The “Made By Skilled Trades” campaign is by creative partner and agency of record, Feast, whose relationship with the federal government department dates back to 2021.
The hero spot begins with a question: “What do you see when you look around?” It answers with a flurry of visuals of the many projects made possible by the trades such as power-grid and wind-turbine construction or even baked goods.
“By using simple yet powerful copy, the campaign focuses on the emotional impact of the skilled trades, highlighting that everything around us is built by skilled trades,” says Lucia Mariani, Feast’s chief strategy officer and founder.
As Mariani explains, “Made By Skilled Trades” is intended to resonate with people moving on to new chapters in their lives and thinking about their future careers, whether they’re in high school or post-secondary school.
“As we step into spring, students are coming to the end of a school year and thinking about new beginnings in the fall. It’s a perfect time to get them thinking about their future and a potential education or apprenticeship in the trades,” Mariani says.
Audiences can see the campaign live across Canada on connected TV, out-of-home and various digital and social platforms.
After kicking off in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, additional billboards and placements will appear across Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.
Building on the 30-second spot, the campaign also featured a travelling activation to schools and malls, to show young Canadian youth how rewarding a career in the trades can be.
“The XM is a travelling series of trade-inspired games that bring a fun and hands-on experience to learning about the trades,” Mariani says. “In addition to the games, we have trade ambassadors onsite to share their real-life experiences and further the conversation with students, educators and parents.”
The experiential aspect of the campaign has been put on pause during the current federal-election campaign.
Essence Media handled the buy side of “Made By Skilled Trades.”
The ESDC works with territories and provinces to deliver the trades and apprenticeships Red Seal program, a national standard that recognizes tradespeople who have demonstrated the knowledge and skills required for their trade.
