A Guide to Canadian Immortal Creativity
The submission deadline for the 2024 Immortal Awards is approaching fast. In fact, it’s literally tomorrow (September 5th)! And to remind us what LBB means when we call an ad ‘immortal’, we asked members of the Canadian jury and local industry experts to share work they believe has earned this status.
From unforgettable throwbacks to recent victors, this diverse list epitomises great creative craft. Featuring funny rants about what it means to be Canadian to campaigns which changed the global status quo, each of these ads are listed here for a reason – but we also recognise that iconic Canadian creativity expands far beyond this list. So, if there’s work you feel should be on here and isn’t, feel free to reach out!
The Immortal Awards entry system is now open and you can submit your entry here until September 5th 2024. All entries must be made for a commissioning client, and must have first aired, broadcast, displayed, launched or published between September 1st 2023 and August 31st 2024.
Molson Canadian - The Rant
When it comes to brands associated with Canada, it’s obviously incredibly hard to overlook Molson Canadian. Love it or hate it, if you grew up here, or have spent any significant chunk of time in the country whatsoever, it’s probably one of the first names that comes to mind when you think of beer.
So, when the brand released an inspired, rallying speech about all that it means to be Canadian, and highlighted the people who live on the world’s second-largest landmass (and the first nation of hockey), it made itself a viable contender for the title of the most immortal Canadian ad of all time. In fact, for Brian Murray, CCO of Zulu Alpha Kilo, no list of iconic Canadian ads would be complete without it.
“Canada has been jokingly referred to as America’s hat. Well, we’re not a hat. And we’re not American. And in the year 2000, this commercial for Molson Canadian beer by agency Bensimon Byrne tapped into the Canadian zeitgeist and became a bit of a national phenomenon.”
Dhaval Bhatt, CCO of Courage also shares this opinion. “This ad is, without a doubt, one of the most evergreen, iconic, Canadian ads ever made. Written by Glen Hunt, it launched the ‘I Am Canadian’ campaign that decimated the competition, Labatt Blue, that up until that point was neck and neck (or so I’m told – I didn’t grow up in Canada, but am familiar with the lore of this campaign). No ad has been as quoted, spoofed, adapted, and homaged by real people as much as this one, and this was pre-social media. It literally helped a country find its identity. Can’t say that about too many ads.”
Nick Paget, partner and ECD at LG2 is another who holds this ad in high regard. “This classic ad ran around the time I came of age, and in retrospect, I can admit it inspired me (and millions of young hosers like me) to choose Molson Canadian. It’s pure chest-thumping patriotism that captured the Canadian identity so well that it helped crystallise and even shape it. It's got good writing, a simple setup, strong execution, but most of all, it's a shamelessly effective yank on the nationalistic heartstring.”
Meanwhile, for Dustin Rideout, CSO of The Hive, this work was the first thing he remembers seeing which made him believe he could make ads for a living. “It was really the first time anyone (or a brand for that matter) spoke out loud about our somewhat antagonistic relationship with our American friends. It made us feel pride about being Canadian not through what we were, but what many of us felt we were not. For the brand to do it was a no brainer too – the beer is called Molson CANADIAN. Years later I was part of a crew that created a similar Canadian pride spot for the Toronto Raptors called ‘We The North’… a bit of a full circle moment personally.”
Finally, Luc Frappier, executive producer and partner at Revolver Films calls it his selection for the best Canadian ad of all time. “Set in a theatre against a large screen with a flowing Canadian flag in the background and various depictions of iconic Canadian images running through, the ad’s expression of patriotism became truly infectious and had reach beyond the beer-drinking demographic, with newspapers, radio, and TV shows dedicated to talking about it, and ‘Joe Canadian’ even going on to perform live before sporting events.
