With stars popping up in campaigns more often than white cyc backgrounds or ‘new and improved,’ it seems inevitable that odd celeb/brand couplings will continue to punctuate advertising in 2005.

So, in the interest of sparking creativity in this space, strategy asked the ad cognoscenti to don thinking caps, and share any dream marketing partnership scenarios they’d like to see hit the streets.

Here are the quirky but clever icon + brand promotional unions they came back with (curiously, no one suggested hockey and Hoffa), as well as a cautionary list of behind-the-shoot scenarios by David Chiavegato of Grip.

‘I’m a big fan of the Scotia Bank campaign, ‘Money. Life. Balance both.’ This would be the perfect time to pick up Conrad Black as a spokesman.’

Martin Shewchuk, EVP/ECD, J. Walter Thompson, Toronto

‘George Bush for stupid.ca. He’s an

ex-smoker, so he knows the dangers, and the url appears entirely appropriate.’

Rick Davis, creative partner,

Gilbert+Davis Communications, Toronto

Loblaws and Jamie Oliver

Sleep Country and Viagra

Ozzie Osbourne and Beck Taxi

Four Seasons Hotels and George Clooney

Parkers Cleaners and Pig Pen

Allison Cepler, senior copywriter,

TBWAToronto

And now for a different take on the fascination with all things celeb-related, and the possible scenarios it leads to…

Top Three Things Overheard At Celebrity Spokesperson Commercial Shoots

3. ‘Could the Canadian Celebrities on the set please identify themselves by raising their hands?’

2. ‘Could you try the line again without putting it into the form of a question, Mr. Trebek?’

1. ‘We at Pepsi/Campbell’s Soup/Zurich Insurance/Coke/CIBC/Tylenol/Nike/Hudson’s Bay/Ultra Wheels/Hallmark Cards/Ford/Anheuser-Busch/McDonald’s/Esso are so happy to have you as an exclusive spokesman, Mr. Gretzky.’

Top One Thing That You Will Never Hear At Celebrity Spokesperson Commercial Shoots

1. ‘I can’t wait to get into Jared’s pants.’

By David Chiavegato, partner – creative, Grip, Toronto