Toronto-based creative shop Open has launched their first campaign for Bier Markt, Toronto’s premier European-inspired bier and food experience, with the tagline Bier is Beautiful.
The campaign is for the Bier Markt’s Abbey Bier Fest, on from January 30th and running until March 17th, and features out of home, billboards, transit ads and in-restaurant communications. All the campaign elements promote the perfect beers for winter months that are being featured during the festival.
“Targeting the avid bar and restaurant goer, this campaign is really a celebration of beer and about elevating the experience surrounding it”, said Christian Mathieu, Partner, Open. “Bier and food pairing is finding its place next to wine. People want their beer to do more than just quench their thirst”.
Open Partner Martin Beauvais adds, “We've been fortunate to have worked in beer accounts for most of our career. We like beer and we couldn't be more pleased that we got to this tagline, ‘Bier is Beautiful’. It's refreshing that we can claim such a grand thing — and Bier is a beautiful experience at Bier Markt, from the way they serve it to the way they pair it with food."
Open was awarded the Bier Markt account in October 2012 after in a RFP process with several advertising agencies.
“We are excited about this campaign and the new positioning,” said Grant Cobb, Senior Vice President, Brand Management Prime Restaurants. “ ‘Bier is Beautiful’ is a great platform for everything we do and will be used for all future promotions, including one planned for the spring and Oktoberfest.”
Credits: Client: Bier Markt Creative Agency: Open Creative Co., Toronto Partner, Creative: Martin Beauvais Partner, Strategy: Christian Mathieu Copywriter: Layton Wu Art Director: Tyler McKissick Project Lead: Anne Ngo Photography: Vince Noguchi & Rob Fiocca Retoucher: Dwain Jones via: Glossy
Vancouver, September 5, 2013 – DDB Canada is pleased to announce that the British Columbia Automobile Association (BCAA), after an extensive search, has selected the Vancouver office as its agency of record (AOR), responsible for the BCAA brand and its lines of products and services. As its new agency partner, DDB Canada will help BCAA drive new membership, introduce new products and further strengthen the organization’s relationships with its 800,000+ members across British Columbia.
“BCAA started in the area of roadside assistance, but has evolved into a multifaceted brand that places its members and customers at the heart of every service it provides,” says Lance Saunders, executive vice president managing director, DDB Canada, Vancouver. “When you truly look after your members and customers, like the way BCAA does, they can become strong brand advocates, harnessing the power of word of mouth, digital and social tools to spread positive messages. For an agency, this is a dream foundation to build from.”
Effective September 2013, DDB Canada/Vancouver will provide strategy, creative, media buying and planning services, in partnership with OMD Vancouver.
“We are excited to partner with DDB Canada,” says Heidi Worthington, senior vice president and chief marketing officer, BCAA. “At BCAA, we consider our agency as a strategic partner. DDB combines award-winning creative with insight-rich strategy, which will help to further strengthen the BCAA brand. Our trust and reputation with our members and customers is the foundation for our growth. It is from this solid base that BCAA will continue to provide an outstanding experience with our insurance, roadside assistance services, and further expand our product offerings and member savings partners worldwide.”
About BCAA
BCAA is one of the most trusted organizations in British Columbia, serving one in four B.C. households. With over 800,000 Members, BCAA provides an array of home, auto and travel insurance products, roadside assistance and Member savings at over 150,000 partner locations worldwide. J.D. Power has ranked BCAA “Highest In Customer Satisfaction among Home Insurance Providers in Western Canada” two years in a row (2012 and 2013) – details at jdpower.com. Now in its 107th year, BCAA has over $400 million in annual sales, 27 locations and over 900 employees. To learn more about the benefits of BCAA Membership, visit bcaa.com and for more information on the BCAA Road Safety Foundation visit bcaaroadsafety.com
About DDB Canada
Named Strategy’s 2012 Agency of the Year and Digital Agency of the Year, DDB Canada is the most creatively acclaimed, internationally recognized marketing communications agency in Canada. Known for advertising that generates significant results for clients, DDB Canada is a “total communications company” whose fundamental belief is that creativity is the most powerful force in business. DDB Canada has offices in Vancouver, Edmonton, Toronto and Montreal. The agency’s integrated groups include: DDB Kid Think (youth marketing), DDB Public Relations, Tribal Worldwide (digital and social), Karacters Design Group, RAPP Canada (direct) DDB Hodes Recruitment Communications (recruitment marketing) and Shopper DDB (shopper marketing).
This year marks the 30th birthday of Toys”R”Us Canada. As the company matures into adulthood, what better time for the brand to pledge a promise to its supporters to remain forever young.
Toronto-based creative agency Open created a film dedicated to the young at heart, be they young, old, or somewhere in between. The message is a playful reminder to never grow up and a shout-out to those who stay playful by doing the things they love. A corresponding Facebook app, called “Never Grow Up”, was created to allow users to take the Toys“R”Us oath online. After submitting their own oaths of what they will always do to stay young, a map then shows their location, along with others, to create a cross Canada portrait of the young at heart.
