Editorial
Making a ripple
Editor Jennifer Horn on how the inaugural Design AOY category will help raise the bar and boost Canada’s design reputation.
Upfront
The year in Canadian advertising
From funny airlines to smart chatbots, these are the stories our readers paid the most attention to in 2017.
Busting myths about Gen Z
Axe, Glossier and General Mills focus on Gen Z truths to build their brands and campaigns.
To Beau Lake we go
One year in, Beau Lake is looking to expand its product line beyond paddleboards.
Creative
Gone in six seconds
Short ads: creativity killers or new tools to convey a single-minded message?
Forum
Six tips on how to be a semi-decent agency partner
Identifying a shared belief between a brand and its biggest believers is key, according to Rethink’s Aaron Starkman.
Strategy Awards
2017 Strategy Awards: Huggies leaves no baby unhugged
The brand launched volunteer hugging programs in hospitals to highlight the power of hugs.
2017 Strategy Awards: SickKids takes back the fight
The campaign showed SickKids as a “performance” brand, taking on the biggest challenges in child health.
2017 Strategy Awards: RBC’s patriotic pledge
The brand encouraged youth across Canada to make an impact in their communities.
2017 Strategy Awards: Central City races for red
The Red Racer Across the Nation Collaboration pulled together craft beers from different provinces.
2017 Strategy Awards: Montréal’s ironic apology
Montréal apologizes to its neighbours for the racket caused by its 375th birthday celebrations.
2017 Strategy Awards: CDSS turns to the experts
Videos featuring people with Down syndrome aimed to answer expecting parents’ top questions about the condition.
2017 Strategy Awards: Rethinking the cancer conversation
The Give-A-Care campaign featured custom products to help young women through treatment.
2017 Strategy Awards: The Starlight Foundation’s new clothes
Hospitalized kids wore their personalities with custom gowns made by Canadian designers.
2017 Strategy Awards: Drug Free Kids’ cross-channel jump
The brand wanted to prompt parent-teen conversations about driving while high.
2017 Strategy Awards: The ASC plays the role of a trickster
The team lured people to a fake investment seminar to raise awareness about investment fraud.
2017 Strategy Awards: Budweiser lights up
The brand reached hockey fans with a game-synced beer glass that lit up with each goal.
2017 Strategy Awards: Cashmere confronts shy bladders
Devices that live-streamed music were installed in public washrooms to break the silence.
2017 Strategy Awards: OLG’s race for millennial spectators
A new brand was launched through a film that put viewers in the jockey’s saddle.
2017 Strategy Awards: Ontario Tourism’s search for the familiar
The interactive campaign encouraged people to guess the locations of the imagery used.
2017 Strategy Awards: Take Note pens a digital love story
The Toronto store reminded people of the power of notes through a handwritten tale of love.
2017 Strategy Awards: Questrade asks the tough questions
The brand’s campaign featured TV spots with pointed client-advisor conversations.
2017 Strategy Awards: Interval House helps women get away
A series of videos aimed to change social perceptions of victims of domestic violence.
2017 Strategy Awards: One less box to move
Montreal residents were given boxes to fill with food to lighten their moving load and help the less fortunate.
2017 Strategy Awards: Gain taps into scent-vertising
The brand’s campaign took a playful tone by mimicking perfume ads.
2017 Strategy Awards: Fisherman’s Friend gives tough love
The brand equated its product with tough love for consumers’ throats, telling them to “Suck it Up.”
2017 Strategy Awards: PC connects consumers over food
The “Eat Together” movement highlighted the personal connections that can be made over food.
2017 Strategy Awards: An unexpected collaboration
The photographer took to Instagram to reach out to art directors in a creative and personalized way.
2017 Strategy Awards: It Ran for NABS
A parody magazine full of ads was created as a NABS fundraiser.
2017 Strategy Awards: SAQ inspires personalization
A multichannel approach was developed to highlight the benefits of the SAQ loyalty program.
Design AOY
AOY + Design Bronze: Lg2 is in its Elements
The agency takes to rebranding, formalizing its internal innovation process and preserving company culture.
Agency of the Year
AOY Gold: Cossette’s strategic approach
Multidisciplinary work teams, a multi-year innovation plan and combining strategy and creative have helped the agency stay on top.
AOY Silver: JWT’s movement strategy
The agency has turned to mobilizing consumers around resonant ideas.
AOY + Design Bronze: Lg2 is in its Elements
The agency takes to rebranding, formalizing its internal innovation process and preserving company culture.
DAOY Gold: FCB doubles down on digital
Agency-wide training unlocks digital potential, leading to a second consecutive win.
DAOY Bronze: No Fixed Address finds its feet
The agency has brought on new clients and increased its staff count five-fold in one year.
DAOY Silver: Bimm goes direct to digital
A new internal initiative aims to break down silos and spark creativity at the agency.
Design AOY Gold: Leo Burnett’s evolution by design
Utility takes the shop’s designs to the next level.
Design AOY Silver: Social by design
Rethink is using a social-first strategy to ensure effective designs hit social media channels.
MAOY Bronze: Mindshare’s content push
The Toronto shop boosts its agility with a newly launched business unit.
MAOY Gold: Touché’s data-driven transformation
The agency introduces a new team and positioning statement as part of its focus on data.
MAOY Silver: OMD’s changing media role
Data, collaboration and strategy are at the forefront of the agency’s client relationships.
PRAOY Gold: Edelman’s trust in the process
A “communications marketing” approach and boosting internal talent has put the agency on the podium.
PRAOY Bronze: Citizen Relations plots its future path
The agency is releasing two measurement tools, while also focusing on diversification and globalization.
PRAOY Silver: The Colony Project holds its own
The offshoot agency has increased its staff and expanded to Montreal.
2017 Agency of the Year winners
A look at the insights that drove success for this year’s top shops.
