CBC has launched a new brand campaign focused on showcasing the national broadcaster’s role in Canada as a vital storyteller.

Called “It’s a Canada Thing,” the campaign was developed with Toronto-based creative agency Juniper Park\TBWA. Designed to highlight the important and unique role the broadcaster serves in the Canadian landscape, the campaign centres on a 60-second brand spot that uses an “it’s not this, it’s that” format to establish the CBC as the home of diverse and inclusive programming that reflects the whole of Canada.

The spot uses clips of original winter series like Bollywed, Canada’s Ultimate Challenge, Push, Run the Burbs and Son of a Critch to hammer that message home, while also featuring them heavily in the campaign’s out-of-home components. The hero spot also features clips of CBC’s news coverage, showing its role in keeping people across Canada informed, as well as sports broadcasts and music programming like the Olympics, Legacy Awards and JUNOs.

The diverse array of programming featured is intended to widen CBC’s appeal to newer audiences.

“We want to re-introduce ourselves to those who already know us and introduce CBC to those who don’t yet have a relationship with us, including younger audiences and newcomers,” says Maya Kane, executive director for marketing and communications at the broadcaster. “CBC stands apart in its commitment to reflect diverse experiences and give everyone a voice, and we hope that with this campaign, all Canadians will see a glimpse of themselves.”

Last month, CBC/Radio-Canada president and CEO Catherine Tait said during her closing keynote address at the Prime Time conference in Ottawa that the broadcaster’s marketing was one way it was hoping to rally public support for CBC by showing the role it has in the fabric of Canada. That has become more important as the federal Conservative Party has made “defunding the CBC” one of its major talking points this year.

“CBC is playing in a category of its own,” says David Toto, president of Juniper Park\TBWA. “With ‘It’s a Canada Thing,’ CBC is here for all of Canada, serving all of the people who make up our amazing, diverse, beautiful country.”

Along with TV and OOH, the campaign has been rolling out across digital, social and radio. It will appear on the TTC and Go Transit in the GTA, as well as TransLink in Metro Vancouver. Initiative handled the media buy.