2024 Winner
BronzeBest Integrated Campaign - Budget Over $250,000
BronzeBest in Retail and QSR
Boston Pizza
"Team Up for the Cup"
UM / Camp Jefferson
"Team Up for the Cup"
UM / Camp Jefferson
Inflationary pressures were having a significant negative impact on guest traffic among casual dining restaurants, a sector still grappling with the aftermath of pandemic-induced lows. According to Restaurants Canada, restaurant sales were expected to grow by a meagre 2.8% in 2024, following four consecutive years of declining sales and record business closures nationwide.
Boston Pizza, along with dozens of other restaurant competitors, saw the NHL Hockey playoffs window as a critical revenue opportunity to boost guest traffic and reverse declines.
The agency’s goal was to help Boston Pizza turn the tide, insert them into the cultural conversation of Canadian hockey fans during the 2024 Playoffs, and drive outsized restaurant sales.
However, simply shouting the loudest wasn’t the solution – Canadians already knew of Boston Pizza. To truly make an impact, the campaign needed to strike a chord and deeply resonate with the entire spectrum of hockey fans, from die-hards to casual supporters.
The research uncovered a complex web of fierce team rivalries, but also revealed a powerful common ground, leading to their foundational insight: Canadian hockey fans have been united in suffering for over 30 years. Die-hard and casual fans alike had similar stories of hope and heartbreak on repeat. What was it going to take to win?
The brand ethos of Boston Pizza is rooted in bringing people together. So, we made the bold move to showcase the tension between team loyalty (cheering for your local team) and national pride (cheering for a Canadian team with the best chance of winning in the playoffs).
The campaign posed a provocative question to fans who thrive on debate: Should fans set aside their rivalries and support another Canadian team if it means breaking the 30-year drought?
To ensure Boston Pizza’s provocative strategy was powered by the most robust, integrated media approach to drive impact, they designed their breakthrough “Team Up for the Cup” campaign to ignite, fuel, and amplify the conversation.
The agency executed across multiple channels – TV, radio, social media, PR, on-ground activations and high-impact OOH placements – ensuring maximum reach and engagement.
OOH teasers used cultural references and artifacts to highlight the long drought since Canada last won the cup, setting the stage for the campaign. Outreach to hockey influencers and sports personalities sparked initial debate in both media and cultural circles.
A “30 Years of Suffering” TV spot, narrated by Chris Cuthbert – the voice of hockey in Canada, showcased the heartbreak of Canadian playoff defeats and invited viewers to unite at Boston Pizza to support Canada’s teams. A dedicated microsite encouraged fans to pledge their support for all remaining Canadian teams in the playoffs, regardless of their personal team loyalties.
In partnership with Sportsnet, they launched the bold "Streeter Series" segment, probing fans outside arenas with the provocative question: Would you cheer for another Canadian team if yours was eliminated? Though many fans remained steadfast, others were open to the idea. This highly engaging content was amplified across social platforms, continuing to spark widespread discussion and snowballing conversation.
The brand embraced a fresh, bold and culturally disruptive strategy, choosing to highlight the national heartbreak of a 30-year Cup drought and asking fans to put aside their rivalries to support a collective Canadian win: “Team Up for the Cup”. Asking a fan to support a rival seemed an impossible task. Yet, by challenging this deeply entrenched mindset through a unique, carefully orchestrated media approach, Boston Pizza sparked a provocative national conversation that resonated far beyond the rink.
The first activation of its kind, the agency deployed real-time, dynamic messaging to unify fans. They leveraged OOH dynamic messaging triggered by real-time game outcomes. Each message was tailored to the specific team and market, allowing Boston Pizza to respond instantly to big wins with custom content.
When the Oilers advanced to the Playoff finals, they took it a step further by rallying Canadians nation-wide to support them as the “EH” team delivering real-time score updates through high-impact OOH.
A category & hockey first: Branded Rage Rooms. Recognizing the frustration that Canadian fans endure year after year, the brand introduced a groundbreaking concept, the Boston Pizza Rage Room.
They staged this unique experiential activation to provide fans a place to unleash their pent-up anger after another disappointing season. To amplify impact, the brand invited popular influencers like Steve Dangle and Dart Guy – die-hard Leafs fans – to blow off steam after their team’s first-round exit. The raw, emotional content was amplified across social platforms, creating a buzz that resonated
with fans nationwide.
The Boston Pizza campaign was a resounding success, disrupting the cultural landscape by uniting Canadians under a single banner: “Team Up for the Cup”. They sparked a nationwide debate, generated millions of earned impressions and engagements, and delivered huge business results, including outstanding lifts in sales and cheque size, outstripping industry performance.
The campaign drove a phenomenal 9% lift in sales during game times YoY. It delivered a same store sales increase of 4.5%, with a whopping 70% increase during game 7 and boosted average cheque size by 4% for the campaign period, despite inflationary pressures.
The campaign successfully inserted Boston Pizza into the cultural conversation and solidified our hold as the go-to sports bar of the Playoff season. It made headlines nationally resulting in 204M+ earned media impressions and social engagement levels 7X the benchmark (across CityNews, CTV, KISS 92.5, Vancouver Sun, CP24).
Boston Pizza, along with dozens of other restaurant competitors, saw the NHL Hockey playoffs window as a critical revenue opportunity to boost guest traffic and reverse declines.
The agency’s goal was to help Boston Pizza turn the tide, insert them into the cultural conversation of Canadian hockey fans during the 2024 Playoffs, and drive outsized restaurant sales.
