Creative Agency Bob’s Your Uncle is among the Canadian businesses responding to a trade war with the U.S. The Toronto-based agency on Friday offered a 25% discount off branding and creative services for Canadian brands in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff threat.

Trump on Saturday announced 25% tariffs on Canadian goods and 10% on Canadian energy starting Tuesday, Feb. 4. By Monday, the Canadian dollar fell to its lowest level in more than two decades, the National Post reported, with the U.S. stock market also taking a significant hit. Trump is also targeting its other major trading partners, Mexico and China, with 25% and 10% tariffs respectively. For its part, the Canadian Government announced tariffs on $30 billion worth of American goods starting Tuesday, to be followed by tariffs on more than $125 billion worth of American goods over the next few weeks.

While the larger implications of Trump’s trade will become clearer over the next week, provincial governments like Ontario, Quebec and B.C. are also announcing the removal of American alcohol from its stores, and Canadian brands are starting to rally with the mantra, “Buy Canadian.”

Bob Froese, founder of Bob’s Your Uncle, tells strategy that the agency’s campaign aims to encourage the industry to “double down” on all things Canadian.

“Let’s be real: you can’t control the White House, but you can control how your brand responds,” Froese says. “This is the moment to own your Canadian identity. Play up your local roots, your supply chain, your people. If U.S. brands are about to get pricier, you better make sure Canadian consumers know why you are the better, smarter choice.”

Froese also encourages Canadian brands to get creative, not defensive, and to re-evaluate their supply chains.

“Raising prices isn’t a strategy; it’s an excuse. Instead, look at ways to add value, build deeper customer loyalty, and turn this shake-up into a branding opportunity. The best brands don’t just react – they own the moment. If your business relies heavily on U.S. imports, it’s time to start looking for alternatives. Build new supplier relationships, invest in Canadian-made solutions, and find ways to make your product less tariff-vulnerable. In short: don’t play the victim, play the game – and play it better than the Americans.”

Projections for tariff impacts include a potential inflation rise to 7.2% and 150,000 job losses in 2025, posing serious implications for any brands doing business in Canada.

While most are dreading a drawn out trade war with the U.S., Froese also sees these difficult times as an opportunity for Canadian brands and agencies to be more bold. “Right now, too many brands are playing it safe, trying to ‘not offend’ rather than trying to stand for something. But guess what? The brands that actually win? They’re the ones that take a stand, make people feel something, and show up in ways that matter.”

He adds: “Canada has a unique voice, culture, and way of doing business. Let’s lean into that. The best Canadian brands in history – Terry Fox, Roots, Tim Hortons (before it got Americanized) – didn’t win by being the cheaper, smaller version of an American brand. They won by being uniquely Canadian. The next global brand success story should be built in Canada, by Canadians, for the world. Let’s stop exporting our best ideas and start believing that we are the next big thing.”