Food is presently under intense consumer scrutiny, with fears of disease and consciousness about health at an all-time high. These are serious topics but, with its customary irreverence, Toronto agency Zig is using humour to bring home Maple Leaf Foods’ message about quality.

In the ad titled ‘Walking,’ two Maple Leaf Foods workers are discussing the company’s 40-step quality-assurance program outside of a processing plant, when one of them spies an old man he thinks is about to be run over by a train. He races over and tackles the man – who walks with the aid of a walker – in an overzealous display of prevention. The spot, tagged ‘We take care,’ is meant to shed a humorous light on how ‘careful’ the Toronto-based packaged goods firm is with its products before they hit grocery shelves. The campaign broke Sept. 1.

Andy Macaulay, partner/planner at Zig, says the strategy is nothing new for the company. ‘Maple Leaf stands for the highest-quality products and that is not a time-sensitive message, that’s a timeless message.’

Macaulay calls the spot a ‘master brand’ ad – meaning it touts the quality of the brand as a whole rather than flog the benefits of a particular product. It is the first ‘master brand’ spot Zig has created for Maple Leaf Foods since winning the account, formerly with Toronto shop Saatchi & Saatchi.

Client: Maple Leaf Foods

Agency: Zig

Creative Directors: Elspeth Lynn, Lorraine Tao

Copywriter: Aaron Starkman

Art Director: Stephen Leps

Agency Producer: Nancy Enderby