The mission was to create a brand that would be internationally recognised.

The team at Abovegroup Ogilvy undertook extensive research and strategic planning – including stakeholder interviews, psychographic and demographic research, target market analysis and the development of a comprehensive brand audit and brand proposition for Secret Bay. The Creative team conceptualised and developed the brand identity, and touchpoints including all print and online collateral.

The vine-like brand property design was inspired by the many unique and organic elements that Dominica is known for – the winding roads, nature paths and hiking trails.

According to Art Director Tanya Williams, the brand property is used as a veil to add to the feeling of secrecy to the location of this eco resort.

The result?

A refined and approachable brand that efficiently communicates luxury, community, sustainability and quality in a global context. Secret Bay resort and Dominica are rapidly becoming recognised as the destination of choice among urbane travelers.

Since its doors opened in May 2011, Secret Bay has been booked solid despite the largest downturn in Caribbean travel since 1998. In addition, Secret Bay has been featured in several Regional and International travel and lifestyle press such as the New York Times, National Geographic, and more recently NBC’s Today Show as part of their annual ‘It List: Finest New Hotels in 2012’.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Kudos to the Creative, Strategy and Digital team: Directors Alex Smailes and Gareth Jenkins, Brand Strategists Adam Cooper and Cheyenne Baptiste, the Design team headed by Creative Director Marlon Darbeau and Art Director Tanya-Marie Williams, Head of Digital Tony Geer for building the website, Photographer Kibwe Brathwaite, and Copywriter Harriet Massignberd and the rest of the Abovegroup Ogilvy team for making this a branding success story.

From April 26th through April 29th 2012, The Metamorphosis Dance Company will be showcasing their latest production, Giselle, a rework of the classical libretto.

This Romantic ballet tells the story of a peasant girl named Giselle - whose ghost, after a premature death - protects her lover from the vengeance of a group of female spirits. The story deals with a man’s encounter with supernatural characters and dark beauty.

The rework of Giselle is set at the turn of the twentieth century in Trinidad on the Cumberland Cocoa Estate. The themes of betrayal in Act I and justice and mercy of Act II are explored to give a different resonance but engaging with the source to enter into an interpretive Caribbean discourse.

According to Artistic Director Nancy Herrera, this project has exposed Metamorphosis to the highest level of art, professional working artists and the theatre of the Contemporary Caribbean Ballet. It has given dancers an opportunity to perform a full length contemporary ballet and explore creativity and artistic expression in ballet in a Caribbean context.

A special shout-out goes to our team at Abovegroup Ogilvy for their work in the design and layout of the posters, flyers and programme booklets:
Creative Director, Marlon Darbeau, Designers Tricia Dukhie and Jared Brown, Photographer Kibwe Brathwaite, Copywriters Paula Obe Thomas and Zia Holder,

Showtimes are from Thursday and Sunday 6.30 p.m. 
Friday and Saturday 7.30 p.m

Have you ever tried doing push-ups wile eating a pie at a bar? How about a series of suggestive charades and mind-boggling trivia questions?  Add some karaoke and mix in beautiful “Bar War Babes” cheering you on…Not your average bar lime is it?  For the next two months however, you can expect to witness and even get involved in these entertaining activities at selected bars across Trinidad thanks to Bar Wars.

Bar Wars is a new project produced by Abovegroup Ogilvy and brought to you by Carib Brewery Limited. It comprises of a 15-week TV series that is sure to take 2012 by storm.

We are creating a fully functional, self-contained, game space mobile modular unit. This unit has its own unique branding where a variety of “bar games” and trivia questions will be played and scores tallied.

We will be visiting 24 bars over the next two to three months, in order to select the top eight teams.

Categories include: Music, Sports, General Knowledge, Entertainment and a final Qualification Round.

The Bar Wars events are set to occur three times a week from Thursday – Sunday and Tuesdays between the hours of 6-8pm.

The top eight teams from the heats will participate in the televised portion later in the year and both bar owners and teams will be eligible for really unique grand prizes.

Bar owners: Can you come up with a winning combination of friends through Bar Wars? Your job is to compile a killer team of three great minds (at least one female must be included).

Remember anyone can participate. Contact us for more information or better yet…check out the next Bar Wars events this week:

Thursday April 5th Jeff’s Bar, Rio Claro 7pm
Saturday April 7th College Bar, UWI 6pm
Sunday April 8th, Uncle Sam, Maracas Bay 6pm

Stay tuned…Let the games begin!

