SMALL AOY | BRONZE
This story was originally published in the 2023 fall issue of strategy magazine.
By Brennan Doherty
Everyone in the ad world is either tinkering with AI, or terrified of it. Angry Butterfly, a Toronto-based agency, is carving a path forward by harnessing AI tools to punch well above its weight.
In its “Bill It To Bezos” campaign, an AI-generated version of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos extols Amazon Prime Users to donate to the Jane/Finch Centre’s community Twitch page. A pre-AI campaign of this kind would have required serious cash, probably a six-figure contract, to render each of Bezos’s facial expressions.
“I actually don’t think an agency of our size would have been able to do the project 10 years ago,” says agency CSO Graham Candy.
That’s why, when generative AI swept into the public consciousness late last year, Angry Butterfly’s response wasn’t to ignore it. Instead, the shop harnessed it to help crank out creative in record time. For instance, when one of Angry Butterfly’s art directors was recently preparing ideas for a Jays Care Foundation campaign, Candy says they didn’t need to resort to stock art or spend hours labouring over a sketch.
AI gave them the ability to not only generate an image for a pitch, but, effectively, an entire storyboard in minutes. “You still need a very talented set of art directors,” Candy says, “but the time-saving is incredible.”
The agency even used AI to create a virtual cow influencer on TikTok for Dairy Farmers of Canada named Daisy, no voice actor required. As Candy puts it, Daisy is basically a digital puppet. In just a few seconds, the agency can tweak whatever she says without the need for constant do-overs and a lengthy voice activating contract.
As much promise as AI presents, Angry Butterfly won’t be replacing its cadre of art directors, copywriters and executives anytime soon. One of the agency’s secrets to success is very human — a brain trust of PhDs on its strategy team. Michael Bell, Angry Butterfly’s data analytics lead, has a doctorate in mathematics. Senior strategy Adam Allentuck has a PhD in archaeology. Candy himself completed a PhD in anthropology from the University of Toronto on the intersection of technology and society.
All of these specialities may seem very far removed from the ad world, but Candy insists they offer an invaluable perspective on issues like the climate crisis, economic change and social upheaval.
“I think sometimes having academic people on board can give [marketers] a really solid, intelligent foundation for approaching some of these topics that are pretty sensitive and challenging,” he says.
The rest of Angry Butterfly’s partners round out everything a small agency needs in its head office. Erin Kawalecki, Angry Butterfly’s creative chief, brings a portfolio of award-winning ad work to the table. Brent Choi, an Ivey business grad who took a 20-year-long detour into creative, is Angry Butterfly’s CEO. In a hiring spree earlier this year, Angry Butterfly also added two new VPs and creative directors: Bernice Lo, formerly of Dentsu Creative, and ex-Dentsu One creative director Adam Notzl-Keyser.
Between the academic backgrounds of Angry Butterfly’s strategy team, its efficient use of AI, and the creative chops of its ad pros, the agency is getting noticed. It picked up a Social & Influencer Lion at Cannes for “Bill It To Bezos” in June, and was also shortlisted for Innovation and Creative Commerce Lions.
All in all, Candy says 2023 has been a growth year despite concerns of tighter ad budgets from clients. He doesn’t expect that to change. Quite simply, Candy says, it is less costly to hire Angry Butterfly than a more established multinational agency.
“The reality is, when you’re 40 people,” says Candy, “you can be involved in almost everything.” Angry Butterfly boasts the nimbleness of an upstart ad shop with the reputation of an industry heavyweight.
New Business
Co-operators Insurance, Jays Care Foundation
Offices
Toronto
Staff
38
CASES
1. Show how much you care. Working with Gameloft, Angry Butterfly developed “Dairy Diversion” for the Dairy Farmers of Canada, effectively gamifying education. Mini-games and a virtual cow influencer named Daisy taught sustainability, animal care and high standards on Canadian dairy farms while providing entertainment.
2. “Stories Behind the Words” by the Art Gallery of Ontario aimed to revitalize Leonard Cohen’s image and attract GTA residents to its Leonard Cohen: Everybody Knows exhibit. Cohen’s quotes were projected onto key city locations, like Toronto’s downtown convention centre, placing his timeless ideas in modern contexts.