“The film demonstrates the things that those who are young at heart promise to always do, from playing with bugs, to keeping a sense of wonder, to rolling down hills or firing off bottle rockets. The film has a sweet side, but focuses on the lightheartedness that is inherently Toys”R”Us.” Says Martin Beauvais, Partner, Creative, Open.
“The film is also a nod to the brands’ roots and the nostalgia associated with the jingle we all know,” adds Christian Mathieu, Partner, Strategy, Open.
Creative Credits: Campaign Title: I Will Always Client: Toys”R”Us Canada
Creative Agency: Open Partner, Creative: Martin Beauvais Partner, Strategy: Christian Mathieu Copywriters: Kate Thorneloe / Laurent Prud’homme / LauraBeth Cooper Art Directors: Jessica Carter / Jessica Rogers / Tyler McKissick Agency Producer: Brie Gowans Project Lead: Anne Ngo Project Manager: Nicolas Rouleau
Production Credits - FIlm Production Company: Descendants Executive Producer: Tasha Litt Director: Lloyd Lee Choi DOP: Oliver Millar Line Producer: Michelle Woodward Offline Editorial: Saints Executive Producer: Michelle Rich Editor: Robin Haman Online: AXYZ Flame Artist: James Andrews Producer: Kara Mallard Colour: Alter Ego Music & Sound Design: Apollo Studios Director: Yan Dal Santo Producer: Tom Hutch
Production Credits – Facebook App App Development: A Nerd’s World
The latest work from Nike Sportswear and long-time collaborator Royale, a digital design company with offices in Los Angeles and Seattle:
Royale’s incredibly detailed CG animation takes us on a fantastic voyage of the design and execution process of a hoodie, from threads being woven on a high-tech, circular-knit loom to its perfect fit on a person’s body. Nike Tech Fleece is a unique thermal fabrication that merges a smooth jersey with a synthetic spacer to create “Warmth Without Weight.”
“Nike wanted a piece that shows how an equal amount of technology goes into building its street wear as does its footwear,” said Brien Holman, ECD/Partner at Royale. “The actual process of creating such a lightweight fleece is what we wanted to focus on. We built a CG loom that would realistically spool hundreds of thousands of threads into one piece of fabric. The Tech Fleece Hoodie is constructed within this loom, giving extra attention to the elements that make it unique.”
The spot is running online at sites such as YouTube and throughout Nike’s media channels, which include its retail store screens, outdoor media and Nike.com.
Royale’s effort supports the launch of the Nike Tech Pack: Tech Fleece debut Fall/Holiday 2013 Collection, which is now available at Nike Sportswear retailers and Nike.com. Tech Fleece evolves the fit, feel and function of Nike’s most iconic sportswear silhouettes—such as hoodies, crewnecks and zip-up sweaters—to the fabric.
Production Credits: Production: Royale Director / Partner: Brien Holman Executive Creative Director / Partner: Jayson Whitmore Managing Director / Partner: Jennifer Lucero Executive Producer: Chris Volckmann Art Director: Jonathan Kim Designers: Jonathan Kim, Jen Olive Lee, Juliet Park, David Viau, and Patrick Clarke Previs Artist: Blake Beynon CG Supervisor / VFX Lead: Andy Moorer Technical Director: Steve Caron 3D Modeling: Juan Carlos Cuadra, Erick Schiele, Adam Rosenzweig 3D Environment: Brian Broussard, Craig Christian 3D Animators: James Lane, Aldrich Torres, Matt Guzzardo, Billy Maloney Visual Effects / Ice Artists: Ciaran Moloney, Leonard Koch, William Morrison Compositing Lead: Geronimo Moralez Compositors: Renzo Reyes, Dan Blank, Geronimo Moralez, John Cornejo, and Pency Kinnard Head of Production: Danielle Hazan Producers: Jamey Kitchens, Sean Sullivan
Del Taco’s new Fresca Bowls are full of surprises. Unlike other bowls, they’re jam-packed full of fresh ingredients. The bigger surprise? They only cost $4 each. Makes you wonder what other fresh surprises await you when you finish it.
Creative Credits: Advertised brand: Del Taco Advert title(s): New Fresca Bowls Fresh Farmer Headline and copy text (in English): Advertising Agency: Camp + King, San Francisco, CA, USA Agency website: http://www.camp-king.com/ Partner and Chief Creative Officer: Roger Camp Partner and Chief Executive Officer: Jamie King Creative Directors: Rikesh Lal, Paul Sincoff Art Director: Eric Lowery Copywriter: Avery Stokes Harrison Integrated Head of Interactive Production: David Verhoef Production Company and City: The Media Mob, Santa Monica, CA Director: Tyler Spindel Executive Producer/Partner (Production Company): Greg Jones Producer/Managing Partner (Production Company): Aesli Grandi Producer (Production Company): Desiree Laufasa Photography: Sara Remington Photography Production Company and City: Sara Remington Photography, San Francisco Bay Area Director of Photography: Michael Pescasio Post Production and City: Spy, San Francisco Editorial Company and City: Misfit, San Francisco Editor: Doug Cox Assistant Editor: Marissa Rosado Executive Producer: Kelly Koppen Music Company and City: Yessian Music Composer: Brian Yessian, Michael Yessian Visual Effects Company and City: Spy, San Francisco Visual Effects Supervisor: Darren Orr Visual Effects Executive Producer: Lori Joseph Brand Director: Lindsay Menasco Business Affairs: Tricia Krasneski Director of Strategy: Anne Tway Strategist: Allison Farquhar
New York-based advertising upstart Interplanetary recently tapped Table of Content and Hooligan to help create two spots for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS). "Today” (:60) and “Soccer” (:30) were directed by Rick Knief and edited by Eric Carlson.
