2025 Winner
SilverExperiential/Special Events/Stunts
BronzeBest Use of Social Media
POCAM / APG
"POCAM + APG Hackathon"
Barrett and Welsh / FUSE Create / POCAM / APG
"POCAM + APG Hackathon"
Barrett and Welsh / FUSE Create / POCAM / APG
To challenge tokenism and performative diversity in Canadian advertising, the
“POCAM + APG Hackathon” encouraged the industry to rethink its approach to briefs, dispensing with decades-old, white cultural references and tropes that may be less relevant in a country in which the ethnic makeup has significantly changed. POCAM (People of Colour in Advertising and Marketing) and APG (Account Planning Group of Canada) brought together BIPOC professionals and allies to create “Beyond Tropes, Tokenism and Talk,” an event highlighting strategic planning and moving beyond casting calls to reimagine creative, research and media briefs to be more inclusive of diverse communities. The campaign used humour in social media to encourage industry professionals to participate, focusing first on recruitment, followed by a ticket sales push. The event exceeded capacity, attracted industry coverage and resulted in the output from the hackathon being turned into the industry’s first BIPOC Strategy Toolkit, which has been downloaded for free by agencies and institutions.
“POCAM + APG Hackathon” encouraged the industry to rethink its approach to briefs, dispensing with decades-old, white cultural references and tropes that may be less relevant in a country in which the ethnic makeup has significantly changed. POCAM (People of Colour in Advertising and Marketing) and APG (Account Planning Group of Canada) brought together BIPOC professionals and allies to create “Beyond Tropes, Tokenism and Talk,” an event highlighting strategic planning and moving beyond casting calls to reimagine creative, research and media briefs to be more inclusive of diverse communities. The campaign used humour in social media to encourage industry professionals to participate, focusing first on recruitment, followed by a ticket sales push. The event exceeded capacity, attracted industry coverage and resulted in the output from the hackathon being turned into the industry’s first BIPOC Strategy Toolkit, which has been downloaded for free by agencies and institutions.
Credits
Gavin Barrett, CCO, Art Director, CopywriterNitin Bagga, CSO
Tanya Sinha, AM