Strategy WINTER 2025

THE RISE OF WOMEN’S SPORTS

From underfunded to unstoppable: The game is changing – and so is the playbook.

NOT EVERYONE GETS SPENDING ALL YEAR WAITING FOR ONE NIGHT.

LET’S CELEBRATE THE ONES WHO DO.

AWARDS GALA: JUNE 2025

WINTER 2025 VOLUME 36, ISSUE 1

The state of DEI

Why some brands are doubling down on diversity, equity and inclusion despite the pressure to backtrack.

The future of sports

As the space begins to heat up, we look at why women's sports are the next big business play.

Marketers of the Year

Meet the brand leaders making major moves at IKEA, Maple Leaf Foods, Metro, Nestle, OLG and Skip.

4 Editorial It was the best of times, it was the worst of times • 6 Upfront A sneak peak at the current pysche of Canadians, plus how the industry is responding to the greatest workplace experiment in history, and brand-safe platforms to watch amid social disruption • 68 Interac turns 40 and celebrates with a new MO • 74 Back Page A new year, a new mindset

ON THE COVER: Breaking records, building leagues, packing stadiums. It's just another day at the office for women’s sports. In the last few years, we’ve seen the PWHL play to soldout crowds, Canada’s first pro women’s soccer league secure multi-million-dollar partnerships, and major brands jump in to support the movement. Listen, we’re not saying women’s sports are about to take over the world… but we’re also not not saying it. With record revenues and growing fanbases, women's sports is rewriting the rules — and it’s only getting started.

THE INDIE LIST

A look at the Canadian independent agencies shaping the future of the industry. SUPPLEMENT Page 43

Going beyond logos in stadiums, GE is pushing for equity in sports by investing in players at the ground level.

EDITOR’S NOTE

Did/has the pendulum swung too far?

It has to be said. We're not all in this together. We're in this for ourselves. Five years have passed since the virus that shall not be named arrived west of the Pacific Ocean. Back then, humanity faced the ultimate test amid the loneliest period of our history. You, me and everyone we know celebrated acts of kindness. Our governments built stronger social safety nets. Our employers ditched rigid schedules for flexibility. And the most insidious elephant in the room – systemic racism – was finally addressed by the biggest offenders.

The pendulum swung to the very far reaches of the left, and then, as the law of physics go, it swung right back. Our infatuation with "we" culture, as it turns out, was just a brief flirtation. Enter the era of "me."

As I write this, the U.S. is working toward mass deportation, repealing climate measures and snuffing out efforts to address racial discrimination. Meanwhile, some of the biggest employers are attempting to return to the old guard by backtracking their DEI (pg. 8) and remote working policies (pg. 6). A recent study by Leo reports that Canadian youth, "feel like their world is run by more and more people who understand them less and less" (pg. 6). The unravelling of the work that's been done over the last five years is stark, but not at all surprising. It shouldn't be lost on us that former U.S. President Jimmy Carter was laid to rest the same year our current crisis of confidence reached a critical point. In his infamous "malaise speech" from 1979, the brutally honest world leader painted a similar "Us vs. Them" picture. In it, he addressed the nation's moral and spiritual crisis during the energy crunch. Media at the time reported acts of aggression at stations where gas was dwindling – fights broke out in line and superintendents carried guns to protect themselves. So, in a way, I understand the shift from "we" to "me" as nations kick into inflation-fueled survival mode. But in another way, I condemn it.

A RECENT STUDY BY LEO REPORTS THAT CANADIAN YOUTH, IN PARTICULAR, "FEEL LIKE THEIR WORLD IS RUN BY MORE AND MORE PEOPLE WHO UNDERSTAND THEM LESS AND LESS."

At this point, you're wondering what all of this has to do with marketing. I don't have to explain the impact of global political, social and economic trends on your brands. Some of our Marketers of the Year (p.17) have found a way to lean into the "Me vs. We" shift –including OLG's Maxine Chapman, who's presenting the lottery as a "win-win" for both players and local communities that benefit from the agency's profits.

This issue acts as a snapshot of our current world. We cover it all, including the light at the end of the tunnel, with women's sports finally seen as a bona fide business opportunity (p.10). So if companies are skittish on performative DEI policies, that's fine by me. Equality will win out in the end. Because the world goes where the money goes.

Jennifer Horn Content Director, Editor, strategy

winter 2025 volume 36, issue 1 strategyonline.ca

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SHEDDING LIGHT ON CANADIANS’ PSYCHE

By Jennifer Horn

Since 2021, Leo has taken the pulse of Canadians via its data-rich HumanKind study. In its first edition, CSO Tahir Ahmad and senior strategist Dr. Sarah Carpentier identified pandemic-driven “fear” as being a core theme for the year. In the second edition, they captured a troubling sense of “resignation” as our lives continued to be filled with uncertainty. And last year, they distilled the data to signal a sense of Canadians being “ready” to embrace new changes, leadership and solutions. While Ahmad and Carpentier are currently diving into the 4th edition – with the study set to be released in March as part of a special-to-strategy series of columns – we asked the authors to give us a sneak-peak of their findings (which represents a sample size of 2,617 participants) so far.

What are some of the preliminary fndings as you dig into this year’s data?

Last year, the study revealed standout rates of concern and anxiety across a wide range of issues, including loneliness felt by Gen Z, with 77% admitting to feeling lonely some or most of the time. As we delved into last year’s data, it became increasingly evident that there is a substantial gap between the needs, desires, and expectations of younger people and the ways in which brands are engaging with them to help provide meaningful, tangible support. So, as we planned for the current edition, we decided to change our approach, reorient our in-feld strategy, and more deeply investigate the issues most affecting the younger and new-to-Canada. So far, we are seeing generations of younger Canadians who are pushing ahead despite a confuence of challenges. They’re shifting fnancial expectations and relationships with work; decisions about if, how, and when to be parents; the challenges of their own aging parents; feeling like their world is run more and more by people who understand them less and less; and of course the love/hate relationship with their online and artifcially intelligent lives.

What is the most surprising fnding so far?

Going into this research, we had several hypotheses around relationships with work, but something that stood out to us as stronger than expected was that almost half of respondents say that they have given up on their dreams of having a career that they love. And this actually trends slightly higher in the younger adult part of our sample. It isn’t only that Canadians report burning out after years of trying, young adults are actually starting out in the job market with this mindset.

Check back in March for detailed HumanKind reports in StrategyDaily.

HOW WE WORK NOW

THE GREAT OFFICE EXPERIMENT

By Katie Bailey

It’s now been fve years since the pandemic upended the way we work. And for companies and workers alike, remote work is one of its most pervasive legacies.

In January, WPP was the latest major holding company to implement a return-to-offce (RTO) policy, requiring all workers in-offce at least four days a week. The move followed three-day-per-week mandates from Omnicom in 2023 and Publicis Groupe in 2024.

As three of the industry’s largest global holding companies, these moves are signifcant for the overall ecosystem. There has been evidence of pushback –petitions against WPP’s policy and reports of layoffs

at Publicis were attributed to non-compliance with the policies – but the long-term impact is unknown. We remain in the midst of the greatest workplace experiment of modern times.

A variety of factors impact workers’ enthusiasm for RTO, says John Trougakos, professor of management at the Rotman School of Management in Toronto. And if those variables aren’t managed correctly, the people that leave will be the ones that you least want to lose, he says. Top performers always have options.

Above all, people need to see that there’s a good reason to be in the building (i.e. in-person client meetings), he says, and that there’s a tangible beneft. It’s also crucial that the offce environment be conducive to

TECH working, or else people will see home as more productive.

It has been argued (notably, in CEO memos) that advertising is the kind of creative feld that responds best to in-person collaboration. Trougakos thinks that is a myth and that creativity responds just as well to quiet refection as to noisy collaboration. But Mandy Gilbert, CEO of the sector-specialized recruitment agency Creative Niche, says the opposite.

“To crack bold, unconventional, and big ideas, you need to be in a space where you can jam together, bounce ideas off one another and build on each other’s [ideas] to create magic. Virtual meetings, while effcient in some contexts, miss non-verbal cues and it just can’t replicate the spontaneity and vibrancy that make in-person creative collaboration so impactful.”

Andrew Bruce, CEO of Publicis Groupe in Canada, tells strategy he believes Publicis’ RTO policy enabled its recent big wins. “Whether it was the growth of TD as a client… or the win of Rogers last January, all these things we could have never done remotely. We did them when we were together, where we could work and collaborate and move at a much faster pace.”

The magic number seems to be two-to-three days a week in-offce, research indicates. Creative Niche surveys show, “the consensus is clear: two days per week in-offce is the most desired amount,” says Gilbert. A major benchmark study published in Nature last year found that productivity, promotion and job satisfaction were all improved by hybrid work, leading its author Nick Bloom of Stanford University to conclude, “Hybrid work is a win-win-win for employee productivity, performance, and retention.”

It begs the question: if small or niche agencies focus on a fexible or hybrid option, will it give them an edge in the war for talent?

Gilbert and Trougakos agree it could if RTO policies are badly implemented at the big shops. Trust is paramount to creatives and if that is lost, they may leave to smaller shops or open their own. Conversely, however, a well-handled RTO transition can have the opposite effect.

“If you come into our offces now, they’re dynamic,” says Bruce. “A lot has to do with the culture you create in your offce, and in the sense of community that you establish.”

Gilbert says 2025 is likely to be a year where lines will be more clearly drawn.

“This year, I believe we’ll see agencies make clear decisions, communicate those choices confdently, and move forward with what feels right for their teams – focusing on what their agency truly needs to remain competitive and proftable,” she says.

DIVERSIFYING YOUR SOCIAL STRATEGY

By Jennifer Horn

It’s deja-vu for Meta. Similar to X, the company has reduced its moderation efforts in favour of a “community notes” approach, raising concerns about hate speech and misinformation. In turn, marketers are growing more cautious of the social giant. Meanwhile, millions are looking for alternatives in the event that TikTok is banned in the U.S. As search terms around “alternative to Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, etc.” surge, here are some options to consider exploring for a more diversifed social strategy.

Reddit

Reddit’s introduction of short-form video scrolling in a “Watch” feed is a step in TikTok’s direction. The videos, curated from subreddits – user-moderated communities for specific interests – allow for a mix of visual content and written conversations. Brands like Nintendo and Spotify have used Reddit to connect with niche audiences. For example, Spotify hosts AMAs in music-related subreddits, while Nintendo shares updates in gaming communities. To reach its 73 million daily active users, marketers can also use Reddit’s tools to sponsor posts or run ads.

Discord

example, Chipotle launched a server in 2021, where it hosts exclusive giveaways, promo codes, and events like a virtual job fair (pictured).

Mastodon

With 150 million monthly users, Discord has grown beyond gaming to be adopted by the mainstream. Its server-based model – where chatrooms and voice channels can be accessed by an invite link – allows brands to create private spaces where they can connect with audiences more directly. For marketers, there’s the opportunity to build branded servers, host Q&A sessions, and share exclusive perks like early product access. For

Mastodon’s decentralized model makes it a unique space for audiences who value transparency and safe speech. Brands can create accounts and engage with niche communities by sharing content. Some Mastodon servers cater to specific industries or causes, like sustainability, tech, or art. And while it lacks traditional ad tools, Mastodon can be used to build engagement in a clutter-free space for its 10 million registered users.

HOW

THE FIRST RULE OF DEI: DON’T TALK ABOUT DEI

The DEI backlash is in full swing. A long list of U.S.-headquartered companies that have recently rolled back their global diversity, equity and inclusion policies includes Meta, Amazon, McDonald’s, Molson Coors, Lowe’s, Ford, Jack Daniels, Harley Davidson and Walmart. According to the Globe and Mail’s Board Games corporate rankings, there have been no policy pullback disclosures from Canadian-owned companies.

DEI is being accused of everything from reverse racism to – believe it or not – the recent Los Angeles wildfires. In an absurd turn, right-wing pundits like Elon Musk and Donald Trump Jr. recently blamed the worst wildfire in American history on LA’s black female mayor Karen Bass and lesbian fire chief Kristin Cowley, arguing that they prioritized diverse hiring over

BRANDS ARE REACTING TO A SURGE OF ATTACKS ON CORPORATE DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION. BY WILL NOVOSEDLIK

wildfire preparedness.

Bolstered by the 2023 U.S. Supreme Court’s rejection of affirmative action policies at American colleges and universities, as well as by the incoming Trump administration’s promise to prioritize the dismantling of DEI programs everywhere, MAGA activists have gone on the warpath, encouraging their followers to boycott companies and threatening legal action if they do not comply.

Vocal conservative activist Robby Starbuck recently took credit for reversing what he called the “woke agenda” of companies that are cumulatively worth $2.3 trillion – many of which are on the above list. He wrote on X: “Our campaigns are so effective that we’re getting the biggest companies on earth to change their policies. The era of wokeness is dying right in front of our eyes. The landscape of corporate America is quickly shifting to sanity and neutrality. We are the trend, not the anomaly anymore.”

But not everyone folds under pressure. Take Costco, for example. In a recent proposal put forward by its shareholders,

“FIVE YEARS AGO NOBODY WAS ASKING, ‘HOW WILL AGGRESSIVELY MOVING INTO DEI AFFECT OUR STRATEGY?

NO ONE WAS LOOKING AT THE ROI OF IMPLEMENTING THESE POLICIES. IT WAS SIMPLY ABOUT NOT GETTING CANCELLED.”

-

a diverse workforce is a competitive advantage,” says Phillip Haid, CEO of social impact consultancy Public. “[Apple and Costco are] not afraid because at their core, their values are about inclusivity. We’ve been saying to our clients that if you have done the work and you’re values-based, you double down on them. It’s a huge competitive advantage.”

Anti-DEI activists claim that money spent on initiating and sustaining DEI and ESG programs is money that could otherwise go directly into shareholders’ pockets. But there is a mountain of data that shows companies that embrace DEI deliver stronger financial performance. Why then do anti-DEI attacks not crumble in the face of the facts?

Ian Robertson at The Jefferson Hawthorne Group

activists claimed that “it’s clear that DEI holds litigation, reputational and financial risks to the Company, and therefore financial risks to shareholders.” Costco confidently rebuffed attacks on its DEI policy, stating: “We believe that our diversity, equity and inclusion efforts are legally appropriate… Our focus on [DEI] is not only for the sake of improved financial performance but to enhance our culture and the well-being of people whose lives we influence.”

Apple is another company caught in the crosshairs of conservatives, but which is rejecting their attacks. Recent reports stated that CEO Tim Cook became “visibly agitated” when pestered by questions from a representative of think tank National Center for Public Policy Research, whom he suggested should get out of the stock if he wanted Apple to only focus on profit.

And that brings us to the question of values. “Our data shows us that having

“The problem is a lot of these measures were put in place reactively,” says Ian Robertson, founder of leadership consultancy The Jefferson Hawthorne Group. “Five years ago nobody was asking, ‘How will aggressively moving into DEI affect our strategy? How will we integrate that through all aspects of our organization?’ No one was looking at the ROI of implementing these policies. It was simply about not getting cancelled.”

He goes on to advise that companies need to proactively ask themselves: “What is core to their brand, to their customers and their stakeholders. They need to figure out what actually drives ROI, prioritize it, and then craft their defence on that basis. Because it can’t just be values-based.”

Another brand that stands ready to fight for DEI is IKEA. Jonelle Ricketts, head of marketing says, “The IKEA vision is about creating a better everyday life for the many. DEI is really tied to who we are. We feel strongly about not backing away from the DEI initiatives that we have in place. And that’s a global perspective.”

You can certainly see it in the retailer’s advertising. “At IKEA we say we truly are for the many, regardless of your wallet size, where you live or your background. We’re seeing that an inclusive approach is resonating, whether it’s with newcomers or more established multicultural audiences. It’s all having a really positive impact on our brand metrics and other performance KPIs. So for us, taking that more inclusive approach is actually good business.”

Haid, whose firm practices on both sides of the border, has not seen the anti-DEI movement take hold in Canada yet. “But there is a chill in some client conversations. We had one client who asked us to change their language around DEI so as not to attract attention.”

Despite the backlash, Haid is optimistic about the future.

“Make no mistake,” he says. “The DEI train has left the station. Everyone is continuing to do this work. They’re just talking about it in a different way so as to avoid getting caught in the political crossfire. And for those who aren’t doing the work, they’re relieved they don’t have to. For them it was all just performative anyhow.”

BY SHEIMA BENEMBAREK

How evolving attitudes are shifting the economics of the sports market.

