How WE CANAL parodied the Oscars with a funny print ad

The Oscars inspire advertisers, who try to capitalize on the buzz and glamour of Hollywood’s biggest night. But one brand decided to take a different approach and poke fun at the award show with a witty print ad.

WE CANAL, a streaming service that offers movies and TV shows worldwide, created an ad that spoofed the Oscars by using the title “FAT OSCARS” and the headline “BEST ACTOR”. The ad features a photo of an overweight man holding an Oscar statue and smiling proudly. The copy text reads: “Don’t miss any of this year’s nominees. Watch them all on WE CANAL.”

The ad was created by WMG, an Ecuadorian advertising agency, and ran in local newspapers and magazines. The creative team behind the ad said they wanted to make a statement about how superficial and biased the Oscars can be, especially regarding body image and diversity.

“We wanted to show that anyone can be the best actor, regardless of their size or appearance,” said Luis Miguel Molina, creative director at WMG. “We also wanted to highlight how WE CANAL offers a variety of content that caters to different tastes and preferences.”

The ad was well-received by consumers and critics, who praised its humor and originality. It also generated some controversy among Oscar fans, who felt it was disrespectful to the award show and its winners.

“We expected some backlash from die-hard Oscar fans, but we also wanted to spark some debate about how relevant and representative the Oscars are,” said Mario Farfán, another creative director at WMG. “We think our ad did that successfully.”

The ad was part of WE CANAL’s campaign to promote its streaming service as an alternative to traditional TV channels. The campaign also included other print ads that used catchy slogans such as “WE CANAL: Where movies don’t need subtitles” and “WE CANAL: Where you don’t have to wait for commercials.”

Advertised brand: WE CANAL
Advert title(s): FAT OSCARS
The headline and copy text (in English): BEST ACTOR
Media (see available options below): PRINT
Advertising Agency: WMG, Ecuador
Creative Director: Luis Miguel Molina - Mario Farfán
Additional credits: Cristina Camacho - Maria Paula "Mapy" Martin