Lögberg-Heimskringla - 27.04.1990, Page 3

Lögberg - Heimskringla • Föstudagur 27. april 1990 • 3
Recent activities of the
Jon Sigurdsson Chapter iODE
On Saturday, March 17, 1990, the Jon Sigurdsson Chapter IODE, held
their annual Birthday Bridge and Whist Luncheon at Betelstadur.
The function was well attended, thanks to the residents of Betelstadur
and other friends in the community.
Luncheon was served at noon, followed by an afternoon of bridge and
whist.
The winners were: lst Bridge - Shirley McCreedy, 2nd (tie) - Vic
Wainwright and Edie Coutts, lst Whist - Sina Clegg, 2nd (tie) - Margaret
Murphy and Hrund Skulason.
The bake table was a very popular spot. The ladies were busy trying to
keep up with demand.
The draw was made for the large Icelandic doll. Congratulations to the
winner, Mrs. Peter Gunvaldsen.
Thanks to all the people who bought raffle tickets and made this project
a success.
The Jon Sigurdsson Chapter sold more small dolls. The total is now over
70 in the past year. This is approaching the target number set at 100 because
of the lOOth anniversary of íslandingadagurinn. Hopefully that number will
soon be reached so that the project will be closed out, because the Chapter
is currently well into their latest endeavour, preparing Volume 2 of the
Soldiers Book (Icelandic service men and women in World War II) for
printing.
Submitted by Rose Clyde
Commercial success for
Ad Agency Exports
One branch of Icelandic industry
appears to have found a niche market
where it can more than match the
quality of products from neighbour-
ing countries, for as little as half the
price - in the unlikely-sounding field
of television commercials.
PR men themselves claim the main
reason originates with Iceland’s
small advertising market, with its
population of 250,000 and language
spoken nowhere else. Producers of
TV commercials have simply been
forced to find ways of maximizing
quality while minimizing costs. Ad-
vertisers can’t afford to pay through
the nose for commercials - but still
expect them to be just as eye-catch-
ing and hard-selling^as the high-
budget items from abroad that theirs
are screened alongside.
An expensive video commercial in
Iceland costs USD20-30.000 to make
- around half the price of a compa-
rable product in the UK or US. This
work is on an intermediate quality
level, which is where the Icelanders’
competitive edge lies; they have nei-
MESSUBOÐ
Fyrsta Lúterska
Kirkja
Pastor Ingthor I. Isfeld
10:30 a.m. The Service followed by
Sunday School & Coffee hour.
First Luthcran Church
580 Victor St., Winnipeg MB
R3G 1R2 Ph. 772-7444
ther the experience nor facilities to
compete higher up the market.
Above all, it is lower wage costs
that make Icelandic commercials less
expensive, in two separate ways.
Crews and production staff in gen-
lcelandic Advertlslng’s Marla Galland
ad: a young export lndustry with a
classícal touch.
eral are smaller than those in most
other countries, and fees charged by
directors, producers, composers,
actors, musicians and models are
peanuts compared with the sums
their foreign colleagues take.
What Man saves Icelandic agen-
cies agencies in moderate fees,
Mother Nature doubles and re-
Worklng To Koep Our Heritage
CANADA ICELAND
FOUNDATION
Secretary - phone 1 - 204 - 453-3022
Mrs. S. Borga Jakobson
205 Montrose Street
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3M 3L9 j
Magnús Eliasson Honoured
by Dilla Narfason
Magnús Elíasson was honoured
when he received the Life Member-
ship Award on April 2,1990, during the
40th anniversary convention of the
Manitoba Association of UrbanMu-
nicipalities.
President Homer Gill recognized
the contributions Magnús had made
when serving on the Resolutions Com-
mittee, Finance Committee and when
representing MAUM on the Manitoba
Environmental Council. Recognition
was also given to his years as a council-
lor in the City of Winnipeg, as well as
his tireless efforts as a campaigner for
the CCF/NDP party since 1954. On a
personal note, Mr. Gill drew attention
to Magnús’ gentle manner and numer-
ous approaches during his many years
of public service.
The standing ovation ffom over 200
delegates and guests demonstrated
the deep respect and feelings of
warmth from members of this organi-
zation for their fellow colleague,
Magnús Elíasson.
doubles with majestic landscapes.
Finding exotic locations for filming
can cost producers in major indus-
trial countries an arm and a leg; in
Iceland, they’re just down the road
and round the corner.
Agencies and film companies in
Iceland have already been doing con-
tract work int heir local environment
for foreign producers of, for example,
car advertisements. And recenlty, the
Reykjavík-based Saga Film shot foot-
age in a distinctly thirst-inspiring wil-
derness, which will be used in a TV
commercial for the Scottish MacE-
wans brewery.
In other cases, companies have
been lured to Iceland as much by
human nature as Mother Nature. Ice-
landic Advertising, for example, pro-
duced a high-quality 35mm commer-
cial for the French cosmetics
company Maria Galland, without a
single landscape shot. All work was
undertaken within the four walls of
the studio, for what the Icelandic
team claimed was half the price the
buyers would have expected to pay in
their home country.
For Icelandic ad men, too, foreign
commercial work is a welcome im-
age-booster to counter the frequent
accusations of being a fifth wheel
under the juggernaut of consumer-
ism. Suddenly, they’re recognized as
creating wealth, not syphoning it off;
by adding ads to the variety of Ice-
landic exports, they can at last join
the trawlermen in Iceland’s foreign
currency-earning hall of fame.
Courtesy of News from Iceland
Minnist
BETEL
í erfðaskrám yðar
lcelandic
Content on p. 8
A short synopsis of Aðalsteinn
Kristjánsson’s story “Véfrétt úr
uppsveitum” wiH appear in the paper
upon its conclusion.
Letter from
lceland
We have again received a letter
from Iceland. This time it is Jón
Hjaltason who writes. He wishes to
inform Western Icelanders of a se-
ries of books on the history of
Akureyri. Volume one will be pub-
lished this November. It is 300 pages
long, and is estimated to cost 5000
Icelandic krónas. Many pictures,
paintings, and illustrations decorate
the book, and a short English synop-
sis of its contents will appear at its
conclusion.
Prospective buyers should write
to: Jón Hjaltason Amtbókasafnið á
Akureyri, Pósthólf 300, IS-602
Akureyri, Iceland.
Jóh Hjaltason also wants to know,
whether Western Icelanders have
any old pictures or postcards of
Akureyri and its inhab itants that they
are willing to lend Jón, for inclusion
in his books. These will, of course,
be returned immediately following
use.
Lögberg-Heimskringla
encourages its subscribers to submit
news material or other articles of
interest for publication. We prefer
typewritten material accompanied, if
possible, by pictures. The pictures
will be returned immediately following
publication