Canadians Create, Episode 12: Lifelong Crush and Kruger Products’ Gold Effie Success

​​​​​​​​StartWell, in partnership with Little Black Book (LBB) and the Institute of Canadian Agencies (ICA), has launched the twelfth episode of its original podcast series, ‘Canadians Create’. Designed to bring to life the ICA’s ‘Brands Need More Canada’ manifesto, the series focuses on highlighting conversations with agencies and marketers, showcasing best-in-class examples of Canadian creative work in the process.

This week’s edition marks the second of three special episodes, released in partnership with Effie Canada. Intended to showcase the competition’s 2025 Gold winners, here, viewers can learn more about Kruger Products’ ‘Becoming The Authority on Bathroom Luxury’ for Cashmere UltraLuxe (Gold in the Marketing Disruptors and Silver in the Household Supplies categories). Created by Lifelong Crush, the work not only helped the brand earn a respectable third place finish in the Effie Canada Marketer of the Year race, but proved the perfect point of exploration for podcast producer and host, Qasim Virjee.

Featuring the indie’s chief creative officer, Derek Blais, and senior vice president, strategy, Geoff Gingerich, as well as the brand’s very own chief marketing officer, Susan Irving, the episode delves into the boutique agency’s efforts to elevate a functional, often-overlooked product to a true authority on bathroom luxury. From the creative and strategic process which guided the process of breaking the mould in bathroom advertising, to what it takes to simultaneously stand out in culture, deliver a product demonstration, and make a brand awareness play, the interview goes in depth, demonstrating all the ways in which clients and marketers can work together to achieve resonance.

To learn more about the campaign which cemented Cashmere UltraLuxe as a category leader and boosted sales by 21%, watch below.