SunChips is getting into the documentary business. Sort of. The Mississauga-based Frito Lay brand is supporting its new Start a Wave campaign by commissioning a doc about ‘wavemakers’ (women making a difference in their communities) across Canada.

‘We have this gem of a brand that has homegrown equity we haven’t leveraged,’ says Tina Mahal, marketing manager, SunChips. ‘We’re really hoping to bond with women, and have more people know what SunChips stands for.’

One wavemaker is Richmond, B.C., resident Mary Gazetas, who founded the ‘Sharing Farm’ to grow fresh food and vegetables for the local food bank. Print and TV ads by BBDO Toronto tell each of the women’s stories, emphasizing that even one person can make a difference, and encourage consumers to find out how to make a difference themselves at startawave.ca. The print campaign is running in August and September issues of magazines like Chatelaine, supported by two 30-second TV spots.

The doc follows up-and-coming singer Hayley Sales on her concert tour as she interviews wavemakers along the way. Sales, whom Frito Lay found through Universal Music Canada, is writing a song about her experiences talking to the ‘wavemakers.’ She’ll debut it during a special gala in Toronto on October 5, the night before the documentary airs on W. It will then be available for downloading on iTunes, with all proceeds going to the Weekend to End Breast Cancer and Childhaven.