Cute cameo from NHL vet Kirk McLean. Kirk—heh.

Ryan Reynolds’ Maximum Effort created the spot. That seems fitting, as both Bill and RR hail from our neighbor to the north, and they rock no matter the cause or context. (Ryan recently made a similar bleeping ad for Mint Mobile.)

Shatner’s effort backs conservation group Pacific Wild, and invites Canadian viewers to join them in sending “the most un-Canadian letter ever to your elected officials.”

Specifically, the organization contends that open-net salmon farming “releases deadly pathogens, parasites and pollution into the ocean.” The campaign protests the Canadian government’s decision to extend licenses to such facilities through 2029.

The clip began breaking online today. Vincent Peone directed through More Media. 

“When (re)boot, AKQA Bloom and IMCF partnered together, we tried to find a creative way to bring sustainability and circularity to life within the club, pushing boundaries and using all the discarded material collected,” say Jean Zamprogno and Fernando Pellizzaro, better known as Zampa and Zaro, ECDs and founders of AKQA Bloom. “Launching a mascot was always on the team’s radar; we were just waiting for the right moment and narrative. When we realized that no other team had ever created an upcycled mascot, we were inspired to do so. After months of collecting equipment, sketches, 3D models, and the actual costume build, it’s finally time.”

“Inter Miami was the first team to open the doors to (re)boot and its commitment to sustainability,” adds Gaby Mas, founder of (re)boot. “So, when AKQA Bloom presented the idea of making their first mascot entirely out of upcycled material, it was a no-brainer. Beyond the environmental impact, this mascot represents the true spirit of football fans. It is made entirely of discarded, worn player equipment, bringing history and love for the game in every single piece.”

Hey, all you Nescafé lovers who boil water at 100°C (that’s 212°F) to make your coffee … knock it off, already!

The instant java brand says that 80°C (176°F) will do great for every cup and help the environment by conserving energy. A short film below illustrates that point. It’s the latest in a series of impressive Nescafé commercials from Toronto agency Courage and director Omri Cohen.

Once again, the team pours on rich imagery, with picturesque storytelling that celebrates the comfy coffee rituals that start so many of our days.

Remember, Americans (and other Fahrenheit fans), we’re talking 80 degrees CELSIUS. Setting a kettle at 80°F is just silly. 

“Nescafé is already such an integral part of billions of people’s daily routines. And at that scale, even a small sustainable action can have a massive impact,” says Courage founder and co-CCO Dhaval Bhatt. “We wanted to show people the power of a simple sustainable action that not only uses less power, but results in a better tasting coffee. As win-win as it gets.”

“With ’80 Degrees,’ we hope our consumers will see that even small, repeated efforts can create meaningful change in the world,” adds Tracey Cooke, CMO at Nestlé Canada.

The initiative also includes OOH and social media elements.

Microplastics are everywhere. Even in the most pristine places, like Antartica.

Agenda Antartica, an NGO working to preserve the continent and the Southern Ocean, commissioned vexillologist and original flag designer Graham Bartram to give the flag a disturbing update. The previously all-white image of the landmass now contains splashes of pink, blue and grey, representing microplastics found in Antarctica’s snow, land and sea.

Bartram stars in a :90 spot, explaining the campaign, which urges viewers to sign a pledge to restrict the flow of plastics into the ocean.

The initiative follows research from the University of Canterbury in New Zealand that revealed the severity of microplastics on the continent.

“Flags are probably one of the most powerful symbols in the world. It’s a way for a land to portray itself to the rest of the world and let people clearly visualize what is often very hard to see,” says Vini Dalvi, chief creative officer at Publicis Canada, the agency behind the campaign. “That is why we decided to work around the idea of updating the Antarctic flag to help show the world the new reality of the continent. Bartram redesigned the flag, incorporating an average of 29 microplastic particles found in the melted snow. The new Antarctic flag serves as a real-time visualization of what Antarctica looks like now.”

The video is running on social media and a dedicated website for people to learn more and sign a pledge supporting a Global Plastics Treaty at the UN.

“This is the first time a flag author redesigned their own work so it can be used as media platform to get people discussing about an important topic like microplastics,” Dalvi tells Muse.

CREDITS

Agency: Publicis Toronto
Press Relations: North Strategic
Music: Magma Music Agency
Music Supervision: Michael Bertoldini, Andrea Morelli
Music Production: Seppl Kretz, Marvin Losch
Director: Yan Cucco
Director Assistant: Linda Djelailia
Production: The Pub Productions
Editor: Neal McAuley

Pernille Weiss, who chairs the European Parliament’s Water Group, appears in the video and was the first person to sign.

“Take action, sign your name with shit,” Uncommon says in campaign materials. “Sewage doesn’t care about borders. That’s why The Dirty Protest is the first international collaboration. By signing the petition, you’re not only supporting the fight in your local area—you’re also part of a global initiative to protect the oceans we share.”

Some filthy points to ponder, provided by the agency:

• Over 40 percent of the world’s population lack access to safely managed sanitation services.
• 80 percent of the world’s wastewater is discharged without treatment to surface waters.
• 55 percent of coral reefs and 88 percent of seagrass are exposed to wastewater pollution, making them more vulnerable to climate change.

