TORONTO — ACE Bakery, a subsidiary of George Weston Ltd., aired its first television commercial on Sept. 19 across the Greater Toronto Area, marking the company’s first media campaign in the brand’s 23-year history. Since the company’s founding in 1993, the ACE brand has been promoted primarily through local sampling initiatives, but the “Discover Great Bread” campaign seeks to introduce more Canadians to ACE and to invite them to discover bread in a brand new light.
“Not everyone has tried ACE yet, even in Toronto,” said Jared Kwart, brand manager for ACE Bakery. “Shoppers are comfortable with their weekly shopping list and routines, and surprisingly bread tends to be overlooked. Often a bigger focus is given to the quality of the fillings, or the quality of the main meal. We want Ontario (and the world) to discover that better bread can elevate almost every dining experience.”
ACE Bakery launched in 1993 as a small bakery cafe at the corner of King Street and Spadina Avenue in the heart of Toronto, serving freshly baked artisan bread to local residents, tourists and chefs. Now, it has evolved into “a world-class artisan bakery,” said Roy Benin, president of ACE.
“There is so much pride in our hearts to see such an extraordinary brand come even more to life than it already has,” Mr. Benin said.
Mr. Kwart said ACE will try to communicate a number of consumer and shopper truths in its messaging.
“We all squeeze our bread in the store to find that perfect loaf or sneak a piece because it’s just so irresistible,” he said. “Our ‘Discover Great Bread’ campaign is designed to celebrate these truths in an artisan way that resonates with just about everybody.”
The “Discover Great Bread” campaign was created in collaboration with ACE’s adverting agency of record, KBS. The campaign will be rolled out digitally and in print, with features in LCBO’s Food & Drink magazine, Ricardo magazine, prime time television spots, subway murals, including a digital board at Union Station, and billboards across Toronto and Ottawa starting late September until the end of the year. In addition, ACE brand ambassadors will be stationed at grocery stores throughout the country every Friday and Saturday, offering shoppers fresh samples of bread.
“It truly is a remarkable moment, for everyone in the organization — for those who have been with us for one day, or for the entire journey of the business,” Mr. Benin said. “This year is certainly an unforgettable one in ACE history.”
