You may have seen it on your screens in recent months, that warty head that takes pleasure in spoiling family celebrations. Mr. COVID, the protagonist of the Alberta public health agency’s advertising campaign, has racked up numerous awards at the Edmonton Advertising Club’s annual gala.
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The company at the origin of the character, ZGM Modern Marketing, received 56 awards on Saturday evening, including 18 in connection with the campaign entitled COVID Loves
.
Kurt Beaudoin, Director of Storytelling, is proud that his ads resonated with Albertans. The health crisis is just about the best cause we could have supported to make a difference
, says the ad designer.
At the ceremony, the Government of Alberta also received a mention in the category of the most courageous customer.
This distinction comes as no surprise to John Pracejus, a professor of advertising and marketing at the University of Alberta.
It was certainly an unusual approach to getting a message out about the coronavirus. [Les gouvernements choisissent] often something more sterile, cold and scientific.
The series of commercials commissioned by the Alberta government cost $ 2 million. The first ad appeared during the holiday season. It featured Mister COVID embedded in a Christmas celebration and ended with the slogan: No one loves gatherings as much as COVID
.
With information from Travis McEwan
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