In celebration of VIA Rail’s 40th anniversary, the Canadian railway company, together with Cossette, launched the Canada-wide VIA40 campaign and contest with a historic twist.

Together, they created tickets upcycled from the steel of a major part of VIA Rail’s history to mark the milestone. VIA Rail is reusing its past to propel 40 lucky participants toward a more sustainable future by melting the truck of a train that had recently been removed from service and destined for the scrap heap. The truck was part of a railway car that had travelled over six million kilometres, which is equivalent of travelling across Canada more than a thousand times. 

“To celebrate our 40th anniversary, nothing could have been more fitting than literally transforming an iconic part of our history, and in doing so, repurposing the past to move forward, towards a more sustainable future. It was a compelling idea steeped in symbolism, yet bringing it to life was a considerable challenge. The entrepreneurial spirit of the teams at Cossette and here at VIA Rail played a key role in it all coming together,” added Ann Bouthillier, Chief Communications Officer at VIA Rail.

This initiative was carried out in collaboration with ArcelorMittal Long Products Canada where the video was shot at its Contrecoeur facility in the province of Québec. The beautiful behind-the-scenes imagery really captures how monumental the process of melting the train car down was, and how symbolic the tickets are of passing the historical torch to the next generation of riders. 

“To come up with new concepts, you sometimes have to step away from your computer and connect with the product. Members of our creative team rode the train from Montreal to Toronto and back to do some brainstorming. The idea came to us on the trip back, just outside of Kingston,” shared Gilles Legault, Assistant Creative Director.

The contest will gift 40 Canadians with two cross-country return trips. The tickets, forged from the past, will allow VIA Rail’s past to live on, while the contest winners will create their own stories to be told for years to come.

Watch the full campaign video here. 

Learn more about the VIA40 campaign and contest here. 

Credits 

Client: VIA Rail Canada

Agency: Cossette

Digital Agency: Tink

Media Agency: Touché!

About VIA Rail Canada

As Canada’s national rail passenger service, VIA Rail (viarail.ca) and all its employees are mandated to provide safe, efficient and economical passenger transportation service, in both official languages of our country. VIA Rail operates intercity, regional and transcontinental trains linking over 400 communities across Canada, and about 180 more communities through intermodal partnerships, and safely transports nearly 4.4 million passengers annually. The Corporation has been awarded five Safety Awards and three Environment Awards by the Railway Association of Canada since 2007. Visit  the “About VIA Rail” section at: www.viarail.ca/en/about-via-rail.

About Cossette

Cossette is a fully integrated marketing communications agency. It’s a community of 900 creative humans who help people and brands connect in meaningful ways.

Cossette was named Agency of the Year in Canada in 2016 and 2017. It currently has offices in Halifax, Québec City, Montréal, Toronto and Vancouver, and has been making strides to become a major player in the global advertising community. To learn more, please visit cossette.com.

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For more information:

Tanya Black

416-666-5352

tanya.black@cossette.com

Cossette’s integrated marketing communications expertise and creativity coupled with what Stradigi AI brings to the table, counting more than 80 employees which includes 20 applied AI research scientists, will allow the two partners to deliver even better solutions to current and future clients.

“We’re joining forces with a leader in the field of AI with the aim of building on the extensive technology and CRM expertise we’ve acquired in recent years. This is an important step towards expanding our service offering that will immediately benefit our clients,” noted Cossette Executive Vice-President and General Manager Louis Duchesne.

“This partnership marks the start of our accelerated growth plan, and we are honored to be combining our know-how with Cossette’s expertise,” said Basil Bouraropoulos, co-founder and CEO at Stradigi AI. “It’s a clear sign that Stradigi AI’s knowledge and insight are recognized within the industry. 

Cossette will transfer the proprietary solutions it has developed over the years to the new joint venture—including the recommendation engine (or automated learning system) designed for Tourisme Montréal in order to adopt a unique, personalized marketing approach by proposing context-based content according to visitors’ profiles, interests, and travel dates, all in real time.

Stradigi AI, whose research lab is headed up by co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer Carolina Bessega, recently became the very first Québec-based AI solutions provider to partner with the Vector Institute. It is also set to open offices in Toronto and Brazil in the coming months as part of its ongoing expansion.

About Cossette

Cossette is a fully integrated marketing communications agency. It’s a community of 700 creative humans who help people and brands connect in meaningful ways.

Cossette was named Agency of the Year in Canada in 2016 and 2017. It currently has offices in Halifax, Québec City, Montréal, Toronto and Vancouver, and has been making strides to become a major player in the global advertising community. To learn more, visit cossette.com.

About Stradigi AI

Stradigi AI is an artificial intelligence solutions provider, backed by an applied research lab committed to bringing excellence & smarter results to international businesses. Its passionate research scientists devote their time to identify challenges and provide original and custom AI solutions, that are then built into scalable products thanks to its talented team of software engineers. Together, they provide a full ecosystem catered to AI innovation, giving them and their partners a competitive edge. For more information, visit stradigi.ai. 

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For more information:

Roxanne Chaudier

514 827-8315

roxanne.chaudier@cossette.com

For 35 years, Ronald McDonald House BC and Yukon (RMH BC) has been providing accommodation for seriously ill children and their families who must travel to Vancouver for major medical treatments. Cossette worked with Common Good and Vapor RMW, to launch RMH BC’s first ever mass media campaign, which is aimed at building awareness and raising donations for the House. The campaign illustrates what it feels like when a family can't be together during these challenging times due to financial or logistical setbacks, and how RMH BC offers them a place to stay together when they need it the most. 

"We’re delighted to launch our first-ever mass media campaign, aimed at increasing awareness and driving donations for RMHBC. The House serves 2,000 families every year from communities throughout BC & the Yukon, and we rely on the generous support of donors to fund our mission of keeping families close when it matters most. The campaign was inspired by the strength and resilience of the families we are privileged to serve,” said Shannon Kidd, VP of External Relations and Development at RMH BC.

The campaign focuses on the relationship between a mother and her son who is seriously ill, with the video exploring how any distance between the two feels much farther. This emotionally charged metaphor extends to print and digital executions as well, with mother and son being kept apart using separated ad spaces, highlighting the painful reality of distance between family members in need.

