Exploring Air Canada’s Decision to Champion Women’s Hockey in Its 2024 Holiday Spot
At this point, the annual Air Canada holiday film is something that people can reliably look forward to year after year. Whether it’s an adorable baby loon making its way home, or two cute Christmas ornaments reuniting after being separated on a tree, the brand’s heartfelt creative never fails to pack an emotional punch while capturing the essence of the season.
This is once again true of its 2024 spot, ‘The Pond’. Created in partnership with agency FCB Toronto, the work celebrates the brand’s desire to make its customers’ dreams come true, the power of belief, as well as the importance of supporting women’s hockey in Canada. Specifically, it tells the story of two hockey-obsessed sisters who – like so many Canadians before them – eagerly await a pond freezing over so they can finally play. While this doesn’t initially go to plan, a quick wish upon a shooting star kicks off a magical ‘The Polar Express’-inspired journey to the North Pole, provided courtesy of an Air Canada Dreamliner which lands in their backyard.
To learn just what it took to bring this visually-striking piece to life, LBB’s Jordan Won Neufeldt sat down with FCB executive creative director Jeremiah McNama, associate creative directors Sara Radovanovich and Sally Fung, senior vice president, planning Shelagh Hartford, and group account director Rose Noble, as well as Air Canada’s director of brand strategy and content marketing, John Xydous, for a chat.
LBB> What was the inspiration behind this year’s holiday campaign, and what kind of message were you looking to send Canadians?
John> For this year's holiday campaign, we asked our longstanding partners at FCB to help us create a spot that shares the magic and wonder of the festive season, while showcasing our support for women’s hockey and commitment to gender equality in sport.
By evoking cherished winter traditions, like playing pond hockey with friends and family, we’re celebrating the power of sport to bring people together – regardless of age or gender – and the idea that when you believe in something as strongly as the young stars of our film, anything is possible.
Shelagh> This was all about showing how Air Canada goes above and beyond to make their customers' holiday dreams come true. We of course knew the work had to be filled with magic and the spirit of the season, as all Air Canada’s holiday spots are, but because of the ask to highlight its women’s hockey sponsorship, we immediately had ideas about this magical journey of how far Air Canada would go to help young hockey players get their wish at the holidays.
LBB> And what made this the right creative approach?
Jeremiah> Canadians know all too well the feeling of being a kid and waiting to be able to play on a frozen pond – especially over the holidays, when school’s out but the temperatures aren’t as cold as they will be in January or February. This felt like the perfect problem for Air Canada to solve, because of course Canada’s national airline is the only airline that could take these two young girls all the way up North for a little holiday magic.
John> The trip to the North Pole is both a whimsical embodiment of the holiday spirit, and a fun, imaginative way of making a wish come true. And, as Canada’s national airline, we're in a unique position to make this magical journey possible. It's our way of saying we do more than fly people from one place to another; we’re creating unforgettable experiences and bringing holiday dreams to life.
LBB> Notably, this is the first time in a few years you’ve returned to using live-action as the medium. What inspired this decision?
John> We wanted to showcase the amazing passion and dedication so many young girls in Canada have for hockey. By featuring real girls playing the sport in our film, we were able to capture that most authentically.
We also wanted to show the determination of our heroine. She doesn't just make a wish to play hockey, she actively pursues her dream. Her journey, from waiting for the pond to freeze, to venturing to the North Pole, symbolises her resilience (and that of many others like her) in making dreams a reality.
LBB> What was the writing process like? How did you ensure the story would come through in an emotional, festive and heartfelt way, and what drove the decision to go dialogue-free?
Sara> Being festive never really felt like a challenge! After deciding that Air Canada felt like the only airline that could truly own flying you directly to the North Pole, we were inspired to reimagine the iconic ‘The Polar Express’ scene of the train in the street as an Air Canada Dreamliner in the backyard. The emotion really came in seeing the girls’ passion and determination to play day after day, which we made sure was a central part of the story.
To answer the second question, like many Pixar shorts that are built around emotion and a great score, we felt that dialogue wasn’t really necessary to convey our message, and this allowed the emotion in the music to shine.