IT’S NO SECRET THAT WOMEN EARN LESS THAN MEN. When you compare median hourly wages in Canada, women earn 84 cents for every dollar men make. The stat from the Canadian Women’s Association is an indicator of gender-based discrimination, but when it comes to women’s pro sports, the reality is more disturbing.

In a 2023 study by RBC and Wasserman’s The Collective, it was revealed that, on average, male athletes’ playing salaries are 21 times higher than those of women athletes. For instance, in basketball, men make an average $11.5 million, while women get $107,000. Male soccer players receive $400,000 in comparison to women, whose paycheck is a mere $54,000. And the average salary in the National Hockey League (NHL) is $3.5 million, while women hockey players typically make between $35,000 and $80,000.

“Throughout my time as a professional athlete, [players] have had second jobs,” shares Quinn, a Canadian professional soccer player for the National Women’s Soccer League club Seattle Reign FC and Canada’s Women’s National Team. “To continue to play the sport that they love is a hard decision. People consistently retire just because it wasn’t �inancially sustainable.”

This lack of interest and investment is a result of bias, explains Cheri Bradish, director of the Future of Sport Lab and chair of marketing management at Toronto Metropolitan University. “For 100-plus years, the Big Four leagues – the National Football League (NFL), National Basketball Association (NBA), National Hockey League (NHL) and Major League Baseball (MLB) – organized professional sports in North America, and the industry stuck with it. They didn’t see market value in the women’s space. [There’s] been this long-term commitment and thinking for men’s sport [only].”

[Women’s sport] wasn’t encouraged, certainly not monetized or commercialized.

ALISON SANDMEYER-GRAVES, CANADIAN WOMEN & SPORT

The justification, historically, has been that men’s sports generate significantly higher revenue from sponsorships, advertising and TV broadcasting deals. There’s also the perception that men’s events attract more spectators, which in turn means women’s sports receive significantly less press. UNESCO revealed that although 40% of all sports participants are women, only 5% of media coverage globally has been devoted to their games, limiting visibility and the opportunities that come with it.

As a result, women’s sports often only become professionalized decades after men’s sports, leading to smaller fanbases that tend not to attract big sponsors and advertisers. “[Women’s sport] wasn’t seen as something to be encouraged, certainly not monetized and commercialized,” says Allison Sandmeyer-Graves, CEO at Canadian Women & Sport. “It’s absolutely true that because women’s sport has been denied investment for so many years, men’s sport has had the opportunity to build fanbases and to grow and develop, and to test and learn.”

Left: Canadian baller

Aaliyah Edwards is making waves on and off the court, repping Canada in the WNBA while empowering female athletes. Right: FootballerQuinn flags that many female pro athletes juggle second jobs just to stay in the game they love.

The turning of the tide

“It’s a rare day when there isn’t something exciting to announce,” says Sandmeyer-Graves, referring to Canada’s quickly-developing women’s leagues and the rush of companies that signed on as their partners in the last year. For instance, the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) recently attracted investment from the likes of Canadian Tire, Intact, Scotiabank and more than 30 other corporate sponsors.

Established in 2023, the PWHL – which includes the newly created Toronto Sceptres and Montreal Victoire teams – saw a historic inaugural season that brought in record-breaking attendance, counting 21,105 fans at one of the Montreal games last year. Ticket demand, ever since, has been overwhelmingly positive. In advance of its second season in 2025, the league put out the “Here’s to the Bold” campaign by partner Uninterrupted Canada, showcasing sports veterans and rising stars representing their new teams for the �irst time.

Last spring, the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) announced its expansion into Canada and debuted Toronto Tempo, the league’s �irst international franchise. The team is scheduled to begin playing in the 2026 season, with home games to be held at the Coca-Cola Coliseum in Toronto’s Exhibition Place.

And then there’s Canada’s �irst professional women’s soccer league, the Northern Super League (NSL), which was founded by former player Diana Matheson and is launching in April 2025. The NSL aims to provide a domestic platform for Canadian women soccer players, allowing them to pursue careers within the country. The league has garnered signi�icant support, including a multi-million-dollar partnership with Canadian Tire as a founding partner, alongside others like Doordash, CIBC and Air Canada. It also locked in a media partnership with Bell’s TSN/RDS and CBC/Radio-Canada.

Sarah Atkins, principal and co-founder of newly launched Lighthouse Brand Strategy – a women-led strategic brand consultancy dedicated to helping marketers invest in women’s sports – agrees that there are growing opportunities for brands.

In fact, Deloitte predicted that in 2024, for the �irst time, professional women’s sports would generate over US$1 billion in revenue. This marks an increase of at least 300% compared to the last forecast in 2021. The expected revenue breakdown includes $696 million (55%) from commercial activities, $340 million (27%) from broadcast deals, and $240 million (18%) from matchday earnings. “It’s really good business, and it’s good for Canada,” says Atkins.

Canadian Women & Sport found that 60% of fans believe brands should increase their support for women’s sports, while 40% are more inclined to buy from companies that actively back women’s leagues. Among Gen Z and younger millennials, this �igure jumps to 50%.

Women’s sports fans are more diverse, af�luent and educated than the general population, according to the research. The fanbase is 53% men and 46% women, and 32% are between the ages of 13 and 34. Thirty�ive percent are Black, Indigenous or People of Colour, 34% are part of a household with children, 51% hold a university degree, and 37% earn over $100,000.

“They are a very desirable audience for brands. What’s also exciting is that the younger fans – who are just entering into their buying power – are showing the greatest desire to engage more,” Atkins explains. “There’s money to be made and there’s also amazing potential [for] social impact. We know it’s an unsaturated space with less than 1% of sponsorship globally being spent on it. That’s an opportunity to invest early.”

“Forces have come together and led to this rapid acceleration where by 2026 we’ll have [women’s] basketball, soccer and hockey in a country where most people wouldn’t have put money down on that possibility two or three years ago,” notes SandmeyerGraves. “Women’s sport is cheap to get into, at least for now. And experiences around the world are showing us that there is high potential upside – the catch being that investors have to truly invest.”

And since viewership metrics aren’t necessarily there in the traditional sense, Atkins says brands will need to look at longer-term KPIs – things like brand likability, trust, awareness and loyalty. “Those are all things that can be measured and are all going to have a positive halo on your brand. It’s a tremendous opportunity to stand out, and a space that people are still trying to �igure out. You can really be seen as a trailblazer.”

Above: Canadian Tire has stepped up for women’s sports, committing 50% of sponsorship dollars to women’s pro leagues, like the NSL, by 2026.

Getting into the space first

About a year before the scene began to light up with new teams and corporate backers, Canadian Tire Corporation launched the Women’s Sport Initiative (WSI), pledging to allocate at least 50% of its sponsorship dollars to women’s professional sports by 2026. Prior to its debut, Ashley Curran, AVP of sport partnerships at Canadian Tire, ran the numbers and realized the brand was already investing 15% to 20% of its sponsorship dollars in women’s sport, so 50% didn’t seem like a heavy lift.

The initiative also includes a media fund to boost the visibility of women’s sports across various platforms. It encompasses several partnerships, such as being a founding partner of the NSL, supporting the �irst WNBA game in Canada, funding research on the commercial potential of women’s sports, and backing programs for female leadership in sports innovation. All of which underscore the brand’s dedication to gender equity and advancing opportunities for women in sports.

When Canadian Tire went public with the 50/50 commitment in March 2023, “women’s hockey had not yet merged under one banner. We made this commitment on the strength of who we are as a company. There was a lot of noise around women’s sports and not a lot of opportunities in Canada,” adds Curran.

talking about what we can do in this space. I couldn’t let go of this nagging feeling. I didn’t know what it was just yet, but there was something happening and we were one of the few in the centre seeing it.”

But Canadian Tire isn’t the only �irst mover in women’s sports. In 2023, GE Appliances launched a campaign to rally Canadians following a labour dispute between Canada Soccer and the national women’s soccer team. Despite their historic Gold medal victory at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the team’s funding agreement with the soccer association expired at the end of 2021. In the absence of a renewed agreement, players raised the concerns they had – such as salary disparity – and announced plans to strike.

The retailer was also among the �irst to back NSL as a founding partner in 2023, when the soccer league was initially referred to as Project 8. “They hadn’t signed a single investor. It was a high risk. But we couldn’t be prouder that two years later, we’re signing on for a few more years with a multi-million dollar commitment. It’s a lead deal with all six teams. We’re going to be on the team kit, just like with the PWHL, which is great visibility for the triangle. We want to be ubiquitous in the women’s sports space,” says Curran.

“When you’re trying to [understand] a movement, which is what this is, there are pieces of the puzzle that converge,” she explains. “I spend a lot of my time building the business case with other brands, but also the media buying shops, the ad agencies. [There are] still more dissenters than there are believers, even with numbers.

“We commissioned the It’s Time report with Canadian Women & Sport, which gave us the con�idence to start

Above: GE’s “On The Line” campaign was a reminder of the ongoing challenges that women sports players face, and rallied for support.

In response, GE called on Canadians to share their aspirations for the women’s game through its “On The Line” campaign, which highlighted both the challenges and the potential for a brighter future if more support and funding are provided. It also contributed $100,000 to the NSL team.

“We wanted to distance ourselves from any sort of association that doesn’t support pay equity for women players,” explains Bob Park, chief brand of�icer at GE. “For most sponsors, when they feel the product they’re sponsoring isn’t conveying the right message, the �irst response is to pull out. We considered it, because Canada Soccer wasn’t representing the brand values that GE worked so hard to maintain.

“But then I realized, [the organization is] there to support the development of the game. If I pulled my support from Canada Soccer with so much ongoing momentum, it would be a shame. Instead, we put more money behind Canada Soccer with a caveat that it goes towards the women’s team. And since then, a lot of things have happened [that have put the organization on the] right track. I like to think that we sparked some of that.”

When asked why a home appliances manufacturer would be interested in women’s soccer, Park pointed to a gap it was looking to close. “A signi�icant [number] of Canadian families enroll their kids in soccer. GE penetration is very, very strong for a hockey family, but not so much for a soccer family. The GE brand [may be] entirely new to them, so we thought it was a great way to reach a different demographic in terms of culture. That would be the business end of it. And it’s de�initely

worked. We’re resonating with more Canadians than we ever have.”

Adidas has also played a role in shifting the narrative behind women’s sports, says Kelly Graham, VP of marketing at the brand in Canada. Adidas has helped elevate women in sports as early as 2014 when it sponsored Canadian women athletes, like bobsledder Kaillie Humphries, in preparation for the Olympics.

“Big brands, especially in fashion and in sport, really do help drive that cultural narrative. We see it as a huge responsibility. Representation is de�initely important when it comes to showcasing your athletes in your advertising,” says Graham. “But I really encourage brands to not stop at [that].

“It’s great when brands also take tangible actions, whether it be signing longer-term partnerships with women athletes, contributing to programs, funding leagues, building spaces for young girl athletes to play, donating products, providing support through coaching. I think to create that lasting cultural change, you need to make sure that you’re creating those opportunities at ground level as well.”

For instance, Adidas recently partnered with Aaliyah Edwards, a Canadian professional basketball player for the Washington Mystics of the WNBA. Edwards has been featured in some of the brand’s basketballrelated campaigns and product launches, and she also hosted a basketball development camp for youth in her hometown of Kingston during her off season.

“It’s incredibly exciting to see a Canadian athlete participate in U.S. college ball and then go on to be very high in the draft for the WNBA, representing

Canada on the North American and then the global stage. It’s a bit of home country pride. But what sealed it for us is she’s really dedicated to continuing to champion other female athletes and help use her journey to make things possible for girls who come in behind her.”

Companies like GE and Doordash have intentionally gone beyond standard logo sponsorship to forge deeper partnerships with women’s leagues and community programs. For example, following the Canada Soccer disagreement, GE set up its “See Them, Be Them” mentorship program to inspire younger soccer players. “It’s very easy for me to pay a million dollars to put my logo on the side of the �ield at a soccer game. That’s a media buy. I wanted to take it a step further. In our small way we’re igniting some kind of change,” says Park.

It’s easy for me to pay a million dollars to put my logo on the feld. I wanted to take it a step further.

BOB PARK CHIEF BRAND OFFICER GE

Above: GE’s “See Them, Be Them” mentorship program aims to inspire upand-coming soccer stars, going beyond logos in stadiums in order to spark real change.

Meanwhile, WNBA sponsor DoorDash introduced the “It’s Happening” campaign in May 2023 to encourage Canadian girls to envision a future in sports. “Part of our strategic focus in [women’s sports] comes from the opportunity to grow audience size hand-in-hand with invested organizations,” says Heather Cameron, head of brand, creative at DoorDash. “We’re incredibly proud of our longterm partnership with NBA and WNBA Canada, as it’s a true collaboration... we’ve created opportunities for more girls to play basketball through our communityoriented Jr. WNBA programs.”

The brand, according to Cameron, is also keen to help galvanize professional women’s soccer as one of NSL’s founding sponsors. “[We] want to advocate for preparing the �ield for women’s sports before an actual �ield exists.”

Sponsorship and marketing will be critical when it comes to strengthening Canadian women’s sports. And while Christina Litz, president of Northern Super League, says brands are recognizing that people consume sports differently today and that there are evolving attitudes towards women athletes, “we need to be given the grace to grow. This is not going to happen overnight, despite the tremendous success that we’re seeing right now.”

“It’s not a moment,” Litz af�irms, “this is a movement, and the changing guard is here to stay.”

M O Y

MARKETERS OF THE YEAR

THIS YEAR’S MARKETERS HAVE ONE THING IN COMMON: they’ve all found smart ways to make their brands matter more to people’s lives. Maxine Chapman at OLG made the lottery feel personal and purposeful, showing younger generations how playing also supports their communities. Alain Tadros built a loyalty program at Metro that’s all about knowing customers better and making their shopping experience more personal. D’Arcy Finley at Maple Leaf Foods tackled big issues like antibiotic resistance and food insecurity while creating campaigns that feel authentic and relatable. Rachel MacAdam brought a fresh perspective to Skip, rebranding it as a homegrown Canadian brand and tying it to moments that Canadians care about. Tracey Cooke at Nestlé found creative ways to bring new life to legacy brands like KitKat and Nescafé, staying connected to today’s trends while still feeling timeless. And at IKEA, Jonelle Ricketts focused on helping Canadians through tough times, highlighting affordability and even stepping into new spaces like Twitch to meet customers where they are. These marketers didn’t just keep their brands relevant — they made them feel like they belong in people’s lives.

You’re going to need a bigger FRAKTA bag.

Congratulations to Jonelle Ricketts on being named a Marketer of the Year, from your partners at Rethink.

Jonelle Ricketts leads IKEA’s push for affordability during hard times

From price drops to tax breaks, the retailer’s chief marketer is fnding ways to help shoppers save without compromising on style.

BY WILL NOVOSEDLIK

When looking back at her career, Jonelle Ricketts makes it sound like the roles she played all just kind of fell in her lap. But what really matters is what she did with those opportunities once they presented themselves.

The head of marketing for IKEA Canada began her journey at Blackberry, back when it was still a B2B brand called Research in Motion (RIM). “We were really hands-on in those early days. We couldn’t afford the big agencies, so we relied on local freelancers,” she says. “We also did a lot ourselves. I found myself learning how to make animated digital banners and trade show ads, among other things.”

It was there that Ricketts learned her first hard lesson in competitive disruption when the iPhone arrived on the scene. Seeing the writing on the wall in 2011, she began to search for other opportunities. A marketing specialist role came up at IKEA, one that very closely resembled the work she had done at Blackberry, but which was focused solely on the Canadian market. So she jumped at it.

After six or seven years she got the itch, and left Canada to lead media for IKEA Netherlands. Ricketts and her team were responsible for the IKEA concept guidelines and frameworks for markets around the world. She arrived the same time

IKEA decided to stop producing its printed catalogue. “I was part of a transformation project, where we had to figure out what the future of marketing would look like without the catalogue,” says Ricketts. “It was another once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

Once again fate intervened, and she and her husband moved back to Canada for family reasons. Ricketts ended up finding a senior marketing role at Sephora, which exposed her to a very different side of the retail industry. IKEA is privately owned and therefore has much greater control of its supply chain, whereas Sephora taught Ricketts how

Above, counter clockwise from top left: IKEA keeps affordability in focus, cutting prices on 1,500 items and promoting the changes in “Spot the Difference”; the “Bring Home to Life” masterbrand platform celebrates the power of transforming spaces with furniture and décor; IKEA brought back its iconic “Start the Car” ad for the 2024 Olympics; “La maison, c’est la vie” positions the retailer as a catalyst that helps Canadians connect to life at home.

to navigate a much wider group of suppliers and brand partners. After a year at Sephora, she was offered the role to lead marketing for IKEA Canada.