“We tried to tap into the raw emotion of being separated from your sick child when they really need you. In order to express this epic feeling of distance, we took a cinematic approach with the creative, telling a story that we hope will resonate with people who haven't had to experience it themselves,” shared Cameron Spires, Senior Copywriter and Grace Cho, Senior Art Director at Cossette.

Credits

Client: Ronald McDonald House BC & Yukon

Agency: Cossette

Production: Common Good

Audio: Vapor RMW

Media Agency: OMD

About Ronald McDonald House BC & Yukon

For over thirty years, Ronald McDonald House BC and Yukon (RMH BC) has been providing accommodation for seriously ill children and their families when they must travel to Vancouver for their child’s major treatment. Since 1983, they welcomed families at their 13-bedroom home in Shaughnessy, but the need for their services was much greater. In 2017 RMH BC opened a 73-bedroom House, conveniently located on the grounds of BC Children’s Hospital.

About Cossette

Cossette is a fully integrated marketing communications agency. It’s a community of 900 creative humans who help people and brands connect in meaningful ways.

Cossette was named Agency of the Year in Canada in 2016 and 2017. It currently has offices in Halifax, Québec City, Montréal, Toronto and Vancouver, and has been making strides to become a major player in the global advertising community. To learn more, please visit cossette.com. 

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For more information:

Tanya Black

416-666-5352

tanya.black@cossette.com

With Mother’s Day around the corner, Cossette and SickKids have teamed up to release the newest SickKids VS: Nothing campaign, which shines a light on the simple fact that when you have a child suffering from critical illness, nothing matters more than their health. 

“When you are a parent caring for a very sick child – everything else in life becomes inconsequential. It’s hard to imagine worrying about what you’d like for Mother’s Day. We wanted to give a voice to the SickKids moms coping with this devastating circumstance and at the same time encourage other moms to think about asking for a gift that could lessen a SickKids mom’s burden,” said Lori Davison, Vice President, Brand Strategy & Communications, SickKids Foundation.

The spot features five mothers of children being treated at SickKids and was inspired by their real-life heart-wrenching experiences.   

“We wanted to continue to tell the stories of these unsung heroes in our communities and help people better understand what they go through every day. The VS platform features real children, parents and people, who are fighting every day,” said Peter Ignazi, Global Chief Creative Officer, Cossette.

Last year’s SickKids VS: MomStrong video showed that moms are often the pillars of strength for their children but of course, they’re also human. This campaign showcases how selfless SickKids moms are and how you can make a difference in the lives of families - by making a donation online through the Get Better Gifts program. 

Each of the SickKids moms featured in the video are available for interviews. Behind-the-scenes photography from the video shoot is also available.

Credits

Client: SickKids Foundation

Agency: Cossette

Media Agency: OMD

About SickKids Foundation

The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids), affiliated with the University of Toronto, is Canada's most research-intensive hospital and the largest centre dedicated to improving children's health in the country. As innovators in child health, SickKids improves the health of children by integrating care, research and teaching.

About Cossette

Cossette is a fully integrated marketing communications agency that offers a complete range of cutting-edge communications services. It’s a community of talents, a unique gathering of expertise and creativity that builds strong brands for its clients and maintains a dialogue with consumers.

Cossette was named Agency of the Year by Strategy magazine in 2016 and 2017. The agency currently has offices in Halifax, Québec City, Montréal, Toronto and Vancouver, and has been making strides to become a major player in the global advertising community. To learn more, please visit cossette.com.

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For more information:

Tanya Black

416-666-5352

tanya.black@cossette.com

A seasoned communicator, Benoit has over 20 years’ experience at top agencies. He started his career at DDB and Saatchi in Paris, moving to Taxi and then Cossette as Account Director, and finally serving as Associate Vice-President, Account Services at Bleu Blanc Rouge. He also co-founded communications agency LaBase.

“With his enviable track record, entrepreneurial spirit and impressive grasp of various industries’ business contexts, Benoit represents a valuable addition to our leadership group,” said Cossette Executive Vice-President and General Manager Louis Duchesne. “We’ve already begun to feel the positive effect of his presence, and I’m excited about the many opportunities created by his arrival.”

Benoit enjoys sharing his passion with the next generation, teaching at both HEC Montréal and Université de Sherbrooke.

About Cossette

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For more information:

Roxanne Chaudier

514 827-8315

roxanne.chaudier@cossette.com

"Many teens are afraid to speak up at school because they want to fit in with their peers. But staying silent when witnessing sexual harassment and abuse perpetuates and normalizes sexual violence. Staying silent is like saying it’s okay,”shared Diane Sowden, Executive Director of the Children of the Street Society.

Interactive school posters and transit shelter ads encourage passers by to use their phones to scan custom Snapcodes. The scanned code generates a Snapchat filter, which gives a response teens can use to combat sexual harassment. The campaign also includes a PSA video that mimics the use of Snapchat to reveal how teens who stay silent could change the story and speak up against sexual harassment.

“This campaign empowers teens to speak up in the face of sexual harassment by using our custom Snapchat Snaplenses. We’re giving them a tool to combat sexual exploitation on a platform they’re already spending a lot of their time on, ” said Pierre Chan, Creative Director, Cossette.

Credits

Client: Children of the Street Society

Agency: Cossette

About Children of the Street Society

Children of the Street Society is a provincial society and federal charity dedicated to preventing the sexual exploitation and human trafficking of children and youth in British Columbia through education strategies, public awareness initiatives, and family support since 1995.

About Cossette

Cossette is a fully integrated marketing communications agency that offers a complete range of cutting-edge communications services. It’s a community of talents, a unique gathering of expertise and creativity that builds strong brands for its clients and maintains a dialogue with consumers.

Cossette was named Agency of the Year by Strategy magazine in 2016 and 2017. The agency currently has offices in Halifax, Québec City, Montréal, Toronto and Vancouver, and has been making strides to become a major player in the global advertising community. To learn more, please visit cossette.com.

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If you're interested in an interview to further discuss the campaign or Children of the Streets Society’s initiatives, please reach out to:

Tanya Black

416-666-5352

tanya.black@cossette.com

Cossette strengthens its creative team in Vancouver by welcoming Katie Ainsworth as the new Executive Creative Director and by promoting Pierre Chan and Scott Schneider to Creative Directors.

“I’m excited to be working with Katie again and to have her join us as Executive Creative Director,” said Nadine Cole, Senior Vice-President and General Manager at Cossette. “Her unique vision and ability to connect with clients and consumers alike will be true assets during this strong growth period for Cossette.”

