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ST.27708.CanadaPostCorp.FP.indd 4 2016-10-14 3:31 PM JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017 • VOLUME 28, ISSUE 1

Molson Coors' Christine Jakovcic, Weston's Andrea Hunt and strategy's Jeromy Lloyd at our marketer roundtable.

1015 32

Canada 150 Marketers of the Year Start! Stop! Change! Brands compete across categories to show For snacks, sofas and savings accounts, We went for dinner with a quintet of there’s maple syrup fl owing in their veins for these brand leaders won market share and marketing execs to talk data, demographics, the country's anniversary. media buzz. agencies and the year ahead.

4 Pub note A media merger offering the best of both worlds • 6 Upfront Testing your Credit Karma, marketing lessons from the U.S. election, and brands that want you to spend the night • 36 Marketer and agency surveys We took the industry’s temperature heading into the new year • 41 Mid-season TV Winter lineups don’t shy away from sensitive subjects • 46 Schneider’s Tribute Inside Kitchener, Ont.’s 150-year-old sausage empire • 50 AOY and Strategy Awards photos The winners and revellers at our annual awards • 52 Forum A fond farewell from Unilever's Ricardo Martin • 54 Back Page Some of this year's headlines didn’t make the cut

START! STOP! CHANGE! ONO THE COVER: Start, stop or change? It's what many of us are asking as a new year begins. What new projects

BRAND RESOLUTIONS FOR INNOVATION (WITH A RETURN), LESS ANALYSIS will work in 2017? Which ones need to be coolly abandoned? And which ones can be tweaked just so to provide PARALYSIS AND AGENCY MODEL REVIEWS another year of winning awareness and returns? We organized a confab with fi ve marketing execs to play a (grown- up, dinnertime) version of Red Light-Green Light. Artist Gary Taxali's illustration captures the playful nature of a + MARKETERS OF THE YEAR serious discussion brand managers will want to read (pp. 32-35). BMO CAMPBELL’S

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ContentsJanFeb17.indd 3 2017-01-04 2:39 PM january/february 2017 volume 28, issue 1 Start, stop, change strategyonline.ca

vp, publisher | mary maddever | [email protected] art director | tim davin | [email protected] elcome to your irst issue of the newly combined Marketing and managing editor | jennifer horn | [email protected] strategy. And yes, it looks exactly like the old strategy; however, post W associate editor | mark burgess | [email protected] Brunico’s acquisition of Marketing, we’re now infused with the things digital editor | jeromy lloyd | [email protected] that you’ve identiied as the best of both brands. strategydaily editor | harmeet singh | [email protected] Strategy’s Marketer of the Year and annual survey remain the core of the issue, news editor | josh kolm | [email protected] but you’ll also see new things (that we used to covet from the Marketing lineup) events editor | kate wilkinson | [email protected] like the Programmatic Landscape poster in this issue and the Agency Tree coming up in the next. We’re also the new home of the CMDC Media Digest. contributors | megan haynes | val maloney | ricardo martin | bree On the news front, you’ll now have some extra time to focus each morning (or rody-mantha | patti summerfield squander on more coffee) as we’ve merged the strategy and Marketing dailies. associate publisher | lisa faktor | [email protected] Daily news lives on the strategy site, and the Marketing site will be both an advertising sales supervisor | neil ewen | [email protected] archive and a curation of great Canadian advertising. account manager | taylor clifton | [email protected] Two of the weekly Marketing Filters are back: marketing co-ordinator | alex khotsiphom | [email protected] Marketing Tech and Marketing C-Suite. The other CORPORATE ilter topics will either be part of the broader remit of president & ceo | russell goldstein | [email protected] strategydaily or tackled elsewhere: media in Media in vp & editorial director | mary maddever | [email protected] Canada (obviously), with stimulant providing Marketing vp & publisher, realscreen | claire macdonald | [email protected] TV’s creative curation, and Consumer Insights becoming vp & publisher, kidscreen | jocelyn christie | [email protected] a bigger focus in the Shopper Marketing Report. vp administration & finance | linda lovegrove | [email protected] Championing the merging of mandates and cultures, production & distribution manager | andrew mahony | [email protected] Marketing’s managing editor Jeromy Lloyd takes on a customer support supervisor | christine mcnalley | [email protected] new role as strategy’s digital editor, heading up all the daily news teams and personally helming the new CMO- focused weekly. If you check out the masthead, you’ll see how to reach us Strategy, 366 Adelaide Street West, Suite 100, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5V 1R9 Jennifer Horn is now managing editor of the magazine Tel: (416) 408-2300 or 1-888-BRUNICO (1-888-278-6426) Fax: (416) 408-0870 and Mark Burgess is the new associate editor. Harmeet www.strategyonline.ca customer care Singh has taken on a broader role as strategydaily editor, To order a subscription, visit strategyonline.ca/subscribe. To make a change to an existing with Josh Kolm stepping up as news editor and the new subscription, please contact us by email: [email protected]. Marketing Tech editor. Tel: (416) 408-2448 Fax: (416) 408-0249. PO BOX 369 Beeton ON L0G 1A0. subscription rates The CARDonline/National List team of Lee Johnston, Darlene Mooney and STRATEGY is published eight times per year by Brunico Communications Ltd. Serina Dingeldein has also joined us and is working with Media In Canada editor In Canada: One year CA$80.00 Two years CA $144.00 (HST included. Registration #856051396 RT) Val Maloney on transitioning and evolving those products. Single copy price in Canada is CA$6.95. Please allow four weeks for new subscriptions And on the awards and conference program front, Marketing’s events editor and address changes. Kate Wilkinson is getting ready to launch the irst edition of the Marketing copyright and trademark STRATEGY and the tagline “Bold vision brand new ideas” are trademarks of Brunico Awards helmed with strategy, as well as the annual Ad Tech event. Communications Ltd. All rights reserved. Nothing may be reproduced from STRATEGY in whole So, lots of change. We’re slowly learning to say “we” instead of “us” and “them”. or in part without written permission. Reprint requests should be sent to As we migrate pronouns, and merge products and teams, we want to hear [email protected]. © 2015 Brunico Communications Ltd. postmaster notification from you. Consolidation and reinvention are rampant in this industry, so as we Canadian Postmaster, send undeliverables and address changes to: Strategy, PO BOX 369, go through some of that ourselves, be in touch with me or associate publisher Beeton ON L0G 1A0 [email protected] U.S. Postmaster, send undeliverables and address changes to: Strategy PO BOX 1103 Lisa Faktor and let us know what new areas of content and resources would help Niagara Falls NY 14304 Printed in Canada. Canada Post Agreement No. 40050265. you prep for the change ahead. ISSN: 1187-4309. On that note, check out the Marketers of the Year features as well as the "Start! Member of Stop! Change!"-focused CMO roundtable cover story. The span of priorities – and how Canada’s top marketers are tackling them – make a pretty good checklist for

2017 resolutions. We acknowledge the fi nancial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund of the Department of Canadian Heritage.

Happy New Year! mm Mary Maddever VP/Editorial Director, Brunico Communications Publisher of strategy / Marketing / Media In Canada / stimulant

4 strategyonline.ca

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mediaincanada.com For advertising inquiries please Lisa Faktor at 416-408-2300 x477 contact or [email protected] WHAT’S TRENDING FOR 2017 So long, 2016. It’s been nice, but the marketing industry never slows down, so we’re already on to the next. To help our readers keep up, we pored over industry reports to pick out just a few trends that might have an impact on brands in the new year. By Harmeet Singh

THE COMMERCIAL ECHO CHAMBER MARKETING LESSONS FROM The aftermath of the U.S. presidential election brought the term “echo chamber” into the THE U.S. ELECTION mainstream, with people developing tunnel vision as their social feeds become more By Mark Burgess personalized. Brands are not immune to the echo chamber either, with Mintel consumer trends onald Trump’s victory in November left marketers with consultant Stacy Bingle noting that the trend will D questions both practical and existential – from the implications continue “because we have so much information for market research and media strategies to the relevance of available to us on a daily basis.” messaging in advertising. She suggests brands balance curated We asked Bensimon Byrne partner and CCO David Rosenberg, who led information (which keeps consumers from the 2015 Justin Trudeau election campaign, about Donald Trump’s win feeling too overwhelmed) with a sense and some of the takeaways for marketers. of discovery – because while becoming On the topic of whether there’s a need to tweak the aspirational thrust hyper-targeted on digital can present new of advertising messages portraying the goals of “coastal elites,” Rosenberg opportunities for brands, it also makes it said his agency’s research, going as far back as 2008, had revealed “a diffi cult to stand out. For that reason, Bingle shocking urban-rural divide in Canada,” while the marketing industry says disruptive stunts and innovation in new remains “ultra-urban.” categories will become more important for 2017. “For truly mass market brands, we’ve tried to better understand the different aspirational goals of Canadians who reside in cities smaller than one million people,” he said in an email interview. “But we believe the answer, post-Trump, is not populism or even anti- cosmopolitan messaging. It’s simply a return to the universal human truths that rely less on the kinds of trends and experiences most often seen in urban centres.” Then there’s the question of election advertising. Trump deied orthodoxy, relying on earned media from rallies and his Twitter feed. Hillary Clinton raised roughly twice as much money as Trump, and spent far more on advertising throughout the campaign. An Ad Age story showed the 10 most-shared ads of the campaign were all from Clinton’s camp. So how will Trump’s media approach inluence future campaigns? Trump’s playbook won’t work for everyone, Rosenberg says. The Mintel report points to Kuvée – a reusable Campaigns are built around a speciic context and a candidate’s strengths. wine bottle with a touchscreen that gives serving “But yes, it’s safe to say that media (and creative) trends in political tips and pairing suggestions – as an example of advertising are ever-evolving and ever-copied, so much will be learned category innovation. Bingle adds that creating and put into practice, post-Trump.” a sense of mystery or serendipity with a brand As the president-elect prepares for his inauguration, what he does in experience can also help. As an example, she ofice could be the biggest inluence on any copycat behavior, Rosenberg points to Ally Bank, which created 100 “lucky says. Failure to live up to his rhetoric could alienate Trump’s constituency, pennies” (each worth $1,000) distributed in “which could create greater skepticism of the next populist, late-night- various locations in U.S. cities. Twitter-addicted demagogue to come along.”

6 strategyonline.ca

Upfront.JanFeb17.indd 6 2017-01-04 3:03 PM THE (NEW) CONSCIOUS COOK Conscious consumers are nothing new, but the desire to know where food comes from and how it’s made is only going to grow, Loblaw reports. Concerns about the environment and food waste will inspire people to embrace “root to stem” and “snout to tail” cooking. Alternative proteins, including insects, are also creeping into the mainstream. While not all consumers will necessarily reach for cricket fl our on the shelves, products like that can help capture shoppers’ imagination and inspire them to go for other alternatives, like offals or pulses, says Wes Brown, VP of brand marketing for retail at Loblaw.

BRANDED LODGINGS ON THE RISE

If there’s a buzz term to defi ne marketing in 2016, it’s probably “customer experience.” So, what better way to up the experience quotient – and stay competitive – than by branching out into the WINE IN A CAN hotel biz? Here, we look at three categories where brands are adding lodgings to the mix. While canned wine might seem like blasphemy to the connoisseurs or wannabe-sommeliers out there, millennials’ JEWELRY through a partnership with hospitality desire for personalization and portability is driving this Montreal-based jeweler Birks is management and development trend forward, says Amanda Riva, CEO at THP Agency. partnering with Hotel Le St-Martin company DDK, with locations expected While Tetra Paks might be easier for picnics, their large owner Jean Salette to redevelop the to open across several U.S. states size hasn’t spoken to millennials’ desire for more personal iconic Birks building in Montreal into beginning in late 2018. beverages, she says. Grassroots brands (such as Union Wine a high-end boutique hotel and bistro. For West Elm, it was a way to Co.’s Underwood out of Oregon) have pushed packaging Salette told the Montreal Gazette that solidify its relationship with maker innovation, and more established brands might want to the $70 million project, expected to culture, committing to using local catch up with their pack options. open in 2018, will be rated a “four-plus design elements for each hotel location star” hotel. to “relect the mood and identity Companies like Birks opening hotels of its host city” – from furnishings are looking to attract clientele familiar and artwork to cuisine (the retailer with their products and price points has also diversiied by entering the that they can convert into new sources commercial furnishings space with of revenue, says Kenneth Wong, West Elm Workspace). professor of marketing at Queen’s University’s Smith School of Business. EXERCISE In Birks’ case, the traditional jewelry High-end brand Equinox Fitness has business is likely being threatened by announced plans to open its own e-commerce jewelers as more people hotels by 2019. And while anyone become comfortable with purchasing will be able to stay in its digs, Equinox jewelry online, he says. He points to members will get special perks. SUSPENDED ADULTHOOD Seattle-based online jeweler Blue Nile, The brand’s CMO told Condé We know, we know. Millennials don’t want to grow up. But which is opening physical showrooms, Nast Traveler that it’s creating a this generation is defi nitely seeking more opportunities to while Winnipeg chain Ben Moss is “360-degree itness- and wellness- hold onto the best parts of being a kid, TrendHunter reports. closing stores. minded lifestyle company” through Brands, take note: experience-driven events (like ball pits things like branded hotels, adding and jungle gyms) are especially attractive to a generation FURNITURE that 95% of its members say they’re that craves unwinding in the most nostalgic ways. It’s sometimes easy to fall asleep in interested in staying in an Equinox a furniture store’s showroom, but hotel so as not to compromise their Sources: Mintel’s North America Consumer Trends 2017; TrendHunter retailer West Elm has committed to commitment to health while they’re 2017 Trend Report; Loblaw 2017 Canadian Food Trends; THP Flavour & real hotels anyway. In September, away from home. HS Trend Forecast 2017. the brand announced its expansion With fi les from Carl Meyer

January/February 2017 7

Upfront.JanFeb17.indd 7 2017-01-04 3:03 PM CREATING GOOD VIBES AROUND FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY By Josh Kolm

Credit Karma has used in-house creative teams and San Francisco-based agencies to craft its campaigns stateside, but enlisted Taxi as a local presence to navigate how Canadians handle debt and inances. A major difference that has driven the new campaign is that while the average Canadian’s debt load is at a record high, two-thirds have never checked their credit report. “We moved very quickly on our decision to expand to Canada, but as we did that we realized the market and how Canadians use credit was very different,” says Jamily Knight, senior director of creative strategy at Credit Karma. Knight adds that many of those who have seen their score have done so through a free trial period for a paid service, like Equifax or TransUnion. The lead spot in the brand’s Canadian launch campaign – released before the holidays – cuts between shots of people learning about their credit score and those who have discovered other things that are useful or wish they had known before, like what happens after you streak at a hockey game. “[Canadians] don’t really know much about credit or what we should check or how often, so that’s actually a big barrier of entry,” says Heather Fletcher, account director at Taxi. “If we help identity things consumers haven’t thought of, not only are we creating awareness for the issue, we’re doing the same for Credit Karma by making it the solution.” everal members of Taxi Vancouver’s creative Two additional spots in the campaign continue with People discover S team received some unpleasant news last fall. the humourous approach, looking at the consequences of things they wish they A “Canadian collections agency” was calling situations when someone is living in ignorance. One has had known earlier to inform them about an old credit issue, which was a husband realizing he had poured his wife’s breast milk in Credit Karma’s having a huge impact on their credit scores, to a degree over the cereal he’s been eating, with the message being Canadian launch campaign. that could put their entire inancial future at risk. we’re better off not knowing certain things, but a credit After being bombarded with the news, they headed into score isn’t one of them. The other shows an elderly man a surprise brief for new client Credit Karma, where they having conversations with collectors who called him in learned they had been pranked: the collections agency search of a woman who hadn’t updated her contact info caller was actually a voice-over artist enlisted by the following a move, and as a result was unaware of issues agency’s account and planning teams. impacting her credit. Credit Karma, founded in the U.S. in 2007 and launched While ignorance about debt and credit can have grave in Canada in November, is an online platform that offers consequences, taking a humourous approach helps users free access to their credit scores (in the U.S., Credit make Credit Karma more approachable as a solution to a Karma generates revenue by delivering ads and offers serious problem, Gundzik says. from partner inancial institutions, though that hasn’t “The trick was to not fearmonger,” he says. With the oil come to Canada yet). downturn and a potential real estate bubble, it was a good “We knew a lot of Canadians didn’t think about their time to introduce Canadians to the idea. “We just didn’t credit, so doing this challenged the team to think hard want to do that by startling them. We wanted to spark about what the outcome of not knowing could be,” says curiosity instead.” Jay Gundzik, creative director at Taxi Vancouver.

