Marketing News Roundup: June 15, 2022
Today we feature a round-up of some big events and recent industry happenings.
Which 90’s icon is turning 30? Crystal Pepsi is Back!
CORUS’ GRAZE Toronto Food festival Coming Fall 2023
Specsavers Celebrates Landmark 2,500th Store with New Surrey Location in Canada
TWITTER Originals Fueled by SO.DA’S #OLGGamePlan Announes New Guests
Read more below!
Which 90’s icon is turning 30? Crystal Pepsi is Back!
Crank up the Vengaboys “We Like to Party” and bust out your bucket hat because Crystal Pepsi is BACK!
Returning for an exclusive, limited-time run, the iconic cola is celebrating its 30th anniversary.
From Tamagotchis to Furbies, “Saved by the Bell” to “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” and scrunchies to bucket hats, 90’s trends have remained iconic through the years. The ’90s are making an epic comeback and few things are as beloved as the infamous clear-cola, Crystal Pepsi.
In response to major fan demand, Crystal Pepsi is returning exclusively to the Canadian market in 591 mL bottles at grocery and convenience stores nationwide starting this week.
To celebrate the anniversary, Pepsi Canada has also teamed up with two of Canada’s top TikTok Dance Creators, @basementgang & Quebec’s @citron_rosee to showcase their favourite 90’s dance moves.
Pepsi Canada wants to see Canadians jump on the nostalgia bandwagon and bust a move – either by duetting the Creator’s TikTok video or sharing their own favourite dance moves.
CORUS’ GRAZE Toronto Food festival Coming Fall 2023
Get ready for the ultimate culinary experience as Corus Entertainment Inc. announced the launch of its new food festival, GRAZE TORONTO. Coming to Corus Quay and Sugar Beach, Toronto in Fall 2023, GRAZE is a deliciously tempting food festival that will deliver an immersive culinary experience, transforming the way consumers think about food events.
GRAZE represents the definitive showcase for food and drink, bringing together people that share their love of exceptional cuisine, and immersing them in an indulgent experience where they can eat, cook, listen, learn and explore. Featuring local chefs and big names in the food scene, plus activations across music, art, kids, and more, GRAZE offers something for every member of the family.
“GRAZE is the food festival reimagined – offering not only gourmet flavours but innovative experiences, served up in a refined and inspiring setting,” said Dervla Kelly, SVP Marketing & so.da, Corus Entertainment. “What makes this festival unique is it’s all supported by the power of Corus and its marketing megaphone, allowing sponsors to participate in a premium event that connects directly with consumers, and gets attendees up close and personal with our brands.”
Developed by a talented team of event, festival and media experts GRAZE is produced by Corus in partnership with Eatertainment Events & Catering. Judy Merry, an industry veteran with over 20 years of experience planning and executing some of North America’s most successful festivals and tradeshows, serves as Executive Producer of GRAZE.
Sponsorship opportunities are available across six different levels of participation.
Additional details for the festival, including admission and activations, will be announced at a later date.
Specsavers Celebrates Landmark 2,500th Store with New Surrey Location in Canada
Multinational optical chain, Specsavers, is excited to announce the opening of its newest location in BC, Canada at Surrey Central City. And while they take pride in every new store and collaboration with local retail and optometry partners, it is an especially exciting moment to be able to share the celebration of their milestone 2,500th store in one of their Canadian locations.
Driven by their purpose of “changing lives through better sight,” Specsavers aims to become Canada’s market leader by 2024 – opening more than 200 clinics and optical stores across the country, serving patients and customers in both urban and rural communities from coast to coast. Since opening its first Canadian location in the fall of 2021, Specsavers has opened a total of 12 locations across BC.
Specsavers is proud to be celebrating this achievement in Canada alongside local owner and optometry partner Dr. Mannie Dhillon. All Specsavers clinics and optical stores are owned by local optometrists and opticians under a supportive franchise partnership model that empowers optometrists to prioritize the needs of their communities and deliver the best eye care possible.
Founded in the U.K. nearly 40 years ago by optometrist husband and wife team Doug and Mary Perkins, it was impossible to imagine the day when they would be celebrating 2,500 stores. Specsavers equips their optometrists and opticians with the latest imaging and clinical technology to provide comprehensive eye exams, which include an OCT (optical coherence tomography), a 3D eye scan. Available to all patients at no additional cost, the use of this technology has proven to have a measurable impact on the early detection of debilitating health conditions.
TWITTER Originals Fueled by SO.DA’S #OLGGamePlan Announes New Guests
#OLGGamePlan, the first-of-its-kind digital sports betting series developed through the award-winning Twitter Originals Fueled by so.da program, reveals special guests to wrap the season along with a look at the series’ astounding success. With seventeen episodes to date featuring some of the most influential athletes and voices in sports and entertainment, #OLGGamePlan, which has tracked over 70 million video views and counting, debuts its latest episode featuring Toronto rapper Smiley, and upcoming episodes with Canadian football coach Roberto “Bubba” Allen and AHL player Akil Thomas.
“When we designed the Twitter Originals Fueled by so.da program, our intent was to deliver clients a format with which they can create custom content and drive meaningful engagement with their customers, and #OLGGamePlan has done just that with over 185 million series impressions and counting,” said Dervla Kelly, Senior Vice President, Marketing & so.da, Corus Entertainment. “Alongside our partners at Twitter, MediaCom, and OLG, we’re thrilled to celebrate the success of this program and its ability to drive conversion and engagements at scale.”
Since it first launched in February 2022, #OLGGamePlan has garnered over 185 million impressions and over 70 million video views, which continue to increase with each new episode drop. Each episode has tracked a video view rate of 51% with an average 18% lift in the Game Plan conversation week over week on Twitter, and a total of 2.2 million engagements overall since it premiered.
Hosted by Ashley Docking and Brad Smith, #OLGGamePlan is a show developed for sports fans in Ontario who have experienced the highs of an NBA Championship and the lows of another Leafs playoff exit. Each week, #OLGGamePlan hosts Docking and Smith deliver digestible sports analysis to help fans make smart Proline picks on their favourite teams, games, and players. #OLGGamePlan also features weekly interviews with sports legends and luminaries, alongside interactive content that invites the viewer to be a part of the fun. Featured guests this season have included Joe Montana, Nat Spooner, James Cylbulski, Charles Oakley, Nate Burleson, Elias Theodorou, Anthony Stewart, Akil Augustine, and Marie-Philip Poulin. In the latest episode featuring Toronto rapper and OVO Sound recording artist Smiley, Docking and Smith discuss performing in Canada, the 2019 Toronto Raptors Championship, and the rapper’s experience watching his dream come true.
Brokered by Corus Entertainment, Twitter, and MediaCom with OLG, the extensive campaign features a number of cross-platform elements and deliverables including weekly three-minute Pro Picks episodes, episodic promos, host updates, evergreen social videos, long-form Pro Picks: Deep Dive moments, plus a full Twitter media plan with multiple weekly elements from polls to conversation cards. Watch full episodes and the new interview with Smiley at sportsshow.olg.ca and follow on Twitter @olg_ca and @olgproline.
Launched in 2018 Twitter Originals Fueled by so.da has executed 10 best-in-class programs with some of Canada’s leading brands including #PowerUp with Samsung Canada (winner of two Digiday Awards), #DestinationDishes with CIBC, #BestNightIn with Stella Artois, #ShopSmallStories with Amex Canada, and #KraftPBTV with Kraft Peanut Butter. The programs achieved massive reach and awareness, averaging over 50 million views per series, while driving lower funnel metrics for clients across the board.
Compiled by Emma Whiten, Editor of Marketing News Canada