Sobeys embraces Canadian pride amid trade tensions
Nothing unites Canadians like trade wars and hockey matches against the United States—a sentiment that Sobeys is tapping into in a new marketing campaign.
On Feb. 15, as Canada went head-to-head against the U.S. at the 4 Nations Face-Off, the threat of tariffs loomed large. Empire Company seized the moment, airing in-game ads for Sobeys and IGA in Quebec designed to strike a patriotic chord. The spots capture the spirit of the “Buy Canadian” movement, which has gained momentum across the country since U.S. President Donald Trump announced tariffs on Canadian imports.
The Sobeys ad opens with the message, “Over the past few weeks, something incredible has happened in Canada. We were reminded of what we already knew: that standing united is important. And whether it’s on or off the ice, we Canadians have each other’s backs.”
READ: Grocers stocking up on Canadian, international suppliers as shoppers avoid American
Throughout the spot, a variety of Canadian products available at Sobeys are highlighted—from apples and eggs to maple syrup and seafood. The voiceover is provided by Gord Miller, TSN’s long-time play-by-play announcer for NHL and international hockey coverage. The IGA ad, airing in Quebec, features Ricardo Larrivée, executive chef and co-founder of Ricardo Media. Larrivée talks about the importance of sticking together and supporting local producers from coast to coast to coast.
Erika DeHaas, vice president, corporate marketing at Empire, says local is part of the company’s core marketing strategy, a focus that stems from Empire’s DNA as a Canadian-owned and operated company since 1907.
“With the news of the tariff threat, it was an opportunity for us to amplify our positioning across all our banners,” she says. “There has always been a passion to support local and rally behind Canadian pride, but we felt that now more than ever, we needed to double down on it and take the opportunity to push that out.”
Empire and its nine retail banners—including Sobeys, Safeway, FreshCo, Foodland, IGA/Co-op, Thrifty Foods and others—moved quickly to put local front-and-centre in its 1,600 stores nationwide. In just a few weeks, the company assessed all its products and created shelf tags and bold, clear signage to help customers quickly and easily identify local and Canadian options.
Empire’s merchandising and sourcing teams have also stepped up their efforts on Canadian-grown and produced products, building on already strong local sourcing programs and a commitment to local producers.
“While we already had local marketing efforts in all our communications, through our stores and our digital advertising, we took a step back to look at how we could amplify this further,” says DeHaas. “We know that people are looking for Canadian products; they want to know what they are purchasing."
READ: These Canadian retailers and brands are tapping into the ‘Buy Canadian’ trend
The marketing campaign uses slogans like “So local” and “So Canadian,” building on Sobeys’ “So.be.it” brand platform that launched in 2023. In addition to the TV spots and in-store components, it includes digital creative and digital flyers highlighting Made in Canada items, as well as Voilà’s new Shop Canada section, which clearly identifies local and Canadian options.
The overall campaign strategy was led in-house, and Empire worked with its agency partners on developing the assets. FCB led the Gord Miller spot creative and production, while Sid Lee led the IGA spot, UM led media, and North Strategic handled PR—all moving quickly to bring the campaign to life. “One of our big beliefs is working with agility and our teams really rallied together,” says DeHaas.
While the grocery retailer capitalized on this moment in time, DeHaas doesn’t anticipate the “Buy Canadian” movement will fade.
“It’s always been there—especially since COVID when people wanted to support local businesses,” she says. “But more and more, people want to support our country, our suppliers and our teammates. So, I see this as a continuum of a movement that was already underway. But now more than ever, it’s a way we can support our local economy and our brand partners, ultimately. I don’t think it’s going away.”
Watch the Sobeys and IGA ads below:
