And then, which is your favorite?
Posted at 7:40 p.m.
But yes, after Bye bye, we now ask others what the best commercial for the show was. So, Mondou? Air Canada? Quebec maple?
For me, there is no doubt that Coca-Cola wins the prize with its homage to little king by Jean-Pierre Ferland1. What a magnificent idea to have brought together artists from all generations (Claude Dubois, Marjo, Louis-Jean Cormier, Klô Pelgag, Émile Bourgault, Pierre Lapointe, Rose Perron, Lou-Adriane Cassidy, Les Louanges and Sarahmée) around this song iconic.
I got chills when I saw this skillfully produced 90-second ad. And even more so when I saw the five-minute version.
But not everyone reacts like me. Since this clip was broadcast, voices have been raised around me and on the web to express their discomfort. How can a brand, the supreme symbol of American capitalism, seize a jewel of our culture to invite us to drink its drink as Émile Bourgault does at the end of the ad?
We accept that Quebec stars promote big American or foreign cars, we pride ourselves on seeing our filmmakers and our singers have careers in the United States, but we are choosy when an American advertiser pays a splendid tribute to one of our greatest creators.
I admit that I have difficulty following this parade.
First, do we know that Coca-Cola built its reputation around unifying advertisements such as feel good which tend to unite cultures and generations ? I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing (In Perfect Harmony)does that mean anything to you?
This is exactly what the concept of little king resumes.
We keep saying that Quebec song is in danger. Our musical artists are struggling to fill the rooms. Their songs are ignored by commercial radio and no longer bring in any money (I also hope that the 10 artists who participated in this commercial received a good fee).
As for listening to Quebec songs on streaming platforms, it is reaching the lowest levels. You saw the 2024 data we released this week2 ? It’s a disaster!
Only 6.8% of the tracks listened to by Quebecers are songs made by their compatriots. The Quebec artist who generated the most listening in our country is Charlotte Cardin. She arrives at 36e rank with a song… in English. That’s uncomfortable!
So, allow me to say to those who cloak themselves in virtue to say that Coca-Cola should not exploit a song by Jean-Pierre Ferland to sell its “liquor” that they should start by listening more to our artists.
There are also those who claim that Jean-Pierre Ferland would undoubtedly have refused this proposal. Nothing is less certain. In 1989, he agreed to perform a revised version of his song Deep down the sun takes you to the sun for the butter. And, I hope for him, lots of butter.
Two years ago, I denounced the fact that a majority of advertisements broadcast in Quebec are boilerplate concepts manufactured in Toronto, the United States or elsewhere which are offered turnkey. All you have to do is double two or three sentences and that’s it.3.
We must now wait for the Bye bye so that advertisers go to great lengths and show creativity to impress us and really speak to us. As my colleague Hugo Dumas wrote: it has become clear that the advertisements of the Bye bye generate more interest than sketches.
I haven’t always thought that, but today, I don’t care if an advertiser, no matter how American, comes to play in our gardens. If it’s to water our garden, I’m ready to close my eyes.
After all, Jean-Pierre Ferland understood it before anyone else: God is an American!
The idea of exploiting The little king by Jean-Pierre Ferland in this message came from the collaboration between Coca-Cola and the Taxi agency, which represents the brand in Quebec. “What was important for us was to mix different generations,” Solange Grimard, marketing director for Coca-Cola in Canada, explained to me. We wanted to show the principle of paying it forward. »
Gorditos produced the film and Matt Charland directed the film. They did not want to tell me the budget that was allocated to the two messages, contenting themselves with telling me that to bring together so much talent, “you need resources”.
This is the seventh year that Coca-Cola has produced a “tailor-made” message for the Bye bye. Other Quebec artists have already taken part.
We of course obtained a formal agreement with the rights holders for the use of the song. Éditorial Avenue, owned by Quebecor, owns these rights in full.
Guillaume Lafrance, deputy general director of this publishing house, told me that this operation was carried out with the greatest respect. “We were first approached by a rights clearance agency. The heirs were even consulted. We prefer to work this way. »
Once verified, the two children of Jean-Pierre Ferland and his former partner, Julie Anne Saumur, were informed. “My sister Julie and I were notified by email,” Bruno Ferland told me. We really liked the result. »
1. See the long version of the ad
2. Read “Québécois music: the decline continues”
3. Read the “Insert Voice Here” column
