Most Read of 2025: Canada's Biggest Stories
It’s been a good year for Canadian pieces on Little Black Book. In what’s undoubtedly a testament to the state of local craft, quality of news, and prevalence of stories worth writing, viewership has grown like never before… which, of course, is all thanks to you, the readers. In real terms, Canadian content on LBB drove 75% more traffic in 2025 than in 2024.
Despite all the madness in the world, you, the hardworking people of adland persevered, delivering work that not only commanded unprecedented levels of viewership – nationally and internationally – but above all else, made the country proud. So many unpredictable things happened, but in spite of everything, the story opportunities stayed consistent: tales of scrappy, clever creativity, deep, personal insights into career journeys, and much, much more. In my humble opinion, the Canadian ad industry outdid itself this year, and I’m really proud to have reported on the events in real time.
So, before we wipe the slate clean and head into 2026, let’s take a look at the articles that made the biggest splash. Read more below!
Standing Proud with… Joseph Bonnici
Earlier this year, over drinks with the ICA’s Scott Knox, I was pitched the concept of interviewing more queer people in advertising. I knew right away it was a good idea. However, what I did not expect was the amount of attention this endeavour would receive – something best represented by this interview with Joseph Bonnici.
Sitting on a whopping 11,000 views, it’s genuinely heartening to see that people do care to read this sort of content, and that the pearls of wisdom dropped by Bensimon Byrne’s chief creative officer were worth seeking out. At a time of DEI rollbacks and pushback in various countries against the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, it’s especially poignant to see people value the story of Joseph’s career journey, and how his own identity influences his perspectives on leadership and work. I’d say give it a read if you haven’t already, but it’s our biggest story for a reason. So, give it a re-read?
RONA's Cheeky Campaign Features a Literal Half-Ass to Champion Quality Work
Back in March, Courage decided to launch a new brand platform for RONA called 'Make it right. Make it RONA’. Designed to demonstrate that quality is imperative, and that, when taking on home renovations of any kind, corner-cutting is not an acceptable option, the concept was simple, but the execution was anything but. Taking the phrase ‘half-assed’ literally, the agency designed an actual half-ass (the donkey kind, to be clear) to star in the hero spot, morosely walking about the city as people berate shoddy craft work right in front of it. It’s hilarious, surprisingly heartfelt, and Vapor Music’s soundtrack takes things over the top – testament to the enduring power and rewatchability of well-executed tongue-in-cheek advertising.
DoorDash Canada’s Choreographed Creative Turns Order Anticipation Into Dazzling Dance Moves
Around the world, the battle between various food delivery services rages on, with no winner or end in sight. But, from a single campaign basis, this year’s Canadian champion seems to be very clear cut… if your metric is the all-important LBB viewership stat, that is.
Specifically, Hard Work Club and DoorDash’s approach to introducing the ‘Your Door to More’ platform locally went down swimmingly with readers, in large part due to the over-the-top, dance-packed spot depicting the quest to pick up one’s order at the front door, no matter the circumstances. (The small part is the fact that the agency shared the work under embargo and asked us to break the news, which we can do for you too. Could this spot be yours on the 2026 list?). Featuring a deep dive into the craft behind the campaign, BTS stills, and even brand insights, it all came together to form a newsy feature which – we hope – was worthy of such fun creative.
International Menu Heist from McDonald’s Brings Global Flavours to Canada
If you’ve seen the recent hype about McDonald’s holding a ‘menu heist’ in another, overseas market (one where the majority of my colleagues are from), just remember, Canada did it first. Keenly aware of the nation’s diversity, and the general popularity surrounding country-specific menu items, the QSR, in partnership with Cossette, brought six standouts to local restaurants, and announced this in a very fun way. Featuring nods to the classic ‘Hamburglar’, heist movie-like effects, and practical gadgetry, the spot was equal to the task of promoting a limited-time menu deal such as this. It’s just a shame the work is six months old – revisiting it has absolutely made me hungry for some no-longer-available goods.
“We’re All F**ked”: A Cautionary Tale of the Dangers of AI Scams
This deep-dive by my colleague, April Summers, into ONE23WEST’s PSA on behalf of the British Columbia Securities Commission is awesome. Not only is the work itself – an anthemic ballad about a possible future where consumers don’t take the dangers of AI fraud seriously – an absolute spectacle, but the insights gleaned from the making-of process are super insightful. Sure, the subject itself might instil a sense of dread, but the intentionally uplifting, lighthearted nature of the craft will hopefully leave you with a smile, or at least a few laughs in the process!
