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Bye-bye monster bins, hello more headaches

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EUCAN, the owners of the monster bins and silver boxes, have new owners who are re-branding the company Ecomedia. And the new owners have made every attempt to distance themselves from their arrogant predecessors.

Two weeks ago, Ecomedia president Craig Marwood called Spacing to let us know they were not fans of the monster bins and were beginning the process of removing the offending waste receptacles. Marwood even asked us to provide a list of the most offensive bins and he would make sure they were removed. A list of 15 the worst offenders was fired off (we also stated that all of them should be removed and replaced with the silver boxes or the city’s black and blue wire garbage bins). This week, our list of bins, plus others submitted by community groups, residents, councillors and BIAs, are moving off the streets.

But the monster bins are not exactly dead. Marwood said he was pleased to see the quality of materials used to make the ECO-MUPIs (the official name of the monster/mega bins). He hopes the bins from the street will eventually make their way onto the properties of industrial complexes and suburban corporate offices (aka business parks). Take out the ad and place the logo of the company on which the bin sits, install it near the smoking area of the property, and the bin becomes much more appropriate and no longer a pedestrian obstacle.

It seems obvious that the new owners of the bins have their wits about them unlike the previous regime at EUCAN. The former monster bin owners were completely inept at public relations and unintentionally went out of their way to court bad press (anyone remember EUCAN ignoring all the results of a City-sanctioned survey except for the one part that was positive about the bins? Or smear job they try to pull of the Toronto Public Space Committee? Read about both stunts in this post). Ecomedia wasn’t aware of these shenanigans until our conversation.

It remains to be seen if Ecomedia is just talking the talk. I certainly appreciate their candor, and since they’re not bidding on the new street furniture contract, there is no long-term vested interest is being nice guys. On the other hand, as owners of the garbage bin contract that lasts until Oct. 2009, they have to pay the City fees ($20 per can, per month) plus a share of ad revenue. Now, the owners have had to re-negotiate the deal that sends money to City (which means residents of Toronto are receiving much less money than guaranteed in writing). I have little knowledge of how these type of contracts work, but I don’t think I’m alone when I say I can’t understand how a contract, once signed, can be re-opened. If you promise the City X amount of money, that’s what you have to give. If you can’t generate the revenue to pay the bills you take out a loan, don’t shaft Torontonians. I’d expect councillors to stick up for us, but we’re short on representatives willing to be brave in the face of adversity.

Sadly, the chair of the Works Committee, Glenn De Baeremaeker, is one of our weak-kneed councillors when it comes to ad-creep who continues to be an apologists for the ad-funded street furniture program. He has not shown any kind of sophisticated knowledge of how bad public-private ad revenue partnerships can go (read my article from the current Spacing issue that outlines the last three years of ad creep in Toronto). He was even put in his place by Janet Davis, an allied councillor, early in 2006 (watch the YouTube video of it). In the Star today, De Baermaeker is even taken to task by one council’s least-effective councillors, Denzil Minnan-Wong. When one of the city’s most conservative councillors starts to wonder publicly about the financial rewards of an ad-funded street furniture program, you know the project is bound to flop.

We don’t have to look far if want to see the lack of success Toronto has had in the last 10 years selling off its essential infrastructure. No one in this situation, besides the advertiser, is winning. And how is that good for the residents  or government of Toronto?

Article links:
• Goodbye to the megabins [ Toronto Star ]
• City loses out on promised bin revenue [ Toronto Star ]
• City to downsize “unloved” megabins [ National Post ]

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6 comments

  1. How was Ecomedia unaware of something that could be easily Googled, particularly if they were canny enough to lobby the Spacers to get them onside? (And with this post, even with its qualifications, the Spacers have delivered.)

  2. Because they were told they should call us by folks at city hall. They admitted never hearing about us or reading us before our phone call.

  3. I still can’t believe the name they had for those things. “EcoMupi?” What’s a “mupi?”

  4. I couldn’t understand this whole “rewrite the contract” thing either. But then it became clear – the city doesn’t own their garbage bins. So if the company folds, we have no bins.

    Hmmm…does this sound like maybe there might be problems ahead for the street furniture deal? WHAT, in the city’s opinion, has been so POSITIVE about its experience with ad-funded stuff that makes us want to do so much more of it?

    Once again, we’ll be stuck with a company that has no incentive to maintain upkeep, who will be able to renege on their promises and bilk us of millions of dollars…

    But I have to agree with Joe about the new owners – of course they’d say that they never liked the megabins – if they’re interested in doing business (or renegotiated their contract) they have to distance themselves as much as possible from that fiasco.

    And the fact that they’re “reaching out” to public space people? That’s what I’d do too – they know that together we’re a formidable threat, and if they can soften us up by taking out the megabins (which they can’t use for advertising anyway, and are an embarrassing reminder of the company’s past) and saying the right thing… well it only makes sense.

  5. Ecomedia may not have known about the smear job because the info wasn’t passed on to them. If they had never heard about it why would they Google it? Just because it exists on Google doesn’t mean it has been read or seen. Especially if it was not a popular news item (which I don’t think it was).