One of the things Ricketts appreciates the most about IKEA is that it’s not as much of a slave to the quarterly report as a publicly held company would be. This means it can pursue both short- and longterm objectives and grow the brand for generations to come, without shareholders breathing down its neck seeking a quick return.

Long-term thinking is especially important amid concerns about the proper balance between investing in brand-building vs. performance marketing. Because of IKEA’s unique retail footprint, the main short-term strategic marketing objective is to drive visitation. Ricketts and her team work with econometrics and media optimization tools to show the contribution that brand-building campaigns (and channels) are making to the business – not only for softer brand KPIs, but also in terms of driving visitation and sales.

One of the key drivers for IKEA consumers is affordability. So in response to rising inflation, the retailer began 2024 by investing $80 million

in lowering prices on over 1,500 items, and another $50 million on 550 products at the start of 2025. To promote last year’s price slash, Ricketts worked with long-time agency partner Rethink on the “Spot the Difference” campaign, where consumers were shown two identical images of the same IKEA product side-by-side. Same materials, same style, same everything. The only difference was the price.

At the time of its launch in April 2024, Ricketts told strategy the goal for the campaign, which lives under

the “Bring Home to Life” masterbrand platform, was to underline that Canadians don’t have to sacrifice quality in order to protect their wallet. “We know that, with Canadians especially, they are out there looking for deals, but at the same time, they don’t want to compromise on quality either.” The campaign was also meant to empathize and connect with consumers by showing the brand understands the economic climate consumers are navigating.

A month later in May, IKEA partnered with RBC to launch PayPlan, allowing customers to pay their bills over time. Ricketts and her team promoted the new financing option, with no hidden fees, in a campaign that introduced new flex payment options and annual rates as low as 0%.

Meanwhile, the retailer’s award-winning “SecondHand Tax” or “SHT” campaign aimed to fight back against the unfair act of making people in Canada pay double taxes on second-hand items. With the help of Edelman, the brand created a “counter tax” that meant dropping the price of its second-hand items by 13%, so that customers ended up paying 0% tax on purchases.

To continue driving the “affordability” message home, Ricketts also resurrected the retailer’s iconic “Start the Car” spot by now-defunct agency Zig. Originally aired in 2004 to support a summer sale, “Start the Car” was so popular among Canadians that it was used to promote other sales over the years. Its comeback was aired exclusively on CBC during the 2024 Olympics, supported by online video, connected TV and social media.

“I think the state of the economy has had a much bigger impact on consumer spending than many may have predicted,” Jonelle previously told strategy . “With thinner wallets and many Canadian consumers feeling less optimistic about the future, they are more conscious about how and where they spend their money. And it’s not always about seeking out the lowest price in the market, it’s about value for money.”

Beyond driving the retailer’s messaging around affordability, Ricketts has also pursued more innovative tactics to draw in different types of budget-conscious consumers. Take the launch of the brand’s first-ever live Twitch stream. IKEA partnered with the platform to create a two-hour live show with the help of Canadian content creator Bawkbasoup. The influencer acted as host and toured an IKEA store at night while interacting with viewers to help promote the home furnishing retailer’s new line of gaming accessories and furniture. The stream ended up being one of Twitch’s top-performing live streams ever, driving visitation and a sales lift for IKEA’s gaming range.

“We really stepped out of our comfort zone and reached an audience that normally doesn’t have that much interaction with us,” says Ricketts. The campaign reaffirmed her strategy to reach new audiences by focusing on more inclusive messaging.

Ricketts’ focus on diversity ties back to IKEA’s vision of creating a better – not just an affordable – life for Canadians. “We have a big focus when it comes to gender, ethnicity and disabilities. I know that’s not a priority for everyone, so I want to make sure that it’s baked into how we work and it creates opportunities for people from underrepresented communities long after I am gone.”

Alain Tadros and Moi

Metro’s loyalty program is securing a foothold in Quebec and Ontario thanks to the marketer’s creative instincts.

BY TY BURKE

For Alain Tadros, marketing is a team sport.

In 2024, the VP, CMO, digital strategy at Metro was tasked with leading the Ontario launch of Moi, the company’s loyalty program. It extends across the Montrealheadquartered grocery and pharmacy retailer’s five banners and uses customer data to provide personalized recommendations to shoppers at Metro, Food Basics and Super C grocery stores, as well as Jean Coutu pharmacies and Première Moisson, a chain of artisanal bakeries. It’s the kind of endeavour that requires all hands on deck.

“Metro only has stores in three provinces, so we knew we would never be the largest loyalty program in the country,” says Tadros. “But we wanted to set ourselves apart by being the most personalized one.”

Achieving that goal would require buyin from the entire org. Data and analytics teams provide actionable insights from the anonymized information that’s collected via Moi, which stores then integrate in their operations. “For a company like Metro, our stores are our most important media. Across our different banners, more than ten million people already walk through our doors each week,” says Tadros.

“We could invest millions in TV advertising, and still reach fewer people than we do at our stores. Our loyalty program will fail if our stores do not support it. So, when we talk about our team, it includes everyone in the company, from store operators to the people who put together our weekly merchandising programs, through to digital and IT.”

The seed for the Moi program was planted in 2018, when Metro acquired Jean Coutu, the largest pharmacy chain in Quebec. Back then, the company had three different loyalty programs – but no unified view of who its customers were or how they were shopping.

It was clear that its loyalty strategy needed to change. The company determined the best way to deliver value to its customers was to bring all of its banners under a single loyalty program. So, in 2023, Metro debuted the Moi program in Quebec,

where the company has the strongest foothold. “It was a five-year journey, and a big transformation,” says Tadros.

“But with this approach, we have one view of a customer across all of our banners, and it allows us to dig into the data,” says Tadros. “For each loyalty customer, we track about 150 different attributes.

The data is anonymized, and it includes everything from the products you buy to your lifestyle segment to your price sensitivity. Based on the attributes, we can provide a personalized experience.”

Tadros also notes that the Moi program supports Metro’s marketing ambitions and continued growth in these markets. “There is no such thing as a loyal customer,” he says. “When people make purchasing decisions, loyalty is layered on top of proximity and price. Loyalty can’t replace those things, but it can be another lever – an additional tool in a retailer’s toolbox.”

To add value to Moi, it partnered with RBC’s Avion rewards program, where shoppers could earn additional points by linking their account to their Avion debit and credit cards. Uptake has been

been strong in the province. According to the 2024 Wow Leger Survey, Moi is the most widely used loyalty program in Quebec, and nearly 80% of customers engage with it.

But Metro is not as big as some of the other major grocery retailers in Ontario, and so the company had to consider how the program would transfer to Canada’s most populous province. Those considerations started with the program’s French language name.

“When we focus-grouped the name Moi, it actually scored better in English-speaking markets than in bilingual ones,” says Tadros. “There were no red lights in bilingual cities like Ottawa either, but Englishspeaking markets really liked the French twist. So, we said, let’s go with it.”

However, other aspects were not as directly transferable. In Quebec, the program was

advertised with endorsements from celebrities in the province’s French-language cultural industries. Ontario does not have a province-level star system like Quebec does, so the concept wouldn’t work there. And endorsements from Ontario-bred celebrities with global reach weren’t in the cards. So, Metro did the next best thing: it enlisted real

Congrats Alain on being named marketer of the year. Your partner for Food Basics, Moi Rewards and e-commerce.

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Above: Metro’s Moi campaign in Ontario featured real people with celebrity namesakes, like Ryan Reynolds from Barrie and Jennifer Lopez from Toronto.

So, Metro did the next best thing: it enlisted real Ontarians with celebrity namesakes – like Ryan Reynolds from Barrie, Julia Roberts from Ottawa, and Jennifer Lopez from Toronto.

Meanwhile, the Quebec campaign toyed with the idea of a celebrity’s outsized ego. Some of the province’s top talent leaned into the stereotype, uttering lines about the greatness of ‘moi’ – which translates as ‘me.’ “It was a great success in Quebec, and when we launched Ontario, we wanted to come out very strong there too,” says Tadros.

For the Ontario launch, Toronto-based Open pitched the idea of everyday people with real celebrity names – with the birth certificates to prove it – a loyalty program so tailored to its users

that it, in effect, treats everyone as though they’re a celebrity.

“Right away, we knew it was a great concept, but there was also a clear risk: would real people be able to deliver the outcome we expect?” says Tadros.

“We took a leap of faith, and we are pleased with where this campaign is at right now.” The program, according to Metro, is tracking 3.9 million members who shop at its eight banners that span 1,175 stores across Quebec, Ontario and New Brunswick.

“Moi is all about personalization,” adds Tadros. “It is about bringing loyalty to another level, delivering on what matters most to you, and making you feel special. It is about giving everyone the celebrity treatment.”

Right: Metro’s holiday marketing refects its mission to be seen as the go-to retailer for grocery shopping.

Rachel MacAdam skips to her own beat

How the loyalty maven is drawing on her experience at Air Miles to usher in a new era for Skip. BY ANDREA HERNANDEZ

After spending almost 14 years at Air Miles, Rachel MacAdam decided to start a new chapter in her career last year. Leaving the travel industry behind, she joined the Canadian delivery service Skip, taking on the role of VP of marketing in July 2023. Her mission? To bring a fresh perspective to how Skip approaches marketing, customer experience and loyalty.

“I was actually very familiar with Skip through my work

at Air Miles,” MacAdam says. “While Air Miles is the connector between brands and customers through that loyalty experience, Skip connects consumers, restaurants and retailers through our courier engagement. That idea of creating consumer value propositions that satisfy the needs of all three stakeholders was there.”

Since joining, MacAdam has made big changes to enhance the customer experience, from personalized digital tools to new partnerships. She also shifted the marketing team’s focus from isolated metrics to a more holistic, data-led approach that supports Skip’s broader business goals.

One of her biggest achievements has been redefining Skip’s identity. In October 2024, the company officially dropped “theDishes” from its name, reflecting

its expanded offerings beyond restaurant meals, and added a maple leaf to its branding.

“We were missing out on this huge point of differentiation in that Canadians didn’t know we were a Canadian brand. We were born and raised in the Canadian Prairies, and when you’re in a very transactional category like we are, those points of differentiation matter,” MacAdam says. “When we did research, more than 50% of Canadians said: ‘If I knew Skip was Canadian, I would choose you over others’.”

The rebrand included a major advertising campaign, dubbed “Skip to the Good Part,” by newly appointed agency Courage, and featured American actor Jon Hamm returning as the company’s spokesperson after a five-year hiatus. At the time of its launch, MacAdam told strategy that previous global adaptations with celebs like Katy Perry and Snoop Dogg were deemed not differentiating enough to break through. “When we tested the original Jon Hamm work, versus the global work, we really felt there was an opportunity to point back to our roots, but [also] to the new story of Skip, and the wider offerings we bring to the table.”

The humourous campaign features Hamm inserting himself into conversations and advocating that people “skip” hassle-laden activities like buying heavy bags of kibble and even skipping lengthy business meetings and restaurant lines. With the tagline, “Coulda skipped it? Shoulda skipped it!,” the campaign marked a shift in the brand’s focus from being seen as a food delivery service to a more versatile convenience platform.

“[Skip to the Good Part] is omnichannel and everywhere,”

MacAdam says. “By far, it’s one of our largest investments in the history of Skip.”

The rebranding and repositioning efforts paved the way for the most ambitious launch in Skip’s history. In November 2024, MacAdam led the launch of Skip+, a premium membership program that looks to deliver more value to customers. Skip+ offers free delivery, bonus points and reduced service fees, along with perks like discounts and

also know Canadians are passionate about concerts and live entertainment, and that has certainly seen tremendous growth since COVID,” she notes.

MacAdam’s loyalty expertise has been crucial to Skip+’s success. At Air Miles, she helped build its Collector program to reach 10 million households and generate over $25 million in revenue. She’s now applying that experience to make Skip+ not just functional but rewarding and tailored to Canadians’ interests.

experiences from CIBC, WestJet, Live Nation and the NHL.

“We felt that there was a gap and that was an opportunity for us to own the experiences that we could bring to consumers through our Skip+ membership offering… Hockey and sports are really important, but we

MacAdam is also ensuring Skip stays culturally relevant. When Kendrick Lamar’s diss track targeted Drake and mentioned Toronto’s No Ho King, MacAdam and her team partnered with the restaurant to offer a discount using the code “6GOD.” It was intended to tie the brand into

Right: Actor Jon Hamm returns to the brand in the “Skip to The Good Part” campaign, which puts Skip’s local roots and convenience front and centre; MacAdam has found success in new partnerships, including with Starbucks and Shake Shack.

a trending moment while also spotlighting Skip’s local partners.

Continuing to pull on her experience working with brand partners in loyalty, MacAdam led a new partnership with Starbucks in March 2024, highlighting the company’s ability to deliver more than dinner. The partnership drove app traffic and brought more variety to Skip’s menu and, in October 2024, Skip became the exclusive delivery partner for Shake Shack’s debut in Torono.

Finally, MacAdam spearheaded an NHL partnership, with the “Order, Shoot, Win” contest that let fans win hockey-themed prizes while driving in-app engagement during games. The campaign, which helped link Skip to one of Canada’s favourite pastimes, reinforced the company’s identity as a Canadian brand.

Looking ahead, MacAdam’s focus

will be on forging partnerships with brands that complement and enhance Skip’s value proposition, whether they be restaurants or retailers. “Because of my experience at Air Miles and my knowledge of loyalty, we’re able to look at what the current market was offering

consumers in terms of subscription and loyalty and see where there are gaps – as well as where the white space is that Skip can leverage to introduce something fundamentally different in our category.”

With fles from Chris Lombardo

Above: Oilers star Leon Draisaitl was featured in one of many NHL-themed efforts that helped celebrate Skip’s Canadian roots.

Tracey Cooke drives a creative renaissance

How the Nestle marketer blends data with creative innovation to fuel brand love and navigate consumer (and economic) shifts.

BY CHRISTOPHER LOMBARDO

Tracey Cooke likens her team to a chip that supercharges a computer – a fitting metaphor for a company that’s increasingly leaning into data-driven marketing.

As Nestlé Canada’s CMO and SVP of marketing and commercialization, Cooke oversees first-party data, innovation, agency partnerships and big tech collabs from the company’s Centre of Excellence (CME). But for Cooke, it’s not just about crunching numbers; it’s about driving consumer connection through creative, impactful campaigns.

The 2024 ACA Gold Medal-winning marketer leads a portfolio that spans beloved legacy brands – such as KitKat, Coffee Crisp, Perrier, HaagenDasz and Nescafe – that have evolved to bring product innovations – such as KitKat Pops and Maison Perrier – to the Canadian market.

Cooke believes the company is experiencing “a creative renaissance” thanks to its agency roster of Courage, Dentsu and Cossette, which have shown a strong understanding of the tenets of its brands. Cooke also points to Thrive, an IPG-owned bespoke agency built for Nestlé’s Canadian portfolio and which works with data-focused firm Kinesso, for the company’s success.

While keeping an eye on present and future consumption habits, Nestlé has had to navigate challenges to its day-to-day business operations. For instance, in 2024, it withstood huge spikes in the price of cocoa, which reached a historic high in the spring and “put a lot of strain on our businesses,” Cooke noted.

Despite these headwinds, Nestle Canada reported a 2% organic growth for the first nine months of 2024. In fact, sales in confectionery grew at a mid singledigit rate, led by KitKat, a perennial powerhouse in Canada.

The marketer acknowledges the strain that economic pressures place on

the business but remains focused on balancing premium innovation with value-driven messaging to weather the storm. “It’s all about understanding how consumer needs shift,” she says, pointing to

innovations like KitKat Pops – a portable, shareable format designed to compete with snacking staples like pretzels and nuts.

Even in a highly competitive space like confectionery, KitKat remains a top seller, which Cooke attributes to its flavour profile as well as its longstanding and iconic “Have a Break” messaging. While KitKat remains a category leader, Cooke and her creative partners have successfully evolved the brand’s tagline via campaigns like “Your Break, Your Rules,” designed to appeal to hyper-individualistic Gen Z consumers. The 2024 creative, developed by Courage, encourages younger consumers to enjoy KitKat in their own way, such as eating it in front of a pet python.

