What You Missed in Canadian Marketing This Week - March 13, 2026

A fan gets the spotlight, a global agency plants its flag in Toronto, a chocolate bunny goes digital, a loyalty program lands north of the border, and a cult skincare brand finds its Canadian voice. Here's what happened this week.

Lay's Flips the Sports Sponsorship Script for FIFA World Cup 26

With 13 FIFA World Cup 26 matches landing in Toronto and Vancouver this summer, brands are starting to make their moves. Lay's just made one of the more interesting ones.

As the official snack partner of FIFA World Cup 26, Lay's is launching Fan of the Match, a first-of-its-kind program that shifts the spotlight away from players and onto the people in the stands. Seven Canadian winners will receive two premium tickets, pitch-side access after the final whistle, flights and accommodations, a custom trophy, and a jumbotron feature at halftime. On home soil, for the first time ever.

The marketing logic here is worth paying attention to. Most sports sponsorships chase athlete association and broadcast moments. Lay's is betting that celebrating fans directly creates stronger emotional connection and more organic social participation than a highlight reel ever could. It's a consumer-first platform built around the idea that fandom itself deserves recognition, and that's a genuinely different angle for a brand at this scale.

Canadians can enter by purchasing two participating Lay's products and uploading their receipt at nolaysnogame.ca, or by emailing contest@nolaysnogame.ca with a 50-word pitch on why they're the biggest FIFA fan. Contest closes March 31.

We covered what brands should be doing right now to prepare for FIFA World Cup 26. Worth a read if you haven't yet.

72andSunny Appoints Adam Reeves as CCO of Its Toronto Office

72andSunny has named Adam Reeves as Chief Creative Officer of its Toronto office, effective March 1. It's a newly created role, and his appointment signals the agency is serious about building creative momentum in the Canadian market.

Reeves joins from TBWA\Canada, where he served as CCO and led nationally recognized work across brand and integrated platforms. His portfolio has earned recognition from Cannes, D&AD, AICP MOMA, Grammy, and Emmy juries.

Global CCO Matt Murphy was direct about the ambition: "Toronto is a new market for 72andSunny, and I can't wait to make some noise." Toronto CEO Julien Bissuel framed Reeves' hire as the starting point for an office that wants to be both deeply fluent in Canadian culture and connected across 72andSunny's global creative network.

For the Canadian ad community, it's another sign that global agencies are treating Toronto as a market worth investing in, not just servicing.

Lindt Turns the Easter Egg Hunt Into a Mixed Reality Experience

Lindt Canada is bringing back GOLD BUNNY Hide & Seek for Easter, and this year it comes with a grand prize of a year's supply of Lindt chocolate.

The activation lets Canadians use their smartphones to hunt for hidden GOLD BUNNY characters in an augmented reality experience, turning a familiar seasonal tradition into something more interactive and shareable. It's a smart play for a brand trying to build new occasions around an icon that already has strong cultural equity, without relying entirely on shelf presence to do the work.

Alongside the activation, Lindt is expanding its Easter lineup with GOLD BUNNY White Chocolate (50g), GOLD BUNNY Bite-Sized Easter Bags in Hazelnut and Double Milk, LINDOR White Chocolate Carrot Cake Truffles, and the return of LINDOR Assorted Mini Easter Eggs.

Wayfair Launches Its First Loyalty Program in Canada

Wayfair has brought its Rewards program to Canadian customers, offering 5% back in rewards, free shipping, exclusive member pricing, and early access to major sales events including Way Day. Membership is $39 CAD per year.

To mark the Canadian launch, Wayfair is running its first-ever Members-Only Sale from March 11 to 13, giving Rewards members early access to deals across furniture, decor, housewares, and renovation essentials.

Loyalty programs are having a moment across retail right now, and Wayfair entering the Canadian market with one signals a longer-term commitment to building repeat purchase behaviour here, not just capturing one-time home project spend.

Mario Badescu Names 1Milk2Sugars as Its First Canadian Agency of Record

Mario Badescu, the New York-founded skincare brand best known for its cult-favourite Drying Lotion, has appointed Toronto-based 1Milk2Sugars as its Canadian Agency of Record. It's the brand's first dedicated PR mandate in Canada.

1Milk2Sugars will lead national media relations, editorial outreach across beauty and lifestyle media, and influencer engagement across English and French Canada. For a brand that has built much of its following organically through word of mouth and social, having dedicated Canadian representation is a natural next step as the category gets more competitive.

Have news, a campaign launch, or a press release you'd like us to cover? Send it to news@socialnext.ca.