The brand image campaign serves as a call to action with the promising hope of a cancer cure — thanks to treatments advanced by LLS. The spots will broadcast on network and cable stations across the nation on donated airtime. Actor Michael C. Hall (Dexter), a Hodgkin's lymphoma survivor himself, narrated the spots.
“The creatives (Bruce Lee, Jill Mcclabb, and Chris Parker) and agency producer Terry Debonis were all open and collaborative throughout the process and a joy to work with,” remarks Rick Knief, director, Table of Content. “And by teaming up with Hooligan, and having TANQ handle all the graphics and visual effects, it was one-stop shopping for Interplanetary.”
"Interplanetary has a lot of great editors and directors in their rolodex, so we were honored that they turned to us for such an inspiring campaign,” adds Eric Carlson, senior editor/partner, Hooligan.
“Today” imagines a day everyone hopes to remember: the day cancer is cured. Big news (not yet revealed to the viewer) sweeps across the city, halting everyday moments in homes, laundromats, diners, offices, gyms and train stations. Crowds gravitate towards TVs, computers and cell phones before the spot’s big reveal: a newspaper headline reading, “CANCER CURED!” The news culminates on a Times Square billboard before the closing montage shows various characters celebrating and embracing with loved ones afflicted by cancer.
Filming “Today,” Knief aspired to capture emotions of an ordinary day becoming extraordinary.
“The vignettes needed to tell the back story of an average day, while at the same time, intrigue viewers leading up to the big news,” he explains. “I shot at 40 frames per second to give the piece a heightened reality. We all want to imagine a day when cancer is cured, what it would be like, and how it will affect us emotionally.”
“Some of these moments could have played out the whole 60 seconds,” Carlson expounds on editing the spot. “I just tried to find little eye movements, or maybe a hand gesture to best capture each emotion. The big-picture goal was communicating the weight of the coming news through all the various reactions before revealing what it actually was. We held it as late as possible to let the quietness of the imagery develop and draw the viewer in.”
"Eric’s knack for finding the best moments and organizing them in a way that allowed us to experiment and explore was critical to making these spots shine,” adds Knief. “It also made for a smooth collaboration bringing Interplanetary into the editing process.”
“It was a fun day for the crew and all of the kids,” Knief recalls. “We shot at 270 frames per second to capture and emphasize the intensity of the kids playing. The languid feeling of the images really allowed for the message, delivered through graphics and voiceover, to come through loud and clear.”
Reflecting on directing a positive campaign for such an important cause, Knief describes it as an experience he and his production team will always remember:
“This job was profoundly close to me both professionally and personally,” concludes Knief. “With myself, and many others involved with this campaign, having lost loved ones to cancer, we all came out of the job inspired with the promising hope for a cure one day.”
Credits: Client: Leukemia & Lymphoma Society SVP, Marketing Lisa Stockmon Sr Creative Director: Robert Santangelo VP, Marketing & Creative Services: Martanne Kaczmarkiewicz
Ad Agency: Interplanetary Sr Producer: Terry DeBonis Partner, Creative Director: Bruce Lee Partner, Creative Director: Jill McClabb Art Director: Chris Parker Managing Director: Joe Dessi Production Co: Table Of Content Director: Rick Knief Producer: Michelle Towse
Translation has launched a new campaign for American Eagle Outfitters (AEO), having recently been tapped by the specialty apparel retailer for the 2014 Back-to-School season.
Entitled “I’MPERFECT,” the work takes a defiant stance against the one-size-fits-all beauty paradigm embraced by other fashion brands. The campaign insight taps into AEO’s long-standing role as a true champion for the democratization of denim, offering 22 fits, 81 washes, and 84 sizes – a staggering 1,500+ options – to fit any person and personality. The national campaign encompasses print ads, in-store posters, digital banners, and a stunning broadcast spot from acclaimed commercial director Dante Ariola – all anchored by the tagline, “My Imperfections Make the Perfect Me.”
