Marketing News Round-Up: April 12, 2022

Today we feature a round-up of some big events and recent industry happenings.

• CBC celebrates 10 more years of Olympic Coverage
• Clutch Pokes Fun at Traditional Dealerships in New Brand Campaign
• Rick Neuman joins AIR MILES as Chief Technology Officer Read more below!

CBC celebrates 10 more years of Olympic Coverage

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) and Radio-Canada announced that it has renewed the broadcasting rights to the Olympic Games for the next 10 years.

CBC and Radio-Canada has long been Canada’s Olympic broadcaster, putting on a best-in-class viewing experience for Canadians driven by extensive coverage, deep storytelling, and innovative production. At Tokyo 2020 and Beijing 2022, the CBC, Radio-Canada and its broadcast partners covered hundreds of hours of competition, both live on television and through an expanded multi-platform experience, all of which helped immerse Canadians in the magic of the Games.

“We are thrilled that the CBC and Radio-Canada are going to be continuing their long tradition of being Canada’s official Olympic broadcaster until 2032,” says David Shoemaker, CEO and Secretary-General of the Canadian Olympic Committee. “Most recently, CBC and Radio Canada’s incredible work at both Tokyo 2020 and Beijing 2022 helped inspire our nation and bring Canadians together during an incredibly difficult time. We look forward to working with them to bring the excitement, action, and personal stories that make the Olympic Games so unique to all Canadians for the next decade.”

This announcement solidifies CBC’s commitment to world-class coverage of amateur sports and reflects the continued and growing importance of Team Canada and the Olympic Movement for Canadians. The renewal agreement will make CBC the official Canadian broadcaster of Paris 2024, Milano Cortina 2026, and Los Angeles 2028, through to Brisbane 2032.

Clutch Pokes Fun at Traditional Dealerships in New Brand Campaign

Canada’s first and fastest-growing online car retailer, Clutch, has launched its new brand campaign that pokes fun at the many downfalls of the traditional used car dealership experience while showing Canadians that there is now a better way to buy a used car. The face of the campaign is none other than the iconic wacky waving inflatable tube man—a character beloved by dealership lots everywhere.

The brand campaign is the first done in partnership with Performance Art—Clutch’s creative agency–and is set to run across a mix of broadcast, digital and social platforms.

“For our first brand campaign, we wanted to stay true to Clutch’s founding story. Clutch was born out of our founders' frustrating car-buying experience, and we know so many Canadians have experienced the same thing. As Clutch ushers in a new era for automotive retail with a vastly improved solution to buying and selling cars, we wanted to say goodbye to these hot air hucksters and all they represent”, says Kristen Skelly, Director of Brand at Clutch. “We’re thrilled to be working with the incredible team at Performance Art, who brought our vision to life with their strategic and creative ideas.”

A car is the second biggest purchase that most people will make in their life, yet a recent survey conducted by Clutch revealed that 76 percent of Canadian car shoppers stated they would prefer to spend less time visiting dealerships to find the right car. Clutch was designed with a customer-first approach by prioritizing quality, transparency and convenience, and giving customers a car-shopping experience that leaves them feeling confident and excited about their big purchase.

“Inflatable tube men are an instantly recognizable symbol of the used car dealership, and in turn, everything that’s wrong with that experience,” says Colin Craig, Executive Creative Director at Performance Art. “Nobody leaves a used car dealership feeling good – all the pressure tactics, sales commissions, haggling. We want people to wake up to the possibility of a better, smarter way to buy a used car.”
Adds Craig, “We are proud to be chosen as the creative partners who get to work alongside a company so eager to disrupt and can’t wait to see what we can achieve together.”

Following the recent announcement that Clutch was named the Official Online Pre-Owned Car Retailer of the NHL®, the commercial spot will have its broadcast debut during this year’s Stanley Cup® Playoffs.

Rick Neuman joins AIR MILES as Chief Technology Officer

AIR MILES has announced a new Chief Technology Officer to lead the company through coming digital transformations.

Rick Neuman (formerly of Flipp, Walmart) has been announced as the new Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at AIR MILES – to lead the technological innovation of the organization, which is celebrating its upcoming 30th anniversary.

A customer-obsessed, out-of-the-box thinker, Rick has a reputation as a leader and changemaker with more than 17 years of experience in the retail, marketing, e-commerce, and technology industries. He joins AIR MILES from Flipp where he was the Chief Product and Technology Officer for the last two years.

Rick started his career at Sears Canada and Canadian Tire, before spending nearly a decade at Walmart, the largest retailer in the world. His track record of leading large teams, improving strategy transparency and delivery, and launching new products and customer-centric technology positions him well to usher AIR MILES into a new era focused on digital transformation.

As CTO, Rick will be responsible for overseeing the development and dissemination of technology both internally and for AIR MILES’ Partners and brands, helping to transform its offerings and leverage data-led insights that drive business value.

Compiled by Emma Whiten, editor of Marketing News Canada