2026 Winner

CASE SUMMARY

Each year, more than half a million people come to Canada with big dreams and just two checked bags. With only 46 kilograms to carry their lives across the world, newcomers often leave behind deeply personal items: instruments, heirlooms, photo albums, pieces of identity that can’t be replaced.

CIBC has long supported newcomers with practical banking solutions, but for its latest campaign the ambition was bigger. The bank wanted to build an emotional connection, showing newcomers they were not just welcome, but understood. The challenge: how to meaningfully acknowledge the emotional weight of starting over.

Every newcomer’s story is different, but one truth is universal: you can’t bring everything. Essentials take priority, while the things that hold memories are often left behind. These aren’t objects, they’re ties to home.

Instead of leading with offers or features, CIBC saw an opportunity to support newcomers in a more human way. The insight was simple: beginning a new life shouldn’t require leaving the old one behind. That idea inspired a strategy rooted in empathy, not transactions.

“The Extra Bag” created both a literal and symbolic space for what matters most.

A hero film introduced real newcomers reflecting on what they packed, what they left, and why. The unscripted stories built toward a powerful reveal: CIBC had tracked down and returned the cherished items each person thought they’d never see again. These weren’t gifts, they were parts of themselves.

The idea extended beyond the film. Hundreds of newcomers received vouchers for a real extra checked bag on their flight to Canada, giving them the ability to bring a meaningful item with them from the start.

The campaign was built for a digital-first newcomer journey. CIBC delivered the hero film and cutdowns across Meta, Google, Amazon, Pinterest, Reddit, and Torstar using custom audiences, geo-fencing at arrival points, and CRM-triggered messaging for pre-arrival leads. Content was localized by country of origin, partnered with newcomer organizations on the ground, and amplified through community-focused Instagram influencers. Every touchpoint balanced emotional storytelling with precision performance.

“The Extra Bag” became one of CIBC’s strongest newcomer campaigns. It drove a 47% increase in pre-arrival conversions and reduced CPA by 33%. Programmatic and social impressions doubled, while Meta engagement tripled benchmarks. The campaign reached 7.6 million people on Meta alone at an efficient $2.80 CPM.

Newcomers responded with their own “extra bag” stories online, praising the campaign for capturing the emotional reality of immigration and setting CIBC apart in a category defined byrational messaging. The 30-second film surpassed Behaviour Change norms, and the 15-second versions exceeded standards for emotional impact and uniqueness.

By turning a baggage limitation into a meaningful brand gesture, CIBC moved from being just a bank to becoming part of the newcomer journey, creating emotional equity, cultural relevance, and long-term preference. “The Extra Bag” helped newcomers start a new life without leaving their old one behind.

Credits

Agency
Courage Inc
Dhaval Bhatt: Founder + CCO
Joel Holtby: Founder + CCO
Tom Kenny: Partner + CSO
Niki Sahni: Partner + President
Clair Galea: Partner + Executive Producer
Rami Dudin: Strategy Director
Shradha Chauhan: Strategist
Jesse Wilks - Creative Director
Gerardo Agbuya - Creative Director
Jesse Wilks - Copywriter
Gerardo Agbuya - Art Director
Andrea Romanelli: ACD - Art Director
Jon Taylor: ACD - Writer
Kushal Lalvani: Writer
Saloni Wadehra: Group Account Director
Sonam Sood: Account Director
Emily Broad: Account Supervisor
Adriana Laborde: Senior Producer
Elana Olavesen: Senior Producer

Client
Suzy DePrizio - Senior Vice President, Business Partner Marketing, Personal and Business Banking
Angela Sarino - VP, Business Partner Marketing
Joanna Milroy - Senior Director, Strategic Fragments and Franchising
Tom Malesis - Director
Tony Hua - Senior Manager
Emma Ler - Manager

Production
Untitled films
Director / DP – Jesse Louttit
Executive Producer - Lexy Kavluk
Line Producer – Kyle Welton
Production Manager – Dónal Lucey
1st Assistant Director – Jeff Cowan
Gaffer – Todd Hamacher
Key Grip – Adam McDonald
Production Designer - Jessica O’Reilly
Sound Mixer – Kristian Delchev
Wardrobe Stylist – Lisa Gentle
Key Makeup – Jasmine Duffey

Casting
Ground Glass Casting
Andrew Deiters– Casting Director

EDITORIAL
Courage Inc
Editor: Marcus Barrie
Assistant Editor / Production Coordinator: Parker Wales

COLOUR + ONLINE
ALTER EGO
Colourist: Lily Henry
Colour Assistant: Daniel Saavedra
Lead VFX Artist: Joel Osis
VFX Assistant: Nupur Baria
Senior Producer: Andrew Tavares
Executive Producer: Hilda Pereira

SOUND
Berkley Inc
Audio: Berkeley Inc.
Insta: @berkeley_inc


Media
Essence Media Com
Lisa Wong, Account Director
Javier Zambrano, Account Manager
Sarah Yang, Senior Media Executive
Kritin Shetty, Associate Media Executive
Asad Askari, Associate Account Manager, Paid Social
CIBC