    I think both sides in this debate are presented here while the writer clearly showing where he stands. I don’t think he is “onside” with EUCAN. Reaching out to public space advocates will do noting to help EUCAN renegotiate their contract. obivously they want good press, but they didn’t exactly get that either. Just press.

    You can direct your anger at EUCAN, but really its the city who is to blame. EUCAN is doing their job and its up to the city to decide if they want it. They have decided that they like it, so they become the targets. re-reading the post, that’s what Matt has done — saved his most critical words for Glen DeB. While he might be great on the recycling front, he has been shown to have no internal gauge on what is crass and what is good for our street furniture.

    Spacing is a good example of how to do advocacy journalism without sounding like angry an NOW reporter (Mike Smith is the exception).

  6. For Immediate Release

    EcoMedia Direct boosts recycling SilverBox® initiatives; new eco-media.ca site launched

    Toronto, Ontario, June 8, 2007 — EcoMedia Direct Incorporated, which owns and operates the world’s largest Public Space Recycling Program, today officially announced the launch of its eco-media.ca website.

    According to Erich Genseberger, CEO of EcoMedia Direct, “our popular SilverBox Recycling Program, combined with the company’s new online presence, will serve as foundations for future growth as we move forward into markets throughout Canada, the U.S. and Overseas.”

    “We are an outdoor advertising company providing an important recycling service to the public, and we work closely with advertisers promoting their brands on our distinctive SilverBox units. EcoMedia’s focus is on the environment, as well as outdoor media opportunities for our customers.”

    Genseberger, a former senior automotive executive, assembled a strong management team to restructure Eucan Urban Equipment of Canada which was acquired earlier this year. “In order to reflect its new image as an eco-friendly public space advertising company, Eucan was renamed EcoMedia Direct Incorporated. “We have senior executives with international experience in Sales, Marketing, Finance and Operations, to elevate EcoMedia to new heights. At present, we manage the highly-visible SilverBox Public Space Recycling Program in municipalities throughout Ontario, and work in conjunction with all the stakeholders in these municipalities, including the City of Toronto.”

    “Having such a strong and experienced team in place will enable us to pursue an aggressive growth strategy. At the same time, we are working to re-establish the company and revitalize our existing recycling unit inventory within our current territories. Going forward, we will focus on expanding our Public Space Recycling Program efforts in Canada, the U.S. and International markets,” said Genseberger.

    “EcoMedia is communicating with new municipalities to adopt our programs within their boundaries. In fact, we are currently in discussions with several major U.S. cities to implement the SilverBox Public Space Recycling Program which has achieved a substantial level of success – thanks, in large part, to the people and the City of Toronto. It is an important solid waste diversion process, with extremely positive results.”

    “We are also looking for strategic public and private partnerships which will complement their organizations and businesses, and, in turn, assist us to grow market share. We have a real belief in preserving the environment, and EcoMedia provides an excellent opportunity for our customers and partners to make a contribution to the general public and the environment itself,” Genseberger said.

    “Beyond our current product offering, we are planning to launch exciting new products in the future, designed to enhance different aspects of recycling. Combined with outdoor advertising, these recycling products will nicely blend into the unique landscapes of different cities which adopt our programs.

    “Now that the Blue Box Recycling Program is firmly entrenched as a practice in peoples’ homes in many municipalities throughout Ontario, and, in fact, Canada, we have made it possible for people in Toronto, Markham, and the Toronto District School Board to continue their recycling habits when they are out-of-home,” said Craig Marwood, President of EcoMedia Direct. “Our program allows people to continuously, and not selectively, recycle. This is what is so positive for the environment.”

    “Our new eco-media.ca website is a tool to create awareness for the public, and for our customers to obtain online information, 24/7, about the products we offer. We want to be known as ‘the environmentally-friendly media company’. We are not just another outdoor advertising company – we provide quantifiable benefits to the public and the environment.”

    Genseberger echoes Marwood’s comments, adding he believes EcoMedia is now positioned to make a much broader positive environmental impact, saying “we are committed to further grow our leadership position and Public Space Recycling Programs. We are excited about where we are going, and we look forward to developing new relationships with responsible municipalities, while at the same time, aggressively moving into new corporate and commercial spaces to promote the combined benefits of recycling and advertising.”

    “EcoMedia will host a Media Event on Wednesday June 27, 2007, in Toronto. Further details will be posted on eco-media.ca on June 15, 2007, and we are inviting those interested in joining us as we unveil one of our exciting new programs.”

    -30-

    For more information, please visit:

    http://www.eco-media.ca

    **Photos and a hi-res graphic are available upon request.

    Media Inquiries, or to arrange for an interview, contact:

    Gary Dolson – Director of Public Relations

    EcoMedia Direct Inc.

    Tel: 416.259.3200 ext. 246

    Toll Free: 1.888.592.2227 ext. 246

    Cell: 416.436.7643

    E: gdolson@eco-media.ca