Canadian brands are joining the surge of patriotism that arose after U.S. President Donald Trump first threatened Canada with tariffs last month.

And it seems neither the threats, nor the patriotism, are abating.

Trump announced that on Tuesday he was following through on his 25% tariffs on all Canadian goods coming into the U.S. and a 10% levy on Canadian energy. By Wednesday night, after the U.S. Stock Market tumbled, Trump announced a 30-day tariff break for the auto sector first, then a pause on tariffs on some Canadian goods until April 2.

Honestly, it’s difficult to keep up to Trump’s trade war.

One constant, however, has been the number of Canadian brands stepping up to make it easier for consumers to identify Canadian products. The movement, which began around Feb. 4 and built steam this week, includes “Buy Canadian” packaging and notable campaigns from Canadian QSR Pizza Pizza, Cheestrings and Toronto agency Bob’s Your Uncle, among many others.

As part of our new ongoing “Maple Monitor” series, we take a look at some campaigns that seized the patriotic moment this week. Check back every Friday for more.

Average Joes dusts off ‘I am Canadian’ rant

Anonymous collective Average Joes on Wednesday launched a short film, “We Are Canadian,” co-created by and starring Jeff Douglas, who once played “Joe” in Molson Canadian’s seminal “I am Canadian” rant.

Average Joes calls itself an anonymous collective of advertising and marketing professionals representing different agencies and production companies across Canada. The collective said in a press release it wanted to “launch something to ignite a sense of pride, unity and resilience in a time when Canada needs it most.”

One member of the anonymous collective said “Canada needs a rallying cry. So, we made one.”

The group says it created an unbranded, unfiltered piece of communication designed to remind Canadians of who we are and what we stand for. “It’s bold. It’s unapologetic. And other than rewatching the Four Nations final, it’s exactly what we need right now,” the group says of Team Canada’s win over the U.S. in the international hockey final in February.

Another member added: “If a group of people who normally trash each other on FishBowl, undercut each other in pitches and roll their eyes at each other over self-congratulatory awards show LinkedIn posts can come together, Canadians certainly can.”

Rona highlights 6,500 Canadian-made products

Rona inc. is highlighting more than 6,500 Canadian-made products in Rona+, Rona stores and online.

The Boucherville, Que.-based brand, which has more than 425 corporate and affiliate stores across Canada, says it’s responding to the growing demand from consumers and contractors who want to prioritize local products.

Well Made Here Logo (CNW Group/RONA inc.)

“We’ve always had a strong selection of Canadian-made products,” Rona president and CEO J.P. Towner says. “In fact, less than 10% of our supply comes directly from the United States. The challenge was primarily about making these products more visible. To help consumers choose Canadian-made products, they need to be clearly identified, well-organized and prominently displayed. This is where our partnership with ‘Well Made Here’ truly makes a difference.”

The program features a distinctive label to help consumers easily identify Canadian-made products in stores. In the coming weeks, Rona says it will apply this label to an additional 5,000 products that meet the program’s standards, developed by the Québec Association of Hardware and Building Materials (AQMAT). These products will bear the “Well Made Here” seal both in-store and online.

To be considered “Well Made Here”, products must meet the following three criteria: Compliance with Canadian construction codes, regulations and all other legal requirements; at least 51% of the direct production or manufacturing costs must have been incurred in Canada; and the final substantial transformation of the product must have occurred in Canada.

In addition, Rona says it plans to train its in-store staff in the coming weeks to ensure they are better equipped to guide customers in choosing “Well Made Here” products.

Smoke’s Poutinerie delivers simple message: ‘Don’t be a jerk!’

Smoke’s Poutinerie took an approach that was a little more on the nose, with its limited-time offer, “Don’t be a jerk bogo!”

From March 3 to April 30, the Canadian QSR is offering a buy one, get one free deal for its jerk chicken poutine, which includes hand-cut fries, “100% authentic Canadian cheese curd,” Smoke’s gravy, jerk spiced chicken and roasted red peppers.

Mark Cunningham, president and COO of Smoke’s Poutinerie, calls the LTO “the perfect opportunity to share with a friend (or arch nemesis), because what’s more Canadian than sharing, eh?!”

Cunningham says Smoke’s Poutinerie’s contribution to the patriotic push is on brand. He points to other rivalries Smoke’s has highlighted, including Mario vs. Bowser, Freddy vs. Jason, Notorious B.I.G. vs. Tupac and Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar.

“We’ve never played it safe, and we’re not starting now,” he says. “‘Don’t Be a Jerk’ is the kind of wild, disruptive, and ridiculous promotion that only Smoke’s Poutinerie could pull off.”

The “Don’t Be A Jerk” campaign is being promoted in-store and on Smoke’s Poutinerie’s socials.