Canadian Tire is set to launch a new national marketing campaign on Saturday that positions the retailer as a place that can help prepare consumers for life in Canada.
The effort was eight months in the making, starting with rounds of both qualitative and quantitative customer research, said Rob Shields, senior vice-president of marketing.
“This was really about ‘what does the customer think about us in terms of their attitudes, about our brand, our position in the marketplace?'” he said.
Research revealed a consumer belief that everyday life here in Canada revolves around weather and preparing for the different seasons – raking the leaves, fixing the lawn or fun activities such as camping, bike riding, or swimming. Canadian Tire is positioning its product selection as ideal to help fulfill those jobs and joys, said Shields.
The multi-platform campaign from creative agency Taxi includes television, print, digital boards and out-of-home that use the new “Bring it on Canada” tag line.
A 60-second brand spot, which will run for a month, is a series of images of people partaking in seasonal activities like playing hockey and barbequing. The male voiceover says, “There’s a reason we Canadians are the way we are. We live in a vast country made up of four seasons, each with it’s own tough jobs… Who else would rake up a six-foot pile of leaves just so the kids can jump in it? Or shovel a backyard full of snow just so the family can skate on it?”
In April, Canadian Tire will launch a section on its website where consumers can share their tips and tricks for getting through life in Canada. A series of 15-second product-focused ads will also run from April to June.
Mediacom handled the buy.
