broadband Internet access to rural areas from coast to coast.

The Barrett Corp. is one of the few companies in the world to use both towers and satellites to offer wireless Internet services, , creating a network that can reach the far corners of even the thinnest populated areas in the country.

"I'm not so bold to say that our broadband system can stem the tide of urbanization in this country, or that it should," he said. "But Canadians need to be able to choose where they want to live and still have access to communication skills you would enjoy in one of our biggest cities."

Virtual Expert Clinics (VEC), KIRA finalist for Export Product of the Year, develops software to offer different communication skills on a more individual level. The Fredericton company's Autism Pro program is designed to help teachers craft more effective lesson plans for autistic children. With more than 10,000 pages of content available at a mouse click, the software has been purchased by school districts in Poland, Australia, and around the world.

"New Brunswick companies have to each create a niche market in order to become world companies," said VEC president and founder Cynthia Howroyd. "You have to be very focused and specific, and offer what no one else can"¦ no one has software as specialized as ours (for autistic children), and rather than spending millions in every district to revamp they can come to us, and use our content to get their lesson plans quickly up to speed."

But Felipe Chibante said flexibility is an even bigger part of the recipe for success in New Brunswick's IT field. The UNB engineering professor is mentoring a student startup called Smart Skin. It will be a device made up of minute nanotech pressure sensors, grafted over prosthetics like skin, designed to one day help users regain the feeling in their lost limbs.

"If it was just a one trick pony the lifespan would be pretty short," he said, "But we're hoping to make a platform technology for all kinds of environments."

Kumaran Thillainadarajah, a fourth year computer engineering student heading up the project, said those other environments could include video games. He said Smart Skin could make for controllers that don't need buttons.

"If you think about it, the Nintendo Wii doesn't have the best graphics, but what makes it so successful is that it can let you play with motion, it's more intuitive," he said. "Imagine if that game could not only measure your swing of a virtual golf club, but the tightness and angle of your grip... Whether it's a more realistic game or way to help people regain their sense of touch, it's all about providing the next level of human interaction."

Carolyn Kervin, co-chair of the 2009 KIRA Awards, said all the finalists share in building that next level of interaction in different ways across the province.

"People tend to think of technology as something cold, like automated bank services," she said. "But our finalists show IT can run the gamut, how it can break barriers and bring people together."

The 2009 Kira awards will be held at the Delta on May 7. For eleven years the gala has recognized innovators and breakthroughs in New Brunswick's information technology industry. The event is hosted by Enterprise Fredericton,a local firm dedicated the city's business and workplace development. Tickets are $100 per person or $800 per table, and can be purchased via Wendy Gallant at Enterprise at 457-4863 or wendy.gallant@ent-fredericton.ca.

Companies growing fast

Rowser — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 10:21:49 -0300

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Eric Lewis

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Times & Transcript, Published Thursday April 9th, 2009

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http://timestranscript.canadaeast.com/rss/article/630270

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David Balser, VP of finance for Major Drilling Group International Inc. of Moncton, poses with his award last night.

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Vimsoft, Major Drilling make top 35 fastest growing companies list from Progress Magazine

Seven New Brunswick companies, including two from Metro Moncton, were honoured last night when Progress Magazine named its top 35 fastest growing companies for 2009.

Vinsoft of Dieppe and Major Drilling Group International of Moncton were among those awarded, at numbers seven and 20 respectively.

Progress Magazine rank Atlantic Canadian companies according to their cumulative revenue growth over a three-year period. The company that shows the most growth is named the fastest growing company in Atlantic Canada.

Atlantis Aviation of St. John's, N.L. was ranked number one for the second year in a row last night.

"The fastest growing company ranking identifies the region's high growth mavericks," Pamela Scott Crace, editor of Progress Magazine, said in a press release prior to the unveiling of the list.

"The further benefit of the survey is that it reveals the issues that are on the minds of business growers. Not surprisingly, the number one issue facing companies on the list this year is the broad spectrum of human resource challenges, as organizations strive to find ways to manage the challenges of growth in a tight labour market and in tougher economic times."

Businesses can submit to be considered for the list and they answer a survey relating to business issues.

When Joel DeWolfe, marketing director of Vimsoft, spoke to the Times & Transcript yesterday afternoon, he was not yet aware of where the company ranked in the top 35 list, and the Times & Transcript wasn't about to spoil it for him.

