Canada’s Advertisers of the Month for March, 2025: Oreo, Instagram, and Volkswagen

Canada’s Advertisers of the Month for March are Oreo, Instagram, and Volkswagen, each exhibiting significant increases in Ad Awareness as tracked by YouGov BrandIndex. Ad Awareness measures the percentage of consumers who have seen an advertisement for a brand in the past two weeks.

Oreo leads with a rise in Ad Awareness from 10.9% to 15.3%, an increase of 4.3 percentage points. This surge may be related to Oreo’s partnership with the NHLPA’s “Oreo Stay Playful for All” contest. This initiative aims to award $200,000 in new hockey equipment grants to 14 youth hockey organizations across Canada, encouraging consumers to participate online and in stores via QR codes on retail assets. Consumers may also have seen ads for a new flavour released in partnership with musician Post Malone. 

Instagram follows with an increase of 4.3 percentage points, rising from 8.6% to 12.9%.

Volkswagen rounds out the top three with a gain of 4.3 percentage points, increasing from 11.2% to 15.5%. The increase is likely driven by the brand’s collaboration with Tim Hortons’ “Roll Up the Rim” promotion, which offers a Volkswagen ID. Buzz vehicle as a prize. 

Read about February’s Advertisers of the Month.

Methodology: YouGov BrandIndex collects data on thousands of brands daily. A brand’s Ad Awareness score is based on the question: “Which of the following consumer brands have you seen an advertisement for in the past two weeks?” Data is derived from surveys of Canadian adults aged 18 years and above, covering the period from January 26 to March 24, 2025. Ad Awareness scores are based on a four-week moving average, and changes are calculated by taking the difference between the highest and lowest scoring days within the period. Learn more about BrandIndex.

Scotiabank leads with a rise in Ad Awareness from 15.1% to 19.2%, an increase of 4.1 percentage points. This surge may be related to hockey-related promotions in association with Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, influencer partnerships, or their partnership with Scene+ points which now offer travel perks.

Corona follows with a 4.1 percentage point increase, rising from 15.8% to 19.9%. The brand underlines associations with exotic locales and relaxation on its social feeds, sometimes combining this with partnerships with Canadian influencers.  Corona’s marketing strategies often highlight a laid-back lifestyle, which may contribute to increased Ad Awareness during colder months.

Kit Kat rounds out the top three with a gain of 4.1 percentage points, increasing from 9.2% to 13.3%. Kit Kat keeps fans’ attention with a constant stream of new flavours, real and hypothetical. The candy bar brand also is known for video ads and “break like a champ” contest which gives contestants a chance to win tickets to the Stanley Cup final.

Read about January’s Advertisers of the Month.

Methodology: YouGov BrandIndex collects data on thousands of brands daily. A brand’s Ad Awareness score is based on the question: “Which of the following consumer brands have you seen an advertisement for in the past two weeks?” Data is derived from surveys of Canadian adults aged 18 years and above, covering the period from January 26 to February 25, 2025. Ad Awareness scores are based on a four-week moving average, and changes are calculated by taking the difference between the highest and lowest scoring days within the period. Learn more about BrandIndex.