Performed by Nova Scotia actor Jeff Douglas, who became the face of a nation in the 2000s and is still recognised for the role to this day, ‘The Rant’ is an unabashedly genuine, entertaining and honest play off of Canadian stereotypes with a tinge of defiance and a pint full of Canadian pride. Directed by Kevin Donovan, at Mad Films, this impassioned and rousing monologue hit on all of those fine amber notes of Canadian culture and became a viral sensation before going viral was even a thing. (Also, the beaver is truly a proud and noble animal – amen)!”
SickKids Foundation - SickKids VS: Undeniable
In October 2016, SickKids Foundation and Cosette launched this campaign with the intention of rallying the Toronto community to donate towards the building of a new hospital. However, what neither might have expected was just how great a splash the work was going to make.
Not only have the ‘SickKids VS’ ads become some of the most highly-anticipated annual releases within Canada, but this campaign itself garnered worldwide awareness through awards, media attention and social buzz, surpassing all fundraising and engagement goals set for it.
For Matt Litzinger, founder, president and CCO of The Local Collective, it’s truly an immortal example of what the best in us is capable of. “From the moment I first saw this great piece, I knew instantly that Canada had just created something that not only stood up on the global stage creatively, but could lead it. The craft, the film, the strategy… all coming together in a tremendous execution that made me feel proud to work in the same industry as the people that made this.
It not only captivated people – it started a change in what Canadian’s thought was possible inside charitable executions. It changed the perception of what hospital capital raises could achieve and has continued to lead the category in a manner that has made donating to SickKids ‘trendy’. I wish I had made this, but I’m happy just to know some of the talented people that did. Well, that’s not true… I still really wish I made it!”
At the same time, Sam Archibald, creative director and owner of Shortstop highlights not only his passion for the campaign, but the way in which it subverts expectations. “Children's hospital advertising is typically heart-wrenching and poignant, often motivating people by showing cute kids hooked up to machines, smiling through their illness, and thanking you for making a difference. This ‘SickKids VS’ campaign, however, redefined this approach and is now the material that your local children's hospital is likely referencing in its marketing strategy meetings. It's immortal to me for its impact on the category. Nowadays, all I see from other hospitals are dramatic lighting, bold typography, and patients presented as heroes battling for their lives. Bravo to the teams at Cossette and the SickKids Foundation – this is the definition of a paradigm shift.”
IKEA - It’s Not A Mistake
Undeniably, this 20-year-old spot is one of the most iconic in Canadian history. It’s fun, it effectively sold IKEA’s summer sales, and it’s an ad that serves as a source of envy for many of the country’s industry members, including Dustin Rideout. “This ad, for me, is pitch-perfect. As a strategist, I’m envious of the simplicity of the insight – that a sale is so good, it feels like stealing. It’s unmistakably IKEA, both in the rudimentary setting to the tone of the humour. And then the magic of performance makes it timeless. You love the characters, cheer them on, and maybe even wonder what they’re like at home. People continue to quote the ad in culture, and the ad itself has never shown any sign of wear out… the brand just ran it again, in fact!”
Meanwhile, Nancy Crimi-Lamanna, CCO at FCB Canada, is equally passionate about the work. “Everyone knows and loves this spot! It beautifully conveys that moment we all know… when you get a bill that is a lot smaller than you are expecting. So, what do you do? You get the hell out of there! As the talent leaves the store, she immediately starts shouting ‘Start the car! Start the car!’, which became the de facto title of the spot and has become synonymous with IKEA.
I love everything about the spot – the casting, the performances, the set design, and the audio all come together to make a great piece of work that has stood the test of time, and one I never tire of seeing.”
Pfizer - Golf/Office/Elevator/Coach
How does one market a product like Viagra in a memorable way? What exactly is the tone one should take when dealing with something that is not only pharmaceutical - meaning the advertising is highly regulated - but has product benefits that aren’t exactly meant for everyone? As it turns out, aggressive censorship (in the form of bleeping) certainly works wonders. Steve Persico, CCO of Leo Burnett Toronto describes the magic of this efficiently and effectively. “Simple. Funny. It rewards the viewer. And, it was social before social was a media.”
