Telling local stories to build your brand
For over two decades, Headspace Marketing has helped brands succeed in Québec. And one of the most compelling and cost-effective ways to do that is through authentic local storytelling.
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Local stories aren’t just a nice-to-have. In a market like Québec, they’re a real differentiator.
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It’s not enough to tell a generic Canadian success story with subtitles. The real impact comes from unexpected, locally grounded narratives—stories that make it clear national brands are genuinely invested in Québec’s business community. When Quebecers see familiar faces and local success stories, that’s when a brand becomes part of the cultural fabric.​​​​​
“Many marketers think that winning in Quebec requires a complicated detour from the national strategy. They assume you have to overhaul everything and follow a completely different playbook,” says Éric Blais, President of Headspace Marketing.
“But that’s not been our experience. We believe in building brands in Quebec by knowing when to adopt, when to adapt, and when to create something uniquely local. This storytelling approach reflects that philosophy: we don’t reinvent the wheel—we lean into the brand’s truth and express it in a way that’s unmistakably Quebec.”
Intuit QuickBooks
As part of QuickBooks’ “Win in Québec” initiative, we created a testimonial-driven campaign anchored in authenticity. We spotlighted real Quebec entrepreneurs who modernized their accounting with QuickBooks—and experienced real impact.
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These weren’t fictional personas. These were lived experiences: real voices telling real stories, across video, blogs, social media, and sponsored articles in La Presse. The result? High engagement, strong brand credibility, and trust-based connections with Quebec’s small business community.
CANADIAN INTERNET REGISTRATION AUTHORITY
To champion the power of a uniquely Canadian online identity, we've partnered with CIRA—the Canadian Internet Registration Authority—to bring to life the stories of Quebec-based entrepreneurs who have embraced a .CA domain as a strategic part of their digital presence.
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Each profile combines compelling storytelling and high production value to show not just what these businesses do, but how choosing a .CA domain has helped them grow, connect, and stand out in a crowded digital landscape. These are more than just testimonials—they're vivid portraits of resilience, innovation, and the real-world impact of anchoring your brand in something proudly Canadian.
CIBC
CIBC is uniquely positioned in Quebec, blending its strengths in private wealth and commercial banking to meet the complex needs of local entrepreneurs.
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Our storytelling brought this to life through the success story of Bain Dépôt, a family-run retailer whose expansion across Quebec—and beyond—was supported by CIBC. The story not only highlights business growth, but also the bank’s role in helping the founding brothers secure their family’s financial legacy.
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A modest storytelling investment like this builds lasting brand equity by showing how national institutions can connect meaningfully with Quebec’s business community—on both a personal and generational level.
A Ready-to-Go Solution​
We know your team already has a lot on its plate. That’s why we’ve designed this offering to be plug-and-play.
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Think of Headspace as your outsourced partner for Québec—one that understands the culture, the language, and the nuance. We manage the day-to-day details and keep you fully informed every step of the way. You stay as involved as you want to be, without it feeling like a burden.
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We’ve got the experience, the team, and the tools to execute efficiently—and deliver measurable results.
A Complete Storytelling Package
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We don’t just tell stories, we build them from the ground up. Our turnkey, end-to-end solution ensures that every detail is thoughtfully planned, professionally executed, and strategically deployed.
Story Selection & Pre-Production​
We begin by identifying the right local business to feature—starting with a preliminary interview to assess story potential and brand alignment. From there, we craft a tailored interview guide and determine the visuals needed to capture the business’ impact.
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Our director and production team conduct a technical site visit in advance to ensure lighting, sound, and logistics are aligned. On shoot day, we begin with the filmed interview, followed by high-quality b-roll that brings the story to life. Still photography is also captured for blog content, social media, and sponsored features.
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Post-Production & Asset Delivery​
After the shoot, we deliver a long-form video, plus 30-second and 15-second cut-downs (formatted for 16:9, 9:16 and 1:1). English subtitles can be added as needed to maximize accessibility. A set of still photographs is also included.
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Development of Supporting Assets​
Video is only one part of the story. We also create companion assets that amplify the message and maximize reach—including blog posts, long-form articles, social content, and sponsored features. Each piece maintains narrative consistency while adapting to its platform’s tone and format.
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This integrated approach ensures the story lives well beyond the screen—meeting Quebecers where they are and engaging them how they consume content.
Amplification & Measurement
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We work closely with your performance marketing team to analyze engagement metrics and optimize content. And we go a step further: through our longstanding partnership with Montreal-based research firm CROP, we can assess impact through cost-shared omnibus surveys with pre- and post-campaign questions.
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We also leverage our media relationships—including a content partnership with La Presse to maximize reach through trusted sponsored content.​
Interested in learning more?
If you’re ready to uncover and articulate stories that will truly connect your brand with Quebecers, let’s talk.
Contact Éric Blais at 4216.221.3770 or send an email