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Truth Boxes
Agency Leo Burnett / Toronto + The Pub Productions / Toronto + Get Wrapped / Toronto + Blue Noise / Toronto
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Category
Promotional / Physical Items
Annual ID
OS24_DE090M
About the Work
An increasing number of Canadians, especially younger generations (18 to 34-year-olds), are now consuming their news almost exclusively through social media and free online platforms. Compounded by a rise of misinformation and lack of trust in more traditional Canadian news organizations, this has resulted in a steep drop in subscriptions to local newspapers, including the Toronto Star, an established, trusted, and recognizable presence in Canada.
We needed to reintroduce the Toronto Star to the people of Toronto, and Canada, and remind them that nobody reported on and investigated the city like it does. Our goals were to:
1. Increase overall subscriptions to The Toronto Star’s channel
2. Drive traffic to The Star’s digital properties
We brought back our most nostalgic and recognizable asset — the blue newspaper boxes that once lived on every street corner and revealed the truths Toronto’s citizens needed to know and couldn’t ignore.
We modified seven boxes into “Truth Boxes”, shining a light on current topics that resonated with Toronto citizens’ (and Canadians’) everyday lives: Gun Violence, Climate Change, Lack of Accessibility, Privacy Violations, Obesity Care, Economic Uncertainty, and Teen Vaping. Shaped according to the topic it talked about, and placed in a location relevant to the topic, they instantly attracted attention and interaction from Toronto citizens.
Scanning the QR code on each box took users to the article and topic it represented and encouraged people to subscribe to the Toronto Star.
The boxes renewed interest in the Toronto Star, successfully drove subscriptions, extended their role in younger consumers' lives and actively helped them to engage with our content.
- By the end of the first month, subscriptions spiked +33%.
- Month-on-Month subscriptions climbed following the campaign +40%.
- The Star successfully overturned the steep decline in non-subscriber website traffic and saw a steady increase of +25%.
We needed to reintroduce the Toronto Star to the people of Toronto, and Canada, and remind them that nobody reported on and investigated the city like it does. Our goals were to:
1. Increase overall subscriptions to The Toronto Star’s channel
2. Drive traffic to The Star’s digital properties
We brought back our most nostalgic and recognizable asset — the blue newspaper boxes that once lived on every street corner and revealed the truths Toronto’s citizens needed to know and couldn’t ignore.
We modified seven boxes into “Truth Boxes”, shining a light on current topics that resonated with Toronto citizens’ (and Canadians’) everyday lives: Gun Violence, Climate Change, Lack of Accessibility, Privacy Violations, Obesity Care, Economic Uncertainty, and Teen Vaping. Shaped according to the topic it talked about, and placed in a location relevant to the topic, they instantly attracted attention and interaction from Toronto citizens.
Scanning the QR code on each box took users to the article and topic it represented and encouraged people to subscribe to the Toronto Star.
The boxes renewed interest in the Toronto Star, successfully drove subscriptions, extended their role in younger consumers' lives and actively helped them to engage with our content.
- By the end of the first month, subscriptions spiked +33%.
- Month-on-Month subscriptions climbed following the campaign +40%.
- The Star successfully overturned the steep decline in non-subscriber website traffic and saw a steady increase of +25%.
2024 Awards
Total Points: 3
Merit
Credits
Agency
Leo Burnett / Toronto
Production Company
The Pub Productions / Toronto
Get Wrapped / Toronto
Blue Noise / Toronto, ON
Chief Strategy Officer
Tahir Ahmad
Creative Director
Kendra Schumaker
Executive Producer
Terry Theofilactidis
Photographer
Alex Chan
Associate Creative Director / Art Director
Natee Likitsuwankool
Associate Creative Director / Copywriter
Appanna Chetranda
Co-Chief Creative Officer
Steve Persico
Lisa Greenberg
Group Strategy Director
Pooja Beri
Account Supervisor
Sim Singh
Director, Product Management
Charlie Elliott
Group Account Director
Kirk Round
Integrated Project Manager
Sama Karam
Managing Director
Scott Walker
Managing Director, Account Services
Natasha Dagenais
Owner
Niek Ermes
President
Ben Tarr
VP, Co-Production Director
Melanie Palmer
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