Last night at the Mercer Union Centre for Contemporary Art, Toronto restaurant chain Fresh was announced as the winner of the Marketing Budget Bailout, a contest that invited marketers to plead their cases to win a free integrated campaign worth $300,000.

On board to do the work is Toronto-based agency Elemental, as well as Cartilage digital and TV production, Kim Graham & Associates PR, Somerset Graphics print production and Westside Studio photography.

Fresh has been serving up healthy vegetarian and vegan meals in TO for 10 years and is now poised to take on major cities in the U.S.

‘We believe Fresh will prove to be that ideal client partner which will permit the latitude for great work,’ said Brent Wardrop, president of Elemental, in a release. ‘[Fresh owner Ruth Tal Brown’s] objectives are to take her restaurant beyond Toronto, for which our work will be instrumental in making happen. We believe that this work will be visible, appreciated and directly contribute to the success of Fresh.’

The Marketing Budget Bailout was first announced in June and promoted with direct mail, a microsite at Whatsinyourbudget.ca styled after Barack Obama’s presidential campaign and an Elemental street team that marched through Toronto’s downtown core in the style of a political protest.