Having started her career at Cossette as a junior writer, Katie Ainsworth has since worked with some of the most reputable agencies and brands in the business, making a name for herself as a strategic-minded creative leader. Katie joins the agency with an impressive portfolio of work, including national campaigns for World Vision, OK Tire, Future Shop and Sobeys as well as acclaimed smaller campaigns for Vancouver International Film Festival, Alberta’s Libraries, Coast Capital Savings and BC Used Oil.

“I was drawn back to Cossette due to the remarkable calibre of creative work being done across Canada, as well as the company’s culture of entrepreneurialism and innovation,” noted Katie.  

Her arrival comes just in time as the Vancouver agency has recently picked up a number of new accounts including Williams Sonoma, Red Racer, Flight Centre, BrokerLink and Kabam. Rounding out the creative leadership is Lisa Nakamura, Creative Director of Design, and new Creative Directors Pierre Chan and Scott Schneider.

“One of our main goals is to provide an environment where a diverse range of talent can thrive and grow. Pierre and Scott are an amazing example of this, having both been promoted to Creative Directors recently. They have dreamed up world-class campaigns and will continue to produce award-winning work for years to come as our newest Creative Directors,” Nadine added.

When asked what inspires them most about working at Cossette, Pierre and Scott both agreed that company culture, opportunity for career growth and support from senior leadership to push the limits of creativity, along with the incredible client partnerships are key differentiators.  

About Cossette

Cossette is a fully integrated marketing communications agency that offers a complete range of cutting-edge communications services. It’s a community of talents, a unique gathering of expertise and creativity that builds strong brands for its clients and maintains a dialogue with consumers.

Cossette was named Agency of the Year by Strategy magazine in 2016 and 2017. The agency currently has offices in Halifax, Québec City, Montréal, Toronto, Winnipeg and Vancouver, and has been making strides to become a major player in the global advertising community. To learn more, please visit cossette.com.

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Photo caption (from left to right): Scott Schneider, Katie Ainsworth, Nadine Cole and Pierre Chan.

For more information:

Tanya Black
416-666-5352
tanya.black@cossette.com

“Let Go is more than an advertising concept. It’s an attitude, a pledge that resonates throughout the content, year-round. We used a documentary-style approach to showcase the spectacular landscapes of Québec and the creative culture present here. We also wanted to show how much the warm welcome that awaits visitors makes their travel experience a truly memorable one,” said Florence Girod, Chief Strategy Officer and Head of Integrated product at Cossette.

In an industry where global competition is always on the rise, this new platform has been implemented within an ecosystem where the content was designed in line with each traveller’s particular journey. “One-off campaigns don’t cut it anymore. We need to continuously reach out to travellers, with content that’s relevant to their interests. This is a platform that presents Québec through several stories that come together to make a whole,” said Sébastien Viau, Vice-President Marketing and Sales for the Alliance.

Québec as seen by five influencers

To illustrate the strong bond that travellers forge with Québec, the Alliance invited five influencers with various travel preferences to take time off from their hectic lifestyle.

“The five influencers we invited are used to being in constant contact with their communities. We asked them to shut off their phones and stay away from social media to experience every moment of their trip and fully enjoy Québec. It’s that experience of letting go that we captured, with all the sensations and emotions that ensued,” said Florence Girod.

Alliance and Cossette planned a unique travel itinerary for each influencer geared towards their interests. The goal was to help them enjoy the myriad experiences that the destination offers and to help them let go.

The influencers are:

• Jean Imbert, chef and restaurateur (France)
• Alan Estrada, actor and travel blogger (Mexico)
• Kiersten Rich, travel blogger (United States)
• Benjamin Prescott (Canada) and Jess Dales (United States), adventure photographers

Every influencer’s travel log is shown in four 60-second videos that will be released in pre-videos and on social media. “With director Eva Van den Bulcke, we focused on a sensible and unscripted approach. We wanted to emphasize the raw sensations you can experience in Québec and capture the magic of our guests’ adventures. It was a moment for us to let go as well,” added Florence Girod.

Even though no effort was spared to reveal the grandeur and majesty of Québec with breath-taking images, the adventures shown are accessible to everyone. It really is possible to sleep in a tree-top or with wolves. Every influencer’s travel experience can be booked on quebecoriginal.com.

Eleven 15-second videos were also produced to show the variety of the tourism offer and the experiences available in various region of Québec. A three-minute video invites travellers to create their own story by visiting the province.

Original music by Québec artist Geoffroy

Montréal-based artist Geoffroy provided an original composition, in collaboration with Cult Nation,specifically created for the Alliance’s new platform. His song “Wanderer” is the soundtrack to the main video in English and can be heard here. Québec singer Beyries lent her vocal talent to the French version. “We worked with Geoffroy to create a unique arrangement. It was a way for us to present local talent,” said Sébastien Viau.

A complete content ecosystem

Let Go’s content ecosystem was designed to reach travellers 365 days a year through every step of their journey, from the choice of the destination to the trip itself, with inspiration to help them select activities.

To support this new content ecosystem, more than 580 pieces were created for social media, in addition to 560 web banners.

By visiting quebecoriginal.com, travellers can find content to help them start planning their trip. “The site gives you a taste of what you’ll experience during your visit. We invite travellers to discover Québec through emotions, instead of simply recommending points on a map,” Sébastien Viau concluded.

For instance, they can learn more about the various experiences shown in the videos and find out how they can book them or add them to their itinerary.

The influencers mentioned above will produce content about their stay in Québec and take part in media relations initiatives in their respective markets.

This initiative targets markets in Ontario, United Stated, France and Mexico.

Credits
Advertiser: Alliance de l’industrie touristique du Québec
Agency: Cossette
Media agency: Touché!
Production company: Les Enfants
Director: Eva Van den Bulcke
Visual post-production: Chop Chop
Mix/sound design: Cult Nation
Photography: Martin Laporte and Guillaume Simoneau
Original music: Cult Nation (Tim “Heartfelt” Buron, Geoffroy Sauvé)
Vocals: Geoffroy
French adaptation and vocals: Beyries

About QuébecOriginal and the Alliance de l’industrie touristique du Québec
QuébecOriginal is the strong, unified voice that represents Québec as a world-class travel destination. A collective brand, QuébecOriginal encompasses the incredible landscapes, creative culture, and warm welcome of Quebecers. These components are the basis for memorable journeys and make Québec a place that is not merely visited, but experienced. The Alliance de l’industrie touristique du Québec (Alliance) is the business arm of Québec’s tourism industry. Along with its partners, the Alliance raises the national and international profile of the QuébecOriginal brand as a destination and increases the economic benefits of tourism throughout Québec.