8 strategyonline.ca

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36 Distillery Lane, Suite #500, Toronto ON M5A 3C4, Canada Activity Number: 416.421.4200 105205498 APPROVALS CLIENT Cassies 000N000_SidLee_StrategyAd_Cassies_041-SLMH-2016_E.indd Client Writer Creative DATE December 13, 2016 5:06 PM CREATIVE Kelsey Horne GRAPHIC ARTIST Lisa Apostoloff TRIM SIZE 8.375" W X 10.875" H PRODUCER Jacquelyn Wint/ Shirley Gee ACCOUNT Sara Teasdale SAFETY 8 W X 10.5" H COLOURS VISUAL OPENING 8.375” W X 10.875” H CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK Client Print Proofreader Services Producer DIELINE PMS PMS PMS FOLDED SIZE ELEMENT - DUE DATE December 5, 2016 INFO. Cassies Ad: 040-SLMH-2016 SEARCHING FOR JOE CANADA

AS THE COUNTRY CELEBRATES ITS 150TH BIRTHDAY THIS YEAR, MARKETERS ARE PLANNING A PATRIOTIC OUTPOURING IN THE RUSH TO DEFINE WHAT IT MEANS TO BE CANADIAN IN 2017. BY MARK BURGESS

n March 2000, an earnest guy in a plaid shirt and relaxed-it jeans Nevertheless, Canada is having stepped up to a mic, a Canadian lag blowing on a screen behind a moment. A government led him, to declare that he doesn’t live in an igloo or speak “American.” by a photogenic Prime Minister The man named Joe championed peacekeeping and chesterields. preaching inclusivity at a time He assured viewers he doesn’t say “a-boot.” when other liberal democracies are Molson Canadian’s “Joe Canada” struck a chord, increasing looking inward, as well as a new market share while becoming part of the national fabric in ways wave of Canadian artists, led by few would expect from a beer ad: it was performed live across the Drake, more eager to celebrate their country and included in the Penguin Treasury of Popular Canadian homeland, have allowed Canada to Poems and Songs. As the country turns 150 and advertisers try to capture the world’s imagination. Opposite page: While articulate what it means to be Canadian in 2017, the beer brand's “The Rant” The Economist’s cover illustration BMO, which is turning commercial remains the industry’s archetype. in early November featured the 200 this year, will be IBut attitudes around national pride have shifted during those 17 years, Statue of Liberty with a maple leaf focusing on its history, and Joe Canada’s pitch may sound a bit thin today, relying as it did on crown and the headline “Liberty RBC started the 150 celebration early with a negative deinition. In 2000, Molson’s research showed that younger moves north”; Monocle dedicated its a campaign around Canadians were eager to embrace their patriotic side. They’re more reserved November issue to Canada, deeming youth potential. today. An Angus Reid/CBC survey last fall found that young Canadians are it “the best liberal-minded nation in far less jingoistic than their parents, with national pride (much like brand the world” as its editor, Tyler Brûlé, afinity) declining steadily with age: while 73% of those over 65 profess a told CBC that “the Canadian brand “deep attachment” to Canada, only 45% of 18- to 24-year-olds feel the same. is back.”

10 strategyonline.ca

Canada150alt2.indd 10 2017-01-04 2:37 PM While brand Canada Canada was an exception. Where may be in its best shape other countries were most proud of going into the anniversary their cultural symbols and history, year, channelling it to sell Companies which they sought to protect in products – while competing on without an the age of globalization, Canadians an emotional level with brands authentic connection prized their values, including across categories – will require to Canada that try to “red-and- diversity, equality and politeness. an understanding not only of whitewash” won’t fare well in this There was an almost “20-point delta” what it means to be Canadian but long, patriotic carnival. between Canada and other countries of the type of patriotic messages “I think we’re going to have to dig on this question, says Zeb Barrett, consumers will tolerate from deeper and go beneath the Kenora Havas Canada’s VP of strategy. companies. dinner jacket to ind out who we Pride in values over history “Any brand with Canada in their really are,” he says. provides an opportunity for more name or maple syrup in their veins A Havas report released in brands – even “immigrant brands,” is going to be advertising,” says Glen October, called “Pride and Prejudice: which don’t claim to be Canadian Hunt, chief transformation oficer Shifting Mindsets in an Age of – to get in on the sesquicentennial, at V7i who wrote “The Rant” back Uncertainty,” identiied a global rise he says. when he was a CD at Bensimon of “neopatriotism” – a national pride A survey from consulting irm Byrne. But younger Canadians have steeped in the past (think Brexit and IMI released in October showed “a heightened patriotic BS meter.” “Make America Great Again”). Canadians put foreign companies –

A MARATHON OR A SPRINT?

An IMI survey from October showed two-thirds of Canadians to travel, but the parameters are still being worked out – were open to receiving advertising from brands about the geographically as well. “Do you celebrate in 35 cities? Do you anniversary: 20% were ready to see ads last year; 27% said they celebrate in three? These are the sort of things that we’re just should start any time after Jan. 1; 24% after April 1; and 26% now trying to put some fences around,” he says. “This isn’t going said they should be held until a month before the July 1 birthday. to be a budget blowout for us.” RBC launched its #Make150Count campaign before the new The question of where is especially relevant to Quebec. year. The bank is giving more than 3,000 young Canadians $150 Canada 150 is “running against the big machine” of Montreal’s for community projects and 375th birthday, says Jacques Labelle, co-president of Taxi asking the recipients to share Montreal. Advertisements by Lg2 started running for that their stories, which will be celebration in November (Tank has the account for the Canada used as content for social, 150 advertising). digital, TV and print ads “If a national advertiser thinks linking itself to Canada 150 will running until July. give him a leg up in [Quebec], it’s not going to happen,” he says. The bank got off to an “Not for political reasons like it might have in the 1980s or 1990s. early start partly because it It’s mostly because the noise will be around Montreal’s 375th.” will be relying on the content Anniversary fatigue will also be a problem, says Philippe generated by Canadians for Garneau of GWP Brand Engineering, especially coming off what its campaign. he called the “cloy-apalooza” of this year’s Summer Games, Not everyone is sure when to wade in. WestJet’s Richard where “everyone who got up at 4 a.m. is a hero.” Consumers Bartrem says the airline started discussing its plans in 2014, may need some time to rebuild their appetites for syrupy when organizations fi rst approached it about sponsorships. patriotism before swallowing the birthday spirit. “What we’re wrapping our head around is whether this is That has to be weighed against getting in early and having an going to be a sprint or a marathon,” he says. “As a brand, do you impact before the space gets too crowded, says Glen Hunt, chief try to jam everything into July 1 or as close as possible, knowing transformation offi cer at V7i. “The amount of money that will be it’s going to be a noisy year and an even noisier day?” put in will be immense as everyone tries to own their space, but He says WestJet will start “early-ish” in the new year and a lot of those are going to be a waste of dollars because it’s just continue some elements beyond July 1, encouraging Canadians going to be wallpaper in many cases.”

January/February 2017 11

Canada150alt2.indd 11 2017-01-04 2:37 PM CHOOSE YOUR HEROES WISELY

Brands will have to decide whether their identity is better suited of Adventurers” series, which introduced fi gures to a tie-in with Canada’s history or a celebration of the country’s from the company’s own history without a hard sell: present and future. Survivorman’s Les Stroud, for example, telling the One approach that could resonate – especially in the lighthearted story of Arctic explorer Dr. John Rae. beer and spirits categories – is advertising that introduces the more Beau’s brewery, the offi cial beer of Ottawa’s 150 esoteric or underreported fi gures from Canadian history, whether celebrations, is creating a special 150 brew for every that’s musician Burton Cummings or politician Nellie McClung, month in 2017, partnering with a different place in says GWP Brand Engineering’s Philippe Garneau. “One of the the country for each. While Molson (established in things about Canada is we have great characters but they have not 1786) and Labatt (1847) can take the historical route been the ones people think about,” he says. (neither could discuss 150 plans at press time), Excavating hidden heroes could be safer than resurrecting Beau’s is highlighting present-day places and people well-knownwel ones whose legacy is more across Canada. muddied.m But there are also risks in “We’ve only been around for 10 years, so we can’t make appropriatinga safe ones, like Terry Fox, the ‘dating back to [confederation]’ claims that some of the whomw many Canadians view as incorruptible other brewers might be able to make,” says Steve Beauchesne, andan would be offended to see in branding. Beau’s co-founder and CEO. “So instead we’ve gone with what’s BrandsBr that do use historical fi gures shouldn't authentically us.” have tthem pitch a product, Garneau says, as For its part, the Drake General Store, a brand built largely consumerscons “will give you a pass if you didn’t around its Canadiana products, is partnering with Hudson’s Bay featurefea the thing you sell in the ad." and ad agency Sid Lee to develop t-shirt designs with 10 infl uential The Hudson’s Bay Company took this Canadians from various walks of life. A portion of the proceeds from indirectin approach last year with its “Country t-shirt sales will go to the infl uencers’ charities of choice.

including Coca-Cola, McDonald’s and sport. The same is possible for the Nike – among the brands they expect 150th anniversary. will do “the best job” of celebrating The challenge is that this values- the anniversary (see list on p. 13). based patriotism is more dificult to “Any brand that emotionally feels fake, Barrett says. Rather than just like it’s part of our genome can say relying on symbols, brands have to something about the 150th,” says actually embody the characteristics Philippe Garneau, president of GWP they’re promoting. He points to Tim Brand Engineering. Hortons as a brand that does this “It’s all about a proportional not by wrapping itself in the lag but response. If you lay claim to an through its inclusiveness, extending emotional stake that isn’t authentic, to hiring and training – even if it’s people will say ‘bandwagon jumper.'" now American-owned. Barrett points to Budweiser WestJet will be emphasizing charming its way into the hockey Canadians’ connection to the land Above and right: The space over the past few years as an and to each other. The airline’s VP Drake General Store example of a foreign brand creating of marketing, Richard Bartrem, will make sure it has a an emotional connection in Canada. acknowledges the challenge of full stock of Mountie It may seem incongruous competing on an emotional level onesies, thermoses, and Mickey and Minnie for a beer many identify as with brands outside its category dolls for anniversary quintessentially American to be while also facing highly patriotic shoppers. “owning the mental space around competitor Air Canada. Canada’s game,” he says, but “And yet, it’s important for us to Budweiser did it by working with be able to demonstrate to Canadians genuine fans who understand the that we’ve been doing this for

12 strategyonline.ca

Canada150alt2.indd 12 2017-01-04 2:38 PM CANADA 150 BY THE NUMBERS

Brands Canadians would be more likely to consider if they helped celebrate Canada’s % 150th:th: % 1. TiTimm Hortons 2. RRootsoots 18 3. NNikeike Canadians who said they 4. CCoca-Colaoca-Cola would buy products from 5. CanadianCanadian TTireire companies that support 38CanadiansCanadi aware of the birthday Brands Canadians expect to do “the 6. H Hudson’sudson’s Bay CoCo.. Canada’s 150th celebrcelebrationsa best job” celebrating the anniversary: 7. MMacDonald’sacDonald’s 1. Tim Hortons (18%) 8. BBellell 2. Canadian Tire (12%) 9. GGoogleoogle 3. Hudson’s Bay Co. (12%) 10. WalmartWalmart % % 4. Coca-Cola (8%) 5. Molson (6%) 6. Roots (5%) 36 7. Bell (5%) Canadians looking forward 8. CBC (4%) to the celebration 9. McDonald’s (4%) Canadians8 who don't care 10. Nike (4%) about the celebration

Source: IMI report, Canada’s 150th Birthday – Does Canada Care?” Oct. 31, 2016

Above: HBC 20 years, doing it well, and have banks and the railroads could make which will just sort of clog up your introduced its own changed the landscape as far as claims to nation-building in their mind”; and those with a completely Barbie in Bay stores across Canada last fall. what air travel looks like,” he says. 2017 campaigns, while those with different take that nobody saw Right: Jeff Douglas, Bartrem says the airline “Canada” in their names may get coming – something that catches the actor who played would focus on getting the zeitgeist the way “The Joe Canada in Molson Canadians to explore the Rant” did. Canadian's "The Rant" country, celebrating how “Can brands and spot, is now co-host of CBC Radio's As It it opened new markets advertising create a Happens. for lights while staying deinition of Canada that its true to its branding with who we are today, who we communications that are want to be, and drags with “not quite so earnest” as it the past 150 years? It’s its competitor’s. not going to be in anybody’s Air Canada debuted its brief but somebody might “Fly the Flag” platform accidentally crack that,” he for the Summer Olympics says. “And it becomes an in Rio. The brand wasn’t artifact in our culture.” ready to discuss its In 2000, when he wrote 150 plans at press time, but Andy away with more straightforward “The Rant,” Hunt says that not Shibata, managing director of lag-wrapping, Garneau says. being American was how we brand, told strategy in August that it He sees the work brands articulated Canadian pride, but a planned to continue in the mode of produce this year falling into three more positive deinition is needed “conident patriotism.” categories: creative that stands today – something that captures the Other national brands like the out with the right emotional pitch “lightning in a bottle” of Canada’s Hudson’s Bay Company, the major and execution; the “wannabes, current standing in the world.

January/February 2017 13

Canada150alt2.indd 13 2017-01-04 2:38 PM BBDO is proud to work with 3 nominees for Marketer of the Year.

We love creating great work for great clients. Congratulations to

Moya Brown Dan Alvo Christine Kalvenes Campbell Company Wrigley Canada PepsiCo Foods of Canada Canada

ST.28564.BBDO.indd 1 2016-12-14 4:22 PM 2017 MARKETERS OF THE YEAR

Exploring untrodden land, for any brand, is a nerve-racking task. There’s a daunting amount of prep, tests and steps to take before you venture into a new demo, market, positioning and/or category. Sure, it can be tricky and sometimes trying, but it’s also almost always lush with learnings — whether they come with a positive outcome or not. The six change agents that strategy chose as its 2017 Marketers of the Year each set new agendas for their teams, and came out swinging with a year’s [ BY JENNIFER HORN] worth of success. Leon’s Andrea Graham invited a new agency partner to the family (after two decades going it alone) to help reach millennials, while BMO’s CMO Connie Stefankiewicz made banking more personable and human. PepsiCo’s Christine Kalvenes left Texas in 2014 to fortify the Canadian marketing department with stronger digital digs, and Penningtons’ Ginette Harnois gained new ground with plus-size women through stigma-challenging creative. And fi nally, Wrigley’s Dan Alvo and Campbell’s Moya Brown (who once worked together at P&G) tackled category declines by unifying marketing departments to bring new thinking across brands. After research and industry feedback, the MOYs were narrowed down from a long list of candidates, with the industry voting for the overall winner (to be announced at the CASSIES in February). Read on to learn about how this year’s marketing shifts paid off.

