DDB Canada Works Out Ears for Sony

DDB Canada crafted a new campaign for Sony, promoting its Hi-Res Audio collection via two 30-second broadcast spots.

The ads aim for a weird sort of humor, with each showing people working out their ears in preparation of the intense experience they’ll get from Sony’s products. In practice, this ends up looking a bit creepy, as in “Ear Crunches.” The spot opens on a man as he takes off his cowboy hat and, with the aid of some special effects, begins some vigorous ear crunches. “Ear Workout” (featured after the jump) is more or less the same concept, with each spot ending with the tagline “Get Your Ears Ready” before showing the range of products in Sony’s Hi-Res Audio collection. Strange as the approach may be, it’s refreshing to see audio equipment advertised for sounding good rather than as a fashion accessory worn by celebrity athletes. Still, it would have been nice if DDB Canada could have mixed up the formula a bit more between the two ads.
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DARE Vancouver Tugs on Heartstrings for BC Children’s Hospital Foundation

DARE Vancouver has launched an emotionally affecting campaign for BC Children’s Hospital Foundation (BCCHF) entitled “A Sick Child Affects Everyone.”

The camapaign utilizes voiceover narrative and simple scenes to focus on the emotional impact of a sick child on loved ones. It’s hard to imagine someone not being impacted by these spots, which are very relatable and seriously depressing. The campaign is intended to “raise general awareness of the hospital and its great needs” and it certainly doesn’t pull any punches in doing so, putting viewers in the uncomfortable position of a teen who is about to hear that her sister was just in a serious accident, a man whose child has been sick for the past six months, or a man who is in the waiting room while his four-year-old niece undergoes cardiac surgery. These are seriously painful moments that DARE Vancouver utilizes to stress the importance of the cause, and they don’t make for easy viewing.

“For a family with a sick child, the struggle can be overwhelming and all consuming, said DARE Vancouver creative director Addie Gillespie. “We wanted to shed light on those moments when everything changes and a family most needs the support of those around them. We also wanted to make the spots relatable – we can all imagine the intense pain these families are feeling and how helpless we might feel in the same situation.”

Stick around for credits after the jump. continued…

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Jacknife, Stoli Go Back to the Original French Exit

For the new campaign for Stoli Vodka, Toronto shop Jacknife asked directors to tell an origin story of their choice. Stoli’s tagline is “The Original Vodka for Original People,” whatever the hell that means, but the origin-story theme can make for some interesting recreations. Director Sean Wainsteim decided to focus his efforts on the origin of The French Exit, when people leave a party without saying goodbye. We’ve all been there. A clingy come-on at a bar, friends of friends who you don’t really know that well, the weird Uncle. For the anti-social, goodbyes are unnecessary social conventions usually meant for people you don’t care about.

You’ve probably never heard of Bentley Theodore French, but he invented The French Exit while at a stuffy, waspy party that may be set in the 1930s, at least according to Stoli’s two-minute narrative ad. Bentley even passes up the chance to dance with two ladies at the same time on his way out the door. I’m not sure why he’s at this party if he dislikes everyone in attendance, but he is a social innovator who will never be forgotten. I still use his work to this day. Credits after the jump.

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In john st.’s World, Fear is Key to Great Brand Experiences

WPP-owned, Toronto-based john st. continues in its great annual tradition of taking the piss out of the industry as part of its pitch for Strategy‘s Agency of the Year awards (we covered fellow Toronto agency Lowe Roche’s entry earlier today). In its follow-up to last year’s introduction of a “professional clicking service” called Buyral, john st. gets more aggressive, scaring the bejeezus out of total strangers (well, at least let’s play along) as part of the a new marketing strategy that the agency’s christened “exFEARiential.”

It’s just as absurd/amusing, if not more so, than previous john st. AOY videos including Buyral as well as predecessors, Catvertising and Pink Ponies. It looks like we aren’t the only ones that get a kick out of “exFEARiential” as it picked up Best Agency Video at the Strategy awards, where john st. also took home gold for Agency of the Year and bronze for Digital Agency of the Year. FYI, if you stick around til the end of the clip, you can click on separate videos of the stress tests featured above (or if you’re just unwilling to wait, go here and here). Credits after the jump.

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