Presentation gives a brief overview of the full service advertising agency SID LEE and details the rationale, creation, and implementation, of the successful 'We the North' ad campaign for the Toronto Raptors (2014- ongoing)

1. How SID LEE Won Canada
Its First NBA Championship
By: Pranay Joy Abraham

2. CONTENTS
I. The Agency
II. The Clients
III. We The North Campaign
3
6
5-11

3. We transform what we touch! Sid Lee builds
business for its clients by transforming the
consumer experience across all touch points.
Sid Lee has one of the most multidisciplinary
creative teams in the world. They cultivate
radical collaboration by continually breaking
barriers. Guided by a core group of
strategists, they develop transformative
consumer experiences that go beyond what
standard thinking can deliver.
With offices in Montréal, Paris, Toronto, L.A. and New York, Sid Lee boasts a global creative team of 600 professionals crafting innovative
consumer experiences to drive value for top-tier brands around the world.
Vision Statement
Background
Sid Lee is a global full-service agency that transforms brands by continuously taking incremental steps in the right direction and making big pivotal
leaps when the timing is right.
SID LEE: THE AGENCY 3
Offering one of the most diverse and
multidisciplinary teams in the world, Sid Lee
specializes in:
• Design and branding
• Advertising
• Media planning
• CRM Solutions
• Public relations
• Digital solutions
• Website development
• Content Development
• Experiential Events and Activation
• Film Production
Area of Expertise
From 99th Edition of ADC Awards in 2020
• Silver Cube in the Design for Good
category
• Silver Cube in the Branding category
• Bronze Cube in the Social Media/Twitter
category
• Bronze Cube in the Environmental
Design/Exhibition Design category
• Bronze Cube in the Integrated/Digital
category
• IGA’s Tattoos and Parkinson Quebec’s
Traces have awarded us the bronze prize
for 2020 Digital Agency of the Year.
Awards in 2020

4. Sid Lee has a number of notable clients across several industries.
SID LEE: THE CLIENTS 4

5. “We The North” Campaign
Client: Toronto Raptors
Campaign Slogan: We The North

6. In the 2014-2015 season, The Toronto Raptors were set to celebrate their 20th anniversary. This was the perfect opportunity to rebrand the team
and change perceptions. Sid Lee created the idea for the iconic campaign that would eventually reshape the team, the city, and the nation.
WE THE NORTH: BACKGROUND 6
The Problems
The Toronto Raptors were considered an average team in the NBA.
Additionally, the local support for the team was scarce. The overall
atmosphere around the team was not geared towards growing or improving
The team only made the playoffs 5 times in
20 years.
NBA fans viewed Canada as a provincial
backwater and openly griped about it.
NBA players viewed the Toronto Raptors as
a weak team that had no ambition.
The team was an outsider, a basketball team
in a “hockey-nation”.
The Objectives
The objective of the campaign was: Generate a huge amount of Brand Loyalty
within Toronto, the player pool and Canada as a whole
Make Players Want to Come to Toronto
Make Fans Want to Travel to Toronto
Make Toronto a Destination for Flagship
NBA Events
Create a following and unified a culture

7. Primary
• Canadians and other residents living in
Toronto.
• 12-45 years old.
Secondary
• Canadians and other residents living in
Canada.
• 12-45 years old.
Tertiary
• Young Americans.
• 12-35 years old.
Demographics
The target market was clear, “The Urban Culture” in Canada. A powerful and diverse group that spans across a vast array of cultural backgrounds
who would all unite under the flag “We The North”.
WE THE NORTH: TARGET AUDIENCE 7
• Canadians and residents Interested in
sports.
• They were not targeting only
basketball fans but sports fans in
general.
• Canadians and residents who were
patriotic and proud to be Canadian.
Interests
• People who had faced adversity at any
point in their lives.
• People who regarded themselves as
underdogs.
• People who wanted to rally behind a
cause.
Psychographics