Thursday, March 29th 2012, Eastern wall of the Grand Stand, Queen’s Park Savannah from 7:00pm

Still looking to catch some vibes now that the Carnival season is over? Why not make your way down to the Queen’s Park Savannah for our latest Show & Tell mash-up.

We are collaborating with the German Embassy Port of Spain to introduce “Urban Heartbeat– an artistic encounter in public spaces”. Urban Heartbeat has been initiated by the Goethe Institut in Mexico City and will be touring Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean from February through March 2012.

From March 27th to the 29th, a three-day workshop will take place in Port of Spain. Our local Urban Heartbeat contest winners will collaborate with contemporary German artist Jim Avignon. Together they will design and create an extraordinary mural that will go up on the Eastern wall of the Grand Stand in the Queen’s Park Savannah (click here for the map).

To celebrate the wrap-up of the local contest, we will be hosting a special Show & Tell & Urban Heartbeat street art party on March 29th. Enjoy an evening of food, music and drinks while we showcase the work of our winners who together with Jim Avignon who will tell us all about the Urban Heartbeat project.

Expect to be entertained by Capoeira dancers as well as four International DJ’s: from Germany, DJ Neoangin aka Jim Avignon and DJ Holger Beier ,  T&T resident via Toronto Canada, DJ Shyguy, and of course Khafra Rudder (aka DJ Klik)—the International man of mystery.

Spread the word! Admission is free and so are the beverages (thanks to our sponsors Coca Cola, Shandy Carib and Mackeson). Please note that free drinks will be limited – you are welcome to bring your own, but please NO glass bottles.

There will be plastic recycling courtesy of Plastikeep, so show some love for our planet earth and help us dispose your plastic waste responsibly.

We begin at 7:00pm (Trini time) so bring your family and friends for this exceptional night of DJs, drinks, dancing and displays of design.

Limited parking will be available in the Paddock of the Savannah on the Western side of the Grand Stand. You can also find this event on Facebook. “Like us” and we’ll keep you up-to-date with future Show & Tell events.

We look forward to your presence!
For more information about the Urban Heartbeat project, please go to: http://www.urban-heartbeat.com or call 628.1630.

Special thanks to the German Embassy Port of Spain, the National Carnival Commission, Benjamin Moore Paints for supplying paint for the project, Johnny Q for their logistical expertise, and our beverage sponsors Coca Cola, Shandy Carib and Mackeson.

For more information, please contact Cheyenne Baptiste at cheyenne.baptiste.@abovegroupogilvy.com or Britta Salecker at
ku-10@port.auswaertiges-amt.de

The Urban Heartbeat Art Contest finally announced the winners of this leg of the exhibit from Trinidad and Tobago. The panel of judges from the Goethe Institute Mexico, including urban artist Jim Avignon and DJ Holger Beier (both urban art project experts), had to take the hard decision of selecting 9 winners from all the proposals that were submitted on the project’s Facebook Page.

Thanks to everyone who participated and hearty congratulations to the following winners of the Urban Heartbeat contest in Trinidad:

Richard Williams, Brianna McCarthy, Dean Arlen, Kriston Banfield, Danielle Boodoo-Fortune, Maria Elena Joseph, Luis Vasquez La Roche, Alicia Milne, Raquel Vasquez and Jennifer Perez Rojas

The tour dates for Port of Spain are the 26th-29th, March 2012. Our 9 local talents, together with Jim Avignon, will design and create an extraordinary mural that will go up on the eastern wall of the Grand Stand in the Queen’s Park Savannah.

This will also be the venue of a fabulous after party, which we will co-host as a Show & Tell. Starting at 7pm we will light up the wall, prepare the stage for the artists followed by DJs, drinks and dancing.

Opening Reception

Medulla Art Gallery
Tomorrow, Thursday 08 December 2011
6.30 – 9.00pm
37 Fitt Street, Woodbrook, Port of Spain
RSVP 740 7597 / medullaartgallery@gmail.com

Exhibition continues until 22 December 2011

Abovegroup Ogilvy’s neighbour and good friend Che Lovelace is hosting the opening of his new show at Medulla Art Gallery tomorrow from 6:30pm. We’d love it if you could make it - admission is free and it will be a fun evening out (oh, the art is awesome as well).

