Canadian Tire’s advertisement “Wheels” was created for the Rio Olympic Games and continued through the Paralympic Games to promote Canadian Tire’s sponsorship of both the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic teams. The ad is filled with a heart warming message that promotes inclusivity and raises awareness on disabilities.
DIVERGE spoke to Eva Salem, the Vice President of Marketing at Canadian Tire to find out more:
Did you work with an ad agency for this ad? If so which one?
Cleansheet Communications
Who came up with the concept of this ad?
Neil McOstrich, Cleansheet’s co-founder and Chief Storyteller, and Associate Creative Director Scott Shymko. This ad was one of three in a series of commercials for the 2016 “We All Play for Canada” ad campaign to celebrate the Rio Olympic and Paralympic Games.
What kind of response have you gotten from this ad?
The response to the commercial has been extremely positive. When it aired Canadian Tire’s social media channels were filled with shares and positive, emotional comments. The quantity and quality of the responses illustrated that, more than anything, we had touched the hearts of Canadians from coast-to-coast.
Wheels Results (Facebook, EN only)
Reach: 1.8M
870k video views
23k likes
1.2k comments
Shares: 6k
How long has it been released?
The “Wheels” ad premiered during the Rio Olympic Games and continued through the Paralympic Games to promote Canadian Tire’s sponsorship of both the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic teams.
Why is it important to include disabilities when talking about diversity?
Including disabilities in a conversation about diversity allows us to showcase and celebrate a broader and therefore more accurate scope of people’s differences. “We All Play for Canada” is more than a campaign slogan; it is a call to action for all Canadians, including those with disabilities.
What is the goal of this campaign?
The first goal of this campaign was to show how easy it can be to break down barriers. Although adults often lose sight of this, children maintain the innate imagination to see beyond barriers. While an adult might say “that boy can’t play basketball because he is in a wheelchair”, in the creative world of a child, the answer is simple: change the game so everyone can participate. In the ad, the kids not only accommodated the child in the wheelchair, but found a way to make the game more fun for themselves, too.
The second goal of the campaign was to accomplish the first with credibility and respect. To achieve this, we consulted with the Canadian Paralympic Committee, Rick Hansen and Wheelchair sporting organizations during the development process to ensure the commercial message accurately portrayed those living with disabilities.
Why are the Paralympics such an important event?
The Paralympics provide a stage for the best para-athletes in the world to showcase their skills. The Games represent an excellent opportunity to promote and educate Canadians on parasport, and build a strong fan base to support the next generation of para-athletes.
Why is your partnership with the Canadian Paralympic Committee significant for this ad?
Canadian Tire believes in the power of sport to bring communities together and unite a nation, and understands the importance of supporting all Canadians from Playground to Podium – including athletes with a disability. The “Wheels” ad showcases the unique barriers to sport facing children with disabilities, and how a little bit of planning can help remove these barriers, giving all kids an opportunity to play.
