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At the helm of a 130-person agency spanning the US and Canada, Citizen Relations President Nick Cowling understands the anatomy of a winning brand.
When the 2026 FIFA World Cup came to North America, the most memorable campaigns in Canada weren't driven by massive global media buys, but by authentic local engagement. Nick Cowling provided us with a look at the brands that successfully turned FIFA's international spotlight into lasting grassroots impact.
If there were an official FIFA World Cup 2026 Activations Award, which brand would get the Grand Prize?
Nick:
Grand Prize Winner: BMO (Bank of Montreal)
(Honourable Mentions: Visa & Michelob Ultra)
Grand Prize Winner: BMO (Bank of Montreal)
Nick: While global partners commanded massive media budgets, BMO won Canada by leaning into two decades of authentic work as Canada’s primary soccer bank. Instead of treating the tournament as a temporary promotional splash, they anchored their strategy in local community connection. On top of presenting the national team send-off matches, BMO opened the pitch at BMO Field to local youth players right before tournament site handovers, and worked alongside MLSE LaunchPad to give underrepresented kids free coaching and match access. By tying national team visibility directly to grassroots access, BMO showed how to turn a massive international tournament into a lasting local legacy.
Honourable Mention: Visa
Nick: Visa showed how a global financial tech brand can translate an international platform into practical local value. Their campaign featuring Jason Sudeikis brought contactless payment tech to life through interactive pop-up spaces in Toronto and other host cities. What made Visa stand out was its direct commitment to local economic growth. Through its Tap In to Impact initiative, Visa pledged $200,000 (USD) to Futurpreneur Canada to mentor and fund young Canadian entrepreneurs between 18 and 39 during the tournament window, ensuring their presence helped small businesses drive the host city economy.
Honourable Mention: Michelob Ultra
Nick: Michelob Ultra set the standard for commercial, fan-focused marketing by tailoring a global campaign specifically for Canadian audiences. Sponsoring the official Superior Player of the Match trophy, they created a contest allowing a Canadian fan to present the award on the field. They balanced global superstars with Canadian men's national team star Jonathan David in host city billboards, while operating a live podcast studio inside Canada Soccer House. That approach turned a physical fan footprint into an active, real-time media engine.
Key PR Takeaway
Nick: The 2026 World Cup proved that the most memorable campaigns in Canada went beyond generic advertising. Whether by lowering barriers for youth athletes, funding local entrepreneurs, or giving regular fans access to matchday moments, the winning brands were those that converted a global event into tangible value on the ground.