January/February 2017 15

MOY.JanFeb17B.indd 15 2017-01-04 2:47 PM THE CANDY MAN CAN How well-defi ned brands and critical strategic thinking helped Dan Alvo drive local relevance for Wrigley’s brands amid global budget pressure. BY JOSH KOLM

eading into 2016, Wrigley salesperson down the hall gets evaluated you’re already familiar with because you’ve Canada was in a tough position. based on how well they grow business based connected with its values somewhere else.” There was pressure from the on a particular customer, regardless of the Just like many multinational CPGs, Wrigley confectionary company’s global brand. What I tried to do was create a team relies on global adapts to save money. But HHQ to build candy and mint brands when it that had similar thinking and was motivated his new, singularly focused team was able was already dealing with a declining gum around similar objectives, which is much to examine which global strategies would category, its largest business. Wrigley was more powerful.” bring meaning to local consumers, says Alvo. also cutting costs globally, closing its Toronto Wrigley Canada helps its staff develop He has plenty of experience at multinational factory in March. And between transfers and new skills by moving them between roles and giants, beginning his career managing health downsizing, 65% of the marketing staff had departments. Alvo himself recently took on a and beauty brands at P&G before moving to changed over the course of the year. new developmental role within the company, food when he spent seven years at Kraft. He In response, then-director of marketing becoming director of sales to lead its joined Wrigley in 2007. Dan Alvo convinced the company in mid-2015 Walmart business, with a hand in its shopper It’s easy to fi nd differences between to allow the Canadian arm to break away from marketing. It’s an important role for Wrigley, consumers in various markets, he says, but the U.S. offi ce’s siloed structure and combine which sells products that are largely impulse looking for similarities makes it easier to spot its marketing, category management, trade buy items – and that impulse has waned. Alvo the benefi ts of taking something from another and sales teams into a single unit. says the declines in gum and confectionery market. “Where you have to add in layers is While it was cost-cutting that provided an categories have been happening for the last when you can tell me – through research and opportunity to push for those changes, Alvo few years in most major markets. insight – that it’s not going to work, and the says it was a way to address a persistent “We’ve slowed the decline, but we resources I saved from adapting something organizational challenge. In an ideal world, a haven’t seen the turnaround yet,” he says, can be put towards something that’ll have company develops a product for a consumer and that’s up to the marketers. “It’s not a more of an impact,” he says. need, and then sales teams sell it to retail sales or product quality issue; it’s fi nding a For example, nearly all advertising and partners, while marketing develops a support way to make your products meaningful to product innovation on Juicy Fruit and 5 Gum plan. But it doesn’t always work that way. the consumer again. At the store level, you came from the U.S. Those two brands were “The challenge comes when you realize the overcomplicate things by trying to tell an also seeing the greatest declines in Canada. teams all have different objectives,” Alvo says. entire story in a retail setting. When you’re Wrigley used the money it saved from adapts “You might have a brand person in charge a mom with two antsy kids, you’re not going to pursue sponsorship deals with the Toronto of Juicy Fruit that’s evaluated based on how read a display on the benefi ts of a new Blue Jays and Raptors for Juicy Fruit. For successful Juicy Fruit is that quarter, but the mint. You need a quick reminder of a brand the more teen-focused 5 Gum, the company

16 strategyonline.ca

MOY.JanFeb17B.indd 16 2017-01-04 2:47 PM 16 partnered with snowboarder brothers Cannes, and it’s become the top-selling campaign with the same characters, showing Mark and Craig McMorris for a series of single-serve candy brand in Canada. them in boudoir-style photoshoots. The most videos in 2015 that tied into its “Truth or Alvo says utilizing non-traditional platforms recent iteration was launched in the fall. Dare” contest. Individual wrappers within is less about having an innovation strategy “‘Sexy’ was able to refresh the message packages of 5 Gum displayed a different and more about fi nding executions that will because it stayed true to the brief: using “truth” or “dare,” and the brothers recorded benefi t a well-established brand positioning. those characters to keep the message themselves completing challenges. “The mental steps consumers go through friendly and making Excel the hero that “Globally, we talk about 5 Gum being the before they buy a product aren’t going to solves the problem,” Alvo says. “It seems like brand that helps you take risks,” Alvo says. change because of technology,” he says. an idea that would wear thin, but when your Today, Juicy Fruit’s market share in “Executions are what changes, and you open brief is clearly defi ned, you have a strong Canada is the highest among all markets, up more of those if they’re based in a strategy foundation to explore new avenues.” while 5 Gum is top for fi nancial performance. that meets the need of the consumer. Before, Many of the executions where Alvo has you might have just done TV or direct mail chosen to hammer home global brand values behind Pawn Shop. Now, I can barter online within the Canadian market have been in and get infl uencers to get the word out. I’m digital, social and experiential. Wrigley’s using tech and social, but the strategy would Skittles brand relies on the iconic global have been the same 10 years ago.” “Taste The Rainbow” creative platform Some of the local Skittles work has been based around putting a surreal twist on adapted globally, and Alvo relishes in being reality. In Canada, Alvo’s team produces part of a greater whole that has developed digital creative with BBDO Toronto, such a powerful, global brand positioning. But as an online mockumentary about a man he’s also been able to build brands here at made of Skittles and “Touch The Rainbow” home. Eight years ago, Excel gum – which is videos that encourage viewers to “interact” only sold in Canada – began using animated Above: The “Bad While the “Bad Breath” characters were by placing their fi nger over a Skittles candy food characters representing bad breath Breath Isn’t Sexy” dancing across Canada, Excel experienced its platform is a fun way on the screen. Over the last year, the (like coffee cups and garlic cloves) that had sixth straight year of growth in market share, to make Excel gum the brand has increasingly turned to events, also been used for Wrigley’s Extra brand in solution to a relatable reaching near 40%. A strong Excel brand like the “Holiday Pawn Shop” that allowed Australia. The Canadian brand used them problem. has also allowed Wrigley to drive growth for people to trade unwanted gifts for candy, or in unique ads under a “Eat. Drink. Chew.” the brand in other categories. Excel Mints elaborate Skittles decorations in a Toronto tagline that showed “bad breath” not as became the number two mint brand in neighbourhood for Halloween. something people should be shamed for, Canada last year and the company launched Since Alvo joined Wrigley, Skittles and but as a common reality of everyday life. a new, naturally-sweetened version of the BBDO have picked up numerous awards for Three years ago, the brand and BBDO gum last year to respond to more health- local executions, including six Lions from Toronto launched the “Bad Breath Isn’t Sexy” conscious consumer tastes.

A determined mind. A collaborative leader. A champion of breakthrough brand experiences.

Congratulations to Dan Alvo of Wrigley Canada for being named one of Canada’s Marketers of the Year. From your friends at GMR Marketing and fellow believers that experiences matter.

gmrmarketing.com

MOY.JanFeb17B.indd 17 2017-01-04 2:48 PM t probably wouldn’t surprise anyone to learn that Moya Brown has a pair of Converse sneakers adorned with Andy Warhol’s iconic Campbell’s Soup Cans art. The limited edition shoes quickly sold out in 2015, but Brown made sure she got a pair because, as VP of I marketing at Campbell’s, she likes to walk the branding walk. What might be a surprise though, is the broader problem those sneakers represent to Brown, who took the marketing helm at the food company in 2014. “Historically, we’ve done a wonderful job connecting with [consumers] and achieving [household] penetration,” she says. “Many people remember growing up with Campbell’s. We noticed newer generations still had really warm feelings about the brand, but they weren’t buying it. [The Andy Warhol sneakers] sold out in Toronto – but the same people who were wearing them weren’t actually eating our soup. It was a huge disconnect.” So while the brand enjoys its status as one of the most trusted and reputable brands (according to Brandspark and Google, respectively), and is far and away the most popular soup company in Canada (controlling upwards of 60% of the market, according to research fi rm Euromonitor), it has still seen its overall sales decline in recent years. Campbell’s isn’t alone in its woes, of course. Driven by a demand for healthier and fresher food options, the packaged food space has seen a consistent decline in sales over the past 10 years. Soup in particular saw a 1% decrease in sales and volume in 2016, according to a recent report from Euromonitor. But despite the broader industry challenges, Campbell’s has set itself ahead of the pack – and under Brown’s leadership, it might be starting to turn the tides. In the past year, the company has released a new masterbrand for its iconic soup line, doubled down on product innovation (focused BRINGING SOUP largely on stripping out artifi cial fl avours from its products) and rejigged its marketing team to facilitate a more integrated message across all STRATEGY TO A BOIL platforms, she says. And it’s working, with soups in particular seeing steady growth, even while the rest of the category struggles. Moya Brown is helping Campbell’s fi ght While the company juggled its new corporate-wide philosophy (“Real food for real moments”) to address the shifting consumer desire for share by unifying the company’s away from packaged foods, Brown was also rolling out a new approach to her marketing team. One of the fi rst things she did upon assuming departments and brands. BY MEGAN HAYNES the lead of the 25-person department was to rejig its structure.

MOY.JanFeb17B.indd 18 2017-01-04 2:48 PM ST.28536.DDB.indd 1 2016-12-13 4:08 PM 16 The company has long had separate teams for consumer and The theory, Brown says, was that the time-saving message would shopper marketing. The two worked together on an ad-hoc basis, she resonate regardless of what type of store they shopped at. In the end, says, resulting in inconsistencies across brands. however, she says the store banner did matter, with the time-saving “We would have a mass campaign around soup that would have POS working more effectively at certain locations. This smaller a message around sodium, and we didn’t really have integration activation is helping to shape the brand’s broader messaging. into what that communication was to the shopper – it might have The rejigged marketing approach, paired with the deeper been more tactically focused or had a different message entirely,” commitment to insights, has set the company up for success she says. “But [consumers] are inundated with so many messages. going forward, she says, pointing to the recent “Great for Cooking” To really engage in the way we want, we need to be very focused, campaign as a prime example of what the new structure is producing. with a clear, single-minded message in order to cut through and Launched this summer, the campaign aims to differentiate maximize reach.” between condensed soup for eating and condensed soup for Whereas teams might have previously operated with different cooking. Both lines got a simplifi ed packaging facelift from end objectives (increasing same-store sales versus brand Shikatani Lacroix, differentiated through the use of colour: white awareness, for example), within the past year, all teams have been label for soups to eat, black for soups to cook with. In-store POS tasked with the same internal drives to a recipe website, where consumers can fi nd easy recipes, performance goals shared across highlighting how each part of a meal can be complemented (or the department. cooked) with the soups. While they do vary between In October, the brand released a new “Win Dinner” spot by departments and brands, the DDB to support the campaign. Targeting moms, the commercial overall goals are much more shows off delectable dinners, highlighting Campbell’s soups as a unifi ed now. “That was a big core ingredient and how easy it is to “win” the meal. Though the change,” Brown says, adding that campaign only launched recently – and it’s still too early for results – this creates a cohesiveness that Brown says initial metrics are positive. is now starting to come out in the “Win Dinner” and the soup-for-cooking push fi ts into the broader brand’s marketing. masterbrand campaign, “We All Soup,” developed by Taxi in 2015. Above: The “Win This shift is coupled with a deeper push to get stronger consumer The masterbrand push is based on the insight that soup is a dish Dinner” spot by DDB insights, she adds, increasing the company-wide investment into its shared across most cultures, and is therefore something we can all makes Campbell’s insights and research team. While the size of the team has stayed connect around. As a meal, it can’t be rushed (and thus is a way of soups the winning getting everyone to sit around and relax), and as an ingredient, soup component of good the same, Brown says Campbell’s is working more with retailers meals. and building out a bigger source of datasets – including loyalty and broth make up the base of many popular dishes. information (from the retailers) as well as syndicated data from The original push was built around the homemade soup kits sources like Nielsen. (which provided the ingredients, but left the actual soup creation to For example, the company rolled out A/B testing at retailers to consumers), while the promotion of real fl avours (with no artifi cial determine what type of messaging worked when trying to reach ingredients) was a central tenant of the campaign. The end goal, of consumers. She points to one test in which retailers in Western course, was to connect with consumers – particularly millennials - Canada received a different POS system for the brand’s cooking line who were moving away from processed foods. than those in Ontario. One version highlighted Campbell’s cooking Carrying through that more cohesive approach to marketing, soups as a cost-effective way to make dinner, while the other “We All Soup” was brought through all consumer touch points emphasized how much time people could save. (particularly the real ingredients message in stores), while CONGRATS! Christine Kalvenes Moya Brown and fellow marketers on being selected as one of Strategy’s Marketers of the Year.

MOY.JanFeb17B.indd 19 2017-01-04 2:48 PM ST.28536.DDB.indd 1 2016-12-13 4:08 PM experiential campaigns, such as development for the drinks line is managed), the Canadian team had the follow-up “Cantina” push built to reformulate the product, this time using green tea, to strip out on the message of bringing people the artifi cial fl avours (as well as meet Health Canada guidelines). It’s together through that shared sense too early for results, but Brown says she’s happy with the way the of belonging. product is trending. In February, the brand invited Going forward, she says the key will be to move faster in getting chef Matt Dean Pettit to brew messaging out to consumers. some culturally inspired soups in a “I have a huge [sense of] urgency to get out in the Canadian downtown Toronto pop-up shop (all marketplace and say and do more,” she says. using Campbell’s ingredients) while “We’re not the only ones that have recognized what consumers also collecting cans for a nearby want. There are a lot of companies out there in the same territory. soup kitchen. But, like anything in marketing, there’s a huge advantage when you More than 65,000 samples were are fi rst to communicate.” dished out and the brand pulled in To help address that, Brown set up a communication centre of 16.5 million media impressions. excellence within the marketing team, bringing in staff with expertise Since the launch of “We All Soup,” Brown adds the brand is growing in different types of social media. in share and sales, though she wouldn’t specify by how much. “The landscape is constantly changing,” she says. “To get She attributes much of that growth to the shift toward ingredients everyone up to speed, while also managing their own jobs, would with roots. While the company has rolled out its “Real food for take too long. This is the most expeditious approach.” life moments” philosophy, the marketing team has been busy And Brown is pretty pleased with her marketing team moving reformulating its products to remove so-called “not real” foods. quicker and being bolder, she says. “Campbell’s historically is In particular, she points to the recent V8 energy drink launch, a humble company,” she says. “We’re reluctant to be bold and which rolled out in September, as an example of how that philosophy aggressive, and it’s a challenge to break out of that. But I know we is manifesting itself in all aspects of the company. While the have a lot of great things to say.” energy drink was developed in the U.S. (where most of the product

If Ginette Harnois ever compromised, we wouldn’t be writing this ad.

Ginette Harnois, Penningtons’ VP Marketing & Visual Presentation, always maintains high standards, whether you’re talking about product quality, marketing strategy, nurturing plus-size women’s self-esteem, or anything in between. So it’s no surprise she’s up for Marketer of the Year.

#IWONTCOMPROMISE Congrats on a well-deserved honour, Ginette.

