Introduction

As a subsidiary of Canadian National Railway, one of Canada’s oldest corporations, CNTL is an intermodal container hauler in key North American markets. They primarily hire owner-operator truck drivers, which can be challenging in many of its locations.

Challenge

CNTL had an immediate need for 20 owner-operator truck drivers in Montreal. The city is one of the most competitive driver markets in the continent, with many carriers leading with aggressive pay-first messages. It’s also one of the most diverse hiring areas, with English- and French-speaking drivers, as well as a highly multicultural population. The CNTL campaign would have to both deliver immediate hiring results, while also strengthening long-term brand equity as well.

Solution

KAT Media put together a campaign with a two-part objective.

1. Generate sustained volumes of qualified owner-operator applicants in Montreal and other markets without relying solely on wage-driven messaging.
2. Position CNTL as a stable, safety-first, and inclusive employer of choice within Montréal’s highly multicultural trucking community – and beyond.

CNTL’s value proposition – long-term stability with a dependable and inclusive partner – needed a compelling campaign slogan. That’s where “Roll Steady with CNTL” came in, with creative running across national and regional radio, social media, job board advertising, programmatic, and digital out of home.

"Roll Steady"

"Roulez en stabilité"

With Montréal’s large Francophone population, a French adaptation of the slogan was needed. “Roulez en Stabilité” was also introduced, working seamlessly across the creative.

The campaign rolled out in two distinct waves, with awareness-driven “lift media” leading for the first 3 weeks, and more transactional “Apply Now” executions ramping up in the mix thereafter.

Results

The “Roll Steady / Roulez en stabilité” campaign successfully delivered the owner-operator drivers CNTL needed within the targeted timeframe.

It also gave the CNTL brand a major brand lift: engagement across paid and organic social increased, inbound interest rose, and CNTL’s reputation as a stable, safety-first employer strengthened across the driver community.

This strong foundation now supports evergreen recruitment, with reduced “always-on” media spends that meet CNTL’s hiring needs on an ongoing basis without a need for surge hiring campaigns.

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