BBDO Toronto Redefines Progress for Prince Edward County

BBDO Toronto examines the idea of “progress” and what it really means in a new spot promoting Prince Edward County, entitled “Progress Redefined.”

“It was progress that put a hole in our ozone” begins the voiceover in the spot, going on to question what the word really means in what appears to be audio captured at some kind of speech. The audio is juxtaposed with footage of the scenic county, captured by director by Chris Muir of Someplace Nice. This footage seems to present an alternative to the hustle and bustle of modern life hinted at in the description of progress, which converges when the speaker finally decides that progress “has given us a chance to redefine it.”

“We wanted to capture the essence of The County,’ explained Carlos Moreno, SVP, executive creative director, BBDO Toronto. “The County is holding progress at bay, embracing artisanal crafts and an authentic way of doing things.”

The approach makes sense, given that many of Prince Edward County’s offerings — local wineries, its farm-to-table dining establishments and “rustic-chic aesthetics,” to name a few — are reflective of the kind of values hinted at in “Progress Redefined.” Prince Edward County was pleased with the results. Neil Carbone, director of community development said, “We are thrilled with the result and eager to promote the idea of ‘real progress’ in marketing The County.” (more…)

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Toronto Shop Bemoans ‘Stupidification of Society’ in Short Films for TED Event

We here at the Spy couldn’t help but be reminded of Mike Judge‘s highly underrated 2006 film, Idiocracy, when checking out these shorts from Toronto-based agency, Capital C. The shop paints a bleak portrait of a social media-addled future hinged on 6-second sound bites versus long-form content and one which lacks any thought-provoking communique. Yes folks, behold the “Stupidification of Society,” which Capital C created pro-bono for the  TEDxColumbiaSIPA conference that took place in New York on May 8. According to the agency’s chief creative officer, Gary Watson, the films “The Vine Effect” (above) and “The Glass Era” (below) “…very much play into cultural and digital trends. Shortened attention spans. Technology overload. Things that get in the way of spending time with inspirational content that ultimately makes a difference in our lives.”

Short films lamenting the loss of longer-form content? Oh, the irony, but perhaps that’s the point of all this to begin with. Full credits after the jump.

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Toshiba, Capital C Make College Awkward Again

Toronto shop Capital C and Toshiba have teamed for a new online back-to-school campaign meant for silly college guys who need cool technology. Sometimes, these college guys use the technology for school, other times, for play. In “Chicken Prank,” a helpless dormer finds himself wrapped to his bed with chickens on the loose, and to get out of the rut, he waves his feet in front of a touch-controlled monitor. In “Math Notes,” handwritten notes on a tablet lead to an awkward moment of affection between roommates. And in “Black Light,” well, I’ll let you figure that one out on your own.

What’s most interesting about this trio of Toshiba spots is that they are clearly targeting only males. I’m not sure if any female-themed spots about woo girls and sorority hijinks are on the docket, but I’m curious to know why Toshiba is only looking for collegiate males to purchase products for this campaign, especially considering more girls than guys go to college. But, aside from the oversight, the creatives took care of business with some safely effective locker room humor.

Credits and the two other spots after the jump.

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