Dairy Queen Canada enlisted its first-ever NHLer for the 23rd installment of its Miracle Treat Day fundraiser for the Children’s Miracle Network in Halifax on Aug. 14. Brad Marchand, Stanley Cup winner with the Florida Panthers and a Nova Scotia native, championed DQ Blizzards, with 100% of the net proceeds going to support 12 children’s hospital foundations across Canada.

Jess Rutledge, manager of partnership marketing and storytelling at Canada’s Children’s Hospital Foundations (CCHF), tells strategy that, traditionally, DQ Canada partners with patient ambassadors from the children’s hospitals to share the event’s impact. This year marks the first time DQ Canada has partnered with a celebrated Canadian hockey star.

“CCHF is focused on building stronger national corporate partnerships, increasing awareness through compelling storytelling and growing community fundraising to support 12 children’s hospital foundations,” Rutledge says. “The Miracle Treat Day achieves this by raising significant funds in a single day and generating broad national and local media attention.”

Since 1984, more than $55 million has been raised in Canada in support of children’s health through Miracle Treat Day. Funds raised on Miracle Treat Day support each hospital’s most urgent priorities, ensuring kids receive the care and support they need most. In 2024 alone, Canadian children’s hospitals recorded more than three million visits. On Miracle Treat Day, DQ franchisees, staff and volunteers come together in communities across the country to raise money for local hospital foundations and help ensure kids can access the care they need, close to home.

Children’s Miracle Network raises funds and awareness for 170 member hospitals, 13 of which are in Canada. Donations stay local to fund critical treatments and health care services, purchase pediatric medical equipment and support research. Its various fundraising partners and programs support its mission to save and improve the lives of as many children as possible.

Rutledge points out that a key differentiator for DQ Canada is the use of a national patient ambassador – something not all partners incorporate – which helps humanize the cause and inspire action. This year’s ambassador is Chloe from Alberta, whose inspiring story is featured throughout DQ’s national promotions.

“Campaigns like Miracle Treat Day combine fundraising, marketing and community engagement into one high-visibility event,” Rutledge says. “The campaign also sparks creative local activations led by each children’s hospital foundation, such as patient ambassadors visiting DQ locations to say ‘thank you’ and enjoying a Blizzard and local weather networks and meteorologists reporting live from children’s hospitals and DQ locations, playfully covering the ‘August Blizzard’ phenomenon.”

To promote the campaign, media agency partner Dentsu Media implemented a plan combining mass-reach channels with targeted digital engagement. Television was used to build national awareness and DOOH was secured to increase local awareness in populated metropolitan cities in Canada. Additionally, programmatic online video (OLV) and social media platforms, including Meta, TikTok and Reddit, were leveraged to drive deeper engagement and inspire action.

Mihal Kasich, media supervisor at Dentsu Media, tells strategy that these digital channels allowed for precise targeting and interactive content, encouraging consumers to participate by purchasing DQ treats and amplifying the campaign’s impact across both national and local audiences.

“Channel allocation reflects evolving strategic priorities,” Kasich explains. “Television continues to receive a significant share due to its unmatched ability to reach a broad audience at scale. Digital channels follow closely, with social media emerging as a key focus area. Maintaining a strong social presence is essential for sustaining engagement throughout the campaign, and platforms like Meta and TikTok offer dynamic opportunities to connect with consumers in real time. This balanced investment ensures both mass visibility and ongoing interaction throughout the campaign life cycle.”

Media Profile delivered the creative and PR for this campaign, having worked with DQ Canada, in partnership with the Children’s Miracle Network for 23 years and supporting Miracle Treat Day annually. The partnership has included national and local media relations, influencer engagement, in-store activations, celebrity spokesperson events and consumer contests, all designed to raise awareness and support for children’s hospitals across the country.