Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, anti-Asian racism has been on the rise in Canada – and it is in that context that the Chinese Canadian Museum launched its first campaigns and opened its doors.

The Vancouver museum opened on July 1 in one of the oldest buildings in the city’s Chinatown district, but it had been working with local creative agency Hamazaki Wong on its messaging for roughly three years.

An initial campaign, intended to build awareness and excitement for the institution itself, launched in March and was followed a few months later by a campaign for its inaugural exhibition, The Paper Trail to the 1923 Chinese Exclusion Act – which marks a century since the passage of “one of Canada’s most racist and anti-Asian legislative acts ever passed,” Kelvin Yeung, account and media manager for Hamazaki Wong, tells strategy.

Though the exhibition focuses on a heavy topic – namely, the Chinese Exclusion Act and the Head Tax that preceded it – it does so with an eye focused more on the Chinese Canadian community’s perseverance through racist policies of past Canadian governments, and the lessons that can be taken from that era to avoid repeating the same mistakes today.

“We were committed to crafting a campaign that not only acknowledges the struggles of the past, but also celebrates the vibrant future where history, art and culture intertwine to flourish,” Wong says.

“This museum, along with its inaugural exhibitions, stand as a testament to the enduring vitality of our communities and the strength in unity through shared histories and culture,” adds Dr. Melissa Karmen Lee, CEO of the museum itself.

The Paper Trail campaign spans TV, OOH, digital and social channels, taking what Wong describes as a “respectful approach while maintaining a very authentic tone.”

It is running in English, Simplified and Traditional Chinese, with messaging tailored specifically to each of the audiences – be it Asian Canadians who may be descendants of those impacted by the legislation, or the general public who might not be fully aware of the impact the legislation had on them.

The campaign is backed by influencer support promoting the opening of the museum itself, featuring prominent film and television personalities including Ong Squad, Tzi Ma, Ludi Lin and Yvonne Chapman.

All of the work has a single goal: to help make the museum stand as a “beacon of confidence” for Chinese Canadians.

“We’re projecting hope,” explains Wong. “Not just for the community, but also for the museum.”