VICE dives into the heart of football culture with The Montreal Alouettes
VICE, The Montreal Alouettes and GRDN team up for the 2018 season to immerse themselves in the heart of football culture as part of an unprecedented collaboration based on their common values, deeply rooted in Montreal history and culture. VICE‘s creative team worked with the GRDN studio on redefining the Alouettes‘ identity and changing culture. The VICE editorial team has obtained a privileged access to spend the season at the heart of the team. The first part of this collaboration will be unveiled to the public during the Alouettes‘ first home game on Friday, June 22. Click here to access the editorial content on the culture of football.
Toujours Game
When the GRDN studio looked at the Alouettes‘ brand, the parallels between the DNA of the 72-year-old football team and Montreal’s culture immediately anchored at the heart of its strategy. In a desire to strengthen the bond between their players, their employees, their fans and Montrealers, the Alouettes and GRDN decided to reconnect the team with its rich history as well as that of Montreal. This is how a new player was brought in: VICE, a Montreal counter-culture actor, a magazine born in 1994 in the metropolis that has become a digital media and a production studio.
The creative team at VICE collaborated to the production of visual advertising elements and a branded video, in addition to having reinvented the team’s slogan: Toujours Game. Several variations of these pieces will be unveiled during the season, starting with a brand video that will be broadcast during the first local game of the season at Percival Molson Memorial Stadium, on Friday, June 22, 2018.
“This partnership with VICE will give people access to original content that will give them a different perspective on the world of football,” said Patrick Boivin, President and CEO of the Montreal Alouettes. In our nearly 75-year history, we have overcome many obstacles and have always bounced back. We have always come back stronger. We are always here. We are Toujours Game. It’s more than a tagline for us, it’s our state of mind. ”
“The Alouettes are an integral part of the history of Montreal. This is a team whose entire tradition and culture are linked to the Montreal and even Quebec identity, explains Paul Labonté, Head of creative content at VICE. The Alouettes, just like Montrealers, are always willing to go further, to push harder, to never let go, no matter the obstacles, no matter the weather. It’s part of our heritage, it’s an attitude that we get from living here, and that’s how we built the slogan “Always game”.”
Football culture without filter
On the sidelines of this creative collaboration, the VICE editorial team in Quebec saw a chance to push its coverage of the sport further by introducing the culture of football to its audience of young Quebec adults. Recognized for telling stories like nowhere else, VICE wants to explore the history, the heritage, the culture and the human dimension of football, and offer an immersive experience that was only possible if with a unique access to the Alouettes. For the first time in its history, the team has accepted to play the game and open the doors of its world, allowing the media to take a raw and candid look at everything that surrounds the culture of football in Montreal and in Quebec.
“Our editorial content is dictated by access, explains Philippe Gohier, editor-in-chief of VICE in Quebec. We proposed to Alouettes for a uniqueaccess to the team, and they agreed. We want to talk about sport in a different way and through new voices, so we’ll spend the season at the heart of the team, the players, the employees and the history of the Alouettes. And we have carte blanche. ”
ABOUT VICE CANADA:
VICE Canada is a leader in producing and distributing high-quality youth focused content, in both official languages, reaching millions of Canadians a month. VICE’s original and often provocative content is available across multiple platforms including, ten award-winning digital verticals, mobile apps, print and a suite of record-breaking YouTube channels. VICE Canada is the recipient of numerous awards for its content including Canadian Screen Awards, The Webby’s and Quebec’s Gemeaux awards.
ABOUT THE ALOUETTES
Founded in 1946, the Montreal Alouettes possess a rich history. The organization has had its name inscribed seven times on the Grey Cup (1949, 1970, 1974, 1977, 2002, 2009, 2010) a trophy awarded yearly to the champion of the Canadian Football League. They play their home games at Percival Molson Memorial Stadium, on beautiful Mount Royal.
ABOUT GRDN
GRDN is a young brand design studio from Quebec City. The collective supports organizations in their transformation by placing the human at the heart of their design approach. Their unique process rethinks the customer relationship by offering solutions that have a real impact on their experience. Their work is already awarded in Canada and the United States.
