RONA inc., one of Canada’s leading home improvement retailers, operating and servicing over 425 corporate and affiliated stores, is launching an advertising campaign to raise awareness about gender disparities in trades in the Canadian construction industry.
This campaign was initially pitched by RONA as part of last year’s IDEA Competition, an annual contest organized by The Institute of Canadian Agencies (ICA) and powered by Bell Media, said the retailer.
Each year, the IDEA Competition invites agencies and brands to propose a new campaign. The most compelling creative concept among all submissions wins a $1M Bell Media package to bring the idea to life. RONA, along with Sid Lee, its creative agency, submitted its Build Boards campaign proposition at last year’s competition, which was held under the theme “gender equity in Canada” to promote inclusivity, diversity and equity in advertising, said RONA.
Now visible across the Greater Toronto Area until December 21, RONA’s campaign features out-of-home billboards near new-build construction sites to support more women getting into trades. Each board leads to the MoreWomeninTrades.ca microsite, which aggregates tailored resources and grassroots initiatives tailored to women and girls, and made possible through RONA’s collaboration with the Canadian Home Builders’ Association (CHBA), the voice of Canada’s residential construction industry. Together, they are driving real change by promoting resources that help enhance the leadership and mentorship skills of women in skilled trades, going beyond raising awareness, it added.
“Women make up only 5% of tradespeople in Canada, which is why we decided to make them the face of this campaign that puts the spotlight on gender disparities in the trades,” said Catherine Laporte, Chief Digital and Marketing Officer at RONA inc.
“We felt it was important for RONA to leverage its role as a trusted leader in construction and home improvement to highlight this reality and show women they belong in our industry. As the Executive Sponsor of our Pride Business Resource Group and a woman myself, I know just how crucial it is to promote diversity, inclusion and equity, not just within our organization, but in our industry as well.”
“Women in construction deserve visibility and recognition. Through our collaboration with RONA, we hope to help inspire a more inclusive future for the industry,” added Thalie Poulin, Vice President, Account Services at Sid Lee.
RONA inc. is one of Canada’s leading home improvement retailers, headquartered in Boucherville, Quebec. The RONA inc. network operates and services over 425 corporate and affiliated dealer stores under the RONA+, RONA, and Dick’s Lumber banners.
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