A new national campaign from Scotiabank proposes that Canada actually has five seasons – spring, summer, winter, fall and hockey season.
Developed in partnership with its agency of record, Bensimon Byrne, elements of the integrated campaign called “The Fifth Season” includes TV, social, digital and print. Creative focuses on the values that hockey embodies such as hard work, teamwork, dedication and respect.
The 60-second launch spot, “Science Fair” features Kimmy, a young girl who creates a science fair project called “the fifth season.” When her teacher questions the assignment, she launches into an impassioned speech, detailing all the ways hockey is more than just a game.
According to Clinton Braganza, Scotiabank’s senior vice-president of marketing, research conducted by the bank revealed that 89% of Canadians are involved in hockey in some way, whether it be coaching a minor league team or simply watching televised NHL games. The primary goal of the campaign, he said, is to celebrate community hockey.
“When you’re dealing with Canada and hockey, it means so much to us as Canadians…you have to be real, and what you see in “Science Fair” is just reality reflected through the eyes of little Kimmy,” said Braganza.
“This entire program is about grassroots. And something that our research shows is that Canadians know Scotiabank supports at the community level, but we really have an opportunity to make sure, given all that we do, that we increase that awareness about our focus on community hockey,” he added.
Scotiabank sponsors more than 5,000 minor hockey teams and leagues across the country, is the official bank of the NHL, and has sponsorship agreements with all seven Canadian NHL franchises. The bank also signed a six-year sponsorship deal with Rogers, which gives Scotiabank naming rights for Wednesday Night Hockey, and makes it a presenting sponsor of Sunday Night Hockey and a sponsor of Hockey Night in Canada.
Scotiabank is also a presenting sponsor of the inaugural Rogers Hometown Hockey Tour, which offers Canadians in 25 communities across the country the opportunity to experience free outdoor hockey festivities, including an NHL game viewing party hosted by Ron MacLean. Scotiabank has created the Scotiabank Community Locker Room where fans can engage with the brand, hobnob with NHL alumni and post photos online using #The5thSeason.
The campaign launches Oct. 8 and will run throughout the 2014/2015 NHL season. PHD handled the media buy.
