Balzac’s Coffee Roasters is telling its 30-year history in a unique way with a new anniversary campaign that leans heavily on an age-old medium: hand puppets.

The campaign was developed with Believeco and is anchored by a 30-second digital spot, “Theatre of the Hand,” which walks through the brand’s past, starting with its origin as a coffee cart at Toronto’s Ontario Place.

“Looking back over our 30-year history, we are so proud to have built great relationships with coffee lovers all across the country,” says Christine Cruz-Clarke, CEO for the brand. “This is a special year that we’re tremendously excited to celebrate, and this campaign helps us properly mark the occasion.”

Over the course of the spot – which employs hand puppets in place of people and includes a faithful recreation of the aforementioned cart – the brand tells the story of its inspiration, those early days as a coffee cart, and its expansion to 16 cafes across the province with national distribution.

“Our creative inspiration was rooted in the fact that coffee has great power,” says Randall Graham, creative director at Believeco.

With a nod to the coffee company’s namesake, the French novelist Honoré de Balzac who, legend has it, “fueled his pen with up to 50 cups of coffee a day,” the spot aims to celebrate the anniversary “by reminding Canadians about this power – both to pause and propel,” he adds. “This brand is anchored in the notion of creativity and the idea of starting something.”

The spot is supported by digital OOH, social, PR, in-store and digital consumer promotions, including a contest that offers Canadians the chance to win an all-expenses paid trip to Paris, alongside 1,000 other prizes. The brand is also launching a special “Anniversary Blend” limited-edition coffee both in-store and online.

Media buying and planning for the campaign was also managed by Believeco. It will run until the end of 2023.