2017 Winner

Loblaw Companies Limited - President's Choice

Eat Together

john st.

BronzeEvolution Strategy: Keeping it Fresh

Leading up to Canada Day, President’s Choice planned to launch a special collection of products with quintessential Canadian flavours to help people celebrate the occasion.

However, as a brand that expects more from food, PC wondered if it could do more than the expected by celebrating the power of food and its ability to bring people together.

As Canada turns 150, it felt like the forces pulling people apart were stronger than the ones binding them together. The world is divided and individuals aren’t connecting with each other anymore. In fact, 30% don’t even know their own neighbours.

PC had an opportunity to communicate a shared belief that food is a catalyst for connection, and encourage people to come together over food. The brand wanted to create a movement where PC encouraged Canadians to eat together — with friends and family of course, but more so, with neighbours they didn't know, new people moving into the neighbourhood or the new Canadians that live across the street.

The “Eat Together” movement encouraged Canadians to come together over food. It began with a short film that highlighted real connections that can be forged when you put down your phone, forget your differences and come together over food.

The spot showed two women setting up a dining room table in the middle of their apartment hallway, with the hope that their neighbours would eventually notice and join them for a meal (which they did).

In addition to the film, there were also in-store “Eat Togethers,” a national online contest and social challenges that culminated on Canada’s 150th birthday in Ottawa on July 1.

To date, the film has been viewed over 62 million times. On launch day alone, the Eat Together film reached 70% of Canadian social media users and Facebook Canada reported that the film (over a 24 hour period) was the most shared piece of promoted content in its history.

One month later on the evening of the Grammys, PC released the spot’s “What The World Needs Now Is Love” cover song (sung by Walk Off The Earth singer Sarah Blackwood) on iTunes, with proceeds going toward PC Children’s Charity.

Credits
Brand: President’s Choice
Agency: John St.
Planning director: Megan Towers
Strategic planner: Colin Carroll
SVP marketing: Uwe Stueckmann
VP marketing: Cheryl Grishkewich
Sr. director marketing: Charlie Clark
Sr. manager marketing: Ashley McGill
ECDs: Angus Tucker, Stephen Jurisic
CD: Cher Campbell
AD: Gerardo Agbuya
CW: Jesse Wilks
Client services director: Stephanie Hurst
Team leader: Lindsay Lalonde
Account executive: Will Joyce
Producer: Brittani Wilcox

For submission inquiries, please contact Clare O'Brien at cobrien@brunico.com.
For partnership inquiries, please contact Neil Ewen at newen@brunico.com.