Brian Murray also shares a fondness for this work. “In Canada, if a pharmaceutical ad mentions the product’s benefit, it is then required to painstakingly list off every possible side effect, which basically ruins every pharma ad in Canada ever. However, this Viagra campaign by TAXI Toronto circumvented this rule by not mentioning what Viagra does, but simply alluding to it in a funny, breakthrough way. The campaign, launched in 2005, went on to be the second-most internationally awarded campaign of the year.”
P&G - #LikeAGirl
When making a list of immortal work, it’s hard to ignore a campaign which literally sparks global conversations, and continues to have an impact to this day. Case in point, Leo Burnett Toronto’s ‘#LikeAGirl’ campaign gave the aforementioned phrase an inspiring new meaning, and pushed back against conventional sexism in a poignant way. Oh, and it also went on to win the inaugural D&AD Impact White Pencil and Cannes Glass Lion, as well as Canada’s first-ever creative arts Emmy.
However, the awards aren’t what make it special to Matt Litzinger. “I remember seeing this long-format version and thinking to myself, ‘Wow, what an incredibly smart point told in such a delicate way’. This brilliant, thought-provoking piece really stood out as something that started a conversation that wasn’t happening, or at least wasn’t happening enough. It’s easy now in these more ‘aware’ times (still lots to learn and continue to understand) to see a film like this and think, ‘Well ya’, but 10 years ago, the world wasn’t as it is now. A lot of conversations that are now in the past affected change or continue to shift perceptions on things that haven’t even happened yet.
Often as creatives, we try to develop cultural executions that join an existing conversation, and then shift it slightly to become ours. But not this work. This work started a new conversation. And started it in a way that made it impossible to ignore. It’s another example of some truly immortal work that I wish I had done.”
Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment - We The North
A truly patriotic spot, which incidentally happened to be referenced earlier in this list, ‘We The North’ is one of those campaigns which managed to rally an entire country behind a single cause. From coast to coast, that slogan, set to an inspirational and flashy film, reminded the Canadians of their one and only NBA team - the Toronto Raptors - and that in cheering together, they were representing the whole country, both on and off the court.
Nancy Crimi-Lamanna is still amazed at how three words for a basketball campaign branded an entire country. “‘We The North’ transcended its origins as a Toronto Raptors slogan, becoming a unifying cry for Canadians everywhere. It gave the nation a collective identity to rally around, planting our flag firmly in the ground and redefining Canadian pride.
Since its launch, ‘We The North’ has become a cultural phenomenon, seen on hats, T-shirts, flags, in bars, and among crowds around the globe. Its remarkable longevity and continued relevance show its lasting impact.
Moreover, the Raptors’ championship win cemented ‘We The North’ as a symbol of Canadian pride. It stands as a testament to sports' unifying power, and serves as a brilliant marketing achievement.”
adidas - House Party
Imagine this. You’ve got a hero TV spot for a global brand which depicts an absolutely epic house party featuring stars ranging from David Beckham to Katy Perry. It’s visually striking, it’s fun, it’s set to a killer song, and people around the world end up loving it. Those attributes would probably make the work a contender on any list of all-time great ads, but seeing as Canadian agency Sid Lee was responsible, it’s only right that it ends up here.
Looking at this spot, Nick Paget loves the simplicity of the idea, and the way in which it answers the question of ‘how do we celebrate originals/originality?’. “With a party, obviously. This is an idea that doesn’t get in the way of the vibe, which is why the piece feels like a legitimate music video more than an ad. It perfectly captures a moment in time, style and culture.
The song choice is totally unexpected, and a stroke of genius. Overall, it's an instance of a big brand doing something genuinely cool, which is very hard and incredibly rare.”
