2026 Winner

CASE SUMMARY

SkipTheDishes is a Canadian success story, but rising pressure from global competitors like Uber Eats and DoorDash was putting its leadership at risk. While Skip proudly leaned into its Canadian identity, the brand needed to reinforce that connection in a way that felt real, not just patriotic. Adding to the challenge, Skip experienced a sharp seasonal decline in orders during harsh winter months.

Snowstorms, icy roads, and poor visibility created delivery delays, cancellations, and weakened consumer confidence. Traditional advertising alone could not solve this issue. To stay competitive, Skip needed to act. They identified an opportunity to meet a universal Canadian frustration with a bold and tangible solution. Their objectives were to strengthen brand relevance, improve perceptions of reliability, reignite affection for Skip, and reverse the winter slump in sales and order volume.

In Canada, winter is not just a season. It is a national obstacle course. Snowstorms routinely shut down cities, bury bike lanes, and make travel nearly impossible. For delivery couriers, conditions become dangerous. For consumers, doubt creeps in. If the roads are not clear, will my food even get here? Research confirmed that winter weather created a spike in cancellations, delays, and reduced usage.

At the same time, Skip had just introduced its new brand platform, Skip to the Good Part, a platform built to remove everyday friction through real action. That led to the agency’s core insight. If the worst part of winter is snow covered roads, then why not clear them themselves?

By eliminating the literal barrier to delivery, Skip could make its brand promise undeniably real and do something global competitors simply could not.

They launched the Skip “Winter Delivery Fleet”, a real fleet of Skip branded snowplows that doubled as delivery vehicles. Wherever Skip delivered, it also cleared the road.

They unveiled the idea with a cinematic launch film that presented the plows like the debut of a futuristic super truck. The dramatic lighting, intense music, and self serious tone amplified the humour. From there, the vehicles rolled through key Canadian cities, including the GTA. Customers placing orders could request the fleet to show up in their neighbourhoods, literally plowing the way for dinner.

The timing became perfect. In early 2025, Canada was hit with one of the worst snowstorms in recent history. The fleet was already active and instantly became the most visible, photographed, and talked about delivery vehicles in the country. It dominated local news, went viral on social media, and even earned a public nod from a senior Uber Eats executive. The activation blended utility, spectacle, and cultural timing in a way no traditional campaign could match.

The Skip “Winter Delivery Fleet” did more than spark conversation. It reignited the business. New user acquisition surged 54 percent. Order volume increased 29 percent, reversing years of winter decline. Sales among key partners grew 30 percent. Media coverage appeared in every major Canadian outlet, and social feeds filled with sightings and praise. Most importantly, Skip redefined what it means to be the Canadian choice. It became the brand that understands life here, messy, snowy, and full of friction, and clears the way anyway. Skip did not just promise convenience.

It plowed the road to deliver it.

Credits

Agency
Courage Inc.
Founder + CCO: Dhaval Bhatt
Founder + CCO: Joel Holtby
Partner + President: Niki Sahni
Partner + CSO: Tom Kenny
Executive Strategy Director: Rami Dudin
Managing Director: Saloni Wadehra
Associate Creative Director: Zuheir Kotob
Associate Creative Director: Jason Soy
Account Supervisor: Emily Broad
Account Executive: Jordan McConnell
Executive Producer: Clair Galea
Producer: Dan Rankin
Talent + Traffic Manager: Christine Baggs
PR Director: Natalia Banoub
PR Coordinator: Alexandra Smith
Senior Social Media Manager: Oliver O’Brien

Client
Skip
Vice President, Marketing: Rachel MacAdam
Vice President, Communications and Government Relations: Melanie Fatouros-Richardson
Creative Director: Phil Sylver
Head of Partner Marketing: Daniela Profenna
Associate Director, Brand, Promotions and Sponsorships: Bethany Skelton
Communications Manager: Emma Bowers
Social Media Manager: Avery Hoffman
Associate Creative Director: David Kotschorek
Senior Marketing Manager, Media: Travis Reason
Manager, Media: Eleanor Bothwell



Production (Video)
Animals
Director: Christopher Brown
Executive Producer: Miriana DiQuinzio
Executive Producer: Chris Hutsul
Head of Production: Liam Benstead
Line Producer: Jackie De Niverville
Coordinator: Peter Widdrington
Casting: Ground Glass Casting
Location Manager: Norm Laco
Assistant Locations: Sheldon Holder
1st AD: Bruno Louza
DOP: Mat Barkley
1st AC: Nick Petrie
2nd AC: Mike Yabolonski
Script Supervisor: Daryna Rymareva
VTR: Mike Powell
DIT: Jeff Wilston
Gaffer: Kay Grospe
Best Electric: Will Houston
Electric: Adam Landucci
Electric: Josh Gallimore
Electric: Darcy Way
Electric: Vivian Xavier
Package Truck: Ryan Harris
Key Grip: Cliff Ramnauth
Best Grip: Paul Naghten
Grip: Jordan Johnson
Grip: Lee Smith
Grip: Mike Kulas
Grip: Mike Lyte
Production Designer: Zach Noftall
Buyer: Kait Shea

Media: UM