Ardrossan woos Edmonton workers with throne stunt

Is it cringe to post throne on main? Apparently not, as Berlin Communications is planning to erect a nine-foot throne in the lobbies of several downtown Edmonton office buildings through Oct. 9, starting with Commerce Place this week. It's a continuation of the marketing firm's campaign for Strata Developments, dubbed The Kingdom of Ardossan, which aims to attract Edmontonians to "pay like a pauper to live like royalty" in the Strathcona County hamlet.

"The pop-up installation highlights that Ardrossan is only a 28-minute commute from Edmonton's downtown core, offering a convenient option for people who work downtown but want a relaxed and spacious environment to enjoy after work," an emailed release reads. To highlight the benefits of working in Edmonton while residing outside of it, the campaign includes a giveaway for a $2,414 gas gift card, which Berlin estimates is the annual cost of commuting between the hamlet and the city's core. "We embraced a playful, royalty-themed approach, emphasizing the freedom to live like royalty with more space and lower taxes," reads Berlin's case study for the campaign, which says home sales in the area have doubled since 2023.

BILD Edmonton Metro named Ardrossan the best community in the region earlier this year, rating it above three Brookfield Residential neighbourhoods in south Edmonton and Rohit Group's Cambrian in Sherwood Park. Berlin itself was recently recognized as one of Canada's top small agencies for work it has done for clients such as Sea Change Brewing Co., which operates a taproom in the similarly growing suburb of Beaumont.