Éric Blais

Éric Blais

Political slogans can create a powerful movement, that can also backfire. Mark Carney be warned

In today’s political landscape, policies and politics alike are increasingly shaped and simplified by slogans. Prime Minister Mark Carney has introduced “Build, Baby, Build” as a rallying cry for his government’s infrastructure agenda, signalling urgency and determination. While Carney is relatively new to the art of sloganeering, his adoption of this catchier vernacular shows an understanding of how powerfully these...

Éric Blais

This Chinese tech company may have found an unlikely champion: Canada’s arts scene

Advocacy campaigns aimed at swaying legislators and regulators are nothing new. Companies have long used their influence to protect their interests. But TikTok’s recent efforts in Canada add a clever twist to this well-worn playbook that may prove to be as culturally resonant as it is politically strategic.

Éric Blais

Why Mark Carney’s biggest brand asset is the Justin Trudeau contrast

In marketing, a brand’s positioning is defined by the choices consumers have. Politics operates the same way: a leader’s identity is shaped by how they differ from their rivals and the options they represent. Right now, Prime Minister Mark Carney finds himself in a unique position. With Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre out of Parliament since losing his seat in the...

Éric Blais

Musk’s magical ROAS

Elon Musk has always taken a curious pride in not spending big on advertising. Tesla’s meteoric rise was, in his telling, proof that a superior product—and a CEO with 220 million followers—renders paid media optional.

Éric Blais

Pierre Poilievre can’t ‘Bring It Home,’ alone

When the Conservative party adopted the slogan “Bring it Home,” it was a catchy phrase reportedly inspired by Leader Pierre Poilievre’s wife. It signalled a return to fundamentals, to a familiar place of security and prosperity. It’s now clear that the promise of bringing it home has not fully materialized.

Éric Blais

Mark Carney comes from the lean world of business. He’s about to show us how much his cabinet will reflect that

As Prime Minister Mark Carney unveils Canada’s newest cabinet, many will look for the clear signs of change he promised voters. In the days leading up to the election, a Bay Street friend of mine said it plainly: “Let’s see if Carney can mop up the Liberal party and get it back on track. They don’t deserve my vote. But...

Éric Blais

Mark Carney wants Canadians to be masters in their own house — but here is how that could spell trouble for him

During his leadership campaign and now, as prime minister, Mark Carney reached for a loaded phrase: “Masters in our own home.” “The old relationship we had with the United States is over. What exactly the United States does next is unclear. But what is clear is that we as Canadians have agency, we have power. We are masters in our...

Éric Blais

Will Mark Carney and the Liberal’s learn from their near-death experience?

A near-death experience often leaves survivors permanently changed. They emerge more grateful, more focused, and, crucially, more humble. The brush with mortality strips away illusions of control. Survivors stop taking life for granted. They shift their priorities. They understand that survival is not a reward. It’s a reprieve. Politics isn’t so different. Just a few months ago, the Liberal Party...

Éric Blais

The Conservatives’ best-performing ad was probably their most derided

Some dismissed it as the “erectile dysfunction” ad. Others laughed it off as a desperate Hail Mary to salvage a faltering campaign in Southern Ontario—specifically in the all-important 905 region. Well, they can stop laughing. Call it the blue belt now. The Conservatives not only held their ground in the 905—they flipped several Liberal ridings.

Éric Blais

Mark Carney needs to deal with Western alienation

I was in Montreal the night Quebec voted “No” in the 1995 referendum. For many who voted “Yes,” it was heartbreak soaked in tears — but ultimately, it was resignation with echoes of René Lévesque’s words in 1980: “until the next time.” The images and the words spoken that night were displays of sadness, not rage. Except for then-Premier Jacques...

Éric Blais

Pierre Poilievre is caught in a trap of his own making. He can’t comfortably switch from accusation to aspiration

In marketing, as in politics, the “brand” is often a persona built over years, even decades. At a certain point, the persona isn’t just a strategy — it’s an operating system. The rewards are immediate and obvious when a politician is applauded for cutting down, for exposing flaws, for pointing the finger. Accusation is currency; outrage buys airtime.

