BEST TVWinner: Stok'd '
Cliffside Bookstore'. I am a sucker for clever advertising and this one certainly fits the bill. While everyone might not get the context right away, once you know that in Canada there are tight restrictions on how to market cannabis shops this campaign becomes wonderfully inventive. I also appreciate the delivery of the bookstore spokesman and the restraint the writers took to infuse the dialogue with just enough marijuana innuendo without being cringy. Makes you want to watch again.
Runner up: B&Q '
You Can Do It'. Beautifully filmed and full of wonderful visual metaphors certainly make this spot compelling, but it is the tone that it takes for the category that makes it stand out to me. I'm not sure I have ever seen a home repair spot be so honest with the challenges. Refreshing to see.
BEST PRINTWinner: UCAL '
They Can't Do Anything, You Can'. Simple but not so simple that you don't have to think about it. I love visual ads that give you 1+1 but make you get to 2. At first, I didn't even see the reptile. It was only after staring at it for a moment that I got the message. Now it is staying with me because it made me think.
Runner up: Courageous Conversation Global Foundation '
Erased - Martin'. A powerful message designed beautifully with just the right amount of visual trickery. This feels like a poster more than an ad and I'm 100% sure that is how it was planned. Kudos to those who embraced simplicity for a powerful message.
BEST OUTDOOR Winner: Kia '
Impossible Sunlight'. A really inventive way to show off their latest electric vehicle, Kia's Impossible Sunlight brings whimsy to the OOH category that often just gets too tricky. I love the beauty and the simplicity of the idea; my only wish is that they did it in even more locations and made it a more formal program.
Runner up: Tooheys '
Welcomes Trav'. Simple and topical sometimes win the day. I also loved that they shortened Travis to "Trav" which I refuse to believe is because of legal concerns but just Australian charm.
BEST INTERACTIVEWinner: Dans la rue '
Address Change'. Really clever and even a little punk. Such a simple idea to use something so big today (influencer marketing) and spin it on its head for good. Bravo. I only hope that it wasn't just a few influencers that signed on but a whole army.
Runner up: Spanish Association Against Alzheimer's and other Dementias '
Lost In The World'. I really liked how this was an interactive idea in the truest sense. Transporting gamers into a world where they experience the symptoms of Alzheimer's is a powerful way to bring the issue to light for an audience that is probably not paying attention. Nicely done.
This week's guest judge is Tim Gordon, chief creative officer and partner at Zulu Alpha Kilo, New York.
Before starting Zulu Alpha Kilo NY, Tim was the co-chief creative officer of Droga5 where he spent 14 years producing not only award-winning work but also driving effectiveness and influence for iconic brands such as the New York Times, Puma, Under Armour and Chase. During his decade plus tenure, Droga5 was named Agency of the Decade by both Adweek and Adage, and most recently was named Adage Agency of the Year in 2021. He's also been named Creative of the Year by Campaign magazine.