About Cossette
Cossette is a fully integrated marketing communications agency that offers a complete range of cutting-edge communications services. It’s a community of talents, a unique gathering of expertise and creativity that builds strong brands for its clients and maintains a dialogue with consumers.

Cossette was named Agency of the Year by Strategy magazine in 2016 and 2017. The agency currently has offices in Halifax, Québec City, Montréal, Toronto and Vancouver, and has been making strides to become a major player in the global advertising community. To learn more, visit cossette.com.

About Touché!
Touché! is the Canadian media agency that’s received the most recognition and awards on the provincial, national and international stage. From its offices Montréal and Toronto, it advises the biggest advertisers in the country on the best way to harness media by combining the power of data with potent creativity. Touché! is an integral member of the Omnicom Media Group.

About the Ministère du Tourisme du Québec
The Ministère du Tourisme’s mission is to support the development and promotion of tourism in Québec, by encouraging cooperation and partnership between the various stakeholders with a view to ensure job creation, economic prosperity and sustainable development.

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For more information:
Roxanne Chaudier
514 827-8315
roxanne.chaudier@cossette.com 

“In developing the new ad campaign, we wanted to pay tribute to the iconic ingredients of the limited-time offer Montreal Steak Spice BBQ Mighty Angus burger, which pairs the 100% Canadian Angus beef with a much loved flavor from Eastern Canada, says Antoinette Benoit, Chief Marketing Officer at McDonald’s Canada.”

Filmed in Old Montreal in the middle of winter, “The Mighty Duel” showcases what happens when a cowboy—mounted on a horse—tries to score on Brodeur in a specially designed hockey goal. Ahead of the duel, a 300-square-foot surface had to be maintained everyday for over a week.

“This campaign defines what it means to be ‘mighty’ by bringing together some of the toughest stars of the West and the East for a never-before-seen competition, says Patrick Michaud, Associate Creative Director at Cossette. Building on last year’s effort where a cowboy raced Montreal Canadien Shea Weber, we knew we needed something even mightier to introduce the Montreal Steak Spice BBQ Mighty Angus.”

The national 360° campaign includes 15- and 30-seconds TV spots, preroll and web videos, social media ads and Snapchat lenses, prints and OOH executions. 

Open-ended spots redirect consumers to mightyduel.ca where they can view the challenge from the perspective of the cowboy or Brodeur and find out who came out on top in the Director’s Cut. They can also access a series of behind-the-scenes photos and videos to learn more about the making of the duel and the contestants.

Although Brodeur ultimately won the challenge, he admitted to being impressed by his opponent’s shooting power. Montreal hockey fans will be thrilled to know that he was very proud to represent his birth city.

Credits

Client: McDonald's Canada
Agency: Cossette
Media Agency: OMD
Public Relations : Weber Shandwick
Production Company : Roméo & Fils
Post-Production : MELS
Music : Cult Nation
Sound : Studios Apollo

About Cossette

Cossette is a fully integrated marketing communications agency that offers a complete range of cutting-edge communications services. It’s a community of talents, a unique gathering of expertise and creativity that builds strong brands for its clients and maintains a dialogue with consumers.

Cossette was named Agency of the Year by Strategy magazine in 2016 and 2017. The agency currently has offices in Halifax, Québec City, Montréal, Toronto and Vancouver, and has been making strides to become a major player in the global advertising community. To learn more, please visit cossette.com.

About McDonald’s Canada
In 1967, Canadians welcomed the first McDonald's restaurant to Richmond, British Columbia. Today, McDonald's Restaurants of Canada Limited has become part of the Canadian fabric, serving close to three million guests every day. Together with our franchisees, we proudly employ nearly 100,000 people from coast-to-coast and approximately 85 per cent of McDonald's 1,400 Canadian restaurants are locally owned and operated by independent entrepreneurs. Of the almost $1 billion we spend on food, more than 85 per cent is purchased from over 100 suppliers in Canada.

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For more information:

Roxanne Chaudier
514 827-8315
roxanne.chaudier@cossette.com

Global President and CEO, Mélanie Dunn, was delighted with the outcome:  “The best work comes from combining stellar talent with courageous clients. We are very fortunate to have both at Cossette,” she noted.

At the CASSIES, the Cossette team was recognized four times for their work with SickKids, including:

• Grand Prix - SickKids VS
• Gold, Cause - SickKids VS
• Gold, New Brand Positioning - SickKids VS
• Gold, Strategic Thinking - SickKids VS

The CRC is based on a collection of regional, national and international awards that brands, agencies, creatives and planners take home in a given year.

Cossette was also heavily represented in the categories for Top Creative Directors, Top Art Directors, Top Copywriters and Top Planners. Although we’ve highlighted those in the top five below, we’re proud of all Cossette team members and clients that were highlighted in the Creative Report Card.

• Top Creative Agency
• Top Creative Directors - Global Chief Creative Officers Carlos Moreno and Peter Ignazi and Creative Directors Jaimes Zentil and Craig McIntosh were among the top five
• Top Planner - Jason Chaney, former Chief Strategy Officer, earned the top spot with Fernando Aloise, Strategy Director at number four.

Jason has since taken the role of Chief Creative Officer at Koho, a new client of Cossette.

These wins are fresh off the heels of a successful 2017 that saw Cossette win Strategy’s Agency of the Year title for a second year in a row.

About Cossette

Cossette is a fully integrated marketing communications agency that offers a complete range of cutting-edge communications services. It’s a community of talents, a unique gathering of expertise and creativity that builds strong brands for its clients and maintains a dialogue with consumers.

Cossette was named Agency of the Year by Strategy magazine in 2016 and 2017. The agency currently has offices in Halifax, Québec City, Montréal, Toronto and Vancouver, and has been making strides to become a major player in the global advertising community. To learn more, please visit cossette.com.

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For more information:

Tanya Black
416-666-5352
tanya.black@cossette.com

Alexander Wang x Adidas, Supreme x Louis Vuitton, Fenty x Puma, Big Mac® x Bacon. To kick-off the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the iconic Big Mac, McDonald’s Canada is releasing the Big Mac x Bacon: Limited Edition Collaboration.

