PR Fresh Hits: July 14, 2021

KD wants Canada to rally behind speed walking

Some people might poke fun at race walking (aka speed walking) but KD is on a mission to prove just how cool the sport really is.

To give it the full recognition it finally deserves, Kraft Dinner is sponsoring Evan Dunfee, Canada’s Olympic race walker as he competes in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

The brand is encouraging Canadians to show their support by making your own race walking video from July 13 to August 8, tag @kraftdinner and use #KDRaceWalkers for a chance to win a Kraft Dinner x Evan Dunfee signature kit.

"Like many Canadians, I grew up eating Kraft Dinner and dreaming about being an Olympian," says Evan Dunfee, Canadian Race Walker and Olympian. "Now, both my dreams of being an Olympian and landing a sponsorship with my favourite childhood mac and cheese have come true. Having so many Canadians take to the streets and step along, walking in support, gives me the extra motivation I need to push for Gold."

Heinz Ketchup starts the Heinz Hot Dog Pact to fight for equal number of wieners and buns

Just in time for the summer BBQ season and Hot Dog Month, Heinz wanted to bring to light an issue that has gone unaddressed for generations - the frustration that comes from an unequal number of hot dog wieners and buns. To finally get to the bottom of this, the ketchup brand launched the Heinz Hot Dog Pact that aims to broker negotiations between bun and wiener companies to sell equal quantities.

The brand got its inspiration when they heard many fans express their outrage about the bun-to-hot-dogs ratio on social media. Hot Dog aficionados are being encouraged to support and sign the petition through various promotions and partnerships including the TikTok star, Lubalin.

And if you want to help bring an end to this issue, you can visit HeinzHotDogPact.com for more information.

New national shopping campaign to spotlight Indigieous-owned businesses

While there is a fast-growing community of Indigenous-owned businesses in Canada, a recent report shows that 73% of Indigenous-owned businesses have reported a negative impact on their business as a result of the pandemic. To counter that, Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business (CCAB), EntrepreNorth, Pow Wow Pitch, and Raven Indigenous Capital Partners have come together with Facebook Canada and Shopify to spotlight Indigenous-owned businesses in Canada to consumers through a new campaign titled, #WeThrive.

#WeThrive invites Indigenous-owned businesses in Canada, with an active Shopify online store, to submit their products to be featured in a three-week shoppable ad campaign from Shopify on Facebook and Instagram at no cost.

Once approved to participate, Indigenous-owned businesses across Canada can submit up to five products that could be included in the #WeThrive Shoppable Buying Guide ad campaign.

Indigenous-owned businesses can apply to participate in the #WeThrive Shoppable Buying Guide ad campaign by visiting fb.com/wethrivecanada.

Written by Crystal Kwon, principal at front+centre - a PR firm for challenger brands. If you want your work featured, email hi@frontandcentre.co