The idea was simple. Eat together.

We wanted to inspire people to take this simple, timeless pastime more seriously, as the benefits of a shared meal with people has numerous health benefits. The idea started with a short film to inspire people and then took on many forms, culminating in a National Eat Together Day across Canada.

The movement has had many moving parts, but it all started with a short film meant to inspire Canadians and educate them about the importance of eating together. This aired only twice, once during the “Centennial Classic” – a special hockey game in Canada and the U.S. on New Years Day, and the other was during the Grammy’s.

After inspiring and spreading awareness we moved to more action oriented tactics, with in-store events across Canada, a second film and even an Eat Together Table Cloth that blocked people’s phone signals at the dinner table.

It all culminated in a National Eat Together Day that took place across the country at over 230 store locations, with an anchor event in front of Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Canada’s capital.

This has been by far the brands most successful communications piece in its history. The films topped YouTube’s organic search list with over 110 million views. Every time the films aired on television they became top trending items.

Professionals in the world of Psychology also became important torch bearers for the movement as they recognized eating together as important element to combat loneliness. They helped it become a hot-button issue in Canada receiving coverage in important publications like Psychology Today and Forbes Magazine, as well as panel discussions in Canadian talk shows.