john st. Presents ‘The Lazy Environmentalist’ for WWF

Toronto agency john st.’s latest campaign for World Wildlife Fund Canada is based around the insight that people are lazy. Or, as Stephen Jurisic, co-ECD at john st. puts it, “This idea comes from the rather depressing truth that most people will only do things that help the environment if it’s really, really easy to do…So rather than try to change that behavior, we thought let’s just embrace it and show that it takes next to no effort to help our oceans and the sea life in it.”

In a 60-second spot, the agency promotes buying seafood with the MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) label on it to help protect our oceans by supporting sustainable fishing practices. The spot likens buying MSC-certified seafood with recycling (“Because it’s next to the trash.”) and buying organic, things that are “easy and practically unavoidable.” It’s an interesting change of approach from the usual call-to-arms, making the implication that there’s really no excuse not to buy MSC seafood, since it’s so easy.The campaign also includes two shorter how-to videos and a series of overtly simply online quizzes. (more…)

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TBWA Explores ‘Gas Station’ Fears for Nissan Sentra

TBWA Toronto has a new spot for Nissan Sentra that explores fears of filling up, horror movie style.

The 60-second “Gas Station” opens on a man arriving at a creepy, dimly-lit gas station. Soon the station comes to life, as the man is relentlessly attacked by the gas pumps, which also do a number on his car. Eventually, another man, driving a Nissan Sentra, comes to the rescue, beckoning him to hop in. This is followed by the message, “Don’t Fear Filling Up,” and boast of the Sentra’s “Better combined fuel economy than Civic.” In a spot that spends so much time on a ridiculous fuel-fearing message, you’d think they’d focus a little more than a quick flash of text on the Sentra’s fuel economy, but instead most of the 60 seconds are spent on building up unconvincing horror atmosphere. Stick around for credits after the jump. (more…)

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Live the Finer Life by Drinking Corona

Taco Bell wants you to live mas. Corona wants you to live mas fina. If the trend continues, we’re one year away from Walmart telling us to live mejor.

Corona’s Canadian rebranding comes from Toronto-based Zulu Alpha Kilo and its Quebec agency partner, TANK. Let’s tackle all the moving parts: an English campaign with a Spanglish slogan for a Mexican company created by a Canadian agency. If you ever needed proof of NAFTA, there you go.

The debut spot, which runs sixty seconds, clearly targets younger demographics of drinkers and asks them to live life without regret. Surf, protest deforestation, look at aurora borealis, etc. While you’re experiencing the etc., you should also drink Corona. It’s silly to associate Corona with “the finer life,” but the commercial is well done and effectively sentimental, according to the viewer response on Youtube. I’d have to agree, even if there are no beaches.

Credits after the jump.

continued…

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