2023 Winner

CASE SUMMARY

Scotiabank has been a prominent sponsor and contributor to the hockey community for over 50 years. However, as the 2021 NHL season approached, the troubling issues of racism, homophobia, and exclusion in the sport became impossible to ignore. As one of the largest sponsors of hockey, Scotiabank decided to take a bold stand to promote diversity, inclusivity, and accessibility for all Canadians. Despite being the most diverse country in the world, hockey in Canada suffers from a severe lack of diversity and inclusion. For example, only 17% of recreational hockey players in Canada are female, and just 5.7% of NHL players identify as BIPOC. Moreover, 88% of Canadians believe that hockey is too expensive for everyone to play.

The lack of representation in hockey has resulted in discrimination against those who do not fit the traditional mold of a hockey player, which is often perceived as tough, white, and male. Scotiabank's strategy to address this issue was two-pronged: reduce the financial barriers to participation and challenge hockey's toxic culture. By providing financial support, more players would be able to access the sport. Tackling the cultural toxicity of hockey would also help more Canadians feel welcome to participate. One significant barrier for Canadians who are interested in hockey but don't feel welcome is a lack of self-identification within the game.

To address this issue, Scotiabank launched the "Hockey for All" campaign. The three words served as a rallying cry for inclusivity and accessibility in hockey. The campaign kicked off on the opening night of the 2021 NHL season with a powerful film that highlighted the hurtful words, comments, and insults experienced by hockey players, contrasting them with their achievements. Scotiabank also partnered with award-winning New York Times photojournalist Roy Baizan to capture powerful images of diversity in hockey, which were used across social media, in-arena media, and
in-branch signage.

Scotiabank extended the "Hockey for All" platform to Hockey Day in Canada, the most viewed hockey broadcast in the country, by transforming rinkboards in NHL and community rinks across Canada into spaces for Canadians to share their messages of support for inclusivity and acceptance. Canadians showed up in the thousands to share their messages on Twitter, turning a space typically reserved for logos into a platform for
inclusivity and acceptance.

The "Hockey for All" campaign had a significant impact, reaching 1-in-4 Canadians with its inclusive message. Over the 2021-2022 season, Scotiabank provided over $3 million in community funding to seventeen philanthropic organizations, supporting initiatives that ensure the future of hockey is more diverse, inclusive, and accessible. For example, more than 1200 young women attended five Scotiabank Girls HockeyFest events to learn on and
off-ice skills.

Hockey4Youth provided equipment to over 250 new Canadian youth to play hockey for the first time, and over 2500 pieces of equipment were donated to Indigenous communities through Project North.

In conclusion, Scotiabank's "Hockey for All" campaign aimed to promote inclusivity, accessibility, and diversity in hockey, tackling the toxic culture and financial barriers to participation. Through various initiatives and partnerships, the campaign made significant strides in making hockey more welcoming and inclusive
for all Canadians.

Credits

Chief Creative Officer: Aaron Starkman
Executive Creative Director: Mike Dubrick
Creative Director: Dhaval Bhatt
Creative Director, Head of Art: Joel Holtby
Creative Director: Natasha Michalowska, Frederick Nduna
ACD, Writer: Robbie Percy
ACD, Art Director: Caroline Friesen
Writer: Jackson Byrne
Art Director: Scott Johnson
Chief Strategy Officer: Sean McDonald
Strategy Director: Crystal Sales
Senior Strategist: Colin Kikcio
Director of Broadcast Production: Shelby Spigelman
Broadcast Producer: Chantel Brinkman, Anna Tricinci, Alex Butt
Production Company: Soft Citizen
Executive Producer: Rob Burns, Eva Preger, Link York
Director: Similar but Different
Director of photography: Chris Ripley
Line Producer: Kelly King
Offline Editorial: Nimiopere Film Editorial
Editor: Graham Chisholm
Assistant Editor: Bryan Reuben
Offline Producer: Julie Axell
Post Production House: The Vanity
VFX Artists: Kaelem Cahill, Noah Matikainen, Dave McGhie
VFX Producer: Katie Methot
Grading: Wade Odlum, Alter Ego
Audio House: Grayson Music
Producer (Audio House): Tyler Estwick
Creative Director & Composer (Audio House): Tyson Kuteyi
Engineer: Vlad Nikolic
Sound Design: Ben Swarbrick
Photographer: Roy Baizan
Agency Integrated Producer: Kate Spencer
Line Producer: AJ Edmonds
Group Account Director: Niki Sahni
Account Director: Daniel Riggi
Account Manager: Gib Hassan, Alex Rousom
Strategic Communications: Meredith Montgomery
Communications Manager: Sara Lemmermeyer

Client:
Laura Curtis-Ferrera, Chief Marketing Officer
John Rocco, Vice President, Marketing
Mike Tasevski, Vice President, Global Sponsorships
Lisa Ferkul, Director, Hockey Sponsorship
Nick Peragine, Senior Manager, Global Sponsorships
Doug Johnson, Senior Manager, Communications
Matthew Dicker, Manager. Global Sponsorships
Alex Chiarlitti, Assistant Manager. Global Sponsorships