DoorDash Canada’s Choreographed Creative Turns Order Anticipation Into Dazzling Dance Moves

Unless you’re someone who eats to live, undoubtedly, you’ve experienced the giddy anticipation that comes with the promise of a soon-to-be delivered meal. That delicious feeling of excitement which only grows stronger over time – culminating with a doorbell ring or a text saying food has been delivered? Pure, unadulterated bliss.

This climactic moment is exactly what DoorDash Canada has captured in its latest campaign – a first-ever edition of the brand’s global ‘Your Door to More’ master brand platform here up north. Created in partnership with Toronto-based agency Hard Work Club, this debut entrée delivers in stunning fashion, with its 60-second hero spot dancing its way onto screens across the country… literally.

That’s right. Set to ‘The Hamburger Song’ by Bobby Moore & The Rhythm Aces, the narratively-driven work depicts various DoorDash recipients grooving to the front door, whether it’s an unwell couple, sports fans, or a group of pink-tied office workers jiving in flamingo-inspired fashion.

“Dance has consistently been a fundamental part of our brand over the years, as the choreography is an intentional storytelling device that articulates relatable emotional states navigating daily life through movement,” says Heather Cameron, head of brand and creative at DoorDash Canada, speaking with LBB. “We’re proud to build upon this dance-based approach with Hard Work Club, as we hear time and time again how much our audience loves it – just as much as our teams working directly on bringing the creative to life love it.”

Of course, capturing the flexibility of DoorDash’s offerings – and the emotions these can instil in customers – is a task far easier said than done. But according to Hard Work Club’s co-founder and executive creative director Meghan Kraemer, the writing process started with a pretty clear insight.

“[We] were informed as much by far-flung dance references and imagery as anything else,” she explains. “For all of us, though, it wasn’t enough to simply depict a range of customers and delivery occasions – we wanted to create something truly stirring and character-driven. Stylised, but beautifully off-kilter. Imperfect, and joyously human.”

In many ways, this process was aided by OPC director Nick Ball being on the team, who helped co-write the campaign. Someone who DoorDash and Hard Work Club was certain wouldn’t trade it in on “cool, vibey dance spots”, his signature style of fearless honesty mixed with incredible attention to detail made him the perfect man to meet the specific demands of this work.

“We were super honoured that Nick was available to co-create these immersive scenarios, drive incredible performances with these dynamic characters, and bring his passionate, high-craft obsessed team into every single detail to make magic together,” reflects Heather. 

Meghan adds that even from the earliest conversations, it was clear that Nick shared in the unflinching vision, love of craft, and desire to explore the human condition that the group was really pushing for. Reinforced by his decision to anchor the creative concept with the doorbell kicking things off – something which gave plenty of latitude to show strikingly dissimilar groups moving in all sorts of ways – it was clear from the get-go that this was destined to be a strong partnership. “All of us were just swinging to make this work something original, something unexpected, and something we all could be proud of. None of that would have been possible if Nick didn’t foster trust every step of the way.”

In many ways, the benefits of this camaraderie would also extend to Nick’s collaboration with the project’s choreographer, the two-time Grammy-nominated and Emmy-winning Ryan Heffington. Describing him as someone who even from the early treatment stage, it was clear that “all roads led back to”, Nick notes that the vision for an ad not just about dance, but rooted in character, anticipation, and the feverish energy of waiting for something you really want, was a key point the pair bonded over. 

“We aligned immediately on making this a kind of ‘anti-dance dance ad’ where imperfection, character, and reality took precedence over polished choreography,” he says. “We wanted each sequence to feel distinct not just in movement, but in tone, pacing, and the physicality of the performers. It had to be beautifully imperfect, where every move told a story rather than just looking ‘cool’. Ryan and his team brought this to life in a way only he could – both grounded and theatrical, emotional and full of personality, while still feeling utterly fresh and electric.”

After that, it was just a matter of finding the right soundtrack, and then bringing the whole thing to life. Regarding the former, Nick reflects that this project brought him back to his pre-director days, in an era where he was obsessed with music sync. Searching for the perfect accompaniment that would lock the work together tonally – something with grit, texture and a sense of heightened reality – his deep dive down the rabbit hole of tracks led him to ‘The Hamburger Song’, a choice so strong that nobody was willing to deviate from it.

“We spent a lot of time refining choices to strike the perfect balance – something that felt theatrical yet surreal, but always grounded in the characters,” he explains. “The key was making sure it all carried that precise mix of playfulness, tension, truth, and cinematic weirdness to ensure it felt distinct.”

As for the shoot, that took place (along with the filming of a second, still to be released DoorDash campaign) in Prague last December. An endeavour which took four days and two very cold, long nights, Meghan recalls that it was a very special experience, in spite of the temperatures.

“I’ve stood on a lot of sets, and it’s rare to see the entire crew be so invested in what’s playing out on the monitors,” she elaborates. “This was one of those rare and special exceptions where it felt like everyone was paying such close attention. We all cared so deeply, and had a tonne of fun along the way – laughing a lot, experimenting with ideas that didn’t work, and pivoting to wilder ones that did. The entire experience felt playful and rebellious, as if we were all in on some delicious secret together.”

This shared sense of joy seems to be the throughline which binds the work together. While it’s yet to be seen if the campaign’s cinematic and intentional approach to storytelling aids in DoorDash’s goal of building a distinctive voice and presence within the Canadian market, what is certain is that creative was clearly made with love, and is something for all involved to be immensely proud of.

Looking back on the process, Nick echoes this sentiment, giving credit to an assortment of people who helped make this a special process. Whether it was his production designer, Marco Puig, and DP, Mátyás Erdély, who helped him with the treatment, even while he was working on another project, Meghan’s belief and willingness to trust in his vision, or DoorDash’s insistence that everything be pushed to its potential, for the director, each and every person really did make a difference.

“In the end, I think we made something genuinely different – something that doesn’t just blend into the noise or the sea of dance-driven commercials,” he concludes. “It feels alive, unpredictable, and moves to its own rhythm. And that’s always the goal: to make something that smacks ya right in the face.”

Adding to this, Heather affirms that she too is incredibly proud of the collaborative process which enabled such unique perspectives to be brought to screens across the country. “The result is a curated cinematic environment across customer segments with dance as a throughline, which never loses sight of showcasing how DoorDash has evolved into a multi-category marketplace,” she finishes. “The energy remains elevated in each individual campaign spot, but when combined, only compounds with effectiveness to convey how we’re opening the door to more.”