Desjardins
125 years that tell a bigger story
Revealing the true scale of a financial institution built to last.
Services
- Creative development
- Content strategy and creation
- Media strategy, buying and performance
Brief
For its 125th anniversary, Desjardins set out to turn a historic milestone into a defining brand moment. The goal: proudly assert its strength and performance, position itself as a driver of both collective and individual ambition, reinforce its roots in Quebec and increase its brand awareness in other parts of Canada.
Problem to Solve
How do you go beyond simple commemoration to create a clear “before and after” in brand perception? The challenge was to craft a unifying message that would resonate in Quebec and across Canada, while addressing two distinct needs: humanizing finance and deepening connections with members and clients in Quebec, and revealing Desjardins’ true scale in markets where it is mostly seen as an insurance provider. The execution had to combine authenticity with visual impact, delivered in credible media environments with nationwide reach.
Solution
The campaign was built on a two-market architecture: one core message, two tensions, and a single, shareable promise of ambition. In Quebec, real members and clients embodied this ambition through authentic stories told via television, online video and large-format billboards in high-profile locations. The narrative continued with a podcast produced in partnership with Radio-Canada, anchoring the brand in everyday aspirations for progress. Outside Quebec, the message We’re bigger than you think highlighted the institution’s strength, innovations and true scale through a mix of TV, out-of-home, video, banners and social content. The content system combined long formats for depth with short formats for frequency, deployed in credible and high-visibility environments. The initiative left a strong impression, strengthened perceptions of Desjardins as a high-performing institution in Quebec and boosted awareness in less familiar markets, cementing the 125th anniversary as a lever for lasting perception change.
Two distinct markets, one anniversary
An initiative that brought the brand closer to its members in Quebec and revealed its true scale across Canada.
2
Distinct market realities (Quebec and the rest of Canada) united under one brand message
100+
Large-format billboard placements in major cities nationwide
