TORONTO – A 1970s inspired “spokespuppet” named Sheldon helped to quarterback independent ad agency Cundari to the winner’s circle at the Super Bowl Canadian Ad Challenge.
Presented by CTV and the Canadian Marketing Association, the creative advertising competition launched last summer to inspire Canadian advertising that competes with the highly anticipated U.S. Super Bowl commercials. The winning ad, as selected by a panel of judges, will receive advertising time during CTV’s coverage of Super Bowl XLIX on February 1 and a trip for two to the big game.
The spot, called "Disco," was created on behalf of Consumer Protection Ontario (CPO), the Ministry's awareness program to promote consumer rights. It is a continuation of the agency's "Ask the right questions" campaign that launched in 2014, educating Ontarians on how CPO provides tips and information to help them make smart purchasing decisions.
Recognizing the challenges of engaging consumers with a traditional educational campaign, Cundari said that it created Sheldon, a sharply dressed and intelligent ‘spokespuppet’, to remind homeowners to ask for a written contract when starting a home renovation. The spot features Sheldon in disco attire, dancing to "Do the Hustle," but instead of the song's familiar lyrics, Sheldon sings, "Don't get hustled." Cundari said that the disco theme was inspired by the fact that many Ontario homes were designed in the 60's and 70's, and this is often the impetus for undergoing a redesign.
"This is a very hard-working campaign," said Cundari chief creative officer Andrew Simon, in the news release. "We found an engaging way to convey a lot of important information. We're thrilled for our client that we were selected as the winner of the competition and that the spot will be seen on television during the big game."
