Avril Lavigne Helps Canon Cut Through the Clutter
by Bob Froese • Founder & CCO
December 6, 2025
Avril Lavigne Helps Canon Cut Through the Clutter
Before Bob’s Your Uncle became the agency it is today, its early incarnation — The BrainStorm Group — helped Canon break through a crowded camera market by pairing a bold brand personality with a bold cultural icon: Avril Lavigne.
Canon tapped Avril as brand ambassador for its point-and-shoot Elph line, and BrainStorm Group’s Bob Froese helped shape a campaign designed to pop off the screen: vibrant, youthful, unexpected, and unmistakably pink.
Coverage
The Globe and Mail — “Avril gets the picture”
URL: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/avril-gets-the-picture/article20389173/
“It's kind of the tiny package that has everything in it,” says the BrainStorm Group's Bob Froese… speaking about Canon’s Elph camera being promoted by Avril Lavigne.”
“Sexy, dynamic and ‘just a little bit out there’ are the attributes that Mr. Froese attaches to Canon’s new brand ambassador.”
“She’s universally recognizable,” says Justin Lam, director of marketing at Canon Canada… “helpful in trying to cut through the clutter that’s out there.”
Why This Matters
This campaign highlights an early example of what would become defining traits of Bob’s Your Uncle’s approach:
1. Pairing bold brands with bold cultural relevance
Avril brought edge, recognition, and attitude — exactly what Canon needed to stand out in a saturated category.
2. A challenger spirit before BYU became the challenger-brand agency
This work showcased Bob Froese’s instinct for disruptive simplicity — the “tiny package that has everything in it.”
3. Building emotional resonance into a functional category
Canon wasn’t just selling megapixels; it was selling personality, self-expression, and youthful energy.