ABOUT THE SHOW
Conceived as an open studio event that takes place outside of Lovelace’s studio, Studio Swap will showcase many new, large-scale paintings, smaller works, and a projected piece. Lovelace’s new, large-scale paintings demonstrate the artist’s increased focus on the human body in various environments and situations. He has been using performance as part of his work process, executing and photographing specific actions, out of which he then develops his paintings. Short stop-motion films are also produced from these performances.

Parallel to his work with the body and movement, Lovelace has continued his long-standing series of Carnival and ‘Mas’ oriented paintings. A selection of the most recent of these works will also be presented. The artist has also been a fervent documenter of his works in progress as well as day-to-day life and moods in the studio, and a selection of these and other images will form part of the projected piece.

ABOUT THE ARTIST
Che Lovelace has had one-person exhibitions at Half Gallery, New York; the National Museum of Trinidad & Tobago; along with other Trinidad galleries. He recently showed at the 2011 Volta Art Fair in New York, represented by the Fine Arts Society Gallery, London. A selection of his portraits was recently exhibited at the Pertwee Anderson & Gold Gallery, London, UK. He has been included in exhibitions in Spain, Ecuador, Paris, Santo Domingo, and Curaçao, among other locations. In 1999 he was awarded the UNESCO-Aschberg Artist Bursary and he worked in London for several months under the auspices of INIVA (Institute of International Visual Arts), after which he completed artist’s residencies in Uganda and Venezuela. He studied painting at L’Ecole Regionale des Beaux Arts de la Martinique, (Regional School of Fine Art, Martinique).

ABOUT THE GALLERY
Medulla Art Gallery has been established to carry on and develop the traditions of Aquarela Galleries. Medulla, as the name implies, will provide a core space for art education with public participation through exhibitions, forums and seminars. Isabel Brash, Martin Mouttet and Geoffrey MacLean hope to use Medulla to demonstrate art, not only as a social expression, but also as a medium for therapy and growth. Workshops will form part of all exhibitions and include introductions not only to painting, but sculpture, print-making and media.

Street art is an essential medium for the exchange and connectivity of ideas, art and culture. It is alive and continues to spread throughout cities across the globe.

Urban Heartbeat is a regional project initiated by the Goethe-Institut in Mexico that features various artists from Mexico, the Caribbean and Central America. Now there is an opportunity for you to be a part of it.

Urban Heartbeat will run from February through March and all urban artists, designers, muralists, illustrators, and cartoonists are invited to participate in this exciting competition.

The entry deadline is January 10th 2012. The winning designs will be posted on walls in the streets of all the countries we visit, inspiring the imagination of local artists to share their work with yours giving rise to something new, a unique fusion of styles.

At the same time, in your own country, you will join a group of local artists to create an art space within a neighbourhood using the designs made by artists from the other nations.

In Trinidad and Tobago, Urban Heartbeat is organised by the German Embassy in Port of Spain in partnership with Abovegroup Ogilvy. Stay tuned as we will keep you all updated as we progress. 

Competition:

To sum up the idea of our project: If the jury picks your design, it will be used in every country of the tour to inspire the artists and allows them to involve your design in their own works. On top of that you’ll take part in the realisation of the mural in your hometown. Alongside German artist Jim Avignon and fellow local artists you will exchange and develop ideas and techniques.

After touring the region, the project will end up in Mexico City and subsequently Berlin, where a catalogue of the artwork and designs of all the artists will be presented in “Galerie neurotitan”, a unique space for urban and alternative art.

So what are you waiting for? Send us your proposal on Facebook under “de mi barrio a tu barrio” which is the Spanish name of the project or get more information on http://www.urban-heartbeat.com/

Friday November 11th, 2011
The Little Carib Theatre - Woodbrook, Port of Spain
8:30am–3:30pm

We are extremely excited to be a part of TEDx for the first time in Port of Spain Trinidad.
On November 11, 2011 (11.11.11), over one hundred of Trinidad & Tobago’s opinion leaders and impassioned TEDx fans will come together for a day of dialogue and networking for TEDxPortofSpain.

TEDxPortofSpain, an independently produced event operated under a licence from TED, is aimed at creating dialogue and action.

This event is sponsored by Trinidad & Tobago Entertainment Company, and hosted in partnership with Abovegroup Ogilvy and Demming Communications, on behalf of Keita Demming founder and lead facilitator of Village Seed Solutions.

