The Advertising and Design Club of Canada (ADCC) has served as a hub for creatives for the past 72 years, hosting industry events, speakers, competitions and award shows. But when the pandemic forced shutdowns across the country, ADCC struggled financially and worried it may have had to close permanently. It needed support from members and patrons, but the coronavirus made an in-person gala or event impossible. Zulu Alpha Kilo stepped in to take on the challenge.
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The All-Nighter, a 24-hour virtual fundraising event, was the agency’s virtual answer to the ADCC’s fundraising quandary. There were interviews with industry professionals, debates and a breakfast Q&A over Cheerios with Cossette CCO Peter Ignazi. It used social media to spread the word, with campaigns including “You Never Forget Your First,” a cheekily titled retrospective of past winner’s first ADCC awards, and “Great Canadian Overdub,” which remixed iconic ads into pleas to save the ADCC.
The campaigns were a success. Despite the pandemic and a tight budget, Zulu Alpha Kilo was able to assemble 24 consecutive hours of compelling content, with support from advertising heavyweights from David Droga and Colleen Decourcy. More than 3,000 unique viewers joined the event, which met its ultimate fundraising goal of $75,000 and received global press coverage. Beyond the numbers and accolades, the fundraiser met its ultimate goal of preserving the ADCC for the next generation of advertising and creative professionals.
"Without the All-Nighter, the ADCC would simply not exist right now. Zulu Alpha Kilo’s work not only saved our club but reinvigorated our purpose as Canada’s creative community organization," says Michelle Ovcaric, executive director.
