Embracing Enduring Legacy: Why Canadians Are Being Invited to Send Terry Fox a Message
If you’re a Canadian and reading this, you know who Terry Fox is. If you’re not Canadian and don’t know who he is, you’re missing out. Simply put, he is an icon. A national legend, if you will.
Diagnosed with osteogenic sarcoma at a young age, Terry’s leg was amputated and replaced with a prosthetic. But rather than sit around and bemoan this fact, his exposure to the suffering cancer causes drove him to a single conclusion - cancer research needs more money. So, in 1980, Terry dipped his prosthetic leg into the Atlantic Ocean, marking the start of his ‘Marathon of Hope’, with the goal being to run across the entire country in order to raise awareness and funds for cancer research.
Unfortunately, the only possible thing that could have stopped Terry ultimately did. 5,373 kilometres into his run (midway through Ontario), the cancer returned - this time in his lungs. On June 28th 1981 he would pass away, leaving behind a towering legacy and framework that would ignite the drive for cancer research in Canada.
43 years later, this impact is still being felt. Over $850 million has been raised, and every September, Canadians from coast to coast participate in ‘Terry Fox Runs’, seeking to spread awareness, raise funds, and complete the journey that Terry himself was robbed of finishing. Students in every grade run it. Adults run it. There are people who’ve been running since the ‘80s who are still going strong, year after year. To call this national heritage might be an understatement. The significance of the name Terry Fox, in Canada, is immense.
So, with that in mind, how does one create a campaign that truly encompasses and promotes such a significant event? Creativity, hard work, and by embracing the grit and determination of Terry’s legacy - if No Fixed Address’ (NFA) work is anything to go off of. This year, continuing its partnership with the Terry Fox Foundation (TFF), the two released the ‘#DearTerry’ platform. Inspired by the letters which many Canadians wrote when Terry was making his way across the country, the agency designed a custom font by replicating the average handwriting of the letters he received, and invited supporters to submit messages for a chance to be featured in this year’s run campaign, including on a custom-made poster designed by famed artist Mutant 101®.
But that’s not all. In keeping with tradition, TFF also launched a new T-shirt (of which the proceeds go to cancer research), alongside a new spokesperson, the one and only Ryan Reynolds. Leading the rallying cry with the first ever pre-sale of the annual shirt, more than 28,000 have already been sold, with over $1 million raised.
LBB’s Josh Neufeldt sat down with NFA’s VP PR, Erin Banting, senior art director Reid Plaxton, and TFF’s VP, marketing and communications Denise Dias, to learn more about how this campaign came to life.
LBB> What was the brief for this campaign, and what immediate ideas came to mind?
Denise> Every year, we create an exciting brand campaign to launch the annual Terry Fox Run - a compelling theme or idea that brings Terry’s story to life, reinforces his legacy for a multi-generational audience, and inspires volunteers and supporters to register early and start fundraising. The theme is carried through all elements of the campaign, from the advertising to the T-shirt, which is used as a marketing tool to generate buzz with cool collaborations.
We’ve been working with NFA for years and they truly live and breathe the brand. They completely understand and embody Terry’s vision and ethos, so much so that the entire agency team participates in the Terry Fox Run each year.
Erin> As a long standing client, we have supported TFF through many initiatives. Last year, we came on board when the wonderful Douglas Coupland had already designed a killer shirt and campaign, and we came in to amplify - driving awareness, shirt sales and registrations. This year, we came in much earlier and not only had the chance to design the shirt, but the whole campaign platform to inspire the next generation of Terry Foxers… and of course, since we like to overachieve, beat out the performance of last year’s campaign which sold over 60,000 shirts (all proceeds benefiting cancer research).
Reid> There is so much rich history and so many catalogues of Terry Fox’s ‘Marathon of Hope’, so this is where we started - diving into the archives. We came across a quote from Douglas Coupland in his book, entitled ‘Terry’. In it, he said, ‘Before there was email, there was simply mail, and Terry Fox probably received more mail than anybody in Canadian history’. This quote inspired the eventual ‘#DearTerry’ platform and others (some of which we may just want to save for the future).
LBB> Continuing the strong work of TFF is no small task. As such, how did you strike a balance between building on past work, while also ensuring original ideas that brought something new to the table?
Reid> Looking back at the past work of TFF, the cornerstone of most campaigns have focused on Terry the man - what he achieved, overcame, etc. For this year’s campaign, we wanted to extend the direction of last year’s TFF campaign, in which we started to focus more on the impact Terry left on others. With ‘#DearTerry’, we are profiling the words of Canadians and the impact Terry’s legacy had on them, putting it on the same platform as the man himself.
LBB> The work is meant to modernise the practice of writing to Terry, while also using digital mediums to galvanise future generations. What made now the perfect time to bring back this concept?
Erin> There was no research needed for this campaign besides lived experience and understanding how people share information today. We operate in a modern society in which words can spread around the world in a matter of seconds. Additionally, working with TFF, we understood that while they still receive handwritten letters to this day, the volume of messages that come through their website and social platforms outweighs the traditional medium these days.
Reid> For the most part, the majority of the letters received to date would have only been seen by the Fox Family (and maybe a postal worker). We are aiming to inspire new generations, so what better way than to put how Terry’s legacy has inspired others on display?
Denise> Terry and his family received hundreds of thousands of letters in 1980, and in the years that followed his iconic Marathon of Hope. Today, the Terry Fox Foundation still receives letters, drawings and messages from Canadians of all ages who feel inspired by Terry’s story. We wanted to tap into that intimate, personal feeling of writing a letter - putting pen to paper (or engaging with a fun social activation) - to reflect on what Terry did, and what it means to people today.