However, simply shouting the loudest wasn’t the solution – Canadians already knew of Boston Pizza. To truly make an impact, the campaign needed to strike a chord and deeply resonate with the entire spectrum of hockey fans, from die-hards to casual supporters.
The research uncovered a complex web of fierce team rivalries, but also revealed a powerful common ground, leading to their foundational insight: Canadian hockey fans have been united in suffering for over 30 years. Die-hard and casual fans alike had similar stories of hope and heartbreak on repeat. What was it going to take to win?
The brand ethos of Boston Pizza is rooted in bringing people together. So, we made the bold move to showcase the tension between team loyalty (cheering for your local team) and national pride (cheering for a Canadian team with the best chance of winning in the playoffs).
The campaign posed a provocative question to fans who thrive on debate: Should fans set aside their rivalries and support another Canadian team if it means breaking the 30-year drought?
To ensure Boston Pizza’s provocative strategy was powered by the most robust, integrated media approach to drive impact, they designed their breakthrough “Team Up for the Cup” campaign to ignite, fuel, and amplify the conversation.
The agency executed across multiple channels – TV, radio, social media, PR, on-ground activations and high-impact OOH placements – ensuring maximum reach and engagement.
OOH teasers used cultural references and artifacts to highlight the long drought since Canada last won the cup, setting the stage for the campaign. Outreach to hockey influencers and sports personalities sparked initial debate in both media and cultural circles.
A “30 Years of Suffering” TV spot, narrated by Chris Cuthbert – the voice of hockey in Canada, showcased the heartbreak of Canadian playoff defeats and invited viewers to unite at Boston Pizza to support Canada’s teams. A dedicated microsite encouraged fans to pledge their support for all remaining Canadian teams in the playoffs, regardless of their personal team loyalties.
In partnership with Sportsnet, they launched the bold "Streeter Series" segment, probing fans outside arenas with the provocative question: Would you cheer for another Canadian team if yours was eliminated? Though many fans remained steadfast, others were open to the idea. This highly engaging content was amplified across social platforms, continuing to spark widespread discussion and snowballing conversation.
The brand embraced a fresh, bold and culturally disruptive strategy, choosing to highlight the national heartbreak of a 30-year Cup drought and asking fans to put aside their rivalries to support a collective Canadian win: “Team Up for the Cup”. Asking a fan to support a rival seemed an impossible task. Yet, by challenging this deeply entrenched mindset through a unique, carefully orchestrated media approach, Boston Pizza sparked a provocative national conversation that resonated far beyond the rink.
The first activation of its kind, the agency deployed real-time, dynamic messaging to unify fans. They leveraged OOH dynamic messaging triggered by real-time game outcomes. Each message was tailored to the specific team and market, allowing Boston Pizza to respond instantly to big wins with custom content.
When the Oilers advanced to the Playoff finals, they took it a step further by rallying Canadians nation-wide to support them as the “EH” team delivering real-time score updates through high-impact OOH.
A category & hockey first: Branded Rage Rooms. Recognizing the frustration that Canadian fans endure year after year, the brand introduced a groundbreaking concept, the Boston Pizza Rage Room.
They staged this unique experiential activation to provide fans a place to unleash their pent-up anger after another disappointing season. To amplify impact, the brand invited popular influencers like Steve Dangle and Dart Guy – die-hard Leafs fans – to blow off steam after their team’s first-round exit. The raw, emotional content was amplified across social platforms, creating a buzz that resonated
with fans nationwide.
The Boston Pizza campaign was a resounding success, disrupting the cultural landscape by uniting Canadians under a single banner: “Team Up for the Cup”. They sparked a nationwide debate, generated millions of earned impressions and engagements, and delivered huge business results, including outstanding lifts in sales and cheque size, outstripping industry performance.
The campaign drove a phenomenal 9% lift in sales during game times YoY. It delivered a same store sales increase of 4.5%, with a whopping 70% increase during game 7 and boosted average cheque size by 4% for the campaign period, despite inflationary pressures.
The campaign successfully inserted Boston Pizza into the cultural conversation and solidified our hold as the go-to sports bar of the Playoff season. It made headlines nationally resulting in 204M+ earned media impressions and social engagement levels 7X the benchmark (across CityNews, CTV, KISS 92.5, Vancouver Sun, CP24).
Credits
Boston Pizza:James Kawalecki, VP, Marketing
Niels van Oyen, Director of Marketing
Sean Megna, Marketing Manager (On-Premise)
Taylor Campbell, Associate Marketing Manager (On-Premise)
UM:
Nicole Beaulieu, EVP, Client Business Partner
Michelle Arksey, Senior Director, Connections Planning
Quinn Harris, Manager, Connections Planning
Emily Elliott, Connections Planner
Austen Wells, Senior Director, Integrated Investments
Joaquin Naval, Manager, Integrated Investments
Robert Fornasiero, Buyer, Integrated Investments
Camp Jefferson:
EVP, Managing Partner: Peter Bolt
SVP, General Manager: Edith Rosa
SVP, Director of Creative: Julie Nikolic
SVP, Director of Strategy: Ian Barr
Creative Director: Mike Blackmore
Creative Director: Chris Obergfell
Strategy Director: Joseph Elkouby
Integrated Production Director: Lily Tran
Account Director: Heather Mirynech
Associate Creative Director: Robyn Crummey
Associate Creative Director: Ashley Babcock
Associate Creative Director: Brendhan McCarthy
Account Supervisor: Kristina Figueira
Account Executive: Sierra Haddleton