Here's the latest from Saatchi & Saatchi Toronto for Evil Dead: The Musical. The goal of this print campaign was to convince theatre goers that this musical isn't gory but that it's just like all the other musicals people love just a bit more evil. It must be working as ticket sales have gone up 30% since this campaign started and the posters have become so popular that people are stealing them off the streets (now the theatre is selling them for $10 each). Kudos to Saatchi & Saatchi. View the posters and full credits here. Facts scooped from Marketing.

I love director Ringan Ledwidge's work - Getting Dressed is one of my all time favourites. Here is his latest for Orange via Publicis, Paris titled Rewind City. Very nice. Scooped from Boards.

Apparently KFC wants you to think there is money in your sandwich. A tipster sent The Consumerist this still from the latest KFC Snacker television commercial with what looks like two US one dollar bills hidden amongst the lettuce. Read the full story here. Found via AgencySpy.

This broke back in December when I was way to busy with my own work to look at anybody else's. But this film was just posted on YouTube a few days ago, which is how I discovered the campaign, so I'm posting it now for those of you who may have missed it too. I prefer the animated "villains" to the live-action "heroes", but that's just me. I particularly love the voice of the female villain. No Evil is a campaign for Net 10. The concept is that all cell phone companies are evil and I think we can pretty much all agree with that (Rogers, you are evil and you know it). Agency is Droga5. So good.

Cheil Worldwide Canada has taken their Express Yourself campaign for Samsung underground and has  completely covered every possible surface in Toronto's Union Station. See pictures here. Full credits and campaign background are here. Earlier this month they released two broadcast spots (TV and cinema) - Express Yourself and Toronto FC and a full print campaign.

I've been to Montréal many times and love it. Sid Lee has captured the essence of the city in this amazing new website which uses AJAX technology to let you fluidly go from flying above to zooming in on whatever catches your eye. Web production: Cactus; pro co: Fake. Scooped from Stimulant.

FWA (Favorite Website Awards) has been one of my favorite sites for a while now. They continually showcase the very best online creative. Now, they are branching out and have just launched FWA Theater where they are showcasing the best videos including ads, short films, viral, trailers and music videos. There is even a place for you to save videos to your own personal library. Congratulations to Rob Ford & the team at FWA on launching such a great resource.

A friend set me this link this morning with the line, "this is so cool I've never seen anything like this before". Well, that peeked my interest and I was not disappointed. This is Muto, an ambiguous animation painted on public walls, made in Buenos Aires and Baden. Animation and editing by Blu and produced by Mercurio Film. "Muto" was also included in Creativity's Top 5 last week.

First off, I think it's an orangutan, no? But the title of this post is the title for the spot as it appears on YouTube & AdCritic, so who am I to mess with it. This is another web film by Cutwater for Levi's. I prefer it to the jean jumping (see "Creative Recycling" post from May 13). What a great actor this little guy is. I did however recently see a documentary on how monkeys and chimps are treated within the entertainment industry and I have to say it left a bad taste i my mouth. I still love this spot and hope this little guy is and will continue to be well cared for.

Congratulations to my friends at Crush who picked up two golds and a best of show last night at The Bessies in Toronto. Random House Canada came to them directly (sans agency) last year to create nine clips to promote Douglas Coupland's latest novel The Gum Thief. For Part 1 of the campaign (it's in three parts) they picked up golds for campaign and art direction. They also won best of show campaign too. Watch the campaign here.

Here is a round-up of more wins from last night's Bessies. John St picked up a gold for their Camp Okutta campaign, BBDO picked-up five golds including Diet 7Up Emoticon Susan and United Nations Dave, DDB picked up a gold for Blockbuster Christmas Dinner (I love all the films references in this one), Ogilvy picked up a gold for Dove Onslaught and last, but not least, this hilarious Mini Goalie spot for McDonald's via Cossette picked up a gold too ("nice try nogoaloff" cracks me up every time).

