In the cult film, Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie, Matt Johnson and Jay McCarrol accidentally travel back to 2008, creating an alternate timeline where Jay becomes The BMO Guy.

TBWA & Bank of Montreal (BMO) have made the fictional moment real.

From May 27 to June 3, BMO glitched its digital boards in Toronto’s Sankofa Square, temporarily replacing its current spokesperson, Lamorne Morris, with Jay McCarrol, as if an alternate timeline is bleeding into this one. The campaign will also extend into the city through wild postings placed around key Toronto locations featured in the film, supported by influencer content and social amplification.

It’s not every day a brand gets written directly into the plot of a cult movie, then decides to make the joke real in downtown Toronto.

Fresh off winning six Canadian Screen Awards, including Best Motion Picture, Best Lead Performer in a Comedy Film, and Best Supporting Performance in a Comedy Film, Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie has now spilled into real life in downtown Toronto.

Credits:
Client: BMO
Chief Marketing Officer & Head, Social Impact: Catherine Roche 
Chief Brand Officer: Jennifer Carli 
Director, Brand & Sponsorship Advertising: Danielle O’Hanley 
Senior Marketing Manager, Brand & Sponsorships Advertising: Alexandra Sherwin  

Agency: TBWA 
Chief Creative Officer: Nancy Crimi-Lamanna 
Executive Creative Director: Jeremiah McNama 
Associate Creative Director: Joseph Vernuccio  
Senior Art Director: Sanna Kula
Junior Copywriter: Meagan Frew  
EVP, General Manager: Tracy Little 
VP, Client Service Lead: Erin Howes 
Account Supervisor: Amanda Valdes  
Chief Strategy Officer: Shelley Brown 
Senior Strategist: Clair Parker  

Media: UM