A couple weeks ago, Scott Suthren (aka boss-man here at Publicis Modem) and I were invited as guests to the 49 Pixels Live podcast. What is that you may ask? Well…

49Pixels Live is a weekly podcast featuring industry experts, thought leaders and influential voices in the technology, digital marketing and entrepreneurship space. Tune in on Tuesday evenings at 8pm EST (5pm PST) for 49Pixels Live, brought to you by your hosts Lindsay Munro and Justin Kozuch.

We recorded the podcast last night and I think we all had a lot of fun! The episode (Episode 20) is now live on the 49 Pixels website, titled “The Digital Strategist” (the title makes it sound so important!).

In the episode, we talk a lot about digital communication, measurement and analytics, skills needed for a Digital Strategist, and much more. Check it out and let me know what you think. It was my second appearance on a podcast this year, and I ‘d be open to more opportunities like this.

Check out the episode here.

The really amazing thing, beyond the message this video is making, is that it was done all in one shot. That takes some serious planning and skill. This video explains all the behind-the-scenes work that went into making the above ad.

Looks like it was created by BBDO Toronto for the Canadian Paralympics Committee in conjunction with Sons and Daughters and Crush Inc. Great job, everyone. Really well done.

(Thanks to Shanu for passing along!)

Edited on May 9, 2012: My friend Cynthia also passed along this great print version of the campaign. Click below for full size.

…Let’s not lie to ourselves. We’ve all been there.

But a coworker of mine has been going on since yesterday about how he thinks this commercial is a fake, or staged. I’ve been brushing him off, laughing at his accusations, telling him to JUST BELIEVE in the ad because it is all that is good in my world right now. But no, he had to go and find proof of his theory.

So impressed with his dedication to the truth, I offered up to him the option for me to showcase his theory here on this blog. The following comments are his thoughts (and his alone – I take no responsibility!) on this commercial, along with the evidence he has carefully collected.

I like the Budweiser Super Bowl ad. Please, don’t get me wrong.

I don’t like being mislead.

Immediately after watching for the first time I knew that this spot was staged. Maybe not the initial introduction of the flash mob or announcers, but once everyone was in place, the spot was set up.

No one seems to believe me.

Obviously I needed to find concrete proof.

The announcers indicate clearly that a portion of the spot is overtime. We see number 22 break free of a defenseman, just over his own blue line, in the middle of the ice, into what looks like a two man breakaway.

The player with the puck has now shifted to the top of the circle on the right side of the ice getting ready to take a slap shot, on net.

The player has now shifted to the right side of the net, shooting a slap shot (indicated in photo 2) to the top right corner of the net.

First issue: You can see clearly through the first three photos that the player is a right handed shooter. As any hockey player who shoots right handed can tell you, to execute the slapshot indicated in photo two and three, you would have to open up your body completely to direct your shot into the top right hand corner.

Second Issue: It is indicated starting with photo 1 that the player with the puck on the two man breakaway is #22. When you look at photo 2, you can clearly see that the player getting ready to take the slap shot is wearing Nike hockey pants – clearly indicated by the giant swoosh on his pants. However, earlier in the spot, there is a clear photo of the player wearing #22 with Bauer hockey pants.

Still don’t believe me?

Keep the spot rolling and you will see the player, presumably who scored the goal. Yet, I don’t see a Nike swoosh on his pants, nor a Bauer logo.

How did this goal most likely happen?

I’d venture to guess that player #22 and player #10 were on a two man breakaway and player #10 scored the goal – not quite as compelling as a slap shot from the top of the circle.

Don’t get me wrong, as I said earlier – I like this ad.

I don’t like being mislead into believing that this was a real game that happened organically.

So, what do you think dear readers? Is this a case of careful editing? Or do you think throws the whole authenticity of the spot, the idea that Budweiser actually executed a flash mob without the team knowing it was coming, into question? I would love to know your thoughts.

(And don’t shoot the messenger.)

Edit: Want to update anyone who reads this blog post. Briar, Manager Corporate Affairs of Labatt Breweries of Canada has reached out to me via email to set the record straight on this blog post:

Just read your blog post and wanted to set the record straight! I can assure you that the ad was not staged at all. There was a great deal of planning that went into place to make this real, authentic and genuine – the fans and some production crew did not know what they were filming until the day before. As for the players, we told them we were filming a documentary on hockey and needed some footage.

I was actually there that night in the stands and saw the entire event unfold. Every minute was a complete surprise and we didn’t reveal to the teams that it was a Super Bowl ad until two weeks ago.

As I said in my email, I’m incredibly happy to hear this. I thought it was a fantastic spot and I think the team at Labatt and the ad agency responsible for this did an amazing job.

Thanks again, Briar, for reaching out and providing additional information on this spot.

This will be the only time I approve of the use of “Flash Mobs.” Bringing joy to people, capturing it, and making the consumer feel like a part of something special: That’s the kind of advertising I want to be behind.

Well done, Budweiser Canada.

“Vocation is the place where your deep gladness meets the world’s great hunger.”

Following some discussion on this, Eric brought something up that I’ve thought of a lot as I progress through my career, which is: What if doing something that makes you happy, that you’re good at, is something that some would consider a ‘not good thing’?

Case in point: Advertising.

