Squirrels Become the Main Character in KIND Snacks Canada's Nutty Love Story

McCann Canada brings a bold, playful twist to KIND® Snacks Canada's latest campaign by spotlighting the simplest, most honest ingredient at the heart of every KIND® core bar: real, whole nuts. And who better to celebrate that than nature’s original nut-lovers — squirrels?

Squirrels aren't just nature’s nut-lovers — they're Canadian cultural icons, with 23 native species scampering through parks, trails, and patios, making them the perfect ambassadors for a snack designed to fuel busy, active summers. In a season that’s short, sweet, and sacred, KIND® bars are the ultimate on-the-go companion, packed with the good stuff — and approved by the most discerning nut connoisseurs.

Equal parts cheeky and charming, the campaign taps into Canada’s soft spot for squirrels and love for wholesome snacking. It’s a nutty love story the whole country can get behind. And like the ingredients in KIND® bars which feature real and whole ingredients, the McCann team worked to ensure the actual production of the campaign reflected this ethos by ensuring the shoot was as real as the whole nuts included in the product itself.

Led by creative directors Athina Afton Lalljee and Benjamin Playford, the McCann Canada team was proud to steer away from AI-generated imagery and create a piece made solely with practical effects. The work combines nature photography with hand-crafted prosthetics captured in-situ to create a visual that feels as authentic as it is bizarre. It's a true work of craftsmanship—handmade, photographed, and pieced together by a skilled team. All of it came to life not in a studio, but in a park... with squirrels as the stars of the production.