Problem

Canadian Club was on the verge of irrelevance. The brand was declining for 20+ years, with an aging consumer base and no relevance among younger drinkers. When asked about it, the target audience (men 28-32) responded with: “Oh, I think my dad drank it.” Normally, this association would signal a brand’s demise.

Solution

Instead of fighting the “dad drink” perception, our campaign embraced it and made it aspirational:

• Consumer insight: Younger men were finally seeing their fathers in a new light—as once-cool guys just like them.

• Brand repositioning: The campaign reframed Canadian Club as classic, masculine, and sophisticated by showing how cool their dads once were.

• Authentic creative execution:

• Vintage photos of real dads were used to enhance credibility and minimize production costs.

• Interactive consumer participation: I concocted a second phase, allowing consumers to submit their own dad’s photos and headlines via social media, keeping the campaign fresh and participatory.

• Integrated campaign execution: I led an agency team to develop a media, digital, PR, and promotions strategy, ensuring the right messaging reached consumers in every touchpoint.

Result

• Sales turnaround within 2 months, ending a 20-year decline and even outpacing category leader Crown Royal.

• Major brand health gains:

• Unaided awareness +78%

• Purchase intent +39%

• “Brand I want to be seen with” +34%

• “Is masculine and sophisticated” +47%

• Industry recognition: The campaign won nearly every major industry award and generated significant media coverage.

Takeaway

Perceived brand baggage can become an asset if reframed correctly. Instead of running from its history, I helped Canadian Club embrace its past, making it aspirational rather than outdated—proving that with the right insight, even a “dad drink” can be cool again.