BMO Launches Wrap the Good to Promote Small Business Recovery this Holiday Season

• Creates custom holiday wrapping paper doubling as ad space for Canadian women-owned businesses

TORONTO, Dec. 1, 2021 /CNW/ - As part of its longstanding commitment to helping Canadian women business owners, BMO has launched Wrap the Good, a new holiday-themed initiative featuring custom recyclable wrapping paper that doubles as ad space for women small business owners.

BMO Launches Wrap the Good to Promote Small Business Recovery this Holiday Season (CNW Group/BMO Financial Group)

The colourful paper features images of dozens of gifts, as well as a QR code that drives to a Pinterest board featuring hundreds of shoppable products and gift cards from women-owned small businesses across Canada. Businesses in the gift guide include Blume, Remix Snacks and Mme L'Ovary. A short video providing an overview of the program is available here and the full Pinterest guide can be viewed here: www.pinterest.ca/bmowrapthegood

Launched on Small Business Day (November 27), Wrap the Good is an extension of the BMO Celebrating Women Grant Program, which recently awarded $120,000 in grants to 18 Canadian women-owned businesses. The businesses included in the gift guide are semi-finalists from the 2021 and 2020 grant program. The campaign serves as a timely reminder to shop women-owned businesses and support small business recovery this holiday season.

"BMO saw an opportunity to continue its support of women-owned businesses this holiday season by creating unique wrapping paper that promotes shopping women-owned." said Jennifer Carli, Head, Global Brand and Social, BMO Financial Group. "The pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on Canada's woman-owned businesses, which will take longer to recover financially than businesses owned by men. Wrap the Good underscores BMO's commitment to empowering women-owned businesses that are such a vital part of the fabric of our communities, particularly at a time when they're in need of support."

"We're proud to be a partner in the economic recovery of thousands of Canadian businesses," said Mike Bonner, Head, Canadian Business Banking, BMO Financial Group. "BMO continues to innovate both in the ways we spotlight and support our clients, and in ensuring they have the right banking tools so that their businesses make real financial progress now and in the future. We're excited to continue rolling out firsts to support Canadian businesses in 2022."

The custom wrapping paper features details of the program, and instructions on how to access the Pinterest shopping guide. Participating businesses from the BMO Celebrating Women Grant Program who are featured in the shopping guide will receive copies of the custom-designed wrapping paper to distribute in their stores and to their networks.

BMO is further amplifying the gift guide through exterior wraps on select bank branches and through social media. The paper will also be available to BMO employees to enable them to promote the women who have been recognized through the BMO Celebrating Women grant program.

The Wrap the Good program was conceived by BMO and its creative agency, FCB Canada.

About BMO Financial Group
Serving customers for 200 years and counting, BMO is a highly diversified financial services provider - the 8th largest bank, by assets, in North America. With total assets of $971 billion as of July 31, 2021, and a team of diverse and highly engaged employees, BMO provides a broad range of personal and commercial banking, wealth management and investment banking products and services to more than 12 million customers and conducts business through three operating groups: Personal and Commercial Banking, BMO Wealth Management and BMO Capital Markets.

SOURCE BMO Financial Group

Media Contacts: Colleen Hamilton, Toronto, [e-mail], [phone]