2024 Winner

CASE SUMMARY

While most brands use sports sponsorships as an awareness driver or an opportunity to show up as a fan, Scotiabank leverages its support of hockey to advocate for progress and help shape the sport’s future
in Canada.

At inception, Scotiabank’s hockey for all platform focused on calling out the issues that plagued the sport and driving awareness of them. But, as one of hockey’s biggest sponsors, Scotiabank knew they needed to do more than talk the talk. Canadians who had historically been excluded by the sport, current hockey fans, and those in the periphery of the game needed to see that Scotiabank's commitment to creating meaningful change was real and tangible.

If kids don’t see themselves on the pages of hockey books, they’ll never play.

Much like our national game, children’s books about hockey have a massive diversity problem.

In fact, a scan of this uniquely Canadian literature proves that 94% of children’s books about hockey don’t include diverse characters. Beloved classic stories, like Roch Carrier’s The Hockey Sweater, with an all-white, male cast of characters and heavy Catholic influence have often been the first and only introduction to the game for millions of Canadian children – leaving a massive portion without ever seeing
themselves represented.

Committed to changing hockey’s future in Canada, and increasing needed diversity and inclusion in the game, Scotiabank set its sights on impacting how the next generation of players are introduced to our
national sport.

Scotiabank’s new children’s book “The Hockey Jersey” increases representation in Canada’s national game, changing the face of hockey for future generations.

Commissioning a new, more diverse and inclusive children’s hockey book with a modern storyline, setting, and characters, “The Hockey Jersey” was created in partnership with Black creators, author Jael Richardson and illustrator Chelsea Charles.

A full 360 campaign centered around the book’s launch and impact on hockey was developed. Paid and earned placements featured quotes of endorsement from sports media personalities and hockey legends like PK Subban and Cassie Campbell, all in support of the impact the book would have on the game.

Once conversations began, a series of PR tactics were launched to kickstart conversations about representation in hockey and the need for diversity in children’s hockey books and literature in general.

On January 17th, “The Hockey Jersey” launched on broadcast, online, and at NHL arenas across the country. Social and digital creative went live alongside OOH in diverse neighbourhoods. All content drove to a microsite where audiences could learn more and get a copy at retail partners.

To increase accessibility, a free ebook was made available as well as an educator guide, creating demand for adaptations to various languages and braille.

On January 21st, Scotiabank’s marquee hockey program, Hockey Day in Canada, went live with a 14-hour-long broadcast highlighting the book throughout. At satellite Hockey Jersey themed launch parties, books were given away to families.

Then for the 2024 season, Scotiabank brought the book to life by sponsoring hundreds of youth hockey team’s nationally by providing them custom jerseys from the pages of The Hockey Jersey. Each player’s name bar was pressed in their native language, challenging the standard of jerseys requiring latin-script, further increasing diversity & inclusion in the game.

With 40,000 copies printed, “The Hockey Jersey” now lives in classrooms in over 500 schools, and over 30 public library councils nationally, having been adopted into the curriculum. With 85% of printed stock donated to community level programs and philanthropic hockey partners, the book is making its way to introducing the next generation to our national game.

In its first week the book sold out online and has continued to surpass all sales projections for the category - selling over 85 times more copies than the average book in Canada. The free eBook version has reached #1 on Apple Books and #3 on Amazon free children’s books.

Since launch, the story has accumulated 154 pieces of coverage across broadcast, online and social, with undisputable positive social sentiment from over 30 million total impressions.

“The Hockey Jersey” created a significant impact on brand metrics with POC population showing a 76% increase in reputation and a 14% increase in those likely to consider vs. previous period.

With all proceeds of the books’ sales being donated to Hockey4Youth, over $50,000 has been directed to supporting free on-and off-ice programming for diverse and high-priority youth, introducing them to Canada’s game.

Credits

CCO: Aaron Starkman, Mike Dubrick
CSO: Sean McDonald
CD: Caroline Friesen, Robbie Percy, Dhaval Bhatt
Art Director: Ashley Park
Writer: Aman Soin
Strategy: Crystal Sales
Producers: Kate A Spencer, AJ Merrick, Agnes Gilchrist, Nadya MacNeil, Alex Butt, Joanna Ferro
Production: Steam Films
EP: Jill Brennan
LP: Kirsta Teague
Director: James Michael Chiang
DoP: Keenan Lynch
Production: Tiny Pictures Inc.
Director: Adam Crosby
Editing: School Editing, Monica Remba, Bianca Bissada
EP: Sarah Brooks
Colour/Finishing: Darling VFX, Patrick Samaniego, Eric Kingsbury
EP: Will Culverwell
VFX Artist: Faith Clark
EP: Morgan Campbell
Audio: OSO Audio, Kristine Lippett, Daenen Bramberger, Harry Knazan, Omid Geadizadeh
Photographer: Steph Martynuik
EP: Tristan Tran
Producer: Kendra Stefankiewicz
Props: Dani Reynolds (Cadre Artists)
Digital Tech: Jeff Jamieson
Photo Assistant: Marc Santos
Printer: Blain Gummow; RR Donnelley, Dan Thompson; Italic Press
Media: PHD Media
Planning: Ellen Pereira, Felicia Pierskalla, Drew Himel, Patrick Reynolds
Activation: Mallory Thompson
Social: Kristen Li
MKTG Sports & Entertainment
MD: Dave Chong
VP, Consulting: Daniel Ehman
Consulting: Justin Firth, Gian Bajwa
Activations: Amy Van Kessel, Jennie Friedman, Kayley Cheung, Lida Qanun
Director, Strategy: Mike Burke
Production Partner: Defined Designs, Dwayne Virag
Account Management: Amanda Dornan, Sarah Reidlinger, Niki Sahni, Daniel Riggi, Kelly Brennan,
Sandra Stainton, Geraldine Sebastian, Simone Fernandes
Brand Narrative: Meredith Montgomery, Chenda McKissick, Kaitlyn Vian, Claire Tam, Tara Lush-Benson
Client: Laura Curtis Ferrera, Mike Tasevski, John Rocco, Katie O'Donovan, James Savage, Matthew Dicker, Kelsey Wolff, Nick Kalyn, Kaitlyn Keon, Diana Colley, Callie Carkner, Gabe Fleming, Doug Johnson,
Charlene Callaghan, Kelty Reid, Ashley Eaton, Arturo Montano Osorio, Ana Fonseca, Dillon Scheenaard,
Shefali Vyas, Maja Protuger