Olympic-Commercials

Comment from Gloria
Time August 23, 2008 at 10:28 pm

Canada is a multicultural place.. we share the world in every city that you go to. Having a commercial that reflects that doesn’t hurt.. after all, step outside. You see the world there.
The Olympics is inclusive, celebrating our differences & seeing our athleticism.. the commercial simply reflects that. Be happy that at least Canada is being celebrated instead of the US or Britain.
I like it. Actually I think it’s pretty amazing. =)

Comment from Suzanne
Time August 23, 2008 at 9:20 pm

I just LOVE these ads. And I loved the ones with the train sounding the whistle and the plane flashing the lights. I like the thought of the Canadian anthem sticking in the heads of people from other countries and other cultures - I believe the implication is that we won enough gold medals that everyone got to hear it quite a bit, right? My only problem is that when I see creative and playful ads that I want to watch again and again, I like to patronise the advertiser. But I really don’t want to buy a train of my own…

Comment from Peter
Time August 23, 2008 at 8:04 am

Hey Annie, best we never meet, as you are obviously my Newman.

The stoner kid on the Bell commercial appeals to me somehow. The frustrated dad not being able to find the laptop because “Bell’s great service” lets him forget it anywhere…it all rings true except for the part about Bell’s service.

But that Bombardier commercial. UGH! None of it rings true, as anyone who’s ever stepped foot outside of Canada would know. I find it patronizing in the extreme, of the characters it depicts, and of the Canadians it’s aimed at. What the hell does Bombardier even have a commercial for in the first place? Don’t they make their money by selling over engineered and over priced products to other mega companies after producing same from tax subsidies provided by the generosity of the Canadian taxpayers? Terrible commercial.

Comment from Annie
Time August 22, 2008 at 7:24 pm

The commercial that\’s driving me bananas during the Olympics is the Bell one where the father is questioning his son about the whereabouts of the laptop, with it being in the bathroom. Enough already! This is REALLY a stupid, mindless commercial, and the one that really makes me cringe, Neil.
I consider that we each are entitled to what appeals to us. In my opinion, I don\’t find the Bombardier patronizing at all. I guess it\’s all about one\’s sense of humour, sensibility and critical judgment. It\’s JUST a commercial. It\’s not patriotic propaganda. And, in my opinion, I love the characters (especially the old guy on the scooter). Laughable, yes! And for me the humour and images work.

Comment from Neil in Ottawa
Time August 22, 2008 at 4:53 pm

I can’t stand this commercial and I cringe when it comes on. It’s such a silly idea that the Canadian anthem has a special effect on people in other countries. It takes Canadians’ pride in multiculturalism to a laughable extreme. Are we so ignorant and susceptible to patriotism-based advertising?

Comment from Annie
Time August 22, 2008 at 5:11 am

I absolutely love this commercial! I can’t get enough of it during the Olympics. The seriousness on the cosmopolitan faces as they hum, sing, chant the melody as they’re going about their daily business is nothing short of beautiful. The finale when the group of friends or family are relaxing by the tv with subtitles and laughter of joy breaks among the group…………so delightful. Congratulations to all the artistic, creative people who were part of the production team for this. Your casting crew did an incredible joy of selecting the global faces that may very well be relatives of or residents of Canada. I don’t know if there is an TV ad competition or at least an international TV ad festival where the best of the best are shown. All I know is that this is one of the best commercials I have ever seen (and I’ve walked away from many of the annoying ones). Thank you for the beautiful images, scenery and imagination. Happy flying!

Comment from fukq
Time August 21, 2008 at 9:29 pm

the part when the guy was in the taxi is friggen funny

perdua sedeh LOOOOOOOOOOOOOL

Comment from grob
Time August 21, 2008 at 11:38 am

Inclusive is the word here. This is an excellent commercial, extremely canadian in it’s cool subtle not-hitting-you-over-the-head with canadian flags and beavers and hockey games. An anthem is a tune. And I always liked Oh Canada the song even when I wasn’t Canadian yet. Bombardier know they do business on a global level…and it is commendable that all their ads reflect not just the countries they do business with, but the people living in them. My Canada is multicultural Vancouver and I think this commercial shows Canada’s humour, ethnicity, and pride.