Credits: Brand/Client: American Eagle Outfitters Campaign Title: “Portraits” Spot Title: “Portraits”: 60 (with :30 and :15 lifts) First Air Date: August 2014 Agency: Translation CEO/Founder: Steve Stoute Chief Creative Officer: John Norman President: Nils Peyron Executive Creative Director: Jay Berry Executive Creative Director: Marc d’Avignon Creative Director, Copywriter: Betsy Decker Creative Director, Art Director: Ben Carter Director of Content Production: Miriam Franklin Producer: Liz Graves Account Team: Amanda Hellman, Cassie Farley Music Supervisor: Nick Pacelli Production Company: MJZ Director: Dante Ariola Director of Photography: Greg Fraser Executive Producer: Scott Howard Line Producer: Natalie Hill Editorial Company: Number 6 Editor: Andrea MacArthur Assistant Editor: Kyle Whitmore Post Executive Producer: Crissy DeSimone Post Producer: Kendra Desai VFX Company: The Mill, LA VFX Artist: Chris ‘Badger” Knight VFX Executive Producer: Jo Arghiris VFX Producer: Leighton Greer Audio Post: Eleven Mixer: Jeff Payne Executive Producer: Suzanne Hollingshead Producer: Dawn Redmann Music: “Feeling Good” Remake Composed and Arranged by Ariel R. A Heavy Duty Music /Mad Decent Production Executive Producer: Josh Kessler Producer: Daniel Nigro Media: MediaCom Partner, Communication Planning Director: Ilana Casser Communication Planning Supervisor: Christa Ruggiero Sr. Partner Associate Director National Broadcast: Andrew Pappalardo Manager Media Investments National Broadcast: Carlos A. Cervantes Sr. Partner, Group Digital Director: Lisa Bronson Associate Media Director, Digital: Jenina Estella Digital Media Supervisor: Vera Su
This Christmas fall in love all over again with Sears at the airport and run into the appliances...again. Sears gives us this Christmas Holiday season's romantic comedy of the year with a great new ad, "Connecting Flights". The spot shows us how sometimes you fall in love, and sometimes you run into it. The commercial disguised as a movie trailer, tells the story of a young couple (Eddy and Shannon) who meet and fall in love at an airport after having their flights cancelled, sadly it ends much the same but still as funny as the original couple who ran into the fridge in the "Beach" ad, see it HERE.
Credits: Ad Agency:Mcgarrybowen, Chicago CCO: Ned Crowley GCD/ART DIRECTOR: Kevin Thoem GCD/COPYWRITER: Lee Remias Director of Production: Lisa Burke Snyder Executive Producer: Marianne Newton Production Coordinator: Julia Pepe Music Producers: Marisa Wasser, Morgan Thoryk, Brandy Ricker Production Company: Supply & Demand Integrated Director: Matt Lenski Founder / Managing Partner: Tim Case President / Managing Partner: Charles Salice Exec. Producer / Partner: Kira Carstensen Head of Production: Alexis Kaplan Line Producer: Rita Le Roux
Credits: Advertising Agency: mcgarrybowen, Chicago Chief Creative Officer: Ned Crowley Group Creative Directors: Kevin Thoem Associate Creative Director: Jose A. Martinez Director of Production: Lisa Burke Snyder Executive Producer: Mark Olson Broadcast Producer: Lindsey Zuercher Music Producer: Morgan Thoryk Account Managing Director: Lisa Groot Account Director: Jennifer Weitzel Account Supervisor: Nick Killion Director of Broadcast Bus. Affairs: Joann Baker Broadcast Business Manager: Kiki Powell Advertising Manager: Rick Ray Production Company: Supply & Demand Director: Matt Lenski Audio Producer Founder / Managing Partner: Tim Case President / Managing Partner: Charles Salice Exexutive Producer / Partner: Kira Carstensen Co-Head of Production: Alexis Kaplan Producer: Nina Huang Editorial: Cutters Chicago Editor: Matt Walsh Producer: Patrick Casey VFX Producer: Bruce Rindler Audio Producer: Tim Konn Telecine: Company 3 Colorist: Tyler Roth Producer: JP McIntosh
Credits: Production Company: Smuggler Director: Jun Diaz Executive Producer/Partner: Patrick Milling Smith Executive Producer/Partner: Brian Carmody Executive Producer/COO: Lisa Rich Executive Producer: Laura Thoel Line Producer: Martha Davis Director of Photography: Sal Totino
Chief Creative Officer: David Angelo Executive Creative Director: Colin Jeffery Creative Director: John Battle Creative Director: Jason Karley Associate Creative Director/Art Director: Blake Kidder Associate Creative Director/Copywriter: Patrick Almaguer Head of Production: Carol Lombard Executive Producer: Christopher Coleman
VFX/Color: The Mill VFX Supervisor: Phil Crowe Color: Adam Scott Executive Producer: Sue Troyan Producer: Sabrina Elizondo 2D Artists: Tara Demarco, Gareth Parr
Nicole Kidman, Gabrielle Union, Julianne Moore, baseball legend Willie Mays and more of Hollywood’s brightest are lending their voice to Futures Without Violence’s new Respect Challenge in a new PSA ad campaign. Press:
Nicole Kidman credits her parents. America Ferrera thanks her fifth grade teacher. And Willie Mays recognizes the impact of his father. To kick-off an online campaign and contest called The Respect Challenge, the national nonprofit Futures Without Violence has produced a PSA that features top celebrities expressing their gratitude to a person who taught them a valuable life lesson — a lesson in Respect. The PSA, a key ingredient in the national Facebook campaign which launches on Monday, September 10, features responses from such VIP talent as Nicole Kidman, Ed Harris, Julianne Moore, Gabrielle Union, America Ferrera, Joe Torre, and Willie Mays. Aretha Franklin’s iconic song, “Respect,” provides the soundtrack for the video. The PSA will also be available on Facebook, futureswithoutviolence.org, giverespect.org. and YouTube. “There’s never been a better time for a national conversation about Respect,” says Esta Soler founder and president of