The Unusual Way Forward

Export Development Canada (EDC) helps businesses take on the world, playing a critical role in Canadian economic development. From the onset of the COVID-19 crisis, EDC has been working alongside federal partners, including BDC and other Canadian financial institutions, to provide support to both exporting and non-exporting companies. Many of the companies EDC helped had to pivot hard and transform their businesses in response to COVID-19. Now, these businesses are using that experience to grow. A new campaign from EDC and McCann Montreal showcases their success.
“If the past year has taught us anything, it’s that despite challenges, Canadians businesses are resilient.” said Daniel Boisvert, Vice President, Marketing and Digital Channels at Export Development Canada. “This campaign shows us how the shift in the way we do business has not only been why these businesses have survived, but how they’ve been able to grow moving forward.”
In July 2020, Export Development Canada and McCann Montreal launched ‘Business as Unusual,’ a campaign born in the face of the pandemic, to celebrate and support the Canadian businesses forced to pivot to keep themselves afloat. Now, a year later, what became a pivot out of necessity has evolved in to how we move business forward. In light of this, EDC set out to inspire Canadian businesses to leave survival mode behind and adjust to our next normal through new market discovery with the launch of ‘The Unusual Way Forward’.
The campaign features three stories from EDC customers -- Poseidon Ocean Systems, ThinkOn Inc., and Kinova Robotics -- showcasing the success they had by embracing new opportunities this last year. Knowing that many Canadian CEOs are confident in company growth in the coming years, ‘The Unusual Way Forward’ aims to motivate and inspire companies to get back to growth and build back better.
“We’re proud to partner once again with Export Development Canada to spotlight how Canadians, and Canadian businesses, have built back better.” said Michelle Aboud, SVP Managing Director, McCann Montreal. “We hope these stories help to inspire and reenergize the Canadian entrepreneurial spirit.”