Check this out: President's Choice ad urges Canadians to put devices aside

As Canadians recite their New Year's resolutions, Loblaw's President's Choice brand is encouraging they add one more to the list -- put down the cellphones, close the laptops and take time to enjoy mealtime with family and friends.

A recently launched 90-second television commercial  -- set to Sonny and Cher's "I Got You Babe" -- follows a girl from infancy as she shares meals and snacks with family and friends, to present day as she eats alone at her office desk surrounded by coworkers doing the same.

The spot ends with the #EatTogether hashtag, which is part of a brand mission and marketing platform the private label launched a year ago to bring to life the connection between food and family.





Last year's launch included research done by the PC team that found only 38% of Canadians eat together four to six times per week. On top of that, 45% of Canadians watch TV while eating, while 15% listen to the radio and 14% use the internet while eating.

Since its January 2017 launch, the mission has evolved with a two-and-a-half-minute film, to include large “sharing tables” around Montreal and public barbecues at hundreds of locations across the country in conjunction with Canada 150 celebrations.