2024 Winner

CASE SUMMARY

An increasing number of Canadians, especially younger generations (18- to 34-year-olds), are now consuming their news almost exclusively through social media and free online platforms. This trend has been compounded by a prominent rise of misinformation and a subsequent lack of trust in more traditional Canadian news organizations, resulting in a steep drop in subscriptions to their affiliated local newspapers. This included The Toronto Star, an established, trusted, and recognizable presence in Canada. But while familiar to many, it lacked a distinct voice, and Canadians found it hard to outline the unique value The Toronto Star added to their lives, therefore choosing not to spend and subscribe.

They needed to reintroduce the Toronto Star to the people of Toronto and Canada and remind them that nobody reported on and investigated the city as it does.

Their goals were to increase overall subscriptions to The Toronto Star’s channel, reversing YoY downward trends and drive traffic to The Star’s digital properties, slowing down YoY declines.

The campaign brought back their most nostalgic and recognizable asset — the blue newspaper boxes that once lived on every street corner and revealed the truths the citizens of Toronto needed to know and couldn’t ignore.

They modified seven boxes into “Truth Boxes” to shine a light on current topics that resonated with Toronto citizens’ (and Canadians’) everyday lives: Gun Violence, Climate Change, Lack of Accessibility, Privacy Violations, Obesity Care, Economic Uncertainty, and Teen Vaping. Each box was shaped according to the topic it talked about, instantly attracting attention and interaction from Toronto citizens.

Scanning the QR code on each box took users to an article about a topic related to the modified box and connected to the location where it was placed. It also encouraged each person interacting with it to subscribe to the Toronto Star.

The boxes not only renewed interest in the Toronto Star but also successfully drove subscriptions, extending their role in younger consumers' lives and actively helping them to engage with their content.

By the end of the first month of the campaign, subscriptions spiked by more than 33% and month-on-month subscriptions steadily climbed following the campaign, leading to an overall rise of more than 40%.

The Star successfully overturned the steep decline in non-subscriber website traffic and saw asteady increase of more than 25%.

Credits

Creative Agency: Leo Burnett, Toronto
President: Ben Tarr
Co-Chief Creative Officer: Steve Persico
Co-Chief Creative Officer: Lisa Greenberg
Managing Director, Account Services: Natasha Dagenais
Chief Strategy Officer: Tahir Ahmad
Group Strategy Director: Pooja Beri
Group Account Director: Kirk Round
Account Supervisor: Sim Singh
Associate Creative Director/Copywriter: Appanna Chetranda
Associate Creative Director/Art Director: Natee Likitsuwankool
VP, Co Production Director: Melanie Palmer
Integrated Project Manager: Sama Karam

Production: Get Wrapped
Director, Product Management: Charlie Elliott
Owner: Niek Ermes

Studio: The Pub Productions
Executive Producer: Terry Theofilactidis
Photographer: Alex Chan

Production: Blue Noise
Managing Director: Scott Walker
Creative Director: Kendra Schumaker