And at the Cannes Lions festival, KitKat earned a Silver award for a clever campaign that encouraged artificial intelligence to “Take AI Break,” earning the brand 8.7 million organic impressions. The work was inspired by a Google DeepMind study, which detailed how asking Gen AI to take “a breather” before a prompt improves the accuracy of its response. According to Cooke, the campaign’s success lay in being able to tap into a cultural moment.

Of course, Cooke’s achievements extend beyond chocolate. The marketer has also been instrumental in reshaping perceptions of Nescafé, a brand that previously struggled with the “baggage” of instant coffee. Today, Nescafé is a growth driver for Nestlé’s coffee portfolio.

One pivotal campaign, “How the world says coffee,” leaned into Nescafé’s global ubiquity. “In many places, people don’t say coffee – they say Nescafé,” Cooke says of the campaign that highlights the fact that more than 5,500 Nescafé coffees are consumed every second around the world in an effort to recruit a new generation of consumers, supported by product innovations like Nescafé Gold.

Cooke is particularly focused on shopper marketing, reflecting her belief that, despite the digital age, in-store experiences still matter. One standout initiative for Cooke was the launch of Maison Perrier sparkling water at Longo’s. The activation went beyond a simple display, turning the space into an immersive brand experience that directly boosted sales. While some may view shopper marketing as “old school,” Cooke disagrees. “Shopper marketing is crucial for impulse categories and value-seeking consumers,” she explains. “If I were going to open an agency, I would open one in [shopper marketing] because we need more thinking in that area, and it has become critically important again, as people like to go into stores.”

Left from top: KitKat reimagined its “Have a Break” messaging to better connect with Gen Z; the Nescafé “How the World Says Coffee” campaign celebrated the brand’s global impact, serving 5,500 cups every second; Nestlé’s creative renaissance extends to legacy brands like holiday favourite, Turtles.

KitKat won a Silver Lion in Cannes for its “Take AI Break” – a clever nod to AI downtime that sparked 8.7 million organic impressions.

Nestlé is also investing heavily in retail media, having partnered early with Loblaw to tap into its data ecosystem. “Retail media is transforming the landscape,” Cooke says, pointing to forecasts that the space will account for 22% of global digital ad spend by 2025. This shift has prompted Nestlé to rethink how it integrates retail and media touchpoints, ensuring that campaigns resonate both online and in stores.

Cooke’s strength lies in her integrated approach to marketing, and fostering a culture of experimentation and learning that’s necessary to make “big bets” on new strategies and products. An example of this is “First Fridays,” which brings her team of marketers together on the first Friday of every month where they discuss business ideas, how to deploy AI, the best approach to a holiday campaign, as well as which marketing initiatives are working and which aren’t.

it showcases speakers like Pete Blackshaw, founder and CEO of BrandRank.AI and former Nestlé global head of digital marketing and social media. Some of the recent programming has focused on helping marketers to “supercharge their prompting” capabilities and create more effective AI prompts for large learning models (LLMs).

“Our mandate is to look at making sure our marketers have all the capabilities, all the partners, all the support, all the innovation, but that they’re also thinking about the future,” she says.

Nestlé also puts on annual summits, during which

Cooke, a self-described “perpetual learner,” emphasizes that Nestlé’s success is rooted in its openness to change. Whether it’s deploying AI, experimenting with new formats, or refining shopper strategies, she says the key is to stay curious. “It’s not about doing things the way they’ve always been done. It’s about using data and creativity to keep building love for our brands – and staying ahead of what’s next.”

Right:

D’Arcy Finley connects the dots

How the marketer is injecting cultural relevance and purpose into Maple Leaf Food brands. BY

GREG HUDSON

D’Arcy Finley hasn’t had the easiest job. The VP of marketing joined Maple Leaf Foods in 2010, a time when the company’s reputation was still in crisis following a listeria outbreak that had shaken consumer trust. Tasked with helping to rebuild that trust, Finley’s mission to make Maple Leaf Food brands synonymous with quality and transparency has never wavered.

In 2024, it was his purpose-driven approach that led to an ambitious plan to make it disdainful to buy anything other than its Prime Raised Without Antibiotics (RWA) chicken. Even though there were inflationary pressures making consumers reluctant to

pay a premium, Finley followed through on the need to educate the public about the dangers of antibiotic resistance – a critical but often overlooked issue.

“Consumers weren’t connecting the dots between antibiotic use in farming and the risks to their families and communities,” Finley explains. His strategy was to spotlight the overuse of antibiotics in animal farming and emphasize the importance of acting now. Working with No Fixed Address (NFA), Maple Leaf Foods launched an online campaign for its RWA chicken, delivering 29 million impressions and a rebound of Prime’s business, from -19% to +9%. The campaign, part of Maple Leaf Foods’ “Natural Negotiators” platform, highlighted the importance of RWA, while telling the story of parents and picky eaters. According to an internal brand equity study, its Prime brand ranked #1 with consumers when it comes to food made with natural ingredients as a result of the campaign.

“I think what I’m most proud of is that this is a tough environment for Canadian consumers, and it’s a real challenge not only to motivate shoppers to trade up to more premium brands, but also to tap into things they really care about outside of inflation,” he says.

Finley was also one of the key architects in helping to unify Maple Leaf Food’s various sub-brand campaigns under a cohesive creative direction. Historically, the company’s sub-brand campaigns,

while effective at driving category volume, didn’t always “halo” back to the overarching brand. Under Finley’s leadership, the team developed a unified storytelling approach that used a consistent tone across all communications.

Take for example the “Natural Negotiators” campaign, which dramatized the all-too-familiar plight of parents trying to get their picky eaters to actually ingest food. The different “negotiating” tactics of kids were highlighted, from turning into a ragdoll, to always saying no. The solution to all these strategies was a Maple Leaf sub-brand. The company’s Prime Chicken Raised without Antibiotics brought one kid to the table, while its Natural Selections enticed another. The specific products changed, but the story was consistent over several spots. The approach unlocked an impressive 7% growth in the brand’s net promoter score, according to the marketer.

Finley’s commitment to purpose extends beyond campaigns. Recognizing the growing food insecurity crisis in Canada, he helped champion the launch of its Maple Leaf Centre for Food Security in 2016. Under the guidance of a board of directors, the registered charity works closely with non-profits to help Canadians on a local level. The Centre has committed more than $12.4 million to 33 initiatives seeking to address drivers of food insecurity. Finley brought this mission closer to the Maple Leaf masterbrand, ensuring that consumers understood the company’s commitment. He led the development

Above, clockwise: Maple Leaf Foods jumped on a cultural trend by making a connection between its brat wurst and Charlie XCX’ “brat summer” anthem; “Natural Negotiators” put picky eaters on display; the company’s Greenfeld markets itself as an option for consumers looking to cut down their carbon footprint; Finley and his team created rain sounds using sizzling bacon, which Foley artists can use if they so please.

of a marketing campaign that generated eight million impressions and inspired Canadians to donate to charities that partner with the Centre.

“This wasn’t about advertising for advertising’s sake,” Finley says. “It was about using our platform to do something meaningful. We don’t want to fake it, we don’t want to just be ephemeral and temporary – we want to build brands that really last. To do that you have to stay contemporary, you have to stay relevant, you have to speak the language of those consumers you’re seeking, but I think there’s a way to triangulate that between what the brand stands for and what consumers are talking about themselves.”

Finley and his team figured out how to do just that during the summer of 2024, when consumer interest in plant-based protein was waning. Maple Leaf Foods set out to reignite demand, particularly among Gen Z who are driven by sustainability and cultural trends. No Fixed Address had been working on strategies to reach Gen Z when an opportunity presented itself: Charli XCX’s single Speed Drive – affectionately dubbed the “Brat” anthem thanks to its rebellious

energy – had become a viral sensation.

In response, the brand launched a cheeky two-word billboard in the heart of Toronto’s bustling Sankofa Square. One neon-green billboard read “brat,” the other “wurst” – a clever nod to Field Roast’s vegan bratwurst, wrapped in Charli XCX’s neon aesthetic. “With a $7,000 billboard buy, we earned $75 million in media value,” says Finley. “We were featured in Charli XCX’s Billboard magazine profile, covered in multiple languages – it was lightning in a bottle.”

Then there was the collaboration between the company’s Greenfield Natural Meat, agency NFA and Emmy Award-winning Foley artist Sanaa Kelley. Together, they created the “Sound of Bacon” library – a playful collection of sizzling sounds designed for Foley artists to use as rain sounds in films. Proceeds from the initiative went to One Tree Planted, reinforcing Greenfield’s commitment to sustainability.

The digital out-of-home component was equally inventive: whenever it rained, billboards displayed a video of bacon frying,

prompting passersby to “listen to the rain” and think of bacon. “This campaign captured our mission in a way that’s uniquely ours,” Finley notes.

“It’s a different world out there now. The sun is past noon on the branded TV spots, 30 second commercials etc, and we’re in a new world,” says Finley. “You can’t grip the steering wheel and guide the branded car through the course the way you want to. Sometimes that course is going to change, and I think by having trusted partners it lets us squeeze the wheel a little less tightly and have the brand take a natural course.”

Whether leading plant-based innovations, advocating for antibiotic-free proteins, or addressing food insecurity, Finley’s work reflects a commitment to the greater good.

“It’s important for all of our brands to stand for something, we want our brands to be a magnet for what they stand for,” he says. “That could be real natural simple ingredients like Maple Leaf, that could be incredible craftsmanship and authenticity and irresistible taste like Schneider’s – each of our brands has a magnetic DNA that really matters to us. What we don’t want is to go and try and pander to different audiences and say, ‘Hey I’m cool just like you.’”

Congrats on being top dog.

Congratulations to D’Arcy Finley and the entire Maple Leaf Foods team for being named one of Strategy Magazine’s 2025 Marketers of the Year! From your friends at FUSE Create. (Clearly you should relish this moment.)

Maxine Chapman is a Marketer of the Year! Congratulations to her and everyone on her teams for a huge accomplishment.

From your proud partners

Maxine Chapman makes OLG a winner among the next gen

The brand leader is spotlighting win-win scenarios in campaigns that encourage consumers to see the “me” in “we.”

BY JONATHAN RUSSELL

For decades, the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) has been a cornerstone of Ontario’s non-tax revenue, contributing more than $62 billion to the province since 1975. Yet, changes in the competitive landscape and customer expectations continue to challenge OLG’s relevance and reach with critical target audiences – particularly among the younger generation.

That’s something Maxine Chapman, OLG’s VP brand

and marketing officer, has been working to change. Chapman joined OLG in 2022, but spent most of her career – more than 14 years – with Coca-Cola, which included spearheading the CPG brand’s sponsorship at the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Beijing, Vancouver and London, England. She then helped lead Cineplex’s masterbrand refresh and awardwinning “Lily and the Snowman” campaign, which logged more than 100 million views within 48 hours. And before joining OLG, Chapman was the head of global brand sponsorship and impact at Manulife, where she developed its sustainability agenda. At OLG, she is leading the effort to connect the Crown Corporation with a younger generation of lottery users (namely Gen Zers and millennials) and communicate its CSR-focused work, which is about supporting communities. Both play together since

younger customers repeatedly come up in research as being CSRconscious.

“To redefine our trajectory, we knew we needed to redefine the ‘win’ with OLG,” Chapman tells strategy. “Reinvesting in the province is what most people like about OLG, but they still don’t feel like they’re winning in the process.”

To help encourage game play among Gen Zers and millennials, Chapman and her team have been communicating both the social impact and personal benefits when it comes to playing its games. “While they look to make ethical purchases, losing is a real barrier to play,” Chapman says. “So, we intentionally shifted our

positioning from ‘playing for others and hoping you win’ to ‘playing for a personal win and giving back while you’re at it.’ Our filter for any brand campaign is: how can our players see the ‘me’ in the ‘we’?”

Over the last few years, OLG has redefined its role to tell the story of its community-driven purpose while also driving growth of its products. The organization’s core consumers, particularly those under 35, have responded positively to OLG’s “Bring Home The Win” masterbrand platform, which aims to communicate that 100% of profits go back to Ontario communities. “The launch strategy for this new platform was purposely built to lead with heart (emotion),”

Chapman points out. “Then follow fast with head (rational).”

She says the organization has received consumer feedback that the campaign “makes me think of OLG as an organization that brings excitement and fun” and “helps me believe OLG gives back to Ontarians,” she says, adding that younger consumers are typically unaware of how OLG uses its profits to support local communities.

Chapman and her agency partners (which include FCB, BBDO, VML, The Hive, Balmoral, Behaviour, Mint and Momentum) have been weaving that dual purpose into creative campaigns that strike a chord with a younger audience. Take for instance

“Winner! Gagnant!” – a 2023 campaign which took OLG’s win tone to the next level. “We wanted to remind people who hear that win tone over 200 million times a year, that not only has a player won but so have communities in Ontario,” Chapman says.

So, working with Live Nation, OLG leveraged local EDM duo Loud Luxury and songwriter Preston Pablo to create a new, modern song. OLG then took the song “out of the corner store and on tour,” Chapman says, pointing to activations at the Boots and Hearts festival, concerts at the Budweiser Stage in Toronto and the Veld music festival, where Loud Luxury dropped their remix.

“For decades, Winner! Gagnant!

has been synonymous with winning, and every time it’s played, it means that someone is celebrating, communities are benefitting and together, we are making people’s lives better across the province,” Chapman said at the time of its launch.

Last summer, OLG also leaned into the cultural relevance of the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games with the help of athletes Andre de Grasse, Penny Oleksiak and Maggie Mac Neil. OLG’s “Sponsored by You” campaign – an extension of its “Quest for Gold” collaboration with the Ontario Government, which began in 2006 – reinforced that OLG proceeds support highperformance amateur athletes by offsetting the costs of training and living expenses.

“Marketing and communications that are authentically true to OLG’s values will be vital in winning share of mind and share of wallet,” she says. “We create authentic winners’ content, share compelling stories showcasing a variety of wins, winning moments and the communities that win with each play.”

Chapman uses OLG’s 2024 Lotto Max “Thrift Drop” as another recent example of marketing that’s aimed at bringing the next generation into the fold. The campaign featured a collection of upcycled clothing, created in partnership with fashion designer Kevin Leonel, which included a lottery bonus that can be used to purchase Lotto Max tickets. A limited number of hoodies, jackets and shirts carry a code redeemable for one year’s worth of Lotto Max tickets on the OLG website – which also carry the chance to win a jackpot of up to $70 million.

“It was inspired by recent sustainable shopping trends and an increased demand from Gen Z for

second-hand and vintage items,” Chapman says. Each clothing item featured seven numbers from thrifted fabric, a nod to the Lotto Max lottery experience where players can select their own seven lottery numbers or choose the autogenerated “Quick Pick” option to create their lottery ticket.

Left, top row: OLG’s “Bring Home The Win” connects with consumers by leading with heart and showing that 100% of profts support Ontario communities; Left, bottom row: The “Winner! Gagnant!” campaign saw OLG partner with Loud Luxury and Preston Pablo, taking the iconic win tone from corner store to music festival; and “Thrift Drop” blended sustainability and gaming with an upcycled clothing collection by designer Kevin Leonel.

The result? The clothing line sold out in less than five weeks. And the proceeds from the collection – some $90,000 – were also donated to EcoEquitable, a registered charity based in Ottawa that is dedicated to reducing textile waste and empowering women through sewing skills development.

Chapman says that, through its Brand Health and Equity tracker, OLG is seeing strong gains among its target audience and core consumers as a result of its campaigns and new positioning. The organization’s relevance, favourability and consideration significantly outperformed its benchmark and are the “highest OLG has tracked,” Chapman notes. OLG also saw a significant increase in purchase intent among the under-35 demo and the “Sponsored by You” campaign scored in the top 10% for impact. Nielson attributes OLG’s masterbrand marketing for delivering at a 6x return on investment, Chapman adds.

While Chapman is being recognized as a Marketer of the Year, she stresses that the success OLG is experiencing is due to her agency partners and team. As inspiration for continuing OLG’s purpose-driven work, Chapman cites the book Start With Why, by Simon Sinek: “Your why is what will define you,” she says. “I think that’s why I fell in love with masterbrand work – because it defines, then amplifies, your why. That’s your recipe for success.”

