As readers of this blog, you’ve probably noticed we’ve made a slight name/masthead change. This is in an effort to provide a better idea as to what our blog is about and what we believe. Since 2000, but over the last couple of years in particular, our parent corporation has been evolving and expanding to serve other diverse audiences to better reflect Canada’s ever-changing demographics (of which, DMS is a direct outcome of that strategy) … it’s what we call the New Mainstream™.

We consider it a kind of “super brand”. Our commitment mirrors Canada’s best intentions…to move beyond accommodation and tolerance, reject racism, preferring to choose acceptance as a major defining characteristic. When you think about, any nation that respects and supports its own diversity therefore has a unique respect for the diversity of all peoples and their communities … fiercely Canadian and heritage-proud. Indeed, quite a brand.

On a different and much more compelling note, a television PSA was released last week to encourage support and international aid to devastated Burma.

The ad was created/produced by Viacom, MTV, Ogilvy & Mather, and Shilo Design. I saw today via PRNewswire, that the 90-second spot is being distributed to “participating MTV networks worldwide, video-sharing websites and displayed on MTV’s 25-by-40 foot HD screen in New York City’s Times Square.” I’m a little late in mentioning this, but if you haven’t seen it, it’s really worth a look.

The film was originally intended to drive web traffic to the noneofusarefree.org web site. As Shilo indicates on their web site, “this film was to raise awareness on the Burmese peoples ongoing peaceful protests against their military government’€™s notorious human rights violations. When Cyclone Nargus hit, causing untold loss of life and devastation across the country, we immediately altered the spot to address the immediate need for aid. We hope to compel the global community to act in the face of this tragedy.”

To watch “Burma Viral” in its original resolution you can click here, although it may take a little time to load.  A lower resolution version can be found on YouTube, here.