Still flying – Volare

The year was 1985 and Gord’s Sail, Cycle and Ski was the first business to take a leap of faith by hiring the all new Deschenes Regnier – that was 30 years ago and counting. Our inaugural client!

Sadly, that local retailer – a Winnipeg favourite is no longer. I recall throwing everything we had at them; trend-breaking design, countless hours thinking of perfect ad headlines, running approved ad material to publications, approving colour keys and managing the printing for direct mail pieces, listening intently in the sound studio to guarantee the new jingle would be memorable, agonizing over radio buys (timing, cost and frequency), essentially making sure our brave new client was happy every step of the way. I think back then, they would have called it “good service”. In our minds, we probably dialled it in under ‘survival mode’, ‘do an amazing job and Gord’s will stay a client’. We grew from that point on thanks to the best technology of the day. Because there were no computers, let alone email, our primary go-to tool was our less than stellar corporate vehicle. We would drive everywhere and as often as necessary (wait for this interested car buffs), in our all-white 1977 Plymouth Volare Sedan. We’d park out of site so as not to be seen belonging to such a mature car. I can imagine the world-renowned tenor, Sergio Franchi would not have approved (see the youtube ad below). But those early experiences set the tone for 3 decades of pushing ourselves – offering ‘bend over backward’ service with style our clients still appreciate.