Letters Home

Zulu Alpha Kilo created Letters Home, a campaign for their clients, The Legion National Foundation and HomeEquity Bank, in honour of Remembrance day. This Digital Poppy Fundraising Campaign is the fourth to run in consecutive years. 

To bring history closer to all Canadians the agency sought to bring our WW1 and WW2 veterans back to life via their letters home from the war. These letters were sent to their original homes where new families now live, the content of which reminded them of these courageous soldiers and their fight for our freedom. Letters Home’s digital map allows Canadians to find and read letters sent close to their address, along with a prompt to donate to the Digital Poppy campaign in the name of a soldier who had originally written the letter. 

“We wanted to give all Canadians a chance to engage with our campaign. Even if a letter wasn’t sent directly to your house, it’s still powerful to read a letter that was sent to your street or neighbourhood. It makes history feel close and relatable. In this digital age, receiving a physical letter (that isn’t a bill) is a special moment. We felt this was a powerful way to reach Canadians, have them connect with the past in a tangible way, and remind them that these soldiers were real people who lived where we live and dreamed as we dream.”

Brian Murray, ECD , Zulu Alpha Kilo 

The idea was born from the fact that as time since these wars passes, a growing number of young Canadians struggle to make a connection to our history. Now, everyone across the country will be able to forge a connection to the young men and women who served them by participating in Letters Home.

The genuine letters – sourced from the Canadian Letters & Images Project at Vancouver Island University, who make the archived letters available to the public – offer a unique and insightful window into the past, while also using today’s QR codes to help drive poppy donations and share a moving and thought-provoking video featuring Canadian veterans speaking about the importance and power of wartime letters.

Canadians see the letters come to life in their own neighbourhoods, including Toronto, Ottawa, Thunder Bay, Hamilton, Calgary, Regina, Saskatoon, Winnipeg, Halifax and Moncton, courtesy of national out-of-home advertisements across the country generously provided by Astral Media and Outfront.

“The Digital Poppy is a great way to memorialize your proud support for our Canadian veterans, and it goes a long way to supporting our Foundation’s year-round programs that benefits veterans and their families. It’s a unique way to bring Remembrance into the digital age and spread it thoughtfully across social media.”

Dave Flannigan, The Legion Foundation Chair

About HomeEquity Bank
HomeEquity Bank is a Schedule 1 Canadian Bank offering a range of reverse mortgage solutions including the flagship CHIP Reverse Mortgage™ product. The company was founded more than 30 years ago as an annuity-based solution addressing the financial needs of Canadians who wanted to access the equity of their top asset – their home. The Bank is committed to empowering Canadians aged 55 plus to live the retirement they deserve, in the home they love. 
 
About the Legion National Foundation
The Legion National Foundation is a national organization that is dedicated to enriching the lives of Veterans in the Canadian Armed Forces and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.  Through generous gifts from donors and initiatives such as the Digital Poppy, the Foundation supports Veterans and their families. Areas of impact include Veterans’ health and wellness, scholarships and bursaries for students and education for children and youth.
 
Credits
Client: HomeEquity Bank
Agency: Zulu Alpha Kilo
Chief Creative Officer: Zak Mroueh
Executive Creative Director: Brian Murray
CD/Art Director: Vic Bath
CD/Copywriter: Dan Cummings
ACD/Art Director: Michael Romaniuk
ACD/Copywriter: Marco Buchar
Design Director: Damian Simev
Designers: Ana-Marija Vlahovic, Jackman Chiu
Agency Producers: Ola Stodulska, Tim Lynch, Sarah Lasch
Account Team: Lauren Boultwood, Samantha Tang
Planning Team: Maxine Thomas
Clients: Yvonne Ziomecki, Vivianne Gauci, Erin Wilson, Niary Toodakian, Jack Wilson, Saad Sharfuddin
Media Agency: OMD & iQuanti
Media Team:  Dwayne Mataseje (OMD), Mitchell Cornelisse (OMD), Ishita Aggarwal (iQuanti), Bindiya Jiwani (iQuanti)
PR Agency: Weber Shandwick
PR Team: Jennifer Wasley, Adam Bornstein
Production House: Zulubot
Director: Dan Cummings
Researcher: Chris Greenberg
Production House Producers: Ben Bentivegna, Colleen Allen
Editing Company: Zulubot
Editor: Jessie Posthumus
Online: Zulubot
Colour Grading: Felipe Chaparro
Motion Graphics: Miguel Natividad
Audio Engineer: Dino Cuzzolino
Photographer: Noah Mroueh
Senior Developer: Jake Edwards