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February 2008 - Strategy Magazine
Creative

CGA's funny side gets rave reviews

by Annette Bourdeau
page 25

Everyone counts sheep to fall asleep. But it takes a special kind of numbers-nerd to keep track of just how many sheep are dancing through his head.

A cheeky 60-second TV spot to raise general awareness about Montreal-based Ordre des CGA (Certified General Accountants) du Québec ran on New Year's Eve during Quebec's popular annual TV comedy special, Bye Bye. The show, which featured the comedy troupe RBO poking fun at the year that was, attracted almost three million viewers across the province.

The CGA spot featured an accountant frantically exercising his math skills to keep track of a slew of animated sheep, which culminated in a grand total of 2008 furry farm friends in a nod to the new year.

"We wanted to be funny while keeping the straight side of accountants," says Gaëtan Namouric, CD at Montreal-based bleublancrouge. "We said, 'Let's do something entertaining that everyone can relate to.' Just because you're a serious industry doesn't mean you have to do crap."

The TV spot was a one-off for now, with no other elements planned.

"That was their budget for the year - they bet it all on Bye Bye," says Namouric. "Bye Bye is like our Superbowl in Montreal. Everyone watches."

The gamble seems to be paying off: the typically snarky TV critic for La Presse, Pierre Foglia, singled out the ad as his favourite spot of the night.

advertiser: Danielle Blanchard, president/CEO; Mathieu Beaudoin, marketing and communications manager, Ordre des CGA du Québec

agency: bleublancrouge

CD: Gaëtan Namouric

AD: Ezra Belotte-Cousineau

copywriter: Guillaume Blanchet

client services: Francis Armstrong, Jacynthe Prince

agency producers: Normand Vaillancourt, Lisa Arduini

prodcos: DeShed and Bureau de Post

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