BMO's Shoppable Ornament Puts Women Owned Products on the Christmas Tree

As part of its longstanding commitment to support the financial progress of women-owned businesses, BMO is building on last year’s popular #WrapTheGood program with a festive decoration intended to put more products from these businesses under the tree this holiday season.

Developed in partnership with FCB Canada, this year’s initiative builds on last year’s holiday wrapping paper, which doubles as ad space for women-owned businesses. New this year is ‘The Shoppable Ornament,’ a tree decoration in the form of a miniature catalogue. Its pages highlight different products from participating businesses, accompanied by a QR code linking to their website’s product page for purchase. The catalogue’s final page drives to a full Pinterest board enabling consumers to explore further gift ideas from all of the participating vendors. Both the paper and ornament will be distributed at select BMO branches and participating small businesses. The initiative is also being expanded to include businesses in both Quebec and the United States.

The accompanying creative speaks to the fact that many women-owned businesses face greater challenges than their male-owned counterparts, including being rejected for loans or financing, with many proprietors also forced to juggle childcare with the day-to-day challenges of operating a business.

By continuing to hack holiday traditions, BMO hopes to level the playing field by driving digital sales to women-owned businesses.

#WrapTheGood is another way BMO is showing its commitment to women-owned businesses through programs including the BMO Celebrating Women Grant Program - which in February will announce $150,000 in grants for 12 women-owned businesses to accelerate their growth.

“The #WrapTheGood program once again demonstrates BMO’s commitment to ensuring that women-owned businesses, which are so important to the communities they serve, are presented with every opportunity to succeed,” says Catherine Roche, BMO’s chief marketing officer. “This extension of last year’s #WrapTheGood is just another example of BMO’s commitment to these businesses being set up to succeed.”

“When it comes to giving gifts, they say it’s the thought that counts. But who we buy it from is just as important as what we’re buying,” says Jeremiah McNama, executive creative director at FCB. “Every gift inside supports a women-owned small business and every purchase brightens their holiday, too."