This Canadian Bank Uses Holiday Carols to Support Underrepresented Businesses

This holiday season, you won’t have to go fa-la-la-la far to find continued evidence of BMO’s commitment to supporting businesses owned and operated by members of underrepresented communities.

As part of its annual 'Wrap the Good' program, which provides support for this vital business sector during a key sales period, BMO has built an 'album' featuring holiday-themed songs about eight underrepresented businesses. While it celebrates Canadian businesses, the album, with vocals by Candy Cane Carolers, is available across North America.

Now in its third year, 'Wrap the Good' is one of BMO’s key programs in support of underrepresented businesses. Despite comprising nearly one-fifth of Canada’s private sector businesses, they face more obstacles to success because of factors like a lack of access to financing or loans, and their absence from key shopping areas.

With shoppers expected to cut back on spending this holiday season, these businesses could be further jeopardised during a key sales period. So, what better way to celebrate their continued efforts than by referencing them in the kinds of songs that are inescapable at this time of year?

Each of the 'Business Carols' is set to the music of a holiday standard, such as Deck the Halls for Toronto-based home retailer Spark Candles. The lyrics have been adapted to “Deck your halls with Spark Candles, Fa la la la fragrant scents so fine.”

Set to the music of We Wish You a Merry Christmas, the song for Edmonton-based The Makers Keep features the lyrics “Find holiday joy at The Makers Keep, A unique store where dreams run deep. Displaying wonders, we all can cheer. Great gifts, all so dear.”

"We’re bringing a new holiday experience to shoppers by revitalising nostalgic songs as a reminder of a more mindful way to give - with BMO Wrap the Good," says Jennifer Carli, BMO’s head of enterprise brand, social and content. "As the festive season bustles with shoppers, we're making it even easier to discover gift ideas from underrepresented businesses through our dedicated website. In doing so, we aim to make the holidays brighter for all."

Here are the businesses participating in this year’s program:

- Beauty and wellness retailer Niffy Signature (Here We Come A-Carolling)

- Beauty and wellness retailer Soft & Butter (O Christmas Tree)

- Gift box company Black Bow Gift Co. (I Saw Three Ships)

- Beauty and wellness/food and beverage retailer Apple Hill Lavender Farm (Jingle Bells)

- Home and living retailer Campy Home (Good King Wenceslas)

- Clothing and accessories retailer My Ol’ Blues (Out On The Housetop)

- Home retailer Spark Candles (Deck the Halls)

- Handcrafted and local goods retailer The Makers Keep (We Wish You A Merry Christmas

To further promote the 'Business Carols,' BMO’s agency partner FCB Canada has created advertising that mimics the promotion for popular record/CD clubs. The ads feature an excitable announcer informing listeners of a new album that’s arriving just in time for the holidays and featuring their favourite songs like they’ve never heard them before. View it here. 

The 'Business Carols' are available for streaming on Spotify, and will appear where customers are spending time during the holiday season - such as holiday-themed radio stations, and YouTube playlists dedicated to holiday standards. To reach as many people as possible, the songs will also provide the soundtrack for BMO’s gift-wrapping station at the Toronto Eaton Centre, the busiest shopping centre in North America, where carollers will also be on hand to sing the songs in person for some extra festive cheer.  

“You can’t escape holiday music. It’s everywhere,” say Caleb McMullen and Hussein Rumaithi, associate creative directors at FCB. “Many of these songs are well over 100 years old. What better way to spotlight underrepresented businesses than to write them into the lyrics of overexposed holiday songs shoppers already know and love.”

All of the advertising drives to the dedicated hub, where visitors can shop from featured businesses, find products, sort by product or business type, or create a wish list to share on their social channels.