8. The motto was clear, edgy and raw. It was designed with the intention of showcasing Toronto for what it can be, Cold, Hard and Urban. It
appealed directly to Canada’s status in the NBA as an outsider.
Brand Definition
The intention was clear, “We The North” was designed to spark a sense of patriotism with Canadians and other outsider sentiments felt by new
Canadians. Sid Lee wanted to change not just the branding of the Raptors, but they were rebranding Canadian basketball.
WE THE NORTH: REDEFINING THE RAPTORS BRAND 8
• Patriotic: A brand that is proud to be a Canadian Team
• Passionate: A brand committed to achieving in heart and
mind.
• Integrity: A real and honest brand that represents a
community.
• United: A brand that is part of a larger community focused
on a cause.
• Gritty: Overcoming adversity through hard work and
perseverance.
Brand Values
“We The North” is the battle cry of the Toronto Raptors that
brings ‘outsiders’ and ‘underdogs’ to rally behind a cause, in
this case a team. ”
Brand Promise

9. Sid Lee used a variety of advertising channels over the years to spread awareness and build loyalty among Canadians. They focused on using social
media and video ads, in order to effectively reach and convert younger Canadians.
WE THE NORTH: EFFECTIVE ADVERTISING 9
Video Ads
The original advertisement aired in 2014 and
has seen many variations, however all the
video ads that followed did not stray from
the core concept.
Sid Lee ensured that message and tone of
the video ads are consistent with the core
values of the brand.
OOH Advertising
Sid Lee also used variety of OOH (Out of
home) advertising on billboards and banners
across the city.
Most notably during the 2019 playoff run,
the iconic CN tower also advertised the
brand.
Social Media
Their array of social media content ranges
from personal player content, to fan centric
content, to high-quality video productions.
The fans, and the staff of the organization are
appreciated and included as part of the
journey.

10. Sid Lee also used tactics aside from traditional and digital advertising in their strategy. They began with changing the image of the brand by
changing the logo, they also partnered with leading companies and a global influencer; Drake. These partnerships reinforced the brand values and
helped spread awareness significantly.
WE THE NORTH: INTEGRATED MARKETING CONSISTENCY 10
Changing The Logo
The Raptor claw within the basketball icon
that has become the franchise logo, it moved
away from the traditional slightly cartoonish
depiction of the franchise.
The ferocity of the logo aligns with the brand
values and ties in nicely with the simplicity of
the black “We The North” flag.
Signing Drake As Brand Ambassador
Drake is one of the most popular figures in
modern pop-culture. He is a local and global
icon.
The Toronto born rapper was a die-hard and
long-term fan of the Raptors, which made
him the perfect candidate to represent the
new Raptors.
Partnerships
Partnerships played a crucial role in the
success of the campaign. The unique thing
about partnerships with the Raptors is that
leading brands incorporated the “We The
North” campaign into their own advertising.
These include TimHortons, McDonalds, Coca-
Cola

11. The campaign began in 2014 and is still ongoing and Sid Lee have done an excellent job in ensuring that the core message of the campaign
remains the same through the years.
WE THE NORTH: THE RESULTS 11
Success
The success of the campaign saw the brand grow rapidly and the audience’s perceptions change significantly.
The crowning jewel of the campaign came in 2019, when the Toronto Raptors won their first NBA title. With this momentous milestone, the “We The North” slogan
became immortalized and engrained in the culture.
The ‘Earned media’ from local and international companies, audiences, and influencers helped significantly in broadening the reach and in building lasting connections.
Local and international news outlets reporting the success of the
rebrand and the team
Tweet by Toronto Mayor John Tory declaring
June 17th as “We The North” day
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau showing his
support for the Raptors.

12. The campaign began in 2014 and is still ongoing and Sid Lee have done an excellent job in ensuring that the core message of the campaign
remains the same through the years.
WE THE NORTH: THE RESULTS 12
POV
This was an extremely successful campaign; it not only changed the perception of the
Raptors fans in Canada but basketball fans around the world. Additionally, it was proved
instrumental to the franchise improving. I personally believe, that the success of the
campaign led to the Raptors becoming world champions in 2019.
The emotional message was clear and resonated strongly with the audience. It built a clear
connection between the team and its fans. Sid Lee did an excellent job in delivering
consistently powerful content to spread the word and build the team’s reputation.
The raw and powerful battle cry of the new Raptors rallied the ‘outsiders’ from around the
world which resulted in magnificent championship run in 2019. The ‘outsider’ in the NBA is
now a serious force to contend with and the world knows this.

13. Thank You