A Guide to the Best Bye Bye Advertising

Melissa Charland, executive creative director at Publicis Montreal says: “I find this message very charming. Simple yet effective, it invites people to hang up at the end of the year. The production is delightful, and its artistic direction beautifully illustrates the evolution of Quebec over time.”

Manuel Ferrarini, creative director at Tam-Tam\TBWA Montreal says, “A nice exercise of including all the play-on-words with food and cooking that the creatives were able to find and fit in, this could have become tiresome, but I enjoy discovering each one! Plus, you add an ex-Habs coach, Jean Perron, who is famous for HIS wordplay, and you have all the elements for a memorable Bye Bye ad.”

Antoine Becotte, executive creative director at TAXI Montreal says, “This pet store ad from the pandemic era was brilliant! The elbow bump instead of a kiss at the end perfectly captured that awkward moment we all experienced."

“We were still in the spirit of covid-19 at the end of 2019,” adds Manuel. “So, instead of shaking hands, we would bump elbows and avoid germs everywhere. But who can resist the love of a dog ? This spot made you go ‘euwwww’ and ‘ah ah ah ah’. And the execution is on point – the casting, direction, framing, etc.”

Geneviève Langlois, partner and executive creative director at LG2 says, “Because of the audience and the presence of advertisers, even before the Radio-Canada contest, Bye Bye was referred to as our Super Bowl. This ad was the first to win first place. It followed other holiday ads for Dairy Farmers where an adult discourse, including a popular song related to the drink, was put into the mouths of children, but to talk about milk. The stars aligned, leading to this spin on Budweiser's famous message. It's light, entertaining, generous with entertainment, and, above all, impactful... everything a Bye Bye message should be.”

"The 'Wassup' remake for milk is surprisingly effective. It takes a classic beer ad's energy and uses it to promote a healthy drink, appealing to both a new generation and those nostalgic for the original,” adds Antoine. “And even though the Budweiser ad was American, its impact was felt even in Quebec, making this remake even more resonant."

“I love this take on an old, all-time favorite (at least of my generation),” observes Manuel. “In particular, I enjoy how the kids are casually ‘just watching an end-of-year TV show’, the Bye Bye awards. Plus, the fact that this is a shot-by-shot remake of the Budweiser work is just oh so cute.”

Philippe Brassard, associate creative director at Cossette says, “When I was asked to talk about the most memorable ads from Bye Bye history, I closed my eyes and immediately thought of one. This spot has all the ingredients for a successful Bye Bye commercial. It cleverly taps into a strong cultural reference in Quebec: comedian Michel Barrette and his humorous holiday song, ‘It’s Turkey Time’ (‘C’est le temps d’une dinde’). The ad builds on a pure idea – like Michel, many of us are a bit tired of eating turkey during the holidays. And the execution has a striking simplicity, especially the hilariously unexpected moment when Michel smashes the radio as he hears his own song playing on it. Now that they’re one of our clients, this ad sets the bar high, compelling us to deliver nothing short of excellence.”

Jean-François DaSylva-Larue, creative director at Publicis Montreal says, “I love the insight of the completely irrational drama created by spilling red wine on a tablecloth. And, how this situation serves to communicate BelairDirect’s ‘forgiving policy’ messaging, as well as provide a totally natural New Year’s Eve context that feels perfectly suited for the Bye Bye. So good.”

Sylvain Dufresne, VP, head of creative at FCB Montreal adds, “Everyone knows, the biggest tragedy of holiday dinners remains, and will always be, the spilled wine glasses on the family tablecloth,” finishes Sylvain. “But, when you’re insured with a company that really protects you, not just any accident will change the focus of what really needs to be addressed. A delicious cast, an insight that everyone knows, and a family that everyone can relate to.”

“New Year’s Eve with family is sometimes a recipe for disaster,” notes Manuel. “Anything can become drama – even the smallest accident. Here, I like the complete chaos and non-stop action. And how in the end, when it comes to a big accident, the insurance company’s message comes through. Really, the execution brings it all together.”

“As a creative, one of my favourite moments is watching the Bye Bye ads without knowing what the other advertiser-agency teams have come up with – what story they created to touch the heart, and what links to popular culture they used,” concludes Geneviève. “The Belair ad with its references instantly charmed me. The little product to remove red wine, the tablecloth for special occasions, perfect casting. How delightful it must have been to realise this message. I was jealous… I still am.”

Simon Bédard, VP, strategy at Publicis Montreal says: “Le lait reinvent themselves Bye Bye after Bye Bye, always communicating about the product in a culturally relevant way. This time, they took aim at the advertising world with a playful nod to Gillette. It's clever and fun, and completely aligned with the spirit of the show.”

Melissa adds, “This parody of a Gillette ad still makes me laugh after all these years.”

Sylvain says, “At the end of 2022, an incredible crisis was taking place at Passport Canada, and hundreds of thousands of Canadians and Quebecers were in endless waiting to receive their passport. Hundreds of people would even miss their departures for vacations due to this. So, with everyone looking for the reason behind this delay, Mondou created a message that finally gave us the answer. Funny, sarcastic and wonderfully executed.”

“This is a hilarious spot that communicates Mondou’s deep-rooted love of animals in the most entertaining and memorable way possible,” continues Jean-François. “Not least of which is the fact that it co-opted the Passport Canada news story, which effectively turns the ad into a mini-sketch for the Bye Bye itself. Brilliant.”

Geneviève adds, “I'm proud of all the Bye Bye messages that have been produced for Mondou. Sticking to the news has always paid off handsomely for the brand. But ‘Relaxez-vous’, with its sketch-like style, really blurred the line between the main show and the ad. For me, it's the perfect example of an advertiser who knows how to fit into its context. What's more, it did some good by finding homes for all the shelter kittens in the message. 

“This was the first time we saw an ad that looked like a sketch from the Bye Bye show,” states Melissa. “The message referenced a current event from 2022: the Canadian Passport office struggling to deliver passports on time due to high post-pandemic demand. As they say, it's better to laugh than to cry!”

Simon says, “This one's a bit unconventional. While I'm not particularly fond of the ad itself, I like the strategic decision to generate awareness about a health condition on a big stage, when the typical pharma approach would be banner ads or lower funnel content. For many, this ad was off-putting in a moment where we are supposed to laugh. But, five years later, people continue to joke about it. I’m sure that most Quebecers now understand what mycosis is because of this Bye Bye ad. I would be curious to compare awareness levels with other provinces.”

Manuel says, “Often, the discourse during the holidays is, ‘we have no idea what day it is!’. What’s great about this ad is that it absolutely nails that feeling and insight, and it creates a bit of envy at the same time. I also love the serene tone of the film. It creates great contrast with the loudness of the Bye Bye show… and the family members screaming in the kitchen.”