This Non-Profit Encouraged Canadians to Cast Their Physical Activity Barriers Down a Metaphorical Hole
It may sound obvious, but physical activity is important. There’s a whole host of benefits tied to this which have been extolled time and time again… and yet, only 49% of adults in Canada are actually getting the amount of exercise they need. It’s a troubling yet understandable statistic; with all the rigours of daily life crowding our schedules, the idea of finding time to be active when you could finally kick back, relax and look at a screen instead is wholly relatable. In short, there are more barriers to getting moving now than ever before, and this is precisely what not-for-profit organisation ParticipACTION wants to break down.
Collaborating with partner creative agency Zulu Alpha Kilo, the pair were quick to observe that even the busiest people have holes in their day that can be used to this productive end. So, to demonstrate this, the team created an empowering yet unexpectedly quirky film depicting a procession of people marching with assorted barriers to physical activity in their hands. From a Sisyphean ball of screens to a man sliding along in blankets, it all finds its way to the same hole in the ground, where together, the labourers cast these things into the void – all set to Wagner’s ‘Lohengrin’ for dramatic effect, of course. It’s clever, unexpected, and wholly on the nose – a great visual metaphor which gets the message across loud and clear.
To learn more about just what it took to bring this to life, and whether the hole in the ground was, in fact, actually real, LBB’s Jordan Won Neufeldt sat down with ParticipACTION’s senior director of marketing and communications, Rebecca Jones, as well as Zulu Alpha Kilo chief creative officer Jenny Glover, for a chat.
LBB> Designing a new brand platform is no small task. As such, what was the brief for this campaign, what immediate ideas came to mind?
Rebecca> ParticipACTION’s mission has always been to get people moving across Canada, making physical activity part of daily life for everyone. With this new brand platform, ‘Let’s Make Room to Move’, we want to shake things up and make movement something we all prioritise. It’s all about breaking down the barriers that stop people from moving, whether they’re personal or cultural, and getting everyone involved in the effort.
Jenny> Canadians are already well aware of the benefits of physical activity. Yet, studies show that many struggle to find the time to partake. Due to our brief being about removing the barriers that get in the way, one idea we initially considered was creating a moving company that moved the things keeping you from moving, from TVs to couches to house cats.
LBB> Specifically, the idea of a giant hole being a metaphor for the holes in one’s day is super fun! Where did this come from, and what made it the right approach for the moment, and the brand?
Jenny> The idea of showing people throwing their barriers to physical activity into a massive hole felt big, and right for the launch of a new platform. When creative team George Ault and Jacob Gawrysiak looked at language to give the metaphor a more conceptual meaning, the notion of ‘holes in your day’ came pretty quickly.
Rebecca> That giant hole is a playful way of showing how life’s distractions – work, screens, life in general – just swallow up our time, leaving little room for movement. It’s fun, but also speaks to very real challenges of modern life, and, as a brand, we wanted a lighthearted but meaningful way to address those.
LBB> Of course, actually filling these holes can be easier said than done. What makes it so hard for Canadians to integrate physical activity, and how can more people find their own moments of empowerment, akin to throwing something in the hole?
Rebecca> The reality is, between long hours at the desk, cities designed for cars, endless screen time, and non-stop schedules, life just doesn’t always leave room for a workout. In fact, only 49% of adults in Canada meet the recommended activity guidelines. There’s a lot of stuff competing for our time, and movement often falls to the bottom of the list.
We’re all about making movement a non-negotiable part of the day. This means scheduling movement as a priority, creating environments that make it easier to move, and rethinking how we integrate physical activity into our routines. The more we can find those little moments to squeeze in activity, whether it’s a walk, stretching between Zoom calls, or biking to work, the easier it is to fill those holes. It’s less about doing a full-on workout, and more about finding those small moments to get moving.
LBB> The spot features some pretty wild items being carried – all in very creative fashion. What did it take to come up with all of these? And do you have any favourites of the bunch?
Jenny> The original script had a lot of the ideas you see in the spot, but it was Spy Films’ Nick Roney, our director, who gave them scale and visual interest: the chair sculpture, the boardgame tower, the gamer entangled in wires. They made the film – particularly the wider shots of the procession – so much more impactful.
Our two favourites were the blanket worm and the giant Sisyphean ball. I love when you can insert a little Greek mythology into the work.
Rebecca> Oh, the Sisyphean boulder for sure! It’s this huge ball made of screens, laptops, phones, you name it. It was such a fun (and exaggerated) way to show how we are all faced with excessive screen time. It’s a pretty relatable visual!
LBB> Speaking of Nick Roney, what was the collaboration like, and why was he perfect for the job?
Jenny> Nick was a dream to work with. From the moment he signed on to the last post session he was in it, constantly making the work better. A couple nights before the online session, he put up a green screen at his house and shot the flying balls himself because he didn’t think the stock shots looked correct. It’s rare to work with a director who’s as talented and collaborative as Nick is. He’s a gem.
