Plastic Mobile is giving a handful of U.S. startups a little taste of Canada.
Earlier this month, the Havas-owned mobile app agency sent out a starter pack of Canadian-themed items to 20 U.S. companies in an effort to attract attention for Canada’s tech industry.
The kits included what Plastic Mobile president and chief operating officer Melody Adhami called “iconic, unmistakably” Canadian goods such as Tim Hortons coffee beans, Coffee Crisp chocolate bars, Drake’s Views album and a framed photo of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
The effort was inspired by Americans who claim they’ll move to Canada if Donald Trump is elected President of the United States this fall – a theme that has also inspired marketing and recruitment efforts by Spotify and Sortable. While Canada is top-of-mind for Americans, Plastic Mobile is seizing the opportunity to give startups south of the border a sample of what Canada has to offer.
Adhami said the aim of the self-promo stunt was twofold: to increase awareness of both the Canadian tech industry at large and also Plastic Mobile’s offering. The kits were sent out to companies founded within the past three years that Plastic Mobile identified as either potential customers or companies that may be interested in doing business in Canada.
The direct mailer was focused on Chicago and New York, two of Toronto’s closest business hubs; and also cities where Plastic Mobile is growing its presence within Havas’ U.S. offices.
The gift pack may be blithe, but Adhami and Plastic Mobile are dead serious about boosting the profile of Toronto – and by extension, Canada – as a tech destination. The company sees the city as “Silicon Valley North” and Adhmai said branding it as such could benefit every tech company that operates there.
“No matter what, if the entire industry grows, every person in the industry and sector can benefit from it.”
