Interbrand Canada Tips its Toque to our Iconic Canadian Brands

Report celebrates the contributions 150 Canadian brands have made to our history, and how they will shape future growth   

TORONTO, June 28, 2017 /CNW Telbec/ - In honour of Canada 150, Interbrand Canada has released "The Interbrand 150: Iconic Canadian Brands Report — Our Time to Grow" to showcase the influence and impact of Canadian brands. This report celebrates 150 of the companies, organizations and institutions that make us authentically Canadian, some of which pre-date our country's 1867 confederation. 

"Brands become iconic when they build an emotional connection with people's values and beliefs," said Carolyn Ray, Managing Director, Interbrand Canada.  "When we asked Canadians about the brands that have shaped and defined their lives, we heard wonderful stories that convey their deep personal connections with these brands, and reinforce their pride in being Canadian."

Key highlights

• In this report, many brands fit into three main categories: innovators and entrepreneurs (such as Bombardier, BlackBerry and Roots); nation-builders (such as CP, CN and Parks Canada) and experience-shapers (such as TIFF, BeaverTails and the Terry Fox Foundation).
• There are familiar names (Tim Hortons, WestJet, Molson), emerging brands (Shopify, Porter Airlines) and nostalgic brands (Sam the Record Man, Avro Canada and Woodward's).
• Most of the brands in the Iconic Brands Report have an average age of 85 years, with the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC), Canada Post and the North West Company having the longest tenure (since 1670, 1763, and 1779 respectively), demonstrating that brand-building is a long-term commitment that requires constant adaptation, ongoing investment and strategic management.
• The full report is available at www.interbrand.ca.

For this report, Interbrand combined its expertise in studying brands and their contribution to business growth, with its knowledge of the Canadian market. Throughout spring 2017, Canadians were invited to nominate the brands they considered iconic and shared their personal stories. Brands were evaluated using Interbrand's pioneering brand strength methodology—which powers the valuation and analysis of Best Global Brands and Best Canadian Brands—with a focus on the key dimensions of clarity, authenticity and engagement.

"We are sure that this list will generate passionate discussion, and we tried to be as inclusive as possible," said Ray, and suggested that all organizations should regularly assess the clarity of their purpose, values and investment in brand as a reflection of business strategy. "The report is really meant to be a platform to not only celebrate the history of Canada but also understand the role that brands play in shaping our future."

The full report is available for download at www.interbrand.ca.

Throughout Canada 150, Interbrand invites Canadians to join the conversation about Iconic Canadian Brands using the hashtag #Interbrand150 and share their own experiences and stories.

About Interbrand Canada

Headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Interbrand Canada combines 17 years of local knowledge with global insights to help businesses of all sizes—from emerging to going global—grow. We believe that growth is achieved when an organization has a clear strategy and delivers exceptional customer experiences. Interbrand publishes the highly influential annual Best Global Brands and Breakthrough Brands reports, Webby Award-winning brandchannel, and  The Interbrand 150: Iconic Canadian Brands Report for Canada's 150^th. For more information, please visit us at Interbrand.ca and follow us on Twitter (@InterbrandCDN)and Instagram (@InterbrandCDN).

SOURCE Interbrand Canada

For further information: Rob Manne, Vice President, Interbrand Canada, 416-357-5633, [e-mail]; For interview requests: Effie Giannou, Co-founder, EGS Communications, 514-817-9442, [e-mail]