MOY.JanFeb17B.indd 20 2017-01-04 2:49 PM 16

GINETTE HARNOIS WON’T COMPROMISE How stigma-challenging creative and robust CRM helped Penningtons empower its plus-size customer through fashion. BY JOSH KOLM

enningtons used to be a retailer instead of the functional ones was its “Happy The video that kicked it off, created by that sold plus-size women the Is…” platform in 2013. Campaign videos agency Lg2, shows a plus-size woman doing same things they were getting showed women entering the retailer’s yoga. While phrases like “plus-size women at every other store that claimed dressing rooms and stepping out in a new have no balance,” “they’re too heavy to lift Pto be for them: clothes that were functional outfi t – turning heads as they walked through themselves,” and “they make everyone instead of fashionable, emphasizing comfort an offi ce, and getting their husbands’ around them uncomfortable” fl ash across and price over making the people wearing attention with lingerie. the screen, the woman pulls off a series of them look stylish and feel good. But it has Harnois says consumer reaction to the impressive poses that soundly disprove each been leading a charge away from that pack campaign was her fi rst real “aha” moment, as one. It then asks “Are you uncomfortable?” ever since Ginette Harnois joined the fashion it showed how understanding the little things before defi nitively stating that Penningtons retail brand as VP of marketing and visual about her customers can go a long way. and its customers are not. presentation in 2011. “It was so interesting to see that just by “The emotional connection we’ve made “The reason plus-size women weren’t putting Penningtons on TV, our customer is what’s making a difference,” Harnois visible in fashion was not because they felt blessed because she saw it as, ‘Finally, says. “By boldly stating what we stand for, weren’t fashionable – it was because retailers women like me are worth enough to you to [customers] know they won’t be stigmatized weren’t making fashion plus-size women put this brand on TV,’” Harnois says. “The when they come into our stores. They will feel felt powerful in,” she says. “The fashion other thing was that people have a perception at home, valued and celebrated.” industry underestimated her and never really that plus-size women aren’t professionally Inspiring body positivity and self-esteem understood what she was looking for, so most successful or have trouble fi nding healthy has been an effective theme in advertising for of what they offered her was boxy and black.” relationships and, really, when was the last brands including Special K, Dove and Always. As the plus-size customer becomes more time you saw either of those things in an ad?” However, Penningtons has gone a step further vocal, demanding equal treatment, the If “Happy Is…” was the fi rst step on this by being more confrontational: the video used industry is being forced to pay much more path, the “#iwontcompromise” platform was a clickbait approach, with the title “Why Plus- attention to her, Harnois says. “Where we’ve when Harnois reached the summit and set Size Women Shouldn’t Do Yoga.” The brand been standing out is not just responding to up camp. has not just accepted plus-size women, but that need, but understanding it.” Since it launched at the beginning of championed them. An early step toward having Penningtons 2016, “#iwontcompromise” has evolved Many of the initiatives Harnois has fulfi ll the emotional needs of its customers into a movement around body positivity. spearheaded have touched on things most

January/February 2017 21

MOY.JanFeb17B.indd 21 2017-01-04 2:49 PM of the population wouldn’t think of but are point where Penningtons operates, with Harnois says. “We’ve learned to build plainly apparent for plus-size women. For Jacob, Mexx and Smart Set shutting down the quality of the data to the point that example, even when the broader fashion operations and many more scaling back it’s become the central point of multiple industry tries to be more body-inclusive, retail locations. decisions we’re making. It’s not just marketing Harnois says its defi nition of plus-size can Many of the Reitmans banners are that’s using it: it’s merchandising, it’s our be a bit of a stretch. Her reference point for attempting to compete by becoming more store teams. They’re all helping the customer her typical customer is between size 20 and fashion-forward, but that shift has been make the best decisions because we know 22. She wants that refl ected in the models particularly impactful at Penningtons. When them much better than we used to.” Penningtons uses, the content it shares on the product selection was more functional, Levitt describes Harnois as “obsessed social and the mannequins in stores. the typical Penningtons shopper would with research” and wanting to understand “Ginette wants to understand what goes come to the store, fi nd a shirt that felt the her customer “beyond the typical through the minds of these customers,” most comfortable and then buy it in several demographic slices.” says Jonathan Levitt, CMO at Reitmans colours. But since adjusting to fashion that “Today I can measure every dollar we Canada, Penningtons’ parent company. spend and make better decisions because of “If we want to see the Penningtons it,” he says. “So what used to be strictly an customer as more than a data set, we art [in marketing] is becoming a science, and have to talk to her on an emotional fi nding marketers who have the right balance level. Building experiences around that of both is a challenge, which is why Ginette emotional connection builds brand loyalty. is such a rare breed.” As the market shrinks and becomes more The “#iwontcompromise” idea has competitive, that’s what’s going to help a evolved to become its own digital community brand stand out, not selling a bra for $2 less based around never letting a woman’s than the other stores in the mall.” size limit the way she expresses herself. When Harnois joined Penningtons in 2011 Penningtons fosters this with content after more than three years at international on social media and blogs, and through beauty brand Summum Beauté and 18 at relationships with infl uencers like blogger Johnson & Johnson, the brand had been in and designer Tess Holliday. decline for several years. Today, while much “Our customer is looking for other people of the fashion retail category is struggling, to validate how they express themselves with Penningtons has experienced three years of fashion,” Harnois says of creating a digital consistent growth. community through content marketing. Part of what Harnois has aimed to do with “They are looking at other places to help the Penningtons brand is not just grow its create their own sense of style in a world that own business, but make shopping the plus- has historically rejected them. They have an size fashion category more aspirational and interpretation of how fashion can work for less of an ordeal. Five years ago, plus-size them, and helping to foster it is so important women in Canada were under-spending on in our relationship with our customers.” clothes and accessories compared to the rest actually makes its customer feel powerful Top: Penningtons Penningtons’ infl uence is continuing to of the population. Not only do the selections and stylish, 65% of them now buy complete partnered with grow. This summer, the retailer announced at many stores not cater to what plus-size outfi ts when they visit a Penningtons store. designer and blogger its fi rst expansion to the U.S. when it reached Tess Holliday to create women want – the shopping experience can Harnois has been able to steer this her mblm line. an agreement with Macy’s, Nordstrom and be deeply unpleasant. reinvention at Penningtons in large part by Bottom: The Lord & Taylor to carry Holliday’s mblm line. “We’ve done really well with bringing in investing heavily in CRM and data. That has #iwontcompromise Here in Canada, there are plans for further new customers, but a signifi cant portion powered tools like the Style Insider loyalty video celebrated the executions around the “#iwontcompromise” of that customer doesn’t want to be seen program, which rewards members with brand’s customers in platform, including events that will bring a defi ant way. shopping in a plus-size store at all,” she says. gifts, personalized offers, special access to members of the community together. “For some of them, there is still a stigma in-store events and the chance to shop new “Advertising is a great way to get the attached to it, or they’re used to taking collections ahead of the general public. message across, but we believe if we get our extended sizes in other retailers, which don’t It has also given the brand a much deeper community and other people around them to fi t them as well.” understanding of its customer’s mindset, come together, rally around the message and Fashion retailers are under immense which is what has helped it fulfi ll those demonstrate the message, it’s going to be pressure in Canada right now, regardless of deeper, more emotional needs. even stronger,” Harnois says. the demographic they serve. The pressure “When I came in, CRM was done with is especially apparent in the mid-range price a very tactical, drive-to-store approach,”

22 strategyonline.ca

MOY.JanFeb17B.indd 22 2017-01-04 2:49 PM It’s not easy doing work that stretches comfort zones. But you did. Now take credit for it.

ADVERTISING + TECH + MEDIA + CONTENT

Introducing two new categories this year: • AToMiC Social • Global

Early bird deadline: Jan 20, 2017 atomicawards.strategyonline.ca the last time the brand had an external advertising agency on board. But today, it’s ready to speak up. And Leon’s has come out swinging. In the last 18 months since Graham joined the company, the retailer has brought on board an AOR (Taxi 2) and a media agency (OMD), partnered with the hugely successful Home To Win TV show on HGTV, launched a new masterbrand campaign, and built up an insights and research strategy from scratch. And it’s almost all thanks to Graham’s leadership. Graham was previously Yum! Brands’ CMO, as well as the SVP of marketing at Canada Bread. She also helped launch the Tropicana brand in Canada in the ’90s while at PepsiCo. And though she helmed much of Leon’s recent efforts, the decision to pivot the retailer’s branding came after its mega- merger with rival The Brick in 2013. The two furniture retailers share a similar product offering, positioning and target demographics, says Graham, and despite collectively controlling 17% of the furniture retail market, the competing stores were eating into each other’s profi ts. The competitive landscape was also changing, ANDREA GRAHAM’S she says, with millennials in particular eschewing the two brands in favour of smaller, more contemporary retailers. Mass GOOF-PROOF STRATEGY market furniture just doesn’t appeal to that cohort as much, she says. How the marketer moved Leon’s from The decision was made to tease the two companies apart in terms of branding silly ads to family-friendly creative and – Leon’s taking on a more aspirational tone to The Brick’s cost-saving strategy. positioned the brand to appeal to a younger Quantitative research suggested The Brick customer was more deal-driven, whereas home-buying demo. BY MEGAN HAYNES consumers returned to Leon’s for the value the retailer provided, she says. Graham’s fi rst move was to bring in Taxi hen Andrea Graham, senior marketing executive at Leon’s, was hunting for 2 to serve as the retailer’s fi rst ad agency in an advertising agency, she was met with a lot of curious stares. two decades. Agency executives she spoke with scratched their chins, trying to name “When we fi rst met with them, we got someone – anyone – they knew who worked for Leon’s, she says. the sense that [Leon’s] wants to appeal to W Most came up empty. Others fl at out told her they wouldn’t take the new audiences,” says Jeff MacEachern, CCO business if the brand was planning on doing more of the same jokey ads with an emphasis on at Taxi. “Andrea has been a huge advocate, price savings and product offering. spearheading that charge.” The pair came “Fair enough!” she says, laughing. “At least they’re honest.” Though the fact that the out early with a Quebec-based campaign furniture retailer was looking to onboard a creative shop spoke volumes about its plans for the tapping into the popular Moving Day trend brand’s direction. by turning discarded furniture on streets into The reactions weren’t surprising, Graham says. The furniture brand hadn’t really 3D coupons, which consumers could take changed its approach to marketing in the last 20 years – perhaps not coincidentally, photos of for in-store discounts. Graham

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MOY.JanFeb17B.indd 24 2017-01-04 2:50 PM 16 credits the push as revitalizing the brand’s It was a trait shared across all age groups, with the average price-point for lamps, art French sales force in particular, which was she adds, which is important since the brand and decorative knick-knacks previously excited to have a tailor-made ad rather than doesn’t want to alienate its very large and starting at $250. They’re also ramping up on just an English adapt. loyal over-45 consumer base. customizable items, like couches and chairs, The second goal was to set up a deeper Under the tag “Part of the Family,” and on baby furniture, a category she says is dive into insights and research. Leon’s rolled out a mass market campaign, underserved on the whole. Working with external partners, Graham including TV that depicted furniture as For furniture, the path to purchase is and her marketing team of 15 put a new a family member. The brand supported lengthy, with consumers researching online system in place to benchmark brand the push with print because the core and typically visiting more than half a dozen tracking quarterly – something that had only millennial demo over-indexes on home décor sources for inspiration before turning to been undertaken on an ad hoc basis prior to magazines, as well as an integration into the retailers. So the brand has been increasing the merger. fi rst season of HGTV’s Home to Win. The its social media presence, creating a “There wasn’t that same cadence of roadmap for the Leon’s blog as well as its research I’ve enjoyed at other companies,” various social platforms. she says. “It was groundwork that needed Online, Leon’s has expanded its to be done. If we were going to fi nd the pre-existing “Hello Yellow” room décor right positioning and evolve the brand to be inspiration blog to include various digital unique, we had to invest in [research].” programs, such as the “Hello Holiday” push. The fi rst insight gleaned from this Launched in early November – just in tracking is that the brand’s current shopper time for the holidays – the brand unveiled a is slightly older than anticipated: the 45-plus 75-page shoppable lookbook, with design customer didn’t jive with its desired 35-year- experts and bloggers curating their own old female target, which is where the brand festive holiday-scape using Leon’s furniture. is hoping to grow its presence. Working with its new media shop, OMD, the That being said, Leon’s enjoyed very high retailer also partnered with House and Home loyalty among its customer base, Graham magazine to create a shorter print insert adds, which is important for the retailer that using the same content, this time with a DIY/ often sees consumers pop in and out of the crafting theme. category at irregular intervals. (It’s not every Since creating this roadmap, Graham day a person buys a couch.) says the brand’s social following has Consumer shop-alongs with the under-45 increased immeasurably and is helping the set also revealed that, once in store, brand get into the consideration set of the customers were often pleasantly surprised under-45 target. by the product offering, Graham says. The It’s a very slow-moving process, she says. biggest challenge was getting them in No one expects brand perception to change the door – Leon’s simply wasn’t in their after just one year of heavy campaigning. consideration set. Instead, this is a seven- to 10-year plan – The decision was made to try and build and one that needs to be handled carefully a deeper emotional connection with the to avoid alienating its more loyal 45-plus audience, veering away from the more Leon’s Moving Day campaign, which launched in February and customer base, she says. The next step tactical marketing approach the brand has stunt turned discarded ran through June, helped increase traffi c by – and the goal next year – is to broaden taken in the past. furniture into digital 2%, a big boost for the brand. the marketing reach to target even more coupons (top), while “Furniture advertising has been – in the new “Part of the While benchmark brand tracking data millennials, in more ways. Graham likens the general – a functional game: price and Family” campaign on likelihood to shop and brand awareness experience to turning a cruise ship – it has promotion. And we’ll never walk away from focuses on the won’t be ready until the new year, Graham to be slow and measured or it could make that – promotion will always play a role,” emotional connection suspects those numbers are on the rise everyone seasick. she says. to furniture (below). based on early indicators. One Home To Win “You’ve got to be realistic about it,” she “But it’s interesting because [furniture study, which tracked pre- and post-show says. “The hardest thing in marketing is has] more than just functional benefi ts.” likelihood to shop, increased 16% after only changing perceptions, so we recognize this Working with Taxi 2, Leon’s identifi ed one season, Graham says. is not an overnight thing. But we’ve got all the emotional connection people have with In-store, the retailer is working on the right steps in place to do it.” furniture – that piece that can’t be lived stocking more millennial-friendly products, without. “People get very attached to their such as lower-cost accessories that Graham furniture,” she says. says the brand was woefully under-serving,

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BMO’S CMO EFFECT Connie Stefankiewicz’s leadership has created a more human effect for the brand, from the TV to the basketball court. BY HARMEET SINGH

ith everything from fi ngerprint scanning to chatbots going mainstream, banking Wtoday is not what it was in your parents’ day (or maybe not even your older sibling’s, for that matter). Yet focusing on the simple, physical act of saying “hello” to a customer is just one of the ways BMO Financial Group is making itself stand out, a strategy CMO Connie Stefankiewicz pushed North America-wide. The series of ads launching the “BMO which is aimed at bringing a human touch Take its “Pool” ad, which debuted in Effect” marketing platform in early 2016 put to everything the brand does, inspired by September. The spot featured a mom using a comical spin on our preconceived notions the notion that “we’re people fi rst, and her smartphone to open a chequing account about in-branch banking – like showing the bankers second.” while sitting poolside, much to the chagrin awkward moment when an employee greets But, she says, the bank struggled to of her son who wanted the house to himself a customer who has just walked in the door. communicate the manifesto beyond its staff for a party with his pals. While the ad was “One of the insights we had was that and current customers. for a concrete product – a chequing account money is personal but banks often are not,” Enter “The BMO Effect.” Led by FCB, that’s easy to open – it focused on how says Stefankiewicz, who took the CMO role which won the business in mid-2015, the BMO makes banking easy and intuitive, in mid-2015 after serving as the bank’s platform’s debut marked the fi rst time Stefankiewicz says. head of North American channel strategy in four years the brand had a consistent When running as pre-roll, BMO then and solutions. go-to-market strategy. Beginning with the layered on digital ads to drive to specifi c The journey to banking’s more human aforementioned ads centred on the in-branch information tied to the account (the bank side began under former CMO Joanna experience, “The BMO Effect” has since works with KBS, which handles personal and Rotenberg (now head of BMO’s wealth been extended across the bank’s channels. commercial banking advertising, alongside management business). In late 2014, the Bringing the idea to life for consumers and FCB on branding and Maxus on media). bank launched its North America-wide boosting consideration for its offerings has “The idea behind taking this full-funnel “We’re here to help” tagline (working with meant taking what Stefankiewicz says is a approach is really that we want our brand Y&R), replacing “Making money make full-funnel approach, using its brand spots to spots to do double duty for us,” she says. sense,” which it had used since 2008. communicate BMO’s more human approach The creative is aimed at providing what Stefankiewicz was part of the steering and staying away from too much specifi c she calls “emotional priming for acquisition.” committee that contributed to the strategy, product messaging in its mass creative work. In the past, BMO had integrated offers

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MOY.JanFeb17B.indd 26 2017-01-04 2:50 PM Congratulations! Connie Stefankiewicz Chief Marketing Officer, BMO Marketer of the Year Nominee 2016

