Meet Rob Hayes

Rob Hayes is one of many prolific alumni of my first-year residence floor, Willison Hall, B2 - aka., quite possibly, the most stunning assemblage of minds on any Laurier residence floor in 2003-04. Oh, let's not be modest. Ever.

Rob and I have a lot in common. In first year, we were a pair of English majors in a sea of biz kids, and we did the only thing arts students with an interest in social acceptance would do: we played up the stereotypes of our kind.

For me, this meant things like editing essays for many a floormate and running a brief yet popular word-a-day program. Rob took the considerably more hilarious step of learning enough business terminology to deliver inspired pre-exam motivational speeches to our B2 peers.

If memory serves, we also reinforced the stereotype of the hard-partying arts majors, taking second and third in a Ty McLellan-led clean sweep of the podium during the speed trials for funneling in the B2 beer-lympics. We were the only three arts students in the competition, and it was my first-ever funnel, having entered university as a relative non-drinker. Even six years later, I imagine the lucrative salaries of our business counterparts are hollow compensation for that traumatic defeat.

Our shared interests run much deeper, though - Radio Laurier, relentless sarcasm, saving the world. The list goes on. At my Toronto going-away party with my Willison crew, Rob showed unparalleled interest in the quest that lay in front of me. In fact, he was so seriously considering applying for the JHR Liberia posting that he pulled me onto the back porch with a bottle of whiskey, saying, "We drink until you've convinced me to go for it."

Unfortunately for both our livers, I failed to talk him into it. But Rob hasn't let that avert his gaze from the general theme of improving the messy state of affairs on our planet. He even recently started a non-profit organization (I assume, given the dot-org suffix), and wrote a hilarious post about me.

So, when he asked me to help him in his latest quest, it seemed the least I could do. I now turn it over to Rob to explain:

I have entered a young advertisers competition (Cannes Young Lions), for which I had to make a commercial for Oxfam UK, and had 48 hours to do it.

I have two weeks to get as many views and votes as I can for it.... Mikey, I was wondering if you could pimp it on your blog - I recall you have a robust following....

Check out the video here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HZlvy4w0Hw

To vote, go to http://www.youtube.com/canneslions and search for 'therobhayes' (stupid website, no, there's no easier way), click my video, and give me a thumbs up. It's titled 'Oxfam ad'. Genius, eh?

... Come'on Mike Brown, it's about saving the world.

What can I say? I am a sucker for saving the world. He only has one week left. The more votes he gets before June 1st, the better. If you have a few spare minutes, I'd certainly appreciate you helping a brother out. Thanks. You're a pal.

... Oh, you want a Sierra Leone connection, eh? Well, according to a May 20th report from IRIN, Freetown is one of the world's most vulnerable populations to the very real risks of climate change. With your vote, Rob Hayes could fix that. Single-handedly.

Or at least score a trip to the Cannes Film Festival. Truth be told, I didn't have time to really read up on the details of the competition.