LBB> How did the shoot go? Where did you film, how long did it take, and do you have any anecdotes from the experience?
Jenny> We shot in Bogotá, Colombia, which was a first for us. We really couldn’t be happier with the team down there and how it all went. Habitant, the production company in Colombia, was incredible to work with. We only had one day to shoot, which was gruelling, but the team had such an amazing work ethic and can-do spirit. It’s surprising more productions don’t happen there.
LBB> Were all of the items that made their way into the hole real? And if so, what did it take to bring the ball of screens to life?
Jenny> Everything that went into the hole was practical. Nick consulted an industrial engineer on the different prop builds, specifically the ball, and how they could come to life. Then, the production designer in Colombia took the designs and built all the props in a matter of days.
Seeing that ball in person was breathtaking. The only VFX work on the ball was the life given to a few of the screens. And it held up surprisingly well after the 20 foot drop!
LBB> Equally so, what did it take to film the actors with more unusual objects, such as the man slinking along in pillows and blankets?
Jenny> The ball was actually a lot heavier and harder to push than any of us predicted. So, while the shot of the guy rolling the ball was real, there were actually about five other people hidden behind it, pushing as well.
As for the blankets, we were lucky that the actor we picked for the blankets could do a surprisingly good ‘worm’ (we hadn’t tested that until we were on set). We managed to get a couple good takes in the first four or five, which was good, because the blankets fell apart after that.
LBB> What did it take to create the giant hole? And how did you make the sequence of people throwing things in feel feasible?
Jenny> At first, we thought it might be us on the business end of a shovel. Credit to the production team for finding a quarry with holes already in the ground! Having a real hole (15-20 feet deep or so) to react to was a blessing because it made the performances more natural and authentic.
But… it wasn’t perfectly round. We needed a tonne of VFX work from our friends at Alter Ego to make it the perfectly round abyss that it is. On the shoot day, Nick and the production team used a rope to create a circle with the dimensions we wanted the hole to have, so the talent knew where to stand.
LBB> Setting it all to Wagner’s ‘Lohengrin’ is awesome. What made this the right soundtrack for the job?
Jenny> Nick found the piece before we shot. We all wanted something epic that still had an inspirational quality, and while we explored a bunch of different tracks in post, we kept coming back to it. Fortunately, the piece was in the public domain.
It’s tough to beat Wagner.
LBB> What challenges have you faced during this project? How did you overcome them?
Jenny> The biggest challenge was bringing this spot to life with a relatively modest budget. A big shoutout to our production partners, Spy Films, ProdCo, Nimiopere, Alter Ego, and Boombox for seeing the potential in the idea and going above and beyond to help bring it to life.
Rebecca> One of the big challenges was making sure the message was fun and relatable, and not preachy or judgmental. We didn’t want people to feel like we were pointing fingers at their busy lives or the barriers they face. We kept things light and tried to be empathetic, acknowledging that life’s complicated, but also offering a positive spin on how we can make room for more movement.
LBB> What lessons have you learned from the making of this campaign?
Jenny> Giant balls made of screens are even heavier than you’d think!
Rebecca> This campaign really taught us that understanding your audience’s struggles is key. It’s one thing to say ‘Get active!’, but it’s another to realise just how tough it can be to fit it in with everything else. We learned that humour and empathy go a long way; making people feel seen, rather than guilty, is the secret to getting them on board.
LBB> Since launch, how have people responded to this campaign?
Jenny> We’ve had really enthusiastic responses to the work. Also, I saw a woman running at noon the other day in like -15° C temperatures. We can take credit for that, right?
Rebecca> The campaign has sparked a lot of conversation, and many people have engaged with the core message, even if it’s just a few minutes of physical activity here and there. We’ve also received a few letters where some people have misinterpreted the giant hole metaphor in ways we hadn’t anticipated – particularly around promoting wastefulness – but overall, the response has been constructive, and it has opened up valuable dialogue about the challenges Canadians face in making time for physical activity.
LBB> How does this campaign fit into ParticipACTION’s branding for 2025 and beyond? Can we expect to see this platform expanded?
Rebecca> As we move into 2025 and beyond, we will continue to focus on removing barriers and making physical activity more accessible for all Canadians. Expect to see more initiatives around inclusive movement, greater community engagement, and partnerships that support both local and national movements.
We will also continue to evolve the 'Let’s Make Room to Move' platform to incorporate new insights and innovative ways to inspire Canadians to integrate movement into their lives, whether that’s through digital tools, policy advocacy, or community programmes.
LBB> Finally, has making this campaign made you rethink the way you fill the holes in your day?
Jenny> We still fill them chasing children around the house, but now feel better about it.
Rebecca> For sure! I’ve definitely become more aware of how I spend my time. I’m thinking more about those little pockets in the day where I can move, whether it’s walking to a meeting, stretching during breaks, or otherwise making sure I set time aside for physical activity. This campaign really hammered home that, even with a packed schedule, there’s always a way to carve out space for movement.
