The .CA Domain Squad ventures into the great outdoors on CIRA’s new advertising campaign

As Canada and the world continue to re-open, the .CA Domain Squad can support Canadian online businesses wherever they are, including fishing for customers by the riverbank or feeding them poutine in the woods. Wearing their Park Ranger style uniforms, they are on a mission to help local business owners succeed online.

CIRA is thrilled to add brand new spots to its successful “Make your website true north strong” advertising campaign. In partnership with the award-winning Giants & Gentlemen Advertising Inc., Push Media Inc., and Search Warrant, the ads and videos will be running on traditional and connected TV, YouTube pre-roll, social and digital which now includes Amazon, TikTok and Xandr.

Key facts

• The campaign includes four 15-second spots featuring each of the Domain Squad characters at the .CA Headquarters at an undisclosed location somewhere in the Canadian wilderness (with special appearances by a variety of forest creatures). The campaign also features two brand new 15-second spots of the Domain Squad venturing into the Canadian wilderness:
  • NEW – Poutine Bird Man of Prey
  • NEW – Maple Syrup Fishing Bait
  • Domain name of thrones
  • Put it on the net
  • A winning hand
  • Bear necessities
• The commercials will air over broadcast television in the Greater Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal Areas from October 4 until November 14.
• The spots focus on the value of a .CA domain name for Canadian businesses. Studies show that Canadians prefer to shop from Canadian businesses online, and a .CA domain name is the number one way to declare your business proudly Canadian.
• Over the last three years, the campaign has been produced in partnership with the award-winning Giants & Gentlemen Advertising Inc., Push Media Inc. and Search Warrant.

Executive quotes

Since the .CA Domain Squad campaign premiered in September 2019, .CA’s unaided brand awareness with small businesses increased by 13%. As Canada’s small businesses grow their digital presence, CIRA continues to record growth in .CA domain name registrations with a record increase of 15% for the past 12 months until August 2021.

“As Canada begins to recover from the pandemic, it’s been heartening to see so many businesses pivoting to an online strategy to thrive. Through our campaign, we intend to spread the word that having a .CA domain can have a beneficial impact on the success of your Canadian business.” — Paul Sarkozy, Director, Marketing in .CA Product Marketing, CIRA

“While the scenarios in the commercials are comically farfetched, the depicted metaphorical lengths business owners go to attract their target audience, isn’t. It’s an incredibly competitive and cluttered online environment out there, and we wanted to position .CA as a key tool in the Canadian business owners’ tackle box.” — Alanna Nathanson, Co-founder and Chief Creative Officer, Giants & Gentleman.