Comment from Jean Bryan
Time August 21, 2008 at 9:20 am

lOVE THE CANADIAN ONES - OH CANADA SOUNDS PRETTY GOOD FROM SOME OF THEM.

I USUALLY GET A CHUCKLE FROM THEM.

THANKS - jEAN

Comment from Johnny 100 Pesos
Time August 20, 2008 at 9:42 pm

You know, I have family around the world, and some have told me that they like our anthem, or think our flag is lovely. Of course I wasn’t offended, how can I be?

The idea of people around the world humming our national anthem after hearing it when Canadian athletes get Gold… I don’t find anything offensive in that.

It is ok to be proud of your country - that doesn’t mean you hate other nations. It is also ok to enjoy the anthem of another country. I do both (just don’t ask me what foreign anthems I hum). If, say, Finland won a Gold, and I found their anthem catchy and started humming it, would it mean that Finland were cultural imperialists? Would it mean I hate my country? I think that this idea is entirely in keeping with the Olympic ideal, and I do hope there really is a Kenyan humming Oh Canada.

Comment from Alienated
Time August 20, 2008 at 8:38 pm

Elise, lighten up, it’s just a stupid ad and no reason to be offended. Not like the liberals dipping into taxpayer money to try to make Bombardier more of a Canadian icon…

Besides, I must confess I’ve been caught walking out of the Phoenix Coyotes’ arena humming a few bars of Jose’s Song after the game. It’s catchy just like our own anthem.

Comment from Saskboy
Time August 20, 2008 at 5:35 pm

This ad, like most, is in poor taste and has questionable goals. But it’s a freaking ad… if you don’t like it, just don’t look.

Comment from Jeremy Butler
Time August 19, 2008 at 3:52 pm

I am absolutely appalled by the new commercial, and to be put out by such a Canadian Icon as Bombardier. Oh sure, the end of the commercial is, as one comment suggested, endearing; to hear the guy at the end say he likes the tune, it’s catchy. However, it also is insulting. The Canadian National Anthem is NOT a “tune”, it is a symbol of our nation and should not be relegated as a commercial jingle!

I have a huge problem with Bombardier advocating the Anthem being sung in other languages too. Our national anthem should be sung in our national language[s]. That means English or French. AND THAT’S IT!!!!

Very disappointing! just one more case of Canadian national pride giving way to international consumerism and the ridiculous demands being made by the people we welcome in as new citizens to our land.

Comment from varun
Time August 19, 2008 at 12:37 pm

Lovely idea. from the couple of languages i could make out… the translation is pretty accurate - and the spirit of the anthem comes through in each language.

eloise, I didnt see any neocolonial sentiment in this ad as you are alluding. my interpretation is that whatever the language you sing it in, we come together here because it’s the land of our imagination and of our aspiration even without having known it first hand.

Comment from Gary
Time August 19, 2008 at 6:50 am

i thought it was endearing. i think it shows ther inclusion that Canada is famous for.
i’m a yank so i know what the previous post is talking about. but i still think this ad is inclusive rather than exclusive. besides, the anthem IS catchy.

Comment from elise
Time August 18, 2008 at 4:23 pm

I am very offended by the Bombardier commercial that depicts people in various countries singing our national anthem. I feel that the ad is arrogant and demeaning to the nationalities depicted. How would Canadians feel if commercials were made of Canadians singing the US anthem because it is”catchy”? To air such a commercial during the Olympics, an event that tries to provide a common playing field in which citizens from various countries take part, proud to be representatives of their own country whether they medal or not, is globally and culturally insensitive. This ad should be dumped!