LBB> The new writing opportunity is anchored by a font replicating the average handwriting of the original letter authors. What went into bringing this aspect to life?
Reid> We honed in and picked apart different aspects of people’s hand lettering. We wanted to create a campaign lockup that was impactful, and part of that was creating a unique font that felt authentic to the letters found in this campaign. The letters are all different and unique - similar to the wide swath of handwriting from the letters the Fox Family has received.
LBB> Those who submit messages have a chance to be featured in a custom-made poster by artist Mutant 101®. How did you get him involved, and what has working with him been like?
Denise> Mutant 101® reached out to us directly to offer support with this year’s campaign. He happens to be based in Southern Ontario, and is a huge Terry Foxer. More than that, he is beyond talented, and is brimming with creative design ideas for the brand. We are very grateful for his support.
LBB> Equally important is the annual T-shirt design. How long did this process take?
Erin> It’s always a case of ‘the more time the better’, but luckily, our client is already thinking proactively for next year’s launch and the one after that (hello 45th milestone!). This year, this process started in June, the moment we got the phone call from TFF that Ryan Reynolds had agreed to be a part of this year’s campaign.
LBB> And of course, the big question. How did you get Ryan Reynolds involved in this project? And what does his involvement mean to you?
Denise> We started engaging Ryan with last year’s campaign, which featured notable Canadians including Rachel McAdams, Catherine O’Hara, Sidney Crosby, and Margaret Atwood, among many others. He shared one of our Instagram stories, and it was like Christmas morning for the team. A few months later, he agreed to help with the 2023 shirt, and it has been an absolute joy to watch how Canadians have responded so wonderfully to his involvement. He has the best team, and we are incredibly grateful for his support!
LBB> The campaign is supported by OOH and print assets. What was the design process like, and how did you integrate the main idea of writing to Terry into the work?
Reid> The design style brings a scrapbook-esque feel, equally manual to the process of writing a letter. There is so much impactful imagery of Terry, much of which has yet to be seen on a mass scale. We combed through the archives, including a never-before-seen collection from Gail Harvey, to bring forward less common images of Terry to be the focus of our main design elements.
Beyond that, we focused on integrating handwriting through our unique font selection, as well as real letters submitted by Canadians - some of which dated all the way back to 1980. Our TSA boards feature a couple of these letters, kept in their original handwriting.
LBB> How many responses are you expecting ahead of the official Terry Fox Run?
Erin> I want to be ambitious and say one from every Canadian! That’s the same goal Terry set with his Marathon of Hope, when he aimed to raise $1 from every Canadian.
Denise> We are anticipating a great response from the public, and from kids all across Canada, with more than 10,000 schools participating in the annual Terry Fox School Run.
LBB> What challenges did you face in the making of this project? How did you overcome them?
Erin> I think the biggest challenge is also the biggest highlight. As a grassroots organisation, TFF still manages all of the deployment of these shirts and to date - thanks to the help of Ryan Reynolds and a couple famous friends - the org has already sold over 28,000 shirts from the pre-sale… and that’s before it officially launches.
Denise> Since Terry Fox is such a beloved brand and the Terry Fox Run is a classic Canadian tradition, there is a lot of pressure to get it right. The shirt is a highly coveted collectible for many participants and supporters. In fact, there are people who have been doing the Terry Fox Run for 42 years and have every piece of memorabilia.
With this in mind, the shirt needs to be desirable and wearable - not just a one-day event tee - and fully bilingual. It’s symbolic of the entire campaign, and is the first piece to launch on April 12th (the day Terry started running), so there is a lot of collaborative thinking and workshopping done ahead of time.
LBB> What lessons have you learned in the making of this project?
Erin> Every year, we are reminded of the power of Terry Fox. He is an icon. Equally notable is the power of our dear friend, Ryan Reynolds. Who knew a few social posts could raise over $1 million dollars in donations to cancer research?
Denise> Terry is an iconic piece of Canadian history and with each passing year, his story becomes more legendary and meaningful - beyond one moment in September. As we look to evolve the brand and inspire the next generation of supporters, bringing Terry’s powerful story back to the forefront of culture with unique collaborations and charged launches becomes all the more important.
Also, the Ryan effect is real!
LBB> How can Canadians support the work TFF is doing, outside of joining ‘#DearTerry’?
Denise> Terry is an iconic piece of Canadian history, and with each passing year, his story becomes more powerful and meaningful. Canadians can support critical cancer research all year round - to help realise Terry’s dream of a world without cancer - by becoming a monthly donor or corporate partner, leaving a bequest, or volunteering in their community. There are many ways to become more deeply involved. Visit terryfox.org to learn more.
LBB> Given that Terry Fox is a Canadian hero, what does his legacy mean to you?
Erin> It’s been four years of working with TFF, and every year we uncover new quotes and new imagery that remind us he was a boy, really - only 22, and achieving something most people would be too scared to even attempt. Simply put, he is a badass and an inspirational figure that provides an amazing role model to my kids. Being able to do this work and then join the run with my family allows you to feel the impact of what we do, something that is quite rare in this industry.
Reid> Growing up and doing the run was a core memory for me. It has been amazing to reconnect with Terry, not just from the run perspective (which I will for sure be joining this year with team NFA), but to witness the impact of his legacy for so many others.
Denise> Terry is legendary. He is often remembered for being selfless, wholesome, and heroic, but I like to think about what a total rebel he was. He was bold and fearless in a way that completely defied everyone’s expectations. He pushed himself beyond his limits every single day, and his efforts propelled cancer research forward in ways that were previously unimaginable.