However, DeWolfe was happy the company made the list, noting that the company's revenues have shot up by several hundred per cent in the last few years.

"It's always nice to be recognized for our efforts," he says. "It's also important from the perspective that we're competing like other companies are not only for business but for employees."

Vimsoft creates information management software, computer programs that deal with asset management.

While the company is based in Dieppe, most of its clients to date are based elsewhere in North America. Broadcast engineering was Vimsoft's primary focus. They created software called VimBiz that allowed for more effective workflow processes related to managing assets and handling service requests.

Some of Vimsoft's clients include The Movie Network, American Forces Network, Major League Baseball Network, YTV, Harpo Productions and more.

Recently, the company began expanding into the warehousing sector on the local market.

DeWolfe says traditionally, warehousing companies required three types of software -- one to monitor activity within the warehouse, one for invoicing and one to handle payroll and accounting.

VimBiz handles all three. Cap-Pelé's Maritime Cold Storage uses the software to manage its assets. The entire company runs on Vimsoft software.

As that market continues to expand, Vimsoft will look at other sectors. DeWolfe says VimBoz was purposely built in a way that it was generic enough it could be moulded to fit the needs of a variety of businesses.

Remarkably, for a company named one of the fastest growing in Atlantic Canada, it only employs six people.

DeWolfe says the company is looking to grow soon and will be looking to hire more people, including experienced database administrators.

While economic woes are being talked about globally, it doesn't appear to be slowing Vimsoft down.

"When times are hard economically, the spotlight on our software doesn't really dim because people are looking harder than ever for efficiency tools, and that's what we provide," DeWolfe explains.

Major Drilling Group International is the other Metro company named among the fastest growing in the region. Certainly it is one of the companies with the greatest presence globally.

As one of the world's largest drilling service companies serving the mining industry, it maintains field operations and offices in Canada, the United States, South and Central America, Asia, Africa and Australia.

Other New Brunswick companies who made the list last night, and their rankings, include: Bulletproof Solutions of Fredericton (13), LuminUltra Technologies of Fredericton (14), Mariner Partners of Saint John (15), Professional Quality Assurance of Fredericton (25) and Plazacorp Retail Properties of Fredericton (30).

Fredericton has a good record of being an Intelligent Community

Rowser — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 09:38:58 -0300

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Anthony Knight

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Daily Gleaner, Published Tuesday April 7th, 2009

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http://dailygleaner.canadaeast.com/rss/article/627591

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For the second consecutive year, Fredericton has been named one of the Top Seven Intelligent Communities in the world by the Intelligent Community Forum, a New York-based think tank. This week a member of the selection committee is conducting a community visit with a number of leaders from the private, public and academic sectors.

This site visit is a critical component of the evaluation process for selecting the Top Intelligent Community.

Some citizens and business people may wonder how Fredericton has managed to elevate itself to a level where it is able to compete on the world's stage.

To start with, our community's wireless network and the model that supports it are recognized as the right approach to free wireless Internet. In fact, a mere five years after its debut, Fred e-Zone has emerged as one of the most successful broadband initiatives in North America.

There is also a broad range of research initiatives being undertaken throughout the community - both on and off campus. Laboratories and boardrooms are more closely linked today in Fredericton than ever before.

Information and communication technology, and engineering firms are more connected to university labs and faculties, resulting in increased success in obtaining research grants.

In fact, in the last five years, the University of New Brunswick has doubled the amount of research funding it receives.

Our education sector has taken bold steps to launch smart classrooms, increasing access to technology for students and giving teachers the tools to better instruct students and share best practices with one another. Students speak to other students from around the world and collaborate on common learning projects.

In fact, 14 local educators will be travelling to Memphis, Tenn., later this year to lead seminars for American teachers on how to successfully integrate technology into the grades 6-8 curriculum.

There are many other incredible stories throughout our community about people connecting with other people in meaningful ways through technology and innovative ideas.

I encourage our community to rally around this important opportunity and recognize the unique and innovative attributes that our smart city has to offer.

Let's challenge one another to embrace this recognition and leverage it to our community's advantage.

I hear from a number of companies and individuals they proudly share that they are from Fredericton - an Intelligent Community!

