Fresh off the presses!

City of Toronto's web animation tells the story

January 15, 2010

Flooded streets, closed roads and wet basements are an ugly reality during winter in Toronto. Some of the city’s water lines are 100 years old and despite an aggressive plan to update them, thousands of citizens feel the pain whenever one breaks.

Last year alone, the city of Toronto experienced over 1,400 watermain breaks and was inundated with calls from the media and citizens looking for information. A lot of resources were being consumed.

A few months ago, the City of Toronto turned to McLellan Group to create the first in a series of storytelling interactive modules available on their public website. The first is about watermain breaks, why they occur and what the city is doing about it.

“The challenge was telling their story in a way that would make sense to the average person” says Beth Stansell, Senior Account Manager at McLellan Group. “Not everyone has an engineering degree and can understand the complexities of watermain breaks and the programs the city has in place to combat these issues. We had to distill the information and create an easy to understand story that would satisfy the information needs of everyone who viewed it”.

“McLellan Group met the challenge, and the City of Toronto's needs, with innovation, creativity and professionalism,” says Catherine Pitt, Senior Communications Coordinator for the City of Toronto.

On January 12, 2010, 680 News reported that the city had experienced 90 breaks so far this year. They advised their listeners to view the website module to better understand the issues and what to do if they suspect a break. Feedback from everyone who has viewed the interactive web module has been exceptional and the city actually received free, positive media coverage by simply being proactive in communicating effectively. Outsourcing answers to the website has paid off!

The small investment in creating the web module is already paying dividends. “Not only is time being saved not having to explain details of breaks over and over on the phone, but the use of graphics and a simple style ensure that everyone comes away fully informed and satisfied” says Catherine.

Interactive Flash modules for the web are an excellent tool for simplifying complex issues in almost any business, from technology to financial.

Bottom Line: If you’re looking for help communicating with the public, give us a call. We’re happy to help.

Listen to the 680News report:

To view the City of Toronto’s watermain animation click here »

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