The campaign "Make Humanity Great Again," created by John St for their own agency self-promotion, positions the brand as a thoughtful, socially engaged player in the media and entertainment industry, emphasizing its commitment to bridging divides and fostering connection. The core proposition centers on the transformative power of dialogue and empathy, suggesting that even in polarized times, common ground can be found through intentional human interaction. This not only reflects John St’s creative capabilities but also aligns the agency with values of unity and understanding, reinforcing its relevance in a fragmented social landscape.
Strategically, the campaign leverages a social experiment as its creative angle, tapping into the cultural climate of division prevalent in 2017. By orchestrating interactions between individuals from opposite ends of the spectrum, the campaign engages viewers through authentic, emotionally charged content that challenges preconceived notions about political and social polarization. This approach appeals to an audience that is both aware of societal tensions and interested in hopeful narratives of reconciliation. The documentary style adds credibility and intimacy, enhancing viewer trust and engagement. The targeting hinges on attracting a socially conscious demographic who values meaningful communication and seeks agencies that reflect a progressive mindset. Overall, the campaign uses a real-world experiment to demonstrate John St’s unique insight into human behavior and communication, positioning the brand as not just a service provider but a catalyst for social connection and positive change.
FORMAT#1 DEMONSTRATION — Directly shows how a product works and highlights its benefits.
This campaign fits the Demonstration format because it stages a real-time social experiment—referred to multiple times in both the introduction and metadata—to explicitly showcase John St's strategic and creative capabilities. The agency “performs a social experiment” to see if people from opposing backgrounds can find common ground, documenting the process and outcome. Here, the “product” is John St's expertise in concepting and executing compelling, socially resonant campaigns. The film medium and documentary/social experiment genre further reinforce the message by literally demonstrating the agency’s core skillset rather than narrating a story or using symbols, testimonials, or parody. This approach allows the audience to watch the agency’s methodology “in action,” perfectly aligning with the classic Demonstration creative device.
ADVERTISING FORMATS EXPLAINED: https://www.clapboard.com/blog/branding-and-advertising/brand-strategy/12-advertising-creative-formats
1. Cossette – Market Positioning
Cossette positions itself as a full-service integrated marketing agency combining creativity with data-driven insights to create culturally relevant and impactful work. Known for blending storytelling with strategy, they emphasize transformative brand experiences that resonate emotionally and socially, making them a leader in Canada’s agency self-promo and media landscape.
2. Sid Lee – Market Positioning
Sid Lee stands out by fostering collaborative creativity across multiple disciplines, including design, digital, and cultural strategy. They differentiate by focusing on innovative, immersive brand experiences that connect brands with communities, leveraging bold artistry and technology to drive engagement and social impact in media and entertainment sectors.
3. Rethink – Market Positioning
Rethink differentiates itself as a challenger agency that prizes bold, innovative advertising with a strong emphasis on storytelling and social relevance. They focus on creating work that disrupts norms and drives cultural conversations, positioning themselves as a nimble, idea-driven competitor within the Canadian agency self-promo and media space.
4. Taxi – Market Positioning
Taxi is recognized for its playful and provocative brand communications that emphasize smart storytelling and strategic insight. They maintain a reputation for pushing boundaries while maintaining cultural relevance, supporting brands with innovative film and digital content that connects deeply within Canada’s entertainment and media ecosystem.
5. Zulu Alpha Kilo – Market Positioning
Zulu Alpha Kilo adopts a client-focused, transparent approach aiming to be a disruptive force in the agency world. Their market positioning is built on creating fearless, human-centric work that challenges conventions, combining strong creative craftsmanship with a commitment to honest collaboration and culturally attuned narratives in the media and entertainment market.
Q: What is Make Humanity Great Again about?
A: Make Humanity Great Again is a 2017 film campaign created by the Canadian agency John St as a self-promotional initiative within the media and entertainment sector. The campaign centers on a real-world social experiment, orchestrated by John St, to explore whether individuals from opposing viewpoints could find common ground during a period of heightened social polarization. Through authentic, unscripted interactions, the film documents moments of unexpected connection, positioning the agency as a creative force committed to empathy and unity. The project garnered significant engagement, reflecting its resonance with audiences seeking meaningful narratives in a divided cultural landscape.
Q: What creative device does Make Humanity Great Again use?
A: Make Humanity Great Again employs the Demonstration format, as classified by Clapboard's 12-format taxonomy. This approach directly showcases John St’s creative and strategic capabilities by staging a real-time social experiment and documenting the process on film. Rather than relying on testimonials, symbols, or parody, the campaign allows viewers to observe the agency’s methodology in action, highlighting its ability to concept and execute socially resonant campaigns. The documentary style reinforces the Demonstration device, providing transparency and credibility to the agency’s creative process and its commitment to addressing complex social dynamics.
Q: What is the campaign proposition for Make Humanity Great Again?
A: The campaign proposition for Make Humanity Great Again positions John St as a thoughtful, socially engaged agency within the media and entertainment industry, emphasizing its commitment to bridging societal divides through dialogue and empathy. By leveraging a real-world social experiment, the campaign addresses an audience attuned to cultural polarization and interested in hopeful narratives of reconciliation. This strategic stance not only showcases John St’s creative expertise but also aligns the agency with values of unity and understanding, reinforcing its relevance and appeal to clients seeking progressive, purpose-driven partners in a fragmented marketplace.
Q: How does Make Humanity Great Again rank in Clapboard's archive?
A: Make Humanity Great Again holds a Clapboard Campaign Score of 68/100 in Clapboard's global ad archive. This score reflects the campaign’s creative ambition, execution quality, and cultural relevance as assessed by Clapboard’s curatorial standards.
Q: Who are the competitors in John St's category?
A: In the Canadian agency self-promo and media landscape, John St competes with several key players. Cossette is recognized for integrating creativity with data-driven insights to deliver culturally impactful work, while Sid Lee distinguishes itself through collaborative creativity and immersive brand experiences. Rethink operates as a challenger agency, focusing on disruptive, socially relevant storytelling, and Taxi is known for its provocative communications and strategic storytelling. Zulu Alpha Kilo rounds out the field with a transparent, client-focused approach that emphasizes fearless, human-centric campaigns and honest collaboration.
ARCHIVE.webp)
