Royal Canadian Mint: A gift that stands the test of time

The Royal Canadian Mint wanted to make bullion coins the ultimate holiday gift for a new generation of buyers. The challenge? Bullion wasn’t on anyone’s wish list. Millennials and Gen X grew up with a gifting culture built on trends—flashy, fun, but rarely timeless. Just think of all the weird tech, fashion, and jewelry fads that have come and gone since the 2000s. Meanwhile, bullion’s only trend has been appreciation—it’s never gone out of style. So, we launched “A Gift That Stands the Test of Time.” A portrait-driven campaign contrasted cringey, outdated holiday gifts with the lasting value of a sleek, modern bullion coin from the Mint. Website traffic outpaced benchmarks leading to more metal off the shelves and a new holiday tradition.

Why I liked this project: Crown corporations don’t often get to play the challenger, which made this project a rare chance to shake things up and go against the grain — while making something as functional as precious metal coins culturally relevant.