This look at the Canadian ads in the slightly smaller window of the NHL Center Ice free preview in early 2021 is a snapshot of a snapshot.
Coffee was a dominant force. We got a return visit from Jon Hamm and Skip the Dishes. COVID-19 is a force in the ads, thanks to the government of Canada.
As an expert on advertising, never a big fan of telling your customers that you screwed up. Domino's pizza had to do that because its product was so terrible. Customers may say ads are fake because they make a product to be better than it is but the truth sets no one free.
Tim Hortons tell us that the dark roast coffee is now good because for so long, the dark roast coffee was terrible. While I am an expert on advertising, the same can't be said for coffee. So maybe Tim Hortons is finally right. Or not.
A&W is so proud of its coffee that the restaurant chain was offering the coffee for free. The coffee could be a factor since people are still going to these places to get a quick coffee safely from the drive-thru window. A good time to promote the coffee as opposed to burgers and fries.
Calling things "fake" while may be true is a bit overdone. Then again, using the "fake" element to show how real your product is, well, that can work. Haven't had Pinty's bacon but the product looks a lot better than bacon that is technically real bacon. If nothing else, Pinty's would get a second glance in the bacon section.
We have loved the Jon Hamm Skip the Dishes ads. Silly with moments of clever. Then the newest ads came out. Sounds like someone said, "Keep the actors but make the spots not clever."
This newest ad shows Hamm getting a cake burger. Hamm and his assistant go through a philosophical extension on whether the cake is made of burgers or cake to look like a burger. You could argue "too clever" or "too boring." Bring back the old team.
Didn't want to put in a Zoom ad or bring back the annoying white guy who says a Big Mac with bacon isn't a Big Mac. Changed my mind because these guys work well with Zoom and a reminder that the United States claims to love its bacon but doesn't have a Big Mac with bacon. McDonald's Canada is more creative than the U.S. version.
Canadian ads from fall 2019 NHL Center Ice free preview
Canadian political ads from fall 2019 NHL Center Ice free preview
CanadianCrossing.com advertising coverage
The final ads come from the government of Canada. The first is about the COVID-19 alert app. The app helps inform people who might be at risk, a concept the United States is woefully behind on having. The second ad is a nice visual that if we are patient and follow the guidelines, we can return to a relatively normal world.
video credits: the advertisers themselves
The COVID app ad was on all the time on TSN during the World Juniors. It was slightly ironic since the tournament was in Edmonton and the App isn't available in Alberta.
Posted by: Kyle | February 03, 2021 at 07:14 AM
That is (sadly) hilarious. They are national ads, true. Hope the COVID-19 app is available throughout Canada soon.
Posted by: Chad | February 03, 2021 at 08:54 AM