LBB> Who directed the spot, and what made them perfect for the job?
Jeremiah> Scouts Honour’s Kevin Foley was our director. We worked with him on the Air Canada Olympics campaign, and when this script was sold, we realised he would be perfect for this story as well. His love of sport really helped elevate our spot by creating some unique shots like the puck falling below the ice, and the classic stick tap test. We love his collaborative spirit and his visual storytelling.
LBB> Equally so, the actors are brilliant, really conveying a whole host of emotions. What was casting like?
Sally> So glad you brought this up! Our actresses were absolutely brilliant, and we knew right away they were our heroes. We made sure to cast for girls who played hockey so the passion would already be there, and we had them meet before we shot. What we didn’t expect is that they would actually act like real sisters even off camera while on set, which led to so much chemistry on screen.
LBB> Presumably you didn’t film while it was actually cold out – what did it take to capture the magic of winter and a frozen pond in a lifelike way?
Sally> It took a lot of special effects and hard work by the geniuses at Tantrum Studios. Originally we thought we needed to look for a real pond, but in the end the team found that actually building it all in post was the best option to bring it from half-frozen to skateable. So, it was a mix of creating ice and snow for tighter shots, and then painting in the rest to get that winter wonderland feeling.
LBB> The sequences with the Air Canada plane are awesome! What did it take to show the plane in the backyard, as well as flying through the sky?
John> We shot in the Air Canada aircraft hangar to capture some of the scenes where our talent and service director interacts with the plane. As for the more ‘magical’ moments, like the Dreamliner landing in the backyard, these were also created completely to spec in post by the extremely talented Tantrum Studios.
LBB> For eagle-eyed viewers, are there any Easter eggs you can tell us about?
John> We always like to add callbacks to our other holiday spots throughout the years. So yes, in Santa’s workshop you’ll find the bear ornaments from last year’s ‘Once Upon a Tree’ spot, as well as the snow globe from our 2021 spot ‘Snow Globes Apart’!
LBB> Of course, the music is also incredible! What went into this element of the process?
Jeremiah> We debated a recognisable track versus a score, but in the end it felt like a score gave us the flexibility to show the day after day yearning at the beginning and still have that big heart-soaring holiday ending we envisioned. Our composers at 6 Degrees were indeed incredible!
LBB> What lessons have you learned in the making of this campaign?
John> Creating this campaign reaffirmed our belief in going the extra mile to create something that’s moving to our customers, but also communicates something meaningful about our values as a brand. The positive reactions we've received so far demonstrate how the extra effort and care we invest in our creative process truly pays off.
LBB> Tell us more about this! How have people reacted to this campaign?
Rose> People have really loved seeing women’s hockey, as well as young female hockey players’ passion represented. Of course, many people also loved the magical journey to the North Pole, but I think the real standout reaction has been about how Air Canada used its platform to highlight so many young girls’ dreams across the nation.
LBB> How does this campaign fit into Air Canada’s branding for 2025?
John> The spot speaks to our pride in bringing festive joy to the millions of Canadians we help reunite with their loved ones during the holidays each year. But it’s also a testament to our dedication in nurturing the growth of women's hockey as Canada’s national carrier.
Air Canada is the official airline to all six PWHL teams, and we are actively invested in both the future of the women’s game, and the upcoming generation of female players. Our commitment to championing gender equality in sports, aviation and beyond, is integral to our values and reflected in everything we do.
LBB> Finally, do you have a favourite sequence from the spot, or an aspect you’re most proud of?
Sara> Recreating the iconic ‘The Polar Express’ scene with the Dreamliner, personally, made me very giddy. It’s my mom’s favourite holiday movie, and I think it’s so iconic for Air Canada to do it – so double win.
John> We're immensely proud of this spot as a whole. What really stands out for me is how we've captured the enchantment of the festive season while championing a cause so close to our hearts at Air Canada. From the magical journey to the North Pole to the transformation of the backyard pond into a dazzling rink, we’ve succeeded in bringing festive magic and joy to thousands of Canadians.
