Two U of G commerce alumni who started a business while students at the University of Guelph received the Small Business of the Year Award at the Guelph Awards of Excellence last week. Intrigue Media founders Paul Demarco and Rob Murray launched their digital advertising and marketing firm to gain practical business experience during their degree.

Intrigue Media creates local digital advertising for its clients on LCD monitors in high-traffic locations, and also offers a full range of online marketing services. Since launching in 2007, it has grown from a two-person operation with one LCD monitor to 233 monitors across 22 Ontario communities.

In 2013 alone, Intrigue Media supported numerous community organizations: Foundation of Guelph General Hospital, United Way, The Children's Foundation of Guelph/Wellington, Bracelet of Hope, the Guelph Chamber of Commerce, GWBEC, Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Guelph, KidsAbility Guelph, the Guelph Young Professionals Network, Innovation Guelph and more.

In 2009, Demarco and Murray were named to the Guelph Mercury’s Top 40 Under 40 list.