I’ve had so many people say to me in different ways, “Well, you know. You’re not like out saving the world or children from hunger. How can you justify this job to yourself?” (OK. Maybe not a lot of people have said that. Maybe that’s largely been an internal dialogue with myself. Some have said it to me, definitely. But I do wrestle with the question a lot internally more so than the world poses the question to me.)

To me, I love advertising. There’s no other industry I would want to be in. I think I’m well-suited for the work, and the feedback suggests that the work is well-suited for me. But I’m not necessarily doing good in the world, right?

The way I’ve been currently justifying it, is that advertising will happen whether I’m involved or not. It is not something that will go away should I turn my back on it. So if it’s going to happen, what can I do as one person to make it better? Because I strongly feel that I will make it better.

Advertising to me is a service. It helps consumers make better informed decisions. It helps raise awareness for solutions to a need that consumers wanted (or didn’t know they wanted until that very moment). It helps drive this economy. And sometimes, when done right, it can help touch you, emotionally… In a way that you are rarely touched. In a way that spurs you into action. That makes you want to do something to right this world.

This ad, which I saw last week in the Cannes Lion Award reel, is one such ad. I can’t watch it without wanting to 1. cry, 2. do something about it.

To me, this is why I’m in advertising. I want to be a part of inflicting emotional beauty on the world.

For any traveler traveling domestically from Dec 15-24, you can either request a holiday song from their cheerful carolers or get them to greet your special person arriving at the baggage claims. All you need to do is tweet to @TorontoPearson with their name, flight and date and they’ll do their best to catch them and offer up a little jingle.

I first saw the carolers as they went past me on the moving sidewalk and tweeted out how great that was, tagging @TorontoPearson. Within minutes they had reached out and asked if I wanted one. Before I knew it, three carolers showed up and sang me a fantastic version of “Jingle Bells” with a personalized sign and all!

Thanks so much, Toronto Pearson Airport. You really brightened up my day! (So much so I’m writing this from the plane before take-off!)

Happy holidays everyone!

The Christmas Spirit Tree, which will be on display from now until 26, 2011 at Toronto’s Union Station, is bright and merry, absolutely. Its 3,000 LED lights are powered by messages of positive Christmas spirit on social channels, such as Facebook, Twitter and to the Christmas Spirit Tree website, ChristmasSpiritTree.ca.

The website itself is really nicely done: simple and cheery. And I admit, I like watching the tree light up as people send out happy messages. It’s nice to physically see positivity in this world these days. There should be more of that, ok? Ok.

I will say though, I do find it interesting that in this day and age of PC-ness where everyone tip-toes around the question of what to call the “holiday season”, that Canadian Tire decided to align itself so tightly with Christmas.

But either way, it’s a nice, feel-good campaign. Well done to the teams at Canadian Tire and Tribal DDB. Thank you for sharing joy with this world.

First, UbyKotex (worst name to remember ever) comes up with their Social Experiment videos which – to me – raised some really valid points:

Why are we so uncomfortable buying tampons?

Why are tampon products so darn confusing?

And now, O.B. comes up to the plate and hits one out of the ballpark with their O.B. Triple Sorry campaign. On the site, http://www.obtampons.ca/apology users are asked to plug in their first name and are then presented with a personalized apology video, sung by a (really very) cute guy. The video incorporates my name surprisingly well (curious as to what was the process for being able to sing my name?) and then caps it off with a free coupon. Sweet. (Both sweet in the sense of, “Aww, what a sweet guy” and “Sweet! Hello, free product!”)

I took some screenshots if you are like a few of my friends who don’t have audio on their work computers (*cough*Maggie*cough):

Here’s the thing: Myself and two other women I chatted with had no idea what O.B. was apologizing for. A quick Google search “Why is OB tampons sorry?” led me to this Consumerist story, which tells me that apparently O.B. hasn’t been on shelves in months here in Canada. Hunh. I hadn’t even noticed – and I buy O.B. (Whoa, TMI. But also relevant so… Oh well.)

This is a great campaign, but also a campaign that highlights a negative component of a brand’s history that my social circle had no idea about. And now we do… because we got the apology letter. Thanks O.B.! (Also – curious as to the % of market that was aware of this issue. Anyone?)

Oh and one last, final thought: Why are men still in tampon commercials? Remember those awful Stayfree ads? Yeah. Can men just get out of those tampon ads? Love and thanks, all the women of the world.

This. Is. Awesome!

A couple weeks ago, I applied to The 2011 Notable Awards, an award that recognizes Young Professionals in Canada who take a “360° approach to: success in business, a well-rounded social life, and, of great importance, giving back to the community via charities, not-for-profits, and NGOs.” I applied because I felt I fulfilled these criteria and fulfilled them well.

I got the email this morning I have indeed made it to the next round in the Media and Communications (including Marketing, Advertising, and Public Relations) category. HURRAY!

The way it works is the top 4 Nominees in each respective categories with the most votes by October 31, 2011 will move onto the final round, where a panel of judges will select one person from each category to receive the 2011 Notable Award.

I’m not the biggest fan of voting contests because it really ends up boiling down to who has the biggest audience or who is the best at nagging their friends. So don’t expect me to bugging you all the time for votes. Just not in me! At least Notable is at least trying to mitigate that with offering the final round as a judging panel only.

However, if you feel I am deserving of such award, I would really appreciate it if you could throw a vote my way. You can vote for me, Emma Brooks, in the category of Media and Communications, here.

If not for me, vote at least to make Sad Cad less sad: