The Original One

The Montreal Canadiens
The Montréal Canadians are the oldest professional hockey team in Canadian history. Their creation precedes the NHL itself. Now that’s OG.

By now, we know that Gen Z has an entirely fresh orientation to the sports industry. The old model for hockey campaigns—iconic players, historic games and Stanley Cup runs—no longer plays. So we decided to tell a different story. One that would resonate with all generations: of individuality, self-expression, and originality in every sense of the word. The story of a city.

Brand as Trojan horse

Gen Z’s experience of culture is interconnected. The worlds of fashion, music, gaming, sports and entertainment are no longer separated by time or space. OG1’s branding was cut from this cloth—a visual identity based on Montréal-born brands, organizations and cultural figures. Only one thing was absent from the collage: The Canadiens.

The idea was to not only build OG1 as an homage to Montréal, but to also keep it obscure enough to evoke both mystery and exclusivity. On Thanksgiving weekend, we invited 50 influencers to a secret event at the Montreal Pool Room replete with OG1 merch. From there the party flowed to MTLTelus, where a mysterious countdown glowed from above.

Game day

One week later, OG1 was revealed as The Original One on the ice of the Montréal Canadiens home opener. 20,000 roaring fans rallied together, and the launch video was broadcast to the entire country. 18 million impressions sparkled on socials.

We can’t wait for the next chapter of Canada’s oldest team and its fresh connection to a dynamic city like no other.

Stay tuned.