What Québec Wants™

Volkswagen and the Dufour-Lapointe sisters; storytelling for an authentic brand endorsement

The sisters achieved instant celebrity status following their victories in Sochi. At press conferences and in interviews, the Dufour-Lapointe family was telling its amazing story to news media. That story included a brand which the media happily mentioned. Here’s how The Globe and Mail told it on February 9th:

Ms. Dufour described cramming her sleepy kids and their gear into the family Volkswagen on early weekend mornings to drive to the Laurentian mountains.

Thanks to smart thinking from Volkswagen, the story has a new chapter.

Moved by this family's story and proud of their Olympic and World Cup victories, Volkswagen decided to offer each of the Dufour-Lapointe sisters a car. And they had their pick of model: Chloé chose a Golf GTI, Justine a Beetle, and Maxime a Tiguan.

It was the sisters' parents who drove them around in the now-famous Jetta; in a way, it has become a symbol of their devotion. And so Volkswagen Canada thought the parents deserved a little recognition as well. 

When VW presented the sisters their keys, it also surprised their mother, Johane, with a gift: a 2014 Jetta in blue, the same shade as the Jetta that has driven her daughters this far.

Here’s the video.

 

The story was also told by the family on Monday on Pénélop McQuade's popular show on Radio Canada. You can view the clip here. 

My country is not a country, it’s winter.

Interesting comment by Derek Kent, chief marketing officer for the Canadian Olympic Committee, about the Team Canada campaign “We Are Winter”:  “The essence of this campaign originated from conversations with our athletes who all said the same thing: Winter defines them and defines who we are as a country”.

Winter defines us as a country.

This reminds us of the lyrics of Québec poet and singer-songwriter Gilles Vigneault’s famous song “Mon pays”. Composed by Vigneault in 1964, the song’s lyrics are best known for this line: “Mon pays ce n’est pas un pays, c’est l’hiver”. (My country is not a country, it’s winter.)

According to this Globe and Mail article, “the COC and its agency, Proximity Canada, worked with a literary consultant to comb through 19th-century Canadian poetry looking for references to winter – which is a bit like finding a needle in a stack of needles.”

Vigneault’s poem could have been one of those needles.

Unless it was judged to be a tad too nationalistic for Team Canada. According to Wikipedia: “The song was written for the NFB film La Neige a fondu sur la Manicouagan, directed by Arthur Lamothe. The song, with its lyrics about winds, cold, snow, and ice, of the solitude of wide open spaces and of the ideal of brotherhood, has become a kind of anthem in Québec, with many people seeing it as expressing the free spirit of the province; Vigneault, however, has denied that this was ever his intention.”

What’s an Olympic medal worth?

The medals themselves are worth roughly $500.

Depending on where the athlete is from, they can be worth much more once the government hands out the ‘incentives’. For example, in 2008 the Russian government awarded $100,000 for gold, $60,000 for silver and $40,000 for bronze. The U.S. paid $25,000 for gold, $15,000 for silver and $10,000 for bronze.

The Beijing Olympics marked the first time Canada’s athletes received cash for medals. A gold was worth $20,000, a silver $15,000 and a bronze $10,000.

Here’s a look at what other countries have handed out in the past:

Philippines: Harry Tanamor was the Philippines’ only boxing hope at the Beijing Games - and if he brought home the country’s first Olympic gold, he would have received a promotion from the rank of sergeant, and a cash bonus, according to the Philippine Armed Forces chief of staff General Alexander Yano.

The Philippine government was dangling more incentives to the athlete who brings home the country’s first-ever Olympic gold medal, with the pot now worth 15 million pesos ($313,000).

Belarus: Belarusian athletes who won gold at Beijing were to be provided with meat sausages for the rest of their lives.

Kenya: The President had said that each Kenyan athlete will receive a cash prize of 750,000 shillings for winning a gold medal, 500,000 shillings for silver and 250,000 shillings for a bronze medal.

Source: LeapComp

For more on the value of gold, silver and bronze and how Canadian athletes will benefit from their Olympic performances, you can view my interview on TFO's Panorama last night (in French).

 

Go Canada*

* Quebeckers are cheering but appear less likely to wear those red mitts.

The Historica-Domninion Institute just released a poll conducted by Ipsos-Reid claiming that the Vancouver Olympics are shaping up to be a ‘defining moment in Canada’s national history’.

