Reitmans Celebrates Cultural Diversity with its New Campaign "Diversity is the Fabric of Canada"

This second campaign features seven Canadian women who, through their cultural backgrounds and commitments, contribute to the richness and collective history of our society.

MONTREAL, May 20, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - The Reitmans brand, the inclusive destination for all Canadian women looking to update their wardrobe, is highlighting Canada's cultural diversity with its new "Diversity is the Fabric of Canada" campaign. Created in collaboration with agency Cossette, the campaign features seven inspiring Canadian women from diverse fields such as arts, sports, fashion, media and entertainment. In an effort to celebrate diversity with a powerful symbol, the brand paid homage to the national anthem with a creative and contemporary twist. The campaign was also adapted in Punjabi, Mandarin and Cantonese by Toronto-based agency Ethnicity Matters.

The "Diversity is the Fabric of Canada" campaign highlights Reitmans' core values of inclusion, diversity and authenticity. While diversity remains at the forefront of many conversations across the country, many are wondering what more can be done to make progress. With this in mind, Reitmans is sharing its voice and undertaking concrete actions. "Through our second diversity campaign, we wanted to unite and celebrate the collective history of our beautiful country. We are committed to making real and lasting change by using the reach of our brand to continue to advocate for respect and equality. This includes creating an inclusive work environment, whether it's within our own company or across all our marketing campaigns," says Jackie Tardif, President of the Reitmans brand and Executive Sponsor of Diversity and Inclusion of Reitmans (Canada) Limited.

The ambassadors chosen for this campaign include South Asian Canadian teacher and fashion designer Sandy Kaur Gill, the first Chinese-born principal dancer in the history of the National Ballet of Canada, Chan Hon Goh, African-American Canadian athlete Angela James, Lebanese and Uruguayan/French Canadian comedian and actress Mariana Mazza, Chilean/French Canadian host, author, producer, entrepreneur and speaker Alexandra Diaz, Indigenous author and poet Natasha Kanapé Fontaine, and Senegalese/French Canadian rapper Sarahmée. Each of them participated in the design of a pattern, reproduced on a T-shirt and scarf that reflects their style and cultural background. A tote bag was also created as part of the initiative. These items are available in stores and online starting May 21, 2021 for $29.90, $19.90 and $34.90 respectively. For each product sold, Reitmans will donate $2 to the 7 causes chosen by the ambassadors, up to a maximum of $10,000 for each. The seven charities include: The Canadian Women's Foundation, Seva Food Bank, the Smilezone Foundation, the Canadian Cancer Society, the Waskapitan Fund, La Rue des Femmes, and Centre d'Encadrement pour Jeunes Femmes Immigrantes (CEJFI).

The campaign launch is supported by a 360⁰ marketing strategy across multiple channels, from in-store signage, a digital amplification campaign, as well as multicultural TV, digital and radio ads translated into Punjabi, Cantonese and Mandarin, social media extensions (TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube) to organic content that brings together the #ReitmansReallyYou community.

As part of a Canada-wide contest, Reitmans will be giving 10 newcomers a new wardrobe worth $1,000 which they can wear for job interviews, citizenship ceremonies, holidays or special occasions. Winners will be determined based on a short essay (150 words) in which they will be asked to express their thoughts on what makes Canada a great place to live.

This campaign was made possible by an extraordinary group of people. Among them is Meryam Joobeur who directed the video, a Tunisian-Canadian director living in Montreal who was nominated for an Oscar for best short fiction film and won several awards including best Canadian short film at the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival [TIFF]. Not to mention electro producer, DJ and multi-instrumentalist Ouri who composed the music.

About the Reitmans brand
Reitmans, a brand within Reitmans (Canada) Limited has grown to become one of Canada's most loved women's apparel and accessories brand, with a strong online presence and 245 stores across the country. Reitmans' collections offer everything from timeless styles to lively must-haves in Canada's greatest style diversity with inclusive sizes ranging from 0-22 (XXS-3X) in Tall, Regular and Petite. Reitmans' in-house design team strives to create clothes that fit into their customers' lifestyles and encourage them to feel their most confident while staying true to and celebrating their own unique style. For further information, please visit our website: www.reitmans.com.

About Reitmans (Canada) Limited
The Company is a leading women's specialty apparel retailer with retail outlets throughout Canada. The Company operates 414 stores consisting of 245 Reitmans, 91 Penningtons and 78 RW&CO. The Company is a publicly traded company listed on the TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV: RET) (TSXV: RET.A). For more information, visit www.reitmanscanadalimited.com.

SOURCE Reitmans (Canada) Limited