Canadian Tire - Give Like Santa, Save Like Scrooge
Considering how beloved holiday advertising is in Canada, it’s surprising that we’ve only just got to our first Christmas entry on the list. However, it’s a real goodie, which, while not exceptionally flashy, delivers a clear message in a fun and, most importantly, supremely memorable way. And for Steve Miller, ECD, SVP and partner at FUSE Create, the simplicity is what makes it beautiful. “Canadian Tire, a long-standing Canadian retail store chain - 104 years and counting - developed a holiday campaign platform that stood the test of time, starting in 1982 and running right up until 2000. It was built on the premise of giving (like Santa) and saving (like Scrooge). The end line was always spoken first by Santa, ‘Canadian Tire lets you give like Santa’, and then by Scrooge ‘and save like Scrooge’. So simple, and so effective.
Perfectly cast and almost always perfectly set in an idyllic, holiday scene (something out of a Dickens novel if you will), this holiday message of giving and saving at Canadian Tire was perfect – so perfect, the campaign ran for 18 years! Ask anyone who grew up in the ‘80s - who’d flip through the Canadian Tire catalogue circling items for their wish list - and they’d be able to recite that familiar line.
Canadian Tire still produces heart-warming spots today, but this hard-working campaign never actually felt hard-working. It felt sincere, nostalgic, warm, and approachable… even for Scrooge!”
SickKids Foundation - SickKids VS: All In
Remember when we talked about the iconic, genre-defying power of SickKids’ annual ads? Well, here’s another one on the list. Once again it’s beautifully shot, edited and scored, the creative is original, and it was insanely effective at doing its job – driving donations toward charitable fundraising. Really, its placement here just cements the series’ reputation as immortal, and points to the fact that people, such as Dhaval Bhatt, may have slightly varying personal favourite spots.
“I remember when this was first being worked on at Cossette,” he says. “There was talk of this awesome campaign for SickKids that Craig McIntosh and Jaimes Zentil were working on. I left Cossette a few months before it launched, and remember when it first dropped. It was stunning. The craft. The idea. The strategy. Even the most cynical of creatives had to sit back and say, ‘that’s undeniable’ (which also happens to be the name of the song on it). Safe to say that ad has had a major impact on healthcare fundraising ads. I know some say, ‘well, it’s SickKids, it’s a lob ball’. To them, I say, well, you’ve still gotta hit it out of the park!"
Post Consumer Brands Canada - Diamond Shreddies
A piece of work which really speaks for itself, what started off as a joke led to a brand proving the power of image within advertising. Ironic, yes. Humourous, absolutely. Award-winning? Well, the 2008 Grand Clio Award that it won certainly points in that direction. But most of all, it’s supremely memorable, which is something that Steve Persico is quick to attest to. “I can’t remember my laptop password most days, or what other thing I was going to mention here, but ads, specifically good TV ads, stick with me like a brilliant line from ‘The Simpsons’ or ‘Touch ‘em all Joe!’ Of all the things I remember, I remember film. It just hits me deeper. I think that’s true for most.
‘Start the car!’
‘It’s what your mom would feed you if your mom were a man.’
‘Hey, aren’t you Ernie the klepto?’
‘He can speak French in Russian.’
‘Ask your doctor.’
Kidding about the last one.
Canada has done so much wonderful advertising. I know ‘Diamond Shreddies’ was more than a TV spot, but it started there and just got better. Brands probably now create more video content than ever. And so does every human with a smartphone. But ads like this give us reason not to forget the number one thing advertising must do if we want to have a shot at being immortal or, at least, not getting skipped: make people look first.”
Breast Cancer Society of Canada - Cam's Breast Exam
When creating a PSA, there’s always the question of just what approach you’re going to take when encouraging people to take action. Sometimes blatant honesty is the play, utilising the power of sadness can also work, but every so often, humour proves to be the best medicine.
