Latest news with #JamesKawalecki
Globe and Mail
7 days ago
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Games without frontiers
In the months leading up to last year's Stanley Cup playoffs, the marketing whizzes at Boston Pizza pondered what might make a good campaign centred around the Canadian teams that were participating. They settled on the idea of getting Canadians to set aside their own team affinities and cheer for whichever squad north of the 49th made it to the finals – assuming one did. The company knew it was risky. Its own research showed it would be difficult for many to put aside their deep-seated passion for their own team and cheer for someone they normally cheered against – which last season ended up being the Edmonton Oilers. Still, the restaurant chain pressed onward. 'We knew we were walking on sensitive ice but not thin ice, if that makes any sense,' Boston Pizza's vice-president of marketing, James Kawalecki, said in an interview. The organization produced a smart, well-received ad that began by highlighting the many missed opportunities Canadian NHL teams had to win the cup in recent years, stretching back to the Vancouver Canucks' Stanley Cup run in 1994. The narrator said it was time to try something different to reverse the curse. 'This playoffs, let's cheer with the fans we've always cheered against.' The Edmonton Journal newspaper responded with a story under the headline: News flash: Edmonton doesn't care if Oilers are Canada's team. The author, Robert Tychkowski, wrote: '… Boston Pizza can run all the commercials about fans of all Canadian teams banding together in national harmony it wants – rivals don't cheer for each other. Nor should they.' Well, then. Which brings us to this year's finals, which begin on Wednesday, and again feature the Oilers against the same team they faced for last year's cup, the Florida Panthers. Will Canadian hockey fans temporarily set aside their NHL allegiances to cheer on the Oilers' bid to bring the cup back to Canada after 32 years? Will the swell of national pride in the face of threats by U.S. President Donald Trump make that easier? Or will separatist musings coming out of Alberta complicate that issue for people? So much to ponder. In April, the Angus Reid Institute dug into the question of whether fans of the Vancouver Canucks or Toronto Maple Leafs or any Canadian NHL team could clap, holler and scream in support of players on a rival Canadian squad. The survey found that 71 per cent would cheer for 'any' Canadian team to win the cup, not just their own. That represented a seven-point increase over the previous year and a 14-point hike since 2016. An event that may have injected some juice into the current situation is the 4 Nations Face-Off, which was held in February. Animosity between the Canadians and the Americans spilled over in their first meeting, where there were several fights to start the game, ultimately won by the U.S. They would meet again in the final, which was clinched in overtime by Canada on a goal by superstar Oiler forward Connor McDavid. The warm feelings many Canadians felt toward him then could easily extend to the Stanley Cup finals, making it easier to cheer for his Edmonton team against Florida. That said, if Wayne Gretzky, generally considered the greatest hockey player of all time and whose best years were with Edmonton, shows up to cheer on his old team, things could get complicated. Gretzky's association with Trump, whom he considers a good friend, has not gone over well in Canada. Nor has the fact that he refused to speak out against the President's repeated assertions that he'd like to make Canada a 'cherished 51st state.' In the same April Angus Reid polling, the firm found that 45 per cent of those surveyed have a negative view of Gretzky. In 2011, a Harris-Decima poll showed that only one in 16 Canadians had an unfavourable view of the Great One. Gretzky might be advised to watch this series on TV. Meantime, Shachi Kurl, president of the Angus Reid Institute, doesn't think the current political situation playing out in Alberta will negatively affect support for the Oilers. 'While separatist sentiment in Alberta is drawing strong pushback both outside and inside the province, it's hard to see those who'd prefer to keep the country together venting their annoyance at the Oilers,' Kurl said. 'While the perfect data crosstab of separatism by hockey fandom by Oilers hate does not exist, one can draw a few conclusions.' On that front, she said, Edmonton is not exactly ground zero for secessionism. And the thirst for a Canadian team to finally bring home the cup doubtlessly surpasses any separatist backlash that may exist against the team. 'Although the team may not benefit from public displays of Alberta Premier Danielle Smith in the stands,' Kurl said. As always, the question of fan support for NHL teams is complicated by other factors. Many in eastern parts of the country rarely watch the Oilers play because of the time-zone difference. How well a person knows a team and its players can influence their decision to support them or not. Then there are fans of the Calgary Flames. The intra-provincial rivalry between the Oilers and the Flames makes any support for the other – regardless of the circumstances (see Stanley Cup) or maybe even more so because of them – extremely difficult. Although, some might make an exception on the basis of provincial pride. The folks at Boston Pizza, meantime, have come up with a new campaign for this season's playoffs, one that doesn't ask Canadians to cheer for an NHL rival but rather suggests they get ready for the cup to return north of the border. The ad shows actors in raincoats and goggles getting ready to uncork Champagne bottles when the cup celebration the ad is manifesting to happen eventually occurs. 'This country is ready to pop,' one of them says. In an earlier playoff ad that Boston Pizza ran last month, there are echoes of the current political discourse. 'This is our game and we're not giving it back,' the narrator says at one point. Kawalecki said that was intentional. 'If the cup isn't in Canada it's in the U.S. and that isn't right,' he said. 'It's been too long. We need to bring the cup back to where it belongs. We need to fight for what is ours.' Q+A: Will the Oilers win the Stanley Cup? Ask our hockey experts your playoff questions Excitement, nervousness and a sense of déjà vu grips Edmonton At Vancouver's unofficial Oilers bar, Edmonton fans find a little piece of home during the playoffs Oilers-mania runs deep in this remote Dene community
