COBS Bread, a family-owned Canadian bakery franchise, is celebrating National Bagel Day on January 15th with a creative twist — inviting Canadians to join the playful debate on whether it’s pronounced “baygul” or “baggle.”
The campaign, designed by Rethink, brings a uniquely Canadian flair to this lighthearted linguistic divide.
From January 15th to February 19th, COBS Bread bakeries across Canada will feature signage highlighting both pronunciations, allowing customers to choose their side of the debate while ordering freshly baked bagels like Sesame, Plain, and Everything.
To kick off the celebration, COBS Bread locations will be giving away free bagels to their first 25 customers on Bagel Day. All the customers need to do to claim their free treat is to share their preferred pronunciation.
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COBS Bread VP of Marketing Peter Furnish expresses his passion over the campaign.
“We love bread in all its forms, and pronunciations. Canadians, we see you - and whatever you call them, bayguls or baggles, we have them!”
This campaign taps into Canadians’ love for bread and their penchant for friendly debates about language. It also reflects a broader trend of brands engaging with cultural quirks to connect with their audiences on a deeper level.
Beyond the Bagel Day fun, COBS Bread is encouraging Canadians to keep the conversation going online using hashtags for “Team Baygul” and “Team Baggle.”
Are You 'Team Baygul' or 'Team Baggle'?
COBS Bread released a 30-second ad showcasing the decades-long debate among Canadians over how to pronounce the beloved bagel.
Is it "baygul" or "baggle"?
The ad features a variety of bagels, with the question prominently displayed on screen.
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It then highlights a single bagel split into two sides, symbolizing the divide.
The commercial quickly acknowledges that both pronunciations "are great," emphasizing that they both refer to the same beloved and delicious treat Canadians love.
The spot concludes with the campaign's tagline, "Whatever you call them, we have them," while showcasing a stack of fresh bagels.
Aside from its collaboration with COBS Bread, creative agency Rethink has also partnered with brands like WestJet for out-of-the-box campaigns.