The theme for TEDxPortofSpain is “Changing Conversations”. “If we are to change Trinidad and Tobago, the change must begin at the level of thought. One powerful influencer in changing thought is to change the conversation.”

“Changing Conversations” will feature 10 guest speakers all of whom have contributed significantly in various areas of practice from technology, entertainment, design, and entreuprenuership. Speakers include:

1.    Peter Minshall, artist, founder of The Callalloo Company

2.    Mark Raymond, President of TTIA (Trinidad & Tobago Institute of Architects)

3.    Georgia Popplewell, Managing Director of Global Voices

4.    Prof. Prakash Persad, Professor of Mechantronics

5.    Wendell Manwarren, artist 3Canal

6.    Dr. Kiran Akal, founder and president of Infinite Worlds Inc.

7.    Gregory Sloane Seale, Citizen Security, Ministry of National Security Trinidad & Tobago

8.    Ria Ramkisoon, Internationally recognised handbag designer

9.    Stefan Grosberg, Slow Food T&T

10.  Geoff Frankson, Founder and C.E.O of Better Health Ltd.

For updates and further information,

“Like” us on facebook
Follow us on twitter
Keep an eye on our website

The live TEDxPortofSpain event (11.11.11) is by invitation only and seats are very limited, however, there is still an opportunity for you to attend. Just complete our simple questionnaire to be considered for a seat: http://tedxportofspain.com/attend

We’re approaching that time again!  From September 21st to September 30th, the third annual Erotic Art Week will take place across several venues in Woodbrook Port of Spain.

The theme this year is Temporalis - Beauty, passion, sensuality and anything erotic, all seem to rise on the precious quality of being temporary, ending at any moment, fleeting…

Artists and anyone interested in contributing to Erotic Art week are urged to apply for submission. The deadline is August 26, 2011.

If you are interested, check out the Erotic Art Week website:
http://eroticartweektt.blogspot.com/?zx=12f2765364fd5b8e

What do you find erotic?

http://youtu.be/4dIpbxclNxE

Wednesday July 27, 2011
The Callaloo Company - C22 Western Main Road Chaguaramas
7:30 pm

This is the second instalment of our Shifting Spaces series and we’re heading out west for an evening of music, art and visual inspiration.

International photographer, Wyatt Gallery will share stories from his new book ‘Tent Life: Haiti.’ The book communicates the resiliency, dignity, and strength of millions of Haitians who are presently forced to live in temporary makeshift tent communities. These inspirational portraits show the people of Haiti living, working and striving to rise above the daily challenges they face.

International artist Wendell Mc Shine is comfortable in all realms of creative expression. A fearless talent, Wendell will take us through an emotionally provocative experience with a live demonstration of his art work, with an equally stimulating platform of creativity. Music and art collide as Wendell, together with a live DJ, create and construct his masterpiece.

Wyatt Gallery

Wyatt Gallery, a person not a place, is an American photographer who grew up in Philadelphia. He later received his BFA from New York University Tisch School of The Arts. His work has been exhibited worldwide including the Museum of Fine Arts Houston and American Express.

In addition his work has been published in the New York Times, Esquire, Mother Jones, and Newsweek to name a few.

Wyatt feels most at home when experiencing a new place and photographing spiritual sites throughout the world. In 2011 he published Tent Life: Haiti. 100% of the royalties go to Haitian Relief.

Wendell Mc Shine

Raw, transcendental and overly mystifying, It is no surprise that International artist Wendell Mc Shine is from the “Carnival” island, Trinidad & Tobago.

Currently based and producing work in Mexico City there’s a lucid cross pollination expressed through stunning iconography. When one moves full heartedly into the doorway of Mc Shine’s work, a multi level narrative, which constructs upon itself is discovered. Bandidos, Jewel Stars, King Crows, plantation houses, skulls, hibiscus flowers, etc., coexist in a world of wooden panels, canvases, organic animations and paper mache masks.

Admission is absolutely free!  Atmospheric music provided by DJ Shy-Guy.

Please note the start time. Doors open at 7:30 pm. For more information, check us out on Facebook (‘like’ us and see what we’re up to. We’ll buy you pack of “Zoomers” if you do.)

Special thanks to The Callaloo Company for providing us with a truly historic location and Vintage Imports for providing vino (while stocks last - we welcome your donations, yup the jar returns). You’re also welcome to bring your own drinks if you’d like. Copies of “Tent Life: Haiti” will also be on sale.

Hope to see you there!