The Boston Bruins have partnered with the full-service digital marketing agency and Aegis Media group company, Isobar North America to launch the interactive Facebook game “Bruins Face Off.”

The interactive game allows Bruins fans to compete against their Facebook friends and fellow fans around the world by predicting the statistical output of their favorite players based on points, hits and shots on goal during each game of the playoffs. To play “Bruins Face Off,” fans can visit the Bruins Facebook page at www.facebook.com/NHLBruins beginning Wednesday, April 14.

“Bruins Face Off gives us the opportunity to leverage the popularity of Facebook and provide a new experience to our loyal fans just as playoff excitement kicks in,” Boston Bruins SVP of Sales and Marketing, Amy Latimer said. “Our goal is to create greater engagement between fans and the Bruins brand, and our investment in social media platforms has this potential.”

A number of prizes will be awarded to participants throughout the Bruins playoff run. Bruins fans will have the opportunity to win a variety of autographed Bruins memorabilia as well as a chance to win a suite at the 2010-‘11 Bruins home game at the TD Garden for the winner and 17 Facebook friends.

“One of the primary goals in creating Bruins Face Off was to build on fan excitement and give them a special way to get even more engaged with the team during this incredibly exciting playoff timeframe,” said Daren Trousdell, EVP of Sales and Marketing at Isobar North America. “This is the time of the year that fans live for and the team wanted to give all their fans - not just those lucky enough to have tickets - another way to be part of the game-time action.”

Isobar also created a successful interactive Facebook application for the Boston Celtics at the start of the NBA season called “3-Point Play.”

The 2010 Boston Bruins Playoffs are delivered by AT&T. Fans interested in learning more about Boston Bruins players, or ticket options, should visit the team website at www.bostonbruins.com or call 617-624-BEAR.

by Ann Curtin

On Monday, adidas and Isobar unveiled a series of exciting new enhancements to adidas miCoach, the interactive training service that delivers audible coaching while you run. Already one of the most advanced and personal applications on the Web today, miCoach.com incorporates new features and functionality that help runners better manage their training programs, and reflects adidas commitment to listening to the needs of consumers and creating a better experience for their miCoach users.

Key enhancements to miCoach.com include:
• A robust Routes management tool that enables users to create and edit routes, add ratings and notes to existing routes, and add, move or delete route points.
• New community tools that provide a forum where runners can share training tips with other runners, get tips and tricks on using miCoach, see upcoming events, access miCoach-related videos and get updates on the latest gear.
• Custom workout capabilities that enable runners to build their own custom workouts from scratch.
• A new Achievements section that recognizes key personal milestones, records and overall workout stats, such as fastest mile run, most calories burned, and more.
• Updated Reminder functionality that enable users to choose when they want to be reminded of workouts and when they’ve been inactive.

The enhanced site also provides adidas with sophisticated content management capabilities that enable each market to showcase featured products, as well as localized content, pricing and store locations to meet the needs of individual markets.

Global Frozen Food Leader Taps Isobar to Elevate Its Online Brand Presence

Global frozen food leader McCain Foods Limited and Isobar North America, a full-service digital marketing agency and Aegis Media Group company, announced today they will work together to enhance the company’s internal and external Web properties. McCain selected Isobar after conducting a formal review process, which included four competing agencies. The planning and discovery phase of the project is already underway, and the companies expect the projects to be completed by mid-year.

“We believe our digital initiatives will have a profound impact on the way we are perceived and engaged within the marketplace,” said Susan Rogers, Vice President of Global Communications for McCain. “To help us realize our goals, we sought a partner who values our brand and culture, understands the challenges and opportunities of being a global organization and has an advanced knowledge of the digital world. Isobar demonstrated all of this, while also pushing our team to recognize some exciting opportunities available to us.”

The Isobar work will be led out of the agency’s Toronto office, while leveraging the broad range of expertise across the firm’s global footprint.

“We have a fantastic opportunity here to drive deeper connections between the McCain brand and its key internal and external audiences,” said Isobar Vice President of Strategy Robert Simon. “The collective McCain/Isobar team feels a tremendous sense of common purpose in pushing forth a digital strategy that is the right fit for who McCain is today and where it’s going tomorrow, and we’re already off to a great start.”

“McCain is a great brand, grasping the opportunity to develop deeper more powerful relationships with its customers through digital communication,” said Nigel Morris, CEO of Aegis Media. “We are looking forward to partnering with them through Isobar to meet that potential.”

About Isobar North America, Inc.

Isobar North America, Inc. is a full-service digital marketing agency that combines digital strategy, creative, media, technology, and measurement to drive brand success in today’s technology-driven, consumer-controlled world. Formed by the merger of Ammo Marketing, Freestyle Interactive, Mindblossom and Molecular in 2010, Isobar North America’s team of more than 200 digital experts have been transforming the way the world’s biggest brands reach, connect and engage with consumers since the Internet’s inception. Its clients include adidas, Nikon, Northwestern Mutual, Procter & Gamble and Reebok. With locations in Boston, New York, San Francisco and Toronto, Isobar North America is an Aegis Media Group company. For more information about Isobar North America, please visit www.isobar.net.

About McCain Foods Limited:

McCain Foods Limited is an international leader in the frozen food industry, employing 20,000 people and operating 53 production facilities on six continents. A privately owned company headquartered in Florenceville and Toronto, Canada, McCain has annual sales of CDN$6.5 billion. McCain is the world’s largest manufacturer of frozen potato specialties and also produces other food products, including pizza, appetizers, oven meals, juice and desserts. The company’s products can be found in thousands of restaurants and supermarket freezers in more than 130 countries around the world. McCain also owns Florenceville, Canada-based Day & Ross Transportation Group, one of the largest transportation companies in Canada.