2025 Winner

To better support young athletes facing intense mental health pressures, Kids Help Phone (KHP) launched “686868 Circuit,” a national campaign designed to embed its free, 24/7 e-mental health text line directly into the fitness routines of youth. The campaign transformed the common act of counting reps into a call for help, using 6-8 circuits as a visual and physical reminder of the 686868 number. Recognizing that elite sports can place immense strain on young people – 95% of athletes report higher stress levels than their non-athlete peers – KHP also partnered with Olympians and pro athletes like William Nylander, Penny Oleksiak and Andre de Grasse to deliver its message of support. A launch film, resources for school and online, Snapchat filters and a flood of athlete- and coach-led social content helped bring the effort to life. With more than 100 partners on board, the campaign drove a 791% increase in social engagement and more than doubled the amount of time spent on KHP’s site.

Credits

Client: Kids Help Phone

Agency: McCann Canada
Chief Creative Officer: Ian Mackenzie
Chief Creative Officer: Josh Stein
Chief Creative Officer: Jordan Doucette
Creative Director: Athina Lalljee
Creative Director: Fernando Salvador
Copywriter: Megan Burrow
French Copywriter: Genevieve Mallette
Sr. Art Director: Olivia Hashka
Designer: Mitch Houlahan
Senior Digital Designer: Ana-Maria Triana
Chief Strategy Officer: AJ Jones
VP, Strategy: Josh Hansen
Senior Strategist: Alexandra Montgomery
VP, Group Account Director: Emily MacLaurin-King
Account Supervisor: Isabel Wilkins
SVP, Director of Production: Stef Fabich
Montreal Producer: Aloha Soimaud
Senior Producer: Jana Tuck

Production Company: Scouts Honour
Director: Mark Zibert
Directors of Photography: Mark Zibert and Eric Kaskens
Executive Producers: Simon Dragland and Rita Popielak
2nd Unit DP: Stephen Hosier
Photographer: Thomas Dagg
Creative Research: Tricia Zaremba
Production Designer: David Dennis
Stylist: Kate Day

Casting: Jigsaw Casting

Editorial: Nimiopere 
Editor: Steve Puhach
Assistant Editor: Laura Corredor
Producer: Hannah Stone
Executive Producer: Julie Axell 

VFX/Online: Tantrum Studio
Compositors: Davide Di Santo, Dan Ciancone, Piers Larchet
VFX Creative Director: Dominik Bochenski 
VFX Executive Producer: Victoria Holt

Audio: Grayson Music
Audio Director: Lowell Sostomi
Audio Engineer: Eric Hulme
Music Supervisor: Warren Bray
Audio Exec Producer: Kelly McCluskey
Sound Designers: Ben Swarbrick & Eric Hulme

French Audio: Audio Z
French Producer: Vanessa Sansfacon

Print: Craft
Project Manager: Luis Santos
Retoucher: Jean-Pierre Goulet
Production Designer: Antonino Camillo

Social Content: Craft Worldwide

Producer - Leen Tangney

Videographers - Sean Marjoram and Andrew Vance

Post Producers: Kaia Kim & Jessica Luong

Offline Editors: Jesse Gayle, Nathan Baldassero
Online editor: Patrick Moore