17428: Celebrating Easter Monday.

From Toronto, Canada, a vintage advertisement celebrating Easter at Aunt Jemima’s Kitchen.

17367: BHM 2026—Canada.

As mentioned in a previous post, Canada celebrates Black History Month in February too.

 

The Canadian 2026 BHM theme reads, “30 Years of Black History Month: Honouring Black Brilliance Across Generations—From Nation Builders to Tomorrow’s Visionaries.”

 

Explore more at the Government of Canada website, which includes a digital toolkit to help promote BHM content and activities.

17365: BHM 2026—Book Club Toronto.

 

Book Club Toronto presents Black Influence In Advertising: Black History Month on February 26, 2026, at Sheeep Studio in Toronto, Ontario.

 

Incidentally, Canada also celebrates Black History Month in February. The 2026 BHM theme in Canada reads, “30 Years of Black History Month: Honouring Black Brilliance Across Generations—From Nation Builders to Tomorrow’s Visionaries.”

 

According to the Government of Canada website: “The theme celebrates three decades of Black History Month in Canada by highlighting the enduring contributions of Black Canadians across time. It acknowledges the foundational role of nation builders—those who fought for civil rights, advanced social justice, and shaped Canada’s cultural and political landscape. At the same time, it looks forward to tomorrow’s visionaries, the emerging leaders, innovators, and changemakers who are redefining excellence in every field.”

17149: TD Bank Campaign Doesn’t Cut It.

 

This TD Bank campaign from Ogilvy Canada demonstrates how White advertising agencies engage in blatant lies and deception under the guise of creative cleverness.

 

For starters, the images underscore the concept only “works” under precise and ideal conditions; that is, most humans will never clearly see and/or grasp the meaning. The campaign looks great for scammy awards entries but constitutes environmental clutter and wasted media placement.

 

The thinking behind the campaign (excerpted below) boasts how the responsible creative team worked around legal requirements. Indeed, the fine print seems fake too, as most financial investment messages require deep disclaimers.

 

In short, the TD Bank campaign is a waste of money—it constitutes a bad investment.

 

In a market first, TD Bank introduced Fractional Shares and needed to show novice investors that they could own a fraction of the biggest and best stocks in the world. The problem? We weren’t allowed to legally show the iconic brands people could invest in. If we did, we could face major lawsuits from the heavily copyrighted logos.

 

Knowing we couldn’t print other brand logos on our ads, we found a loophole that avoided trademark infringement and outsmarted the lawyers. We laser cut a window on each of our custom ads, then strategically placed them where the iconic brand logos already existed — storefronts and offices.

 

Since each logo was at a different height in its natural environment, each placement had to be positioned at the precise angle and distance. And because we were promoting Fractional Shares, we had to ensure every window would only display a fraction of the brand’s logo. Each ad took people to the TD Direct investing page.

 

Where most would see barriers, we saw a window of opportunity to playfully promote our product with a younger audience.

 

16805: Indirect And Incomplete Inspection On Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

 

Okay, it’s technically not commemorating Indigenous Peoples’ Day, but Ray Agency in Newfoundland and Labrador explains this Assiniboine College campaign as follows:

 

‘Be Known’ is the first campaign developed in partnership between Ray and Manitoba’s Assiniboine College. The campaign highlights how the things we do and the choices we make in our lives leave an imprint on our communities and the world we live in.

 

Our early research and discovery work made it clear that students choose Assiniboine for a wide variety of reasons from small class sizes to focused career-oriented education and direct pathways to employment. But above all, students shared a resounding sense of connection and visibility among their peers, their faculty, and their potential employers at Assiniboine.

 

It’s this sense of being known and appreciated for who you are that resonates with our target audience. That they can learn and grow in an environment that encourages self-discovery through trial and error and hands-on learning is uncommon in larger, more impersonal post-secondary institutions. It’s not about more “rah rah student empowerment”, but instead a true journey of self-discovery and personal growth along the paths of life that we choose to travel.

 

The role that Assiniboine College plays in the province of Manitoba, and in the communities it works with, demands that we strive to hear and reflect the Indigenous experience in the work. Reconciliation is part of Assiniboine’s path to follow, and the campaign honours that.

