Molson Canadian - Gear Up for Gold

Gear up for Gold. (Clcik here to get yours)

Molson Canadian launched a pretty amazing Facebook app for the Vancouver Olympics asking that all Canadian show their pride and "Cheer on Team Canada" with their own Team Canada Vancouver 2010 Winter Games Ice Hockey jersey for your profile pic.

Pretty simple experience that after just a few days (launched Friday February 12th the opening of the Olympics) and within 24 hours over 16,000  unique users signed up and changed their Facebook profile pictures to included a customized Team Canada jersey plus over 2,200 became members of the Fan Site. User can place their name and select an number as they desire (mine includes my street address).

This app will be part of the Molson Facebook presence, the "Gear Up for Gold" app is part of the Molson Canadian branded fan page, in order to get the jersey you must become a fan of that page, which currently has over 48,740 fans, of which over 16,000 of them generated the jersey app. This promotion has a much more important purpose, simply to get people to be fans of the Molson fan page so the next time they do something they're already be fans. Data mining at its best.

Simple idea that adds to the hockey connection and love that Molsons has had for over 50 years. Molson also has a dedicated hockey site for updates, events and engagement called Molson Hockey House.

Creative was developed by former Seneca College Creatie Advertising students (my shameless program plug) Creative Director was Aaron Starkman who was also recently named Chief Creative Officier at zig, Copywriter Neil Blewett, Art Director Spencer Black along with zig writer Scott Macgregor and designer Dylan Royal.

zig is a member of the MDC Partners group of agencies along with Crispin Porter + Bogusky, Adrenalina, Allard + Johnson, Targetcom and others.

Canada, lets see if we can get 2,000,000 supporters... that's likely the number of people who claim to have been at the gold medal game when we win.

Follow this link if you want to add your "Gear Up for Gold" love for Team Canada: 

http://apps.facebook.com/gearupforgold/

Children, Riot Polices and a Message for Change

This spot was sent to me by one of Copywriting grads from zig Toronto Neil Blewett.

Created by Toronto's zig advertising, the campaign for Canada's "Moms Against Climate Change" just released a provocative video that makes a boldly emotional appeal for action on global warming.
Set in an urban and act as "any city", the minute and half video titled “Demonstration” features a protest march comprised entirely of children.

Typical scenario, riot police block the street, tap their shields and clubs ominously, and hold back barking dogs, and eventually they begin to defend... what isn't clear. The spot shows the police chasing one boy up a chain link fence while another falls in the street. Pure emotion.

The violence is presumed, not shown explicitly, but the implication is that we’re all engaged in violence against children by failing to head off the climate changes whose biggest impacts will unfold later this century.

The spot ends with the message, “If our children knew the facts we do, they’d take action. Shouldn’t you?”

Moms Against Climate Change also launched a new website that encourages Canadian mothers to post photos of their children beneath a message to Canadian Prime Minister: “Stephen Harper: Remember who you’re representing in Copenhagen.” The children’s first name and hometown accompany the picture.

Given the reservations many parents have about posting private information about their children on the internet, it’s a strategy likely to cause controversy. There is a note about privacy protection in the “Upload” section.

The campaign is a joint effort of two Canadian environmental groups, Environmental Defence and ForestEthics.

Credits:
Agecny: zig Toronto
Creative Team: Lorraine Toa and Briony Wilson

Seneca Creative Advertising and The YouTube/Cannes Lions

YouTube and Cannes Lions have partnered to search for two young creatives to win an all-expenses paid trip to this year's Festival and fill a new 38th place as Team YouTube in the 2009 Young Lions Film Competition and I have a couple of students who have entered the competition.

Since the close of entries, contestants have two weeks to generate as many views possible. Two separate winners will be selected by a panel of experts who will judge the ad based on creativity, number of views and video ratings. During the two-week period between May 17th and June1st for entrants to create a viral buzz around their video to drive as many public views and votes as possible by whatever means.

