Sponsorship Marketing Awards Roundup
On Thursday September 18, the Sponsorship Marketing Council Canada (SMCC) hosted the 2025 Sponsorship Marketing Awards (SMAs) at the TIFF Lightbox in Toronto. The event brought the industry together to celebrate the brands, properties, agencies, and individuals raising the standard for sponsorship marketing in Canada. This year’s winners showed how sponsorship can deliver strong results while also building meaningful connections with communities across the country.
It was also a proud moment for all of us at SponsorshipX, as our founder Mark Harrison was inducted into the SMCC Hall of Fame. This recognition reflects Mark’s career-long passion for sponsorship as a force for good, and his leadership in building a community that champions creativity, collaboration, and innovation.
The 2025 SMCC Sponsorship Marketing Award winners are as follows:
AGENCY OF THE YEAR
Gold: The T1 Agency
AMBASSADOR OR TALENT
Gold: Sponsored By You – OLG x Canadian Olympic Committee (OLG, WPP Media Sports and Entertainment, BBDO, Weber Shandwick and Momentum Worldwide)
Award of Distinction: lululemon x Phil Wizard (Canadian Olympic Committee)
ARTS
Award of Distinction: Rogers x Toronto International Film Festival (Rogers Communications, Publicis and SDI Marketing)
BEST NEW INITIATIVE
Gold: Molson: See My Name (Molson Coors Beverage Company and Rethink Communications)
Award of Distinction: RBC x Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour (RBC and Salt XC)
CAUSE MARKETING
Award of Distinction: RBC Race for the Kids (RBC and Salt XC)
Award of Distinction: Scotiabank x Invictus Games "Unconquerable" (Scotiabank, Lighthouse, MKTG and Invictus Games)
DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION
Gold: Designing for Inclusivity: lululemon x Team Canada Paris 2024 Paralympic Kit (Canadian Paralympic Committee)
Award of Distinction: ATCO x Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025: Built Different (ATCO, Wasserman, Denim and Mas Orca)
ENTERTAINMENT, TOURS AND ATTRACTIONS
Gold: RBC x Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour (RBC and Salt XC)
FESTIVALS, FAIRS AND ANNUAL EVENTS
Gold: OLG x Toronto Pride (OLG, Momentum Worldwide, WPP Media Sports + Entertainment)
Award of Distinction: Appartamento Aperol (XMC and Campari Canada)
HALL OF FAME, INDIVIDUAL
Gold: Mark Harrison, Founder, MH3 Collective
OLYMPICS / GRASSROOTS / AMATEUR SPORTS
Gold: Sponsored By You – OLG x Canadian Olympic Committee (OLG, WPP Media Sports and Entertainment, BBDO, Weber Shandwick and Momentum Worldwide)
Award of Distinction: lululemon x Team Canada – Outshine Gold (Canadian Olympic Committee)
PROFESSIONAL SPORTS (Budget $500K and below)
Gold: Molson: See My Name (Molson Coors Beverage Company and Rethink Communications)
Award of Distinction: Toronto Maple Leafs x Oreo – Missing O's Stunt (Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment and Weber Shandwick)
PROFESSIONAL SPORTS (Budget over $501K)
Award of Distinction: Shell Grand Slam Summer (Shell Canada, Havas Canada, Edelman, VML, TI and Sidekick)
PROPERTY OF THE YEAR
Gold: PWHL: Beyond the Boards (Professional Women's Hockey League)
REGIONAL
Gold: Molson Drai (Molson Coors Beverage Company and Wasserman)
Award of Distinction: Grand Marnier and Courvoisier x Holt Renfrew (XMC and Campari Canada)
SUSTAINED SUCCESS
Gold: Tim Hortons NHL Trading Card Program (Tim Hortons and National Hockey League)
Award of Distinction: A Treat For All – Making Halloween in Canada the First Fully Accessible Community Tradition in the World (Treat Accessibly, Canadian Tire, REMAX, Kinder and Pet Valu)
BEST IN SHOW
Gold: Molson: See My Name (Molson Coors Beverage Company and Rethink Communications)
"As co-chairs we felt the cases presented have truly raised the bar this year, showcasing the exceptional talent and creativity in sponsorship marketing across Canada. The submissions are a testament to the ingenuity of our industry professionals, and it reinforces the caliber of sponsorship marketing innovation in our country. It's been an honour to witness such outstanding work, and we look forward to celebrating the achievements at the Sponsorship Marketing Awards." said SMAs Judging Co-Chairs, Heather Nobes and Justin Hasan.
"We are thrilled to see the positive response from brands, agencies and properties to this year's SMAs. The pedigree and sheer number of submissions is an indicator of how important sponsorship has become for organizations looking to speak directly to their target market(s)." said SMCC Board Chairperson, Julian Franklin.
On behalf of SponsorshipX, congratulations to all the 2025 SMA recipients. Your work continues to inspire what’s possible in sponsorship marketing.