About the client: CIBC, a major Canadian bank, came to us with a request to raise awareness about Canadian Depositary Receipts (CDRs), a retail investment product.
About the product: CDRs offer investors an opportunity to own a piece of large global brands in Canadian dollars for a fraction of the price of a full share.
About the audience: CIBC wanted to reach Canadian DIY investors looking to more easily diversify their portfolios with global stocks.
We had developed a concept for a video targeted at DIY investors that clearly spoke to the value CDRs would provide. We were confident. It was solid. It was locked.
But a day before we were set to present, tariff talks hit a fever pitch. Elbows were up and “Canadian-made” had become a rallying cry. We needed to pivot toward the groundswell of national unity and pride.
It was time to tell a different story: CIBC’s CDRs were “Made for Canadians, by Canadians.”
In reimagining our creative platform, quintessentially Canadian scenes came flooding in: canoeing on pristine lakes, skating on frozen ponds and tapping maple trees for sap.
As we immersed ourselves in the imagery, an insight appeared: Canadians are the ultimate DIYers. We make our own rinks. We make our own syrup. And when it comes to investment products, we make our own version of global investment.
The clients were nodding by the first slide. The concept resonated perfectly with the product and the cultural moment. They were in.
The results surpassed everyone’s expectations.
The Made For Canadians video had nearly 200K views within 11 days of launching.
Engagement was strong across both flights of paid ads:
