It happened in the middle of a shoot that Vancouver-based Palmer Jarvis DDB was doing for the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia. The spot revolved around the theme of auto theft, and the team filming the ad was perched up high on a building using walkie-talkies to direct the talent to simulate stealing a camper van.

As it happens, a conscientious member of the public saw what was going on, and thinking the vehicle was really being stolen, tackled the talent in the middle of a take and tried to make a citizen’s arrest.

Really, it’s not surprising someone believed the scene was real, and in a way, it speaks to the authenticity of advertising that PJDDB’s creative duo, Alan Russell, vice-president creative director, and Cosmo Campbell, associate creative director, create.

They fashion uncomplicated advertising consumers can relate to, usually framed with a comedic border.

‘Quite often we go for the simplest solution,’ says Russell. ‘If the concept can’t be summed up in one sentence, then it’s probably not working as well as it should.’

It’s an approach that these two men, who came from opposite tips of the world, share.

Russell, who turns 50 this year, is the PJ veteran, heading into his 14th year with the agency.

But his career didn’t start in Canada. Russell started as a junior copywriter with Rowlinson-Broughton in Manchester, Eng. He then freelanced in one of the world’s top advertising cities, London. While there, he got a job offer from Ad Management in Calgary, an agency he had done some work for while backpacking across North America. Russell thought ‘Why not?’ and relocated to Calgary, where he spent a year before joining Baker Lovick in Vancouver.

He loved Vancouver so much he stayed (even though there were no soccer matches to see) and five years later he joined PJ.

Campbell, 38, hails from Capetown, South Africa, another ad-friendly region. Straight out of college he joined Berry Bush, an agency in Capetown, as assistant art director, worked his way up and left as group head. He also spent time in London freelancing, and then joined Saatchi & Saatchi in Dubai as senior art director. He stayed several years. Wanting to move on but not return to South Africa, he headed to Canada. ‘It was the only country that would take me,’ he says.

The two have only been a team for two years (although they had collaborated on other projects together previously), working on accounts such as ICBC, Vancouver Aquarium, KVOS-TV, Crimestoppers, The Arthritis Society and the Rick Hansen Foundation.

While the clients may vary, each campaign is strongly entrenched in strategy and simplicity that consumers can relate to. ‘Our relationship is based on a lot of respect for Al’s ideas and his understanding of insights from consumers,’ says Campbell. ‘Not only is it trying to sell a product, but it’s trying to make it different and create ideas that will resonate and be entertaining.’

To find this, look no further than one of their latest executions for The Arthritis Society. The pro bono spot, ‘Simple Things,’ shows people excited about doing everyday things: a man at a bus stop proudly proclaims he can stand up and sit down; another tells a stranger that he can press the button. The payoff? ‘This is how much you’d appreciate the simplest things if you had arthritis.’

The spot earned the team a finalist position at Cannes last year. ‘It’s not unique, but for us the concept is everything,’ says Russell. ‘Some people jump to execution and look at reels for cool executions, but we never do that.’

Indeed, clients such as Lynne DeCew, VP marketing for the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre, says ideas are presented in rough formats so the client buys into the concept and can avoid getting hung up on executional details.

‘Oddly, in many ways Alan thinks more like an art director than a writer, thinking very visually,’ DeCew says. ‘And Cosmo in some ways approaches his work more like a copywriter in making you think through strategy very carefully. It’s not just what it looks like to Cosmo.’

What also sets these two apart is they’re not your wacky-creative-team-that’s-all-over-the-map-type people.

‘I find a lot of creative people outgoing and these two are just polite, laid-back, gentlemen creative types,’ says Frank Palmer, PJ’s chairman and CEO. ‘They’re pleased to accept an award, but are so generous with giving everyone else credit who worked with them on any assignment.’

They are also as unassuming as can be, Palmer says, but every once in a while they can surprise, particularly Campbell.

‘On one hand, he’s so laid back you wouldn’t even know he’s there, and then the Halloween party comes around and he’ll win top prize for a costume that’s at the opposite end of the scale. You go, ‘Jesus, what happened to you?’ ‘

Clients also describe them as being a team willing to fight for ideas and push any edge in front of them.

‘They drive me crazy, but I love working with them,’ says DeCew. ‘They’re fun to work with, and when they believe in something they’ll really defend it strongly, which I admire. That said, they’re also willing to listen.’

At KVOS in Vancouver, Berni Gibson, marketing manager, appreciates the humor they bring to their campaign. ‘Our stuff is a bit edgy, and sometimes the guys really push the envelope and we have to say ‘Whoa boys,’ ‘ she says. ‘But they’re always looking for a different angle with that comedic edge that gets them noticed.’

Such was the case with another piece of the team’s work, one that got them noticed at Cannes last year. Inspired by Campbell’s friend who used to pretend he was a man of the cloth, the ICBC spot, ‘Priest,’ opens with a man cutting a piece of white card and inserting it in his black sweater. He says, ‘Show time,’ and the scene cuts to him selling a car to a housewife. Again, it’s truism – who can you trust if not a priest? But it’s edged with that comedic touch the two are well known for.

-www.pjddb.com