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THE LIST

In a constantly evolving business landscape, agencies are helping brands stand out through innovation, agility and resultsdriven creativity. While brand distinctiveness remains the goal, the path to achieving it has evolved. Today, it’s all about blending bold ideas with technology –using AI, data insights and digital tools to enhance strategy and execution while rethinking operational models, workflows and areas of expertise. The resulting campaigns not only resonate but drive meaningful, measurable impact. Read on to learn more.

Unconventional Creativity

Z.A.K. captures attention with fresh,

unexpected ideas

TTHE FIRST THING THE ZULU ALPHA KILO (Z.A.K.) TEAM does with a client brief is to look at what’s the same. What are competitors doing? What is the category doing?

“And then we run in the opposite direction,” says Mike Sutton, president and CEO of the agency.

It’s not just being different for the sake of it, but because it’s necessary. “Brands, along with products, culture, and so many other things in the world, are increasingly becoming homogenized,” says Sutton. “It’s never been more important for brands to be distinct.”

It’s a strategy that’s resonating with clients. The agency has won four major new accounts in the past year, including President’s Choice, Make-A-Wish, Kimberly-Clark (Huggies, U By Kotex), and the British Columbia Automobile Association. Z.A.K. also made Fast Company’s “Most Innovative Companies” list this year, “putting us in good company with Taylor Swift and Nvidia,” he laughs. “Our team’s ability to combine creativity and innovation is one of our greatest strengths.”

Stephanie Yung, Z.A.K.’s chief design of cer, calls out the agency’s “Art Rate Monitor” campaign for the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) as an example. “The challenge was how do you bring in people who don’t consider themselves to be art people? Art can be an extremely intimidating area, so when people have to make a decision about what to do with their free time, it was hard to get the AGO onto that priority list,” Yung explains.

The insight that rose to the top was that everyone experiences art differently. “So we created the ‘art rate monitor’ that tracks the emotional response to the art,” she explains. The wrist-worn heart-rate tracker included beacon technology that tracked visitors in the gallery and what exhibit they were viewing. “It made the experience more personal: What piece of art made your heart race the most? What slowed it down and relaxed you?”

Brian Murray, Z.A.K.’s chief creative of cer, says the agency’s recent “Bipartisan Wings” campaign for Pizza Pizza is similarly out-of-the-box. The U.S. presidential election was top of mind, but “not a lot of brands had the courage to wade into those waters,” Murray says. “It’s a very polarizing topic. But this campaign breaks through because taking something as serious, complicated, and volatile as the political climate and combining it with chicken wings is such a funny juxtaposition. Ultimately, it really resonated with consumers.”

Left: For Destination BC, Z.A.K. uncovered deep, international insights identifying German car washes as great, unexpected forums for captive audiences.

Z.A.K. casts a wide net when searching for insight and opportunity. For example, client Destination BC wanted to reimagine how they showcase BC to global travellers. So the Z.A.K. team uncovered this: “In many parts of Germany, it’s illegal to wash your car at home because they don’t want to pollute the groundwater,” says Z.A.K.’s Vancouver ECD, Dean Lee. “As a result, car washes are something of a cultural mainstay.” So the agency created “the world’s rst immersive car wash experience,” transporting customers to northern British Columbia while having their car washed.

Chief creative of cer, Jenny Glover, credits the organization’s culture to its innovativeness. She says the agency has always encouraged challenging the status quo and for staff to “put their own stamp on things.” Now, with 185 staff across Toronto, Vancouver, and New York, the indie agency encourages each of its teams to take a unique approach. “Each market is different, with different clients and different people, with everyone putting their ngerprints on what we’ve created,” Glover explains.

“We’re a collection of creative leaders who are all rowing in the same direction.”

Ultimately, it isn’t just about being different, Yung says. “It’s about being creatively confusing. There’s no predicting how our creative solutions show up. It’s just about what’s best for the brand, what resonates, and whether audiences engage with it.”

That’s just how the agency is wired, she adds. Some of their ideas are dif cult to bring to life. “But that’s the point. If we run into a situation where we’re like ‘oh sh*t, how are we going to do that?’ we know that’s when we’re on to something.”

Above: 1 While the QSR category is typically driven by product innovation and discounts, Z.A.K. leaned into timely political discourse to give its “Bipartisan Wings” campaign some bite.

2 In the second year of its partnership with Major League Baseball, Booking.com and Z.A.K. tapped into historic baseball rivalries to prove that through its choice of hotels, travellers can become a fan of any US city. 4 Serendipity drove insights for Z.A.K.’s HomeEquity Bank’s “Meeting with the past” campaign for Remembrance Day. A team member scheduled a meeting for the project, but accidentally dated it in the past. It turned out you could schedule a meeting in the past, and the idea grew from there.

Below: 3 The idea that “hugs change everything” was one thing, but the sound of a hug? Z.A.K.’s Huggies campaign concept culminated in an Alexa Skill and web app that turns heartbeats into audio hugs, creating soothing sleep tracks for babies. 5 Z.A.K.’s “Possible lives here” creative platform for President’s Choice was informed by feedback from more than 1,500 consumer perspectives and 800 qualitative and quantitative research studies, revealing that Canadians are often overwhelmed by daily stressors and by juggling mundane tasks. 6 Z.A.K.’s Art Rate Monitor campaign for the AGO personalized gallery visits, measuring and tracking responses to the art with a wrist-worn heart-rate tracker.

>CONTACT: Christine McNab Chief operating offcer christine.mcnab@zulualphakilo.com

Finding media’s sweet spot

DAC’s expansive network and full-funnel capabilities, take enterprise-to-local to a whole new level

Above: Brooks challenged DAC to boost YoY revenue and dominate Cyber Week. DAC optimized by eliminating low-ROAS keywords and leveraging remarketing lists for search and shopping ads – delivering Brooks' highest revenue year in history.

Right: 1 DAC used Media Mix Modeling to optimize channel performance, reallocating budgets to drive incremental revenue. This included increasing investment in top tactics like out-of-home.

2 The Fresh Market partnered with DAC to tackle declining visitor numbers and drive store traffic at a very competitive cost. Using a local strategy, DAC tailored budgets for each store location, achieving a 32% traffic increase in just 38 days at a cost per visit way below the target. 3 DAC and Holland America Line won Best Use of Search – Travel/Leisure (SEO) at the 2024 US Search Awards, with non-brand keywords surging significantly for their main themes. 4 DAC was shortlisted for the OMMA Awards and Global Agency Awards for their work with Brooks. 5 With DAC in 2023, Holland America Line was able to increase overall organic traffic, gross online bookings and revenue significantly.

MMANAGING DIRECTOR ADAM LUCK DESCRIBES DAC as something unique in the Canadian landscape.

And it’s not just about the scale – though the agency’s size does set it apart, with a team of more than 600 people spread across three Canadian offices, plus another 11 locations in the US and Europe.

According to him, it’s really about the offering. While DAC’s digital performance expertise has long been one of its defining strengths, over the past few years the agency has expanded its capabilities to offer a comprehensive list of full-funnel services. The goal is to manage the entire customer journey, from the top of the funnel to the bottom, integrating paid media, search optimization, location optimization, creative production and web development to deliver results at every stage.

Client-wise, the agency specializes in enterprise-to-local companies, seamlessly creating national brand strategies and implementing down to street level, ensuring every touch point is strategically optimized for success and drives measurable business outcomes.

CONTACT: Sonia Allard VP marketing communications

Luck says DAC’s full-funnel approach is thriving because, “having one holistic media team with performance media and marketing at the core allows proactive budget adjustments between different media partners.” Or, in other words, it’s easier for DAC to shift resources between upper- and lower-funnel strategies based on real-time results.

And although today’s complex media environment demands such agility, it’s really an approach that DAC has used for over 50 years, since its frst media ad buys.

“In digital marketing or in media as a whole, we’re setting a strategy at an enterprise level and then executing that at localized levels. That’s permeated through everything that we've done and it hasn't left us,” says Luck.

Case in point? Consider longtime client Carfax Canada, which offers vehicle history reports for potential car buyers. The media strategy originally focused on search, social and display ads, but DAC and Carfax Canada realized that harvesting existing demand wasn’t enough. DAC created a smaller media plan to begin to understand what additional channels best served their awareness and revenue goals. Based on the results they used media-mix modeling to optimize channel investments and moved more budget into the channels that best drove awareness and revenue. Not only did Carfax Canada’s revenue increase, the efforts signifcantly improved unaided awareness in key markets like Quebec and non-metro Ontario.

Elsewhere, DAC’s work for chartered professional accountancy and business advisory frm MNP demonstrates its expertise in performance digital marketing. The agency grew MNP’s Consumer Insolvency business through a mix of media, SEO and Local Search solutions. Luck explains that DAC applied its “TotalSERP” methodology – a cohesive search strategy that blends paid, organic and local –

to the MNP division’s media plan, focusing on the understanding that all search is interconnected and equally important in the consumer journey. Working in each of those three disciplines allowed DAC to dominate the search results for the terms that drive MNP’s business. It also resulted in the client and DAC winning 2024 Global Search Awards for Best Canadian PPC and SEO campaigns.

Another DAC client is challenger brand Fit4Less. The gym operator wanted to increase premium subscriptions and national awareness, but in a way that wouldn’t cause problems with perfacility customer capacity.

It was, says Luck, “a great example of needing to be able to achieve objectives both nationally and locally, balancing between the upper and lower funnel.” Finding that sweet spot, DAC delivered the most net-new subscriptions the brand has had in any year, especially in that valuable premium tier.

These kinds of results have led to the agency’s consistently high Net Promoter Scores (NPS), an index of client satisfaction. Measured biannually, the agency boasts an average NPS score of 9.3 out of 10. As Luck explains it, “you don’t get a nine or a 10 from a client if you aren’t achieving two things: meeting or exceeding performance targets and delivering great customer service.”

Ultimately, DAC’s pitch is straightforward. For brands seeking a partner capable of optimizing media spend across channels, balancing data-driven performance with creative ingenuity and executing localized campaigns seamlessly, DAC stands out.

“If you're looking for an agency that’s going to fundamentally improve the performance of your marketing spend, and drive powerful outcomes leveraging unique expertise and technology,” sums Luck, “we are a fantastic ft.”

Accelerating your brand's content supply chain

M&H’s savvy use of tech helps clients manage creative content work ows

WWITH MANY BRANDS NOW HAVING TO PRODUCE hundreds or thousands of campaign assets per year just to stay in the content game, managing the ow of creative development is an ongoing challenge marketers have to navigate. According to recent statistics, scaling content production is one of the most common problems cited by 48% of content marketers (DemandSage, Dec 2024).

Often, what’s missing is one link in the content supply chain – a partner that can turn hard-earned creative concepts into myriad assets, quickly and on budget, says Dave Nourse, VP of growth at M&H. “Clients need someone like us who can motor to the nish line and drive scalable solutions across platforms.”

As an indie creative content studio, M&H inserts itself seamlessly into clients’ content stream. It can develop, format and localize content for speci c audiences in virtually any media – including social, digital, video, OOH, print and packaging – whether it’s for a campaign, brand launch or refresh.

A recent example of this is New York City’s Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, where M&H supported agency RPM by transforming basic copy and wireframe creative into an immersive environment for the new Broadway musical “Death Becomes Her.” M&H executed custom door and wall signage, a balcony banner, double-sided ags and custom lenticulars for the highpro le activation – all in less than three weeks.

One of the ways M&H keeps creative quality high is

Left: M&H executed designs for McDonald’s “Big Arch” campaign, maintaining consistency with the QSR’s branding.

by aligning tightly with brand guidelines and campaign concepts developed in-house or by the client's creative agency.

For example, M&H recently partnered with U.S. creative agency Wieden+Kennedy (W+K) on McDonald’s “Big Arch” campaign in Canada, which required more than 120 different assets for OOH, digital OOH, social and banner ads.

W+K led the campaign and M&H executed the designs, working closely with the agency’s creative team to establish consistency with McDonald’s branding. M&H also managed resourcing, tracked progress and ensured all materials were delivered on time.

For “Big Arch,” M&H integrated itself into W+K's established work ow. But for many other clients, M&H helps implement those systems.

Last year, M&H was hired by Embark, a Canadian education savings and planning company, to support a brand awareness campaign. Between March and April 2024, the studio worked with Embark on project management, production design, retouching, proofreading as well as front and back-end development.

Before the work began, M&H proposed using Figma, a collaborative design and development platform, to get a stronger understanding of Embark’s brand and visual identity. It then used Figma to design some of the creative assets and collect client feedback.

As an Adobe Silver Partner, M&H also sets clients up with tools from Adobe Creative Cloud (for content creation) and Adobe Experience Cloud (for marketing and analytics). It primarily uses Adobe Workfront to manage projects and keep clients apprised of the cost, timing and status of their projects at all times.

Incorporating advanced production and management tools re ects where the wider industry is headed, Nourse says. “The content game has evolved, where we’re seeing more of a blend of technological and human approaches.”

Speed, volume and cost are common metrics of success. So, for M&H, the priority is working with technology that can expedite the creation process, while keeping costs low and maintaining quality. “It doesn’t mean that it’s all automated and that nothing is overseen,” Nourse says.

“Being strategic means looking from above and getting a sense of the landscape,” he adds. “And increasingly, the landscape is less bespoke, one-off creations. It’s a constant stream that needs to be managed on behalf of clients, and that’s what we do best.”

Above: 1 With banners, wall signage and double-sided fags, M&H helped transform a New York City theatre for a production of “Death Becomes Her.” Photo by Avery Brunkus, RPM. 2 M&H supported Embark’s brand awareness campaign through project management, production design, retouching, proofreading and development. 3 & 4 Working with Sid Less, M&H produced many of the assets for the agency’s “Earth Day is Leg Day” campaign.

>

CONTACT: Dave Nourse Vice president, growth dnourse@mh.ca

Insights with impact

Balmoral drives brand growth with multicultural audiences

BBALMORAL MULTICULTURAL CEO SHARIFA KHAN KNOWS that authenticity and relevance matter when marketing to diverse communities.

“Multicultural consumers respond to marketing that authentically speaks to them using culturally relevant experiences, insights and images. Brands wishing to effectively engage with Canada’s growing multicultural market need a smart, targeted approach embracing critical ethnic nuances,” Khan explains. “We create work that makes people feel, ‘oh wow, this company is truly talking to me.’”

Khan, inducted into Canada’s Marketing Hall of Legends as a multicultural visionary, says she’s made it her agency’s mission to shine a light into every corner of Canada’s diverse population, ensuring all backgrounds see themselves re ected in a way she never did as a new immigrant in 1975.

She has spent 35 years building an agency that has grown year-over-year in its pursuit of better representation of multicultural Canadians. It’s a signi cant opportunity. Nearly 10.6 million Canadians identify as members of visible minority groups, representing about 26.5% of the total population, according to 2021 data from Statistics Canada.

The mission is resonating. Agency revenue has more than doubled over the past ve years as leading brands such as

Right: 1 OLG’s “Sounds of Ontario” reveals how you can “bring home the win” using a montage of community scenes and an audio mnemonic that cleverly reinterprets the classic OLG win tone. 2 The new “Brita Confident” brand campaign elevates its healthy water message, playfully embracing the confidence and trust new Canadians have in Brita.

Above: “For life as you know it.” The campaign for Canada Life shows authentic Chinese, South Asian and West Asian rituals, traditions and practices associated with good fortune.

OLG, RBC, Canada Life, BMW, Tata Consumer Products, Clorox, Brita, Dairy Farmers of Canada, Safeway, FreshCo and Sobeys strengthened their focus on multicultural marketing.

Jeffrey Almeida, managing director at Balmoral, says the growth is mainly due to a data-driven, always-on strategy across its client portfolio. “We use rigorous, holistic marketing to drive growth for our clients,” he notes. “Our success with diverse audiences stems from our multiethnic staff who put a cultural lens to brand development and creative.”

The result, Almeida adds, is that Balmoral “has taken minority marketing mainstream,” surpassing KPIs and benchmarks for brands targeting ethnic audiences.

Canada Life and FreshCo's Chalo! are examples of clients that have progressively deepened their relationship with Balmoral and benefited from the agency’s multicultural expertise.

Canada Life has worked with Balmoral since 2019 and first engaged the agency to create a meaningful connection with consumers from South Asian, West Asian and Chinese backgrounds. These were new target audiences for the insurer and, with it being a high-touch category that also requires great trust, Canada Life wanted to use bespoke creative based on authentic insights.

The result was “Rituals,” a campaign that incorporated customs of importance for the target consumers that are associated with life milestones like buying a new home or starting a business.

