Extricating oneself from a seemingly imminent pink slip requires savvy, intelligence and resourcefulness—traits that are staples of surviving in the wilderness. This :30 links childhood lessons learned at camp with being able to weather the storm as an adult in a corporate boardroom.
Titled "Q1 Results," the spot opens on a stark boardroom. A group of men in business suits are seated around a large table. An overhead projector displays a financial chart on the front wall of the dark room—the chart shows a company with plummeting revenue.
In a gruff, angry voice, the CEO of the firm introduces VP of sales Randy Klassen, who "will come up and talk about our very disappointing first quarter results." Indeed, Mr. Klassen looks like the anointed scapegoat. You can see the corporate axe about to descend on him.
Klassen shuffles to the podium meekly and glances over his shoulder at the graph projected on the wall. But just as we expect him to sheepishly deliver his bad-news sales report, he seizes the moment to his improbable advantage. Shedding the look of a poor soul, Klassen grabs the overhead projector light, turns it up under his face and begins telling an eerie campfire tale about the company’s first quarter.
"It all started last December," begins Mr. Klassen ominously, as his co-workers glance at one another in confusion. "It was a day much like this one in fact. I got a call from a supplier …."
We cut to a black screen and the words "You never forget what you learn at camp," accompanied by the sound effects of night insects chirping and a howling wolf. The words are followed by the YMCA Camps logo.
This YMCA of Canada commercial was directed by Trevor Cornish of Minneapolis-based production house Twist for Saatchi & Saatchi, Toronto. Saatchi gravitated to Cornish based on the impression he made when he won the agency’s First Cut Award for young Canadian directors.
"After judging Trevor’s reel for Saatchi’s First Cut Awards, we knew that he had a great ability to build tension," explained Anna Tricinci, Saatchi’s director of broadcast production. "That’s something we knew was instrumental to the spot’s success."
The Saatchi team consisted of Tricinci, executive VP/creative director Mariano Favetto, art director Tyler Serr and copywriter Patrick Scissons.
Cornish’s support team at Twist included executive producer Jim Geib and producer Bonnie Chung-Hunt. The spot was shot in Vancouver, B.C., by DP Geoff Wallace.
Tanis Darling of Panic & Bob, Toronto, edited "Q1 Results." Lee Pierce of Axyz, Toronto, was the online editor. Gary Shaw of Toybox West, Vancouver, served as colorist. Audio mixer was Bill Hermans of Manta DSP, Toronto. Sound designer was Rocco Gagliese of The Eggplant, Toronto.
Andrew Bramley was the principal actor in this spot. The SAG/AFTRA Commercials Contract Standing
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