Simple Ideas and the Unexpected Create Magic

I'm a big fan of the KISS principle. In general, simple ideas when executed well can have big impact and often have the bonus of not being a logistical nightmare to pull off. If you can add in a little element of surprise or a dash of unique, you've got a winning recipe.

Flesherton is a small town near to where I grew up. The town has one traffic light and a handful of stores, not least of which is the Leslieville Cheese Shop (yes, of Toronto), Munshaw's Bistro (try the mustard chicken), and an art gallery. If you drive through, you might not think much of it, but Flesherton is also the home of Opera in the Barn. And yes, it is literally that. An opera played on a big screen in a barn.

It's based on a simple idea that you often see in rom-coms. Show an opera on a big movie screen for local people to enjoy. Serve them great food and wine and what's not to love? But, do it in a barn? Well, now you're talking. This little extra je ne sais quoi was surprisingly the best part of the evening. The barn is not an event space. It's on a farm complete with animals and the ... let's call them "earthy" smells you might expect. But it was precisely this juxtaposition between farm and culture that made the evening so extraordinary.

We were treated to Pavarotti in 1976 in La Boheme at the MET. Over a six course meal. And a little kitten that crawled up my father's leg so that it too could join us in the magical evening. It was a simple concept. A film, a dinner...but the barn. It went from simple to sublime and I can't wait to do it again.

Keep your events and campaigns simple.  Find the dash of creative and unique. And your programs are sure to be a hit!