Singing mailboxes highlight a fun new holiday ad for Canada Post
The past year has been characterized by Zoom calls, endless TikTok videos and “doom scrolling.” Electronic communications and greetings are commonplace, and emojis have become a substitute for handwritten notes.
But a sweet new holiday ad from Canada Post is promoting the joy and surprise that can come from an unexpected card or package—a touchable, tangible manifestation of love and affection. The ad feels particularly resonant in a year when many Canadians will be separated from their families and friends.
Developed by The&Partnership and directed by Untitled Films’ Ivan Grbovic, “Street of Joy” contains all of the hallmarks of a classic holiday ad: It’s whimsical, colourful and features the type of instantly hummable song—provided by Montreal indie musicians Amy Millan and Evan Cranley (Stars! And Honey Bee Music) —that gets lodged in your brain after just one listen.
The spot follows a Canada Post mail carrier going about his rounds on an idyllic Canadian street covered with a dusting of snow and homes bedecked in lights, only to be serenaded by singing mailboxes expressing their joy at receiving actual packages and letters.
“We started thinking about what it means to receive an email versus real mail,” said The&Partnership creative director Nabil Rachid. “Receiving mail is joyful. It’s a surprise. Knowing that someone, somewhere thought of you, took the time to write, and unsolicited sent you a little card or present. There’s magic in that.”
“A Street Named Joy” is director Ivan Grbovic’s first Holiday spot, and he said that the goal was to create something playful and fun that felt more like a movie, albeit one more inspired by the Muppets than Disney. “It was about creating colourful characters,” he says. “From the simple mailbox that opens the film to the more eccentric ones.”
The ad’s effects were mostly created in-camera, with some split-screen and wire removal creating the illusion of singing mailboxes. “There were a lot of double takes from passersby during the shoot,” he jokes.
Credits
Client: Canada Post
Spot Title: A Street Named Joy
Client: Canada Post
General Manager, Marketing: Danielle Doiron
Director, Advertising: Jennifer Justin
Advertising Manager: Derek Welosky
Advertising Manager: Christine Sorensen
Agency: The&Partnership
Executive Creative Director, Canada: Ron Smrczek
Head of Strategy: Andre Louis
Strategy Director: Erika Maginn
Strategy Director: Sam Francis
Creative Director: Nabil Rachid
Copywriter: Jordan Mark
Senior Art Director: Barry Hann
Managing Director: Lesley Rivard
Integrated Business Lead: Sophie Mair
Account Director: Meghan Schroeder
Account Manager: Abbey Koma
Account Coordinator: Hannah Casey
Head of Production: Hanna Bratt
Producer: Kasia Zeniuk
Agency: Tank
VP Client Services: Lyne Mongrain
Account Director: Anne-Louise Bélanger
Account Director: Rosalie Lemelin
Copy Writer: Benoît Losier
Producer and Video Project Manager: Melissa Lepine
Production Company: Untitled Films
Production Service Company: Les Enfants
Director: Ivan Grbovic
Producer: Andrew Graham/ Visant Le Guennec
Executive Producer: Lexy Kavluk
Director of Photography: Sara Mishara
Editor: Salvador Valdez
Production Designer: Sylvain Lemaitre
Colour Facility: MELS
Colourist: Jerome Cloutier
VFX: Mathematic
VFX Producer: Alex Pagot
Audio House: Circonflex
Music Director: Paul-Etienne Côté
Composer: Amy Millan & Evan Cranley
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