Futures Without Violence. “Whether you’re on the political campaign trail, or just headed back to middle school, let’s stand up to bullies and remind them about Respect.” The interactive Facebook campaign, designed to celebrate everyday role models and heroes, provides an opportunity for the public to write an online thank you note, or post a thank you video about the person who taught them Respect. Two lucky entrants will earn a donation of $10,000 to a school or nonprofit organization of their choice, as well as a VIP trip to New York City to attend the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. After the initial entry period (September 10 – October 12), fans will be invited to vote on 10 finalists who have submitted a compelling written note or a video. Scheduled for an online launch on Monday, September 10, The Respect Challenge was introduced at the San Francisco Giants vs. Los Angeles Dodgers game on Sunday, September 9, when the Giants hosted their annual program, Strike Out Violence Day. Baseball legend Willie Mays, featured in the PSA, made a special appearance during the festivities. Futures Without Violence, a national nonprofit and social change organization with offices in San Francisco, Washington DC and Boston, created the campaign with the generous help of AKQA, one of the most-respected ideas and innovation agencies in the world. AKQA’s San Francisco Media team not only provided strategic consultation but secured more than $400,000 in donated online advertising space for the campaign and contest. Wildfire, a division of Google, and a leading social media marketing software provider, also volunteered their services to design and implement the Facebook application, and America Online’s in-house creative team offered their services to create compelling online banners and advertising units. Macy’s, the founding partner of the RESPECT! campaign, has a strong history of support for education and awareness programs that promote positive solutions for healthy relationships. “We hope that the positive stories generated through this campaign will remind us of the life-changing role that parents, teachers, coaches, and so many other mentors can have on shaping young lives,” said Martine Reardon, Macy’s Chief Marketing Officer.
ABOUT FUTURES WITHOUT VIOLENCE:For more than thirty years, Futures Without Violence has been working to promote healthy relationships and safe communities that are rooted in respect. Our educational programs, leadership training and public action campaigns reach parents, teachers, coaches and mentors, as well as legislators, physicians, judges and service providers who are influential in shaping the lives of young people.To learn more, please visit us at Futures Without Violence.org. ABOUT THE RESPECT CAMPAIGN:RESPECT! is a social action campaign to raise awareness and engage individuals from all walks of life in positive solutions to end and prevent violence. The RESPECT! Campaign is an initiative of Futures Without Violence, and Macy’s is the Founding National Partner.
Get ready for whole lot of Beyonce during the 2013 Superbowl, Pepsi announced the Big Games half time performer will also be appearing on Pepsi cans and I'm assuming we wont be surprised to see here in one of Pepsi's Super Bowl ads this year. Read the full scoop at Brand Channel HERE.
The Fact Brief:
Pepsi is announcing a true creative and wide-ranging global collaboration with worldwide music icon, Beyoncé. Together they will collaborate in developing new content and innovative ways to engage fans, consumers and retailers to benefit both brands.
Beyoncé is our partner and Brand Ambassador for Pepsi. Pepsi has had a relationship with Beyoncé for more than a decade – she first served as a Pepsi spokesperson in 2002.
Since then, she has become a global pop culture phenomenon – arguably one of the biggest pop stars in the world — winning 16 GRAMMY® awards and selling more than 100 million albums worldwide.
The multi-faceted collaboration with Beyoncé includes:
Establishing the Creative Development Fund, a resource devoted to the co-creation of innovative and relevant consumer content.
Collaboration on design – in addition to having her image on a can or bottle, she is working with us on the design of all materials related to the partnership.
Beyoncé starring in a new “Live for Now” global TV commercial, currently planned for release in early 2013
Beyoncé will be appearing in print and out of home advertisements for Pepsi. She will also be visible in-store and on-premise through materials such as shelf promotions, in-store displays and in-store advertising.
The Beyoncé partnership is the lead example of how Pepsi is pioneering a new way for brands to engage with musical artists, moving from sponsor to partner. This creates a creative and commercial collaboration that serves both artist and brand.
Beyond the partnership with Beyoncé, we are using our global scale and scope to create a platform to support multiple country-specific Pepsi musical artists.
With our music program, we can excite our existing fans and attract new consumers to Pepsi, connecting their love of music with the refreshing experience of drinking Pepsi, driving sales of Pepsi globally.
Our retail partners love music partnerships and are ready to embrace this relationship because Pepsi has a proven record of promotions that drive store traffic and sales.
Canadian Fashion brand "Smythe" shows us how women can "Make Anything Spectacular" in these two new ads created by Toronto based ad agency Open. "Fish" and "Woods Select" feature a fashionably dressed women gutting fish and chopping wood...like most of us Canadian women, she looks damn good doing it too.
