Local Communications Firm Partners with Confederation College In New Lab
by Scott A. Sumner
www.thunderbaybusiness.ca
It was an idea in the mind of Jack Hudolin President of Generator Advertising for many years. A lab which would be focussed on pro providing research information from groups of people on many different topic areas. This data would be recorded, analyzed and used to help
businesses, government or institutions obtain the knowledge they need to proceed in an informed manner.
“ We opened up a pretty interesting lab with the vision of Jack Hudolin of Generator Communication. This is a Northern Insight Lab that has been opened up in partnership with Confederation College and The Generator and supported by the Northern Ontario Heritage Corporation. We will understand what northerners are all about in the sense of consumer trends or how they want to move forward on a economic development basis. It will help us learn more about ourselves. It ties in very closely with our Northern Ontario Growth Plan which will be the blueprint for the economics vision for the north for the next 10 to 20 years. This is part of how we get there,” said Michael Gravelle, Minister of Northern Development and Mines. “ Forming partnerships with the college and private sector will provide the students a place to
learn and we will become smarter at what we do. We are living in a very competitive world and need to be better at what we do to compete in the world. The NOHF supported this project to the tune of $117,000 for the room and laboratory. It is a good thing for what the Heritage Fund is all about. We want to get people better prepared for the future including our students.”
“ This is one of the rare times when a private sector partner comes in with a great idea. This is a special project. It is the first private sector partnership in my 20 years here. We are hosting the Generator and providing space from us.They are renting 1200 square feet right in the heart of the Shuniah building. The students will have the ability to use this leading edge tool and this will be an advantage for our students. The Generator has given us free rein until 2 pm each
school day for our students.” said Brian Campbell, Executive Director Government relations Confederation College.
“ We did a concept paper about 3 years ago on the idea to see if the college wanted this to happen here. They were looking for private public partnerships in a knowledge based industry and the only product that will come out of here is knowledge. The Heritage Fund saw the value of the project. Our firm provided more capital to assist in the project. It is very important for an institution to have relations with the private sector,” said Jack Hudolin President of Generator.
The new facility has the observation area and a board room area where a focus group can be. Northern Insights will go through a selection process of the participants. They would be greeted by one person and will have a video operator, a person asking questions as well as an observer. Everything is recorded. All of the quantitative results are done and reports put out.
“ We have done online research in the past but it has to be mixed with live responses where you can see them first hand. Each research will be different eg watching a commercial or using a new web site. A small business can rent it for their own use and conduct the research
in blocks of 4 hours. We create the questions so we know going in to focus on a piece of research. If a client wants more information on the response of a new product or a new web site design we can help,” said Hudolin. “ There are places like this in the large centers but we are the only one in the Northwest and there is a small one in the Sudbury. It is accessible by all here at Confederation College,a good central location. I have been working on this project for many years and excited to see it happen now as it’s time has come.”
