Most cause campaigns aim to tug heartstrings to achieve their aim of driving donations. The Garden’s campaign for Food Banks Canada triggers a completely different emotion. The fire in your belly your feel for your favourite sport. The campaign borrows the energy of sports marketing, capturing attention with its rallying cry, “LFG” (“Let’s Freakin’ Go”) before revealing its twist – Let’s Feed Greatness.
The campaign launches at a time of increased urgency. Food bank usage in Canada is at an all-time high, with more than 2 million monthly visits. One in four people in Canada lacks access to the food they need to be at their best.
“Hunger steals potential—holding back ideas, energy and the talent our country can’t afford to lose,” stated Kirstin Beardsley, CEO of Food Banks Canada. “When people have enough to eat, possibilities grow, communities strengthen, and we unlock the potential of every person in Canada. LFG, Canada. Let’s Feed Greatness.”
The campaign’s hero film, directed by filmmaker and photographer, Jason Van Bruggen, opens with the explosive energy of a sports spot, then reveals a broader truth: greatness isn’t limited to athletics. When people are nourished, students can excel, workers can support others, and artists can create. It is underscored by Canadian band, Teenage Head’s, popular Let’s Shake as its soundtrack, thanks to a generous donation from the band. Let’s Feed Greatness reframes food banks as driving change to fuel human potential.
“This platform isn’t about pulling on heartstrings – it’s about firing people up to take action,” stated Nuala Murray, senior copywriter at The Garden. “Our goal was to create something uplifting, energizing, and impossible to ignore.”
“We loved Food Banks Canada’s boldness in leaning into LFG, knowing it would spark attention in an unexpected way,” added Lindsay Eady, executive creative director at The Garden. “It gave us permission to do something provocative and fresh in a category that often plays it safe. The result is a rallying cry that invites people in Canada to stand together and feed greatness.
The full campaign includes the 30-second film, with 15- and 6-second cutdowns running across broadcast, digital OOH, display, and social. It also includes a series of four vibrant static ads, shot by Van Bruggen, along with campaign stills and supporting animations running on social and digital OOH. It is The Garden’s first major campaign for Food Banks Canada since being named AOR in 2024, delivered alongside a brand redesign.
Credits:
Client: Food Banks Canada
CEO: Kirstin Beardsley
VP Marketing & Communications: Michelle Book
FBC Strategic Counsel: Jordan Herald
Agency: The Garden
Co‐Founder & Chief Creative Officer: Shane Ogilvie
Co-Founder & Chief Strategy Officer: Shari Walczak
VP Client Services: Nadine Arsenault
Executive Creative Director: Lindsay Eady
Senior Copywriter: Nuala Murray
Senior Art Director: Mriga Suchdeva
Executive Design Director: Adriana Ivory
Senior Designer: Sam Liacos
Group Account Director: Julie Wierzbicki
Project Lead: Rachel Wilson
Media Agency: Aber
President: Jay Aber
Senior Director: Amanda Lee
Producer: Melanie Lambertsen
Studio Director: Jamie Morren
Production Company: Suneeva
Executive Producer: Geoff Cornish
Director: Jason van Bruggen
Line Producer: Kailey Shanque
Production Manager: Nick Tolliday
Production Coordinator: Mena Rizk
Editorial: Outsider
Editing Editor: Michael Barker
Executive Producer: Kayan Choi
Post Production: The Vanity
Colourist: Jordan Benegbi
VFX Artist: Andrew Farlow
Executive Producer: Katie Methot
VFX: TidyMotion Graphics
Motion Graphic Artist: Kathy Tidy
Music & Sound Design: Grayson Music Group
Executive Producer: Kelly McCluskey
Music & Voice Director: Mark Dominic
Music Supervisor: Warren Bray
