19 Pieces of Canadian Creativity to Enjoy with Your Poutine
1. Jesus
It’s not uncommon to find creative directors who think they’re Jesus, but 1one Production and agency Ig2 went one further when they imagined the man himself taking part in a marketing meeting for a smart viral that gave the international ad community a chuckle.
2. Invade
Toronto is set to host the Pan Am/Parapan Games this summer, and to drum up excitement for the event FCB Toronto and Untitled Films launched ‘Invade’ for Ontario Travel. The result is a stunner of a spectacle as athletes from other American nations descend on Toronto from all angles. Such a stunner, in fact, that we caught up with FCB and director Phil Brown to find out how they pulled it off.
3. A Way to Go
Director Vincent Morisset proved that virtual reality wasn’t all about shiny tech labs and crazy budgets in his arty interactive film Way to Go. This collaboration with the National Film Board of Canada was created with a team of just four people – a true DIY venture into the virtual world. But there’s plenty of innovative tech behind the scenes, with generative music and landscapes that produce an almost infinite experience. If you get the chance, give it a go.
4. Choose Happy
This visual onslaught of pure joy for Koodo Mobile spread cheesy grins throughout the LBB team. Find out more about this ridiculously cheerful campaign from Camp Jefferson and K72 and check out the rest of the films here.
5. Nobody’s Memories
A clever twist on vintage wedding videos, this campaign against banning same-sex marriage (particularly in the US where the Supreme Court is deciding whether states have the right to ban it) evokes an alternative past where all people, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression are able to share their love. The project was led by FCB Toronto, in collaboration with FCB Chicago, and was directed by Ben Flaherty.
6. TSFF 2015
7. 13SpicyNights
You’ll need a strong stomach to sit through this Valentine’s campaign from Jam3 – appropriately enough for online takeaway platform Just Eat. From geriatric oral displays to full on sex-face, these sexually-charged treats ditch the chocs-and-roses clichés in favour of something much more interesting. The campaign also featured daily live webchats with sexologists, porn creators, burlesque experts and tantric ‘sexperts’…
8. F-Up Insurance
More filthy treats, this time for meat-of-the-month-club, Carnivore Club. Director Max Sherman takes the viewer on a deadpan sexual odyssey of escalating proportions in the film, produced by OPC/ Family Style.
9. Cookin’ with Molly
Martha Stewart meets Jesse Pinkman in this eye-opening mash-up for Toronto Crime Stoppers by DDB Canada and Partners Film. The clip features druggie ‘cooking tips’ used by drug dealers to pad out their product.
10. Struck by a Rainbow
This Skittles spot from late last year will stimulate your sweet tooth or make you feel incredibly creeped out… or possibly some sort of combination of the two. From BBDO Toronto and The Corner Store’s Conor Byrne, it tells the tale of an ordinary family man whose life is turned upside-down when he is struck by a rainbow…
11. Gift of Home for the Holidays
This incredible Air Canada stunt from JWT Toronto saw a pub full of homesick Canucks flown home for Christmas. Our cockles were well and truly warmed, so we caught up with the team behind it back in December to learn more.
12. Lockdown
Grey Toronto created this powerful PSA for Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America with production from Untitled Films. It was launched almost two years after the gun tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School and a report documenting the almost 100 school shootings since Newtown was released with it.
13. Reactervising
Is reactvertising the next big thing? Probably not. And that just makes this hilarious short from john st. even funnier.
14. A Mad Man in Today’s Ad World
Zulu Alpha Kilo and Revolver Films director Bruce McDonald imagined a proper ‘60s ‘Mad Man’ trying to adjust to life in its modern day agency. It does not go well.
15. Like a Girl
This campaign by Leo Burnett’s Chicago, London and Toronto offices catapulted to global acclaim last summer, with the launch video now sitting at 57 million views. They followed up with a sequel on International Women’s Day to show how the ‘Like a Girl’ phrase’s meaning is already changing.
16. Mother’s Day Surprise
Cossette and Touchpoint Films helped this young lady to surprise her Russian mother with the announcement of her pregnancy. The resulting film is a real beauty.
17. Bruce Farrer
For decades, high school teacher Bruce Farrer has been asking his students to write letters to their future selves. Publicis and Soft Citizen captured him tracking down past students to give them their letters in this beautiful campaign for WestJet.
18. Thank You
Leo Burnett Toronto teamed with Revolver Films on this powerful PSA for the Ontario Women’s Directorate.
19. Gay Sweater
Saatchi & Saatchi and the Canadian Centre for Gender and Sexual Diversity created the world’s first and only ‘gay’ object - a sweater knit from the donated hair of more than 100 LGBT people. It debuted during Toronto Fashion Week to raise awareness of the fact that it’s offensive to use language such as ‘that’s so gay’ to negatively describe something.