The most recent “Rituals” OLV campaign resulted in 19.2 million video completions and 164,000 clicks, surpassing previous benchmarks during spring 2023. It also delivered 108% more impressions than planned.

On the retail front with FreshCo, Balmoral just launched a campaign introducing the new Chalo! brand, a range of affordable South Asian grocery items, to shoppers who often have to go to

Left: 3 The “Start Clean” campaign for Clorox’s Clean-Up and Disinfecting Wipes strengthens its brand appeal within Canada’s Chinese and South Asian communities.

Right: 4 Launched during Diwali, the “Own Brand” campaign for FreshCo’s Chalo! playfully pitched

“excessive hospitality” to introduce a new range of affordable, authentic South Asian grocery items.

several specialized stores to get what they want.

The digital Chalo! campaign was timed to coincide with Diwali, leveraging the season’s emphasis on food, hospitality, and celebration. The objective was to build awareness of the Chalo! range, highlight its affordability, link it directly to the FreshCo banner and position it as a one-stop shop for South Asian grocery needs.

The creative embraced the insight that during Diwali, South Asians pride themselves on serving an abundance of food to family and guests. This led to the concept of “overtly excessive hospitality” showcasing Chalo! products as the solution for festive celebrations. By blending cultural relevance with a strong value proposition, Balmoral positioned FreshCo’s Chalo! brand as an essential part of the South Asian shopping experience.

Campaigns like Canada Life’s “Rituals” and the FreshCo’s Chalo! launch, as well as Balmoral’s list of steadfast clients, demonstrate the strength and depth of Khan’s vision for multicultural marketing. Going beyond supporting one-off ethnic events and festivals and becoming a year-round strategic partner is one of her proudest achievements. “We are at the table with clients from the start campaigns,” she says. “And that comes from the trust we’ve built.”

>CONTACT: Sharifa Khan, Founder and CEO sharifa@balmoralmkt.com

Less drama. More delivery. Round

is

fueling

growth through a high-value, low-overhead approach

a better t for companies with that mentality,” he explains.

Davidson says it’s not uncommon for Round to inherit projects from other agencies, where misaligned priorities cause friction. “We’ve seen work that’s clearly self-serving, designed to win awards rather than achieve results,” he notes. “We don’t care about that. We’ve won all the awards we need.”

TTHIS “DO MORE WITH LESS” ERA IS A CUSTOM FIT for Round.

The Toronto-based agency has carved out a unique niche for itself by rethinking the traditional agency model and trimming the fat. Founded in 2018 by veterans Mike Davidson and Paul Riss, Round operates without the overhead of a large fulltime staff. Instead, it assembles tailored teams for each project working with a roster of experienced independent talent, ensuring high-quality work at a fraction of the typical cost.

“We believe clients deserve access to the very best talent,” says Davidson. “Any client that works with us is getting senior, experienced, award-winning talent on every project, regardless of the budget.”

That maverick philosophy extends to their straightforward pricing model. Unlike agencies that live and die by billable hours, Round takes a more straightforward approach. “We don't count hours,” he says. “We agree on deliverables and a price and unless the deliverables change signi cantly, there are no additional costs.”

In exchange for that clarity, Round makes a simple request: it wants direct collaboration with the senior decision-makers on the client side. Round, explains Davidson, works best with more entrepreneurial organizations that, like the agency founders, “have skin in the game.” According to Davidson, those sorts of clients share a similar passion and approach, creating a strong alignment in philosophy. “We’ve learned we’re

Left:

Heading into its seventh year, the agency has an extensive client base that includes a signi cant number of growth companies, in addition to well-established brands. Davidson points out that the agency is particularly well-suited to venture capitalists and private equity rms that are investing in businesses where branding plays a critical role. “We’ve opened the door to a lot more growth companies,” he says. “We’re a great t for those types of rms because they understand how important a strong brand is to their success.”

Round created the brand visual identity and website for the launch of restaurant chain ORO.

Consider its recent work for Nickson Living. The Dallas-based Series B company has been a client of Round since it’s early start-up days. For Nickson, Round recently developed a complete brand campaign, including video, digital and other components aimed at driving exponential expansion of its customer base and revenue.

Round was able to get the entire campaign up and off the ground in less than a month in order to hit the client’s aggressive deadlines. The company founder is an experienced investment banker that has relied on Round over the years to help build the business. “He's tough on us,” says Davidson. “He's a really smart VC guy who knows the category in and out. He knows that, with us, there's no BS. We deliver quickly and effectively.”

For new client Simply Protein, makers of plant-based protein bars and snacks, the agency is currently managing a comprehensive rebranding project, including packaging redesign and strategic repositioning. Working directly with the Founder/CEO and board of investors, the agency is ensuring the brand’s evolution aligns with its goals.

Another standout is L’OCA, a high-end chain of specialty food emporiums launched by a large privately held corporation, Go Auto. Round has already launched a full brand, visual identity, website and app for the chain, as they launch new stores.

The success they’ve achieved means Round is planning to add more project management capabilities to its small staff, and is considering bringing in junior partners. Regardless, the founders still plan to be involved in every project. “We’re not changing our approach,” he asserts. “We believe in working with independent talent and avoiding the overhead of traditional agencies.”

So, as Round grows, look for it to remain dedicated to its mission: delivering outstanding results through a model that values ef ciency, senior expertise and collaboration. In short – results without the drama.

Left & Below: 1-3 For home furnishings leasing company Nickson Living, Round developed a video showing what life would be like 'unfurnished' and it wasn't a very 'fun' way to live your life. Hence, unfurnished is unfun.

Above: 4 Round created a new brand visual identity and website for Muskoka Timber Mills after it was acquired by AnnexPark Capital. Right: 5 Round helped launch the new eatery PYRO by developing the brands visual identity and website.

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CONTACT: Mike Davidson Managing partner mike@weareround.com

Forward momentum

LG2 is unlocking brands' full potential as businesses, employers and corporate citizens

Above: LG2 designed Ontario Cannabis Store’s “Buzzkill” pop-up from top-tobottom including the identity, packaging on the shelves, giveaway merch and posters. The pop-up kicked off a campaign that included 15-second digital and radio spots, OOH, and organic and paid social.

PPROGRESS IS ONE OF THOSE SLIPPERY WORDS THAT linguistics profs like to call an “empty signi er.” It can mean many different things, depending on the context. In tech, it means innovation. In the creative space, it means expanding your skills. In the workplace, it can mean ESG.

At LG2, it means all three. According to partner and chief creative of cer Josh Stein, “Standing still in any industry is dangerous. We leverage the power of creativity and technology to unlock the full potential of our clients' brands. It's about advancement and helping make a positive change in the world.”

One positive change is LG2’s B Corp certi cation. Certi ed B Corps must consider their environmental and social impact on all stakeholders in their ecosystem and measure their progress against it. The ultimate goal is to transform the economic system into a more inclusive, equitable and regenerative global economy.

A manifestation of this is LG2’s approach to ESG in their work. “We are baking ESG factors into our strategic and creative process,” explains partner and VP creative Nicolas Baldovini. “We have impact metrics and goals and we

Left: 1 Tapping into Domino’s fast food fanbase, the “Trade Secrets” campaign asked for tips online and via a mobile billboard at competing chains in exchange for the brand’s own best-kept secret: pan pizza. Right: 2 “The Orange” is an emotional 3-minute spot broadcast at its full length on TV to tell the story of illness from a child’s eyes and help raise money for the CHU Ste-Justine Foundation Quebec’s largest mother-andchild hospital. 3 To launch National Bank’s new personal finance series on International Women’s Day, LG2 took over the covers of popular magazines to flip the script on how society typically talks to women about finances.

are actively promoting this model to clients.” Examples include the Spirit of Sustainability and Pride programs for the LCBO, or the annual ESG report for Quebec’s Fonds de solidarité (FTQ), the province’s largest development capital investment fund.

Baldovini says these are sincere efforts that both help attract new talent and reinforce the authenticity of LG2's messaging. “We’re working with a new generation and the pursuit of progress is something very important for them,” says Baldovini.

This investment, alongside growing its in-house capabilities, has allowed the agency to redefne itself as a diversifed “brand experience agency.” While every agency has a pitch slide that says, “We do everything,” Stein agrees that’s only true in the sense that large networks outsource. LG2 has that slide in their pitch deck too, but all the disciplines are under one roof.

The idea of progress also applies to LG2’s business model, which has seen it embrace niche specialties such as spatial design. Started 10 years ago, the specialty in architecture has enabled it to solve client problems with what the team calls “total brand experience.” A recent example is the rebranding of the Ashton QSR chain in Quebec, where LG2 tied everything together from store interiors to product packaging and brand identity.

Critical to all of this is building relationships with progressive clients. What marks a client as progressive by LG2’s standards? “A progressive brand is ambitious, innovative, sustainable and future proof. I would call Bell progressive for embracing mental health issues,” Stein refects. “Hydro-Quebec is progressive for focusing on energy transition and using immersive digital to engage with a younger generation.”

An example, LG2’s recent campaign for Ontario Cannabis Store called “Buzzkill.” The objective was to urge cannabis users to shop

Right: 4 To promote chicken as the ultimate source of protein for Chicken Farmers of Canada, LG2 designed a large, heavy billboard that was carried around Toronto by bodybuilders to prove that Canadianraised meat makes you stronger. 5 A frst-ever brand identity, a website, and a manifesto video were built to help startup Halo Dental successfully launch its pre-orders and the frst step to disrupting the dental hygiene technology industry.

legal. LG2 opened an activation on Toronto’s Queen Street that looked like a regular cannabis retailer, but inside presented customers with information on the benefts of legal products.

Elsewhere, LG2 worked with Techaide to combat intolerance and hatred in in-game chat rooms. They created a platform for the charity’s annual GG Aide fundraiser that celebrates the vibrant diversity of gamers, using six different animated characters, an event and a new website.

Then there is Halo Dental. “Halo is a young dental equipment start-up that wanted to shake up the category,” says Baldovini. “It has created a ‘fog-free’ dental mirror that looks and feels like something that came out of Apple’s product design department. We worked with them on branding, developed the e-commerce website and a brand activation kiosk, delivering a multi-faceted package.” Halo's invention went on to win a prestigious Red Dot Innovation award for product design.

The progress message is helping LG2 with new business, including furniture manufacturer Keilhauer, Ontario’s Ministry of Natural Resources, iGaming and Hydro-Quebec. Recent industry recognition includes Design Agency of the Year from the ADCC, a silver strategy Design AOY, and being ranked ffth on strategy’s Creative Report Card.

How’s all that for progress?

Left: 6 Ashton’s brand redesign is a perfect blend of modernity and tradition that pays homage to Quebec’s most popular poutine chain. LG2 tied every part of the brand together from the new logo to the paper packaging to the interior design of the restaurant.

Right: 7 One of six unique animated characters designed for GG Aide to help raise money and call attention to more inclusivity in gaming. All characters come to life on the conference’s interactive website.

>CONTACT:

Jeremy Gayton, Partner & president jeremy.gayton@lg2.com

Helping brands achieve their biggest ambitions

How Zerotrillion drives growth with

uncommon

capabilities

ZZEROTRILLION VIEWS THE IMPACT AN AGENCY CAN have differently – almost radically so. That ambition shows in what they create. The agency, which has of ces in Toronto, New York and Amsterdam, is producing feature lms, operating a creative venture capital fund and running their own stand-alone clothing brand with a store on Amsterdam’s high street.

“We are designing Zerotrillion to be a company that can achieve an uncommon and striking variety of creative and strategic services.” explains Aubrey Podolsky, president of the Toronto of ce and global chief strategy of cer. “All in service of helping our clients achieve their growth ambitions.”

They point to clients like Niagara Falls Tourism, for which they’ve helped deliver an estimated $200M in economic impact for the destination, or Evie Ring, who’s smart health ring the agency helped launch - and sell out in the rst week.

“We’re increasingly focused on strategic renewal for larger clients, who are searching for growth,” says CEO and founder Alex Paquin. “We can be difference makers in multiple situations, as long as your ambition is clear. We're very good at the envisaging stage and implementing a plan to help your organization change for growth.”

Zerotrillion has grown and evolved since it launched in 2019, becoming known as much for its strategic consulting and design work as its creative. That may be why it has attracted a slew of new clients in the last year, including real estate investment trust Choice Properties, car-sharing app Turo, software company Achievers, the Rideau Hall Foundation and Universities Canada. To handle that extra load, it brought on new talent, including Laurent Abesdris as executive creative director for its Toronto of ce and Chris Hunter as managing

Left: Zerotrillion recently completed a comprehensive brand repositioning and design for New York diamond jewellery retailer Grown Brilliance.

director and chief client of cer. Paquin credits Zerotrillion’s entrepreneurial mindset for its appeal. “We understand the value of focusing on the right initiatives and the importance of achieving pro tability. That resonates with commercial and business leaders,” he says.

Zerotrillion’s approach, he explains, is rooted in meaningful client engagement and delivering creativity to solve real business challenges.

“The competencies we need to pursue our own entrepreneurial ventures are equally valuable to the people we work with.”

“We're not just going to do something for you because that's what’s expected,” says Podolsky. “We're going to look deep and work together to focus our creative efforts on what’s objectively useful for you to grow your brand.”

This philosophy has led to a slate of standout creative projects in the last few months. For New York diamond jewellery retailer Grown Brilliance, the agency recently executed a comprehensive brand repositioning and brand design. In Europe, it launched a campaign in Amsterdam for TicketSwap, a ticket platform that emphasizes transparency and trust. For the CNIB Foundation in Canada, Zerotrillion helped develop the positioning for a new children’s charity, managing everything from naming to its upcoming spring launch campaign. On the entrepreneurial front, it’s launched a feature lm division, Zerotrillion Pictures and two apparel companies (ethically made sport style brand Veld and inclusive outdoor apparel brand Alder) and a restaurant chain called Sweet Chops.

One of its most ambitious client projects to date has been for Swiss/British watchmaker Dennison. The agency handled every aspect of the brand’s relaunch, from positioning to brand design, to PR, e-commerce and advertising. Zerotrillion even worked on the design brief for the watch itself and produced a design documentary featuring the watch’s Swiss designer, showcasing the agency’s ability to manage end-to-end brand development.

Zerotrillion continues to build on its partnership with longtime client Niagara Falls Tourism, creating campaigns rooted in cultural insights and local knowledge. “We’ve developed a brand platform that can sustain them for years,” says Paquin, noting that “we have something [already] in the can for them that’s launching in the spring.”

Paquin says Zerotrillion likes to focus on the “big ideas of our time,” working with innovative companies at every stage, from conceptualization to market entry and strategic renewal. He says it’s a service model that attracts forward-thinking clients who value the agency’s expertise in building and scaling ideas.

Above: 2 The agency led the full relaunch of Swiss/British watchmaker Dennison, from brand design and PR to e-commerce, even creating a design documentary with its Swiss designer. 4 Zerotrillion supported the CNIB Foundation in Canada by developing the positioning for a new children’s charity, handling everything from naming to its upcoming spring launch campaign.

Left: 1 Its ongoing partnership with Niagara Falls Tourism has seen Zerotrillion help generate an estimated $200M in economic impact, with a new campaign launching this spring. Below: 3 In Europe, the agency launched a campaign in Amsterdam for TicketSwap, a ticket platform focused on transparency. 5 The shop's frst campaign for TicketSwap highlights the brand's commitment to transparency through clever taglines like "Save the nasty surprises for the club toilet."

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CONTACT: Aubrey Podolsky President, Toronto & CSO aubrey@zerotrillion.com

Boosting B2B

Titan One is energizing a sales-led category with a refocus on brand and connection

AACROSS THE INDUSTRY, B2B MARKETING IS OFTEN perceived as niche, tactical and dry – lacking the creativity of B2C work. “And with the overabundance of content and rinse and repeat tactics, it's become harder for brands to make headway.” Titan One’s Scott Lanaway, however, takes the opposing view.

“Our focus is to help clients understand how brand fundamentals and go-to-market strategies coexist and complement each other,” the managing partner of the Toronto-based indie says.

It’s taken time for Titan One’s clients – and the wider industry – to buy into this vision. But after nearly 30 years, the shop is seeing record growth, propelled by new accounts and expanded mandates.

Titan One is now working on the next phase of its evolution. In September, it hired Laura Davis-Saville as its rst head of strategy. With a wealth of B2B and B2C brand strategy experience, Davis-Saville was brought on to “cement our purpose, process and offering and grow our presence,” Lanaway says.

