City of Mount Pearl "Mount Pearl Anthem" 3:02 (2019) (Canada)

Starring local real estate agent Jason Piercey, this rap celebrates the virtues of small town Canada. Mount Pearl is  23,000 strong, where people live a good life, enjoy their pizza, are very nice, have an automated garbage collection and a Town Crier and a decent pizza joint.  

"Now where else can you get your garbage pickup automated, the Avalon peninsula is where we're situated, Work life so balanced, that you can never hate it."

Beyond clever lyrics and a production that goes beyond what I can assume was their smallish budget, there's also some really sly digs at other parts of Canada that are, shall we say, less whoesome. They even manage to diss Eminem while they do it:

"It's where no one's ever shady. Politicians don't need to kiss your baby. Picture Ned Flanders or the Bradys and every day's the same pace since the 80's.". This bit of fun comes courtesy of Newfoundland based Target, for the city's Economic Development marketing campaign. The fact the city signed off on this is a testament to its forward-thinking creativity in hoping ot attract others to the region. 

That's definitely one way to put Mount Pearl on the map.

As Target's creative director Jason Hill says, “Mount Pearl is not a big place but what they do have is who they are: a small city with a strong sense of home and sense of humor, which is refreshing in the current global political landscape.”

The video features a ton of locals including the city's Mayor, Dave Aker, and the City Chief Administrative Officer Steve Kent. Steve's the one wearing pajamas and throwing out the trash. Fun bit of trivia: when a fog machine set off the fire alarm at City Hall they incorporated the firefighters into the shoot.

If you find this track addicting, it's  available on iTunes and will soon be on Spotify.

Newfies, represent!

Client: City of Mount Pearl 

Agency: Target

Creative Director: Jason Hill

Art Director: Grant Cleland 

Copywriter: Sean Atkinson

Producers: Jessica Hill, Jane Hall

Group Account Director: Jessica Hill

Account Director: Jane Hall

Strategy: Jessica Hill, Jane Hall

Director / Cinematographer: TJ Derry

Production Co: Dead Icon Collective

Audio House: SNDWRx 

Music Producer & Composer: Didier Tovel

Executive Producer: Alison Lawee

Editing Facility: Rooster Post Production 

Editor: Dave De Carlo

Assistant Editor: Sarah Carlisle

Executive Producer: Melissa Kahn

Colour + Finishing: Dave De Carlo

VFX: Taylor McWade and Dave De Carlo

A.G. Bell Animation: Kate Ballard @ Fort York VFX