Éric Blais

Carney passes major test facing critical Quebec media

This week’s leaders’ debates began in Quebec — albeit unofficially. The much-anticipated French-language debate is set for Wednesday night — scheduled at the same time as the Montreal Canadiens’ final regular-season game. Unlike in 2011, when the debate was moved up a day to avoid a similar clash, this time the Leaders’ Debates Commission either didn’t have a choice —...

Éric Blais

Canada’s ad campaign in the U.S. is too tame — here is my plan to attack Trump

If you’ve ever driven from Toronto to Florida, you’ve likely encountered the visual cacophony of billboards along America’s Interstate Highways. These range from posters for injury lawyers and gentlemen’s clubs to fast food outlets and reminders that Jesus loves you. Upon reaching Florida, one might chuckle at an AC repair ad proclaiming, “Your wife is hot.” But lately, these roadsides...

Éric Blais

Mark Carney stands to lose a lot of goodwill in Quebec by avoiding TVA jousting debate

While the country was in lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic, Quebecers enthusiastically adopted the French version of the Italian slogan andrà tutto bene: “ça va bien aller” — meaning: “it will all be fine.” That’s likely what the Liberal war room told itself amid the backlash following the decision to refuse Quebecor Media’s invitation to participate in its French-language Face-à-Face...

Éric Blais

Canada Proud should be ashamed

Canada Proud, the right-wing provocateurs and third-party advertising group closely aligned with Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, are not exactly renowned for their subtlety. Their social media ads frequently veer into crass territory, yet clearly resonate—evidenced by their hefty investments in Meta's Facebook and their savvy optimization of messaging and targeting.

Éric Blais

The ‘Rest of Canada’ should show caution with the rise of Canadian pride in Quebec

“Quebecers are discovering their inner Canadian” according to the Association for Canadian Studies (ASC). Its survey shows that the percentage of Quebec residents who agree with “I am proud to be Canadian” rose from 83 per cent in May 2024 to 86 per cent this month. In Ontario, it increased from 80 per cent to 87 per cent, while it...

Éric Blais

Justin Trudeau was a big talker in the House, that is, when he showed up.

A recent analysis highlighted in La Presse reveals a startling aspect of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's oratory style. When assessed through a linguistic lens, Trudeau's vocabulary richness—or lack thereof—stands out, particularly when his word variety is measured against the total number of words he has spoken. This metric, known as a lexical richness index, positions Trudeau's vocabulary as one of...

Éric Blais

The Liberals' “Canada Strong” has the right sentiment, but their opponents might weaken it.

If that's the overarching theme of the campaign, 'Canada Strong' could be a slogan-sized blind spot for the Liberal campaign.

Éric Blais

Why Ford’s successful campaign was a failure

It’s called an election campaign for a reason. Even though its purpose is to secure votes, instead of purchases, it is, in many ways, akin to marketing campaigns selling beer or detergent. Most of all, it starts with clearly stated quantitative objectives. Usually, it is to contribute to an increased market share. As such, Doug Ford’s campaign to secure a...

Éric Blais

Yes, Canada should be advertising to Americans right now. But here’s who Doug Ford’s U.S. ads really serve

For months, the Ontario government has been promoting the narrative that “it’s happening here” through a barrage of ads published in newspapers across the province and online. The ads state that “more people are working than ever before,” with “over 700,000 more people working today than in 2018.” That’s the year Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservatives came to power.

Éric Blais

The Conservatives’ February blues—in a sea of red

If “Fresh. Familiar.” are the words describing its brand identity, the party might want to make sure they don’t sideline the familiar part next time they decide to wrap themselves in red.

Éric Blais

Poilievre should have seen his true opponents coming. Now he’s in trouble

“There are unknown unknowns.” That’s how former U.S. Secretary of Defence Donald Rumsfeld referred to the risks that come from situations so unexpected they would not normally be considered. Unknown unknowns are far more difficult to anticipate than known unknowns.

Éric Blais

Justin Trudeau: Could he have escaped the generational truism of Mike + the Mechanics?

In the words of Mike + the Mechanics from The Living Years, "Every generation blames the one before and all of their frustrations come beating on your door." This line perfectly captures how Canadian youth have inherited the unmet promises of the past, and, like many before him, Justin Trudeau paid the price of that truism—bearing the weight of collective...

