In the era of 6-second ads and ephemeral Instagram stories, Molson wanted to do things differently. We developed a sustainable campaign that would provide an organic and lasting showcase for the brand. Molson Export revamped several iconic, but neglected, points of sale known as dépanneurs, the Quebec version of convenience stores. Returning to the spirit of Molson Export’s glory days, we developed a unique branded identity for the 25 storefronts, inspired by the vintage look of the stubby bottle. Every design respected the vernacular style and architecture of the 1970’s as well as the name of each store. The goal: To enhance Montreal’s urban landscape by commemorating our cultural heritage.

First off, we identified the dépanneurs with the most storefronts that were in the worst state of disrepair. In close collaboration with Molson Expert commercial field representatives, we approached the shop owners to invite them to participate in the campaign and get a free refresh. For more than six months, our design, architecture and production teams developed a complete remodelling plan for each of the 25 revamped dépanneurs in the city of Montreal. Custom-designed shop signs were made for each point of sale, and the buildings themselves were refurbished with new elements and structures. The materials for the shop signs were chosen based on their durability and respect for artisanal traditions. The signage was made mostly of neon lights, thermoforming and light boxes. What’s more, every element of signage respected the architecture and heritage of the dépanneur in question.

There was no paid media.

We were able to successfully reintroduce Export to Montrealers by injecting it into the cultural fabric of the city.

With no media placement whatsoever, the new storefronts themselves will garner a total of 259 million impressions over calendar 2018, for an equivalent media value of $840,000. Given that these storefronts will remain in place for a minimum of five years, at least 1.3 billion impressions are expected through the end of 2022. In addition, since most of the storefronts are expected to remain untouched for many more years after that, these numbers are conservative projections.

In addition to the limited edition Molson Export quickly selling out, dépanneurs with the new storefronts increased their sales by 18.8% over the next three months and 84.8% in the month immediately following the launch.

Media at the time of launch exceeded 1.3 million owned social impressions, and over 10 million earned traditional impressions.