Setup
Canada’s historic legalization of cannabis saw the birth of a new market, with several marquee brands instantly entering the public consciousness. It was a wild west gold rush—companies scrambled to capture market share, while regulations surrounding cannabis advertising remained in constant flux.
This environment posed a serious challenge to every brand trying to carve out its identity. As Canada’s largest producer, Aurora Cannabis needed to cut through the noise to solidify its image as the industry’s leading name, satisfying a broad and rapidly growing investor base.
Strategy
Confidently step beyond the rest of the industry by appealing to mainstream sensibilities through family-friendly content. While other brands gambled with regulators and polarized audiences with risqué tactics, this campaign of surreal nature imagery stood out from the chaos to reach a national audience at its most impressionable daily moments. Billboards and posters accompanied commuters on their usual routes, and a pre-roll commercial captivated cinemagoers on big screens across Canada.
Out-of-Home Advertising
As legalization (10/17) approached, an ad war erupted on posters and billboards across major Canadian cities. Aurora maximized brand recognition by teasing passersby with the Brand Anthem’s imagery. The commercial’s iconic scenes were translated into still-frame ads, underscoring Aurora’s ubiquity and leadership within the industry.