Maple Leaf Foods and Canadian Brands Guide Shoppers to Buy Local

With Canada Day on the horizon, Shop The Leaf is putting patriotic pride into action. Maple Leaf Foods is launching the next phase of its national campaign Look For The Leaf - an initiative originally sparked by tariff tensions and a desire to support homegrown brands.

What began in March as a call to Look For The Leaf has grown into a coast-to-coast coalition of more than 35 Canadian brands strong, united under an insignia of local pride. From legacy brands like McCain and SpongeTowels to grassroots locals like Three Farmers Foods and brüst protein coffee, the movement continues to expand as brands across the country sign up every day here. 

“What’s been most inspiring is seeing Canadian brands come together behind a single symbol of unity. Look For The Leaf isn’t about Maple Leaf Foods; it’s about what we can accomplish together when we put Canada first,” says D’Arcy Finley, VP of brands at Maple Leaf Foods. “This campaign has reminded us that Canadian pride is powerful, and that when we stand together, consumers stand with us.”

The second phase shifts from awareness to action, helping consumers not just identify Canadian brands, but shop for them. The campaign is powered by new partnerships with Flipp - Canada’s leading coupon and flyer app - and Skip, Canada’s homegrown delivery network. Together, they make it easier for Canadians to discover and support local products before they even step foot in a store.

The campaign will run across social, digital and street-level OOH in close proximity to point of purchases in the lead up to Canada Day. The placements aim to act as shopper wayfinders to guide consumers toward Canadian-made products and brands.

“As lead agency partners, we knew how important it was to build on what started, it had to be more than just rinse and repeat. Our creative and strategy teams worked in lock step to map out the flow of the consumer’s journey to evolve from awareness to actually taking action and adding more Canadian to your cart,” adds Jamie Marcovitch, executive creative director at No Fixed Address. “Now that the leaf has become a unifying symbol, Shop The Leaf is about giving Canadians a way to turn their pride into real, everyday action at the grocery level.”

The campaign was developed in partnership with creative agency No Fixed Address, media agency FUSE Create, and shopper marketing agency The Hatchery Marketing Group Inc.