The agency also recently added Leah Whitney as creative director. Whitney has past experience from Sister Merci and Rain, where she worked on highly regulated categories, including telecom and cannabis.

Above: Titan One developed a digital and OOH campaign for Stitt Feld Handy to promote their professional development training courses and inspire people to unlock their full potential. Right: 1 & 2 The agency created the "Origami Transformation" campaign for Pythian, including digital banners and social video, to showcase how cloud services can transform a company's IT capabilities. 3 - 6 Titan One provides brand and go to market support for Zayo in the U.S., including content and campaign development, event support in key regions and more.

CONTACT: Derek Roldan Managing director d.roldan@titan-one.co

Titan One’s offering includes integrated brand and campaign strategy, content, account-based marketing, marketing automation, strategic reporting, and video production. It works with clients across Canada, the U.S. and Europe, specializing in mid- to large-scale enterprises in telecom, manufacturing, software, cloud, data and financial services.

Its clients generally have a few key things in common, says Davis-Saville. “They’re all in highly saturated categories with intensifying competition. Most now recognize they need to look at brand building and full-funnel activity in order to effectively drive leads long term.”

For example, there’s Pythian, a Google Cloud partner that specializes in database and analytics services. The company wanted to motivate its customers to move their legacy databases onto Google Cloud, so Titan One pitched “Origami Transformation,” a campaign that evoked the boundless potential hidden within a single sheet of paper, mirroring how cloud services can unlock hidden possibilities and transform a company's IT landscape. The ongoing campaign includes a 60-second video with cutdowns, banners, social posts, a landing page and content plan.

Since 2022, Titan One has also worked with Zayo, one of America’s largest telecom companies, on a series of fullfunnel campaigns.

In one effort that spanned brand awareness and demand gen, Zayo showcased how carriers could become champions for their customers. By harnessing the power of Zayo's extensive network, carriers could unlock new potential and empower their customers to achieve greater success.

Another program featured agency support for event planning, video production, and logistics. The event, which drew state and federal officials, showcased Zayo's national leadership in expanding fiber optic networks to underserved communities to address digital inequality. These and other efforts helped Zayo surpass its 2024 lead gen goal by more than 10%.

Lanaway explains that in large enterprises, marketing teams are often fragmented across departments, leading to disjointed campaigns and diluted brand messaging. Titan One helps to break down silos and align marketing around a unified strategy. By facilitating collaboration and establishing clear KPIs, Titan One empowers marketing teams to generate more qualified leads, improve conversion rates, and achieve greater ROI.

Such was the case with global manufacturer Alfa Laval, whose North American marketing lead wanted to create a more integrated marketing function, Lanaway says. Titan One’s success working with the client – including a strategy project that caught the attention of company leadership in Europe –has led to an expanded mandate, with Titan One taking on North American AOR duties.

The agency is now embarking on a brand evolution of its own. Focused on a new integrated strategy and creative practice, Titan One is also helping businesses with go-tomarket strategies, proprietary diagnostic and data tools to measure brand health and market penetration.

In short, Davis-Saville has asked the agency the same question it asks of its clients: “How can we prove that we offer unique, relevant and compelling value that delivers impact?”

Solving for scale

True Media Canada crafts a personal approach powered by performance tech

IIT’S A NEAT TRICK, THE ABILITY TO BE BOTH BIG AND small at the same time. But it’s one that True Media has perfected, says its president Bruce Neve.

On one hand, he says, the agency has found success as a smaller indie, offering “hands-on service, highly focused on clients and business growth.” But powering up that service is a “robust tech stack and millions of dollars invested in research and tools,” which are capabilities usually offered by large-scale agencies backed by global holding groups.

These two distinct advantages, layered together, help clients “ nd what’s true” using a personal touch combined with insights, audience metrics, and other data.

True Media’s momentum and growth – 20-plus new clients in the past three years, and a 50% increase in billings – is thanks, in large part, to its innovative structure.

True Media Canada, with of ces in Toronto and Calgary, is part of the True Independent Holdings Group, which includes True Media, digital agency Coegi, and research and analyticsfocused RADaR. It also recently joined the Meet the People group, providing media services across the agency collective.

That’s what makes True Media unique, Neve explains. “It allows us to take things from initial insights and strategy around audiences into actual activation. Often there’s a missing link between the two. A smaller agency won’t have access to the tools and technology that we do.”

The agency used all of these tools in a recent campaign for Chicken Farmers of Canada (CFC). “to reach a younger

demographic, audience that was typically eating less meat,” Neve explains. The data indicated that CFC should forgo tactics like recipe sharing and explore new mediums. “That opened up the aperture for us to have a lot of fun with it,” Neve says, and pushed the addition of CTV, in uencer activations, and DOOH.

For example, instead of telling younger audiences that chicken meat will make them strong, the campaign was designed to demonstrate it. True Media opted for a new tactic for CFC to amplify a stunt coordinated by creative agency LG2, reaching and engaging Canadian gym-goers and healthconscious consumers. As teams of brand ambassadors were seen carrying a “heavy” billboard with variations of the message “Chicken protein makes you stronger” throughout downtown Toronto, similar messaging was displayed within 140+ gyms across the GTA, noting that 76% of gym members are mainly Gen Z and Millennials.

Left: True Media went big with OOH activations for Gay Lea Foods, creating hardto-miss messaging around how Gay Lea improves upon everyday foods. Their impactful bus shelter execution in Edmonton featured an enormous 3D can of Gay Lea whipped cream.

Similarly, the “Raised Right” campaign reinforced Canadian chicken farming ethics, featuring videos of real chickens being good Samaritans. The campaign recently won Best in Show and Best Multimedia Campaign at the Canadian Agri-Food Marketing Alliance. Neve says that True’s “big but small” capabilities allow it to lean into non-traditional solutions and services. Most recently, it has started consulting with clients on sports sponsorships. And while the category is nothing new, Neve says, True’s approach is.

Existing client Re/Max was looking for a sports-based strategy to reach a more diverse, energetic millennial audience. “That sounded like the NBA to us, so we helped negotiate that deal,” Neve explains.

Speci cally, Neve says Re/Max wanted more than just eyeballs on its logo. “It needed to be more integrated and engaging,” he explains, and ultimately involved True Media, the NBA, and Re/Max co-developing multiple content series to tap into “the energy, style and engagement of the demographic.”

The goal, Neve stressed, was to develop something that was measurable, accountable and ultimately, much more than a one-off. It’s an area Neve says True Media is bringing added value, by acting as a consultant across contracts, rights and other critical details.

True was recently name Canadian Media AOR for StorageMart and has already negotiated a multi-year partnership with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

It’s indicative of the holistic approach the agency takes to all of its relationships. “If audiences don’t have an af nity for the brand, then it won’t be a magnet for its target audiences, says Neve. “Reputation. Trust. If you don’t have those things, all the money in the world spent on lower-funnel media won’t do anything.”

Left: 1 - 3 True Media worked with CFC and agency partner LG2 to reach gym-goers to promote chicken as a key source of protein.

4 In a frst for Canadian pet retailers, True Media partnered with TikTok and content creators for TikTok Out of Phone Digital activations for its Pet Valu campaign, pioneering DOOH media to amplify local impact and engagement.

5 & 6 Sports sponsorships need to be more than oneoff opportunities for more eye-balls, so True Media helped foster a more collaborative relationship between Re/Max and the NHL.

How to turn heads

Fuse Create is driving results by focusing on culture, clients and a keen competitive spirit

Above: Maple Leaf Foods had redesigned their Grab n’ Snack packaging to appeal to busy students who needed protein on the go. Those design cues, along with an in-house media plan and a few clever headlines, delivered at key moments, gave students some food, for thought.

Left: 1 In 2024, Niuriss tapped Fuse Create, for Creative and Media, to launch their first baby formula in Canada.2 With the help of some clever XM, OOH, and PR, the UK’s Grenade protein bar landed in Canada this past summer. Where to next for Fuse and Grenade? Texas!

AASK A CREATIVE AGENCY TO DEFINE WHAT differentiates it and you will almost always get the same answer: creativity. It’s a bit like a shoe store saying that what sets it apart is shoes.

However, if you ask Fuse Create that question, you get two words: “turn heads.” That kind of focus means that since rede ning its brand four years ago, it has won a steady stream of awards and seen its business grow 73% between 2020 and the end of 2024.

As Steve Miller, ECD, SVP and partner tells it, “When I joined ve-and-a-half years ago, it was a much different agency. It was predominantly below the line. It had a different name. It had these siloed groups that operated as their own brands. It lacked meaning, vision and guidance. So four years ago we developed a purpose for the agency: ‘turn heads.’ That means work that breaks through, demands attention, earns audience interest, wins awards and gets its clients promoted.”

It has delivered against those KPIs repeatedly, here and in the US, for clients like Hilton Hotels, Maple Leaf Foods, CIBC, and Ricola. It boasts awards and industry recognition

3 Ricola’s US Throat Balm launch helped the brand achieve its first 3D-animated spot, its first fully integrated influencer campaign, and by the end of 2023, it was the number one selling cough drop in the US – another first. Right: 4 The agency helped non-profit Hackergal give women in tech a voice – literally and figuratively.

from the likes of AdAge, The Drum, Cannes Lions, the Clio Awards, The One Show, The Effes and the Epica Awards.

And it’s not just client wins and industry kudos. Most importantly, their employees like it too.

SVP, head of strategy Jon Crowley sees the culture of Fuse Create as one of the key advantages of the agency. “It’s not only that people are kind to each other and nice to be around, it’s an ingrained attitude of respect for each other's craft, a desire to learn from each other, and trust that we can go further together. It’s refected in the way people talk about the agency, even former employees and anonymous posts on the social app Fishbowl are overwhelmingly positive about our culture and our people.”

“We're frm believers that culture drives the work," says Miller. And when we say culture, we don’t mean ping pong tables and jellybean jars. For us, culture is about the people you hire. As a result, we've seen one of the lowest attrition rates in the industry.”

Fuse Create also attributes its success to the quality of its client relationships. It does not take a traditional view on retainers, believing this makes agencies complacent. Instead, it relies on client business outcomes and results, ensuring the value is clear. This approach demands that you stay sharp, Miller says, always in the knowledge that you’re only as good as your last job.

The fnal element in its evolution has been to a full-service model. Since 2022, it has expaneded its integrated model to include media, PR, creative, social and XM. Miller believes that having a full menu of services under one roof beats the integrated agency team model not only from a cost and management perspective but also from a strategic perspective.

Left: 5 As Proximo Spirits’ XM AOR, the agency activates over 300 events across Canada each year. 6 Turn Heads is the agency’s raison d'être and at the heart of every campaign, brief, and FUCR (shorthand for someone who works at FUse CReate). 7 Fuse Create counts several brands in their Social Media purview that includes strategy, content creation, and in-house production.

Gay Lea being one of them.

Right: 8 The agency used A.I.-based research against itself to prove that Schneiders doesn’t take any shortcuts with its food. The video earned 10x the average Engagement rate.

9 The colourful creative plus contextual in-house media buy for the CCOA’s frst awareness campaign outside PEI drove 11.6x the average industry CTR.

“The process is more seamless and the creative output is both more contextual and more pointed,” says Crowley, noting that in particular, “integrating media and PR into the mix has really changed the way we look at briefng.” This integration, which includes everything from broadcast to digital, social, SEO and programmatic, has resulted in signifcant growth of the media practice, which is now responsible for about 20% of total revenue.

The new approach has helped Fuse win new business from Gay Lea Foods, Fujiflm, British protein bar Grenade and the Confederation Center of the Arts in Prince Edward Island, plus new media wins including Fittes, Second City and Chartwell. Led by Luke Moore, VP, managing director, media, and partner, the agency has expanded into the US market with work for Ricola North America and for Nashvillebased global non-proft Soles4Souls. The latter campaign, called “Doors of Opportunity,” took the standardized, “No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service” signs and gave them a head-turning twist to speak to the social barriers people face when they lack footwear and clothing. Across OLV, print, social, OOH, and guerrilla, Fuse Create grew brand awareness by over 27%, as reported by Aleena Mazhar Kuzma, SVP, managing director and partner.

>CONTACT: Garo Keresteci Founding partner garo@fusecreate.com

Left: 10 The “The Holiday Sweater: Climate Change Collection”; was an art installation with a message that hung in the agency’s storefront window in support of the David Suzuki Foundation.

Right: 11 The frst national awareness campaign for US-based Soles4Souls saw a 27.3% increase in Awareness, a 2,717% increase in recurring donor lifetime value, and earned close to 1 Billion Impressions for the non-proft.

Experience meets evolution Show and Tell is investing in leading-edge AI to deliver results

TTHE SHOW AND TELL AGENCY IS CARVING A unique path in the advertising world by blending creativity and technology.

Rebranded one year ago to become Show and Tell and following a 134-year history as a McKim agency (most recently McKim.Sherpa), CEO Marty Fisher refers to the agency as “the newest, oldest agency in Canada.”

The rebrand of the agency is manifested in both its approach and its execution. The new name re ects its ethos of sharing stories and ideas, inspired by the childhood excitement of "show and tell." It encapsulates the agency’s mission to share compelling narratives and reshape how audiences perceive brands. On the execution side, Show and Tell has made a strategic push into AI, enhancing its work ows and establishing thought leadership in the space.

Show and Tell operates in Winnipeg, Manitoba and Kitchener, Ontario with a core team of 40 staff. There’s no “B team” at the agency, Fisher says, and the focus is always on fostering consistent quality and trust.

It’s an approach that can be seen in the agency’s 2023-2024 recruitment campaign for Lakehead University. The datadriven campaign ran across TikTok, Meta, Snapchat, YouTube, LinkedIn and Google Ads targeting both students and their

parents. Its creative utilized survey responses on why students who applied and accepted Lakehead University as a school but ultimately didn’t attend, such as “me looking for a reason not to go to Lakehead.” The target-customized copy was followed by key stats, like the school’s top 10 undergraduate school ranking by Maclean’s. Overall, the 2024 ad campaign contributed to an increase in student applications by 3.6% and a Google Ad clickthrough rate of 33% above industry standards.

Show and Tell also promoted the arts, working with new client Prairie Live Arts Group, which includes 13 live performing arts organizations across Calgary, Edmonton, Regina, Saskatoon and Winnipeg.

Left: For performing arts collaboration, Prairie Live Arts Group, Show and Tell developed an interprovincial OOH campaign that ignited a renewed interest in live arts, uniting audiences across the Prairies.

The “Come to Life” campaign aims to raise awareness of the rich performing arts culture in Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta. Using digital, connected TV, radio, OOH and print, the campaign had dual goals of driving attendance and, in turn, enhancing the nancial stability of the live performing arts sector in the West. “Come to Life” launched in September 2024 and drove more than 64 million impressions.“ Working with 13 leading arts groups in three provinces is not without its logistical challenges, but it was hugely ful lling to help facilitate partnership with so many remarkable companies – literal competitors who the campaign united to promote not just themselves, but their entire sector in one resounding voice,” says Fisher.

Another area Fisher says the agency is providing thought leadership in is AI. An early adopter in the space, the Show and Tell team spent 18 months developing IRIS (Intelligent Response Information System), a proprietary tool integrated with its enterprise resource planning system. Fisher explains that IRIS uses over a decade of project data to streamline project estimation and production planning processes and secure estimates and proposals more quickly.

“We just got on it quick, and I think we were one of the rst agencies to create an AI-use policy,” he says. “I've emailed our policy to probably a half dozen clients who, in turn, have modi ed it for their usage. So, it's been getting everyone's attention. That's a differentiator right now. And by no means is AI a replacement for creativity in humans, but it's a potent tool when used correctly.”

By expanding into new markets, developing AI-driven tools, and adapting to evolving consumer behaviours, Show and Tell demonstrates how a combination of innovation and adaptability can address the challenges of a rapidly changing advertising landscape. Their approach highlights the potential of integrating creativity with technology to achieve practical and measurable outcomes.

Right: 1 Show and Tell created digital banners for ADAMA Maxentis, showcasing the fungicide's dramatic impact on preventing disease. 2 A social media campaign for Lakehead University, targeted audience segments known to value Lakehead's unique student life offering. 3 Social posts for sleep and respiratory care provider Careica Health, illuminated a beacon of hope for insomnia sufferers.

Left: 4 Show and Tell developed an out of home campaign for Manitoba Liquor & Lotteries, using a biting metaphor to encourage players to game without extra risk.

