Project Type
Client-commissioned

Agency
Rethink

Client Name
Scotiabank

My Role in This Project
I grew up playing ice hockey as a child, so I know first-hand how the sport can build friendships, foster teamwork, and cultivate a community. But I also know what it's like to be specifically a female hockey player - being told you're not good enough to play with the boys, that "girls hockey" isn't real hockey, or I should stick to figure skating. And unfortunately, that's a reality that hasn't stopped since I was playing - and even worse, the game has marginalized and outcasted players and fans who, quite honestly, aren't white males. So instead of glossing over what hockey could be, the Hockey For All platform launch instead showed what the current state of hockey is - a sport that's currently sexist, homophobic, and racist, while highlighting that real players can overcome and succeed past the real hurtful things they've heard on and off the ice.

I helped conceptualize the brand platform Hockey For All, and interviewed NHL hockey players from PK Suban to Ethan Bear to understand their real life experiences of being a marginalized hockey player and brought those experiences to life in film with our directors Similar But Different. In the director search, it was a requirement to work with someone who is often underrepresented in the hockey community, whether they were BIPOC, female or 2SLGBTQ+, anything but a white male. Within the campaign, I designed the 'hockey for all' lockup and art directed the black and white photojournalism style which is now apart of the platform brand guidelines. I personally sourced our photographer Roy Baizan, a Chicano photojournalist, through deep diving photojournalism publications and social media, and worked closely with him to create a shot list and capture our portraits of the many faces of hockey today.

Project Description
Canada is the most diverse country in the world. But our national game? Not so much. Sadly, discrimination is a fact of life for anyone who doesn’t fit the traditional hockey mold. As one of hockey’s biggest sponsors, Scotiabank had a responsibility to change that. Scotiabank “hockey for all” campaign tackles discrimination in hockey head-on by highlighting real athletes who have overcome racism, sexism, and bigotry.

From household names like PK Subban to a peewee coach who was told that he should be coaching cricket, the film shines a spotlight on hockey’s culture of discrimination while celebrating the diversity that already exists within the game. The campaign launched on the opening night of the NHL season with a :60 second film that juxtaposed the real words, comments and insults experienced by hockey players with their extraordinary achievements. In print, acclaimed New York Times Chicano photojournalist Roy Baizan captured real moments showcasing diversity in hockey. These images took over arenas across the country.