Denise Rossetto, partner and chief creative officer at Broken Heart Love Affair, is open about the fact that she struggled to find recent Canadian advertising that really resonated with her enough to include in her High Five. But we're certain that her picks will be beneficial for your eyes and brain.
Montreal Children’s Hospital - Long Live Brats
Agency: Cossette Montreal
I thought it was such a great insight that the beauty of childhood is the abundant energy you have to do things that drive your parents crazy. So at the first sign of lethargy in your child, as a parent you worry. In this case, an especially spirited child’s energy for mayhem is being cut short. The film really hits on a fear we have as parents, but executes in a very engaging, touching, energetic way. I felt so many emotions watching it and it stayed with me well beyond the 90 seconds. It enters my mind from time to time since I first viewed it. So they definitely touched on something here. May our kids always get to be little brats.
Heinz - Draw Ketchup
Agency: Rethink
Heinz ketchup is clearly an iconic brand and what better way to showcase that than let your consumers tell you that themselves? Heinz asked people around the globe to draw ketchup and, of course, consumers drew Heinz. Heinz then actually used the consumer-drawn labels on their bottles on shelf, making them part of a broader campaign. A smart, simple, clever way of saying you’re number one in people’s minds and a way to engage your consumers in a fun way.
Canadian Women’s Foundation - The Signal
Agency: Juniper Park\TBWA
This may have come out a while ago, but as we are in complete lockdown it is an enduring and important message and it is something that I see as a regular person in real life, not as an ad person. The pandemic has kept us at home and sadly home is not always the safest place to be - especially for women. The Canadian Women’s Foundation created a distress signal - ‘Signal for Help’ that is a simple one-handed sign someone can use on a video call. It can help a person silently show they need help and want someone to check in with them in a safe way. It can be useful and also raises awareness.
NYX Cosmetics - Safe Space Session
Agency: McCann Canada
I stumbled across this one while reading an article about how a community was being affected by the isolation of Covid. NYX cosmetics created a truly online safe space for the LGBTQ+ community. In the days leading up to National Coming Out Day, influencers from the community across Canada shared their coming out stories on social media and issued private invitations to join a virtual safe space session. Many young people come out online before they do in real life so I can imagine this space being welcoming, helpful and in these days of isolation, critical.
...I don’t have a fifth example. Perhaps, for obvious reasons, this wasn’t Canada’s best period. But I am hoping and excited to see some better work come this year as we start to emerge from the darkness.
