Project produced for Place des Arts in 2018.
Case study 🎬: Place des Arts celebrates Christmas with a focus on conviviality (2018)
Over 150,000 organic views generated on Facebook
High engagement rate with over 350 "Likes" and dozens of nostalgic comments
A strong emotional resonance with the public, cementing Place des Arts as a warm and family-friendly place.
1. Context and objectives 🎄
In December 2018, Place des Arts (one of Montreal's major cultural and artistic complex) wanted to highlight the magic of the holiday season and the importance of simple moments shared with family. The main objective of the video was to convey a feeling of warmth and togetherness, while reinforcing Place des Arts' image as an accessible, welcoming, and family-friendly place during the Christmas season.
2. Creative concept and narrative approach 🎨
Guiding idea : To highlight the preparation of a Christmas show by children both backstage and on stage in the Fifth Hall. This illustrates the festive spirit, creativity, and importance of family.
Narrative : The children put on a mini musical, reflecting the excitement and emotion that the Christmas spirit can evoke. It's all filmed in a professional setting (on stage and backstage), but with a touch of authenticity and spontaneity.
3. Production and creation 🎥
Advertiser : Place des Arts
Production : Hit Film 🎬
Directed by : Emanuel St-Pierre
Actors : Ines Feghouli Bozon, Jacob Lemieux, Pascale Audrey, Frédéric Jeanrie, Marcel Girard, Lénie Scoffié
Photo direction : Nicolas Chentrier
Camera assistant : Marc Desaulniers
Electro/Gaming : Michel Ahelo
Makeup : Carole Lawrence
Editing : Emanuel St-Pierre
The choice of the Cinquième Salle at Place des Arts lends the video an intimate yet artistic character. The backstage and onstage shots highlight the excitement felt before and during a performance, offering a nod to the great moments experienced by the artists.
4. Distribution Strategy 📡
Main platform : Place des Arts Facebook page, in order to reach a broad, family-oriented and already engaged audience.
Marketing support : Sending a newsletter offering gift ideas and linking to the video.
Virality objective : To capitalize on the emotional and nostalgic aspect to encourage sharing and generate positive reactions.
5. Results and Outcomes ⭐
Number of views : Over 150,000
Number of "Likes" : Over 350
Engagement : Many comments expressing nostalgia for family holidays and gratitude towards Place des Arts for this warm message.
Examples of comments :
"It reminds me of when we used to put on shows with my sisters and cousins in my aunt's basement." — Liette
"Like when the girls were little and they organized shows with their cousins, wonderful times." — Denise
"Very nice advertisement!" — Louise
All the feedback highlights a strong emotional resonance with the public, reinforcing the affective value of the Place des Arts brand.
6. Analysis and lessons learned 🔎
Emotion and storytelling : The success of the video relies on the use of emotion, which evokes nostalgia and highlights the magic of Christmas.
User experience : The authenticity of the young actors, the staging around festive preparations and the use of a symbolic location played a key role in engaging the audience.
Highlighting the cultural complex : By filming behind the scenes at a performance venue, Place des Arts demonstrates its accessibility and reminds us of its role in disseminating culture.
Effective dissemination strategy : The combination of social networks (Facebook) and newsletter made it possible to quickly reach a wide audience and capitalize on the virality associated with the holiday season.
7. Conclusion 🤝
This Christmas campaign for Place des Arts, produced by Hit Film 🎬, illustrates how an approach focused on emotion and warmth can effectively resonate. The use of a simple yet universal story (children putting on a show) combined with an iconic location (Place des Arts) generated strong public engagement. The results, both in terms of visibility (over 150,000 views) and engagement (over 350 likes and numerous positive comments), demonstrate that the magic of the holidays remains a powerful tool for connecting with the community and promoting a warm and welcoming brand image.
