National Arts Centre
Bringing live audiences back to Canada’s stage
Challenge
The 2022-2023 season was the first full year back in the halls at the NAC post-pandemic. The performing arts sector experienced a dramatic erosion of its customer base, with a large cohort putting off a return. The NAC wanted to provide confidence to their loyal patrons.
Solution
We built an agile and responsive plan. For the first time ever, the season announcement came in two waves, and we also needed to adapt to entirely new purchasing habits. Messaging appealed to the mindset of those—somewhat reluctantly—returning to live performance, enticing audiences back while illustrating the NAC best-in-class in-person experience.
Outcomes
- The 2022/23 season established a new baseline for the NAC’s post-pandemic reality
- The insights gained helped to re-define the NAC audiences and what loyalty means for the NAC
- Following this campaign, Banfield was awarded Agency of Record for the NAC’s advertising with a focus on building new relationships, including with multicultural and younger audiences
“We have a very long relationship with Banfield, spanning multiple decades. What distinguishes the Banfield team is how committed they are to our mission—it feels like a true partnership. We trust them. They know our audiences, they learn from project to project, and they can pivot quickly when things change. The Banfield team always delivers to a very high standard.”
Shannon Urie
Marketing Director
National Arts Centre