Éric Blais

Why simplistic political slogans, like Axe the Tax, often hit the mark

“You’re Richer Than You Think” is one of Canada’s most recognized slogans. Launched nearly 20 years ago, it continues to strike a chord with bank customers despite ever-changing times — and occasional derision. It prompted boos and heckles during a 2009 cinema screening of a commercial featuring the tag line, when audiences were feeling the full weight of the recession...

Éric Blais

Liberal leadership candidates launch their campaigns with a thud

Unlike Mark Carney and Chrystia Freeland, Karina Gould is not running for prime minister of Canada — at least according to her launch video. She has limited her declared ambition to becoming the next leader of the Liberal party of Canada: “We need to rebuild our party so that we can rebuild our country.” While her opponents are running to...

Éric Blais

Mark Carney wants us to see him as an outsider. That won’t cut it

Asked by The Daily Show’s Jon Stewart about the top contenders who would give the Liberal party its best shot against Pierre Poilievre, Mr. Carney mused about what he jokingly called a wild hypothetical: “Let’s say the candidate wasn’t part of the government. Let’s say the candidate did have a lot of economic experience. Let’s say the candidate did deal...

Éric Blais

Trudeau’s ‘hero’ archetype helped him, until it hurt him. Poilievre is the ‘ruler’ and he runs the same risk

Ten years ago, I argued that Justin Trudeau was “the hero” archetype, stepping into Canada’s political scene with a promise to rescue the country from cynicism and stagnation. His ascent was defined by optimism, energy, and a clear mission: to slay the dragons of austerity, climate inaction and social inequality.

Éric Blais

A weakened Canada is good for Trump and the Parti Québécois

U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is just having fun when he repeats his joke about Canada becoming the 51st state. It’s nothing new. He made similar remarks during Trudeau’s first term. But this time, the stakes feel different. With Trudeau’s weakening position in polls and Chrystia Freeland’s abrupt resignation, Trump’s taunts seem designed to exploit Canada’s vulnerabilities. It’s a calculated tactic...

Éric Blais

How a media campaign in the U.S. could dampen Trump’s love of tariffs

“To me, the most beautiful word in the dictionary is tariff and it’s my favourite word,” president-elect Trump told Bloomberg in October while speaking at the Economic Club of Chicago. “It needs a public relations firm.” Indeed, it does — but not for the reasons he imagines. Instead, tariffs need a communications campaign to deliver a blunt message to Americans.

Éric Blais

Demonizing Pierre Poilievre could end up backfiring on Justin Trudeau

In the world of political advertising, nothing grabs attention like negative advertising. Why? It’s simple: our brains are wired to pay more attention to threats than compliments. This isn’t just pop psychology — it’s an evolutionary survival tool. In the wild, spotting a predator meant life or death; it’s not much different in politics. The more dire the warning, the...

Éric Blais

Pierre Poilievre has a problem: He can’t pass the beer test in Quebec

In politics, where the line between the personal and political is often blurred, the “beer test” stands out as a surprisingly powerful litmus test for a candidate’s appeal. This test, a shorthand for likability and relatability, asks a simple question: could you have a beer with this politician and genuinely enjoy it? This gut-level assessment goes beyond policies to probe...

Éric Blais

In new ad, Pierre Poilievre pivots from relentless critic to peddler of hope. Why this may not work

“It takes a tough man to make a tender chicken.” This slogan from the annals of advertising history was for a highly successful ad campaign for Perdue Farms in the 1970s, featuring its founder, Frank Perdue. His no-nonsense persona stood out and helped differentiate a commodity product. Perdue cultivated the image of a tough, hands-on leader. This wasn’t just advertising...

Éric Blais

A complicated Montreal byelection should provide clarity for Trudeau and the Liberals

In Monday’s byelection in LaSalle—Émard—Verdun, voters faced an unprecedented choice: 91 candidates listed on a sprawling ballot — the longest in Canadian history, surpassing even Toronto—St. Paul’s with its 84 candidates. It required a one-meter-long sheet to list all the names, arranged alphabetically in two columns, without any photos or colours. This was the work of the Last Ballot Committee...

