Also in this report:

– Section intro p.B1

– Leo Burnett claims the top spot: Vancouver’s Palmer Jarvis the favorite of creative judges p.B2

– The Winners’ Circle p.B2

– Leo Burnett taps insights into human behavior: ‘We’ve stopped talking about products and started talking to people,’ says chief creative officer Jeff Finkler p.B21

– ‘Versatility and consistency:’ Agencies tell the stories behind their submissions p.B22

– Breakdown by panel p.B27

– How does one get to be Agency of the Year? p.B28

– The Strategic Judges p.29

– Previous winners p.30

– Vital Statistics p.B34

George Boutilier

George Boutilier is co-founding partner and creative director of Moreland & Associates Advertising in Vancouver.

He was born and raised in ‘The Point,’ an Irish neighborhood in old Montreal, and graduated from that city’s Dawson College in 1984 with a d. e. c. in advertising and design.

In 1991, after working for a number of agencies in eastern Canada and the u.s., he decided to move to the West Coast. Moreland & Associates opened its doors the following year.

Boutilier says he still finds time to return occasionally to the old neighborhood – although he has a hard time explaining to them what it is that he actually does.

Favorite advertising:

1. Fruit of the Loom, ‘Bouncing Boxers’ spot (tv) by Leo Burnett.

2. Bauer hockey equipment campaign (magazine) by bbdo.

3. Guinness campaign (transit, outdoor) by Ammirati Puris Lintas.

General comments:

‘It’s always interesting to see how an agency packages and sells its client’s product. It’s even more interesting to see how an agency takes five of its clients, compiles them into one package and tries to sell itself.

‘Some of these agencies approached this competition with the same vigor and pride they have brought to their own clients’ advertising, and presented themselves exceptionally well. And some fell short. On both counts.

Notable: bbdo’s Bauer hockey campaign. It’s refreshing to see advertising rise above the commonalities that link hockey equipment with mere product attributes, such as safety and comfort. This campaign empowers the individual with spirit and emotion, regardless of what level their game may be. If you like hockey, you’ll love these ads.’

Philippe Garneau

Philippe Garneau is a partner with Garneau Wurstlin Philp, Brand Engineering.

Previously, he was creative director at Vickers & Benson Advertising, and a writer with Chiat/Day, DDB Needham and Campbell Ewald.

Before that? ‘You don’t want to know.’

Favorite advertising:

1. Outward Bound, ‘Yourself’ execution (print)

by Roche Macaulay & Partners Advertising.

2. Playland, ‘Barf Cam’ spot (tv) by Palmer Jarvis Communications.

3. Pillsbury Pizza Pops, ‘Alarm’ spot (tv) by Leo Burnett.

General comments:

‘I laughed, I cried.

‘I laughed at much of the work where I was supposed to laugh and I cried at some of the work where I was supposed to laugh.

‘The big agencies (both of them) are getting some serious competition from smaller agencies, and not just on opportunity accounts (you know – small, funky accounts where you can do work with bodily functions).

‘Planning is beginning to assert its hold, particularly in campaigns targeting Generation X (or is it Y or Z? Nobody seems to agree on a name for this tribe).

‘Agencies are buying a lot of steel presentation cases.’

Peter Lanyon

Peter Lanyon is president and creative director of Lanyon Phillips Partners Advertising in Vancouver.

The founding creative director of Cossette Communication-Marketing in Toronto, he established Lanyon Phillips in 1992 with ex-Chiat/Day USA veteran Chuck Phillips.

Recognized as a creative leader in Western Canada, Lanyon Phillips has won a number of high-profile accounts, including BC Hot House, Boston Pizza, BC Tourism and Rogers Communications.

Lanyon was named Canada’s top creative director in Strategy’s 1991 Creative Report Card. He has twice chaired both the Marketing Awards and the Extra Awards.

Favorite advertising:

1. Krinos Foods, ‘Dimitrios’ execution (magazine) by Holmes Donin Alloul.

2. Canadian Egg Marketing Agency, ‘Jim Johnstone’ spot (tv) by Roche Macaulay & Partners.

3. B.C. Ministry of Forests, ‘Before’ execution (outdoor) by BBDO.

General comments:

‘I was delighted by the courage and conceptual flair of the smaller Canadian agencies.

‘The bigger shops have successfully re-invented themselves to compete. Their presentations were stripped of ‘marketing-ese.’

‘Simple, idea-driven communication ruled the day.’

Mike Leger

Mike Leger is a copywriter with Le Groupe BCP in Montreal.

When he discovered, earlier this year, that no one would be competing for Canada at the 1996 International Young Creatives Print Competition in Cannes, Leger took it upon himself to represent the country, with art director Jacqueline Zegray from TAXI Advertising & Design. And took home gold.

Leger first worked as a copywriter at Deacon Day Advertising in Toronto. From there he moved to bbdo and Young & Rubicam, and is now 100% Canadian-owned, as part of the Groupe BCP team.

Favorite advertising:

1. Save-On-Foods, ‘You’ve obviously been eating our carrots’ execution (outdoor) by Palmer Jarvis Communications.

2. Pillsbury Pizza Pops, ‘Table’ spot (tv) by Leo Burnett.

3. Delta Faucet campaign (magazine) by MacLaren McCann.

General comments:

‘While other agencies had instances of brilliance, Palmer Jarvis was the only one able to do killer work in a variety of media for all five clients represented. I wish there were more agencies in this country operating at their level.

‘The disparity was so obvious that one of their Playland radio spots began to sound like an open letter to their competitors: ‘Do you feel short of breath? Are your palms sweaty? Do you want your mommy?”

James Ranscombe

James Ranscombe is president and creative director of Ranscombe & Co., a Toronto-based agency founded in 1991.

Ranscombe & Co. clients include the Australian Boot Company, the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Toronto, the Canadian Opera Company, Champion Spark Plugs, Crystal Springs, Greenpeace, the Ontario Jockey Club and Vision TV.

Favorite advertising:

1. bc tel campaign (tv) by bbdo.

2. B.C. Ministry of Forests, wildfire prevention campaign (outdoor) by bbdo.

3. Greyhound Air, ‘Wheel’ spot (tv) by Palmer Jarvis Communications.

General comments:

‘All very good. A good mix of big and small agencies. The West Coast dominates.’

Briony Wilson

Briony Wilson is an art director who has worked for a number of Toronto-based agencies – most recently Vickers & Benson Advertising, where she was involved with the Bank of Montreal and EZ Rock 97.3 FM accounts.

A native of England, Wilson studied communication and design at the Ontario College of Art, and launched her advertising career in 1990 with DDB Needham Worldwide in Toronto. She followed that with stints at MacLaren:Lintas and J. Walter Thompson, before joining v&b last May.

Favorite advertising:

1. Clearnet, ‘Mike’ spots (tv) by TAXI Advertising & Design.

2. Bauer, ‘Nosebleed’ spot (tv) by bbdo.

3. NorthwesTel Mobility campaign (print) by Palmer Jarvis Communications.

General comments:

‘Judging Strategy’s Agency of the Year competition was an enjoyable and enlightening experience.

‘Very enlightening.

‘In general, I was surprised by the overall quality of the work. I had expected it to be quite a bit higher. How unsettling it is to discover that in many cases an entire agency (even one nominated for Agency of the Year!) cannot muster five outstanding new campaigns after 12 months of toil.

‘On the upside, however, there were individual campaigns and ads that I thought were startlingly good. Work I wish I could call my own.

‘And a lot of that good work hails from the West. Wake up, Toronto – we’ve got some competition!’