Credits: Agency: Open Client: Smythe Co-Designers: Andrea Lenczner & Christie Smythe Partner Creative: Martin Beauvais Partner Strategy: Christian Mathieu Agency Producer: Anne Ngo Writer: Claire deMarco Art Director: Jessica Carter
Production Company: Sons & Daughters, Toronto Director: Christina Hodnet Executive Producer: Liane Thomas Director of Photography: Mark Zibert Producer: Jeff Darragh Production Designer: Luke Pryshlak Wardrobe: Deborah Ferguson Editorial: PosterBoy Edit Editor: Danica Pardo Producer: Michelle Lee Colour Company: Notch Colourist: Bill Ferwerda VFX Company: Crush VFX Artist: Andre Arevelo VFX Producer: Emma Wojick Music and Sound Design: Apollo Studios, Toronto Music on Smythe 1: Yan Dal Santo for Apollo Studios Music on Smythe 2: Mathieu Lafontaine for Apollo Studios
Lil bit about Smythe: Smythe has created essential wardrobe pieces that are both modern and emotional. The contemporary, flawlessly-tailored jackets and coats feature nostalgic colours, textures and prints that are distinct in their traditional menswear tailoring details. This artful tailoring and sartorial fit made Smythe an instant success when the label launched in 2004. Smythe's made-in-Canada jackets and coats are iconic silhouettes that are novel yet versatile. For more visit smythelesvestes.com.
BlackBerry signed a new sponsorship deal with Mercedes-Benz Petronas Formula 1 and their driver Lewis Hamilton as the team's new official mobile computing partner and collaborate on technical and marketing opportunities. The BlackBerry logo will be seen on the new F1W04 Silver Arrow, the entire team will be using BlackBerry devices throughout the season. Driver Lewis Hamilton welcomes BlackBerry to the team in the video clip above.
Ross Brawn, team principal of the Mercedes AMG team, welcomed BlackBerry to the team: "On the day that our new Silver Arrow, the F1 W04, is launched, we are very pleased to announce our partnership with BlackBerry. We are looking forward to embracing the new BlackBerry 10 platform at both a technical and operational level, as well as collaborating with the team at BlackBerry to bring new mobile innovation to Mercedes AMG Petronas. It is especially pleasing to be able to launch this exciting partnership today as our latest Silver Arrow takes to the track with BlackBerry branding."
Frank Boulben, BlackBerry's Chief Marketing Officer said: "Formula One is all about precision engineering, design and innovation — three values that mirror the approach that's gone into creating BlackBerry 10. It is a natural fit for BlackBerry to partner with the MERCEDES AMG PETRONAS Formula One Team to deliver value through technical and marketing collaboration. We have built BlackBerry 10 to keep people moving, and we believe the essence of this will be delivered at many levels through our partnership." via:Crackberry.com
To celebrate the launch of the 5th edition of The American Heritage Dictionary, Mechanica and Lollipop have created an interactive experience around the concept "You Are Your Words." The core of the concept is that the words you use are about more than just communicating – they tell the world who you are. And today, through emails, tweets, posts and other forms of communication, our words define us more deeply and broadly than ever.
The site brings this concept to life in a very dynamic and personal way, by engaging people to create a self-portrait in their own words. Visitors to YouAreYourWords.com can upload a photo or use their webcam to take a picture of themselves. They can then connect to Facebook or Twitter to pull in words from their social stream, or enter words that best define who they are. From there, Lollipop created a server-side application that composites a user’s words with their photo, creating a unique word-based self portrait.
One of the largest challenges on this project was to develop an engaging interactive experience that didn’t rely on Flash or HTML5 functionality. The site is built on a Ruby on Rails infrastructure and uses front-end technologies that do not require the use of plug-ins or advanced browsers.
Credits: Client: American Heritage Dictionary – 5th Edition Creative Agency: Mechanica, Jim Garaventi, Partner/Creative Director Libby Delana, Partner/Creative Director Brand Director — Julie Carney Executive Producer — Eric Freedman Interactive Production Company: Lollipop, Toronto
Advertising legend Mark Denton donned a fetching pink nightie to advertise his presence in Amsterdam last week in true red-light-district style. Denton’s ‘live show’ at 180 Amsterdam last Thursday drew a crowd, many of whom were lured in by a giant poster installation in the front window of the agency showing the Coy! creative director/partner posing provocatively in front of a net curtain. Denton gave a funny, inspirational no-holds-barred talk to a captivated audience at the agency, giving insights on his 30-year career, his successes and mistakes, as well as his methodology and beliefs. 180 Amsterdam ECD/Managing Partner Al Moseley said: "I always thought Mark was a genius, but I never knew he had such great legs".