The Intelligent Community Forum will announce the Intelligent Community of the Year on May 15 during the Building the Broadband Economy 2009 conference in New York City.

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Anthony Knight is the CEO of the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce. He can be reached at Anthonyk@frederictonchamber.ca.

DEADLINE TUESDAY: KIRA Award Nominations

Rowser — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 16:59:44 -0300

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11th annual KIRA awards

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Just a reminder that Tuesday, March 31st is the deadline to nominate companies and individuals for this years KIRA awards. Please check out http://www.kiraawards.com/content/4870 for the nomination process.

Social media exploitation

Rowser — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 10:30:27 -0300

Author

Brett Bundale

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Telegraph-Journal, The, Published Saturday March 7th, 2009

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http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com/rss/article/594108

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B.C.-based tech whiz Tod Maffin will touch down in Fredericton this May to offer insight as a panelist at the New Brunswick Securities Commission’s annual Fullsail Summit. He will explain to delegates how to use online technologies to advance business goals, save cash and tap into the next cohort of talent. ‘Once I walk them through how it works they immediately recognize how effective it can be.’

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Generation Facebook Companies need to harness online tools to successfully recruit

Tod Maffin is teaching top executives how to recruit the Facebook generation.

As employers scramble to understand what makes the tech generation tick, Maffin walks companies through the new world of young talent: Where to find them, how to attract them and how to keep them engaged.

"The 18 to 32 year-old generation is different," he said during an interview from Vancouver. "Their whole raison d'etre is revolutionary."

The B.C.-based tech whiz will touch down in Fredericton this May to offer insight as a panelist at the New Brunswick Securities Commission's annual Fullsail Summit. He will explain to delegates how to use online technologies to advance business goals, save cash and tap into the next cohort of talent.

"The Facebook generation wants to change the world," he said. "They want to make sure the company they work for is committed to the environment or involved in the community."

Some companies have environmental policies and follow sustainable practices in the office, like recycling or trying to use less energy, while others make donations or volunteer within the community. These companies tend to appeal more to the Facebook generation, Maffin said.

"There is a real sense of advocacy among these youth and companies have just been extraordinarily lousy at articulating these values to them."

Many organizations stumble through a minefield of mistakes when trying to groom their future leadership and recruit the best and brightest from the new talent pool, he said.

"If companies are relying on placing stale ads in papers and using old-school recruiting techniques, there's a nasty shock in store for them," he said.

Maffin's foray into the world of technology and business took off in the 1990s during the heady days of the dot-com boom. In 1999 he launched MindfulEye.com, an artificial intelligence firm that went public in 18 months.

"I was a young executive sitting on shares worth a little under $10 million in my company," he said. "I learned quickly how to run a business and recruit the people I needed."

Maffin now spends most of his time as a national technology broadcaster for the CBC and giving media-savvy presentations to business leaders around the world.

To be successful at recruiting, Maffin said companies need to exploit the networking forces of social media websites such as Facebook, MySpace and YouTube.

These tools are used not only as a way to tap into a younger generation and find new recruits but as a way to encourage discussion and debate as well as company brand recognition.

Some organizations have launched Facebook groups while others broadcast messages about the company to potential employees on YouTube.

"It's not that hard a sell to get companies interested in harnessing these online tools," he said. "It's just fear of the unknown that stops them."

"I'm a nuts and bolts person," he added. "I don't want to turn these people into computer nerds or experts. People are smart and they get (why the technology is important for recruiting) right away."

However it's not just about using online social media tools, Maffin said, but using them effectively.

"A lot of companies have somebody in the organization that starts an account with the intention of poking around and seeing what there is to do," he said.

But Maffin warns of disastrous effects if companies jump head first into social media networking without a basic understanding of how it works.

Candy-maker Mars Inc. recently turned Skittles.com into a Twitter search results page. Instead of the regular website, Skittles.com became a live feed of any comments made about Skittles on Twitter.

Twitter is a microblogging platform that allows users to create individual profiles and post status updates - called Tweets - which can be viewed by anyone who follows that user.

"I think the idea was to say 'Hey look at us, we're into social marketing so we're cool,'" Maffin said.

"It's a pretty bold move but as a strategy it was just terrible because less than 20 per cent of the feeds were positive. So they pulled it off right away. But I would venture to say that sales did go up, so it was still effective."