For its first holiday campaign, Canada Goose is emphasizing on the warmth of human connections in “Generations of Warmth.”
In the hero spot, five different people clad in Canada Goose outerwear are shot in the Canadian Arctic: artist and indigenous rights activist Sarain Fox; documentary filmmaker Greg Kohs; athlete and Polar explorer Ben Saunders; dogsledder Lance Mackey, whose family helped start the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race; and polar bear researcher and director of conservation outreach at Polar Bears International Alyssa McCall.
As the camera pans across rugged winter landscape, a voiceover – provided by Fox and Saunders – describes the importance of traditions and bonds shared with loved ones, as each of the subjects are joined by someone close to them.
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The campaign was developed internally, with Initiative handling media. It’s currently running in Canada, the U.S., England, France, China, Germany and Switzerland, with assets from both the main video and behind-the-scenes content running in digital, traditional, influencer, retail and social channels.
“Generations of Warmth” features themes familiar to anyone who has seen Canada Goose’s previous campaign, from traversing the rugged landscapes of northern Canada to showcasing people known for doing outstanding work in a range of fields. But it might also seem unfamiliar to those who expect to see heartwarming animations, family dinners or gifts under a tree in a holiday ad.
Penny Brook, CMO of Canada Goose, says the brand wanted to break away from the sales- and product-focused messages that are commonly found in holiday marketing, and zero in on the importance of human and family connections, beyond simply showing a happy holiday meal.
“As a company and brand, we believe this is a moment to go back to the traditions of the season,” she says. “[For example], friends and family spending quality time with each other and traditions being passed on. We thought that was an important narrative to tell in a world where there is a lot of bombardment of commercial messages and more conventional holiday aesthetics. As a brand, we seek to communicate authentically, and the essence of what motivates human beings is shared experience and bonds that are forged together.”
Brook adds that while Canada Goose has regularly used “brand ambassadors” in its campaigns – several of whom appear again in “Generations of Warmth” – this is the first time they’ve shown “the people behind the people” that helped them reach their achievements through their support and connection.
“We are all products of our past,” she says. “I am extremely lucky as a CMO in having this legacy to work with and these very deep relationships with our brand ambassadors. These things take time to build, but we have trusted relationships and people that help us evolve as a brand and make us better.”
