Sponsorship drives 2x consideration, 3x recommendation

Inspiring youth connection through cultural alignment 

In 2019, a leading Canadian financial institution partnered with Bell Media as the presenting sponsor of the broadcast special, aligning its brand with a purpose-driven cultural event that celebrates youth empowerment. This values-led collaboration sparked measurable lifts across awareness, brand opinion, consideration, and advocacy, proving the power of authentic alignment between brand purpose and cultural moments. 

In a time when consumers are drawn to brands that act with authentic purpose, this financial institution recognized the opportunity to align with the national broadcast event celebrating youth empowerment and community leadership. By embedding itself within a cultural moment that resonated deeply with young Canadians and families, the brand strengthened its equity as a champion of the next generation. 

Purpose amplified on screen and beyond 

The broadcast provided the brand with a powerful stage to reach millions of Canadians. Strategic placements, from logo integrations and sponsor pods to talent-adjacent moments, ensured the brand’s presence was clear and credible. The campaign was amplified across Bell Media’s cross-platform ecosystem, extending the impact beyond the special itself and sustaining the brand’s association with youth empowerment across digital and social channels. 

Proven results through independent validation 

A brand lift study conducted among Canadians aged 18–54 compared exposed and control groups, uncovering significant movement across key brand measures. 

Sponsorship awareness & fit 

• Strong recall: Double-digit unaided recall; aided recall particularly strong among parents of minors. 
• Brand fit: ~30% of exposed viewers rated the institution a “5/5 fit” with the event. 
• Meaningful salience: Viewers associated the sponsorship with a genuine commitment to Canadian youth. 

Brand opinion & perceptions 

• Significant lift in top-box “Excellent” brand opinion among exposed viewers, amplified further by sponsorship recall. 
• +300% lift in agreement that the institution “helps Canadian youth achieve their life and career goals.” 
• +233% lift in agreement that the institution “genuinely cares about helping Canadian youth.” 
• Broad improvements across community leadership and trust attributes (directionally positive across all tested measures). 

Consideration & advocacy 

The campaign translated halo into tangible intent and advocacy: 

• +87% lift in consideration – doubling among sponsorship recall group. 
• +87% lift in recommendation – tripling among sponsorship recall group (+200%). 
• Rare bottom-funnel shifts for short-form sponsorships, highlighting the power of authentic cultural alignment. 

Conclusion 

This partnership demonstrates the ability of purpose-led sponsorships to deliver measurable business outcomes. By integrating seamlessly into a cultural platform that celebrates youth, the financial institution achieved meaningful brand lifts across the funnel — from awareness and positive opinion to consideration and advocacy. 

By showing up where it mattered most, the brand reinforced its long-term equity as a youth-focused leader, while validating that sponsorship recall and authentic fit are critical drivers of impact.