Kokanee – RangerLiveOrDie.ca
Kudos to Kokanee for letting the online audience help shape this campaign. But when I visited the site and pumped in some bogus age information, I was presented with a 30-second spot. If I wanted to watch a passive commercial I would have just turned on my TV. Anyway, after watching it, I voted to have the ranger booted off the mountain. My reward? The exact same ad played again. I expected more. Could the same thing have been accomplished by uploading a commercial to YouTube and monitoring ratings and comments? Maybe I’m missing something. If there’s more, it’s not standing out enough for me to notice.
Agency: Grip Ltd.
Copywriter: David Chiavegato Interactive
Copywriter: Matt Rogers
Art director: Rich Pryce-Jones Interactive
Art director: Colin Craig
Maxwell House – BrewSomeGood.com
At first glance I liked how the site looked and sounded, but this experience is definitely more about the brew and less about the good. You are able to find a lot of information on the product, but when you dig a little deeper, there’s not much beyond that. Sure, you can upload a picture of yourself or write about “something good” on a virtual typewriter that makes virtual typewriter noises (I smiled), but these techniques seem pedestrian given the powerful tools at our disposal. The Good News Daily section showed a little more promise but underdelivered on content. There were only three stories for me to read, one of which was entitled “Couple married for 75 years pass away on same day.” Hooray!
Agency: OgilvyOne
Creative director: Carlos Garavito
Copywriters: Laura Mclean, Karin Elz
Art directors: Neil Cabana, Valentine Makhouleen, Sophie Park
Pizza Pops – PizzaPops.ca
I thought the whole “fake is the new real” trend was over, but apparently it’s still alive and kicking. Like the dozens of exploded pizza pops splattered across this site, the art direction and overall experience feels splattered about and chaotic. I got annoyed when the fake hacker message came up. It just took the site to a whole new complicated level. The 800-number is nothing short of disappointing. I just don’t understand how this site could persuade anyone to eat this stuff. But somehow it wouldn’t surprise me if kids actually dug this gastronomically gory Jackass-like content.
Agency: Fjord Interactive Marketing + Technology
Associate Creative director: Elizabeth Yanitsky
Copywriter: Laurent Abesdris
Designer: Jordan Smith
Scope – TestYourBreath.ca
I like that there’s an actual idea behind this site. I also appreciate the simplicity of the experience-blow into the computer’s mike and see your elevator companion’s reaction to your stanky breath. Some of the gags are totally over the top. The Indiana Jones one was hysterical. The rhino? Well… Stay classy. But once you run through the gags, there’s nothing left to do. I’m not asked to read company history or send it to a friend. There isn’t even a link to Scope.ca (currently being squatted). Overall, this site is easy, simple and memorable. On the other hand, I did gargle with a mouthful of Scope just prior to testing my breath and it still gave me a “noxious” rating. I think more work needs to be done on the synthetic olfactory molecular atom recognition algorithm.
Agency: Dentsu
Creative director: Glen Hunt
Interactive CD: Michael Gramlow
Designer: Thomas Hong
Copywriters: Glen Hunt, Michael Gramlow, Matt Williamson
Art directors: Michael Gramlow, Carson Ting
