The well-worn marketing maxim “Sell the problem you solve – not the product” got more mileage at this year’s Shopper Innovation Awards. The winners list features campaigns that identified a specific challenge – whether environmental, social or commercial – and tied the brand to its resolution.
Grand Prix winner General Mills identified the declining bee population as a natural cause for its Honey Nut Cheerios brand to take up, making creative use of mascot Buzz and distributing millions of wildflower seeds.
Multiple winner Wrigley built a campaign around redistributing unwanted Christmas gifts with its “Skittles Holiday Pawn Shop,” while Cineplex offered its entertainment as the salve for the overwhelming holiday rush. Expedia and Rethink Breast Cancer, meanwhile, developed new products to eliminate pain points for their respective targets.
In all, 19 programs were recognized at this year’s SIA gala, held in Toronto on May 4 during strategy’s two-day Shopper Marketing Forum.
A new award was handed out for the first time: the Retail Innovator of the Year, recognizing innovation in-store, within the company, and throughout a brand’s marketing communications. The inaugural winner is Sephora.
Click through the links below to read about the best of shopper marketing in Canada from the past year. And scroll down for the full list of winners.
Two brands are better than one
When banner ads stalk for good
Ikea hacks delivery pain points
Reinvention through brick and mortar
Reframing the issue wins new patrons
Shopper Innovation Award winners:
Grand Prix
General Mills Canada (Honey Nut Cheerios) “Bring Back the Bees” by Cossette
Integration
Gold: General Mills Canada (Honey Nut Cheerios) “Bring Back the Bees” by Cossette
Bronze: Labatt Breweries of Canada “Budweiser Gold-Synced Glass” by Hunter Straker
Made a Splash! Seasonal/Event Success
Gold: PepsiCo (Doritos) “Ketchup Roses” by BBDO
Silver: Wrigley (Skittles) Holiday Pawn Shop by BBDO
Bronze: Cineplex “Lily & the Snowman” by Zulu Alpha Kilo
Original Idea
Gold: General Mills Canada (Honey Nut Cheerios) “Bring Back the Bees” by Cossette
Gold: PepsiCo (Doritos) “Ketchup Roses” by BBDO
Silver: Wrigley (Skittles) Holiday Pawn Shop by BBDO
Silver: SickKids Foundation “Life Unpaused” by Cossette
Reinvention
Gold: General Mills Canada (Honey Nut Cheerios) “Bring Back the Bees” by Cossette
Bronze: Harley-Davidson Canada “1903: A Harley-Davidson Café” by Zulu Alpha Kilo
Path to purchase / Out-of-Store
Gold: PepsiCo (Doritos) “Ketchup Roses” by BBDO
Silver: “Ikea Moving Day” by Leo Burnett
Made You Look! Awareness / Trial Breakthrough
Gold: Wrigley (Skittles) Holiday Pawn Shop by BBDO
Partnering
Gold: Expedia “Expedia Blue Jays” by Grip
Bronze: Walmart Canada “Toy Testers” by Traffik
Changing Behaviour
Gold: Expedia “Expedia Blue Jays” by Grip
Bronze: Interac “Be in the Black – Instant Gratification Program” by Zulu Alpha Kilo
Tech Breakthrough
Gold: Molson Canadian “Global Beer Fridge” by Rethink
Bronze: Coca-Cola Canada “Play a Coke” by The Hive
Bronze: SickKids Foundation “Life Unpaused” by Cossette
Small Budget/Big Impact
Gold: SickKids Foundation “Life Unpaused” by Cossette
Bronze: World Vision “The Watercolour Project” by KBS
Packaging
Bronze: Rethink Breast Cancer “Give-A-Care” by Lg2
Bronze: Yellow Pages “The Lemonade Stand” by Leo Burnett
Targeting
Gold: Molson Canadian “Rooftop Rink” by Rethink
Silver: Canadian Safe School Network “Bully Ads” by BIMM/Touché
Out-of-the-Box Retail
Gold: “Ikea Pick-Up and Order Point Hyperlapse” by Leo Burnett
