Canada’s most iconic retailer is rolling out a new, strategic brand direction that encourages Canadians to Live a Colourful Life.
The marketing campaign is a milestone for the Hudson’s Bay Company as it celebrates its 350th anniversary with a new brand vision and purpose.
“Showing Canadians that we understand what matters to them today, and reinforcing our connection, is at the core of our new strategy and creative platform. As a brand, we echo the values of our country and the pride we have in our way of life – focused on inclusivity, meaning and happiness,” said Allison Litzinger, Vice President Marketing | Brand, Customer & Loyalty for HBC.
“We want to inspire Canadians to live their best style and explore the colourful life they can design for themselves at Hudson’s Bay through our unmatched breadth of stylish and quality products.”
Hudson’s Bay has 89 stores across Canada as well as thebay.com
PHOTO: HBC 
PHOTO: HBC
The well-known Canadian retailer is evolving its business on a number of fronts: elevating its merchandise assortment, investing in digital and e-commerce, shifting its marketing focus to increased digital, adjusting its service model, and using data and customer feedback to inform decisions – all to enhance and improve the customer experience.
The campaign which will run across the country on television, in cinemas and on social and digital platforms, is meant to share the retailer’s philosophy and its purpose and to connect with Canadians through common values.
“More cultural intervention than traditional campaign, our Live a Colourful Life platform is a call to action to live a life filled with rich, meaningful and diverse experiences,” said Daniel Koppenol, Vice President, Creative Director at HBC.
“We developed the work to centre around the idea that you never quite know something until you feel it. It might be the feel of a fabric, the weight of a glass, or the embrace of a loved one. Feeling gives life colour. The work amplifies what we’re able to offer as a lifestyle-centric marketplace and is the first step in redefining our purpose and reestablishing our connection to Canadians.”
PHOTO: HBC 
PHOTO: HBC
So what does it mean to live a colourful life?
Hudson’s Bay describes it this way:
“We believe that colour isn’t just colour. It’s an expression of a life well-lived: never boring, always real, and full of feeling, thoughtfulness and style. A colourful life is a life filled with feeling. The feeling of light summer dresses on a long weekend, of being wrapped in warm blankets by a toasty fire, of crisp new suits, soft couches and of delicate wine glasses for dinner parties that carry on well past dessert. The feeling of a life filled with experiences you can design at Hudson’s Bay.
“From products to experiences to people, we want to inspire, enable and enhance how Canadians live, and perhaps more importantly, how they feel. Because the more you feel, the more colourful life becomes.”
HBC, incorporated in 1670, is North America’s oldest company.
PHOTO: HBC 
PHOTO: HBC
Recently, HBC announced it successfully completed its plan of arrangement resulting in HBC becoming a private company.
“This is a great outcome for HBC and all of its stakeholders. The continuing shareholder group is resolved to doing what is right for our customers, associates, communities and partners. As current and future generations change the way they live, shop and work, we are committed to transforming HBC to capitalize on these shifts. It will take patient capital and a long-term view to fully unleash HBC’s potential at the intersection of real estate and retail,” said Richard Baker, HBC’s Governor and Executive Chairman, in a news release.
Under the terms of the plan of arrangement to take HBC private, the company has purchased for cancellation all of its common shares, excluding shares owned by certain continuing shareholders, for cash consideration of $11.00 per common share. The company’s common shares were delisted from the Toronto Stock Exchange last week and HBC has ceased being a reporting issuer in all of the provinces and territories of Canada.
When you place an order online , you go through the checkout process , pay , then get order number only to recieve a email shortly after that the item is not available and your order has been cancelled . Call the customer service number to inquire and you get a sales rep from a call centre in Philippines who has no idea , this has happened on several occasions . Terrible service in store , thankfully we have Simons and Nordstrom who have a clue . They can run as many new campaigns as they want , it’s still a poor representation of a Department store .
Raj Singh,
I really hope you’re not Canadian and shame on you for attempting to throw Hudson’s Bay under the bus! Promoting Simons and Nordstrom, please! If you don’t work for one of them I’m sure there’s a method behind your madness 😉 They are a Canadian icon and love what they stand for especially when it comes to supporting Canadian athletes (Olympics). We as Canadians support stores like Hudson’s Bay Company and will continue to do so. I applaud them for their innovation and changes necessary to adapt to an ever changing retail environment. I will always support them and Canadians will follow, trust me on that.
Victoria Espen,
I really hope you’re not Canadian and shame on you for not restricting your comments to the issues raised by Mr. Singh.
Regarding the issues raised by Mr. Singh, I happen to be a big fan of Hudson’s Bay and shop there all the time, including online. I’ve had out-of stock items I selected in-store delivered for free the next day. I also like a lot of the brands they stock and I love Brian Gluckstein’s home furnishings and accessories line.
I love this aspirational marketing. There is so much potential in the brand. The stores are in rough shape and have been in decline since Bonnie Brooks’ turnaround. Love the ads but the leadership should shop their stores on a busy weekend and see what is going on!