The collab launched with a weeklong teaser campaign across the country, filled with cryptic black and white imagery and design that played off fashion and sneaker culture, hinting at a mysterious upcoming collaboration: “BM x B.” A teaser TV spot aired during the Grammy’s to hype up the new mystery collab. “It’s the combination of two greats. Two powerhouses,” a mysterious voice said.

On January 30th, it was revealed that this next great release is actually the collaboration of Big Mac and Bacon. A series of cheeky black and white films across television, online, and outdoor, feature high fashion types analyzing and explaining this new collab’s importance to culture.

 “We really wanted to showcase the Big Mac in a modern and relevant way by integrating it into pop culture, while at the same time not taking ourselves too seriously,” says Antoinette Benoit, Chief Marketing Officer, McDonald’s Canada. “We took inspiration from how a fashion company might launch an exclusive collection by revealing the promotion as a limited-edition collaboration, through a series of billboards and ads until we finally revealed the Big Mac, treating it like the cultural icon it is.”

 “Over the course of its 50-year history, the Big Mac has become a culinary icon and the recipe has remained unchanged since its introduction. That’s pretty remarkable,” says Jeff Anderson, McDonald’s Canada Chef. “The addition of another Canadian classic—bacon—to the sandwich for a limited-time symbolizes the modern McDonald’s journey, with innovative menu items alongside much-loved classics.

About Cossette

Cossette is a fully integrated marketing communications agency that offers a complete range of cutting-edge communications services. It’s a community of talents, a unique gathering of expertise and creativity that builds strong brands for its clients and maintains a dialogue with consumers.

Cossette was named Agency of the Year by Strategy magazine in 2016 and 2017. The agency currently has offices in Halifax, Québec City, Montréal, Toronto and Vancouver, and has been making strides to become a major player in the global advertising community. To learn more, please visit cossette.com.

About McDonald’s Canada

In 1967, Canadians welcomed the first McDonald's restaurant to Richmond, British Columbia. Today, McDonald's Restaurants of Canada Limited has become part of the Canadian fabric, serving close to three million guests every day. Together with our franchisees, we proudly employ nearly 90,000 people from coast-to-coast and approximately 85 per cent of McDonald's 1,400 Canadian restaurants are locally owned and operated by independent entrepreneurs. Of the almost $1 billion we spend on food, more than 85 per cent is purchased from over 100 suppliers in Canada. For more information on McDonald's Canada visit McDonalds.ca.

On February 14, love will be on lips—and billboards—everywhere! To celebrate Valentine’s Day, McDonald’s Canada will turn things over to lovers and give them centre stage on billboards throughout Montreal and in their Snapchat and Instagram stories.

Being close to people and offering them a place to gather are at the heart of the McDonald’s brand, and served as inspiration for this campaign by Cossette, where their iconic “I’m lovin’ it” signature will be transformed into a personalized declaration of love.

Starting today, members of the public can declare or renew their love by submitting the name of their sweetheart as a comment on the McDonald’s Canada Instagram account (in English or French) or in a Snap sent to the brand.

On Valentine’s Day, some of the messages received will be developed into billboards by the agency for McDonald’s. 

Credits

Announcer: McDonald’s Canada
Agency: Cossette
Media agency: OMD
Media partner: Astral 

About McDonald’s Canada

In 1967, Canadians welcomed the first McDonald's restaurant to Richmond, British Columbia. Today, McDonald's Restaurants of Canada Limited has become part of the Canadian fabric, serving close to three million guests every day. Together with our franchisees, we proudly employ nearly 90,000 people from coast-to-coast and approximately 85 per cent of McDonald's 1,400 Canadian restaurants are locally owned and operated by independent entrepreneurs. Of the almost $1 billion we spend on food, more than 85 per cent is purchased from over 100 suppliers in Canada. For more information on McDonald's Canada visit McDonalds.ca.

About Cossette

Cossette is a fully integrated marketing communications agency that offers a complete range of cutting-edge communications services. It’s a community of talents, a unique gathering of expertise and creativity that builds strong brands for its clients and maintains a dialogue with consumers.

Cossette was named Agency of the Year by Strategy magazine in 2016 and 2017. The agency currently has offices in Halifax, Québec City, Montréal, Toronto and Vancouver, and has been making strides to become a major player in the global advertising community. To learn more, visit cossette.com. 

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For more information:

Roxanne Chaudier
514 827-8315
roxanne.chaudier@cossette.com

“The campaign is a playful example of how the arches are recognizable, even when the consumer only sees a portion of the logo,” said Andrew Mumford, McDonald’s Regional Marketing Supervisor. 

The campaign features sections of the golden arches logo as the only graphic element, paired with a simple instructional line, allowing them to work anywhere in the world with any language and be immediately recognizable as the brand.

“We noticed that all over Canada, from major cities to small towns, you could find signs directing you to the nearest McDonald’s. This campaign is a nod to those signs, but with a fun visual twist. With minimal text and a creative use of the brand’s colours and logo, Follow the Arches not only translates on a national, but a global scale,” noted Peter Ignazi, Chief Creative Officer at Cossette.

The out-of-home campaign will consist of four billboards (three static and one digital) in high traffic areas across downtown Toronto and the GTA, targeting people on the go who might just need a little reminder that the next McDonald’s is just a left or right turn away.

Credits

Client:  McDonald's® Canada
Agency: Cossette
Media Agency: OMD, Novus

About McDonald's® Canada

In 1967, Canadians welcomed the first McDonald's restaurant to Richmond, British Columbia. Today, McDonald's Restaurants of Canada Limited has become part of the Canadian fabric, serving close to three million guests every day. 

About Cossette

Cossette is a fully integrated marketing communications agency that offers a complete range of cutting-edge communications services. It’s a community of talents, a unique gathering of expertise and creativity that builds strong brands for its clients and maintains a dialogue with consumers.

Cossette was named Agency of the Year by Strategy magazine in 2016 and 2017. The agency currently has offices in Halifax, Québec City, Montréal, Toronto and Vancouver, and has been making strides to become a major player in the global advertising community. To learn more, please visit cossette.com.

