Nothing defines Canadian identity more than winter. The harshness of winter brings out the best in people, and unifies the nation because Canadians don’t survive winter alone – they thrive in it together. This week, Canadian Tire in partnership with Tribal Worldwide – Toronto launched Shovel It Forward, a new social campaign driven by Canadian kindness that encourages and arms Canadians to shovel a neighbour’s snow.
Following a series of snowfalls that took place across the country this past week, Canadians in eight communities were surprised with a clear driveway and an iconic shovel left on their doorstep, engraved with instructions to pass it on by shovelling snow for someone else. Participants are also encouraged to visit ShovelItForward.ca where they can watch the campaign video, retrace where the shovels have been placed across Canada, read stories about neighbourly kindness, and see photos and sentiments that have been shared on social via #SHOVELITFORWARD.
“This program is rooted in the age-old practice of shovelling a neighbour’s driveway or sidewalk, simply because it’s the Canadian thing to do,” says Joshua Stein, executive creative director, Tribal Worldwide – Toronto. “No brand understands life in Canada better than Canadian Tire. Shovel It Forward is a great way for us to demonstrate this.”
Shovel It Forward launched with activations in Boucherville, QC; North Bay, ON; Corner Brook, NL; Leduc, AB; Yorkton, SK; Winnipeg St. Boniface, MB; Antigonish, NS and Fernie, BC. For the next four weeks, promoted video and photos will appear on Facebook and Twitter to amplify Shovel It Forward stories and drive to ShovelItForward.ca.
As a sign of solidarity and with hopes of growing the Shovel It Forward movement, Canadian Tire is also sending 20 of its branded shovels to the Greenfield, Wisconsin Fire Department, which recently responded to a cardiac call from an elderly man while shovelling his driveway. After taking the elderly man to the hospital, the fire fighters returned to the man’s home to finish the job.