Anger after Toronto's night sky turned into giant drone advertisement

Toronto's night sky transformed into a giant billboard on Thursday night, as a swarm of drones lit up over the waterfront with a series of health questions, the controversial ad sparking ample outrage online.

The 15-minute aerial display, which took place around 11 p.m., featured sleep-related health questions including, "Do I really need 8 hours of sleep?" "What are the symptoms of insomnia?" "Can melatonin lose its effect?" and "Is that third coffee keeping me up?"

The display then ended with the prompt, "Ask PC Health," and directed viewers to a QR code. The massive spectacle was hard enough to miss for those near the waterfront, but it's also made waves on social media, with many folks expressing disappointment at seeing the advertisement take over Toronto's sky — especially considering the company that was behind it.

There are multiple reports of a giant advertisement made of drones in Toronto’s night sky. They seem to have been launched from Fort York.

If these are real they need to be banned immediately.#topoli pic.twitter.com/7UAeeCN3hS

— How-Sen (@HowSenChong) September 11, 2026

While some specifically criticized turning the sky into an advertising space, others vowed to boycott the company behind the digital health platform, Loblaw Companies.

The reactions also resurfaced larger debates surrounding drone advertising around the world, which has faced criticism in other cities for potentially distracting drivers nearby and causing light pollution.

OH HELL THE FUCK NO

Via Reddit https://t.co/PULNkgVi6N pic.twitter.com/4TwZvGn6tC

— 🏭🏘🏢Sean Galbraith🗻❄️🥏 (@PlannerSean) September 11, 2026

Environmental concerns are also among the greatest criticisms of illuminated drone displays, with opponents pointing to their potential impact on wildlife. Last year, Adidas received heated backlash in Greece after the company launched a drone marketing campaign that formed an image of a shoe that appeared to be stepping or kicking the ancient Acropolis.

A few years back, the video game Candy Crush was criticized for celebrating its anniversary over the New York City skyline with a blinking drone advertisement.

Here’s another: https://t.co/rwhJc1jam1

— How-Sen (@HowSenChong) September 11, 2026

This most recent drone campaign in Toronto was created to promote PC Health's newly launched AI-powered health chat, dubbed PC Chat. Loblaw announced the free tool in a press release on Thursday, describing it as an AI-powered service that’s specifically designed to provide health information in plain language in real time.

According to the company, the health chat is based on Canadian clinical guidelines and draws on more than 1,000 Canadian clinical sources that have been reviewed. The drone display was part of the company's campaign called "Ask Away," which PC Health says was inspired by health questions Canadians often find themselves searching late at night.

blogTO has reached out to Loblaw for comment on the criticisms of its drone display.

What are your thoughts on the drone campaign?