2025 SMCC Sponsorship Marketing Awards Winners Announced

TORONTO, Sept. 22, 2025 /CNW/ - The Sponsorship Marketing Council Canada (SMCC) announced the recipients of the 2025 Sponsorship Marketing Awards (SMAs) at the awards ceremony held last Thursday evening at TIFF Lightbox. The annual awards ceremony honours top tier properties, brands and agencies who have positively shifted the landscape of sponsorship marketing through not only meaningful connections with communities across Canada, but also through elevating business standards to drive brand and business results.  

The 2025 SMCC Sponsorship Marketing Award winners are as follows:  

AGENCY OF THE YEAR
Gold: The T1 Agency

AMBASSADOR OR TALENT
Gold: Sponsored By You – OLG x Canadian Olympic Committee (OLG, WPP Media Sports and Entertainment, BBDO, Weber Shandwick and Momentum Worldwide)
Award of Distinction: lululemon x Phil Wizard (Canadian Olympic Committee)

ARTS
Award of Distinction: Rogers x Toronto International Film Festival (Rogers Communications, Publicis and SDI Marketing)

BEST NEW INITIATIVE
Gold: Molson: See My Name (Molson Coors Beverage Company and Rethink Communications)
Award of Distinction: RBC x Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour (RBC and Salt XC)

CAUSE MARKETING
Award of Distinction: RBC Race for the Kids (RBC and Salt XC)

Award of Distinction: Scotiabank x Invictus Games "Unconquerable" (Scotiabank, Lighthouse, MKTG and Invictus Games)

DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION
Gold: Designing for Inclusivity: lululemon x Team Canada Paris 2024 Paralympic Kit (Canadian Paralympic Committee)
Award of Distinction: ATCO x Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025: Built Different (ATCO, Wasserman, Denim and Mas Orca)

ENTERTAINMENT, TOURS AND ATTRACTIONS
Gold: RBC x Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour (RBC and Salt XC)

FESTIVALS, FAIRS AND ANNUAL EVENTS
Gold: OLG x Toronto Pride (OLG, Momentum Worldwide, WPP Media Sports + Entertainment)
Award of Distinction: Appartamento Aperol (XMC and Campari Canada)

HALL OF FAME, INDIVIDUAL
Gold: Mark Harrison, Founder, MH3 Collective

OLYMPICS / GRASSROOTS / AMATEUR SPORTS
Gold: Sponsored By You – OLG x Canadian Olympic Committee (OLG, WPP Media Sports and Entertainment, BBDO, Weber Shandwick and Momentum Worldwide)
Award of Distinction: lululemon x Team Canada – Outshine Gold (Canadian Olympic Committee)

PROFESSIONAL SPORTS (Budget $500K and below)
Gold: Molson: See My Name (Molson Coors Beverage Company and Rethink Communications)

Award of Distinction: Toronto Maple Leafs x Oreo – Missing O's Stunt (Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment and Weber Shandwick)

PROFESSIONAL SPORTS (Budget over $501K)
Award of Distinction: Shell Grand Slam Summer (Shell Canada, Havas Canada, Edelman, VML, TI and Sidekick)

PROPERTY OF THE YEAR
Gold: PWHL: Beyond the Boards (Professional Women's Hockey League)

REGIONAL
Gold: Molson Drai (Molson Coors Beverage Company and Wasserman)
Award of Distinction: Grand Marnier and Courvoisier x Holt Renfrew (XMC and Campari Canada)

SUSTAINED SUCCESS
Gold: Tim Hortons NHL Trading Card Program (Tim Hortons and National Hockey League)
Award of Distinction: A Treat For All – Making Halloween in Canada the First Fully Accessible Community Tradition in the World (Treat Accessibly, Canadian Tire, REMAX, Kinder and Pet Valu)

BEST IN SHOW
Gold: Molson: See My Name (Molson Coors Beverage Company and Rethink Communications)

"As co-chairs we felt the cases presented have truly raised the bar this year, showcasing the exceptional talent and creativity in sponsorship marketing across Canada. The submissions are a testament to the ingenuity of our industry professionals, and it reinforces the caliber of sponsorship marketing innovation in our country. It's been an honour to witness such outstanding work, and we look forward to celebrating the achievements at the Sponsorship Marketing Awards." said SMAs Judging Co-Chairs, Heather Nobes and Justin Hasan.

"We are thrilled to see the positive response from brands, agencies and properties to this year's SMAs. The pedigree and sheer number of submissions is an indicator of how important sponsorship has become for organizations looking to speak directly to their target market(s)." said SMCC Board Chairperson, Julian Franklin.

About Sponsorship Marketing Council Canada (SMCC):  

The Sponsorship Marketing Council Canada (SMCC) was created in 2004 to drive advancements in the field of sponsorship marketing. The SMCC's mission is to help brands, agencies and properties unleash the power of sponsorship marketing through education in best practices, networking and celebrating success.   

Instagram: @SMCC_CCC 
LinkedIn: SMCC – Sponsorship Marketing Council Canada  
Web: www.sponsorshipmarketing.ca  

SOURCE Sponsorship Marketing Council of Canada

For more information, please contact: Sponsorship Marketing Council Canada, [email protected]