A little over 200 years ago, a young Scot named Alexander Keith immigrated to Nova Scotia, where he learned to brew beer. Then, exactly 200 years ago, he opened his own brewery.

Two centuries on, Alexander Keith’s Brewery is still going strong. In honor of its history, the brewery hired Halifax design firm, Do2e Media, to develop a bicentennial marketing campaign. The mandate was to celebrate the entrepreneurial sprit of young Nova Scotians—as embodied by Alexander Keith himself. Do2e themed the campaign accordingly, including package design for special commemorative products. And they partnered with us to create a commercial that would serve as the campaign’s focal point.

The spot would focus on eight individuals whose determination, like Keith’s, is as rugged as Nova Scotia’s coastline. They range across a broad spectrum of disciplines, from hip hop artist to lobster fisherman. Our script matched their stories to Alexander Keith’s own, culminating in the Tag line: “This century is yours.”

We were all ready to shoot when the coronavirus pandemic forced us back to the drawing board—literally. Animation would overcome limitations to what we could photograph, and add another dimension. Our subjects couldn’t travel, so we did, hitting Nova Scotia’s highways in a mobile studio built into a 16-foot cube truck. We observed social-distancing rules, wore face masks, and came back with the goods. Working remotely while collaborating closely with Do2e and their outstanding clients at Alexander Keith’s Brewery, we completed the project right on schedule. Proof a creative approach can turn an extraordinary challenge into an outstanding opportunity.

To celebrate, we raised a few glasses of Keith’s Century Brew. We recommend it. Here’s to the next century!

The Canadian Hockey League’s Memorial Cup is a tough trophy to win.

No less than 60 teams compete for it, from the three leagues that make up the CHL: the WHL, the OHL, and the QMJHL. The players who vie to win it are between 16 and 21 years old, a sampling of North America’s and Europe’s best. They’re just one step from the NHL and equivalent leagues elsewhere, and many will take that step up next year.

Last season, in Halifax Nova Scotia, the awarding of the Memorial Cup marked its 100th anniversary. This year would have been its 101st—if the season hadn’t been cut short by COVID-19, resulting in the tournament’s cancelation.

Nevertheless, the 2020 season saw a lot of great hockey, which deserved to be acknowledged. So, working with the CHL, we put together this piece. Rather than mourning the season’s untimely end, it celebrates the highlights that made the season memorable. It features a diverse group of players who all share the likelihood of being drafted and going pro next year. Even though their Memorial Cup dreams didn’t materialize, these young players face bright futures. And this spot expresses our appreciation for all they gave us as their fans.’’

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