Kringl revives the Claus

Convincing tech-savvy youngsters to believe in Santa is becoming a challenge. Meet Kringl: an augmented reality-based app that helps parents keep the magic of Santa alive by showing video “evidence” that he exists.

The free app was created by agency Zulu Alpha Kilo, in partnership with Make-A-Wish Foundation of Canada, and gave users the option to donate to the non-profit. Videos of Santa carrying out various Christmas scenes, which parents could choose from, brought him to life on mobile screens using AR, appearing in the user’s own home.

In less than three weeks, Kringl was downloaded 110,000 times in over 150 countries, and over 35 million earned media impressions were tracked, giving the foundation both global exposure and support.

Gun reform lobbyists present an unlikely choice

With mass shootings rife in American schools, Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America decided to appeal to the public in a clear, relatable way, and gain support for gun control in the U.S.

Working with Toronto-based Grey, the non-profit created print ads called “Choose One” that drew comparisons between assault weapons (which are not banned in America) and other seemingly harmless objects that had been banned in the interest of child safety, such as a Little Red Riding Hood book, a dodgeball and a Kinder Surprise.

The creative generated over 230 million media impressions, as well as a 17% increase in the organization’s members and Facebook fans.

Heart and Stroke Foundation keeps health in check

In 2013, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, with its agency Lowe Roche, launched a campaign that would build on its 2012 “Make Death Wait” PSAs, and aimed to shake apathetic boomers into making positive change.

The “Make Health Last” campaign launched with a split-screen TV spot that showed the last 10 years of a person’s life, comparing two scenarios of days spent sick in a hospital or healthy at home. The spot was supported with print, radio and OOH, while an interactive website provided a tool for users to assess their risk, as well as solutions and goals for healthy living. Over 200,000 risk assessments were completed and the spot received more than
1.6 million views online.

Coca-Cola houses polar bears

Given how remote the Arctic is, most Canadians feel disconnected to the plight of the polar bear, which is threatened by global warming. So in 2013, Coca-Cola, in partnership with WWF, brought the troubled animals to Canadians with an installation that would show the effects of climate change on their habitats.

The Coca-Cola “Arctic Home” was created by Zulu Alpha Kilo and Gravity Partners, and included a temperature-controlled interactive display with sculptures of a mother polar bear and her cub standing on ice. Canadians could pledge (via video, text or tweet) to help protect the Arctic by reducing their carbon footprint and, in turn, help to keep the temperature in the display below zero to prevent the ice from melting.

SickKids honours a real-life hero

Antonio, a young boy who had been treated for leukemia at Toronto hospital SickKids, was surprised (as were the people around him) to be the star of yet another fundraising campaign for its foundation (he made his debut in its “You Got It” PSA in 2012).

In the spot, a cinema in Toronto was shown playing a faux superhero movie trailer, which turned into a celebration of Antonio’s recovery. A camera crew sat in the back of the room filming the trailer, until it revealed the “real-life hero” was actually in the room, with his face projected onto the screen for the audience to see. The lights turned on and the movie theatre rose to their feet as Antonio stood to take a bow. The emotionally-charged spot, which was placed on YouTube, has generated more than 340,000 views.

The hardware

Make-A-Wish Foundation of Canada “Kringl” Zulu Alpha Kilo Best Digital Engagement: Bronze // The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada “Make Health Last” Lowe Roche AToMiC CSR: Bronze // SickKids Foundation “Real-Life Hero” JWT Best Experiential Engagement: Bronze // Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America “Choose One” Grey Best Print Engagement: Bronze // Coca-Cola “Arctic Home” Zulu Alpha Kilo/Gravity Partners AToMiC CSR: Bronze / Best Tech Breakthrough: Bronze