From your friends at the NBA and the Toronto Raptors

BMO_00000000_Marketer_of_the_year_Strategy CYAN BMO 4/c ad Strategy Mag MAGENTA 01 8.375”. x 10.875” YELLOW 100% BMO 8.625”. x 11.125” BLACK Bruce 00000000 8”. x 10.125” Dec 5/16 tl 100% "x" 16 directly into brand spots but research line, bypassing the crowds and often getting out. The idea was to show how that feeling showed that approach is simply not effective, merchandise or other perks at the arena – all you get from being helped is indicative of diluting the impact of the spot and failing to part of BMO’s strategy to show off its human “The BMO Effect.” drive acquisition, Stefankiewicz says. side and understanding of fans. The brand was also integrated into the The approach extends to U.S. advertising Stefankiewicz’s long history within BMO, show’s challenges, including hosting the for BMO Harris Bank. At press time, including working directly with clients, fi nal leg of the race at its original branch BMO was working on a new brand spot, has given her a deep understanding of the in Montreal. Stefankiewicz notes that highlighting the experience of getting a business and the ability to harmonize the results from its Amazing Race Canada mortgage through the bank without focusing North American platform, delivering the sponsorship indicate that viewer affi nity and on rates or offers. Specifi c product-focused same message and brand tonality across the consideration for the brand has increased ads will then be layered on, with each bank’s offerings, says Justine Fedak, SVP of by 8% and 4%, respectively. What’s more, piece of creative playing a unique role, brand, advertising and sponsorships at BMO. its viewers have a 22% higher favourability Stefankiewicz says. (South of the border, Stefankiewicz has been with the BMO towards BMO. BMO works with FCB, McGuffi n Creative brand in some capacity for more than 25 Up next, Stefankiewicz says she will be Group and PrometheusGM on media). years, beginning at Burns Fry in 1989 looking at more ways to reach millennials, a Bringing a consistent approach to BMO’s before the brokerage fi rm was acquired by target the brand hasn’t typically engaged. To key markets (Canada and the Midwest states the bank. In the early 1990s, she worked start, the bank partnered with Vice Money in particular) was an important strategy in a marketing role, doing everything from in the fall, with BMO playing a role in content for Stefankiewicz, who notes that many of creation, including producing educational BMO’s 45,000 employees have cross-border co-branded material around money issues to mandates and that its advertising is seen on live on the site. both sides of the border. Having a consistent An approach centred on being more voice was crucial for getting everyone, human might seem like it would rely heavily internally and outside the bank, behind what on gut instinct, but “The BMO Effect” still BMO stands for. has a scientifi c side. The platform was a That hasn’t meant ignoring cultural largely data-driven idea, with the brand differences and unique regional insights. strategy and positioning based on extensive For the Quebec market, for example, BMO research from surveys to ethnographic and works with FCB’s Montreal offi ce to ensure qualitative studies, Stefankiewicz says. its concepts work for that province. It It also employs facial coding for testing its comes up with new ones if they don’t and brand spots, working with a specialist who re-scripts ads if needed, rather than doing strategy work and new product development Above: Former reviews consumers’ expressions to get an direct translations (“Pool,” for example, used to mutual fund research. Raptors announcer objective picture of how they’re responding a different punchline to convey the same “If you think back to that point in time, Chuck Swirsky sits emotionally. In other words, it helps take the down with the BMO message as the English version). it was interesting because everything Ball-Star during groupthink out of focus groups, she says. Tracking results have shown that BMO’s was very much a one-to-one relationship All-Star Weekend in “I am a sample of one,” she says. “So the approach this year has been effective, and individuals picking up the phone and Toronto. data and [my team’s] informed perspective Stefankiewicz says. After less than a year calling,” she says. “That was the beginning really help us to make sure we’re doing the in market, advertising awareness has of a transition to looking at how marketing right thing and making the right decisions.” jumped 36% for the brand in Canada, and can help even a brokerage business grow by And for those who know her well, all executions under “The BMO Effect” building brand awareness and compelling Stefankiewicz’s collaborative model with her have met or exceeded targets for ad recall value propositions that resonate.” agency partners and her team has been a and main message communication. Brand Stefankiewicz has also been innovating key factor in BMO’s creative success. favourability scores have also exceeded the around media sponsorships and branded “If you were to be a fl y on the wall and norm for those who have seen the campaign. content, including through a partnership watch one of our interactions at FCB, I think “The BMO Effect” has also stretched to with The Amazing Race Canada that began you’d be hard pressed to fi gure out who the sponsorship side of BMO’s business. For in 2015. reported to whom,” Fedak says. the NBA All-Star Weekend in Toronto last With more opportunity to pre-plan this “She takes perspectives, gets the February, for example, it launched the “BMO year, her team integrated “The BMO Effect” collaboration and the commitment needed Ball-Star,” an irreverent anthropomorphized by creating original segments called “The and will question if new information is basketball that chatted with players in a BMO Effect Moment of the Race.” The provided, and do that in a very natural way,” series of spots. initiative included brief videos showing she says. “Everybody’s got a voice with At Toronto Raptors games, fans with BMO moments from the show where contestants Connie, and I think that’s unique.” debit or credit cards have access to a special went above and beyond to help each other

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MOY.JanFeb17B.indd 28 2017-01-04 2:51 PM ST.28476.Maxus.indd 1 2016-12-13 4:09 PM MOY.JanFeb17B.indd 30

PHOTO BY RYAN WALKER 30 department intoaconsumer-department PepsiCo Canada’s marketing strategyonline.ca After threeAfter years onthejob, the Texan CMOhasturned driven, insights-hungry driven, insights-hungry NEW MARKET SNACKS ONA innovation teamnow. Iwork directlywith toQuaker,Doritos bot explosive brands from ideasfor food PepsiCo gotofiNow herefforts nding andactivating to shiftherfocusfrom tomedia. product shehashad ideas,butinCanada product almost halfhercareer commercializing new region. Before emigrating, shehadspent themultinational’sshe became CMOfor the where HQinMississauga,Canadian Ont., atFrito-LayintheU.S.post tojoinPepsiCo’s wrap theirheadsaround an83%budgetcut. change, butany marketer wouldstruggleto three State. yearsafterleavingtheLoneStar says Texan inherdrawn-out nearly twang, $100million,”maybe Kalvenes Christine year. innovationevery product Here wedo wasn’tthat Canada doing$600millionin personally, here whenIcame wasrealizing S “I have someone whoisincharge“I havesomeone ofthe In 2013,KalvenesleftherVPofinnovation By nomeansisthat$100millionpocket ofthebiggerchallengesfor“One me, CHRISTINE KALVENES digital machine.digital corporate pocketbooks. corporate pocketbooks. are biggerinTexas. are Sotoo hair aren’t theonlythingsthat pride,crudeoiland teaks, state BY h digital orin-store.h digital JENNIFERHORN year’s andincreasing volumeby14.4%.The theprevious 3.5times above driving sales it broke consumer engagementrecords, the apptopromote thechip’s return and the game,’” shesays. really thing,weneedtochange dothesame back for asecondyear, wethought‘We can’t hit withconsumers.Butwhenwebrought it in 2014]asathrowback flavour, anditwasa toinnovate. and herteamlook ofcreative mediaideasthatKalvenes type forKetchup Doritos chips,are2016, both the Roses” sent tomenonValentine’s in Day app andthefollow-upof“Ketchup bouquet year’s supplyofchips.The2015“HoldOut” weeksstraight inorderthan two towina toholdontotheirphonesforCanadians more launching apps,for example, thatencourage existing– products atactivating she looks fl Doritos next avour toputonshelves,today the product.” intermsofhowweexecute against further things,” totake it shesays. “Butnowwetry her andwestillinfl sideof uence theproduct With thehelpofBBDO, theteamcreated “We relaunched Ketchup the[Doritos chip forSo whileKalvenesusedtolook the team placingin-store displays intheproduce idea wasbuiltintothe20%plan,with the truck’sthe food year, recipes. Thenext the were giventothosewhowantedreplicate drove tostores people through that coupons oftheir10%plan,which truckaspart food she says. we viewourwholeannualoperatingplan,” ofthefollowing year’sthe 20%part plan. successfully leveraged, theyare folded into off thewall.” be the10%ideascan Once remaining 10%is“stuffthat’s completely marketing thatthey’ve triedbefore; andthe 20%includesinnovative“test” product; a usetoactivate marketing theytypically team presents aplanthatis70%“proven” implemented earlyin2013.Essentially, the witha“70/20/10”ruleshe the envelope Sheenablesherteamtopush engagement. marketing thatinnovatesaround consumer offi cheering for ce, Kalveneshasbeen 45% liftinpurchase consideration. results: grew sales 8%,witha byanother 2016 rosesmore saw campaign shattering One year,One theteamproposed aTostitos “It’s thefoundation nowbecome for how intheCanadian Ever sinceshesetfoot 2017-01-04 2:52PM 16 section where shoppers could fi nd recipe Unique to Canada, the digital hub brings all “I would say prior to coming here, we cards and all of the ingredients in one place. of PepsiCo’s food and snack products under had lost our celebratory mojo,” Kalvenes “That then led them to the website, and a single umbrella, offering recipes, coupons says. She’s succeeding by helping to create we built a whole program that is actually and contest information to consumers in its a culture where venturesome ideas are not now being lifted by the U.S.,” says Kalvenes. database. Just seven weeks after its launch only welcomed but lionized. “Canada is leading recipe engagement on in September, there were already 60,000 Today, the department enters more the Tostitos business.” consumers who had organically opted in, awards shows, with wins inspiring other Part of that global pick-up is a result of says Kalvenes, adding that they will look at team members. She created a wall of fame Kalvenes making the digital department a media placement further down the line. and introduced a rotating “Challenger more effi cacious nerve centre. She instituted The rewards portal is also where Tostitos Award” that is given to someone who a company manifesto that describes is seeing the recipe engagement being “overcomes adversity by living our “consumers as our compass” and supported picked up in the U.S., with the brand offering [consumer-driven] manifesto.” Departmental it with a larger insights team (now spanning ideas like Tortilla Soup and Breakfast Burritos meetings are now less about “updates” and food and beverage, with 11 staff members), alongside recipes for other snack brands like more about “inspiring” members by listing a new analytics function (with two people Doritos, Lays and Miss Vickie’s. lessons learned, from how to drive consumer sifting through data) and a new “digital centre In addition to Tasty Rewards, Kalvenes engagement on a small budget to the of excellence” that works with both teams. has started to segment the brand portfolio effectiveness of sampling. “Maybe three years ago, we were running by creating separate websites for each. In Kalvenes describes her leadership style about 8% digital as a part of our mix, but at 2016 alone, the team built 11 new mobile- as “bottom up,” focusing on removing the end of 2016, we will have hit 35%,” she enabled sites for brands that used to only sit barriers and enabling her team to own and says. “And not just 35% for the sake of 35%; under the main PepsiCo Canada page, since morph its culture. we’re now delivering three times the ROI we “consumers want to engage with a brand, “You see people pushing the envelope were delivering with TV.” not with a corporation,” she says. on their thinking when they previously The company’s new “Tasty Rewards” Motivating her 50-person team at might have not even tried to put their ideas CRM platform is one fruit of the combined PepsiCo to think differently about media is no forward,” she says. “It’s not just a mindset insights, analytics and digital teams’ labour. easy task. change, it’s a behavioural change.”

Congratulations to Christine Kalvenes on being selected one of strategy’s Marketers of the Year. It’s time to bust out the party snacks.

December/January 2016 31

MOY.JanFeb17B.indd 31 2017-01-04 2:52 PM START! STOP! CHANGE!

BY HARMEET SINGH

START EXERCISING, STOP SMOKING, CHANGE YOUR DIET. January is all about goals, and the marketing industry isn’t off the hook when it comes to making (and keeping) plans for 2017. After all, it’s a fast-paced world where brands are under pressure to stay competitive – and that’s not set to change anytime soon. So, we gathered fi ve Canadian marketers to talk about what the industry needs to start doing, stop doing, or change, from the way they innovate to data collection. Here, Tracey Cooke, VP of communication and marketing at Nestlé; Interac’s director of marketing and brand Andrea Danovitch; Weston Bakeries’ VP of marketing Andrea Hunt; Molson Coors’ CMO Christine Jakovcic; and Nancy Marcus, corporate VP of consumer marketing at Kruger Products, weigh in on what to expect in the new year.

Are the rest of you tied to that philosophy? HUNT: If you take bread as a category, for INNOVATION example, you have well-established occasions, HUNT: I think it depends on the objective of breakfast being one, but as you push out to other STRATEGY: What do you want to start the business. The bottom line needs be at the occasions like snacking, innovation can really doing when it comes to product innovation forefront, for sure, but there can be a place for unlock new usage opportunities, new targets in 2017? strategic innovation, whether it’s to entrench a and appeal to multicultural segments. Appealing positioning or even demonstrate strength to a to different palates within an established MARCUS: Innovation is one of the engines in any customer. If it’s serving a role beyond margin occasion is also an area where innovation can company for success, and in Canada it depends enhancement, there’s more justifi cation for it. play a role. on the organization’s entrepreneurial culture to We all work in businesses that have streamlined support it and to ensure that you’re delivering things to the point of high effi ciency, so when JAKOVCIC: It’s similar in alcohol and beverage, profi tability that is not just based on a payback you look at adding something incrementally that in terms of looking for new occasions that your of two-and-a-half years. Innovation internally is can already denigrate your profi tability, having current product segments aren’t reaching today. an amazing thing. It galvanizes teams to work reasons beyond just profi t can help support your We’ve had a lot of success creating new product together, launch things and be distinctive. But innovation agenda. segments. Our Mad Jack malt beverages line is with our corporate fi nancial pressures, it has to one we created in Canada that is now the most deliver. So I applaud innovation, I support it in Are there certain challenges, like profi table item in our portfolio, so it’s completely my team, but it has to have some profi tability demographics or channels, where possible. More recently, as you really think metrics at the end of the day. innovation is particularly needed? about the scope of innovation, we’ve found that

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Roundtable.JanFeb17alt_test.indd 32 2017-01-04 2:56 PM Opposite page: design is having a big impact on the business. Nestlé’s Tracey Cooke You can get a 2% lift on your revenue during a DEMOGRAPHICS (left) and Interac’s specifi c time period if you’re doing packaging “WE USED TO PLAN A Andrea Danovitch. that is relevant for specifi c occasions. We’ll do What’s keeping you up at night when it Below: (From left) PRODUCT THAT WOULD Kruger’s Nancy something behind the Raptors and we fi nd quite comes to demographics? Marcus, Molson a bit of an impact there. So the defi nition of LAST FOREVER. NOW, Coors’ Christine innovation for us has gone from a very specifi c WE’RE HAPPY IF WE’RE DANOVITCH: Talking about new products Jakovcic, and Weston “Let’s launch a product for this occasion” to coming out that have a shelf life of a couple of Bakeries’ Andrea Hunt. IN AND OUT FOR TWO “What are consumers interested in and how can years, the fi rst thing that went through my we look different and innovative in their minds?” YEARS. AND THAT’S mind is: “That’s because that’s how millennials It could be design or it could be products, and A HUGE SHIFT, NOT function.” It presents a whole new challenge they don’t all have to be invented from scratch. ONLY FOR PRODUCT and opportunity because we’ve got people on DEVELOPMENT BUT FOR one side of the spectrum that are moving on HUNT: New to your brand doesn’t have to be and leaving some of our products, and we have new to the world. MARKETING, SALES, these new ones to onboard in a completely RETAIL. different way. And we still don’t want to alienate COOKE: It’s really beyond product. It’s marketing services or products that are still for adjacencies, it’s route to market. What are the only for product development, but for marketing, the masses. It’s not as if we could just spend ways we can innovate and get our products in the sales, retail. all our money and sink it into the upcoming hands of our consumers? If you look at Kit Kat in generation of millennials when we still defi nitely Europe and Australia, they have permanent brick- COOKE: The word “failure” is a dirty word for have some other core segments we want to talk and-mortar stores and in Japan they just did a a lot of people. [At] Amazon, they do this thing to but need to message in a very different way. pop-up that they’re probably going to expand into called “Institutional Yes,” which I think is so a permanent store. So looking at new ways of brilliant because the friction is in the no, not in Is that something you’re all facing? getting our consumers to meet our products and the yes. You have to write a two-page document consume them is a big area for us. [about] why you shouldn’t try this idea. Going JAKOVCIC: It’s common in beer for sure. The through the exercise of saying no, you end up pace at which you have to move and the clarity MARCUS: We used to plan a product that would saying, “You know what, there’s not that many of the idea has to be so strong that it can live in last forever. Now, we’re happy if we’re in and reasons why we shouldn’t try that.” And that way a six-second digital ad. The types of media that out for two years. And that’s a huge shift, not more ideas get through the fi rst hurdle than not. are paying out at the highest ROI now are short,

