Who: RBC, L.A.-based agency Battery, MJZ director Rocky Morton and Alter Ego (VFX).
What: A new advertising campaign for RBC’s “Future Launch,” a program helping Canadian youth prepare for the fast-changing world of work. RBC has committed $500 million over 10 years to the program.
When & Where: The national TV spot dropped April 29 and will run for six weeks on conventional, specialty broadcast, and digital and social channels.
How: The ad features three young people who are apparently imbued with super-power potential, behind an aspirational voiceover about being ready for the future. “The centerpiece of the campaign is a powerful film that physically shows how powerful the youth of today are,” according to the Battery website. “Battery worked with MJZ director Rocky Morton, one of the most awarded and in-demand directors in global advertising, to bring the story to life, while tapping Canadian-based Alter Ego to handle the impressive visual effects.”
Why: Preparing young people to transition from school to a workforce that is changing fast feels like a strong CSR initiative, and RBC is spending an impressive $500 million—which it calls its “largest ever commitment to a social issue.”
Why Battery? “Ideas came in from many agencies and we chose to work with the agency that we felt had the most compelling idea to bring our commitment to young people and our belief in their potential to life,” said Matt McGlynn, vice-president, brand marketing, RBC.
Did you consider using a Canadian agency for a project about Canadian workforce development? “From end to end, Canadian talent has been involved in this production,” said McGlynn in an email to The Message. “We are both proud and humbled by the fact that we received interest from around the globe to work on this project with us. Ideas came in from many agencies and we chose to work with the agency that we felt had the most compelling idea to bring our commitment to young people and our belief in their potential to life.”