Canadians Create, Episode 1: McCann Canada’s Grand Effie-Winning Partnership

​​StartWell, in partnership with Little Black Book (LBB) and the Institute of Canadian Agencies (ICA), has launched the first episode of its original podcast series, ‘Canadians Create’. Designed to bring to life the ICA’s ‘Brands Need More Canada’ manifesto, the series focuses on highlighting conversations with agencies and marketers, showcasing best-in-class examples of Canadian creative work in the process.

The debut episode spotlights one of the country’s most fruitful partnerships: McCann Canada and Kids Help Phone. Major winners at last year’s Effie Awards, where the two took home the Grand Effie for ‘Feel Out Loud’, as well as Agency of the Year and Marketer for the Year, the evident success and scale of their combined work proved the perfect point of focus for podcast producer and host, Qasim Virjee.

Featuring the agency’s senior vice president, strategy, Joshua Hansen, vice president, group account director, Emily MacLaurin-King, and creative director Athina Lalljee, this inaugural edition sees the group chat about the evolution of this now prestigious relationship. From utilising creative problem solving and the agency’s iconic ‘Truth Well Told’ philosophy to launch work that actually resonates, to the pressures of doing such a critical Canadian organisation justice, and looking at what’s to come, this episode covers a lot of ground, all of which you can watch below.