After 25 years of building brands, launching campaigns, and working with clients across sectors, one thing is clear: the work teaches you. These are the lessons that came from the doing—from climate programs and community initiatives to campaigns that made us stop and think. Each project left us with something lasting.
Sometimes all it takes is one family, one household, one community, or one bold idea to start the ripple effect.
Big change starts small
When Canadian Geographic asked us to help Canadians live a little more net zero, we didn’t just build a campaign—we built a movement. From naming and branding to launching a national household challenge, we helped turn everyday climate action into something measurable, meaningful, and even a little bit competitive.
Awareness starts when someone has the courage to speak up. Change happens when others finally start listening.
Say it anyway
Endometriosis affects 1 in 10* girls, women, & unmeasured numbers of two-spirit, transgender & gender-diverse people, yet so many live with it in silence—dismissed, misdiagnosed, or misunderstood for years.
We partnered with The Endometriosis Network Canada to change that. From building a new brand and website to creating resources for patients, families, and youth, we helped give people the words—and the confidence—to start important conversations. (*at least)
People want to be part of something bigger. You just need to show them how.
Make it mean something
When Shell Canada wanted to launch a new retail loyalty program, they didn’t just want people to swipe a card—they wanted them to care about where those points could lead.
We helped create a brand platform and national campaign that turned everyday purchases into real environmental impact. More than 250 charities received funding, and more than $7 million was raised for projects across Canada.
Sometimes the most powerful thing you can design isn’t a brand or a campaign. It’s a tool that helps people help each other.
Technology can mobilize a nation
When a child goes missing, time is everything. Strut led the creation of the world’s first real-time, community powered child search platform—an idea we conceived, developed, and brought to life in partnership with the Missing Children Society of Canada, law enforcement, and government agencies across the country. It turned phones into digital search tools, delivering real-time alerts and helping authorities find missing kids faster.
If you build it–and tell the right story–they will come.
Build it. Then hype it.
Opening a second location is a big risk if no one knows it’s yours. When Adrenalin Source for Sports expanded to North Calgary, they knew it wasn’t enough to just open the doors—they had to build excitement, drive traffic, and make sure people knew this was Adrenalin, not just any Source for Sports.
We helped them create a full launch campaign: TV spots, radio ads, transit wraps, direct mail, and even NHL star Adin Hill, to make sure the community knew exactly where to go.
Conclusion
No two clients are the same, and no two projects follow the same path. But the insights? They build on each other. These lessons help shape the way we think, create, and collaborate.