McDonald’s Canada Kicks Off 2025 with the Return of Summer Drink and Treat Days
It turns out LBB’s audience loves reading about McDonald’s in Canada! Barely worse for viewership than its previous entry is the announcement – once again created with Cossette – that ‘Summer Drink Days’ and ‘Summer Treat Days’ are back (or at least, they were in May). Short but sweet, the hero spot features “a Bonnie-and-Clyde-style senior duo” revelling in warmer-weather activities, McDonald’s drinks in hand. Something that – with all the recent icky weather – will make you yearn for days with a few extra hours of sunlight and higher temperatures, revisiting the creative may help you remember for next year that, as the release puts it, “summer doesn’t start with the solstice; it starts with a sip from McDonald’s”.
KitKat Tells Polite Canadians to Ditch the Manners with AI
Courage makes its second appearance on the list with this insightful campaign created for KitKat. Built upon a series of clever insights – that Canadians are polite, that they probably would be the type to tell AI to take a break, that telling AI to take a break isn’t a good thing, and that taking a break sounds very similar to the brand’s classic slogan, ‘Have a Break’ – it all came together in a timely campaign promoting the confection and best environmental practices simultaneously. The OOH in particular is a real star, but in general, the ability to insert a chocolate bar into the conversation surrounding AI is remarkable!
adidas and FCB Canada Unveil Performance Shoe Tailored for Athletes with Down Syndrome
When I try to contextualise the type of work I write about to people outside the industry, this is the example I’ve consistently picked to demonstrate that there’s more to advertising than just blatant consumerism. After all, FCB Canada and adidas’ decision to make a shoe specifically for people with Down Syndrome – who happen to have genetic foot anomalies – is just one of those things that makes you think, ‘Wow, that’s genuinely really wonderful!’.
The fact that it also builds off the agency and brand’s previous efforts to help get people with Down Syndrome more involved in sport is also brilliant, and I’d be lying if I said that, once the shoe comes out next year, I’d be disappointed if this didn’t win a few awards on a global scale. (FCB, you’re forgiven for sharing this news/making me write this story on a statutory holiday; it’s amazing work, and entirely worthy of a place on this list).
SickKids Fights for Every Birthday in First Campaign from FCB Canada
It appears FCB really has this section of the list tightly under its control, because up next is its already-immortal outing on behalf of SickKids, ‘The Count’. A significant story for a number of reasons, including the fact that it was the first campaign created since the agency won the account, it coincided with the hospital’s 150th birthday, and that the team chose to build upon the legendary ‘SickKids VS’ platform instead of starting fresh, this one really speaks for itself. Featuring a cast of more than 20 real SickKids patients, the work will make you emotional every time you watch it, as the kids’ own struggle to reach every birthday gets captured through the lens of sports training (with a hospital twist), all while playing off the larger occasion. Truly powerful stuff!
Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg Hilariously Prove Skip Might Be too Convenient
While this work from Courage (yet again) on behalf of Skip may be only the second most-read delivery service story on the list, that certainly does not diminish its quality (it also was in market for seven fewer months, to be fair). In the wake of ‘The Studio’ and its success, the decision to have Canadian icon Seth Rogen attempt to write movie scripts, only for them to be thwarted by the convenience of the delivery service just feels right. It’s funny, it’s not that serious, and it’s not just a blatant endorsement deal, which is nice. Sure, you don’t generally see celebrity-led spots in Canada, and up here, we may sometimes feel a slight sense of derision for countries that throw money into the void and use big names as a substitute for creativity, but this is a reminder that, when done right, the results can be sublime!
Heineken's Route 0.0 Is Back to Give Toronto Residents a New Route to a Night Out
Who doesn’t love a sequel? Following the success of Heineken and Publicis Toronto’s initial ‘Route 0.0’ initiative (a Toronto streetcar activation centred around creating a fun night out without alcohol involved), the two decided to run it back this year and re-challenge perceptions that booze is required to have a good time. An activation which once again saw the brand transform an ordinary streetcar into a hotspot featuring live DJ performances, complimentary Heineken 0.0, and drop-offs at some of the city’s nightlife hotspots, it appears people were absolutely thrilled to learn more about it from our website.
IKEA Slides Into Sleepless Canadians' DMs
Chances are, you’ve heard of this campaign already. It made waves around the award circuit, all because some clever people at Rethink encouraged IKEA to slip into people’s DMs with a cheeky ‘U Up?’. No, it turned out the retailer’s social media person wasn’t actually someone looking for a late-night hookup who’d forgotten to switch accounts, and those who responded ended up coming away with a deal for a free mattress. Fun, viral and incredibly memorable, this tactic for building brand affinity and reminding Canadians that IKEA does in fact sell mattresses thoroughly deserves to hold the final spot on this list!
