BRIDGING DIVIDES TO BUILD SOMETHING NATIONAL
How Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada turned a bold brand platform into a unifying force.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada needed more than just a campaign. They needed a change management approach — one that could bring together dozens of autonomous agencies, each with different regional needs, resources, audiences, and levels of capacity.
Rolling out a brand across a national network isn’t about top-down execution — it’s about trust, flexibility, and feedback. We knew success depended on our ability to truly listen, adapt, and create space for everyone to feel ownership.
Our approach was collaborative from the start: a series of national webinars with real-time translation, polls, and Q&As to gather input. We asked tough questions:
- “What will you be doing with these assets?”
- “What do you need in your city?”
- “What are you afraid of?”
Then we responded in kind — delivering tailored, customizable tools and training to meet agencies where they were.
Together, we launched the Mentorship Equals platform during BBBS Month 2023 — the most successful national initiative the organization had seen in years. We didn’t just hand off assets. We delivered a flexible, bilingual platform supported by training, surveys, and ongoing communication to help local teams succeed. And it worked.
“Mr. Sprawl made a dense issue relatable and unforgettable. This campaign gave our community something to fight back against. And it worked.”
STEPHANIE KOHLS
Communications director, Environmental Defence Canada
“Mentorship Equals” became BBBS Canada’s most successful national campaign in recent years
Established a long-term brand platform used through 2024 and beyond
Laid the foundation for a 3-year digital marketing strategy launching in 2025
Our collaboration didn’t end with one campaign. Over the past year, we’ve continued to work closely with BBBS Canada — and their corporate partners — to deliver uniquely tailored strategies, including:
- Campaigns to recruit more Black and Indigenous male mentors in rural communities
- B2B corporate partnership campaigns
- Targeted fundraising and social campaigns
- A full multi-year strategy to grow national reach, revenue, and relevance
This work proved what’s possible when strategy meets empathy — and when national teams are empowered to be a true source of value for local agencies across the country.
