Canva hosts fourth Canva Create at SoFi Stadium with community at the core

At its annual event in Los Angeles, Canva introduced Visual Suite 2.0 with a stage performance based on user feedback and community involvement.

Canva held its fourth Canva Create event on April 10 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, where the company once again chose a musical format to unveil its latest product updates. This year’s highlight was the introduction of Visual Suite 2.0, which the company describes as its most significant launch since its founding in 2012. Rather than avoiding the theatrical route after last year's polarizing rap debut, Canva leaned into its community-driven approach with a new performance, this time featuring a Broadway-style production centered on user feedback.

A stage built on customer voices

The musical number, performed by a cast of 42, included contributions from well-known creators such as Tom McGovern, design influencer Roger Coles, and Canva’s design advisory board member Jessica Hische. Joining them were members of the Singers of Soul choir and the LA Marching Band. According to the company, the lyrics were crafted directly from user feedback—some even quoted verbatim—and the production served as a response to over a billion data points collected from the platform's global user base.

This approach follows the controversial yet effective marketing strategy from 2024, when Canva released a rap performance during the same event. Despite being widely mocked online, including comments like “Call 911 I'm having a cringe overdose,” the video went viral, reaching more than 50 million views in two days and boosting conversations around Canva Enterprise by 2,500%. Cliff Obrecht, cofounder and COO, responded at the time, saying, “Haters gonna hate.”

Community at the center of strategy

Zach Kitschke, Canva’s CMO, emphasized that these performances are part of a long-standing approach that focuses on creating memorable experiences. “Over 90% of our traffic is driven by brand and word-of-mouth these days,” he noted, explaining that events like Canva Create play a major role in strengthening ties with the platform’s global community of more than 230 million users.

The concept for last year’s rap originated from Roger Coles, a Canva user and active member of its creator base. That same collaborative spirit was carried into this year’s show, reinforcing the brand’s strategy of spotlighting its own user community on the main stage. “It’s not just marketing,” said Kitschke, “but it’s an acknowledgement.”

Canva Create 2025 brought together attendees both in person and remotely, with viewing parties held in cities like Tokyo and Delhi. The event included more than 100 speakers across 60 stages and served as a platform not only for product announcements but for reinforcing the connection between the company and its users.

The musical performance is now available on Spotify, extending its reach beyond the stadium to a broader digital audience. While the use of music in corporate events often divides opinion, Canva appears committed to shaping its brand identity through creative, community-driven formats.