Such was the case with this Breast Cancer Society of Canada ad, which took a scary subject and made it more approachable – encouraging people across the country with breasts to self-check and ensure their wellbeing. And, given all this, as well as the fact that he was a teen boy in the ‘90s and 2000s, it’s for all these reasons that Sam Archibald believes this work truly stands the test of time. “The creative powerhouse duo Elspeth Lynn and Lorraine Tao at Zig found the perfect insight and executed it flawlessly. While cancer is a scary subject, this idea cleverly avoids the dramatic and fear-mongering approach by using reverse psychology.
It also demonstrates the power of humour in a space that many would typically hold in sacred regard, where laughter is often seen as inappropriate for advocacy. I love this spot for how it plays with your expectations for this category. The lineup of three guys on the couch at the end cracks me up every time.”
Expedia - World Traveller
Can craft itself be a determining factor in whether a piece of work is immortal? According to Steve Miller, the answer is a resounding yes. And who are we to argue – if a piece of retail advertising like this one can be so well made that it sticks in the minds of viewers years after its release, it's a pretty effective testament to the merits of this approach.
“I couldn’t tell you if this won anything on the awards circuit, but it won me over the first time I saw this spot from Expedia back in 2014,” he explains. “It pulls you in right from the get-go and then that twist – it catches you off guard as much as it does the world traveller!
EVERYTHING about this spot is a 10/10: the script, casting, direction, acting, wardrobe, music, the transfer, reaction moments, the twist, etc., and it’s essentially a retail spot no less! It’s hard to make a memorable brand spot, but it’s even harder when you have to deliver a transactional message, and this spot delivers, literally and figuratively. So, while it may not have garnered the kind of press and accolades one thinks of for an ‘immortal’ ad, purely from a craft perspective, this one lives on in my books!"
Kraft Heinz - Heinz Ketchup Fraud
Plain and simple, this list would not be complete without Canada’s first-ever Immortal Award-winning project, ‘Heinz Ketchup Fraud’. Serving as proof that Heinz’s branding is so powerful, people will literally fill its bottles with off-brand varieties because they know it’ll be received better, this unforgettable OOH series not only saw an increase in brand sales and wins (including retaking the Fenway Park account), but made a powerful public case for the brand’s title as top of the ketchup game. After all, now that the secret is out, there’s no going back.
Dove - Evolution
For quite some time now, Dove has been campaigning for the wellbeing of women and girls with regards to body-image and self-esteem. It has launched numerous campaigns throughout the years exploring the toxic effects of media, and how it leads to unrealistic expectations, mental health issues, and, undoubtedly, played a pretty hefty role in the fact that, according to the old report, ‘The Real Truth About Beauty’, only 2% of women around the world would describe themselves as beautiful.
However, at the top of these works is undoubtedly ‘Evolution’, created in partnership with Ogilvy & Mather Toronto, which made a huge global splash by showcasing just what goes into creating the women we see on billboards and TV. Highlighting just how unrealistic beauty expectations are, the work showcased a time lapse of a model being prepped to shoot, all the photoshop work that gets done after the fact, and capped it off with the simple but sharp line of, ‘No wonder our perception of beauty is distorted’. Talk about a timeless message with relevance even to this day.
Decathlon - Ability Signs
A commendation recipient from last year, ‘Ability Signs’, while new, is looking likely to stand the test of time with just how much it has accomplished since its release. What started out as a grassroots initiative to change the global disability sign with various, sporty alternatives would lead to professional sports teams and even competitor brands adopting these symbols as the new normal. Moreover, the effects of this are still ongoing, as cities like Paris have adopted this trend, marking all the paralympic facilities at this year’s games with the new and improved signage. As such, it’s very likely that the campaign which literally changed the disability sign will prove one for the history books.
adidas - Runner 321
Breaking down the barriers of global sport seems to be a popular trend. After all, if Decathlon made a huge splash for the disabled community with its signage, then this work from FCB Canada and adidas changed the game for those with Down syndrome. Keenly aware that sporting numbers carry great significance and sentimentality for fans around the world, the brand asked the world’s largest marathons to reserve bib number 321, which also happens to signify the chromosome which causes Down syndrome. In the end, the world’s six largest marathons all agreed to do this, in spite of the fact that four are sponsored by rival brands, all serving to help recruit the next generation of athletes with Down syndrome, and remind the community that sport should be for everyone.
