EDO JAPAN SELECTS STAGWELL'S (STGW) DONERNORTH AS NEW CREATIVE AGENCY OF RECORD

Canadian-owned and operated restaurant franchise and DonerNorth to elevate and expand Edo Japan's brand to new customers

TORONTO, April 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- DonerNorth today announced it has been selected by Edo Japan (Edo) as its creative Agency of Record (AOR) after a competitive pitch process. As Edo's new creative AOR, DonerNorth will be responsible for enhancing the brand's identity, as the quick-service restaurant (QSR) franchise accelerates its cross-Canada expansion plan at a rate of approximately 25 new restaurants per year. This is the first competitive pitch win for DonerNorth since it was newly formed in December 2021, following the merger of creative agency UNION with shopper marketing agency 6Degrees.

Building upon its successes in Canada's diverse markets, including openings in British Columbia and northern Ontario in 2021, Edo will work with DonerNorth to further establish the brand as a household name as it expands into new regional markets.

"Edo Japan is an incredible brand that many people haven't heard of – yet" says Catherine Marcolin, President of DonerNorth. "We are honoured to help introduce them to more of Canada through our unique approach to creating big, unifying ideas that are designed to connect and convert consumers from the start."

"We are looking forward to partnering with DonerNorth as we progress into this new chapter of growth at Edo," says Jessica Pellow, Vice President, Marketing at Edo Japan. "We are proud of our accomplishments as a franchise over our 43-year history and believe this partnership will help us bring our great story to new customers while solidifying Edo's position as a leader in the QSR industry."

Edo Japan has experienced consistent success expanding into new Canadian markets in recent years, including openings in British Columbia, Manitoba, and Ontario in 2021. With the pandemic driving exponential growth in their online and delivery sales, Edo sought a partner that could make a splash with audiences not only in new markets, but also in the digital space.

"Our omnichannel approach to serving customers makes it easy for them to order a meal, find a restaurant or see our menu – from wherever they are," says Pellow. "DonerNorth demonstrated a true understanding of customer insights, localized marketing strategy and our overall brand vision.  We will work with DonerNorth to deepen our connection with customers by making the Edo brand stand out across all channels."

"We're thrilled that Edo Japan has connected with our way of mining strategic and consumer insights," says Marcolin. "They're also great people, with a professional culture we admire, so we're looking forward to developing our partnership and making great work together."

Prior to this win, both UNION and 6Degrees had individually racked up a series of recent new business, including WSIB, Arterra Wines, and Cadillac Fairview.

DonerNorth's first project for Edo Japan is expected to launch later this year.

About DonerNorth 
DonerNorth is (www.donernorth.com) is Stagwell's unique creative commerce offering in Canada and part of the Doner Partners Network of agencies including Veritas, Meat & Produce, Doner and most recently, Dyversity Communications.  Based in Toronto and Montreal, the agency crafts insightful, award-winning big ideas that engage and convert by blending brand advertising, digital and shopper marketing. In today's connected world, DonerNorth is modeled on how people actually fall in love with and buy brands in real life. It's what a modern full-service agency should be. For more information, visit donernorth.ca. 

About Stagwell
Stagwell is the challenger network built to transform marketing. We deliver scaled creative performance for the world's most ambitious brands, connecting culture-moving creativity with leading-edge technology to harmonize the art and science of marketing.  Led by entrepreneurs, our 10,000+ specialists in 20+ countries are unified under a single purpose: to drive effectiveness and improve business results for their clients. Join us at www.stagwellglobal.com.

About Edo Japan
Headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, Edo Japan serves Japanese-inspired teppanyaki-style meals made fresh and by hand with a signature teriyaki sauce. First opened in 1979 at Southcentre Mall in Calgary, the Canadian-owned and operated franchise has grown to more than 160 restaurants in suburban shopping centres and food courts across Canada. With its reputation for high-quality ingredients, freshly prepared meals, friendly staff and convenient ordering options with My Edo App, Edo Japan has quickly become a popular option in the quick-service restaurant industry and serves more than 10 million meals annually. For more information, visit edojapan.com.

For more information, please contact:

Bora Caglayan
Doner Partners Network
647-920-2201
[email protected]

Alisha Samnani
Director, Brand Marketing & PR
Edo Japan
P: 403-554-9757
E: [email protected]

SOURCE Stagwell Inc.