The press release declares that ‘when it comes to Canada’s sporting and cultural history, there are a few events in time that can be truly called a defining national moment.’  

It’s true. But, as expected, it’s somewhat less true in Quebec. This is not a political blog so I won’t engage in the reasons why. It is a marketing blog however. And there are indications in this survey that sales of Olympic merchandise in Quebec won’t be as hot as they seem to be in the rest of Canada.

Two in three Canadians (66%) agree that the opening ceremonies reflected Canada as they knew it. However, there are significant regional variations:

Atlantic Canadians (77%) are most likely to agree, followed by residents of Saskatchewan and Manitoba (72%), British Columbia (69%), Ontario (68%), and Alberta (67%), while Quebeckers (57%) are least likely to agree. For a view on how the Opening Ceremonies played in Quebec, read Fagstein’s post.

Quebeckers are less likely than the average Canadian to show their pride and to believe that too much pride is on display:

One quarter (26%) of Quebeckers say they’ll display or fly the Canadian flag during the games compared to 40% of Canadians overall.

Two in ten (19%) agree they’ll wear Canada or Olympic clothing during the games, compared to 34% of Canadians overall.

Four in ten (42%) Quebecers agree that there is too much Canadian nationalism on display during the Olympics, while only three in ten (29%) Canadians overall believe the same.

Olympic sponsorships

What marketers are looking for. What consumers expect.

Canadians expect a lasting impact via greater community involvement.

An interview (in French) on TFO's Panorama - you can view it online here.

For more on this, read our survey results here.

Quebeckers believe (more).

Canada wants to "Own the podium" in 2010.

A survey conducted by Ipsos Reid during the first week of February on behalf of Canwest News Service and Global Television asked Canadians this question:

The Canadian Olympic Committee has set a goal of winning the most medals at the 2010 games. In the 2006 Winter Olympics, Canada finished third in the medal count, five medals behind first-place Germany. Do you think that the expectations set for the Canadian athletes for the 2010 Olympic games are…

• Unrealistic and overly ambitious (9%)
• Attainable but a stretch (37%)
• A realistic target (42%)
• Something we should be able to do with ease (3%)

The only significant regional difference was in Quebec where a greater number think it is a realistic target (55% compared to 42% for the national average).

Citius, Altius, Fortius

Olympic marketing in Quebec must work faster, higher and stronger.

The NFL’s Super Bowl might top Forbes’ ranking of the world’s most valuable sporting event brands, but the Olympic brand is arguably the most coveted and staunchly protected global sport brand. Its essence is rooted in universally meaningful values and the symbolism of the Olympic Games resonates across a world that’s often deeply divided.

Yet, as is often the case with global brands, the Olympic Games can be made more relevant and appealing to a specific cultural group by adopting a “glocal” approach that’s more in tune with its general attitudes towards the brand. We took a look at how Quebecers relate to the Olympic Games based mainly on the recent findings from the Headspace Monitor, our online survey tool.

While there are many similarities between Quebecers’ views of the Olympics and those of the population in the rest of Canada (ROC), there are also significant differences that should be factored in the development of Olympic-related promotional efforts in that province. As organizers and partners ramp up the Olympic noise leading up to the 2008 and 2010 Olympic Games, being sensitive to the way Quebecers filter their messages can help increase their effectiveness.

Je me souviens

Baron Pierre de Coubertin, the founder of the modern Olympic Games, said that “Holding an Olympic Games means evoking history.” For many baby boomers in Quebec, this history is inextricably linked to the 1976 Montreal Summer Olympic Games. Jean Drapeau, the mayor of Montreal at the time, famously said “the Montreal Olympics can no more have a deficit, than a man can have a baby.” It took 30 years to pay the debt. Its symbol, the Olympic stadium–“the Big Owe”–remains an unavoidable reminder of that history.
It’s therefore not surprising that Quebecers are generally more concerned about the financial aspects of holding Olympic Games. When asked if the federal government should help fund the Vancouver/Whistler bid for the 2010 Winter Olympics, Quebecers were least likely to agree according to a survey conducted by Ipsos Reid in 2001.

