2026 Winner

After its usual post-summer dip, Dairy Queen set out to reposition ice cream as a fall comfort, not just a summer treat. “Falling Codes” tapped into a seasonal behaviour Canadians already embrace: spotting and photographing autumn leaves, a signal that comfort season has arrived. Using a Snapchat lens, users could scan real maple leaves to unlock instant deals, linking that moment of seasonal transition to a reason to buy. With no physical rollout, the idea scaled naturally across the country. Nearly 195,000 Canadians participated, driving a 5% lift in Blizzard sales and a 12.9% increase in shakes, helping reverse the autumn slowdown.

Credits

Agency: Publics Toronto
Chief Creative Officer: Vini Dalvi
Head of Art : Victor Yves
Chief Creative Officer : Mary Chambers
EVP, Managing Director : Bobby Malhotra
EVP, MAnaging Director: Serene Gaspar
Creative Director: Emmanuel Obayemi
Senior Art Director: Pedro Minari Felippe
Senior Copywriter: Joseph Ruiz
SVP, Brand Lead: Shawna Hayman
Group Account Director: Silvia Parkinson
Account Director: Haleigh Magill
Account Supervisor: Rachel Senay
Group Strategy Director: Chris Whyte
Content Creator: Evan Chen
Content Creator: Timeia Buhra
Media Agency: DentsuX

Client: DQ Canada
VP, Marketing, DQ Canada: Candida Ness
Digital & Direct Marketing Sr Manager, DQ Canada: Cheryl Niziolomski