 

Hmmm. Not sure how the campaign concept reflects the Indigenous experience. “What’s Indigenous about it?”—to use an inquiry common in multicultural marketing.

 

Can’t help but wonder if any Indigenous people—particularly from the Assiniboine community—were among Ray Agency staffers behind the work.

 

It also appears the advertisements were created with Canadian crumbs.

 

There’s much that will not Be Known about the campaign.

 

 

16636: Oh! Ah! Meh.

This Ottawa Tourism campaign from Rethink in Canada should be sent on a trip—to the nearest trash dumpster.

16562: BHM 2024—DESTA.

 

Montreal-based Black Community Network DESTA teamed with Global Health and Wellness Advertising Agency TANK Worldwide to create Speechlist—touted as a Black History Month initiative.

 

There’s something odd about the endeavor, beyond being among very, very few BHM campaigns ever posted at Ads of the World—and soon to be totally eclipsed by International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month hype.

 

DESTA clearly articulates its mission and goals; plus, team members are listed by name and bios.

 

TANK Worldwide is fuzzily tied to WPP and White advertising agency Grey; plus, leadership and staff are hidden from view at the corporate website.

 

Can’t help but think TANK viewed Speechlist as a checklist item—that is, the work represents performative, box-checking propaganda.

 

16251: Stagwell Not Doing So Well…

Campaign reported White holding company Stagwell posted a Q1 revenue decline, prompting the termination of 300 employees. Buried in the story was a mention of Dyversity Communications—labeled Canada’s leading multicultural agency—which Stagwell acquired in 2022. The firm specializes in targeting Chinese, South Asian, Filipino, Korean, Portuguese, and Spanish audiences. In short, Stagwell dumped 300 bodies but will still boast a boost in its DE&I numbers.

 

Stagwell cuts 300 staffers as client spend slows, leading to Q1 revenue decline

 

By Sabrina Sanchez

 

The holding company attributed the decline to comparisons with above average results in 2022 and slowing client spend amid a workforce restructuring.

 

In contrast with the rosy outlook from other holding companies’ Q1 reports, Stagwell posted a revenue decline in Q1 as its clients slowed spending, leading the holding company to restructure its workforce.

 

On Tuesday, the holding company shared with investors that it generated $622 million in revenue in Q1, a decline of 3% year over year. First quarter net revenue, excluding costs, represented $522 million, a decrease of 1% versus the prior year.

 

Organic net revenue also declined by 3% year over year, driven by a slowdown in client spending and a reduced new business pipeline. A “cyclical decline” in the company’s advocacy marketing business led to a 9% decline in organic net revenue in digital transformation, its most profitable business unit.

 

As a result of the lackluster performance, Stagwell eliminated more than 300 roles in the first quarter, which “will generate approximately $25 million in annualized savings,” according to chief financial officer Frank Lenuto. It expects to eliminate more roles in Q2 to generate an additional $20 million in savings, CEO Mark Penn confirmed.

 

Stagwell will also continue to monitor general administrative expenses, which increased by $15 million, or 18% year over year. This increase was driven in part by eight acquisitions, which represented $6.2 million dollars in costs, or 41% of the overall increase. Business travel and higher travel and accommodation expenses also contributed to rising expenses, accounting for $3.3 million or 22% of costs.

 

According to Penn, Stagwell has been and will continue to hire in digital transformation roles. Redundancies will be evaluated based on account losses throughout the company versus making cuts to specific departments, he told Campaign US in an interview after the earnings call.

 

Stagwell will continue to consider acquisition targets.

 

“What we're really seeing is that in digital transformation, there were a lot of pullbacks, but both the combination of new business and tech companies coming back into focus should return that to normal growth,” Penn said.

 

Despite the slowdown, the results are consistent with the holding company’s “budgeted expectations that the first half of 2023 would have lighter growth,” said Lanuto.

 

In response to investors’ concerns about the decline in digital transformation, Stagwell CEO Penn characterized it as a “blip,” which he expects will be corrected in Q2 and onward.

