This weekend I watched a documentary on Canada’s mission during D-Day. June 6, 1944, the Canadian 3rd Infantry Division stormed the heavily defended Juno Beach and overtook it.
The strategic timing of this invasion was awful as heavy winds and choppy water made many of the tactics, such as “floating tanks”, a disaster; yet they prevailed because of the shear volume of determined and brave men—who in some cases took on German positions almost single handedly. After watching this documentary I was even prouder to be a Canadian.
However, as a marketer, I see the promotion and momentum of Remembrance Day losing out. The number of poppies people wear, the depth and breadth of special television programs and events, and corporate involvement in general, are all on the decline in connection with November 11th.
Good marketing lives with corporations who have the budget and resources to put behind it. Yet, with this national occasion we leave it to the government to fill the void—and we all know how innovative and endearing government promotional efforts can be.
I think the brand of Remembrance Day should be a duel emotion. It should be of reflection (remembering the acts of our armed forces) but also bravery (celebrating the character Canada, helping to make Canada a great country to live in).
We should be seeing more!
More Tim Horton poppy icing donuts, more Canadian Tire ads depicting acts of bravery in our community, more Nike athletes pushing the envelop and going against the odds, more NHL players sacrificing their bodies by lying in front of Zdeno Chara slap shots, and more kids standing up against bullies and discrimination in P&G commercials.
Let’s wear the poppy with these two emotions, reflection and bravery, that unite us as Canadians. Hopefully it catches on and we see more and more character branding next year. It’s an opportunity worthwhile.
Have a great day!
– Braden