A local graphic artist wants to get the message out that Elliot Lake businesses remain rock solid despite COVID-19 restrictions that have seen many businesses closed now for more than a month.
Brad Parsons, chief creative officer of Big Fish Graphics, has launched a campaign intended to garner support for local businesses and at the same time raise money for those businesses in these difficult times when closures have seen revenues dry up.
Under the motto 'Rock Solid - we mean business', Parsons has set up a website to attract businesses to co-create t-shirts with him featuring the Rock Solid motto and their business logo. The t-shirts will sell for $19.95 with $10 going to the business featured.
“The campaign uses Rock Solid campaign,” he said in an interview with ElliotLakeToday. Since the launch, the site has attracted 11 businesses to participate in the program.
To get on board with the campaign, businesses are asked to register at the website. They can contact Parsons also to decide what will be on the t-shirts and the colour t-shirt they want. Businesses are asked to provide their company logo if they have one, though Parsons can assist with the design concept.
“Elliot Lake is here and the businesses are rock solid,” he said prior to launching the website.
The word 'rock' is associated with the Elliot Lake landmark rock island that is prominently situated and visible off the shore of the city’s main beach, Spruce Beach. Parsons has used the rock in past design campaigns he has used in the six years since he started Big Fish Graphics.
What he hopes is the t-shirt campaign will grow with pictures of people wearing the shirts put out on social media.
“It was a way for me to outreach with businesses I often do business with. And I have friends who are in business and literally have been closed,” he said. “It was a way for me to maybe say, 'What can I do to help you with a little income?'”
“My hope is when relationships build up, it will help when things start to ramp back up.”
Registration to participate in the campaign can be done on the website along with payment and delivery method. In Elliot Lake, delivery will be door-to-door which each business can do as part of its efforts to stay in touch with clients. T-shirts can also be shipped to outside locations with some additional cost. Information about that can also be found on the website.
Parsons can also be reached at Big Fish Graphics by calling 705-261-4444.