 

Meanwhile, Stagwell’s performance media and research business grew 5% organically, while organic net revenue from the creativity and communication segment, which includes agencies such as Allison + Partners and Dyversity Communications, declined 3%. Consumer insights and strategy grew 1%, compared to 56% growth in the prior year.

 

Penn emphasized that when looking at business performance of the creativity and communications segment over the past two years, organic growth clocks in at 6%. Organic net revenue growth for the company is at 21% over two years.

 

Investments continue

 

As Stagwell continues to navigate the economic downturn, it has restructured its business and plans to invest in new capabilities that will position it for success in the future.

 

For instance, it combined its health companies in February under one brand, ConcentricLife, in an effort to “give them greater scale and efficiency,” Penn said in his prepared remarks on the earnings call. It also acquired Huskies in April, a digital creative marketing company in Ireland, to strengthen its European offering.

 

More recently, Stagwell also combined several smaller agencies under the struggling Crispin Porter Bogusky brand, led by Brad Simms and Maggie Malek. According to Penn, CP+B has already started pitching larger clients as a result.

 

Stagwell has also been investing in its “Stagwell Marketing Cloud” group, which plays in software and advanced media platforms. Software services represent approximately $65 million of net revenue and is expected to grow more than 30% this year, Penn said. Advanced media platforms represent about $170 million in net revenue and is expected to grow 12%.

 

Stagwell expects to invest up to $20 million this year in cloud development as it expands the capabilities of its media products. It will make those services available to clients later this year.

 

Like other holding companies, Stagwell also plans to deploy AI tools across all of its agencies, which Penn said will enhance efficiency. Specifically, it will ramp up investments in its augmented reality stadium experience, ARound, which has been deployed to four major stadiums across three sports leagues. It will also invest in The Harris Grand Terminal, which is used by more than 120 clients, and PR-focused generative AI product Prophet.

 

Prophet recently partnered with LexisNexis to expand its journalist and content database. Stagwell agency Code + Theory also partnered with Oracle to develop generative AI apps across verticals.

15999: Marketing Microaggressions.

 

The Canadian Congress on Inclusive Diversity & Workplace Equity launched The Micropedia of Microaggressions, an encyclopedic collection of microaggressions categorized by race, ethnicity, gender, religion, etc.

 

To fully experience it all, visit TheMicropedia.org—or land a job at any White advertising agency in North America or the UK.

 

Hell, the White advertising agency that worked on the project probably compiled the list by recording daily conversations in its own hallways.

 

15645: Wondering About The Faces Behind Patronizing Propaganda.

 

This Canadian campaign appears to be advocating for undocumented residents. Gee, how many undocumented residents—or even citizens of color—are employed by the shop behind the propaganda? At first blush, it looks like a standard White advertising agency with White men and White women running the show…

15480: Shit In A Bottle.

 

If the advertiser paid for this Canadian campaign, they should be madd.

 

15251: BMOh Canada! FCB Hits Tone Deaf Note…

 

FCB in Canada created a digital experience for BMO featuring the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. The gif above is not exactly the most inclusive celebration…

15228: Fucked-Up Canucks Welcome On Board…

This campaign from Quebec encourages drunks and druggies to take buses and cabs, respectively. Gee, how nice for commuters and cabbies.

14879: Circle K Campaign Concept Convenient Crap.

Is Circle K targeting White trash? Actually, this campaign should have been trashed in the concept stage.

14808: Patronizing Halloween Party Gear, Exclusively From BBDO.

BBDO in Canada is responsible for this Halloween stunt. Not available in the collection—Indigenous Advertising Executive.

14554: Calling Out Canadian Cultural Cluelessness.

This Farnham Ale & Lager campaign from lg2 in Canada is insulting on sexist and social levels, shaming people into drinking to excess. The lack of lg2 diversity will drive you to drink too.

14428: Tea-Bagging With JWT Canada.

The JWT Canada holiday promotion—JWTea—is outdated now that the White advertising agency is Wunderman Thompson. Guess the former JWT Canucks got tea-bagged by WPP CEO Mark Read. Merry Merger!

14338: Nailed It. Not.

The Canadian creative team responsible for this nail fungus campaign deserves a foot in the ass.