Events

Canada's most memorable Twitter brand campaigns of 2020

By
Tuesday, 8 December 2020

If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve likely thrown your fair share of 2020 marketing plans out the window. Scrapped shoots, delayed launches, ever-shifting budgets, Zoom this, Zoom that. These challenges have really pushed marketers creatively, leading to some incredible work on Twitter from some of the biggest brands in Canada.

From epic watch parties to crucial campaign pivots, marketers brought all the feels and really got to the heart of what Twitter’s all about –— connecting with Canadians. 

These are our favourite campaigns and brands worth remembering from a year we’ll never forget.

Best campaign that made us feel connected

We could all use some love in these challenging times -- even plants! Wendy’s Canada (@WendysCanada) used this insight to tell Canadians about their farm-fresh ingredients in a memorable way. With the launch of #GrownWithLove, they asked followers to Tweet some encouraging words to their lettuce, which were then read out loud, helping them grow.

This post is unavailable
This post is unavailable.
This post is unavailable.

Best campaign connecting to culture

Tapping into one of the biggest gaming conversations on Twitter, #HellmannsIsland earned our pick for the best connection to culture. Partnering with Animal Crossing, Hellmann’s Canada (@HellmannsCanada) invited gamers to make real change by converting virtual food waste into real food for those in need. Every spoiled turnip dropped off in game resulted in a meal being donated to Second Harvest. The campaign succeeded in reinforcing Hellmann’s mission to help people waste less food while giving back to those in need.

This post is unavailable
This post is unavailable.
This post is unavailable.

The best campaign for driving positive change

This was a big year for brands, organizations and individuals to make positive contributions; a year that put a lot of pressure on the government and health agencies to step up. The Public Health Agency of Canada (@GovCanHealth) did just that with the launch of the COVID Alert app, our pick for the best campaign for driving positive change. They encouraged Canadians to stay safe and be aware of potential exposure to COVID-19. A custom emoji was then created to push people to download the app – literally helping to potentially save thousands of Canadian lives.

This post is unavailable
This post is unavailable.
This post is unavailable.

The best use of a brand’s voice

The best brands on Twitter use the platform to bring their unique personality to life. One brand has consistently done that through the ups and downs of 2020. Known for their fun and quirky tone, No Name (@NoNameBrands) provided some much-needed levity with this very helpful haircutting guide. They also created a fun background for video calls and live Tweeted NHL playoff games in classic No Name fashion.

This post is unavailable
This post is unavailable.
This post is unavailable.

The best pivot of a brand’s voice

For marketers across Canada and worldwide, 2020 has been a year of pivoting. Brands have had to react to real-time events and change their messaging to reflect what's happening in the world. There's no better place to do that than on Twitter. Tim Hortons (@TimHortons) is our choice for the best pivot of a Canadian brand voice in 2020. The iconic Canadian restaurant recognized the year we've all had and in response, decided to take a fun and light-hearted approach to their brand on Twitter. This Tweet sums up how we've all been feeling and this Twitter account kept us smiling.

This post is unavailable
This post is unavailable.
This post is unavailable.

The best brand use of Twitter in a unique way

Amazon Prime Video (@PrimeVideoCA) takes the prize for the brand with the best use of Twitter in a unique way. To promote their new series Utopia, the video streaming service took fans on a virtual scavenger hunt that blurred the lines between reality and fiction. Through a series of questions with statistics, images and videos, fans had to guess and vote on whether they thought it happened in the show or in real life.

This post is unavailable
This post is unavailable.
This post is unavailable.

The best launch campaign

Twitter is the best place to launch something new. It's where news breaks first and spreads. GMC Canada (@GMCcanada) took advantage of this with the Hummer EV reveal, the best launch campaign of 2020. To build excitement around the world’s first all-electric supertruck, GMC Canada prompted fans to like a promoted Tweet to get a reminder for the live unveiling. Thousands of Canadians then tuned in to the live-streamed spot on Twitter, driving more conversation around the new truck.

This post is unavailable
This post is unavailable.
This post is unavailable.

The best campaign that made missing out memorable

Let's face it, we've all missed out on many of our favourite things in 2020. It hasn't always been easy. As a result, brands like Disney (@DisneyStudiosCA) stepped up for Canadians in recent months, keeping us connected virtually even while we remained apart. Their release of Hamilton is our pick for the best campaign that made missing out memorable. With over two million Tweets on the first weekend of launch, the conversation around the original Broadway production was truly epic. Fans from around the world tuned in to the viewing party, which included the cast live Tweeting memories and behind-the-scenes stories. How to top all that? With a little Star Wars, of course. Disney came to Twitter to launch the second season of The Mandalorian with a Tweet to Remind and a branded like.

This post is unavailable
This post is unavailable.
This post is unavailable.

The best campaign in support of small business

Thousands of Canadian small businesses have faced immense challenges in 2020, as owners grappled with financial challenges and an uncertain future. AMEX Canada (@AmexCanada) wanted to do something to help, so they launched #ShopSmallStories. In a series of short videos and virtual pop-up shops, the big financial brand gave the spotlight to four small businesses and their owners. AMEX also turned their Twitter account over to each of them, giving them access to a massive audience.

This post is unavailable
This post is unavailable.
This post is unavailable.