Rogers Business celebrates Canadian small businesses with Spotlight Your Business Contest

Nov 17, 2022

One thousand small business owners will each receive $2,500 worth of digital advertising from Rogers Sports & Media to promote their stories and connect with customers in new ways

Submissions are now being accepted across the country from Canadian small business owners with up to 150 employees

Rogers Business is now accepting submissions for Spotlight Your Business, a contest for Canadian small businesses looking for digital amplification on Rogers Sports & Media’s extensive suite of media assets. In our increasingly digital economy, the launch of Spotlight Your Business amplifies the voices of small businesses and supports their online success. According to a 2021 study hosted on the Angus Reid forum, 60% of surveyed Canadian small businesses conduct most of their business online, a 50% increase of digital activity since before the COVID-19 pandemic¹.

“There are more than 1 million small and medium businesses in Canada, and they are responsible for over 10 million jobs,” said Tom Turner, President, Rogers Business. “Rogers Business is committed to supporting small businesses and providing them with the tools they need for growth. They are the backbone of our economy and the hearts of our communities. Through unprecedented times, stories of local business owners and their employees have served as inspiration across our country, and we are so excited to empower and promote their endeavours with our Spotlight Your Business contest.”

Winners of Spotlight Your Business will receive a $2,500 credit towards digital advertising on Rogers Sports & Media properties, like Sportsnet, Citytv, CityNews and 98.1 CHFI. Rogers Sports & Media collectively connects with 32 million Canadians each week, delivering unique storytelling through their range of powerful brands. Contest winners will appear alongside trusted content that informs, entertains, and inspires, while increasing exposure to build brand awareness, encouraging digital engagement, and boosting in-store traffic.

Building on Small Business Month, Rogers Business is featuring small businesses in their Spotlight on Business content series, as well as paid social and radio advertisements. Calgary-based Barre Belle, Wabanaki Maple in New Brunswick, Snug as a Bug in Toronto, and entrepreneurs across the country are sharing stories of their resilience and success through recent years. These business owners and more can be heard nationally across Rogers Sports & Media properties and seen in sponsored advertisements online, reinforcing their digital presence and reaching larger audiences.

“The COVID-19 pandemic changed group fitness forever. Our original plan was to have studios in every city, now we have two in-person studios and a growing Video-On-Demand community. Our goal is to create an online community across the country so that all Canadians have the same access to classes and can share in each other’s passion for fitness. Honing our digital advertising strategy was essential so we could share Barre Belle’s story with dance lovers, fitness fans, and all newcomers feeling ready to sweat, in studio or online from anywhere.”

Kristi Stuart, co-founder of Barre Belle, featured on Rogers Sports & Media’s Breakfast Television, CityNews 680, as well as Spotify Radio and sponsored social advertisements

“Sharing our signature twist on the traditional culture of maple syrup with online audiences has helped Wabanaki Maple establish a growing retail presence across the country. We are a 100% Indigenous female-owned company celebrating cherished traditions of many Peoples of the Wabanaki Confederacy, as well as artisanal indigenous-made products. Our success helps support the Bareroots Initiative’s reforestation efforts to replenish and strengthen our forests throughout the Wabanaki Woodlands.”

Jolene Johnson, Wabanaki Maple CEO, featured on Rogers Sports & Media’s Breakfast Television and radio stations

“I have had such a wonderful career learning what it takes to keep a small business going and staying connected with our customers, year after year. Thoughtful product design, a growing online presence, and over three decades of manufacturing right here in Ontario have made Snug as a Bug a trusted Canadian company. I love sharing our story in creative ways to connect with new audiences and directing shoppers to our streamlined website where they can feel confident in their choice to support a small and local business in Canada.”

Liz Heyland, Snug as a Bug founder and designer, featured on Rogers Sports & Media’s Breakfast Television, CityNews 680, as well as Spotify Radio and sponsored social advertisements

Rogers Business is committed to supporting and promoting Canadian small businesses from coast-to-coast-to-coast and providing tools to help drive growth. Small businesses can enter Spotlight Your Business for a chance to win a credit of $2,500 towards digital advertising until December 15, 2022, and winners can apply their credit until December 31^st, 2023. For more information, visit Rogers.com/spotlightcontest.

¹ These are the findings of a survey conducted by Rogers Communications from September 24^th to September 30^th, 2021 with an online sample of 505 Canadian small business owners with businesses of 10-149 employees who are members of the Angus Reid Forum. The survey was conducted in English and French.