The spark

The America’s Cup is the world’s oldest international sporting trophy.

In 2024, it made history with the launch of the Puig Women’s America’s Cup, the first-ever women’s competition in its 173-year history.

Canada entered with Concord Pacific Racing, led by Isabella Bertold, determined to prove that women’s sailing deserves the same visibility, investment and respect as the men’s.

New Season led the PR, communications and marketing campaign for both the Women’s and Youth America’s Cup teams, turning Canada’s debut into a national statement on equality in sport and a defining image of progress on the global stage.

The strategy

The mission was to build awareness and drive change.

We set out to make sure people across Canada, and across sailing, knew that this wasn’t just another event, but an historic step forward.

To bring that message to life, we worked with digital agency MachoBear to develop It’s Time, a unifying call for gender equality that became the voice and signature of the campaign. It appeared on t-shirts, in headlines and across social media, inspiring fans, partners and athletes to rally behind a shared purpose.

Our integrated strategy focused on five key pillars that worked together to build momentum:

1. Campaign identity** — It’s Time gave the movement a clear, simple language. It turned equality into something that felt active, urgent and collective.

2. PR and media programme — We managed all press for both the Women’s and Youth teams, from launch announcements to race-day reporting, securing more than 370 stories with a combined reach of 955 million across print, broadcast and digital.

3. *National awareness — Coverage spanned Toronto Star, Globe and Mail, CBC, CTV News, Global BC and BBC World Service, supported by digital features in The Gist, Daily Hive and Yachting World.

4. Corporate storytelling* — We highlighted Canada’s leadership in advancing women’s sport through support from Concord Pacific, RBC and TELUS, positioning them as brands backing equality through action, not just words.

5. Content and storytelling** — We wrote every release, quote and race report, ensuring that performance, progress and purpose remained at the heart of the story, from the opening day in Barcelona to the team’s final race.

955 million

Total campaign reach

The shift

The It’s Time campaign became one of the defining stories of the inaugural Women’s America’s Cup.

It united Canadian fans, sponsors and athletes behind a shared message of equality and delivered unprecedented visibility for women in sailing, reaching millions and sparking national pride.

Its legacy was cultural as much as competitive. For the first time, a women’s team stood on equal footing in the world’s oldest sailing competition, and Canada was seen as a leader in that change.

Concord Pacific Racing helped move the conversation from participation to parity, showing that women’s sport thrives when given the same platform to perform.

For New Season, this was about using communications to make a difference, helping a team tell a story that inspired pride, challenged perceptions, and showed what change in sport can look like.