Global Brands Speak Québécois: Linguistic and Sociocultural Strategies in Quebec Advertising

Since its inception, Quebec’s advertising industry has drawn inspiration from Jacques Bouchard’s 36 Keys to Quebecers (1978), which paved the way for future generations of advertising professionals creating campaigns for this market. Drawing on Bouchard’s work, this article examines creative strategies used in Quebec advertising today to appeal to local consumers. A content analysis of 961 print advertisements, supplemented with interviews with advertising executives, provides compelling evidence that global brands are confiding the management of their campaigns to Quebec agencies who are better equipped to navigate the cultural specificities of the province’s Francophone population.