This article was originally published in the Fall issue of Strategy Magazine
By Brennan Doherty
AGENCY | BRONZE
Everything is bright and sunny in Parkinson Canada’s “Find Your Swagger” ad that launched earlier this year. The sauntering, middle-aged architect at its centre wins over a stranger at an intersection with a tulip and a jaunty stride. It’s a far cry from Simplii Financial’s “Start Your Engines” creative: a grim black-and-white montage of a greyhound ascending an industrial elevator, eagerly waiting to race down a hallway at top speed. Yet Broken Heart Love Affair is at the centre of both commercials.
The agency has a record for creating powerful film work, which also includes “Immortal,” a moving film for the Royal Ontario Museum that depicts the totality of the human experience. Of course, BHLA doesn’t just produce films. It also leads award-winning strategy, influencer marketing and PR for an ever-growing roster of clients, including Kruger, Black Diamond, Burger King, World Vision Canada, Cheestrings and others.
By now, most already know BHLA’s origin story – industry heavyweights Jason Chaney, Todd Mackie, Carlos Moreno, Beverley Hammond and Denise Rossetto quit their jobs and launched a boutique ad agency the month COVID-19 struck. Some of them already had a reputation for long-form video before BHLA was born: Chaney and Moreno were on the team that produced SickKids’ high-octane “VS” platform.
“We create emotional calls to action,” says Hammond, partner and chief business officer at BHLA. “But they are anchored really deeply into groundbreaking strategy.”
BHLA wants consumers to see themselves as the main character in the films the agency produces. Chaney points to when Karate Kid came out. Every one of his friends walked out of the movie thinking they were Ralph Macchio. This approach requires deep storytelling, and BHLA believes the best way to do that is to go long on video. “Immortal” is a six-minute film. One of the cuts for BHLA’s “Unapologetically Human” campaign for Kruger – an ode to human messiness – was twice as long as a typical TV commercial.
“Long form video is the best mechanism to influence emotion in the audience and that’s the business we’re in – connecting brands with consumers’ emotional core,” says Chaney. “In fact, the best performing ad unit for ‘Unapologetically Human’ was the 60-second spot.”
To Chaney, short-form video isn’t always the best medium for advertising. Much of the conversation comes down to the fact that short-form video was cheaper to produce from the outset, and because efficient ads were seen as better ads, he explains.
“We are much more concerned with affecting our audiences into action and making a lasting impact than spraying and praying… because we believe in the art of commercial creativity. It’s a well-designed approach that is having tremendous success for our clients,” says Chaney, using the “Start Your Engines” film as an example, which helped lower the cost for Simplii Financial to acquire customers by 50%.
Since the very beginning, BHLA has made frequent appearances on the awards circuit. In 2021, the agency grabbed a Bronze in the Small Agency of the Year category, but then a Gold the following year. This year it landed a Bronze in AOY, a category that’s typically stacked with larger, more-established shops.
BHLA is also growing in headcount. This year, the 55-person agency hired Rachelle Claveau as national EVP and managing director based out of the shop’s Montreal office, while 2023 saw the arrival of Dave Watson as head of design, plus CDs Shannon Skye Deluz (formerly at Rethink), Michael Morelli and Marty Hoefkes (previously at FCB).
The agency’s experienced team is what allows BHLA to charge a flat rate for its services, an approach not often seen in the complex, deadline-driven world of advertising. This allows BHLA, not the client, to worry about process and timelines.
“Essentially, we’re selling strategic and creative products, and we focus on the quality of those, and then we own all the risk of the time that it takes to get there,” Hammond said. “But because the team is so senior, we can have those [high-level] conversations and we can move on how to support the client.”
New Business
Burger King Canada, Loblaw Market Division, Levelwear, Northern Super League, Parkinson Canada, Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation
New Hires
Rachelle Claveau, national EVP, managing director; Dave Watson, head of design; Erica Metcalfe, SVP, executive producer; Skye Deluz, Michael Morelli, and Marty Hoefkes, CDs; Isabel Chalmers, director of strategy; Gillian Fitzsimons, VP, partnerships and growth; Melissa Tobenstein, VP, client success; Lauren Gibson, group account director
Offices
Montreal, Toronto
Staff
45
Cases – Agency
GreenShield’s “Reverse Waiting Room” redefined Canadian healthcare by flipping the script, showing doctors waiting for patients. It also highlighted the company’s integrated modal of care.
For Kruger Products’ “Love Is Messy” campaign, BHLA created an epic ode to love and all its flaws. The campaign boosted Kruger’s market share by two points and a $36 million increase in sales.
Broken Heart Love Affair worked with World Vision Canada on “Burp,” a campaign that used humour to highlight the joy of well-fed children. By showcasing kids happily belching, the campaign turned a serious issue into a positive message, increasing website traffic by 40% year-over-year.
Simplii Financial’s “Start Your Engines” focused on the bank’s real-time financial offerings. BHLA also replaced the company’s old visuals with new branding and worked with Magnum photographers to show street photography of people living in the moment.
Burger King’s “Whopper Whednesday” campaign transformed Wednesdays into a celebration of the brand by adding an “h” to make it more memorable. The work led to a 21% increase in Whopper sales.