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
BOSTON PIZZA UNVEILS CHAMPION ROOM SPRAY ENCOURAGING HOCKEY FANS TO MANIFEST THE WIN
Boston Pizza aims to turn dreams into reality because if we plan it, and smell it…we will win TORONTO, April 14, 2025 /CNW/ - After 32 years of coming up short and suffering in the playoffs, Boston Pizza is setting out to manifest a new path for Canadian hockey fans: a win. Today, it introduces Champion Room Spray, a bold new scent designed to capture the essence of a hockey locker room, post win. Available at select Boston Pizza locations, the scent blends notes of bubbly champagne, Canadian lager, used hockey pucks, and the undeniable musk of sweaty hockey gear. "It's been a long 32 years without a win north of the border," says James Kawalecki, VP Marketing, Boston Pizza International. "Canadian hockey fans have followed every superstition and ritual to end our drought but it's time we do something different. This year, we need to break the cycle and field-of-dreams the win." With the raw energy of victory, the stench of sweaty hockey gear and a hint of 32 years of pent-up Canadian frustration, this spray is the ultimate game-day ritual. It's more than just a scent—it's a game-changer for any playoff viewing experience. Fans are encouraged to spray it around their viewing space to fill the room with the winning energy necessary to end the drought once and for all. Just spray, manifest the win, and start planning the parade, because Canada is going all the way. The Champion Room Spray is available in limited quantities, on a first-come, first-served basis, at select Boston Pizza locations in playoff markets. The ultimate destination to watch playoff hockey, Boston Pizza offers an unrivaled playoff menu, cold drinks and for the first time ever, the sweet scent of a postseason victory. Participating locations include: Front and John: (250 Front St W Unit 1c201, Toronto, ON) Cityplace: (333 St Mary Ave #66, Winnipeg, MB) Ice District: (10111 104 Ave NW Unit 120, Edmonton, AB) Kanata: (135 Roland Michener Dr, Kanata, ON K2T 1G7) For more information about manifesting the win at Boston Pizza visit, About Boston Pizza Boston Pizza is the premier casual dining brand in Canada. The first Boston Pizza restaurant opened in Edmonton, Alberta in 1964 and over 60 years later Boston Pizza proudly remains a 100% Canadian company serving communities from coast-to-coast-to-coast. It boasts a vast network of local franchise owners who collectively operate the largest number of dining rooms, sports bars, and patios across the nation, complemented by robust takeout and delivery services. Boston Pizza International Inc. has been recognized as a Franchisees' Choice Designation winner and a Platinum Member of Canada's 50 Best Managed Companies for many years, and has received awards from Great Place To Work in the categories of Best Workplaces: in Canada – 100-999 Employees, in British Columbia, in Retail & Hospitality, for Mental Wellness, for Women, for Giving Back, and with Most Trusted Executive Teams. SOURCE Boston Pizza International Inc. View original content to download multimedia: Sign in to access your portfolio
Associated Press
14-04-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
BOSTON PIZZA UNVEILS CHAMPION ROOM SPRAY ENCOURAGING HOCKEY FANS TO MANIFEST THE WIN
Boston Pizza aims to turn dreams into reality because if we plan it, and smell it…we will win TORONTO, April 14, 2025 /CNW/ - After 32 years of coming up short and suffering in the playoffs, Boston Pizza is setting out to manifest a new path for Canadian hockey fans: a win. Today, it introduces Champion Room Spray, a bold new scent designed to capture the essence of a hockey locker room, post win. Available at select Boston Pizza locations, the scent blends notes of bubbly champagne, Canadian lager, used hockey pucks, and the undeniable musk of sweaty hockey gear. 'It's been a long 32 years without a win north of the border,' says James Kawalecki, VP Marketing, Boston Pizza International. 'Canadian hockey fans have followed every superstition and ritual to end our drought but it's time we do something different. This year, we need to break the cycle and field-of-dreams the win.' With the raw energy of victory, the stench of sweaty hockey gear and a hint of 32 years of pent-up Canadian frustration, this spray is the ultimate game-day ritual. It's more than just a scent—it's a game-changer for any playoff viewing experience. Fans are encouraged to spray it around their viewing space to fill the room with the winning energy necessary to end the drought once and for all. Just spray, manifest the win, and start planning the parade, because Canada is going all the way. The Champion Room Spray is available in limited quantities, on a first-come, first-served basis, at select Boston Pizza locations in playoff markets. The ultimate destination to watch playoff hockey, Boston Pizza offers an unrivaled playoff menu, cold drinks and for the first time ever, the sweet scent of a postseason victory. Participating locations include: For more information about manifesting the win at Boston Pizza visit, About Boston Pizza Boston Pizza is the premier casual dining brand in Canada. The first Boston Pizza restaurant opened in Edmonton, Alberta in 1964 and over 60 years later Boston Pizza proudly remains a 100% Canadian company serving communities from coast-to-coast-to-coast. It boasts a vast network of local franchise owners who collectively operate the largest number of dining rooms, sports bars, and patios across the nation, complemented by robust takeout and delivery services. Boston Pizza International Inc. has been recognized as a Franchisees' Choice Designation winner and a Platinum Member of Canada's 50 Best Managed Companies for many years, and has received awards from Great Place To Work in the categories of Best Workplaces: in Canada – 100-999 Employees, in British Columbia, in Retail & Hospitality, for Mental Wellness, for Women, for Giving Back, and with Most Trusted Executive Teams. SOURCE Boston Pizza International Inc.