Roundtable.JanFeb17alt_test.indd 33 2017-01-04 2:57 PM fast, quick. You can’t get away with telling a following reasons.” And then make a business HUNT: What is proving most instrumental long, exhaustive story anymore to get your point plan for it. If you spent all the time with your in our business is not data in terms of across. You really have to know what it is that’s research and analytics team, and you waited, I’m technical, numerical data — it’s observation, going to convince the consumer that you can be not sure you would be able to deliver. it’s ethnographies. It’s beyond what products the product of choice. are in a cart — where do they place them when they get home? Is it a place of pride on So how do you get the story across in six “WHAT IS PROVING the counter or is it stuffed in the freezer? So seconds? MOST INSTRUMENTAL it’s pretty basic and available, but it’s going IN OUR BUSINESS IS deeper and I think that, complemented with JAKOVCIC: Strong insights and analytics to NOT DATA IN TERMS more traditional data, is where the power is. make sure you’re starting in the right space. We have very entrepreneurial-minded agencies OF TECHNICAL, Is big data that much different from old and I think sometimes the best ideas come from NUMERICAL DATA – IT’S data? people who know your business but haven’t OBSERVATION, IT’S been there very long – so your new hires, your DANOVITCH: I think the demands are bigger. youngest people. And your agency partners who ETHNOGRAPHIES. ” One of the things I would love to hear about understand your business and don’t have the [from the rest of you] is measuring ROI with restrictions of delivering the P&L yet, they don’t DANOVITCH: I call that analysis paralysis. marketing, because with all this data, that’s the know all the problems or who tried it before. So challenge that is coming from the non-marketers let them ideate. Then we do quite a bit of testing HUNT: You start with the question “So what?” I at our organizations, from CFOs to CEOs. It to make sure that we’ve captured the right idea think when you force that, it becomes a lot more used to be that as marketers, we did marketing and we’re super focused on purchase intent as a meaningful. So you stop the 40-page deck and campaigns, much of it awareness campaigns. key test metric. it becomes the off-script, “Here’s what we saw,” We had industry-type analytics and now they’re and I think that’s what starts the dialogue. saying, “Show me the data.” And again, maybe it’s more of a pain point in my industry, not being DATA JAKOVCIC: We’ve got all kinds of data a product on a shelf with SKUs where I can scientists and regression modelling to attach movement off the shelf. How are your companies treating data understand the return on investment. It’s holistically, and do you get what you need to interesting because even if you can’t get the MARCUS: If there was no impact to awareness- feed down the chain to your agencies? exact measure you’re looking for, with some driven efforts, I don’t think we would be doing assumptions, it can at least help you get in that anymore. MARCUS: In our world, we need to make the ballpark of the right decisions. But it does decisions. So it’s overwhelming, data analysis. require a bit of set-up to get all that information HUNT: Results speak volumes. At Weston, it has You’ve got to say, “Okay, these are the insights. organized and get the regression modelling done always been a branded business but supply and I feel that these are the ones because of the and then keep the models up to date. manufacturing have been at the forefront for a long time. The intent within the last 12 months is how do you become demand-driven? If you can convince the stakeholders in the C-suite what that means for the sustainability of the business, then I think there’s a lot of power in that. And an idea — yes, it translates into units off the shelf, but it can have a cultural impact, it can have customer engagement. I think the measures go beyond just unit sales in terms of impact.

JAKOVCIC: When you used to start as an assistant brand manager, the fi rst thing you did is learn how to do business reviews, analytics, you’d stay at the offi ce until midnight three weeks in a row, build those hypotheses. Those types of things are no longer part of our new world of marketing because we don’t have that same level of traditional marketing training in Canada anymore. And that’s why I think data

Roundtable.JanFeb17alt_test.indd 34 2017-01-04 2:57 PM feels overwhelming because in itself it doesn’t that we use when they have overfl ow, but we MARCUS: I think it’s the CMO’s responsibility, do anything, right? It’s how you think of the also have design in-house. whether it be three, fi ve or 10 agencies, to hypothesis, how you think of the business integrate and really set the tone and ensure instinct that drives you to look for certain things What’s the benefi t of having that in-house? that the orchestra’s playing together. And that’s in the information that’s going to drive you to the fundamental. But the interesting question, answer. I’ve found because I can’t fi nd the skill JAKOVCIC: Control and cost. in terms of functioning, is if the agency has set in the market, we’re bringing back a lot of adapted – and it hasn’t yet. So why are we traditional training in that area. HUNT: We have the same. We don’t have a full working with so many different agencies? design studio but we do have design resourcing Because the infrastructure of an agency has not HUNT: I couldn’t agree more. Particularly that can help incubate ideas. That speaks to the yet evolved to the needs of a marketer. So for the on the analytics side, you don’t know the agency model not being ideally suited to doing a traditional agency, you don’t need four levels of building blocks. Today you’re given the answer, lot of quick mass content work. account service. but you used to spend time constructing, deconstructing, so you don’t know what the There’s been a lot of talk about agencies COOKE: Account executive, account drivers are. not adapting enough, especially the bigger coordinator, director, a VP of whatever… shops. What needs to start, stop or change when it comes to those relationships? MARCUS: You don’t need it. You’re doing a AGENCIES shoot, you need A and B. Don’t give me fi ve DANOVITCH: I think you have to stop and ask levels of the accounts and then the trainee. Is there anything that you’re bringing in- yourself if it’s becoming too fragmented because house or looking to beef up in-house that you have such a large agency roster. You’re COOKE: They’re built on that model though. The used to be with your agencies? playing air traffi c controller but I think there’s model is broken, I really believe that. also a lot to be lost at the brand level from JAKOVCIC: Insights. We have all our insights functioning that way rather than having agency MARCUS: But let’s turn it around to our young with a third-party agency and we’re moving to a partners that really understand your business staff. Because I’m dealing with fi ve or six model that’s a stronger hybrid with more internal and your brand. That fragmentation starts to be agencies right now and the demands on them capability. Part of the instigation of that was we refl ected in your output. are exponential because we have fewer staff. just merged with Miller Coors in the U.S. So now Some of the junior staff don’t have the answers, HUNT: You need to have a very tight core so in their insecurity, they’re pressuring the “THE INFRASTRUCTURE OF AN strategic plan. You have to be earlier in terms of agency, causing more hours. So, are we putting AGENCY HAS NOT YET EVOLVED TO engagement, so people are on the same journey. more pressure on them? Do they need seven people at that meeting? Absolutely not. But in THE NEEDS OF A MARKETER.” COOKE: I think the challenge might not even be our house, we’ve got that junior marketer asking all of a sudden I’ve got these experts across the fi ve or 10, but even three or four key partners. really stupid questions and spending most of the border who can help me build that capability in Having them all work together, it’s hard. It’s all agency’s time but nobody’s complaining about house, where I wouldn’t have had that before about clear roles and responsibilities. It’s a new it. So I always look at both sides. in Canada. And a design studio for packaging, world. People have to play together. There’s no POS, everything. We have an external partner other way.

January/February 2017 35

Roundtable.JanFeb17alt_test.indd 35 2017-01-04 2:57 PM 2017 MARKETER & AGENCY SURVEYS

Let’s call it the DIY year. As barriers to producing content continued to fall, more brands put on their creator hats. Our annual marketer and agency surveys show almost one-third of marketers took some branded content production in-house in 2016 (an increase of 16% from last year). And that’s nothing compared to social, with 94% now handling their own. The year also saw a slight reversal in shrinking marketing departments, and more global creative being picked up. These handy infographics offer the Canadian industry’s pulse at the end of 2016.

STATE OF THE MARKETING NATION

Marketing budget Relationship with principal creative agency is Increased 39% (down 3% from 2015) Average Stayed the same 32% (up 7%) Very Good 19% Decreased 14% (down 10%) 44% Troubled 4%

Marketing department size Don’t work with Excellent 19% an agency 14% Shrunk 21% (down 12%)

Grew 39% Marketers taking it in-house Remained (up 8%) the same Social media Data Branded content 40% (up 4%) 94% 42% 30% (up 19%) (up 4%) (up 16%) Increasingly important agency support Media 22% (down 6%) Marketing strategy coming from a global HQ Digital 21% (up 4%) More than half 33% (up 8%) Research 9% (up 1%) None 30% (down 4%) PR 8% (down 6%) Less than half 23% (down 10%) Tech 6% All 12% (up 4%)

WANTED: MORE STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP he top demand marketers have for their creative agencies as they head targeted, reaching the right audience to maximize marketing dollars, he adds. Tinto 2017 is more strategic insight, which jives with where agencies To arrive at its crucial insights, the shop brings together clients, are dedicating their hiring resources: while creative is the top focus, filling stakeholders and other agency partners for a large strategy meeting, says strategy roles comes in a close second. Brent Nelsen, chief strategy officer for Leo Burnett North America. “Strategy Also, almost a third of agency respondents said they were looking to bolster is about making choices, not compromise, and the session is focused on their data and analytics offering. For Leo Burnett, that’s meant doubling the exactly that through eight to 10 key brand-defining exercises,” he says. agency’s team over the past three years to 12 people. The agency’s goal Kennedy points to Leo’s recent campaign for the Ontario Women’s is to put strategic leadership at the heart of everything it does, says David Directorate, which used the strategy of making bystanders complicit in Kennedy, COO and general manager. Brands are being asked to do more with inappropriate sexual behaviour unless they took action – 2015’s “Who Will You less, he says, and as a result, there’s more demand on agencies to create Help” and the 2016 “It’s Never Okay” – as examples of the impact a shift in

illustrations by greg hall greg by illustrations campaigns that hit the mark on the first try. The campaigns need to be more strategy can make.

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MarketingSurvey_2.indd 36 2017-01-04 2:41 PM BY JENNIFER HORN AND MEGAN HAYNES

STATE OF THE AD WORLD BRINGING THINGS Merged in 2016 IN-HOUSE onsidering the speed of social, the 11% Cprocess of looping agencies into the mix isn’t always feasible, says Hugo Thibault, Agency director of consumer engagement at L’Oréal. structural Acquired That’s one reason why some brands are changes in 2016 increasingly bringing certain functions – Agency size from branded content to social media to Grew 49% (down 5%) data – in-house. Creating social branded content in its Remained the same 27% (up 2%) 8% own studio allows L’Oréal, for one, to retain (down 7%) Shrunk 21% (up 3%) control and quickly approve posts that tap into conversations taking place online. For example, in its first year, the L’Oréal Biggest hires Content Studio pumped out more than 700 photos and videos – something that would Account have been impossible under the previous management system, which relied on agencies. Brand managers are trained on how to take photos and stage products, while 10 freelance Digital Creative photographers and videographers and six Strategy writers are available on short notice to create content. By not relying on agencies, the studio Data/analytics has also significantly decreased costs for the company, says Thibault. Media Under that same logic, agencies have also been growing their in-house offerings to speed up creative and decrease costs, 46% 38% 38% 32% 23% 17% with shops launching content studios and PR arms. Zulu Alpha Kilo has been moving (up 2%) (down 8%) (down 5%) (down 1%) (up 4%) (up 3%) certain skills, such as production, in-house since 2014 when it launched Zulubot. The shop’s CCO Zak Mroueh says he isn’t too Canadian-born and -controlled creative is concerned about brands looking inward. “We’ve been approached by clients who have in-house capabilities, but they Unsure still come to us for our storytelling and 29% Staying the content deployment expertise,” he says. “Connections planning, distribution strategy Increasing same 51% 13% and real-time decision making – to fan the (up 5%) (down 11%) flames once content catches fire – are just as important as the content itself.” Decreasing 7% (down 1%)

This year, more than 400 marketers and 400 agency folk responded to a poll about the state of their industries, conducted from Sept. 12 to Nov. 7, 2016. Marketer respondents skewed female, at 64%, while agency respondents skewed male, at 52%. One-quarter of the marketers (25%) made between $76,000 and $100,000, while another quarter made between $101,000 and $150,000. The agency side wasn’t much different, with roughly one-quarter (26%) of agency respondents making between $101,000 and $150,000. January/February 2017 37

MarketingSurvey_2.indd 37 2017-01-04 2:44 PM BUILDING BETTER BRAND SAID, AGENCY SAID PARTNERSHIPS In this year’s survey, we asked marketers and agency folk where they were seeing he biggest push for brands in 2017 is to ad dollars being spent, what their biggest concerns were for the industry and what Tdevelop deeper strategic partnerships to service areas agencies could improve. Below are the sometimes consonant, but mostly expand reach, with a quarter of respondents conflicting, reports from both camps. saying it was a top priority. Many of those partnerships find homes in retail (such as Nutella’s branded cafés in Brand | Agency Sobeys and Loblaws, or The Drake General Store setting up shop in The Bay), but for small Toronto-based travel company Top platforms where ad dollars are being spent Butterfield & Robinson, it went beyond Television Digital retail to partner with national clothing brand 1 Canada Goose. Digital 2 Social media The pair recently launched a joint Sponsorship 3 Branded Content program, offering Canada Goose shoppers a chance to travel to Newfoundland, Iceland Print 4 Mobile and B.C. on special “Canada Goose tours,” with travellers being given the iconic jackets before they embark on their adventures. Canada Goose can repurpose travellers’ Top areas that agencies should improve photos to use on its various social channels Providing strategic insight 1 Analytics and data expertise and owned media. By partnering with the Provide more integrated solutions One stop shop services jacket maker, Butterfield gains awareness 2 and reach through Canada Goose’s large Producing better creative 3 Digital/mobile development social following (26,000 Twitter followers Provide cost-effective work More social media work and more than 200,000 on Facebook), says 4 Norman Howe, CEO of Butterfield. The partnership lets 50-year-old Butterfield play in new spaces, he says, Top challenges that the industry is facing while Canada Goose can offer “luxury adventure travel.” The goal is not only to ROI pressure 1 Small or shrinking budgets drive sales (with the new curated-by-Canada Lack of resources to manage campaigns 2 Lack of resources to execute campaigns Goose package as a new product), but also Media fragmentation/costs 3 ROI pressure to drive awareness among new clientele who wouldn’t otherwise know the brand. Gathering big data 4 Globalization of campaigns

Agencies’ top priorities Marketers’ top priorities 27% Attracting business from higher-profi le/larger clients 26% Develop more strategic partnering to expand reach 27% Earning expanded mandates from existing clients 15% Media innovation 15% Taking any new business 13% Create better social strategy 12% Providing more services for clients 9% Mobile marketing 5% Attracting business from smaller upstart clients 8% Experiential 8% Original branded content

38 strategyonline.ca

MarketingSurvey_2.indd 38 2017-01-04 2:44 PM ST.26292.Half.indd 1 2015-03-19 2:42 PM 2017 MARKETER & AGENCY SURVEY

GLOBAL CREATIVE ON THE RISE any brands are looking for efficiencies AROUND THE WORLD IN THREE of the world. The idea to Min their marketing mix, tapping globally CAMPAIGNS encourage people to “Say led campaigns for local markets. PepsiCo, in it with Pepsi” by using Global and local PepsiCo brand creative that particular, sees global adapts as a key part of its 36 branded emojis had enough universal fl are to get cross- its marketing strategy — specifically for TV originally came from the border pick-up over the years. campaigns. This strategy allows the company to Canadian arm of BBDO. Canucks loved them — invest more money into local brands that don’t WHAT: Dorito’s Roulette with 12,000 posts using the emojis on Instagram — have the same level of equity as global brands, WHERE: The nacho and so did the global offices, with the #PepsiMojis says Christine Kalvenes, CMO, Pepsico. “Not cheese chips in the later displayed on Pepsi bottles in 100 markets. only do we already have equity that’s built [in limited-edition bag WHAT: Crash the Super Bowl our global brands], we can make our dollar all looked the same. WHERE: America was the first to put consumers stretch further.” However, there was a one-in-six chance that one in the director’s seat when That also allows the company to funnel more of them would be spicy enough to “melt your face” it launched the contest funding into digital programs, she says. Today, (as per an exaggerated headline in Ad Age). The – which encouraged 35% of the company’s media buy is targeted at campaign and product, originally from Mexico, creative folk to craft their digital, and 100% of that is created locally (and eventually came to Canada where they earned own Doritos spot for the which she says is getting three times the ROI of social buzz. The product was shipped to the U.S. Super Bowl – 10 years ago. It came to a close in TV campaigns). Picking up expensive-to-produce the following year based on its Canadian success. 2016, but not before the program was opened up television spots gives her the flexibility she WHAT: PepsiMojis to international entries in 2013 – just in time for needs. In turn, her digital campaigns are getting WHERE: Canadians had a full year of watching Canada to have two of its own commercials make it global attention, so the circle is complete. #PepsiMojis dominate store fridges before the rest to the finals the following year.