Éric Blais

Pierre Poilievre spent the summer wooing these crucial voters. Here’s why it isn’t working, yet

The Grand Seduction. That’s how some media outlets referred to Pierre Poilievre’s many visits to Quebec this summer. It’s perhaps a reference to the 2013 movie of the same name based on the 2003 French version, “La Grande Séduction.” The film centres around the struggling fishing village of Ste-Marie-la-Mauderne in Quebec, where all residents are on welfare and engage in...

Éric Blais

Doug Ford is correct to commit advertising dollars to local media but he’s wrong to use tax dollars to promote his party

The Ontario government’s recent decision to direct its four largest agencies to spend 25 per cent of their advertising dollars on Ontario-based news publishers is a welcome move to support the province’s struggling media industry. In an era of declining print advertising revenues and the rise of digital giants siphoning away ad dollars, local news outlets across Canada are fighting...

Éric Blais

Why the Liberals can’t simply ‘rebrand’ once Trudeau steps down

As calls for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to step down grow louder, inevitably, talk of “rebranding” the Liberal party of Canada in a post-Trudeau era has begun. But let’s pause and consider the weight of that word: rebranding. In marketing and politics, “rebranding” is often tossed around as if it were a magic wand, capable of instantly transforming public perception...

Éric Blais

Quebec’s language laws are coming to a long neglected place — bathrooms

Growing up in a French-speaking household, my family often vacationed in Ontario and New England, where I was captivated by the omnipresence of a certain figure in the local real estate scene. His name, Réal Estate, was emblazoned in bold capital letters on what seemed like every other lawn sign across these regions.

Éric Blais

What happens when a thin-skinned political lifer becomes prime minister? We may be about to find out

“You must be kidding.” That was one of the many emails I received in response to a column I published in Policy Options in 2021 titled ”Justin Trudeau: The Mature Brand.” It argued that the man once accused of being ”just not ready” in a barrage of attack ads by the Stephen Harper-led Conservatives had transformed into a seasoned, mature figure.

Éric Blais

Trudeau is at risk of weary voters tuning him out — and Poilievre needs to be cautious too

In marketing as in politics, a brand’s voice can make or break its ability to connect with its target audience. More than just tone and delivery, a brand’s voice signals its authenticity, approachability, and relatability. Get the voice wrong, and your message may fall on deaf ears — or worse, grate on them like nails on a chalkboard. As Marshall...

Éric Blais

François Legault’s CAQ finds it difficult to 'unfriend' Meta after promising a boycott

I won’t be able to share this op-ed on Meta’s Facebook and Instagram due to its decision to block access to news articles in Canada. This action was in response to the Online News Act, which compels companies like Meta and Google to negotiate commercial deals and pay news publishers for their content. That doesn’t bother me. However, what is...

Éric Blais

Why Pierre Poilievre's insults of two Québec mayors show contempt for all Quebecers

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre throws punches in both of Canada's official languages. Yet, some punches land differently in Quebec compared to English Canada. In marketing and language localization, understanding the socio-cultural context is crucial for effective communication and to avoid backlash.

Éric Blais

Negative ads against Pierre Poilievre a high stakes gamble for the Liberals

It's been a slow burn, simmering out of the spotlight, but the Liberal Party's campaign against Pierre Poilievre is beginning to crystallize. The bite-sized videos disseminated via their official channels wield Poilievre’s own words like a double-edged sword. One called “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree” revisits his infamous apple orchard interview, juxtaposing his commentary with accusations of...

Éric Blais

John Tory's resignation left open the possibility of a retraction until that door closed

Éric Blais

The CBC should bring back Rex Murphy to quiet its critics and get eyeballs

Éric Blais

Justenough Justinsults

Éric Blais

Skewing poll results to make a point

Éric Blais

Tucker Carlson is only a guest in Canada. The CRTC should remind FOX News.

Éric Blais

Justin Trudeau and Omar Alghabra give Santa clearance

Éric Blais

Facing a steep hill to climb, Dominique Anglade played the woman card and got caught in a double-bind.

Éric Blais

Don't dismiss the influence of the “radically normal”

Éric Blais

Too negative won't make a positive. Why attack ads might not be the zero-sum game party strategists are betting on

Éric Blais