On the surface, an awareness campaign might seem like a curious venture for the CBC, a venerated part of the Canadian cultural fabric that’s readily accessible by the vast majority of the population.
But executive director of marketing Maya Kane believes there’s a need for the public broadcaster to “reintroduce” itself to a new generation of consumers faced with a plethora of viewing and listening choices, as well as newcomers who might not have grown up with its services.
“I think every brand out there, but especially a historical brand like us, [needs to be aware] that there’s always a new generation coming in,” said Kane. “It’s such a different market out there right now. The content choices are so fragmented, and people’s awareness, attention, and time [is being divided].”
That’s the basis for “Get Curious,” a new campaign created by Juniper Park\TBWA under the “It’s a Canada Thing” brand platform introduced last year.
According to Kane, the platform has produced a lift in consumer perceptions of the brand as “modern and fresh” during its first year, as well as a boost in consideration of its services. “It did the exact thing we wanted it to do,” she said.
The campaign debuted late last month, and is running until March 5 across CBC’s owned and operated channels, as well as static and digital out-of-home in markets including Toronto and Vancouver.
The OOH component is focused on what it calls “dwell” moments (transit shelter ads, GO Transit, the TTC and Skytrain). Media for the campaign was handled by the CBC’s longtime partner, Initiative.
The campaign is intended to undo what Kane calls “some preconceived notions” about the CBC, particularly that it’s primarily a news organization, while at the same time elevating some of its entertainment content.
It’s led by a 60-second video that poses a series of questions—Do lonely people eat more? Do you really need to wait 30 minutes after eating before swimming?—and positions CBC’s broadcast and digital programming as a place that can provide answers. “When you get curious…you get CBC,” says the final voiceover.
The OOH ads feature more than 100 headlines set against the CBC’s revamped and ultra-colourful “exploding pizza” logo and all featuring a QR code that drives to related shows, such as the dramedy Virgins, the CBC Radio show The Block, and the documentary film Just Eat It. “This was our attempt to go down the rabbit hole and have people say, ‘Look what they have on [streaming platform] Gem, and their podcasts and their music offering,” said Kane.
“Helping pique Canadians' curiosity in order to unlock content they may be missing out on in everyday spaces and moments was the win for us,” said Juniper Park\TBWA’s executive creative director, Neil Walker-Wells. “The creative collaboration sessions with our client partners was a fantastic way to tackle the ask, then help develop a concept that had the flexibility and ability to engage people, as well as to encourage them to play with the CBC brand countrywide.”
The advertising is being supported by two mall activations, one at Sherway Gardens in Toronto and another at Vancouver’s Pacific Centre. The activations are built around interactive screens featuring a variety of “provocative” images representing various CBC programming categories. Interacting with those screens open up CBC entertainment titles, and visitors can create a personalized “curiosity playlist” accessible via a QR code, as well as a CBC Gem Premium promotion to engage with the playlist.
The awareness campaign arrives against a steady drumbeat of criticism of the CBC from the likes of opposition leader Pierre Poilievre, who has repeatedly called it a mouthpiece for the Trudeau Liberals, and has pledged to defund the public broadcaster if he becomes Prime Minister.
Kane, though, says that politics don’t figure into the broadcaster’s marketing plans, and that it remains resolutely focused on audience growth.
“For us it’s about working on the business, making sure we’re taking care of our audience and making sure the audience is aware of us, our programming, and our importance,” she said.
