2026 Winner

CASE SUMMARY

Rona is a Canadian home improvement brand. Founded in 1939, they have more than 400 stores across the country. But even after all that time, they are still not top of mind with English-speaking Canadians. As a distant number two, they needed to differentiate the brand. So, in a category obsessed with DIY, they decided to focus on the pros. The people who spend their lives dedicated to building and doing it well.

With the competition positioning themselves as the place to “get more done”, they made Rona the place to go to get things done right.

When it comes to a home, everyone takes pride in doing things exceptionally well. But for the professionals, there’s an extra level of care in what they do. They’re precise, patient, and notice every detail. And they can’t stand when something is done wrong. Walk by any job site, and you’ll hear them talking about it. Whether it’s shotty craftsmanship or low-quality products, it’s the one thing they can’t pass over.

With that simple but relatable insight, the agency set out to make Rona the place for pros to build things right.

There’s a common saying used to critique work that lacks effort and quality craftsmanship: ‘half-ass’. Half-ass framing, half-ass plumbing, a half-ass paint job - it’s something no self-respecting builder can ignore. So, to bring that idea to life, they created a new character who’s just as hard to ignore – the ‘half-ass’. A literal, adorable, half a donkey, who can’t help but show up just as poorly done work is being critiqued.

They launched with a film, following ‘half-ass’ as he walks by different job sites. At every stop, he hears builders using ‘half-ass’ to describe poorly done projects. And with it, a clear message from the brand - never half-ass, come to Rona when you want things built right.

Around the launch spot, we took ‘half-ass’ to OOH with eye-catching headlines – “You can’t half-ass a home”, “half-ass now, problems later”, and more. In a category filled with DIYers and casual work, they set the standard for how things should be done.

“Half-Ass” is on track to become Rona’s best-performing campaign in 5 years. After only 3 weeks, brand attribution was 54%, and brand love was 73%, well above benchmark. On top of that, website traffic increased 101% during the campaign. They went from not being top of mind to a brand on the front page. And with it, started a new platform Rona can build on for years – Build it Right, Build it Rona.

Half-assed campaign, whole-hearted success.

Credits

Agency
Courage
Founder + CCO: Dhaval Bhatt
Founder + CCO: Joel Holtby
Partner + President: Niki Sahni
Partner + CSO: Tom Kenny
Partner + Executive Producer: Clair Galea
Managing Director: Saloni Wadehra
Creative Director: Jesse Wilks
Creative Director: Gerardo Agbuya
Associate Creative Director: Zuheir Kotob
Associate Creative Director: Jason Soy
Senior Producer: Sarah Moen
Strategy Director: Derek Mollenhauer
Account Director: Camilo Moreno
PR Director: Natalia Banoub

Client
RONA
SVP, Marketing & CX: Catherine Laporte
Sr Director, Brand Marketing: Jacynthe Prince
Manager, Brand Marketing: Myriam Bernier
Marketing Specialist: Vanessa Imbeault

Production
SMUGGLER x SOFT CITIZEN
Director: Guy Shelmerdine
Founding Partner: Patrick Milling-Smith
Founding Partner: Brian Carmody
Chief Operating Officer: Andrew Colón
Managing Director: Sue Yeon Ahn
Managing Director, Executive Producer: Eva Preger
Executive Producer: Link York
Head of Production/ EP: Rob Burns
Line Producer: Vanessa Lenarduzzi
Director of Photography: Chris Soos
Puppet Designers: Masters FX
Production Designer: Gus Ward
Casting: Sean Milliken
Production Manager: Annie Marcoux
Production Coordinator: Kendall Jade

Editorial
Outsider
Chris Murphy - Editor / Founding Partner
Kayan Choi - Executive Producer
Kelsey Dale- McGrath > Producer
Daniel Karan - Assistant Editor

VFX & Online
Parliament
VFX Artist: Narbeh Mardirossian
VFX Producer: Emma Hertz

Colour
Royal Muster

Colorist: Lasse Selvli
Color Assists: Esli Israel , Celene Curlee, Zack Wilpon
Executive Producer: Thatcher Peterson
Head of Production: Diane Valera

Audio
Vapor Music

Executive Creative Director: Joey Serlin
Executive Producer: Kailee Nowosad
Sound Designer: Kevin Chamberlain
Engineer: Julian Rudd
Original Music - Vapor Music

Media Partner
Cossette Media