Last June, there was a “screw up” at the James Ready bottling plant. Leo Burnett turned that mistake into Gold, Silver and Bronze Pencils at Thursday night’s One Show in New York.
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| Some of the gifts sent back to James Ready drinkers who sent in their blank bottle caps |
The “James Ready Blank Cap Recall” campaign was a quick-thinking response from the agency after James Ready bottles were accidentally shipped without the traditional light-hearted messages and random words of wisdom under the bottle caps. When James Ready enthusiasts started asking what happened, Leo Burnett saw an opportunity. An apology video was posted to Facebook inviting drinkers to send back their blank caps in exchange for a James Ready mystery gift: old hockey cards, dishwashing gloves, tiny ninja hamsters. The list of make-good gifts was long, random and a perfect reflection of the brand’s wry sense of humour.
While the James Ready campaign –helping drinkers save money to buy more beer– has been huge hit at awards shows since launching in 2007, Leo Burnett CEO Judy John says that the ads also help the client sell more beer. “It has been a growing brand for sure. I know they were growing at about 40% year on year…It has been very successful which is why we keep doing it.”
Creativity does have the power to change brands and people’s perceptions of the brands, she said. “We started this dialogue with our drinkers and they actually want to talk to us.”
The One Show judges awarded it a Gold in the Promotion category, a Silver in Innovation in Advertising and a Bronze in Experiential.
The work was the only Canadian entry to bring home a Pencil last night, though a handful made the Merit list.
Best of Show was given to Nike’s “Write the Future” TV spot from Wieden + Kennedy Amsterdam. The spot also won Gold in Television Over :30 Single, and in Cinema Single.
Canadian agencies enjoyed a stronger showing at the One Show Design ceremony Monday night, bringing eight Pencils north of the border.
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| Paprika’s annual report for Cascades |
Toronto’s Blok Design won a Gold in Book Layout Design for Moxie Pictures’ “Par” and Montreal’s Paprika won Gold in Annual Report for Cascades.
Leo Burnett won two Bronze, once for The Advertising and Design Club of Canada’s “Love/Hate Annual” and also in Self Promotion for the “Leo Burnett Christmas Bag.”
MacLaren McCann’s Calgary office won a Silver for client Fotolia in Typography and Design.
Taxi won two Bronze Pencils. One went to the Montreal office for client Elektra’s “You are not here” in the Collateral: Posters category, and the second went to Taxi 2 Mini Canada’s “Vending Machine.”
A Bronze also went to Foundry Communications in Calgary for the Society of Graphic Designer’s annual report.