Penguin Random House - The Unburnable Book
In times such as these, freedom of speech, education, and awareness are more important than ever. Unfortunately, there are some very fearful politicians living in the US who think that books are going to radicalise their children about subjects like gender, race and sexuality… which is pretty laughable, to say the least.
However, what isn’t laughable is the fact that America has been banning books from schools because of this. In many ways, that level of censorship is reminiscent of a certain era where pieces of literature were banned, and then set ablaze. So, to make a fiery, impassioned statement about why this is a terrible idea, Penguin Random House created a literally unburnable copy of ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’. This commendation-receiving campaign would help fuel many people in the fight against censorship - one which rages to this day - and if nothing else, the visuals of Margaret Atwood unsuccessfully burning her own book are pretty memorable in their own right.
Royal Ontario Museum - Immortal
It only seems right that on a list of immortal works, the piece of work literally titled ‘Immortal’ also makes the cut. And, arguably, it does so as the most visually-striking campaign on this list. Featuring gorgeous imagery set to a beautiful soundtrack and narrative excellence, this commendation recipient by Broken Heart Love Affair and the Royal Ontario Museum celebrates the history and beauty of the world and the human journey, while also lamenting all the horrors that our past histories have wrought and brought to others. Really, you just have to watch it – the work speaks for itself. There’s nothing else like it, and upon viewing, you’ll know exactly why it’s here.
Kraft Heinz - Draw Ketchup
Again playing with the theme of work that proves a point on global scale, this commendation-receiving campaign by Rethink can’t help but be an all-timer due to the fact that it proved a truth on behalf of the brand which, now that it's out there, simply can’t be taken back.
In this case, Rethink asked a bunch of people around the world to draw bottles of ketchup. And they did just that… except that pretty much every single bottle of ketchup drawn looked like or directly featured Heinz’s branding (except for the one guy who randomly drew mustard). Again, this one will have to prove its immortality down the line, but seeing as the people have already spoken, it seems likely that the impacts of this will be felt for the foreseeable future.
Black & Abroad - Go Back to Africa
On the more serious side of things, this campaign by Black & Abroad proved its merit for so many reasons. It helped reclaim a very hateful saying, it utilised AI in all-new ways, it did a whole lot of social good, and the list goes on.
To be more specific, ‘Go Back to Africa’ was created in response to the fact that once every three minutes online, a Black person is told to ‘Go back to Africa’. Considering racism is never tolerable, the brand decided to create a tourism campaign that hijacks real hate as it happens, erases the context, and displaces it. Moreover, considering the fact that most online pictures of tourists in Africa contain caucasian people, the campaign used a first-of-its-kind algorithm that relied on Google Vision AI to pull pictures containing Black travellers to further promote tourism. It’s innovative, it’s smart, it’s done social good, it’s won a bunch of awards – solidifying its reputation as an immortal piece of Canadian work.
Every member of LBB is entitled to up to five entries. The full list of rules, including eligibility dates, can be found here. If you’d like to enter the Immortal Awards but you’re not yet a member of LBB, sign up here today.
If you have any questions about The Immortal Awards or need any help with your entries, please contact awards directors Paul Monan and Emma Wilkie.
Thanks to our wonderful Immortal Awards partners
JSM Music
Boomtown Productions | Our Lego Agency | Park Pictures
The Lift | Whitehouse Post
86Tales | Banjoman | Brill Building | Chelsea Pictures | Company 3
Framestore | Screen Scene | Zulu Alpha Kilo
ARC Edit | Fin Design & Effects | Gramercy Park Studios
Kruger | Ridley Scott Associates | UNIT