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For more information:

Tanya Black
416-666-5352
tanya.black@cossette.com

Although research showed that over 70% of Canadians have the Yukon on their travel bucket list, they continually say that they plan on visiting someday in the future. “With this campaign,  we want to create a sense of urgency and encourage our audience to stop daydreaming about the Yukon and start planning a trip right now”, explains Robin Anderson, Global Marketing Manager at Tourism Yukon.

The campaign showcases various activities, stunning landscapes and all that the Yukon has to offer, both in the Winter and Summer. "We wanted to target our audience precisely where and when they daydream about their next getaway—while scrolling through friends' vacation albums on Facebook, or living vicariously through breathtaking photos on Instagram," says Pierre Chan, Associate Creative Director at Cossette. Shot on location, the preroll and social media videos draw a parallel between our day-to-day routines and the travel and adventures we long for. Ads redirect to the new website travelyukon.com also created by Cossette.

Designed to help visitors easily plan their trip, it includes features to map out detailed itineraries, check up-to-date Tripadvisor ratings of local businesses, and the ability to “like” and save interesting locations and activities to incorporate into their trip. This new site was developed after extensive research and stakeholder interviews to ensure a best-in-class user experience that answer consumers’ travel planning needs.

Credits

Advertiser: Tourism Yukon
Agency: Cossette
Media agency: Jungle Media
Production house: Suneeva
Post Production: Post Pro Media
Audio Production: Vapor RMW 

About Cossette

Cossette is a fully integrated marketing communications agency that offers a complete range of cutting-edge communications services. It’s a community of talents, a unique gathering of expertise and creativity that builds strong brands for its clients and maintains a dialogue with consumers.

Cossette was named Agency of the Year by Strategy magazine in 2016 and 2017. The agency currently has offices in Halifax, Québec City, Montréal, Toronto and Vancouver, and has been making strides to become a major player in the global advertising community. To learn more, please visit cossette.com.

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For more information:

Tanya Black
416-666-5352
tanya.black@cossette.com

“Cossette has big ambitions, and a clear creative vision is necessary to serve our clients here and abroad,” said Mélanie. “Peter and Carlos’s track record is second to none, and I have no doubt that both our team and our clients will thrive under their creative leadership.”  

The Global Chief Creative Officers will provide guidance and inspiration as they collaborate with regional creative leads to attract, develop and empower a strong team of creative directors who counsel the agency’s clients every day. They will continue to oversee the creative direction of major campaigns, as they have since joining Cossette as a copywriter-art director team in 2015.

“Having a global perspective will help us give our clients a competitive edge. We’ll provide them with world-class thinking and solutions that will cut through the noise and connect with their consumers in a way that’s relevant to how they live their lives,” Peter explained.   

“This puts us in a position to work more closely with our offices across Canada and beyond—to truly bring the power of Cossette’s full integration to life,” Carlos added.

Peter and Carlos have been ranked as the #1 creative directors in Canada by Strategy magazine and have twice been listed among the Top 10 in the world by The Gunn Report. From Cannes to the Effies, they have been behind award-winning work that has driven business in every category over the course of their 20-year career.  

About Cossette

Cossette is a fully integrated marketing communications agency that offers a complete range of cutting-edge communications services. It’s a community of talents, a unique gathering of expertise and creativity that builds strong brands for its clients and maintains a dialogue with consumers.

Cossette was named Agency of the Year by Strategy magazine in 2016 and 2017. The agency currently has offices in Halifax, Québec City, Montréal, Toronto and Vancouver, and has been making strides to become a major player in the global advertising community. To learn more, please visit cossette.com.

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For more information:

Tanya Black
416-666-5352
tanya.black@cossette.com

Humanity & Inclusion (hereafter HI) is an independent and impartial international aid organization that works with people with disabilities and vulnerable populations in situations of poverty, exclusion, conflict and disaster.

New identity 

Two key factors motivated the name change—the desire to express HI’s values and mission more clearly, now that its mission goes far beyond people with disabilities, and the negative connotations surrounding the word “handicap” in English, which is off-putting to certain audiences.

The new name of HI’s international network is based on a virtue the organization holds dear: humanity, which is reflected by a caring and empathetic approach that involves working closely with the people they help and respecting their individuality. This name also communicates a core value that has driven the association for 35 years—the inclusion of people living with a disability and/or in a vulnerable situation, who are often overlooked and ignored.

“The word ‘inclusion’ is not yet part of people’s everyday language, and we hope to foster a deeper understanding of it with the largest possible audience,” explained Sylvain Ogier, Director of Communications and Fundraising at HI. “Above all, it’s the opposite of exclusion. It means making sure everyone has a place in the community, and that their individuality is respected, given that differences enrich our societies.”

The HI logo, for the first time in its history, will include a powerful emblem, a hand. The hand is a universally recognized symbol that transcends language and culture. It can express a friendly greeting or it can say “stop!” to prejudice.

Research and testing

For the organization’s new visual identity to be widely accepted, it had to reflect HI’s roots and its evolution.

Chosen after an exhaustive international call for tenders, Cossette implemented a work method based on broad consultation. The agency enlisted a team of highly qualified professionals—including over 1,000 HI employees and volunteers, and international aid experts—as well as travelling to Iraq to meet with 60 or so people inside and outside the organization.

“In speaking to the organization’s various international audiences, we discovered that many people referred to it as HI. This inspired us to create the new name, which retains the same initials while imbuing it with a new meaning and embodying the organization’s goals,” said Barbara Jacques, Vice-President of Branding and Design at Cossette.

All name and tagline proposals were tested with HI’s target audiences. “We had to ensure they were culturally and linguistically relevant, as well as having the potential to make an impact in every country where HI operates, including conflict zones,” added Barbara Jacques. “We therefore tested them in 11 languages and in all 17 countries where HI is present, which proved to be a colossal undertaking.”

A multi-platform global campaign

The new identity will be unveiled in a global campaign deployed across several platforms and in eight countries.

Shot on location in refugee camps on the border between Thailand and Myanmar, the campaign combines film and animation, photography and illustration, to express the trauma and the resilience of vulnerable populations touched by poverty, armed conflict, natural disasters and exclusion.

Cossette created 30, 45 and 60 sec videos that will appear on TV, online and in cinemas. The campaign also includes OOH, as well as print, online and social media ads.

Inspired by HI’s new identity, the campaign uses the palm of a hand to convey a simple message: “Be a lifeline to the most vulnerable.” Québec actress Pascale Bussières and Canadian artist Feist lent their voices to the French and English videos.