Uncommon crafted the stunt with Clean Ocean (Rent Hav), Ocean Sewage Alliance and Renasys. Blenderday Studio produced and directed the project film.

Not since Liquid Death’s campy aluminum cans have inanimate objects seemed so deadly in a Hollywood parody.

Next, we enter the forest, where a chainsaw wielded by a maniac—or a maniacal logger, at any rate—vows to leave no tree standing:

Finally, love turns toxic on a polluted beach:

“Through these three films, which illustrate three current tragedies—deforestation, plastic pollution and the impact of fossil fuels on the climate —we want to raise awareness of the urgent need to change the scenario of ecological disaster,” says Greenpeace France communications director Laurence Veyne. “To write a different story, we need to radically change the rules of our system, which is exacerbating climate change, widening inequalities and destroying biodiversity.”

The work invites folks to visit Greenpeace’s website for more information. Although the approach is hardly new, director Alexandre Courtès does a fine job with genre styles and conventions. The over-bright backyard, murky woods and sultry-scary ocean feel torn from real cinema fare.

“The common good deserves big ideas to move forward,” says Charles Flamand, creative director at La Chose, which helped develop the campaign. “We invite you to ‘Change the Scenario’ in the face of the climate emergency. Beneath the humor and cruel irony lies meaning, as well as a positive definition of Greenpeace’s role.”

During production, “‘Plastic Attack’ was the most difficult film to shoot,” he recalls. “We spent a long time with this plastic bag issue to get the perfect shot. The bag was hung on a wire that the technicians were agitating by using a fishing rod and an air blower. Limited means require limitless imagination to bring an idea to life.”

CREDITS

Brand: Greenpeace France
Head of communication: Laurence Veyne
Creative director: Pierre Klipfel
Head of audiovisual production: Myrtille Gibaud

Agency: La Chose
CEO and Executive Creative Director: Eric Tong Cuong
Creative Director: Charles Flamand
Art director: Hugo Morius
Copywriter: Martin Epardaud
Strategic planning: Céline Faure
Account Director: Gloria Amzallag
Head of New Business: Morgane Mathern-Nguyen

Production: Das Ding x Surfacefilms.tv
Director: Alexandre Courtès
Producer: Jeremy Assoun
Head of Production: Thibaut Coiraud
Executive producer: Saint Gingembre / Éclosion
Director of photography: Valentin Vignet

Post production: 42 Post
Editing: Nicolas Larrouquère
Sound: Solal Tong Cuong / Baptiste Studio 48

Guest starring:
Eva Danino
Alexis Fuze
Laetitia Loreni
Stephen Manas
Frédéric Casse aka “Michel Vedette”
Maxime Brechet

How much do you know about Tencent?

It launched in 1998 as a communications company. Today its fingers are in everything from entertainment to emerging technology. It pretty much owns digital gaming in China, and mobile gaming everywhere. In 2011, it became Riot Games’ parent company. That means esports, too, is at its service.

Today, the corporation is working to help create a Chinese OpenAI competitor. And after that nation’s government blocked Meta for 14 years, Zuck’s got another chance of making his mark in China, thanks to Tencent.

When we think of an embodiment of capitalism—a shape, not just an idea—we think of Tencent. Its influence in people’s lives is immeasurable and growing all the time.

Yet all this stuff we’ve listed barely scratches the surface. “Here We Go Round and Round,” by Mother Shanghai, is designed to paint a picture about the conglomo’s ambitions in energy, robotics, farming and commerce.

The background music is an adaptation of “Here We Go ‘Round the Mulberry Bush,” a children’s nursery rhyme. VFX and direction come from ManvsMachine, and the film ranks as an especially impressive feat of production.

The first thing that hits us about “Here We Go Round and Round” is that it’s almost hypnotically pretty to look at. It makes us feel soothed about stuff that’s not quite so smooth in our addled minds.

Windmills and photovoltaic panels rotate in perfect time, like shifting limbs in a harmonious body. Robotic arms dance, passing their rhythm to hydroponically grown plants; dumplings move through the turbines of commerce; cars slice over bridges, lit by buttery sunlight.

It’s the international marketplace portrayed as a village, interconnected systems undulating to a childlike tune for our benefit. Everything is clean. Everything works. Everything has its place.

In the universe of Tencent, the machine of capital is well-oiled and moving just fine.

According to Mother, the work is designed to demonstrate how Tencent, through these lesser-known investments, “provides more than just web services and supports everyday people’s lives and infrastructure.” The release adds, “Superimposing overlapping layers and progressive visual effects deepens the theme of perpetual motion … reinforcing the relationship between Tencent’s role as a supporter and the economy’s digital transformation. At the same time, the continuous imagery gives the feeling of surging energy, paired with simple lyrics that convey optimism.”

Below is a translation of the song lyrics.

The windmills make our world go round and round
Fresh and free, round and round
The sun’s rays give us energy
All clean and green

The robot’s magic arms fly round and round
Here and there, round and round
Smartly and swiftly, with lots of care
More gets made

The weather on command goes round and round
Grow and thrive, round and round
Smart farming keeps the crops alive
All through the year

The commerce in the cloud goes round and round
More and more, round and round
Business owners profit and score
Cheers and great joy

Round and round, round and round
Technology boosts change in leaps and bounds
Round and round, round and round

Tencent helps the economy go round and round
Tencent helps the economy go round and round