Last, but not least, last night at the Bessies the Bob Mann award was given to Gary Thomas, the Managing Director and Creative Director at Crush. The Bob Mann recognizes members of the commercial post-production industry who have demonstrated a longstanding and contributing dedication to their craft. This video was played last night in Gary's honor, much to his surprise as him team sneakily created it while he was away in China. Congratulations Gary.

Blacklist was asked by Jesse Dylan, “Yes We Can” music video director, to create messages of hope and inspiration in support of Barack Obama’s campaign to be featured on Hope.Act.Change. Blacklist's Pistachios directed “Hope” with words by Douglas Coupland. Full credits.

Director Eran Creevy (Between The Eyes / Sleeper USA) is back with another amazing music video - this time for Sonny J's "Handsfree" (If You Hold My Hand). I love how it's Thriller meets line dancing in a trailer park. You may remember the Utah Saints Something Good 08 that he directed a couple of months back (equally as amazing). Full Sonny J credits, along with some comments from Eran, are posted here.

Oh, I think we've all been here (sorry mom). AMP Walk of no Shame is the latest from Biscuit director Tim Godsall via BBDO New York. Hilarious. Scooped from Boards.

Yes, I'm pleased with the title of this post. This 60-second spot for Subaru via DDB Canada and The Corner Store director Jorn Haagen (his name makes me want ice cream) starts airing today in Canada. What's not to like about Sumo's washing a car to the sound of "Danger! High Voltage" by Electric Six? Full credits are posted here.

Don't get me wrong, I love when companies make creative work that lives on the internet, spots that are outside of realm of the traditional broadcast (I hate to use the word viral). But a red flag went up for me yesterday, and a number of others, when it was discovered that this spot was created by Cutwater for Levi's who created this similar spot for Ran-Ban last year. To me, this is the same concept used two years in a row for two different clients. I know many in our industry are guilty of this, but I had to say my two cents on this one. On a side note, I wonder if the jean jumper used a cup or something. Looks like he's hurting his boys.

Here's another "blip" from Blip Boutique (see Robyn post a few posts down). Capitol wanted to do something for this song that was not specifically intended for broadcast, but that was more of an art piece that would live and grow primarily online. They came to Blip Boutique, who had been wanting to try a new technology using data mapping to create an abstract video, and that's exactly what they've done for Rest My Chemistry. Full credits, a complete explanation of the spot and a selection of stills are posted here.

The mom from the Emmy-nominated Christmas Tree, The Phone Call and Make Mom Proud is back for Mother's Day. "You talk to your mother like that on Mother's Day?" is my favorite line (I'm sure I heard that one growing up). Mother's Day is written by John Roberts and Clay Weiner, starring John Roberts and directed by Clay Weiner (repped by Biscuit). Watch it here with full credits or on YouTube.

Dan Bergeron (aka fauxreel) has been very busy this past month plastering Canada with 324 seven-foot-tall Vespa Squareheads wheatpastes to promote the new Vespa S. Pictures from Montreal, Ottawa, Toronto, Calgary and Vancouver are posted here (along with a pic of Dan's tired hands). Agency is Dentsu Canada. Full credits. If you have some time, check out the "projections" on fauxreel.ca. I promise, you will not be disappointed.

Radiohead and MTV EXIT Asia have joined forces to raise awareness around the issue of human trafficking with this promo for All I Need directed by Steve Rogers who is repped by Revolver in Asia and Biscuit in the US. Scoop

The Vigorsol squirrel is back and this time frosty flatulents freeze the melting polar icecaps (if only it were true). Global Freezing is directed by Mateus de Paula Santos, animated by Lobo and produced by The Ebeling Group. The previous Vigorsol spot was The Legend. Scooped from Feed.

