This campaign almost died because the client did. Covid almost killed the Advertising & Design Club of Canada in 2020. It also stopped its annual award show from happening. Zulu Alpha Kilo is hoping that its humour will make the 2021 show big enough to make up for it.
The tongue-in-cheek call-for-entries campaign, Unquarantine Your Creative, celebrates all the amazing work that emerged in 2020 despite the challenges. The campaign includes video and social content.
The first video uses animated typography to document the thoughts that ran through ad people’s heads as Covid ran riot in their lives and work – office closures, toilet paper shortages and Zoom fatigue
A second video shows how, despite being physically contained this past year, our creativity was still able to run wild.
The third video reinforces our banal daily stay-at-home routines, and how the repetition of each day has driven us to use creativity as an outlet to stay sane.
Also included is a series of Instagram Stories about the places around our homes where creatives worked and created their best ideas during the pandemic – from directing radio ads in storage closets, to coming up with ideas while giving ourselves DIY haircuts through to presenting award-winning ideas on the toilet.
“This year has been unlike any other,” stated Zak Mroueh, chief creative officer & founder of Zulu Alpha Kilo. “Most of the ads that will be submitted, would have been conceived, crafted and executed while at home. We wanted this year’s call for entries campaign to remind us that creativity will always prevail, even if you’re stuck at home.”
The campaign almost didn’t happen. During the middle of the year, Zulu Alpha Kilo was asked by the ADCC to help save the club when it almost shut down because of the pandemic. In response, Zulu spearheaded the ADCC All-Nighter Webathon – a 24-hour, live-streamed fundraiser that showcased more than 30 unique sessions featuring industry luminaries from inside and outside of Canada, including David Droga, Alex Bogusky and Colleen Decourcy. The campaign galvanised the Canadian industry and helped raise the needed funds to save the 72-year-old non-profit.
“After nearly being forced to end operations in 2020, and watching the industry rally around the All-Nighter Webathon, we’re excited to have the show return in 2021 to celebrate all the amazing work from the Canadian creative community,” noted Michelle Ovcaric, executive director of the ADCC. “The funds raised from entry fees allow us to continue to educate and inspire the community even while apart, with content like the ADCC Created Podcast, our In Conversation With and In & Around Design series.”
The show, which will be virtual this year on June 3, is open to work created between June 2019 to January 2021. Also included as part of the 2021 ADCC Awards is the annual student competition that has launched the careers of many of Canada’s top advertising and design creatives over the years. The student competition will launch later in February.
The deadline for agency and professional entries is Friday, February 5 at 12pm (AST).
Credits
Client: Advertising & Design Club of Canada
Client Team: Michelle Ovcaric & Andrew Simon
Agency: Zulu Alpha Kilo
Creative Director: Zak Mroueh
Copywriters: Nick Asik & Christina Roche
Art Directors: Jenny Luong & Andrea Por
Designer: Jeff Watkins
Account Team: Rob Feightner
Producers: Houng Ngui, Sarah Dayus & Ola Stodulska
Production Company: Zulubot
Post-Production Company: Zulubot
Editors: Ashlee Mitchells & Jessie Posthumous
Mac Artist: Andrew Martin
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