Stardust acted as the fully integrated creative agency + production arm, from concept through final distribution, for a new campaign for China's wildly popular messaging app WeChat. The app is expanding its global reach, kicking off an international ad campaign this month, featuring soccer superstar Lionel Messi. Both spots have a fatherhood theme. In the first, Messi is shown trading voice messages (in Spanish) with Grandma, who is trying to soothe his crying infant son. He gets the baby to laugh by — surprise! — performing soccer juggling tricks shown to the baby via WeChat's video chat function. The video posted on YouTube by WeChat India netted more than 1.7 million views after just one week. The global campaign targets 15 markets, including Argentina and Spain where Mr. Messi is a superstar. The others are: Brazil, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, the Philippines, Singapore, South Africa, Thailand and Turkey. In addition to being posted on YouTube, the two spots will air on television in the 15 markets. There will be accompanying print and outdoor advertising in at least some markets. “Our goal was to show Messi in relatable, down-to-earth scenarios so our audience could easily identify with him and his use of the product; versus building the more common, larger-than-life concept around him that only puts distance between him, the product and the consumer base," Stardust Co-Owner/Managing Partner Dexton Deboree said in a statement provided by Tencent. “The opportunity for Stardust was one that really allowed Stardust to rely on our unique strengths to tackle a large brand’s challenge. We worked hand-in-hand with the team at Tencent and WeChat to concept a campaign that would work for launching their product to a large number of new countries, around the globe, while utilizing some consistencies between other non-US campaigns they had done in other markets, all within a single campaign, all within very tight logistics in both the execution and deployment.” “We were intimately involved from beginning to end. Both cultural and time zone challenges presented hurdles we don't usually have to jump. In this case, I think it is the versatility of the Stardust team that allowed us to work across 3 time zones seamlessly,” added Stardust Co-Owner and ECD Seth Epstein. WeChat already has more than 300 million registered user accounts, including 70 million outside China, mostly in Asian markets. WeChat started as a messaging app similar to WhatsApp, but the addition of video calls, photo sharing, location-based services and other Social features also make it similar to Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Skype. WeChat's popularity outside of China has soared recently, growing by 20 million registered user accounts to reach 70 million in only six weeks. The growth is attributed to promotional campaigns, special WeChat deals provided through some Asian telco operators, and the increasing number of smartphone users in target markets. WeChat has not officially launched in the U.S., though Tencent has an American office doing groundwork and studying the market.
Credits: Client: WeChat Spot Titles: “Good Luck”: 30; “Father’s Day”: 30 Creative Advertising Agency & Production Company: Stardust Executive Creative Director: Seth Epstein Managing Partner/Executive Producer: Dexton Deboree Copywriter(s): Seth Epstein & Dexton Deboree Director: Seth Epstein Live Action Executive Producer: Dexton Deboree Producer: Sarah Casillas Local (Spain) Live Action Executive Producer: Esther de Udaeta & Ernest Gual Line Producer: Thersea Lucas
Visual Effects Company: Stardust Art Director/Lead Designer: Ling Feng Designers: Lynn Cho, Luis Salcedo, Karen To Editor: Fred Fouquet Flame Artist: Todd Mesher 2D Animators/Compositors: Taekyu Kim, Richard Taylor, Pietro Desopo Rotoscope/Clean-Up Artist: Michael Plescia
Music & Sound Design Company: Stardust Sound Design & Mix: Brian Peyton Music Composer: Jesse Mattson
VOLKSWAGEN TEAMS WITH FUNNY OR DIE TO TAKE THE 2015 GOLF ON A WILD SHOPPING SPREE The Vehicle Launch Kicks Off with Video Starring Childrens Hospital’s Rob Huebel Herndon, VA (September 10, 2014) – Volkswagen of America (VWoA) today announced a collaboration with Funny Or Die to support the market introduction of the all-new 2015 Volkswagen Golf. The platform provides the leaders in automotive and humor an opportunity to come together in celebration of exceptional products and lighthearted fun.
The collaboration kicks off with “The Way Too Helpful Neighbor,” a hilarious video showcasing just how helpful a 2015 Volkswagen Golf can be. After the hero’s girlfriend springs a surprise visit from her parents on him, a way-too helpful neighbor takes the boyfriend on a shopping spree by driving a Golf through the aisles of a Target store that is truly a one-stop-shop. This comedic video highlights the versatility of the 2015 Golf and the modern, functional style of Target’s Room Essential home décor and storage products, all through the signature sense of humor that has made Funny Or Die the go-to place for laughs online.
The video was shot in an actual Target store in Texas and stars Rob Huebel, a Funny Or Die regular and comedic actor in TV and film. Rob starred in Alexander Payne’s Oscar winning film THE DESCENDANTS, opposite George Clooney and is currently recurring on Jill Soloway’s Amazon upcoming series TRANSPARENT and FX’s popular comedy series THE LEAGUE. Rob is known for his amazing improv comedy skills and has brought his irreverent brand of humor to one of Volkswagen’s most highly-acclaimed models.
“The incredible versatile Golf gives our creative team free reign to come up with wild ideas,” said Vinay Shahani, Vice President, Brand Marketing, Volkswagen of America, Inc. “Funny or Die is one of the most recognized and sought after brands in comedy today so we knew they would be the perfect partner to amplify Volkswagen’s unique sense of humor.”
