Behind Calgary Stampede: Hell or High Water

HELL OR HIGH WATER

With a little over two weeks before Stampede 2013, Calgary and southern Alberta were hit with the worst flooding in the province’s history. Along with many surrounding communities, Stampede Park was heavily damaged. With Calgary Stampede’s promise that “the show would go on” in spite of recent flooding, a new community sentiment began to rise: Calgarians will get through this ‘come hell or high water’.

During the flood week, C&B Advertising was on-park creating a series of behind the scenes videos capturing the resilient spirit of Calgarians in rebuilding their community and their Stampede. These videos caught national attention as well, the following was recognized as Canada’s most watched YouTube advertisement for the month of July. 

OUR SECOND CENTURY BEGINS

With the floodwaters came new marketing challenges for the Calgary Stampede. As the organization began to rebuild a tattered Stampede Park, we worked alongside the marketing team at Calgary Stampede to create print, radio and videos answering the question on so many minds: would this be the first year in 100 the Stampede would be cancelled?  It was an attitude and a call to arms that quickly began to galvanize a weather-worn city. 

WE’RE GREATEST TOGETHER

Within hours of floodwaters receding, working alongside the Calgary Stampede marketing team, and with pick-up trucks as our new offices, C&B Advertising had designed and printed the first run of Hell or High Water t-shirts

This can-do sentiment snowballed through the community and social media channels. T-shirt printers worked 24/7 to meet demand. The rest is history. In the end, 160,000 t-shirts were sold and distributed around the world by volunteers, raising over 2.1 million dollars for the Canadian Red Cross Flood Relief Fund. All in the span of three short weeks.


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