Name: James Lee
Years in the business: 11
Dream client you would most like to add to the roster: I don’t know. I used to think that I wanted to work on Playstation and VW and Nike and all that, but now I realize that none of that matters if you aren’t working with fun people.
Which award were you most happy to receive?
A Cannes Lion is always kinda nice.
Which of your campaigns are you the most proud of? Why?
I try not to get too proud ¬- ads are so transitory – but I happened to come across some old work I did with Mark Mizgala for the Vancouver Sun. A series of print ads. They still make me laugh.
What’s your favourite campaign (here or abroad) over 2006? Why does it work?
There’s a Skittles ad featuring a man whose beard feeds him the candies during a job interview. The thing is – and I don’t know why – but it’s the job interview that’s kinda the funniest part for me.
Is there a creative trend you’d like to see disappear?
Short-film/murder-mystery/soap opera websites that turn out to be sponsored by Audi or Pampers or whatever. Yuck.
Is there any new marketing trend that seems daft to you? Why?
I was sitting at the beach on a crowded summer day. In the distance, a massive ad was floating by for our collective enjoyment. Didn’t quite turn out that way. Everyone at the beach was outraged. We’re trying to put ads everywhere and make ads out of everything. Escalators. Toilets. YouTube. iTunes. MySpace. The beach. Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.
Who is/has been your creative mentor?
Guys I know: My dad. Geoff Roche. Dave Crichton. Ron Woodall. Mike O’Reilly. Chris and Ian and Dean and Paul and Al and Cosmo and Joseph.
Guys I don’t know: Stanley Kubrick. Terrence Malick. Francis Coppola. Walter Murch. The Mercury 7 astronauts.
Fat guys: Marlon Brando. Orson Welles. Frank Black.
What’s the best advice anyone ever gave you?
‘You should buy a bike.’
You’re at the top of your game. Any sage advice to pass on to those who long to be you?
Don’t be like me. Be like you. Be the author of your own stuff.
RUNNER UP
Name: Rob Tarry
Years in the business: 10. Though I’m bad at math.
Big clients: Solo, Sirius, Slice, Science World.
Dream client you would most like to add to the roster: Anything else that stats with S. Sea Monkeys? Or Suzuki Motorcycles, only because I’m a huge bike geek and I’d angle for a discount. Honestly I’m just glad to be employed.
Which award were you most happy to receive? Why? It wasn’t an award, but I liked being up on that cheeseball ‘World’s Funniest Commercials’ show. Finally something for my parents to brag about.
Which of your campaigns are you the most proud of? Why?
I’m most proud of the ones I haven’t thought of yet. Mostly when I think of finished work, all I see are flaws. I have a lot of self-worth issues. The Solo TV was a lot of fun, though.
What’s your favourite campaign (here or abroad) over 2006? Why does it work?
I was stopped in my tracks by a Canadian Armed Forces spot. The soundscape, the cinematography, the unusually honest strategy…. I thought I was watching a movie.
Is there a creative trend you’d like to see disappear?
Ads about ads – and god help me, I’ve done them a million times. We’re so quick to say people don’t care about ads when we want the client to say less, yet when it comes to self-referential pap we’re the first in line.
Is there any new marketing trend that seems daft to you? Why?
Consumer-created content. The public is way too smart and understandably cynical to give them the keys to the Vette.
Who is/has been your creative mentor?
The good people who sign my cheques.
What’s the best advice anyone ever gave you?
Re-read everything and make sure every single word is bringing something to the party. Thanks, Trevor McConnell.
You’re at the top of your game. Any sage advice to pass on to those who long to be you? Train yourself to be an active observer of life. Think in full sentences, playing with different word choice to see how that changes the mood. Seriously. Oh, and read ‘An Incomplete Education’. As Rodney the Rapping Library Racoon said: ‘Books. Check ’em out!’
RUNNER UP
Name: Bryan Collins
Years in the business: 13
Big clients: Coast Capital Savings, YWCA, Greengate Garden Centres, Golds Gym.
Dream client you would most like to add to the roster: A client in the video game business.
Which award were you most happy to receive? Why?
The Silver Lion from Cannes was pretty cool. And it’s made of real silver, so if I burn out I can melt it down and sell it.
Which of your campaigns are you the most proud of? Why?
My sentimental favourite is the ‘Deiter’ spot for Future Shop. I’ll never get tired of lasers flying from crotches.
What’s your favourite campaign (here or abroad) over 2006? Why does it work?
It’s hard not to pick the Skittles work from TBWANYC. They create hilarious commercials in a world where the insane is completely normal. The singing rabbit and ‘Enrie the Clepto’ spots were probably my faves.
Is there a creative trend you’d like to see disappear?
All this emphasis on working hard and making deadlines makes no sense to me. It won’t last.
Is there any new marketing trend that seems daft to you? Why?
Online contest redemption. I don’t want to go to a site, enter all my personal info and a 14-digit number from the label on my Coke just to find out I didn’t win a Coke.
Who is/has been your creative mentor?
I’d have to say Chris and Ian. Because that’s who Rob Sweetman put and I’d look like a jerk if I didn’t.
What’s the best advice anyone ever gave you?
Chris Staples once told me ‘It’s not the situation, it’s how you react to it.’
You’re at the top of your game. Any sage advice to pass on to those who long to be you?
If you’re trying to break into advertising, consider working in Calgary. It can be easier to get work and there are a lot of great people to learn from there.
