Captivating BETC Paris & CANAL+
Advertising Agency BETC (Babinet Erra Tong Cuong Euro RSCG), Paris, and their client CANAL+, a French Premium Pay TV Channel, bear testimony to the creative tour de force a brand communication partnership can become over time with the insightful accumulation of institutional knowledge.
The efficaciousness of their long advertising collaboration is there for all to see in an array of award winning commercials with a consistency of executional excellence and storytelling engagement that has few rivals.
There are so many great commercials that selecting my personal favourites to feature in this post was a tough challenge.
1. CANAL+, The Idea
Advertising Agency: BETC, Paris, France
Directed by filmmaker Ivan Grbovic, ’The Idea’ commercial is a filmic epic with spectacular special effects promoting the TV Channel’s new theme; ‘Canal Plus Creates’. Full of entertaining surprises, It is a visual delight from start to finish.
2. CANAL+, Spitfire
Advertising Agency: BETC, Paris, France
Directed by Tim Bullock, the enjoyable WWII parody of the hit film ‘Dunkirk’, features Spitfire pilots, who are well past their prime. The commercial serves as an amusing message for viewers not to delay watching the big movies currently on offer.
3. CANAL+, Mission Really Impossible
Advertising Agency: BETC, Paris, France
The storytelling skills of filmmaker Steve Rogers, brings this ‘Mission Impossible’ parody to entertaining life in a very effective dramatisation of the TV channel’s call to action to lovers of action movies.
CANAL+, the French Premium Pay TV Channel, has the first broadcast rights on major films in France.
4. CANAL+, Best Friend
Advertising Agency: BETC, Paris, France
Directed by Joachim Back, this humorous story is about a Christmas gift of a cute pet that becomes a huge problem. It is a fun reminder to think carefully about the consequences of certain gift choices, and consider safer, more rewarding alternatives.
5. CANAL+, March Of The Emperor
Advertising Agency: BETC, Paris, France
This highly enjoyable commercial and one of my all-time favourites, was directed by Australian filmmaking duo, Gary Freedman and Jonathan Kneebone, and has received countless accolades, including a Cannes Advertising Festival of Creativity Titanium Lion.
6. CANAL+, The Closet
Advertising Agency: BETC, Paris, France
Directed by filmmaker Matthijs van Heijningen, this multi-award winning and Cannes Gold Lion commercial, is an entertaining visualisation of a conjured up story that is highly improbable, but so well told, that the listener, amusingly, swallows it hook, line and sinker.
7. CANAL+, The Bear
Advertising Agency: BETC, Paris, France
Brilliantly directed by filmmaker Matthijs Van Heijningen, ‘The Bear’ is a highly watchable parody of a typical Hollywood Film Director; part creative genius and part control-freak. The reason for the odd, thin shape of the bear, named Paul Bearman, is rewardingly revealed at the end of the commercial.
‘The Bear’ motivated 1.5 million views on YouTube immediately after its first airing. It received worldwide acclaim, won a Cannes Film Craft Grand Prix, and became part of French popular culture.
8. CANAL+, Unicorns
Advertising Agency: BETC, Paris, France
Filmmaker Matthijs Van Heijningen, takes the directional spotlight again in this cinematic commercial.
The imaginative scenario, of epic proportions, has been meticulously crafted, and is a highly entertaining visualisation of a tall tale.
9. CANAL+, Fuel For Fans
Advertising Agency: BETC, Paris, France
CANAL+ is the most important premium pay TV channel in France. It specialises in football event coverage and movies and has over 13 million subscribers.
Directed by filmmaker Bart Timmer, ‘Fuel for Fans’ is an effective expression of the excitement a great game elicits from football lovers. It’s a very effective lateral idea that’s visually very creative, and great fun to watch.
10. CANAL+, Dads
Advertising Agency: BETC, Paris, France
Directed by filmmaker Martin Werner, this amusing scenario is about doting Dads who may not be quite as perfect as they appear to be. And guess who, with their mobile app of live transmissions, is to blame?