Upper Canada Soap launches first-ever consumer campaign

Linda Chep looked at male-focused advertising, then back to female-focused advertising, then back to male-focused advertising. It was then that the communications manager for Upper Canada Soap Company saw what her company’s creative approach could be.

The result is “The Awesome Canadian Woman,” a campaign promoting the 43-year-old company’s new e-commerce site that also represents its first consumer marketing.

The centrepiece of the campaign is a two-minute video appearing on the company’s Facebook and YouTube channels. Written and produced by Chep with assistance from freelance filmmakers, the spot opens with an attractive young woman, the “awesome Canadian woman” of the title, waking up in a remote cabin already wearing a plaid shirt and snowshoes.

Throughout the spot, the woman is shown using various products in the company’s Naturally Signature Collection of products.

Chep said the inspiration for the campaign came from seeing consistently strong and witty male commercial characters like Dos Equis’ “Most Interesting Man in the World” and the Old Spice Guy, while beauty advertising for women tended to take a more sombre approach, focusing on things like “real beauty.”

“I thought that we’ve been doing that for a few years now, and it was time to change it up,” said Chep. “I thought ‘Let’s put a woman in the role of this awesome person and see how well it does.’ Women are taking [a prominent role] in comedy and I just wanted to portray that and be a little bit more innovative.”

While the company has benefited from a significant amount of earned media in both the U.S. and Canada – it has been featured on TV shows like Oprah, The Today Show and Live With Regis and Kelly as well as magazines including Chatelaine and Canadian Living – the new campaign marks the first time it has adopted a direct-to-consumer marketing approach.

In the past, the Upper Canada Soap Company relied on its retail partners – which range from small mom-and-pop outlets to national chains like Winners and The Bay – to market its product.

The campaign is aimed primarily at women 25-35, said Chep.

The Upper Canada Soap Company will also be featured in one of the challenges on an upcoming episode of the CBC Television reality show Redemption Inc.