The One Show
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Category
Current Event Response / Real-Time Reactive
Annual ID
OS26_PR034M
Background
On March 7, 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump reignited a trade war with Canada by doubling tariffs on steel and aluminum and threatening that more were coming. Within hours, Buy Canadian was trending nationwide. Canadian news outlets resurfaced 2018 trade war coverage. Social feeds lit up with maple emojis and patriotic pledges. It was not just noise. It signaled a real cultural shift. Eighty-four percent of Canadians said they were actively seeking out Canadian made goods, and most were willing to pay more for them.
Skip, a Canadian born food delivery brand from Winnipeg deeply woven into Canadian culture, saw an opportunity. In a category dominated by American tech giants, Skip had something no one else did: Canadian roots. This was the moment to remind people of that. Not through waving flags or empty slogans, but by turning rising national pride into real business impact.
Skip, a Canadian born food delivery brand from Winnipeg deeply woven into Canadian culture, saw an opportunity. In a category dominated by American tech giants, Skip had something no one else did: Canadian roots. This was the moment to remind people of that. Not through waving flags or empty slogans, but by turning rising national pride into real business impact.
Creative Idea
Skip flipped the frustration into a reward. If you spelled it the Canadian way, you got a deal. We turned Canadian spelling into a daily moment of pride and a daily incentive to order from Skip. A simple, social friendly mechanism that let Canadians wear their extra letters with pride while giving them real value.
Insights & Strategy
While most brands responded with predictable patriotism and generic ads, Skip did something fresher, faster, and more fun.
The insight came from a simple cultural truth. Every Canadian has had their spelling corrected for writing words like favourite, cheque, and neighbour. That red squiggly line is more than a typo. It is a reminder that our version of English is always seen as wrong. And in a week where Canadian exports were being punished for being too Canadian, that feeling hit a nerve.
The insight came from a simple cultural truth. Every Canadian has had their spelling corrected for writing words like favourite, cheque, and neighbour. That red squiggly line is more than a typo. It is a reminder that our version of English is always seen as wrong. And in a week where Canadian exports were being punished for being too Canadian, that feeling hit a nerve.
Execution
We launched Skip Spell Codes, a social first, real time activation that turned Canadian spelling into daily discounts. Each day Skip posted a new Canadian spelled word on Instagram Stories and TikTok, everything from colour to neighbourliness. That word became a one day only promo code worth up to 75 percent off. We also matched the discount amount to the rising tariffs announced by President Trump, increasing the reward as the tension escalated.
There was no paid media. No influencer push. No heavy production. Just a smart idea dropped daily on the platforms Canadians were already scrolling.
There was no paid media. No influencer push. No heavy production. Just a smart idea dropped daily on the platforms Canadians were already scrolling.
Results
The cultural traction was immediate. Canadians checked in daily to catch the latest code. Reddit threads popped up to guess the next word. And while the campaign was playful, the results were real. New customers surged by 15 percent, more than 50,000 promo codes were redeemed, and we generated 2.3 million organic impressions. Social engagement on Instagram and TikTok far exceeded benchmarks.
Most importantly, we made Canadians feel seen with just one extra letter.
Most importantly, we made Canadians feel seen with just one extra letter.
2026 Awards
Total Points: 3
Merit
Credits
Agency
Courage Inc. / Toronto
Client / Brand
Skip / Toronto
Art Director
Marina Khouzam
Group Creative Director
Cindy Marie Navarro
Hemal Dhanjee
Steve Ierullo
Editor
Adrian Ryan
Producer
Parker Wales
Veronica Coles
Social Media Manager
Avery Hoffman
Writer
Ethan Gans
Executive Strategy Director
Rami Dudin
Account Executive
Jordan McConnell
Account Supervisor
Emily Broad
Associate Director, Brand Promotions & Sponsorships
Bethany Skelton
Communications manager
Emma Bowers
Director Brand & Partnerships
Amy Gaertner
Founder + CCO
Dhaval Bhatt
Joel Holtby
Head of Creative, Brand & Content
Phil Sylver
Manager, Brand & Promotions
Alessia Budaci
Partner + CSO
Tom Kenny
Partner + Executive Producer
Clair Galea
Partner + President
Niki Sahni
Senior Editor + Motion Designer
Marcus Barrie
Vice President, Communications and Government Relations
Melanie Fatouros-Richardson
Vice President, Marketing
Rachel MacAdam
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