The $15 dollar PSA (and other tales of the city)

With its eleventy-billion tech start-ups, Toronto may be growing famous as the new Silicon Valley North, but it’s always been a major hub for Canadian charities & nonprofits.

Here’s five different & creative uses of online video from organizations in Toronto the Good.

1. Gifts Don’t Give Themselves

Staff at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) Foundation used friends and family to make this clever video for their Gifts of Light holiday program. CAMH is a hospital without a bricks & mortar gift shop because so few patients receive visitors.

This video cost the foundation only $15 (for the batteries in the remote control car)!

“As with most things in our industry, this was made with a hope and a prayer…2 weekends, 5 friends, a “borrowed” child’s toy and a whole lot of caffeine.” – Jacqueline Buscombe, Development Officer

2. Unicorn Sighting Reported In Don Valley

The Ontario Science Centre promoted their Mythic Creatures: Dragons, Unicorns & Mermaids exhibit by “leaking” this “found footage” along with a full-on media release.

Glimpse of mythical creature caught on video by local birdwatcher.
Toronto residents encouraged to call hotline with other sightings.

The emergency unicorn hotline is especially cute. Once you’ve seen this clip five or six times the unicorn looks like it’s being rolled on wheels into the bushes of the Don Valley. Classic!

3. Bad Gifts Don’t Save Lives

War Child Canada &  Toronto agency john st. continue to push the boundaries with their cheeky videos for Bad Gifts Don’t Save Lives. They sure don’t — have you ever been rescued by a Keg Steakhouse gift card?

If you love the humour, the companion radio ads are even more fun. This campaign has already hit AdFreak, benefiting us all by boosting Canada’s overall coolness rating.

4. Together We Will

Brave faces and declarative statements aren’t just for Gatorade commercials, here’s SickKids Foundation’s latest spot from JWT Toronto.

“Together We Will” features many real patients and staff at the famous Toronto children’s hospital. BTW, the redheaded teen at the end has grown up with SickKids. Kaitlyn was amazing at only 10 years old when she hosted this video for Marnie’s Lounge @ SickKids.

5. Take the Flu U Challenge

The University of Toronto & “bedpan alley” (hospital row) are the setting for a bearded mad professor to roam the streets in the Government of Ontario’s FLU U Challenge.

This video clearly targets students & young idiots like me who didn’t know that you can get the flu from cellphones…You definitely can, though. Shit, man!