An open letter to the marketing folks at The Hudson’s Bay Company

As someone who grew up shopping in your stores, I have come to think of Hudson's Bay as a Canadian Icon - a representative of our culture. Your iconic bags remind me of my aunt, who always gave us HBC gifts in the classic striped HBC bags. I registered for my wedding at your store - because where else would I go!

While you might not be Canadian owned anymore, The Bay still represents the heritage and people of Canada. Which is why I found it strange that you would choose two white celebrity influencers to represent your holiday campaign. Canada is not all white - it is a mosaic of cultures, ethnicities, and backgrounds. I have nothing but love and respect for the Bay, both its history and current business operations, but I couldn't help but be disappointed. As a company that encompasses so much Canadian history, you often fail to represent the true Canada.

With your money and influence, you could not only work with anyone you want, but you could make a huge difference in the lives of indigenous, black, and minority creators. If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that we need to be supporting those minority groups and making choices based on equal opportunity. One in every five Canadians is a person of colour, with 4.9% of Canadians being Idigenous (source). These numbers need to be celebrated, supported, and given a platform.

Don’t get me wrong - I LOVE Schitt's Creek and I love that it is a Canadian show. But as much as I love Catherine O'Hara and Annie Murphy, I love to see big businesses acknowledging the role they play in our society.

Canada’s small business creators could use some support right now. With the budget spent on your current campaign working with two creators, you have avoided the opportunity to work with a handful of equally talented minority groups.

Long story short - as much as I love the Bay (Can I call that? I feel like we’re close enough I can call you that), I would love to see you embrace the local culture and be a representative of Canada. Thank you for listening and continuing to represent our beautiful country.

Darian Kovacs is the president and founder of Jelly Marketing. With more than 15 years of experience, Darian is an active member of the local business community, as well as a board member of various foundations and charitable organizations. Through his award-winning company, Jelly Marketing, Darian has worked with various local, national, and global brands building and executing their digital & PR strategy.