LA-based Blip Boutique was kind enough to put me on the guest list to see Robyn on Monday night (thank you blip), and today they sent me over a series of what they call "blips" (short-format visual works) for Robyn. Watch the Robyn blips here. I love the parrot's performance (dumb dance) in Konichiwa Bitches. Full credits.

Here's the latest for Surfrider Foundation via Saatchi & Saatchi LA. To put beach pollution into perspective, trash was collected from various beaches, packaged it to look like seafood and displayed it at local farmers' markets. View three executions here. Scooped from Ads of the World. Full credits.

I love this action-packed twist on BBC's Antiques Roadshow. I secretly love these shows - I actually have a crush on Alistair Appleton (oh, and I see on his blog he likes Herzog. Crush has just intensified). Back to BBC HD Cinematic. It's directed by Jeff Labbe (Sonny, London) with visual effects by MPC, London. Agency is Fallon London. Scooped from Boards.

Cheil Worldwide Canada (Toronto) has just launched an extensive "Express Yourself" campaign for Samsung Canada. First off, I love mobile phones. I have to get a new one every year and often judge (I admit it) people by their mobile phones. So I like that Cheil has gone with this campaign to encourage people to get a phone that suits their needs and personality. View the multiple executions of the print (magazines, bus shelters, billboards) campaign here. See some Toronto subway cars with the ads here. Full print credits are here.

As per the above, Cheil Worldwide Canada enlisted NAKD to create two spots for their Express Yourself campaign for Samsung Canada. Express Yourself and Toronto FC already are (or will be) airing in cinemas and national TV across Canada. You can also see them in various locations like a Toronto FC match or on the TV screens at Lester B. Pearson Airport while you are waiting for your luggage. Full credits.

Psyop and MassMarket have joined forces to created Absolut Dissection, where and entire bottle of Absolut vodka is broken apart and then brought back together again. Interesting fact; 80% of the liquid featured in this spot is real. The spot is directed by Psyop with vfx by MassMarket. Agency is TBWA/Chiat/Day NY. More production information, full credits and hi-res stills are posted here.

I went to the Marketing Awards this past Thursday night in Toronto. I love this award-winning rainbow billboard for Super 7 out of TBWAVancouver. It won Bronze for Out-of-home Non-Standard Format. I think it deserved better than a bronze. It's also shortlisted for the Clios. Credits: CD: Paul Little; AD: John Williamson; CW: Dan Nelken; Print Producer: Julian Davis; Photographer: Hans Sipma. Thanks to Mike Hasinoff at TBWA for sending me all the info.

At the Marketing Awards, Dean Lee announced the creation of the James Lee Foundation in memory of his former creative partner, James Lee (ACD at DDB Canada, Vancouver), who sadly past away very suddenly last year. Dean spoke of how James was very active in supporting young creatives, often meeting with them and giving career advise. In his memory, the foundation will award an annual scholarship of up to $5000 to a young creative. Complete details on the foundation, the scholarship, how you can apply or donate and a video tribute to James are posted on the site.

It seems that Madonna has not sucked all the creativity out of Guy Ritchie (thank god). This new Nike Football spot, via 72andSunny, is amazing (I'm hearing Cannes rumblings). Thanks to Freddy (also the designer on DDB's Creative Director Doll) for the link to the nice big video file. On a side note, I was hoping to post a link to the Family Guy episode where they go on and on about how stupid Madonna is, but I couldn't find it. I liked 1980's Madonna, not current Madonna.

The folks over at Brunico Communications (Boards magazine, Media in Canada, Strategy, Playback), launched Stimulant last Friday afternoon. It's a collection on international creative goodies which, I'm happy to see, they are updating on a daily basis. Check it out.

For the launch of Stimulant (above), Strategy Magazine's Annette Bourdeau video interviewed Lowe Roche chief creative officer Geoffrey Roche on his thoughts on the creative industry. View the interview here (I love it when he pulls out the "fuck you, Strategy" t-shirt). See Lowe Roche's work on Hurry up and die!