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ST.28541.GroupeSerdy.indd 1 2016-12-13 4:10 PM Clockwise from top: CBC drama Pure; Global’s Blacklist: Redemption; CTV crime drama Cardinal; and Shots Fired, which will run on City.

IF FALL IS THE SEASON WHEN CANADIANS turn back the clock, it would appear that mid-season is all about the networks moving forward. With a number of series featuring female leads, more diverse casts and plots treading into some taboo territory, it feels like television might fi nally see diversity as the new normal. The women of the mid-season seem to do it all — they’re carrying badges in CBC’s Bellevue, CTV’s Training Day and City’s Shots Fired; they’re donning lab coats in Global’s Mary Kills People; and they’re challenging traditional notions of motherhood in the CBC’s Workin’ Moms and City’s The Mick. But it’s not just the gender balance that may cause us to shrug and say, “Because it’s 2017.” From race and religion to disability and mental health, CHECKUP this season’s lineup covers new TV territory. There’s the racially charged drama Shots Fired, which contains numerous nods to U.S. police shootings, including the one in Ferguson, Mo., while CTV’s Russell Peters is the Indian Detective features, well, Russell Peters as an Indian detective. In the unscripted world, the CBC travels to Canada’s North with the docuseries True North Calling to explore a culture and way of life unfamiliar to most Canadians. Turn the page to fi nd out more about how the networks are using a mix of Canadian content, comedy and drama to grab (and keep) audiences this mid-season.

BY VAL MALONEY AND BREE RODY-MANTHA MID-SEASON TV

January/February 2017 41

TV.JanFeb17.indd 41 2017-01-04 3:00 PM WHAT’S WORKING, WHAT’S NEXT WE CAUGHT UP WITH EXECS FROM CANADA’S MAJOR NETWORKS TO GET THE INSIDE SCOOP ON THEIR MID-SEASON STRATEGY, FROM OLD FAVES TO (POTENTIAL) NEW HITS.

The family comedy stars Paul episode run), starring True Blood Sun-Hyung Lee and Jean Yoon alum Anna Paquin as a brazen cop in as the owners of a Regent Park a small, blue-collar town. convenience store in Toronto Another drama added to the reunited with their estranged son. schedule is The A Word (produced The series’ 13-episode run ended in by Fifty Fathoms), which CBC December after boasting an average acquired from the BBC earlier this audience of 975,000 viewers (2+) as year. The six-part family drama, of Nov. 13. airing Sundays at 8 p.m., follows a While the CBC is taking some messy, extended family with a child risks with subject matter, Catto newly diagnosed with autism. says the pubcaster sticks to a Rounding out the new series familiar formula when it comes to is True North Calling (Proper scheduling: Tuesday, for example, Television), a factual format on has “always been a comedy night.” Fridays at 8:30 p.m. The show once Workin’ Moms, from creator, star again aims for what Catto calls an and executive producer Catherine “authentic Canadian experience,” Reitman, maintains that tradition, following those living in the airing at 9:30 p.m., tailing the CSA- country’s North as they work to winning Schitt’s Creek, set for a mid- stay true to old traditions while season return Jan. 10. embracing new technology. Following the lives of four women CBC is also bringing back the – it also stars Dani Kind (The Good series formerly known as Michael: Witch), Juno Rinaldi (The Killing) Tuesdays & Thursdays (now Michael: and Jessalyn Wanlim (Orphan Black) Every Day, premiering Sunday, Jan. – navigating motherhood, Workin’ 15 at 9 p.m.) ive years after its Moms tackles once-taboo subjects CBC like unplanned pregnancy and Top: Catherine CBC’S MISSION TO APPEAL to a postpartum depression. Reitman (second diverse Canadian audience paid off New drama Pure takes the 9 p.m. from right) is the with Kim’s Convenience, a new series slot on Mondays. Set in a tight- creator, executive that became a fall hit. The winter knit Mennonite community, Ryan producer and star of CBC’s Workin’ Moms. line-up brings more new topics Robbins (Sanctuary) stars as a newly Above: Michael: to the small screen – from autism elected pastor whose beliefs are Every Day reboots and postpartum depression to challenged when he’s forced into a the CBC series after a Mennonites and therapy sessions. local drug traficking ring. Pure takes fi ve-year hiatus. “Kim’s is a good example of a the place of Shoot the Messenger, irst run. The new season sees the Right: The A Word, acquired from BBC. cast that doesn’t feature white which pulled in an average of reunion of Michael (Matt Watts, The Canadians in the lead, and yet it’s 264,000 viewers (2+) per episode. Newsroom) and his therapist David resonating with a lot of audiences,” “It’s serialized, there’s a very dark (Bob Martin, Slings & Arrows) as says Sally Catto, GM of programming feel about the show, and we had Michael returns to therapy. at CBC TV. “It’s not just Koreans the millennial and especially Gen X Also returning for mid-season are – it’s people who can relate to an audience in mind,” Catto says of Pure. X Company (Wednesday at 9 p.m.), immigrant experience, people living The same goes for Bellevue (which Interrupt This Program (Sunday at 9 downtown, people who work for will premiere Feb. 20, sliding into p.m.) and Crash Gallery (Sunday at family businesses.” Pure’s timeslot following its six- 9:30 p.m.). BRM

42 strategyonline.ca

TV.JanFeb17.indd 42 2017-01-04 3:01 PM So how will Global’s mid-season Canadian original Mary Kills People Global plans tackle that gap? (Wednesday at 9 p.m.) maintains the Above: Chicago WHILE AGING DOWN and returning It’s rolling out new drama more intense tone. The series stars Justice offers to comedy was a major focus for Ransom, starring Luke Roberts Hannibal’s Caroline Dhavernas as advertisers franchise Global’s fall slate, it’s tapping (Wolf Hall) as hostage negotiator the titular Mary, an ER doctor who security, while Mary Kills People targets into emotionally driven character Eric Beaumont, based on the spends her downtime helping people a female-skewed dramas for mid-season. experiences of famed professional end their lives. The series, created 25-to-54 audience. The new gambles include crisis negotiator Laurent by Tara Armstrong and produced Centre: Ransom is procedural drama Ransom, medical Combalbert. The series, co- by eOne and Cameron Pictures, will a drama based on drama Mary Kills People and the premiere Jan. 25, targeting a female- a real-life hostage negotiator. newest member of the Chicago skewed, 25-to-54 audience. franchise, Chicago Justice. The Returning to the schedule in the shows’ serious tone builds on spring (date TBD) is Big Brother Global’s fall success with dramas. Canada, which capped off its fourth “We really hit the lights out season with its highest ratings yet with a lot of what we did this fall,” at 1.2 million viewers per episode, says Maria Hale, SVP of global a 7% increase in its audience from entertainment and content season three. “Big Brother is a title acquisitions at Corus-owned Global, that we know can really attract citing courtroom drama Bull, which those younger demos,” says Hale. boasted an average audience of 2.5 developed by Corus, also stars A key strategy for Global is to million viewers (2+) in its opening familiar Global faces Brandon Jay capitalize on the built-in audience four weeks. McLaren (Chicago Fire) and Nazneen of its existing franchises in order to She adds that although the Contractor (Heroes Reborn). appeal to advertisers, with Chicago network sells against the 25-to-54 Despite the recent trend of small- Justice (Sunday, 9 p.m. beginning demographic, it’s still aiming to screen adaptations, this series has March 5) and Blacklist: Redemption capture a millennial audience. no link to the ’90s drama of the (Thursday, 10 p.m. starting Feb. 23). Within that 18-to-34 crowd, same name that starred Mel Gibson. Also returning to Global’s “Corus has typically skewed more Ransom premiered New Year’s Day schedule mid-season is Canadian female than male,” says Hale, adding at 8:30 p.m. before moving into a comedy series Private Eyes, which that the baseball season likely regular Saturday night timeslot on averaged one million viewers per affected the fall gender balance even Jan. 7 at 8 p.m., and simulcast with episode for season one and tracked more by drawing male viewers away. CBS in the U.S. highest with adults 25 to 54. BRM

FALL TV’S 1. Designated 2. Bull 3. MacGyver 4. This is Us 5. Timeless TOP FIVE NEW Survivor Global: 2.24 million Global: 1.66 million CTV: 1.58 million Global: 1.31 million CTV: 2.3 million viewers viewers viewers viewers PROGRAMS viewers

Source: Numeris, Fall 2016 (Sept. 19 to Nov. 27)

January/February 2017 43

TV.JanFeb17.indd 43 2017-01-04 3:01 PM to 34, between Sept. 19 and Oct. 30. For adults 18 to 49, the show brought in an average audience of 882,000 for the time period. “Designated Survivor is really rock solid for us,” says Mike Cosentino, SVP of CTV and specialty at Bell Media. “It’s anchoring our Wednesday and allowing us to promote other shows.” Cosentino’s other star pick from the fall season is family drama This is Us. The show had an average audience of 679,000 for adults age 18 to 49 in its timeslot of Tuesday at 9 p.m. VM series. The show is executive produced by Aubrey Nealon (Orphan Black, Saving Hope). City In addition to beeing up its WHILE CITY DEBUTED A COUPLE Canadian slate, CTV is also adding new series in the fall, Hayden new U.S. dramas. Time after Time Mindell, VP of TV programming is a time-travelling romance series and content at Rogers Media, says in which sci-i writer H.G. Wells the broadcaster has “a host of new comes to modern-day New York to shows like we have never planned track down Jack the Ripper. Wells is before” coming mid-season. captivated by the New York of today City is hoping to recreate the and falls for a striking woman. success of the original versions of CTV The broadcaster has also picked 24 and Prison Break with reboots of Above: Karine THE NUMBER OF U.S. acquisitions up Training Day, based on the both series, which are both starting Vanasse stars in appearing on Canadian TV might be eponymous feature ilm, starring Bill early in the new year. The channel is crime drama Cardinal. changing soon due to an increasing Paxton as an experienced detective rounding out its new dramatic slate Top right: Time After number of global bidders. That paired with a rookie oficer. with Shots Fired. Time places H.G. Wells and Jack the could happen as soon as this May, At last year’s upfront, Colette Ripper in present-day Bell Media president Mary Ann Watson, VP of broadcasting and New York. Turcke said at the CRTC licence TV operations at Rogers Media, Bottom right: renewal hearings last fall. introduced the new dramas to Training Day stars While CTV’s 2016 fall schedule balance out City’s recent comedic Justin Cornwell and Bill Paxton. was stacked with U.S. shows, future focus, with shows like 2 Broke Girls lineups could look more like the and New Girl. network’s mid-season offering, “We believe in event which is illed with original content. programming,” she said, adding that New Cancon hitting the Bell Media the network needed to “diversify airwaves this mid-season includes The network had eight of the from comedies” to provide “more short-order drama Cardinal, along fall’s top 10 shows for millennials, schedule stability.” with the inal season of medical according to Numeris data, with Mindell says the new drama drama Saving Hope. Kiefer Sutherland’s new ABC drama remakes come with built-in The six-part, one-hour crime Designated Survivor (Wednesdays at awareness, which helps his team drama Cardinal stars Billy Campbell 10 p.m.) as the most-watched new hit the ground running with (Bram Stoker’s Dracula) and Karine series for the demo. promotions. Vanasse (Midnight in Paris), and is According to Numeris numbers Following the same minute- based on the book Forty Words for provided by Bell Media, Designated counting format as the original Sorrow from Ontario author Giles Survivor had 391,000 average series, 24: Legacy (premiering Blunt’s John Cardinal Mysteries viewers per episode for adults 18 Sunday, Feb. 5 at 10 p.m.)stars

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TV.JanFeb17.indd 44 2017-01-04 3:02 PM FALL TV’S TOP FIVE SHOWS Corey Hawkins (Straight around the time-travelling Outta Compton), Miranda Otto adventures of three friends. 1. The Big Bang Theory on CTV: (Homeland) and Jimmy Smits The Mick, a half-hour comedy 2.5 million (Sons of Anarchy). Original series series, is about a derelict 2. Bull (new) on Global: 2.4 million star Kiefer Sutherland is back as forced to take responsibility an executive producer. when her sister lees the 3. Designated Survivor (new) on CTV: 2.3 million Prison Break, on the other country and leaves her in hand, reunites original series charge of three children. 4. NCIS on Global: 2.2 million stars Wentworth Miller, Dominic The new programming 5. Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen X Purcell and Sarah Wayne Callies. comes on the heels of on Global: 2.1 million Shots Fired is a dramatic another challenging fall for conventional TV. While (Average total 2+ viewers, Sept. 19 to Oct. 30, event series that examines the the Blue Jays’ playoff run beneited Rogers Media 2016: Numeris) aftermath of racially charged overall, it impacted numbers on City, as did U.S. election shootings in North Carolina. From programming. Gina Prince-Bythewood (Beyond Standouts from the fall season came from drama the Lights, The Secret Life of Bees) and Reggie Rock and comedy, with Son of Zorn boosting City’s 8:30 p.m. Bythewood (Beyond the Lights, timeslot on Sunday by 20% from Top right: The Mick Notorious), the series stars Sanaa the previous fall, with an average stars Kaitlin Olsen Lathan (The Perfect Guy), Stephan audience of 186,100 between (right), who is also the James (Race, Selma), Helen Hunt Sept. 12 and Oct. 23, according to executive producer. Right: Making and Richard Dreyfuss. numbers Rogers Media provided. History is a comedy Balancing out City’s mid-season Lethal Weapon also grew about time travel. dramas are a couple of new audience numbers, with its comedies: Making History and The Wednesday 8 p.m. timeslot Mick (debuted Sunday, Jan. 1 at increasing viewership by 190% 8 p.m.). Making History revolves versus the same period last year. VM

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TV.JanFeb17.indd 45 2017-01-04 3:02 PM SCHNEIDERS STAYS TRUE TO TRADITION

WHEN J.M. SCHNEIDER OPENED A MEAT-PACKING healed but continued to make BUSINESS IN HIS ONTARIO HOME 125 YEARS AGO, HE sausages at night for his many satisied clients. The word PROBABLY DIDN’T ENVISION A COMPANY BEARING HIS spread and local butchers NAME WOULD BE THRIVING TODAY. BY PATTI SUMMERFIELD and grocers started buying Schneiders’ sausages. By 1890, J.M. was able to quit his factory job and launch his Above: Sausage ohn Metz Schneider was an accidental company. One year later, the business moved from his stuffers in a 1927 businessman. home to a two-storey building down the street. The Schneiders factory. J In 1886, he injured his hand working on the company prospered, J.M.’s sons followed him into the assembly line at a Kitchener, Ont. button factory where business and he continued to go to work every day until he made the grand sum of $1 a day. With a family to his death in 1942 at the age of 83. support and no social safety net, J.M., his wife and In 2004, Maple Leaf Foods purchased Schneider mother started making sausages using a family recipe to Corporation from Virginia-based Smithield Foods, sell door to door. which had bought it in 2001. Today, Schneiders has He went back to the button factory when his hand been irst or second in market share across categories

