American Express readies new Canadian commercial
By Adnews Staff
American Express is preparing a new Canadian commercial as part of its ongoing "My life. My Card" campaign. The ad will feature Mike Lazaridis, president of technology company Research in Motion, based in Waterloo, ON. The ad will also run in the US, and possibly in other markets. The ad depicts various people writing on blackboards in a research institute, a field, an office, a laundromat and a gas station. The imagery is intended to illustrate that that ideas can happen anywhere. During the ad, Lazaridis describes his idea of the BlackBerry pager and the Perimeter Institute, an organization he founded that performs research into theoretical physics. The ad uses the tagline, "My life is about making ideas happen. My Card is American Express." Thirty- and 60-second versions of the commercial have been created, along with supporting national magazine advertising and Web materials. "Mr. Lazaridis makes a compelling addition to the campaign," said Beth Horowitz, president of Amex Bank of Canada. "We wanted to include someone who drives innovation in our day-to-day lives to complement the existing sports and entertainment personalities already being featured. Through the commercial, we learn that what motivates Mr. Lazaridis is the pursuit of ideas that change how we live and work. It is these qualities that make him such a dynamic personality and a perfect fit with the campaign." Previous ads in the campaign have featured actor Robert De Niro, comedian Ellen DeGeneres, surfer Laird Hamilton and golfer Tiger Woods. According to the company, this is the largest ad campaign for the brand in Canada in ten years and the first umbrella campaign that promotes all American Express cards. Advertising for American Express is done by Ogilvy & Mather. MindShare handles international media planning and buying for the company. American Express operates in this country as Amex Canada, which provides travel services, and Amex Bank of Canada, which issues the cards.