Extreme Brings Home a Bessie

We’d like to take a minute to congratulate Bruce Whelan, Ali Moeinifar, and Cliff Thompson for winning a Finalist at this year’s Bessies awards show held in Toronto.

The 30 second spot showed what it looks like to go outside after you’ve been in a theatre for “10 straight days of film.” The advertisement was created for the Atlantic Film Festival.

“The inspiration for the moment was the insight of what it’s like to walk outside after you’ve been in the dark a while. If you were in the dark for 10 straight days, walking outside would be like staring at the sun,” said Bruce Whelan, copywriter for the commercial.

To be eligible to win, commercials must have been aired between February 2006 and February 2007. There are four categories: Bessie’s finalists, Gold Spot, Best of Show and Craft Awards. Of these categories there are only two winners: Finalist and Gold. We were one of two agencies in Atlantic Canada to bring home an award.

“It feels great. There’s some great TV out there, some of my favourite of the year. So to be recognized among them is fantastic. And to do so on a shoestring budget, all the sweeter,” said Bruce on winning his first Bessie.

The annual Bessies are open to any agency that creates or produces television commercials and is incorporated in Canada. The awards are presented by the Television Bureau of Canada in conjunction with the Broadcast Executives Society. The judge’s panel consists of nine experts from the Canadian advertising community from both agency and production sides. Our own Shawn King, Vice President and Creative Director, is on the panel.