Kyle Scotland

For “The Rental” — Bell’s first-ever Super Bowl spot — we turned a family’s perfect getaway into a chilling horror story when they discover the unthinkable: a vacation without Bell pure fibre Internet.

In “The Visitor” — the sequel in this double-feature screamfest — we take viewers into a nightmare realm where a man is being pursued by his greatest fear… until he comes face-to-face with one even greater: his home has cable Internet.

Both spots urge Canadians to switch to Bell, because once you’ve experienced Bell pure fibre Internet, anything else is terrifying.

WHAT I DID: concept development, art direction, clown wrangling

MEDIA: Broadcast, cinema, digital

WRITER: Jason Sweeney

PRODUCTION: Aircastle (Soft Citizen); Leigh Marling (Animals)

Nobody likes stinky clothes. But odors that won't leave, even after multiple washes? It's like being stuck in a toxic relationship.

We tell the story of one woman's escape from despair to liberation in a powerhouse performance scored with the most badass breakup song ever: Bonnie Tyler's power ballad "Total Eclipse of the Heart" (with a few teensy tweaks to the lyrics).

MEDIA: Digital, broadcast; EN/FR/USH

WRITER: Jason Sweeney

PRODUCTION: Prettybird

SCORE: Grayson Music

In "Intelligent Life", humankind has made peaceful first contact with an alien race. Select Earthlings are boarding an alien spacecraft to experience the wonder of galactic civilization... except for one guy who just has to ask what the 5G is like out there.

Launching on TV, cinema, and online, "Intelligent Life" stands on the shoulders of classic first-contact stories — even going so far to as to create the most adorable alien this side of Alpha Centauri — all to help Canadians realize one thing: if the 5G is that good, I have GOT to get on board.

MEDIA: Digital, broadcast

WRITER: Jason Sweeney

PRODUCTION: Animals

Scotiabank is all-in on hockey. So to honour that commitment, we invited the nation to join award-winning documentary filmmakers in capturing a single day in the life of community hockey. With the help of P.K. Subban and Auston Matthews, we triggered an avalanche of submissions from everyday Canadians. From there, we crafted a feature-length documentary bursting with laughter, tears, and poignant stories of diversity and inclusion. Watched by over half a million Canadian households the night of its broadcast premiere, the film went on to be honoured at advertising award shows and film festivals in 11 countries.

WATCH THE FEATURE: hockey24.film

WHAT I DID: concept development, brand identity design, story mining

MEDIA: broadcast, digital/social, in-branch

WRITER: Jason Sweeney

EDITOR: Emily Preston

PRODUCTION: The Mark, Hot Docs Studios

Sapporo wanted to boost their image as a beer with sophisticated urban cred. So we created a transit domination that combined traditional sumi-e brushwork with the edginess of nightlife in modern Japan. Bystanders were treated to the spectacle of giant dragons snaking along city streets, and passengers were surprised to step into interiors decked-out to resemble Tokyo subway cars. 乾杯 !

WHAT I DID: concept development, animation supervision

MEDIA: Transit, wild postings, digital

WRITER: Siobhan Dempsey

PRODUCTION: Brad Pickard; Married to Giants

Manulife wanted to let Canadians know that when armed with a financial plan, they’ll have the courage to pursue the things that matter most. We brought this to life by following in the footsteps of people as they embarked on life-altering journeys; some bold, others quietly personal. A series of follow-up shorts each told the story of a character and how Manulife helped bring their unique ambitions to life.

WHAT I DID: concept development, brand strategy

MEDIA: Digital, cinema, OOH

WRITER: Julie Stolberg

PRODUCTION: Soft Citizen

To help The Beauty Clinic by Shoppers stand out in a sea of air-brushed sameness, this campaign flipped the script on what people expect from the cosmetic dermatology industry. With a refreshing injection of levity, this micro-targeted social campaign smashed all expectations: generating 1.2 million views, doubling our goal for consultation requests, and winning a CMA to boot. Fabulous!

WHAT I DID: concept development, brand identity design

MEDIA: OLV, digital/social, in-store

WRITER: Jason Sweeney

PRODUCTION: Nimble

Kruger created The Big Assist to help keep hockey kids in need on the ice, because while hockey may be expensive, the lessons it teaches are invaluable. Grownups know that an "assist" is more than just a pass that makes a goal possible, but we wondered if kids did too. So we asked them, and let them teach us in their own charming way. The campaign exceeded expectations, doubling submissions over the previous year.

WHAT I DID: concept development, interviews, masterbrand integration

MEDIA: Digital, broadcast

WRITER: Jason Sweeney

PRODUCTION: Skin and Bones

What to do with that empty soda can? Choose wisely or Karma’s gonna get you. Encorp Recycling wanted to remind kids and adults alike not to trash their recyclables. This doodly campaign took it to the extreme, showing how a careless mistake can have unexpected (and sometimes squashy) consequences.

WHAT I DID: concept development, storyboarding, character design

MEDIA: Digital, print, OOH

WRITER: Tim Dundon

ANIMATION: Paul Gill

At the peak of the pandemic, Shoppers Drug Mart pharmacists were among the few healthcare providers Canadians felt comfortable visiting. But most of us didn't realize our local pharmacist could diagnose and prescribe for a host of ailments, just like a doctor. We used a familiar retail setting to deliver this unfamiliar news, and jumpstarted a change in behaviour that our overburdened medical system needed.

WHAT I DID: concept development, VFX direction

MEDIA: broadcast, digital/social, in-store

WRITER: Jason Sweeney

PRODUCTION: Nimble

I love nothing more than building a brand from the ground-up or reimagining one in need of a renovation.

Sophisticated? Mais oui. Playful? Yippee! Seductive? Ooh baby.

From logos to labels to livery, I’m an expert at getting a brand ready for its closeup.

Homeowners have been conditioned to believe that all mortgages are the same. Manulife One is the vastly-superior exception, so why do so few Canadians know about it? It’s almost as if there’s a shadowy bank conspiracy to keep us in the dark. We awakened consumers by creating an underground resistance intent on bringing the mortgage truth to light. Decidedly un-banky.

This digital campaign drove 14 million views, grew business 30% year-over-year and generated tens of millions dollars for our client. Winner of gold and silver CMA awards; plus a Cassie for good measure.

WHAT I DID: concept development, brand identity design, VFX supervision

MEDIA: broadcast, OLV, social

WRITER: Rich Cooper

PRODUCTION: Nimble

The challenge: make some dumb old coral reefs look interesting. Oh—who are we kidding?—the sea is a weird, wonderful, magical place. This fun little campaign dove in to follow one miniature family on their aquatic adventures. The real challenge: getting a school of jellyfish to face the camera.

MEDIA: OOH, digital, environmental graphics

PHOTOGRAPHY AND RETOUCHING: The Orange Apple

Like it or not, we share the highway with some pretty big rigs. The Insurance Corporation of BC wanted to remind drivers to keep their wits about them to avoid getting clobbered. We made our point by turning an unhappy VW Bug into a splattered casualty.

WHAT I DID: conceptual development

PHOTOGRAPHY: Anthony Redpath

MEDIA: Print, wild postings

What can you say about natural gas? Once you get past all the fart jokes, the options get a little dull. We wanted to let consumers know that not only was BC Gas changing it’s name, they were also bringing choice to a category that traditionally offered none. Enter Julie: BC Gas’ fast-talking receptionist. She was anything but silent, and the business results were deadly.

MEDIA:  Broadcast, print

WRITER:  Tim Dundon

PHOTOGRAPHY:  Hans Sipma

PRODUCTION:  Steam