As a loyal TIFF-goer, I took the opportunity to check out their activations in between the twelve films I saw over the last week. Here’s the scoop on the best and worst activations.
Best Pre-Movie Ad: RBC
RBC decided to continue with their ‘Uncle Marv’ spots which started last year. The new editions of ‘Not everybody has an uncle in the biz’ commercials were unique, funny and well-acted. As one of the many TIFF regulars who saw numerous films over the course of a week, I found these clips stayed fresh and were still able to garner chuckles from audiences well into the latter days of the festival.
This TIFF 2012 ‘Not everybody has an uncle in the biz’ spot perfectly highlight RBC’s reasoning for supporting emerging filmmakers
Most Annoying Pre-Movie Ad: L’Oreal Paris
What do you get when you take a group of unknown models, too much hair flipping and one too many provocatively whispered cinema clichés? The L’Oreal Paris’ TIFF 2012 ad received more groans and boos than any ad I’ve seen in my four years of attending the fest. As this blogger noted: “this is a commercial that prompts most of its viewers to want to get up and leave — before the film they’ve come to see even begins.” Definitely not one to recycle for next year’s festival.Coolest Physical Activation: L’Oreal Paris’ Beauty Complex
Despite the poor pre-movie ad, L’Oreal gets major thumbs up for what looks to be the biggest physical activation in TIFF’s recent history. Free product, food and drink, product demonstrations and mani pedis had women lining out the door most days of the festival. Its location right by Roy Thomson Hall meant that visitors to the complex got to share in the glamour of the red carpet arrivals every night at 6 and 9pm.
L’Oreal Paris’ two story ‘beauty complex’ was a great attraction, with lines of women out the door on most days of the festival
Bell commissioned five artists to create five different film-themed murals. If you held up your smartphone (with the right app of course) to the mural, you could see a 30 second time-lapse video of the mural’s creation. As Marketing Mag put it, Bell’s implementation of augmented reality was ‘quick, light and visual’ - just what good AR should be.
Bell ‘O Cinema’ mural artists at work before the festival
Most Recycled Activation: Bell Fibe Commercials and Booth
As the festival’s most devout sponsor (proven by 18 years of support and the naming rights to the TIFF lightbox), Bell is completely entitled to recycle some elements now and then. However, the choice to reuse last year’s Fibe TV ad and booth set-up by Roy Thomson hall came across as tired and uninteresting. The protesters surrounding their Fibe activation didn’t help either.
Best New Sponsor: Grolsch Beer
This is Grolsch’s first year as the official beer of TIFF and it made quite a splash. In addition to a film content app The Grid, they launched a comprehensive online and OOH media campaign. Despite not being one of the major sponsors, they definitely managed to catch my eye as one of the most strategically present sponsors throughout the festival. So it wouldn’t surprise me if they’re rewarded with great post-fest recall/recognition as a result.
Next Big TIFF Sponsor: Target?
Target has no open stores in Canada yet they are already creating buzz amongst Canadian consumers. They took over the new Templar Hotel to create a branded lounge for bloggers, influencers and Canadian film talent. Even Bullseye, the brand’s mascot made an appearance. If Target is looking to make a splash when they open their first stores next spring and summer, becoming a major partner of TIFF may be one way of doing so.
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