Harvey Carroll
VP marketing, Labatt Breweries of Canada
Harvey Carroll joined Labatt in 1997, helping launched its Oland Specialty Beer Company. Last year, he became VP and also walked away with a Cassie for Alexander Keith’s. Still, he has reservations about awards shows: ‘As clients, we should be focused on driving the business forward. Though advertising is one element in achieving this, we should not allow ourselves to get fixated on winning awards – especially at the expense of driving shareholder value.
‘We are not paid to win awards, but to build the business,’ he adds. ‘The best thing we, as clients, can do with respect to awards shows is to be courageous enough to allow our agencies to do the best work and to take some risks.’
Pick #1
Campaign: Lexus ‘Moments’
Agency: Dentsu
The concept: A multiplatform campaign. The launch spot was a collage of key life moments. The car only appears in its last few seconds.
Why do you like it?
As someone who has a great love of cars, I am often disappointed by car advertising. Beautiful product shots don’t engage me. The Lexus ‘Moments’ ads are so engaging you can’t help but be drawn in. Then, they do a great job of linking that higher feeling of adrenaline and carpe diem to the small moments car enthusiasts feel when driving.
What consumer insight has it tapped into?
For someone who truly loves driving, there are these magic moments that you encounter when behind the wheel of a great vehicle. They are hard to describe and may mean nothing to some but to those who love to drive, they are there.
Any learning that you might consider using in the future?
While we always want to make our product the centre of the story, sometimes it is more important to make the human value or need state the centre and just find an effective way to then link that back to
your brand.
What makes it Cannes worthy?
The ad elicits a level of emotional response and engagement that I find absent in most other car ads. They have found a way to use the standard formula for a car ad in a truly innovative way, delivering anything but standard results.
Pick #2
Campaign: Viagra ‘Bleep’
Agency: Taxi
The concept: TV spots that show men speaking straightforwardly about their previous night’s exploits. A blue Viagra pill bleeps out the dirty bits.
Why do you like it?
Taxi has done a great job of taking a challenging situation (the product is difficult to talk about or demonstrate) and making it the very basis of the advertising idea. The campaign is entertaining, but more importantly it has significant stopping power.
What consumer insight has it tapped into?
When something has a significant impact in someone’s life they want to shout it out from the rooftops and tell everyone about it. In this case, it would be inappropriate, but the advertising idea allows them to do just that while showcasing the personal benefits of using Viagra.
Any learning that you might consider using in the future?
Don’t always look for the most obvious way to deliver your message. Perhaps the biggest hurdle or challenge you are facing can actually become the impetus of a big creative idea.
What makes it Cannes worthy?
The campaign is innovative, breakthrough and at the same time, clearly and consistently delivers the consumer benefit. It is a new approach in a cluttered category and deserves to be recognized.
