2026 Winner

Newfoundland and Labrador Tourism wanted to turn whale watching into something personal. “Hello Humpback” used AI to let travellers upload a photo of a whale’s tail, which was then matched to global research databases to identify the individual animal. From there, the data was translated into a simple, story-driven profile, complete with migration history and behaviours, that users could follow over time. The result is a dual-impact platform: enhancing the tourism experience while contributing to conservation. In its first season, whale submissions to research partners increased by 221%, leading to 63 newly identified whales, while the campaign generated 105M earned impressions, 2.7M site sessions and sustained engagement from over 23,000 users following “their” whale.

Credits

Creative Director: TJ Arch
Associate Creative Directors: Jennifer Szilagyi, Julia Forrester
Art Director: Jennifer Szilagyi
Copywriter: Julia Forrester
Senior Developer: Tim Carew
Web Developer: Sarah Stone
Production Artist / Digital Imaging Artist: Dejan Vucicevic
Junior Graphic Artist: Amy Brenton
President: Catherine Kelly
Account Director: Ernie Brake
Senior Account Managers: Alaina Collins, Allison Daley
Strategic Planner: Noel O'Dea
Agency Production Manager: Vivian Tulk
Agency Producer: Matt Tucker
Director of Communications and Media Planning: Jef Combdon
Digital Media Planner: Ryan Locke
Paid Social Media Specialist: Sophia Munden