UFO MYSTERY

Role: Art Direction
Agency: McCann Canada
Client: H.R. MacMillan Space Centre

↳ In 2013, Vancouver reported a record number of UFO sightings. But they seemed to forget about the one UFO that’s been under their nose since 1968. To change that, we relaunched the Vancouver Planetarium. Literally.

We executed an integrated campaign that revolved around an RC drone, outfitted to look like the Vancouver Planetarium. The drone made flights around traffic and weather cameras and outside public events, including a Vancouver Canadians baseball game. Videos populated the web, and, in the end, we tallied over 2 million hits on YouTube. The media took notice not just in Vancouver but internationally. Even the biggest daily news source in Hong Kong, Apple Daily, featured the bizarre UFO sighting from Vancouver.

By the end of the campaign, the Planetarium had transformed from an outdated tourist attraction to a state-of-the-art facility attracting universal interest. Just in time for its reopening.

The TV Spot

(This spot was released to media outlets to reveal we were behind the UFO hoax)

Awards

2014 Applied Arts Advertising Annual | 2x Winner
2014 Bessies
2014 Marketing Awards

Credits

Creative Director
Hagan Ainsworth

Associate Creative Director
Chris Moore

Designers
Ailton Henriques 👋 
Craig Fleisch

Copywriter
Greg Kieltyka

Account Director
Glen Mitchell 

Planner
John Hall
Alexander Close

Project Manager
Ann Rubenstein
Alexander Close

Production Company/Editor
Chris Chong

Music/Sound
Murmur at the Warehouse

Producer
Ann Rubenstein 

Developer
Alexander Close 

Photographer
Chris Moore
Alexander Close
Craig Fleisch