“This is our first time working with Volkswagen, and this was a very exciting opportunity for our team to partner with a brand known for some of the most interesting and innovative advertising campaigns of the last half-century," said Chris Bruss, VP of Branded Entertainment, Funny or Die.
Funny Or Die.TBS viewers will get the full scoop on the new Volkswagen Golf when “The Way Too Helpful Neighbor” airs during CONAN and TBS movie breaks beginning September 11. Twenty-second sneak peeks of the branded comedy spot will also run adjacent to Big Bang Theory and TBS movies, driving fans to Funny Or Die for more. Volkswagen will have significant digital presence with promotional drivers across TeamCoco.com, TBS.com and funnyordie.com, as well as the TBS Big Bang Theory Sync App. Turner Broadcasting Ad Sales is the exclusive representative for advertising opportunities with Funny Or Die. The strategic partnership provides brands access to premium comedic content, while offering promotional scale with Turner’s portfolio of premium brands like TBS and Adult Swim. The creative concept for the content was developed in collaboration with Volkswagen's creative Agency of Record, Deutsch LA, and the media partnership with Turner was established by Mediacom, Volkswagen's media Agency of Record.
Last year Google started a program to partner with advertisers and agencies to re-imagine how brands tell stories in a connected world. Project Re: Brief set out to recreate some of the advertising industry’s most iconic, classic campaigns using the latest technology tools. This year Google is expanding that program to work with some of today’s most iconic brands and innovative marketers, in it's newest project: Art, Copy & Code.
Art, Copy & Code is a series of projects and experiments to show how creativity and technology can work hand in hand. Some of these will include familiar brands like Volkswagen, Burberry and adidas—projects developed in partnership with their creative teams and agencies. Others will be creative experiments with innovative filmmakers, creative directors and technologists to explore how brands can connect with consumers through a whole range of digital tools—including ads, mobile apps and social experiences. Google's first partner project is a new social driving experience, The Volkswagen Smileage.
Building off VW's 2012 campaign, "It’s not the miles, it’s how you live them," (video clip below if you have yet to see it) Volkswagen Smileage is a mobile app and web service that aims to add a little bit of fun to every drive, from your daily commutes to holiday road trips. The app measures the fun factor of each trip using a metric called “smileage,” based on signals like weather, traffic, location, time and social interactions (e.g., a long drive on a sunny Saturday afternoon might accumulate more smileage than a morning commute in the snow). You can use it with any car, not just Volkswagens.
Powered by the new Google+ sign-in, you can choose to share Smileage experience with friends and family. For example, during a road trip, photos and videos taken by you and your co-passengers can be automatically added to a live interactive map. The inspiration for the service came from a recent study showing that every day, 144 million Americans on average spend 52 minutes in a car—76 percent of them alone; making that time a more shareable experience. Volkswagen Smileage will be available soon in beta.
Norman, a house cat is the new Eco-Warrior for WWF (World Wildlife Foundation) Canada in this new web film created by the Toronto based agency John St.
Meet Norman. He's not your everyday house cat. Little by little he's helping to save our oceans.
There is an urgent need and opportunity for Canada to meet the increasing national and international demand for sustainable seafood products, while changing the way we fish. It’s time for a new sustainable vision on how to steward and protect our oceans, and the wildlife that inhabit them. Learn more about him and his mission at http://www.wwf.ca/seafood
Credits:Ad Agency: John St. Toronto, Canada Co-Creative Director & Partner: Stephen Jurisic & Angus Tucker Art Director: Denver Eastman Copywriter: Jacob Greer Account Team: Melissa Tobenstein & Amelia MacGregor Producer: Shawna McPeek Production Partners: Aircastle Films, Will Beauchamp & Jamie Cussen Sound Company: The Dark Studio, Grant Edmonds and Gabe Knox Press:
Some Canadians might not know how important it is to choose sustainable seafood. But WWF-Canada has found someone who does: Norman the Eco-warrior cat. Norman and WWF-Canada have teamed up to promote Loblaw Companies Limited’s commitment to sustainably source 100% of seafood sold in its retail locations by the end of 2013. Why use a cat? “The idea that even the fish in cat food will be sustainable is a great way to communicate the scope of the commitment,” said Stephen Jurisic, Co- Creative Director at john st. “And who cares more about fish than a cat?” “Canadians want sustainable seafood options, and we’re proud that Loblaw, a longtime WWF partner, is making it easily available across the country,” said Hadley Archer, Vice-President of Strategic Partnerships, WWF-Canada. “We hope that Norman will encourage Canadian consumers to choose sustainably-sourced seafood at their local grocery store, thanks to Loblaw’s world-leading commitment.” The campaign’s centerpiece is a short online documentary that chronicles Norman’s commitment to living a more sustainable life – one that includes upcycling, energy and water conservation and in-home garbage sorting programs. The film will be promoted through social media channels and leveraging WWF’s passionate fans and followers. You can watch it on WWF-Canada’s facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/WWFCanada “The internet is pretty big on cats, “ says Jurisic, “if this gets half the love Ninja Kitty got, we’d be very very happy.” john st. Team
