Case Study Office of the Commissioner of Indigenous Languages (OCIL)

Once in a lifetime, you have the honour of working on a project that fundamentally changes you. For ASK, this was our work with the Office of the Commissioner of Indigenous Languages (OCIL). The Commission sits in the broader public and non‑profit sphere. It’s an independent Indigenous languages commission established under the Indigenous Languages Act as part of the federal implementation of the TRC Calls to Action.

ASK’s role

In close collaboration with the Commission, ASK’s work focused on integrated marketing and communications strategy and implementation, as well as on partnership strategy. Initiatives were aimed at promoting, celebrating and championing Indigenous languages, and supporting Indigenous Peoples in Canada and around the globe in reclaiming, revitalizing, maintaining, and strengthening their languages. Additionally, on behalf of OCIL, the marketing and communications team supported the objectives of the International Decade of Indigenous Languages.

ASK’s goal was to raise awareness of the OCIL’s role and mandate, support Indigenous-led languages revitalization efforts, and promote public understanding of OCIL’s vision: ‘All Indigenous languages in Canada are safe, vibrant, and thriving’. ASK applied developmental evaluation to all marketing and communications objectives to ensure we were always listening and learning, and constantly adjusting based on real-time feedback, rather than waiting until the end to judge success.

The work included strategic messaging, content adaptation for First Nations, Inuit, and Métis audiences, and distribution of campaign materials across digital, print, radio, and community channels in English, French, and multiple Indigenous languages. Services included media buying, network coordination with Indigenous media outlets, performance reporting, focus group facilitation, spectating of multiple Regional Gatherings and subsequent reporting, and development of a detailed Strategic Marketing and Publicity report.

In addition to the ongoing national awareness campaign for the Commission, ASK helped hire and train an Indigenous policy and communications professional on the Commission's behalf and provided strategic marketing and publicity leading up to Canada’s first Global Indigenous Languages Summit, WAVES 2025.