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Schneiders_JanFeb17.indd 46 2017-01-04 2:58 PM In 2006, Schneiders rebranded with its irst redesign since the 1960s. The new packaging by John St. has a simpler, more appealing look with easier-to-read product information. The agency refreshed the Dutch Girl trademark and Schneiders wordmark but kept the traditional blue and orange colours. “When you have a brand for 125 years, the stewardship and responsibility that comes with it is a company-wide one,” Grogan says. “Even talking about how our marketing has evolved, there’s such a reverence for making sure that we celebrate and respect the history while obviously wanting to be relevant and current – and it permeates well beyond the marketing department.” Over its long history, Schneiders has worked with many ad agencies, including Foster Advertising and McCann Erickson. John St. has been its agency of record for the past 10 years. National in-store programs are handled by Hunter Straker, while regional programs are supported by Spider Marketing and Maple Leaf Foods’ internal creative team. D’Arcy Finley, VP integrated marketing for Maple Leaf Foods, leads the push on digital with a team of ive full- time employees handling digital buying and the brand’s focus within social, video and search. “Schneiders used to be almost exclusively on television and in grocer lyers but we’ve increased our investment in digital, multi-platform and mobile,” he says. “We’re also developing day-to-day content that is (including bacon, hot dogs, sliced meats and sausages) relevant for our consumers such as recipe videos that for many years. For example, Red Hots, introduced in complement [Schneiders’] more emotional and higher- 1928, is Canada’s number one hot dog brand. production-value creative.” Adam Grogan, SVP of marketing and innovation at Schneiders’ current loyal consumers are aging and Maple Leaf Foods, says the company has not made many Finley says the digital focus is part of Schneiders’ changes to J.M.’s original German recipes. strategy to reach younger demos and new Canadians. “A Red Hot [wiener] today is the same Red Hot it was Recipe videos housed on Appehtite.ca and created by before,” he says. “That said, we have started to do a lot culinary experts and chefs in the kitchens at Maple Leaf Above, top to more product innovation.” Foods are part of the strategy. bottom: A poster Schneiders has been listening to consumers as they’ve “I think to be relevant, you have to make consumers’ for the fi lm “The requested cleaner ingredients and healthier products lives easier or better in some way in terms of what Meat We Eat”; a with fewer calories, less sodium and fat, or gluten-free. you’re offering,” says Finley. “By communicating these father-son fi st-bump from the “Traditions” Beyond those options, consumers want convenience and recipe ideas, by being clear about our packaging, by campaign; the brand’s variety, and Grogan says Schneiders has innovated and making it more convenient to open or access – all of fi rst sausage plant, expanded the portfolio with those things in mind. those things we’re doing every day to overcome any circa 1896; promoting In 2011, the brand launched Country Naturals, a erosion in the market.” sausages on Chevy product based on the original sausage recipe but that’s Schneiders also has a partnership with the Toronto sedans was a popular early marketing tactic; also antibiotic-free. In 2017, it will add more products to Blue Jays. Centre ielder Kevin Pillar, the spokesperson, ink blotter advertising; the Country Naturals label and to its Oh Naturel! line of has resonated with consumers of all ages. Cundari and anniversary vegetarian products, which launched in 2004. handles the advertising and promotions featuring Pillar. packaging for the “We have taken a brand that stands for great tasting The Blue Jays connection is a great it for Schneiders brand’s 80th, in 1970. meat products and applied that to where consumers are because it ties in well with its summer product push and going, which is obviously augmenting their diets and heavy in-store presence. their meals with things that aren’t necessarily meat- “The lion’s share of our business is in celebratory based,” Grogan says. hand-held categories like sausages and hot dogs. We

January/February 2017 47

Schneiders_JanFeb17.indd 47 2017-01-04 2:58 PM SCHNEIDERS ADVERTISING THROUGH THE YEARS THE ORIGIN OF AN ICON newspapers in 23 Ontario cities for an estimated The Schneiders Dutch Girl (modeled after a real reach of three million readers. Retailers helped woman from Kitchener, Ont.) has been smiling make the campaign a success by highlighting back at Canadians since 1936. Back then, a the two products in-store. It was the beginning Schneiders sales manager, a salesman and of numerous Schneiders joint promotions with a Toronto ad exec got together to decide on a brands that include Canada Dry Ginger Ale, Bick’s new symbol for the brand’s packaging, signage, condiments and Weston’s D’Italiano hotdog buns. trucks and marketing material. They chose the bonnet-wearing Dutch Girl as a way to refl ect the J.M. SCHNEIDER AND HIS LEGACY Pennsylvania Dutch origins of the farmers who LIVE ON (IN TV SPOTS) supplied livestock to Schneiders, as well as the J.M. Schneider has been the central fi gure in a Dutch reputation for having immaculately clean number of the company’s ad campaigns including homes (speaking to the brand’s quality message). work from Foster Advertising in the 1980s, The Over the years, the girl has aged and been updated Ongoing Partnership in the 1990s and McDonnell (more recently in early 2016), but continues to be Haynes in 2006. In 1999, he appeared for the one of Canada’s more familiar brand icons. launch of the 1890 Heritage line of sliced meat products. The campaign mixed actual black and BEANS AND WIENERS: ONE OF white archival footage of J.M. with appetizing CANADA’S EARLIEST SHOPPER product colour shots to emphasize that the meats MARKETING PARTNERSHIPS were made naturally, just the way he did in 1890. In early 1967, Schneiders and canned beans They brought J.M. back again in early 2003 in a brand Stokely-Van Camp teamed up for a series of four TV spots to highlight a history of joint campaign in Ontario. It was the fi rst time quality and care. The black and white archival Schneiders had joined another company to footage of Schneider talking about his beliefs promote complementary products – Stokely was once again juxtaposed with modern-day Beans and Schneiders Wieners – at a time when colour footage as a way to attribute his values to cross-promotions were not a common marketing Schneiders today. The campaign represented the tactic. The month-long promotion featured a biggest commitment to television advertising the two-page colour ad with a coupon that ran in 25 brand had ever undertaken.

have some really fun promotions, during that time of Schneiders brand, a lot of new Canadians have not. year, often tied to the Toronto Blue Jays. We do have a Grogan says that because of the country’s multicultural really well-developed shopper marketing function now,” diversity, views of traditions have evolved over time. says Finley. “New Canadians use digital media to get news from The partnership is also a good it because it relates home and to communicate. What we’re doing now is to the brand’s positioning around “traditions” (and starting to retell the story of Schneiders’ heritage and nothing is more traditional than a hot dog at a Blue tradition in a new way and re-establish the brand as Jays game). The Schneiders brand rejuvenation earlier being relevant even if the consumer may not have grown this year also included a new campaign from John up with it. So we’re talking about traditions big and St., which continues to play into J.M.’s heritage story. small, some different from what I grew up with,” The “Traditions” campaign includes TV spots, social says Grogan. posts and the brand’s irst long-form commercial, an “At its essence, ‘Traditions’ stays true to what the online ilm called “Fist Bump” that launched in time brand is all about – being part of consumers’ lives as for Father’s Day. The ilm follows the lives of a boy and opposed to shouting messages from the rooftop. I feel his father, sharing a traditional ist bump to mark the we’re continuing to honour the Schneiders history but son’s accomplishments, both big and small. The brand we’re celebrating the future. People want to reach out to will stick with the “Traditions” campaign, says Finley, brands that speak to them in an authentic way, but are and will build on it with future creative focusing on the also current. That’s what we’re focused on. We won’t be Country Naturals sub-brand. here 100 years from now if we don’t do those things.” Although many Canadians have grown up with the

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4 5 AGENCY OF THE YEAR | 2016 Strategy's Agency of the Year Awards were held Nov. 8 at Koerner Hall in Toronto – an evening that will be remembered for the strong work awarded, some provocative videos, and the cocktail lounge's escalating anxiety as large screens broadcast 6 U.S. election night news. Cossette took the top honour, winning AOY Gold, while FCB Toronto won in Digital, PHD in Media, and Media Profi le was named the top PR agency.

7 8 9

10 photos by matt forsythe matt by photos 1. The evening's hosts – Fiona Stevenson, president and founding partner of the Idea Suite, and PepsiCo Foods Canada CMO Christine Kalvenes – warm up the crowd. | 2. Cossette's Carlos Moreno, Mark Smyka, Peter Ignazi, Jason Chaney, Antoine Bécotte and Daniel Shearer celebrate the agency's fi rst-ever AOY Gold. | 3. PHD Canada president and Omnicom Media CEO Fred Forster with his agency's MAOY Gold. | 4. Taxi's Jordan Doucette and Jeff MacEachern pick up DAOY Bronze. | 5. Rethink's Maxine Thomas, Caleb Goodman and Aaron Starkman won DAOY Silver, with Molson Coors CMO Christine Jakovcic. | 6. Eggplant Collective's Adam Damelin performs some Céline Dion, the live score to Taxi's AOY video. | 7. John St.'s team celebrates the agency's AOY Bronze. | 8. Globe and Mail chief revenue offi cer Andrew Saunders presents the Media Director of the Year award. | 9. IPG's Harvey Carroll holds his Media Director of Year win. | 10. Media Profi le's team with the PRAOY Gold.

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AOY.Photos.JanFeb17.indd 50 2017-01-04 2:33 PM 1 2

3 4 STRATEGY AWARDS | 2016 The AOY event doubled as the inaugural Strategy Awards. Developed with the Account Planning Group of Canada and a board of marketing execs, the awards recognize the industry's top planners and the campaigns they shaped. Leo Burnett took the Grand Prix for its work with the Ontario Women’s Directorate.

56 7

8 9 10 11

1. The audience settles into Koerner Hall as the show begins. | 2. A Strategy Awards fox. | 3. Leo Burnett's Brent Nelsen has his hands full. | 4. Zulu Alpha Kilo's Heidi Philip and Sean Bell. | 5. Taxi's Dan Cantelon and Camp Jefferson's Guybrush Taylor strum their Tankhouse Ale. | 6. Strategy Awards hosts Jay Chaney from Cossette and CIBC's Jennifer Davidson. | 7. Cossette's Kevin McHugh with his Strategy Award. | 8. Juice Mobile's Phil Clarke and TracyLocke Canada's Jason Dubroy have a drink and a laugh. | 9. The Globe and Mail provided screens in the cocktail lounge for keeping tabs on what was unfolding south of the border. | 10. BBDO's Todd Mackie. | 11. Some fi nal selfi es while the mock Trump hats were still good for a laugh.

January/February 2017 51

AOY.Photos.JanFeb17.indd 51 2017-01-04 2:34 PM From Russia, with love BY RICARDO MARTIN

oronto is one of the best cities PRICING DECISIONS ARE DIFFICULT AND INVESTING IN MOBILE AND DIGITAL T I have ever lived in. Global city OFTEN RISKY. CAPABILITIES IS CRUCIAL. rankings consistently show Canada is a surplus economy where There are some great practices out there, it in the top ive, because the people are basic necessities are covered and often but even in a digitized economy like interesting and there’s a vibrant energy commoditized, so pricing is done through Canada’s (with over 70% smartphone running through everything. presenting higher-order beneits and penetration), FMCGs still lag quite a bit. Marketing in Canada, however, is a very innovation, driving premiumization and Media is also highly concentrated here, different story. The country is not for the better brand experiences. It’s important which restricts innovation, as it’s easier faint of heart. Currency luctuations to command disproportionate defy gravity while smart shoppers premiums and slow down change. The idea for Dove’s splurge on weekend trips to Vegas and “Real Beauty” was live in million-dollar homes, but will born in Canada and THE SAME CAN BE SAID ABOUT only buy your brands when there’s celebrated globally. E-COMMERCE. a deal. Add to this a retail landscape A high concentration of retail means that’s highly concentrated with high- innovation around home delivery and low pricing strategies. in-store shopping isn’t developing Over the past few years, I have come as fast as down south. Big retailers to think of the world as a volatile, are precious about their margins (as uncertain, complex and ambiguous they should be) and their size slows place, or “VUCA” as we like to say at the retail revolution. Amazon and the Unilever. We live through volatility in dozens of startups that are already oil prices and exchange rates, and with here will accelerate this exponentially. the uncertainty resulting from election Despite their best efforts, it will catch poll surprises. There are many forces big retail by surprise. at play in this new world, and cause- and-effect relations are less clear than INVENTION IS THE AGENCY TALENT IS TOP-NOTCH. they used to be. MOTHER OF NECESSITY Invention is the mother of necessity and Through all this mist and fog, it’s the I’ve met some of the brightest marketers role of company leaders and marketers to AND I’VE MET SOME OF THE who are doing exactly that in Canada. set the path for business, correct course BRIGHTEST MARKETERS The agencies here are also worth writing and ultimately arrive at a destination. home about. I’ve worked closely with Canada is peaceful and stable; however, WHO ARE DOING EXACTLY Ogilvy Toronto and Sid Lee, a great global today’s VUCA world hits it hard and on a THAT IN CANADA. agency and an equally great local one. daily basis. Did you know that Dove’s “Real Beauty” So what have I learned in my three global campaign was conceived at Ogilvy years at Unilever in Canada? not to surrender to promo pricing Toronto? From Yonge Street to the world. temptations and have the guts to invest That’s the caliber of people you ind here. RETAILERS ARE in branding that drives a premium – and Canadians are also independent. HUGE BUT FAIR. then charge it. It pays back. They’re not afraid to change jobs (it’s a Canadian promiscuous labour market). And that retailers generally THERE IS ENORMOUS SPACE FOR freedom is a good thing. Passion and grit understand PURPOSE-LED BRANDS . emerge faster in countries where people the beneits of That’s because the country is an evolved live closer to the edge. The slings and collaboration. society with strong values, and in many arrows of everyday life keep them focused They’re willing to ways, the future for the rest of the world on winning. listen and share (or at least many hope it is). I have It was tough and delightful, a privilege their perspective. experienced how this unlocks potential and an inspiration to have been a part of RICARDO MARTIN is VP They are good in some of our own brands like Dove, Ben the Canadian advertising industry. As the of personal care brands sparring partners & Jerry’s and Hellmann’s. Purpose-led folks at Air Canada say, “The world needs for Unilever in Russia, for developing brands translate into purpose-led work more Canada!” From Moscow I raise a Ukraine and Belarus. ideas. and purposeful lives. glass to your continued success.

52 strategyonline.ca

Forum_JanFeb17.indd 52 2017-01-04 2:40 PM The new establishment media

Strategy and Media In Canada are looking for the next generation of leadership, innovation and enviable talent in the Canadian media industry – the ones to watch – and we need your help to fi nd them. Who qualifi es? Anyone working at a media agency who has made a signifi cant impact on the business – the idea people, the ones challenging the status quo. We’re looking for two levels of accomplishment: junior and mid-career. Nominations are open now. Candidates will be judged by the 2017 AToMiC jury, with one winner for each career level awarded at next year’s show. Selected candidates will also be profi led in Media in Canada. Send your nomination outlining what your candidate did that was exceptional to Val Maloney at [email protected]

ST28661_NewEst_AD.indd 53 2016-12-13 5:27 PM NOTES FROM THE HEADLINE CEMETERY The editorial department at strategy wrote and published quite a bit of content over the past 12 months. Every story was meticulously edited and fact-checked to ensure the quality coverage you've come to expect. This diligence also means that, from time to time, we're forced to pass on pieces – even big scoops – that fail to meet our editorial standards. Sadly, as with advertising, some insightful work is abandoned on the cutting room floor. Until now. For the first time, we're offering a special peek at a few of the headlines that never found an audience.

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