Credits

Advertiser: Humanity & Inclusion (Handicap International)
Agency: Cossette
Media agency (in Canada): Cossette Media
Production house: Morrison
Director and photographer: Olivier Staub
Editing: Normal Studio
Animation: Shed
Narration (English): Feist
Narration (French): Pascale Bussières
Sound: Apollo Studios
Research: Impact Research

About Humanity & Inclusion 

Humanity & Inclusion is an independent and impartial international aid organization working in situations of poverty, exclusion, conflict and disaster, alongside people with disabilities and vulnerable populations. The organization bears witness and acts to respond to their basic needs, improve their living conditions, and promote respect for their dignity and fundamental rights.

About Cossette

Cossette is a fully integrated marketing communications agency that offers a complete range of cutting-edge communications services. It’s a community of talents, a unique gathering of expertise and creativity that builds strong brands for its clients and maintains a dialogue with consumers.

Cossette was named Agency of the Year by Strategy magazine in both 2016 and 2017. The agency currently has offices in Halifax, Québec City, Montréal, Toronto and Vancouver, and has been making strides to become a major player in the global advertising community. To learn more, visit cossette.com. 

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For more information:

Roxanne Chaudier
514 827-8315
roxanne.chaudier@cossette.com

The collective consists of exceptionally talented people with complementary experience representing the agency’s key disciplines:

         ➔  Chris Bergeron, Vice-President, Content Experience
         ➔  Barbara Jacques, Vice-President, Branding and Design
         ➔  Daniel Ouellet, Vice-President, UX Strategy and Design
         ➔  Michel-Alex Lessard, Vice-President, Strategy
         ➔  Anne-Claude Chénier, who becomes Vice-President, Creative/Advertising
         ➔  Florence Girod, who becomes Chief Strategy Officer and Head of Integrated Product, and the collective’s mentor

“Our services are changing, and we’re adapting our approach by leveraging all of our expertise to deliver the best possible creative product,” explained Cossette Executive Vice-President and General Manager Louis Duchesne. “By focusing on the collective talent of our leaders, we’ll be in an even better position to meet our clients’ needs.”

Cossette restructured operations at its Montréal office in January 2017, adopting an approach based on cooperation, agility, accountability and engagement. It consists of a matrix model that highlights each person’s strengths.

Anne-Claude Chénier is named Vice-President, Creative/Advertising

Anne-Claude has grown and sharpened her expertise during her 16 years at Cossette. Her talent, passion, engagement, natural leadership, and ability to understand complex ecosystems and the evolution of our industry make her a valuable asset for our team and our clients. She will head up the team of advertising experts.

Florence Girod becomes Chief Strategy Officer and Head of Integrated Product

Florence worked at some of the biggest brand strategy and digital marketing agencies here and abroad before joining Cossette in 2010. Florence has a magical ability to facilitate cooperation between talented individuals thanks to her mastery of all the disciplines within the agency. In addition to her current responsibilities, she will mentor the creative collective.

A new start for Antoine Bécotte

Antoine Bécottehas founded a company in partnership with Cossette to market an innovative consumer product that will reinvent the brand experience in the field of sports and entertainment.

“Antoine is a passionate and incredibly generous individual with the heart of an entrepreneur. We’re delighted to continue working with him as a partner in this new adventure,” said Mr. Duchesne. “His dedication to our team, the quality of our product, and the agency has helped shape our corporate culture. He leaves behind a strong creative team who can take up the baton.”

His work has been celebrated many times throughout his career, including on the international stage where he won a Yellow Pencil at D&AD, seven Cannes Lions, as well as CLIO, One Show and Globe awards.

The position of chief creative officer will no longer exist at the Montréal office.

Cossette Montréal’s creative collective

Chris Bergeron, Vice-President, Content Experience

Heading up Cossette’s Content team in Québec, Chris possesses both digital expertise and creative skills. A former editor at Voir magazine and creative director at Cossette, she leverages her knowledge of content strategy to develop campaigns for several major clients, including McDonald’s Canada, Destination Canada, and the Alliance de l’industrie touristique du Québec.

Barbara Jacques, Vice-President, Branding and Design

Barbara has an insatiable desire to go above and beyond, and she takes a collaborative approach to her work. She steers projects towards excellence by drawing out the best in each member of her team. Her reputation and credibility make her a reference in the Canadian design industry. A key contributor to the vast majority of branding and design projects at Cossette, she took on the role of creative director to develop the visual identity for the award-winning SAQ Inspire program and the branding of Énergir (formerly Gaz Métro).

Anne-Claude Chénier, Vice-President, Creative/Advertising

Anne-Claude has grown and sharpened her expertise during her 16 years at Cossette. Her talent, passion, engagement, natural leadership, and ability to understand complex ecosystems and the evolution of our industry make her a valuable asset for our team and our clients. Alongside Michel-Alex Lessard, she provides leadership on projects for Vachon, and oversaw brainstorming and development for the first-ever Mammouth awards, which aired in December on Télé-Québec.

Daniel Ouellet, Vice-President, UX Strategy and Design

Daniel has been working in the digital realm for 18 years. He has extensive expertise in digital strategy and design—from product strategy and information architecture to ecosystem mapping, storyboarding and interface design. Under his leadership, Cossette has developed an expertise in UX strategy that allowed the Aéroport de Québec to reinvent the way it interacts with consumers, both within its digital ecosystem and in person.

Michel-Alex Lessard, Vice-President, Strategy

Specializing in creative planning and integrated campaign management, Michel-Alex is guided by three elements—consumer insights, creativity at every step of the planning process, and his clients’ success. Boasting more than 15 years of experience in communications, he raises the bar with each new project through his holistic approach. Alongside Anne-Claude Chénier, he provides leadership on projects for Vachon, and headed up brainstorming and development for the first-ever Mammouth awards, which aired in December on Télé-Québec.

Florence Girod, Chief Strategy Officer and Head of Integrated Product

Before joining Cossette, Florence Girod, Chief Strategy Officer and Head of Integrated Product, worked at some of the biggest brand strategy and digital marketing agencies in the world. Thanks to her knowledge of all the disciplines involved in creating a product at Cossette, she is able to form tailor-made teams based on the needs of each client or project.

Florence’s clients at Cossette include La Presse, which she supported in its digital transformation—from developing a business plan to launching La Presse+. More recently, she headed up the rebranding project for Énergir (formerly Gaz Métro), an exercise required to reflect the company’s evolution and ambitions.

