Challenge
Embark entered the Canadian market with a new name, identity and approach to education savings, but needed to build awareness and trust while differentiating itself from both its predecessor and established RESP providers. In a category where financial decisions are deeply personal and credibility matters, simply introducing the new brand wasn’t enough.
The challenge wasn’t just generating awareness; it was giving Embark a distinct and credible voice in the education savings conversation while building meaningful connections with young parents, established families and students across Canada.
Our Approach
Embark tapped Talk Shop to build an integrated PR and influencer program that could establish credibility through earned media while creating more personal connections through trusted creators. Talk Shop developed two connected programs: a data-led media relations strategy designed to make Embark part of timely national conversations, and a long-term ambassador program built around authentic, relationship-first storytelling.
Original research gave media a steady stream of relevant news hooks, supported by embargoed outreach and national and regional story angles to extend coverage across markets. In parallel, Talk Shop built a diverse 10-person ambassador roster spanning different locations, backgrounds, ages and financial realities. Rather than relying on rigid briefs, the team worked directly with ambassadors each month to co-develop content rooted in their own experiences and voices, helping Embark show up naturally with the audiences it wanted to reach.
Results
The integrated program gave Embark both scale and meaningful audience connection, combining national earned visibility with creator content that reached Canadian families and students more personally. The ambassador program also surfaced valuable audience insights, with BIPOC and LGBTQ+ creators and mid-tier influencers consistently driving the strongest engagement - learnings that helped shape Embark’s creator strategy for the year ahead.
Let’s Talk Shop.
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