Trade wars aren’t an easy time. Especially one like this. When it comes to Canada and the Trump/Vance Administration, not since Ross told Rachel “We were on a BREAK!” has there been a more dysfunctional American relationship. But take heart! As a Canadian brand or service, you can come out ahead in this crazy time if you remember three simple words: 

Just keep talking. 

Right now the temptation is to keep your head down, and play it safe. That is absolutely the wrong thing to do. The people on your team will be worried and anxious – so your internal comms needs to be pristine. Stay calm and focussed and keep your people reassured that everything is going to be okay. Because it will. 

And externally? It would be an even BIGGER mistake to stay quiet. And here’s why:

Canadian products are flying off the shelves right now. In my fairly conservative community, I’m seeing American brands gathering dust on the shelves – even the cheaper ones – and big gaps where the Canadian brands used to be. It seems Canadians are serious about keeping their #ElbowsUp and boycotting the US. 

Smart Canadian brands get this. Chapman’s Ice Cream – which has always been a textbook example of how to do the right and the smart thing in a crisis – recently announced it’s freezing its prices and looking for new international suppliers, and is getting great press. They’ve never been shy about being a Canadian brand. They’re once again reaping the benefits of that. 

Even better than being Canadian is being a LOCAL Canadian brand. Some local businesses have been enjoying a 20-30% uptick in sales because they are appealing directly to people in their communities. 

And being clever and cheeky is smart business, too. For example, there are a lot of embarrassed Tesla owners who have stuck disclaimer bumper stickers on their Musk-mobiles. Kia Norway steered straight into that trend and launched a fantastic, one-instagram post ad that is just…Viking-level savage. 

I know it’s tempting to sit back for a bit and see which way the wind is blowing. There’s a raging storm out there. But the really clever brands and companies are using that energy – right now – to set sail for new markets and opportunities, or deepening loyalty with existing customers. Internationally, the Canadian brand is not just strong – it’s absolutely jacked.

To put the metaphor in the blender for a moment: if you’ve ever ended a tumultuous  relationship, you know that new, better, more stable partners – like the EU, or former partners – like the Commonwealth –  are always out there, and ready to deal with Canada.   

So, whether you’re a not-for-profit looking to help Canadians, a B2B business that is looking for new markets, a consumer brand looking to capitalize, or even a local government who wants to start buying Canadian – this is the time to communicate. It’s business-essential to be loud, and proud, and Canadian. 

If you don’t, there’s a good chance someone else is going to catch the wind, and leave you behind. 

 

What else can you learn from the trade war? Check out our webinar Comms In Question: Comms lessons from the trade war trenches with special guests Tim Hudak, Brian Topp, and Kathleen Wynne.