About Cossette

Cossette is a fully integrated marketing communications agency that offers a complete range of cutting-edge communications services. It’s a community of talents, a unique gathering of expertise and creativity that builds strong brands for its clients and maintains a dialogue with consumers.

Cossette was named Agency of the Year by Strategy magazine in both 2016 and 2017. The agency currently has offices in Halifax, Québec City, Montréal, Toronto and Vancouver, and has been making strides to become a major player in the global advertising community. To learn more, visit cossette.com.

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For more information:

Roxanne Chaudier
514 827-8315
roxanne.chaudier@cossette.com

Launched during some of New Year’s Eve’s most popular programs, including CBC’s year-end segments on The National and the New Year’s Eve countdown special, as well as Bye Bye 2017 on Radio-Canada, the campaign will run through the winter and include pre-roll, OOH, digital advertising in LaPresse+, as well as social media ads.

The latest executions include two 15-second videos and six social media videos featuring winter driving hardships that all drivers and passengers can relate to. As for OOH, billboards located near major highways will advertise contextual messaging on days when the weather is particularly dreadful, to position VIA Rail as a safe and smart alternative.

Credits

Advertiser: VIA Rail Canada
Agency: Cossette
Media agency: Touché!
Digital agency: Tink
Production company: 4Zéro1
Director: François Jaros 

About Cossette

Cossette is a fully integrated marketing communications agency that offers a complete range of cutting-edge communications services. It’s a community of talents, a unique gathering of expertise and creativity that builds strong brands for its clients and maintains a dialogue with consumers.

Cossette was named Agency of the Year by Strategy magazine in 2016 and 2017. The agency currently has offices in Halifax, Québec City, Montréal, Toronto and Vancouver, and has been making strides to become a major player in the global advertising community. To learn more, please visit cossette.com.

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For more information:

Roxanne Chaudier
514 827-8315
roxanne.chaudier@cossette.com

For many Canadians, eggs are perceived as a weekend-only breakfast food that takes time to prepare. To challenge this belief, Cossette chose a humorous approach and developed a campaign around the launch of a new “innovation” in eggs. 

“Weekday Eggs demonstrate just how fast and easy a nutritious breakfast can be with the motto ʽquick eggs, for quick mornings,ʼ” said Peter Ignazi, Chief Creative Officer at Cossette.

Consumers are encouraged to rethink their weekday breakfast choices through a TV spot, online and social videos, as well as digital banners and in-store creative.

In partnership with Citizen Relations, the campaign went one step further by creating stunts in Montreal and Toronto. Early risers were offered a free sample of these new Weekday Eggs at a branded food truck parked near busy urban intersections. In the end it was pretty unanimous: eggs can be an everyday thing. 

About Cossette

Cossette is a fully integrated marketing communications agency that offers a complete range of cutting-edge communications services. It’s a community of talents, a unique gathering of expertise and creativity that builds strong brands for its clients and maintains a dialogue with consumers.

Cossette was named Agency of the Year by Strategy magazine in 2016 and 2017. The agency currently has offices in Halifax, Québec City, Montréal, Toronto and Vancouver, and has been making strides to become a major player in the global advertising community. To learn more, please visit cossette.com.

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For more information:

Roxanne Chaudier
514 827-8315
roxanne.chaudier@cossette.com

This was a logical next move to reflect the evolution and ambitions of the company, which has diversified its energy portfolio in the past decade by building on its primary role of natural gas distributor in Québec to become a company heavily invested in new, renewable energy both in Québec and in the U.S.

“Énergir expresses what we do, which is produce and distribute various types of energy and promote the development of groundbreaking projects and energy-efficiency solutions, to forge a more sustainable future,” noted Valérie Sapin, Director of Marketing and Innovation at Énergir.

This new positioning required a strong modern identity that evokes action, an element at the company’s core. “We imagined a verb, born out of the melding of energize and pioneer. This new name expresses Énergir’s desire to see energy differently and to be part of a progressive movement,” said Florence Girod, Chief Strategy Officer at Cossette.

To create this new identity, the agency was inspired by the company’s progress, vision and ambitions. “Our whole team felt privileged to take part in this extensive project. Énergir quickly became the clear choice for all of us, and inspired a forward-looking brand identity that reflects what the company has become today,” Ms. Girod added.

Gaz Métro has thus become Énergir, a name that’s a better fit today, with a bold yet inclusive logo in two shades of blue that ensure continuity with the company’s previous identity.

To spread the word about the company’s new name, Cossette has devised a massive integrated campaign that includes TV, movie, online and radio spots; ads in print and digital media; signage and wraps in metro stations; digital banners; content pieces; and ads in sports centres.

Credits

Advertiser: Énergir (Gaz Métro)
Agency: Cossette
Media agency: Cossette Media
Production house: 4XERO1
Motion Design: Champagne Club Sandwich
Music: Lab Urbain
Sound mixing: Apollo Studios
Photos: L’Éloi

About Énergir

With more than $7 billion in assets, Énergir is a diversified Quebec-based energy company, whose mission is to meet the energy needs of its 520 000 customers and the communities it serves in an increasingly sustainable way.  In Québec, Énergir is the leading natural gas distribution company and also produces, through its subsidiaries, electricity from wind power. In the United States, through its subsidiaries, the company operates in fifteen states where it produces electricity from hydraulic, wind and solar sources and distributes liquefied natural gas, in addition to being the leading electricity distributor and the sole natural gas distributor in Vermont. Énergir values energy efficiency and invests both resources and efforts in innovative energy projects such as renewable natural gas and liquefied and compressed natural gas. Through its subsidiaries, it also provides a variety of energy services. Énergir strives to become the partner of choice for those striving toward a better energy future.

About Cossette

Cossette is a fully integrated marketing communications agency that offers a complete range of cutting-edge communications services. It’s a community of talents, a unique gathering of expertise and creativity that builds strong brands for its clients and maintains a dialogue with consumers.

Cossette was named Agency of the Year by Strategy magazine in both 2016 and 2017. The agency currently has offices in Halifax, Québec City, Montréal, Toronto and Vancouver, and has been making strides to become a major player in the global advertising community. To learn more, visit cossette.com.

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For more information:

Roxanne Chaudier
514 827-8315
roxanne.chaudier@cossette.com