After June 1st, a panel of advertising experts will judge the shortlisted entries and select two winners based on overall creative execution of the brief and the videos' views, ratings, comments, votes and overall online footprint. The winners will be announced on June 5th: the prize for the two selected winners is an all-expenses paid trip to the Festival to take part in the Young Lions Film Competition as Team YouTube offering a fantastic exposure for young creatives looking to carve a role in the advertising or film industry.

The winners will unite and receive an all-expenses paid trip to Cannes to attend the Festival and compete as the 38th team in the prestigious Young Lions Film competition.

So I am hoping you will take the time a view my two student entries. It helps their cause, and feedback is always welcome.

Click. Enjoy. Vote.

Spencer Black – Art Director zig Toronto:

www.youtube.com/canneslions and type “spencer” into the search bar and give his video a thumbs up.


Robin Soukvilay – Current Semester 3 Student:

www.youtube.com/canneslions and type “billy” into the search bar and give his video a thumbs up.

Canada @ One Show. A Good Showing for Canada. A Great Showing for Seneca.

The 34th Annual One Show announced the winners of the Gold, Silver and Bronze Pencils at the Frederick P. Rose Hall at Jazz at Lincoln Center last night.

Proudly, my program at Seneca College sends congratulations out to copywriter alumni Steve Persico, and his partner art director Anthony Chelvanathan, For their work on the James Ready outdoor campaign. They worked along side with another Leo Burnett Toronto team of writer Sean Barlow and art director Paul Giannetta. Judy John and Israel Diaz oversaw the work as creative directors. In addition to Mr. Persico, Seneca Alumni Aaron Starkman also brought home a Silver Pencil for IKEA - Carol's Lowe Voice Radio Spot.

Doug Agency picked up a Silver Pencil for its “Scooter” spot on behalf of the Canadian Film Centre’s Worldwide Short Film Festival. It was the first Pencil for Ian Schwey, associate creative director at Doug.

“The One Show is one of the most difficult in the world,” said Schwey. “We’re happy to win for something like a film festival, because the judges have been tougher with smaller clients like that in the last three or four years.”

Widely regarded as the advertising industry's equivalent to the Oscars, The One Show honored the year's finest achievements in print, television, radio, outdoor, innovative marketing, integrated branding and branded content.

More than 600 advertising professionals and New York VIPs gathered to celebrate the winners at the gala event produced by The One Club, the world's foremost non-profit organization dedicated to recognizing excellence in advertising and design.

One of the evening's highlights was the presentation of the first-ever Green Pencil Award honoring excellence in the field of environmentally conscious advertising, which was presented by famed hip hop superstar and Hollywood film star Chris "Ludacris" Bridges to Goodby, Silverstein & Partners/San Francisco for the Haagen-Dazs Honey Bees integrated branding campaign.

Top honors for "Best of Show" went to CumminsNitro/Brisbane for Queensland Tourism "Best Job in the World" integrated branding campaign. The campaign featured a contest where the winner receives $150,000 Australian dollars and a 6 month "job" as an island caretaker overlooking the Great Barrier Reef.

"The One Show has received support from all over the world. This year is truly a showcase of brilliant new ideas and it is inspiring to see so much cause-related advertising," says Mary Warlick, CEO of The One Club.

The top Pencil winners at this year's One Show include:

United States - 8 Gold, 15 Silver, 16 Bronze
Australia - 2 Gold, 2 Silver, 2 Bronze
Malaysia - 2 Gold, 1 Silver, 2 Bronze
Canada - 1 Gold (DDB Vancouver - Midas, Vancouver), 3 Silver (zig - IKEA, Doug - Canadian and Leo Burnett Toronto - James Ready)
United Kingdom - 4 Bronze
Argentina - 1 Silver, 2 Bronze
Thailand - 1 Silver, 2 Bronze
Brazil - 3 Bronze

A complete list of 2009 One Show Gold, Silver and Bronze Pencil winners and finalist entries (including agency and award title) at oneclub.org.

Doug Agency: “Scooter” Canadian Film Centre’s Worldwide Short Film Festival



zig: Carol's Low Voice Radio IKEA Canada