MasterCard breaks new Priceless ads
By Adnews Staff
MasterCard Canada released the first of four new television commercials in its ongoing "Priceless" campaign yesterday. The new ads, produced specifically for the Canadian market, follow a boy who becomes a Zamboni driver when he realizes he won't be a professional hockey player. The first ad shows the character practicing and playing hockey while a voiceover lists hockey-related expenses. After a losing game, the boy sees a Zamboni on the ice. The voiceover says, "Realizing you still have a future in hockey. Priceless." The other three ads, which will be released in series as the hockey season progresses, will follow the character on his way to becoming a Zamboni driver. The ads will air during broadcasts of NHL and CHL games on CBC, TSN, Sportsnet and RDS, as well as during regular programming. "[The] new ads touch on several qualities that make Canadians unique, like our love of hockey and our quirky sense of humour," said Tammy Scott, vice-president of Canada brand building at MasterCard Canada. "We managed to capture these characteristics and combine them with the message that success comes in many shapes and forms, while at the same time shining the spotlight on one of the unsung heroes of the NHL, the Zamboni driver." Print advertising, an online component and a promotional activities will support the TV commercials. The campaign was created by McCann Erickson with French-language adaptation by Marketel.