March Ad-ness

6 apr 2023 | by the insight team

Last month, our team embarked on an ambitious mission to create 31 ads in 31 days for a campaign we called March Ad-ness. We conceptualized this idea at the beginning of February. Yep, just 28 days before the first ad launched on our website and social media channels. Why did we do this to ourselves? In short, because we knew we could!

While we get to help our clients achieve their goals through the work we do every day, sometimes budget, project scope, or timeline doesn’t allow us to showcase ALL of our creative abilities. So, we thought, what better way to show off more of our skills? Tack on an insane release schedule, and March Ad-ness was born!

Last week, we finally wrapped up our campaign, feeling both exhausted and proud of what we had achieved. Just for fun, we asked our team members to share their favourite ads. Check it out and let us know if our favourites line up with ours!

Jeremy Marentette, Chief Executive Officer

It’s tough to choose a favourite, but the “Cheaper than a Funeral” ad for impaired driving on March 7th was definitely up there for me! It was such an impactful, concise, matter-of-fact headline that ‘drove’ home the point when coupled with the image of a taxi cab. As well, the yellow and black colours are iconic and also extremely legible, which helped make this one an instant hit for me.

Kristen Binns, Marketing and Communications Coordinator

My personal favourite was the March 29th ad on Deforestation. It was a striking image with an important message. I connected with it because it is an issue that I feel is urgent and relevant. I eliminated meat from my diet in 2014 to help be a part of the solution and not the problem. I hope this ad inspires others to do the same- even if it’s only a difference of one meal a week. It all counts.

Sara Stoddard, Marketing Coordinator

Personally, I found the March 18th ad on Sexual Violence to be the most impactful! As a woman, I can relate to the need to be vigilant and aware of my surroundings at all times. The concept of the woman having to check off her safety list before going for a run really resonated with me! It captures the reality of what many women have to think about daily just to feel safe.

Chloe Duchesne, Account Manager

Out of all the amazing ads, my favourite was the one created for International Women’s Day on March 8th, which sheds light on the Gender Pay Gap. Unfortunately, this is still an ongoing issue that needs to be addressed. I liked that the ad makes the viewer do a bit of a double-take and look beyond the surface — just like we need to do to continue to tackle women’s rights.

Will Gallant, Art Director

I have a few favourites, but if I had to pick one, I’d say the Gambling Addiction ad we posted on March 11th takes the top spot. The image of the poker chip busting up into cocaine communicates everything you need to know on its own. I love when you can communicate a complex idea visually. The fact that ‘Know When to Draw the Line’ is a great, clever piece of copy is just the cherry on top.

Grace Biswas, Social Media Specialist

I liked the Breast Cancer ad (March 28) best! It was clever and creative,— an impressive feat considering the challenge of raising awareness about this important topic without making it vulgar/tasteless. The ad struck just the right balance between being informative and original. It was powerful, yet sensitive and the message was clear: early detection is key for beating breast cancer and saving lives.

Charlie Steele, Video Producer

My favourite was our “Read To Me Day” ad posted on March 19th, because it’s true! Countless worlds are waiting to be explored in literature. Reading allows us access to different places, times, people, and ways of thinking. As an artistic medium, literature connects great thinkers and storytellers across thousands of years to form an ongoing dialogue on the human condition. The simple message and powerful VFX visual of the ad inspire that tradition.

Julie Jones, Copywriter and Brand Manager 

Out of all the ads, the Suicide Prevention ad on March 20 is a personal fav! It was just a simple image with very little hero copy, yet it conveyed a powerful message that really resonated with me. I could easily picture “Texts Never Sent” as a complete campaign, with the ad inspiring videos or out-of-home advertising. I think the fact that the ad featured two men was particularly impactful, given the stigma surrounding men discussing their feelings, especially when they are statistically the most vulnerable to suicide.

Maria Restrepo, Web Developer

I truly loved the campaign. Every single ad caught my attention and interest. I sincerely hope we can take these important viewpoints to heart and put them into practice in our daily lives. It would be amazing if we could create more social interest projects like this because I think our planet needs it. While it’s difficult to choose a favourite, the ads related to women’s and animal rights hit me the hardest as they aligned with my views.

Mark MacLean, Creative Director

It’s almost an impossible question to answer with being so invested in each ad. One of my unwritten rules with this project was to create ads that could also be expanded upon into a larger campaign. Endometriosis, No Smoking Day, Prostate Cancer Awareness, Gambling Addiction, Suicide Prevention, and Artistic Expression are all ads that could easily be developed into fulsome digital and print campaigns.

I think the copy in our Alzheimer’s, and LGBTQ+ Ads were inspired. As a soon to be Dad, the visual and copy for our Heart Disease ad might be the most emotional ad, in my opinion. Two ads in particular that didn’t change much from my original vision were Domestic Violence and St. Patrick’s Day, and they were achieved with the help of Local International.

There are ads that our amazing Art Director William Alexander elevated (Gambling Addiction and Gun Violence jump to mind), and there is also our Sexual Violence ad, which only came together because we needed to pivot from another concept very late on the day it was to be released!

Each ad has a unique story and circumstances surrounding it, and what my team endured and achieved throughout the month has only further galvanized us and better prepared us for the opportunities that lay ahead!