TABIA invites the public to enter the 'Get To Know Your Neighbour' contest

TORONTO , Feb. 2 /CNW/ - John J. Kiru, Executive Director of TABIA-Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas, today announced an open contest to name a business and write a creative headline for an advertisement to support a new 'local neighbourhood businesses' campaign.

The Get To Know Your Neighbourhood contest is open to all residents and closes February 28, 2010 .

"Think Big-Buy Local" posters began appearing in bus shelters and the TTC Subway featuring nine different posters with photographs of actual BIA business proprietors in their shops or offices throughout the city in September.

Catch phrases headlined each poster pertaining to a specific business. For example, the poster featuring butcher Mark Ali , of the Lakeshore Village BIA, cutting a roast for a customer reads: "MY NEIGHBOUR TRIMS MY FAT."

The poster with a photo of Chef, Ed Pottinger , displaying a dish from his kitchen in the Riverside BIA headlines: "MY NEIGHBOUR JERKS MY CHICKEN."

Tailor, Saul Korman , from the Greektown on the Danforth BIA, measuring a customer, has a headline that reads: MY NEIGHBOUR SAYS SIZE MATTERS.

Cute and fun! Now TABIA is looking for anyone who is interested in putting their creative juices to work to come up with a unique headline for a business in their BIA. Twenty of the best headlines will be chosen and published. From the twenty contest winners, three grand prize winners will be selected, and awarded Key to the City prize experiences (including accommodations, entertainment and dinner) in one of Toronto's exciting and diverse BIA neighbourhoods.

Local business owners will be photographed based on the business category of the winning lines. The photograph and headlines of the twenty winning posters will be transformed into advertisement posters that will be posted in bus shelters and subway cars in late March/Early April in 2010. The winners will also receive a 'bragging rights' copy of the poster to show family and friends. The contest will be open to the public until February 28, 2010 by visiting www.yourgoodneighbours.com.

For further information: Joe Lewis, TABIA, [phone], [email protected]