War can create the most unlikely allies. That was definitely the case with a Remembrance Day effort led by HomeEquity Bank (HEB), in partnership with The Canadian Legion, that resulted in the world’s first online gaming ceasefire. To perpetuate the importance of Remembrance Day - the national day of recognition for military veterans - and all it symbolizes, the Legion wanted to make its meaning more relevant to the generations too young to have strong personal associations to war. Older generations already have a deep understanding of its significance, and habitually purchase physical poppies every year as November 11th approaches. To ensure the continued relevance of Remembrance Day in the future, there was a need for a campaign that could capture the attention of a much younger audience. 

In the lead-up to Remembrance Day, high-profile gaming influencers including PrismaticHub and BigTimeRob shared a video developed for the campaign on their social channel, asking their followers to “#PauseToRemember that war is not a game.” 

On three of the gaming world’s top platforms – Twitch, Mixer and YouTube Gaming – that’s exactly what we did. At precisely 11 a.m. on Monday, November 11th, the world’s first global online gaming cease fire began as gamers worldwide laid down their controllers.  

Nearly one million gamers took part in the initiative, with little paid media support.  

Media attention was global, with unprecedented coverage in Canada. Media platforms including The Globe and Mail, CP24, CTV, BNN, Zoomer Radio/Magazine, Vice News, and Huffington Post covered the story and spread the message that War Is Not a Game.  

The campaign generated 41M media impressions (almost all earned) and secured a 21% increase in the average donation amounts for digital poppies. It also led to Digital Poppy purchases from a staggering 114 countries.