Canadian insurer belairdirect is taking its brand into music venues and festivals this summer, staging interactive experiences at 15 Toronto concerts and Montreal's OSHEAGA festival in an effort to make insurance more relatable for everyday Canadians.
The campaign runs from June 14 to Sept. 15 at Toronto's RBC Amphitheatre and from July 31 to Aug. 2 at OSHEAGA.
At the RBC Amphitheatre, visitors can play an insurance-themed mini-putt game featuring obstacles inspired by real-life events including auto accidents, floods and tornadoes. At OSHEAGA, the company will sell waffle bites near its branded VALLEY stage, donating $4 from each sale to the Breakfast Club of Canada.
"This summer, we're meeting people where they are, at the concerts and festivals they love, to create memorable experiences that are true to the belairdirect brand," said Bryan Dinh, VP of Brand, Digital and Growth Marketing at belairdirect. "At RBC Amphitheatre, we're creating a playful activation that raises awareness of insurance by connecting it to the life moments that matter most to consumers."
Live music has become a significant arena for Canadian financial services brand building. Rogers, RBC and TD Bank have emerged as some of the most prominent music industry backers in Canada, investing in everything from festival stages and artist development programs to venue naming rights and exclusive fan experiences, using live events to reach demographics that traditional financial services advertising struggles to engage.
Among insurers specifically, belairdirect's concert activation is relatively unusual, reflecting a deliberate choice to compete for cultural visibility in a space dominated by banks and telecoms.
belairdirect was founded in Quebec in 1955 and was the first property and casualty insurer in North America to sell car insurance products online. The summer tour is one of the first visible expressions of that new direction, using physical experience rather than traditional media to build brand familiarity with younger consumers at a time when price comparison tools have made switching providers easier than ever.
However, the economic environment adds pressure. Auto insurance premiums rose approximately 7% and home premiums 6% to 7% year over year through late 2025, driven by higher repair costs, climate-related losses and reinsurance pricing, raising clear retention risks for carriers across the market. Research by TransUnion further found that the strongest retention drivers for consumers are proactive outreach about discounts, early notice of rate increases and a well-known brand, with price-sensitive consumers increasingly willing to shop around even after years of loyalty.
The OSHEAGA activation builds on a longstanding community partnership.
The waffle bite fundraiser forms part of belairdirect's recently announced $1 million commitment to the Breakfast Club of Canada across 2026 and 2027. The partnership, which dates back to 2018, has helped deliver more than 1.6 million school breakfasts to children across Canada, including in First Nations, Metis and Inuit communities.
"At OSHEAGA, we'll offer festivalgoers an affordable snack while pairing our presence with a purpose, by supporting breakfast programs for children across the country through our continued partnership with the Breakfast Club of Canada," said Dinh.
The community dimension of the campaign reflects a broader shift in how Canadian insurers are approaching brand strategy. A KPMG Canada insurance trends report found that 72% of insurance CEOs now embed sustainability into their business strategies, with rising ESG reporting obligations signaling growing expectations for transparency and demonstrated social impact.
For an industry still navigating the gap between what consumers understand about their coverage and what they actually hold, getting insurance in front of music fans through a mini-putt course inspired by floods and tornadoes may prove a more direct path to awareness than any policy document.