RANKINGS
James Lee 117
Rob Tarry 104
Bryan Collins 93
Irfan Khan 84
Len Preskow 81
Arthur Shah 78
David Ross 76
Kevin Rathgeber 73
Joseph Bonnici 69
Craig McIntosh 57
Bob Simpson 56
Ryan Wagman 55
Chris Hirsch 54
Steve Persico 52
Jono Holmes 47
Jonathan Careless 45
Jason McCann 41
Judy John 41
Andrew Bradley 38
Jordan Doucette 38
Paul Little 35
Laurent Prud’Homme 34
Greg Buri 31
Michael Murray 31
Chris Joakim 28
Ryan Spelliscy 27
Jenny Smith 26
Pete Breton 26
Chris Taciuk 24
Joel Arbez 24
Rachel Abrams 24
Sam Cerullo 23
Glen Hunt 21
Brad Dykema 20
Chris Staples 19
Katie Ainsworth 19
Nicolas Dion 19
Andrew Payne 18
Peter Holmes 18
Denise Rossetto 17
john st. 17
Ron MacDonald 17
Phil Sylver 15
Rica Eckersley 15
Brian Murray 14
Laura Rogers 14
Louis-Thomas Pelletier 14
Martin Rivard 14
Matt Antonello 14
Pete Gardiner 14
Allen Oke 13
Ian MacKellar 13
James Ansley 13
Jason Buback 13
Mike Meadus 13
Todd Mackie 13
Brent Choi 12
Maggie Screaton 12
Tim Piper 12
Trish Kavanagh 12
Brandan Sack 11
Don Venish 11
Gary Watson 11
Marc Fabien 11
Marcus Sagar 11
Matt Syberg-Olsen 11
Michael Milardo 11
Patrick Doyle 11
Hagan Ainsworth 10
Kurt Beaudoin 10
Matt Fraracci 10
Red Bull 10
Sebastien Wilcox 10
Steve Zaozirny 10
Ian Schwey 9
Jarrod Banadyga 9
Jennifer Rossini 9
Jonathan Rosman 9
Liz Mackenzie-Barrett 9
Michael Clowater 9
Sean Atkinson 9
Andre Paradis 8
Andy Linardatos 8
Jason Locey 8
Pat Pirisi 8
Patrick Scissons 8
Rob Gendron 8
Scott Park 8
Sylvain Thomin 8
Veann Leps 8
Chris Dacyshyn 7
Drew Frohmann 7
Joe O’Neill 7
Lorraine Tao 7
Pam Fraser 7
Steve Gardner 7
Brian Gill 6
Colin Winn 6
Geoff Morgan 6
Gerald Kugler 6
Kevin Shortt 6
Mark Biernacki 6
Mark Bovey 6
Matt Wiele 6
Miles Markovic 6
Tom Greco 6
Ann Aberin 5
Arron Isaac 5
Chris Booth 5
Debra Freid 5
Emilie Larocque 5
Gaetan Namouric 5
Guillaume Bergeron 5
Jane Murrey 5
Kurt Mills 5
Lino DiNallo 5
Marie-Eve Gauthier 5
Martin Snape 5
Michael Mayes 5
Terry Drummond 5
Tony Miller 5
Trent Burton 5
Troy Palmer 5
Addie Gillespie 4
Billy Collins 4
Darren Clarke 4
David West 4
Don Saynor 4
Donna McCarthy 4
Elyse Noil De Tilly 4
Eric Chavagnac 4
Felix Legare 4
Helo Seguin 4
Hugo Leger 4
Isabelle Cardinal 4
Jennifer Wilson 4
Mike Donaghey 4
Neil Shapiro 4
Normand Boisvert 4
Olivier Menard 4
Paul Long 4
Philippe Comeau 4
Robert McDougall 4
Sean Barlow 4
Simon Creet 4
Steve Salibian 4
Zak Mroueh 4
Al Moran 3
Alexis Gropper 3
Billy Kent 3
Brent Wheeler 3
Darcy Parke 3
Dean Hore 3
Gerald Flach 3
Iain Deans 3
Jeremiah McNama 3
Jon Murray 3
Phil Copithorne 3
Scott Couture 3
Sue Love 3
Allan Topol 2
Andy Shortt 2
Austen Morrow 2
Bill Parker 2
Bob Wood 2
Brian Flay 2
Brian Sheppard 2
Bruce Whelan 2
Caroline Barrette 2
Dan Scherk 2
David Mueller 2
David Savoie 2
Donald Vann 2
Gints Bruveris 2
Jamie Marcovitch 2
Joe Musicco 2
Joseph Nanni 2
Julie Stolberg 2
Karine Martel 2
Laura de arufel 2
Linsey Stewart 2
Matt Williamson 2
Ryan Leeson 2
Stephane Jean 2
Tim Kavander 2
Tim Thompson 2
Will Seccombe 2
Allan Carver 1
Charles Blackwell 1
Craig Reynolds 1
Creative Intelligence 1
Dan King 1
Dan Nelken 1
David Sawyer 1
Graham Watt 1
Jason Sweet 1
Jimi Scherer 1
Ken Hegan 1
Mel Woytiuk 1
Michael Aronson 1
Neil McCulloch 1
Nicolle Pittman 1
Nigel Yonge 1
Pierre Chan 1
Tim Williams 1
