Sports, Pop Stars, and the Smartest Canadian Ads This Week

DoorDash builds a movement. Skyscanner jumps on a lyric. Both lean into culture instead of chasing reach.

October 15, 2025

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This week, two Canadian campaigns hit in totally different ways, one planned, one reactive. Both reflect how powerful female-led storytelling and cultural connection are driving marketing forward in Canada right now.

Coming Up

DoorDash Canada — BRING IT IN

DoorDash didn’t just sign another league deal, they brought three of them together. The WNBA, the NSL, and the PWHL are now under one shared sponsorship platform, backed by a national campaign that also ties in local restaurants as official game-day partners.

It’s not just about women’s sports, it’s about building something bigger than a single team, and giving small businesses a way to be part of it. Restaurants can opt in to stream games, offer promos, and use official league branding, turning sports nights into something fans can experience locally.

Skyscanner – Saskatchewan DeTour

After Chappell Roan sang about moving to Saskatchewan, and then left Canada off her tour, Skyscanner jumped in. They threw up billboards near her California shows saying:

“Hey Chappell, if you were serious… find flight deals to Saskatchewan.”

No logo shouting for attention. Just clever, perfectly timed creative that turned a lyric into a destination. It’s a great reminder of how brands can earn attention not by leading the conversation, but by joining a fanbase that’s already talking.

The Bigger Play

One of these campaigns builds community over time. The other capitalizes on the moment. Both are strong examples of what happens when marketers lean into culture instead of chasing reach.

Which campaign is your favourite?

We will share the results on our LinkedIn!

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Community Spotlight: Marc Binkley on Bold Calls and Fast Moves

Marc Binkley is President of the Calgary Marketing Association. We asked him about bold brand moves, reactive campaigns, and what it really takes to connect with community.

What’s one bold decision you've seen a brand make that felt truly aligned with their purpose?
“This might be controversial and old, but Target choosing to leave Canada is one of the hardest, boldest, and best strategic choices ever made by a brand.

They had decades of success in the U.S. built on a clear promise — ‘expect more, pay less.’ But after three years of failing to live up to that promise in Canada, they shut it down. They lost billions, but stuck to their brand.

Ten years later, they’re still delivering on that promise, still building equity. That’s alignment.”

How are you seeing marketers balance speed with strategy in reactive work?
“There are lots of strong examples out there, but I’ve been especially impressed by campaigns from ReThink — like Molson’s See My Name and the Shohei Ohtani + Coors Light partnership. Any brand can react quickly, but reacting fast within the guardrails of corporate strategy takes serious upfront work.

If ‘going viral’ was the goal, marketing would be easy. But to make an impact at speed, you’ve got to do the slower, foundational work that aligns your marketing with your customers and the business opportunity.”

What advice would you give to marketers trying to connect with culture more meaningfully?
“I wish I had a great answer for this. My best advice is stolen straight from Gary Vee — care.

We have to care about what our community wants, what excites them, what their pain points are. It’s Marketing 101. If we care enough, we’ll understand them — and build the right targeting, positioning, products, and messaging to resonate.”

Marc and the CMA want to hear from you: Take the Calgary Marketing Association survey to share what’s shaping your work in 2025.

SNMA Webinar Calendar

Wednesday, October 15 | 10 AM MST/12PM EST
Building a Loved Brand in a Hated Industry
How do you build a brand in an industry people love to avoid? Insurely CMO Kate Brown breaks down what it takes to stand out in a low-trust category and how to win over skeptical customers with sharp positioning and unexpected creativity.

Friday, October 17 | 10 AM MST/12 PM EST
SNMA Interviews: Chad Hason on Brands That Actually Deliver
Mike Morrison sits down with Brand is a Verb author Chad Hason to explore why so many brands fall flat and what it really takes to build one that’s consistent, credible, and built to deliver.

Wednesday, October 22 | 10 AM MST/12PM EST
Bon Marketer, Bad Marketer: Why Responsible Marketing is Good for Business
What separates smart growth from short-sighted hustle? Cyberimpact’s Nihal Mandanna CP breaks down how marketers can build trust without sacrificing performance and why responsibility, compliance, and consent are becoming competitive advantages.

SocialNext Events Roundup

The countdown for SocialPacific is on! October 30 will be here before we know it and 400+ of our marketing friends will be together for a day of learning, networking and celebrating Canada’s marketing industry. There are only a few tickets left! Don’t wait to get yours.

SocialNext: Ottawa is officially on sale! Tailored for nonprofit and public sector marketers, this one-day event delivers focused, tactical sessions to help teams do more with less. Happening January 29, presale tickets are limited and save you $200.

And there is only more SocialNext news to come! Join the waitlist for SocialNext: Toronto happening April 9 and the 10th Anniversary of SocialWest in Calgary, May 28 & 29 for their 2026 installments!

Canadian Marketing & Business Weekly Brief

AI Chat Comes to Facebook and Instagram Ads — Ads on Facebook and Instagram just got conversational. Brands can now add AI-powered chat to ad units, opening up new ways to answer questions, handle objections, and convert, all inside the platform.

Loblaw Expands In-Store Retail Media — Hundreds of new digital screens are coming to Loblaw stores as part of a major retail media expansion with STRATACACHE. It’s a big play to win brand dollars at the shelf, and on the screen.

Canadian Tire Loyalty Breach Under Investigation — Trouble for Triangle Rewards: Canadian Tire is investigating a possible breach of customer data tied to its loyalty program. With Q4 ramping up, privacy risks are back in the spotlight.

Tourism Kamloops Wins National Award — A slow-travel campaign built around emotional storytelling just won national recognition. Tourism Kamloops is showing how regional brands can punch above their weight.

Marketing Through Economic Uncertainty — KPMG’s latest Business Outlook reveals that Canadian execs are bracing for a tougher quarter. Expect leaner budgets, higher performance pressure, and a renewed focus on marketing that proves its worth.

Data Sovereignty Enters the Martech Conversation — With OpenAI eyeing data centres in Canada, data location is no longer just IT’s problem. For marketers, compliance and trust now start with where your customer data actually lives.

Coinbase Cracks the System — In a bold new campaign, Coinbase doesn’t just sell crypto, it calls out the system. The message: traditional finance is broken, and it’s time to try something better. Challenger energy, executed with precision.

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Coast-to-Coast Job Postings

Have a great story or big news to share?
We’re always looking for fresh campaigns, smart strategies, and standout wins from Canada’s marketing community. Send us your news at [email protected] and you could be featured in an upcoming edition.

Thanks for reading and being a part of the MNC community!

We’re so happy you’re here.

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