Staying small, delivering big

Mixtape wins by combining network chops with indie agility

IIN BUSINESS, SPORTING CLICHÉS ARE AS COMMON in the boardroom as they are on the playing eld. But for Toronto-based creative agency Mixtape, sport is core to their business model.

The rm boasts a client list that is 30% professional athletes, 70% consumer brands. It counts Maple Leafs’

Above: Mixtape launched Pringles’ first new format in over a decade with a campaign showcasing Pringles Mingles across TV, OLV, OOH and social. Right: 1 As AOR for Canadian condo developer Canderel’s project Forêt Forest Hill, Mixtape helped drive awareness and sales through OOH, print, email, digital and social creative. 2 Mixtape and Red Bull partnered to tell the emotional story of how skating on outdoor rinks has shaped Mitch Marner's love of the game and playing in his hometown. 3 Mixtape revamped Miovision’s existing branding, increasing its visual prominence at trade shows and online, and developed digital assets. 4 Mixtape re-introduced the “Crazy Good” toaster pastries to a new generation of Canadians through multiple fullfunnel campaigns between 2023 and 2025. 5 For International Women’s Day in 2024, Mixtape partnered with Tim Hortons to surprise U7 Timbits Hockey players with a visit from Sarah Nurse. 6 CCM and Sarah Nurse teamed up to develop a price-point-driven stick to welcome more players into the game. Mixtape helped launch the Ribcor-N20 with a mix of video assets and lifestyle photography.

CONTACT: Joe Myers President & founder

Mitch Marner, Toronto Sceptres’ Sarah Nurse, and Liverpool FCW’s Olivia Smith among its AOR lineup of professional athletes. For consumer brands, it’s client list includes Kellanova (Pringles, Kashi, RXBar, Pop-Tarts, etc.), Johnson & Johnson, Activision Blizzard, CCM Hockey, Miovision, Molson Coors and real estate developer Canderel.

The synergy between these two groups works in several ways. “When Mitch Marner signs a deal, he can say ‘brief my agency,’ and we can bring our expertise to create work that best represents Mitch and the brand,” says Joe Myers, Mixtape’s president and founder. This often opens the door to a relationship with the partnering company, adding another consumer brand to the client base.

The consumer brands bene t as well. As Jon Rae, VP brand and sport explains, “Athletes are at the forefront of pop culture, music and fashion. We leverage that experience in service of our consumer brand clients, who are often targeting the same demographic.” Myers and Rae highlight another fact that works to their clients’ advantage.

Both are from a network agency background, so they know how to deliver solutions at scale. More important however is they know how to be more agile and deliver greater value for clients at the helm of a smaller independent. Myers, Rae and creative director Mike Kotevich all worked at FCB/Six before coming together at Mixtape.

“Our team’s experience provides our clients with the big agency treatment,” says Myers. “They get creative that delivers against campaign KPIs, cost-effectiveness and a personal touch.” As Rae likes to put it, “if the big agencies are the symphony, Mixtape is the synthesizer. We’ve only got one frill: personalized service.” Myers speaks of Mixtape’s client list with pride. “Pound for pound, we have one of the best client books out there for a small agency. Relationships and reputations matter. That was always part of my approach prior to Mixtape, and it’s a core part of our success here.”

If their unique client roster and deep network experience constitutes a competitive advantage, a focus on client relationships eclipses both. When asked what sets them apart, it’s hard for most agencies to commit to just one thing. Mixtape will say it’s a combination of amazing clients, a deep skillset, quality relationships, the full-service model and enduring client relationships. Note the emphasis on the word “relationship.”

Myers is clear: “When you're a small agency, you need to work harder and go that extra mile. We build strong relationships. We give clients a reason to come back. Why would they choose us over agency X or Y? The answer is client focus, and the result is a roster of clients like Molson,

Johnson & Johnson, Kellanova, CCM, Activision Blizzard, Mitch Marner and Sarah Nurse.”

That’s how Mixtape built the Kellanova account. After taking on its Kashi snacks brand and watching the campaign deliver some of the best testing results in Kellanova Canada’s history, the client asked Mixtape to do it for some of their other brands. So after a 10-year hiatus in advertising, Mixtape brought Pop-Tarts out of campaign hibernation with a digital campaign aimed at Gen-Z customers.

Through its relationship with Sarah Nurse, Mixtape was engaged to work with CCM to produce video and stills assets to support the launch of an entry-level, price-sensitive hockey stick in response to Sarah’s passion for increasing access to the game for kids who can’t afford the high cost of gear. Now CCM is an all-star client, too.

These and other cases are strong examples of how combining big agency chops, small agency agility and an over-the-top dedication to relationship building gives a shop like Mixtape an edge. Myers says “At Mixtape, we’ve got rock-star talent and all-star clients. In recent years, I’ve been laser-focused on assembling the right team with the best people, strengthening Mixtape’s brand, and expanding our client base. 2025 is set to be a major milestone for us, and I’m excited for what’s coming next.”

FORTY YEARS AND CHANGE

INTERAC LAUNCHED IN 1984 WITH THE GOAL OF MAKING PAYMENTS MORE EFFICIENT. FOUR DECADES LATER, THE COMPANY IS DEVELOPING A NEW GENERATION OF PRODUCTS — AND A NEW BRAND STRATEGY TO MATCH

BY MONTGOMERY BURKE

Across Canada, more than 20 million Interac transactions are made every single day. About 90% of Canadians use Interac, and even people who primarily rely on credit cards use the company’s services like Interac e-Transfer. The brand’s black-and-yellow logo isn’t just on your debit card or in your banking app interface, it’s also on dog-eared stickers at the entry to nearly every store in the country. More than 450,000 businesses in Canada accept Interac, and nearly 60,000 ATMs are

connected to its network. The name is ubiquitous –and, most importantly, trusted by Canadians.

But competition from new payment players is pushing Interac to innovate – which it has a long history of doing. Back in 2003, the company launched Interac e-Transfer, allowing Canadians to send money to other bank accounts. It was a service ahead of its time, but the rest of the world has caught up, albeit in a different way.

“You don’t see something like Interac in the U.S., because the market is so big,” says Lauren Mostowyk, head of integrated marketing and communications at Interac. “A regional bank might only serve one part of the country, but still be the size of a smaller Big Five bank. And even giant banks don’t have 90% of the market, like the big Canadian banks do. Everyone is kind of in it for themselves, and the end experience for the consumer is a little more fragmented.”

But that also created opportunities for disruptors like Venmo, a payment app that allows users to transfer money between bank accounts and debit or credit cards.

Above: The last ten years have been marked by Zulu Alpha Kilo-created platforms, from Interac’s 2015 “Be in the Black” commercial that encouraged consumers to spend their own money; the “Own Your World” platform from 2017 demonstrated the brand’s product offerings; and “InLife” emphasized that when you are in control of your fnances, you can make the most of life.

“Venmo came in, saw this gap and said ‘How can we make it easy for everyone to do the same thing?’” says Mostowyk. “Well, Interac e-Transfers were kind of the original Venmo, but now we’re facing more competition – and that’s a good thing. We are really amping up our products and creating a network that is faster, stronger and better than anything out there.”

Take Interac Verify, an online product that leverages data the company already has about its customers to allow them to verify their identity online. It builds on trust Interac spent the last 40 years building, providing a level of security when users need to access sensitive information on sites like the Canada Revenue Agency.

“Let’s say you want to buy a bottle of wine, but need to verify your age,” Mostowyk says. “Why show a stranger where you live and how much you weigh?

A credential on your phone could verify your age through our network, because we already have these details through your banking information. You could just tap your phone and pay – and this data isn’t only useful at the LCBO, it could be used any place where foundational information is required.”

As the company updates its product offering, so too will its marketing. “Being safe and secure for me and for my money... that used to be enough for us,” says

Mostowyk. “But consumer demand is forcing us to grow. As our business evolves, our marketing needs to evolve too. It has become more important to us to create a brand experience, a customer journey and, ultimately, a conversion factor on our products.”

While the customer is still the end user, Interac also needs buy-in from businesses. To reach them, it must venture further into B2B marketing. There is opportunity in showing insurance companies, telecoms and travel companies that there is value in connecting to its network and services. Doing so represents a significant shift from the consumer-focused advertising that characterized the company’s first four decades. And with that change in services and audience, Interac’s brand identity will one day change, too.

“The Interac logo is purpose-built and incredibly intentional. It is well-known and enjoys strong positive attributes,” says Mostowyk. “We have built our business on the back of our brand, but it can’t stay the same forever. The brand was built for a specific kind of business and our business is growing and changing. Our brand needs to grow and change, too. It is the most terrifying job in brand marketing, but it’s something that the organization will face over the coming years.”

Above: On Quebec’s chaotic Moving Day, Interac’s “Money Movers” campaign found a clever angle: as people move, so does their money. the “Sound of Spending” campaign turned nationwide purchase data into music that calmed people into spending less; the Interac partner stall prior to the start of Collision 2019.

A history of growing consumer trust (and confdence)

Interac has been around since 1984, but for much of that time, it operated primarily in the shadows.

The company began as a non-profit association – a collaboration between RBC, CIBC, Scotiabank, TD and Desjardins to create a system that allowed financial institutions to transfer money to each other on a single network. Interac was an important part of the plumbing of Canadian banking, but its own brand was a bit of an afterthought next to the Big Five Banks that relied on its services. The brand was in virtually every wallet in the country by the 1990s, but most people didn’t give Interac much thought as an entity unto itself. Then, in the 2010s, Interac began to move from the background to the foreground.

“The brand hadn’t changed much before then,” says Leslie Vera, Interac director, brand governance and management lead, who joined the company in 2013. “We were behind the scenes, and it was almost like we didn’t exist. This was when we decided to become a more independent company, and that we should talk about the value we provide.”

Thus was born “Be in the Black.” Launched in 2015 by Zulu Alpha Kilo, the platform keyed on the value that shopping with debit can add to the lives of Canadians.

It sought to valorize spending money a person already has and to live within their means.

“It was a time when people were switching to tapping credit cards for points. Before then, credit cards were used more for bigger ticket items,” says Vera. “But when you spend your own money, your purchases are more intentional. It benefits you because you enjoy what you purchase more. Because you bought it with hard-earned money.”

One commercial under the “Be in the Black” platform was set inside a music store where a man is shown purchasing a guitar strap with his Interac debit card. As he makes the transaction, a store employee launches into the familiar chords of AC/DC’s Back in Black, which provides a classic rock soundtrack for a pyrotechnic-laden sequence of shoppers shown using Interac to make every day purchases. The ad closes with a bespectacled, middleaged man hovering above a screaming concert crowd, and an announcer chiming in with a chorus singing the brand’s praises: “It feels good to use your own money instead of credit. Interac. Be in the Black.”

“There’s a sense of control that comes from using our products and using your own money with our payment products,” says Matt Houghton, digital and integrated marketing leader at Interac. “Historically, it has been a core message for our products: use your own money

and there are emotional benefits of having that control. We’ve leaned into that hard in our marketing activity.”

By the late 2010s, e-commerce was growing by leaps and bounds, and the tech sector was playing an ever-greater role in providing financial services to Canadians. Interac knew it had to shift its messaging to keep pace with the changes happening in the economy. In 2017, the company began to pivot toward the increasing role tech was beginning to play in financial services, launching the “Own your World” platform, which sought to demonstrate that Interac’s offerings were evolving to meet their needs.

One campaign encouraged women aged 45-to-50 to tap to pay. At the time, Interac’s data showed that this demographic was comfortable using chip and pin debit cards, but they weren’t tapping as often as other cohorts. So, Interac and Zulu developed a series of ads showing situations in which tapping could make their lives easier, like when paying for a manicure or when you have your hands full at the supermarket check-out.

In 2021, the brand leaned even further into the convenience of financial services technologies with its “InLife” platform, shifting the company’s messaging to communicate that when you are in control of your finances, you can make the most out of life. The company was able to extend that message through

its “Money Movers” campaign that sought to reach a Quebec audience in 2024. In La Belle Province, most residential leases begin on July 1 when hundreds of thousands of Quebeckers move into new apartments on the exact same day. It’s all delightfully chaotic in a distinctly Quebec kind of way, and in the inexplicable disarray of Moving Day, Interac spotted an opportunity.

“Moving Day is specific to Quebec, and paying rent with Interac e-Transfer is something we want to promote, no matter where you live,” says Houghton. “But the average amount of Interac e-Transfers was lower in Quebec than elsewhere.”

So Interac teamed up with Zulu to target residents of Quebec, tapping into the idea that when people move, money moves, too. It essentially likened Interac to a “money moving company” and encouraged Quebeckers to use Interac e-Transfers for moving-related expenses beyond rent, such as for cleaners, movers and storage.

The brand’s 2024 “Forget Your Wallet” campaign is also part of the “InLife” platform, and sought to change consumer behaviour by encouraging people to add their debit card in a digital wallet, like Google Pay or Apple. The idea is this: people lose their wallets relatively often, but they’re much better at hanging onto their mobile phone. “When you add your debit card to your digital wallet, you don’t need to bring

Top: Interac’s “Forget Your Wallet” campaign highlights how adding your debit card to a digital wallet keeps you prepared – no wallet required, just your phone.

your wallet with you,” says Houghton. “You only need to take your phone when you go out.”

To bring this message to life, Interac filled a billboard with real wallets and filmed pedestrians’ reactions outside the company’s Bay Street HQ. “We asked people if they’d ever lost their wallet before, whether they used their debit card on their phone, and whether they looked after their phone more carefully than their wallet,” says Houghton. “It really drove the message home.”

Greater use of digital wallets could also help drive Interac’s revenues. Not only does adding a debit card to Google Pay or Apple Pay unlock opportunities to make payments using Interac, it helps keep the brand’s offerings relevant. Similar to many Interac campaigns, the catalyst for “Forget your Wallet” is rooted in the rich data it has about debit transactions.

“Too few of our customers were using digital wallets. We needed to ask why,” says Houghton. “People needed to be educated, and this was a way to get their attention and help them understand why this is such a great way to use your debit card. But we also needed to help them understand that it’s easy to do, and so we developed an educational piece on our website about how to put your card onto your phone. It is very easy, but a lot of people might think it’s harder than it actually is.”

Moving forward faster

During Interac’s first four decades, change was the only constant. And, as the company looks to the next forty years, it sees a future in which payment products will continue to evolve as competition continues to grow.

“It wasn’t until the beginning of 2024 that Interac created a specific product marketing and partner marketing portfolio,” says Mostowyk of the brand’s untapped potential. “Previously, we were very much [focused on] brand marketing: the Interac logo is on your debit card, it’s there when you access cash at an ATM, it’s there when you send an e-Transfer.”

But, as part of its “Faster Forward Together” vision, in the coming years Interac will launch products that won’t always be as visible to consumers, and which could be packaged with those provided by companies in other sectors of the economy, such as insurance or telecommunications. Its future, the company says, will be in “building a world-leading digital economy here in Canada.”

“Debit and e-Transfer have been our workhorses,” adds Mostowyk. “But we are growing into the B2B space with digital commerce, fraud protection and identity verification products. This is the path forward for us.”

From ditching tired trends to syncing creative and media, here’s how four Canadian marketers are planning to win in 2025.

SCHOOL OF BRAND KNOCKS

"Allocate more time and dollars to training marketing professionals. The industry is incredibly dynamic… continuous learning is a must. Success in the marketplace is highly dependent on brand stewards that have both strong functional and leadership skillsets."

Adam Zitney VP of marketing J.M. Smucker

RISK IT FOR THE IDEA

"Stop playing it safe. Too many great ideas get overcooked, watered down or focus-grouped to death. People don’t connect with half-measures or middle-of-the-road messaging. If you’re not kicking ass, why bother showing up?"

Lori Hatcher-Hillier CMO

FOLLOW GROWTH, NOT TRENDS

"Don't go all-in on things that are easily repeatable. We want to see more brands move to where audiences are growing to drive new opportunities and create meaningful change, beyond taking calculated risks."

Kicking Horse

Heather Cameron Head of brand and creative DoorDash

TWO HEADS, ONE CAMPAIGN

"Don’t let your media agency react to your creative agency’s finalized concept, or your creative agency to develop campaigns based on the existing media plan. Marketers should challenge their agencies to spearhead all campaigns as a creative-media combined effort that feeds into each other."

effort that feeds into each other."

Idan Driman VP of marketing Pet Valu

Plans that hit the mark. Insights that changed the game. Planners who made it happen.

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