Great Pictures Can Make Fantastic Video

Here's a great campaign for Alberta, Canada.  It's drop dead gorgeous video with a seemingly unlimited budget (note helicopter, dogsleds, gorgeous models, etc) and a highly skilled cinematographer to make it all look top drawer.  The music track is okay, although I believe this is the weakest link in the production.  I also feel like I want to hear some of the sound effects from a few of the scenes here.

Ethical Oil Ad? Is this an Ad the Saudi Government Wants to Stop?

An ad is causing waves in Canada, waves the Saudi governement hopes to quiet, according to yesterday's NY Times.  The story says that "after receiving a threat of legal action from a lawyer representing the Saudis" the network, "Canada's largest private broadcaster, CTV, has refused to show a television commercial produced by the Ethical Oil Institute, an oil sands advocacy group." 

Here's the ad.

Alas I find no reaction or statement in the press from the Saudi government to explain their position.

This effort to brand oil sands oil as 'ethical oil' does not address the significant environmental toll that will be incurred by this region of Canada from the oil extraction process.

We'll keep en eye on the story as it develops.