Canadian Tire is Canada’s leading Christmas store, but in recent years they’d noticed that the Christmas spirit was fading; it was losing the magic that made it so special, and they were losing the consumer awareness that made them #1.

Online though, spirit was alive and well and growing.What they needed was a way to reignite this fading Christmas spirit in the hearts and minds of people across Canada.

So we created a magical Christmas event unlike any before. With traditional Christmas carolers, warm beverages, delicious Christmas cookies, and CSRs engaging visitors, we unveiled the world’s first Christmas tree powered by Christmas spirit, a magical Christmas experience that let people light up a 30-foot tall Christmas tree simply by sharing their messages of Christmas cheer.At the same time, we were engaging in both traditional and digital media outreach to deliver the Christmas Spirit Tree message and drive consumers to visit the tree, either in person or online.

The outcome was remarkable. Not only did we get a fantastic reception from Canadian consumers, but we were also recognised locally and globally by both traditional and digital media outlets, and Canadian Tire saw a direct increase in sales as a result of our efforts.

The launch event was a special half-day event that took place at the tree in the Great Hall at Toronto’s historic Union Station. During this time, we delivered special $5 off coupons redeemable at any Canadian Tire store to visitors.

From the launch event, as a direct result of the coupons, Canadian Tire earned more than $500,000 in incremental revenue.

What’s more, in just over 2 weeks, Christmas Spirit Tree also received:• 20m earned impressions• 1.8m+ minutes of content consumed online (1,275 days)• Average of 7+ minutes spent on the site• Mentions on more than 1,400 blogs and news outlets, including Global News, PSFK, and MSNBCs Today Show.• Site visits from 170 different countries