RBC is leveraging the wave of pride Canadians felt coming out of the Vancouver Olympics to launch a new grassroots hockey initiative.
Play Hockey will be one of the pillars of the bank’s marketing strategy, and focuses on growing the sport in North American communities through a $1 million-a-year grant program and the involvement of a team of celebrity hockey ambassadors. Going forward, it aims to rekindle the energy its sponsorship created at the Vancouver Olympics.
“The Olympics had an amazing impact on our brand equity scores, so we needed to keep momentum going, and push things back to the community – like the torch relay had done so well for us,” says Jim Little, chief brand and communications officer, RBC.
As of Dec. 26, Canadians can submit applications to receive funding for programs helping the development of hockey in various communities. RBC unveiled the program at events in Toronto, Montreal and Edmonton by announcing three initial grants of $25,000 for projects in those cities.
RBC Play Hockey is being promoted locally through branches, as well as TV, online and print that will kick off mid-December and carry on into the new year, preceding RBC’s winter RSP investment messaging.
BBDO Toronto and Cloudraker Montreal are handling the creative, with M2 Universal taking care of media and Stellick Marketing Communications in Toronto managing media relations and strategy.