On the flip side, and likely as a result, our survey found that Quebecers are significantly more likely than people outside the province to agree with the statement “Sponsors provide vital support and funding to help ensure the Olympic Games take place.”

 Implications: Marketers might benefit from highlighting how private sector funding reduces the burden on governments.

Canada’s Games

Canadian Olympic pride is closely linked to Canadian pride. And Quebecers simply do not have as much pride in Canada as Canadians in the ROC. A survey conducted in 2002 asking Canadians if they were proud to be Canadians revealed that one in 10 Quebecers said no. This sentiment appears to rub off on Canadian Olympic pride. Our survey asked Canadians if they agreed with the statement “The Olympic Games let me be proud of Canada.” Only 56% of Quebecers agreed while 74% of Canadians in the ROC agreed. We saw a similar pattern with what is perhaps the Olympics’ most powerful symbol: the Olympic torch. Quebecers were less likely to agree that carrying the Olympic torch for Canada would be an honour (88% in Quebec versus 95% in the ROC).

 Implications: Consider linking the notion of “Canada’s Games” with its people and what unifies us all when it comes to sportsmanship.

Going for the gold

Canada hopes to not only be a great host but also to own the podium in 2010. While it’s a worthy objective, not everyone views winning a gold medal as the ultimate sport achievement. Quebecers are least likely to agree with the statement “There is no better achievement in sport than winning an Olympic gold medal” (38% in Quebec versus 56% in the ROC).

Our survey also indicates that Quebecers are more likely to feel that their enjoyment of the Olympic Games is spoiled by drugs or doping issues and least likely to believe that the performance of Olympic athletes encourages children to participate in sports.

 Implications: Marketers should learn from Baron de Coubertin’s words: “The important thing in life is not the victory but the contest; the essential thing is not to have won but to have fought well.”

What’s in it for us?

Quebecers are strong supporters of amateur sport. It’s visible in every community and in the media coverage in Quebec. And it’s reflected in their expectations of Olympic sponsors. They are significantly more likely than Canadians in the ROC to agree with the statement “Olympic sponsors should do more than financially support the Olympic Games, they should support the amateur sport organizations that support our athletes” (85% in Quebec versus 78% in the ROC).

They also expect sponsors to do more at the grassroots level: 91% of Quebecers agree with the statement “Olympic sponsors should do more at the community level to encourage young people to participate in sports,” compared to 83% in the rest of Canada.

 Implications: Quebecers will reward Olympic sponsors who have a real and visible impact at the grassroots level, closer to home. After all, VANOC and its partners aim to generate sufficient revenue to host the Games but also to leave a financial legacy for sport.

Proud of our own

Quebecers support all Canadian athletes but they’ll cheer louder for their own sons and daughters. Asked if they are more interested in the performance of Canadian athletes in general or athletes from their own province, 53% of Quebecers said athletes from their province compared to only 12% of Canadians in the ROC. As Kelly Vanderbeek from the Women’s National Ski Team once said: “I really believe it’s a border thing–the Quebec people really like to see their athletes beat the rest of the country. They are proud of their Olympic athletes and follow them religiously.”

The Quebec government doesn’t shy away from reinforcing this feeling of pride. Following the 2006 Torino Winter Olympics, it ran radio advertising to greet returning Quebec athletes: “You’re finally here. After an eight-hour flight, 16 days of competition. After many years of efforts and training. A model of courage and determination for future generations. Dear Quebec athletes. Thank you. We’re so proud of you.”

 Implications: Keep it close to home and leverage Quebecers’ strong sense of place by supporting Quebec athletes. Adopt a tone that borders on family pride similar to McDonald’s Restaurants’ campaign supporting Olympic diver Alexandre Despatie during the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.

*****

Olympic sponsorship is intended to generate support for the Olympic Movement and Games and, in return, benefit the sponsor. The expected benefits may vary greatly depending on the sponsor but improved brand equity is almost always a measure of ROI. Our survey suggests that investments in Quebec must work even harder to shift perceptions since Quebecers are less likely to agree with the statement “seeing the Olympic rings on a product or service is likely to make me feel more positive towards that brand (32% in Quebec versus 40% in the ROC).

Leveraging some of these differences should help generate a faster, stronger and higher ROI in Quebec.

Link to the Headspace Monitor survey results Olympics: Quebeckers prefer to keep the spirit close to home.