Québec: A market powered by culture

Québec is different and that’s the opportunity

Québec is much more than a region. It is a distinct and vibrant market, deeply rooted in its own culture, language, and unique relationship with media. Too often, Canadian marketing strategies are developed through a national lens, creating a disconnect with the realities of this province. Local humour, cultural references, and Québec’s media habits cannot simply be translated. They must be understood, interpreted, and strategically integrated. To truly resonate in Québec, brands must go beyond words and embrace authentic cultural adaptation.

Brands that thrive here are those that recognize this uniqueness and build genuine cultural relevance. With deep insight into the market and Québec’s media behaviours, Bell Media helps advertisers move beyond simple visibility to create lasting and meaningful connections with their audience.

Cultural connection drives performance

This cultural closeness is reflected in the way Québecers consume media. They gravitate toward local content, familiar personalities, and stories that reflect their reality. This natural affinity with local culture offers brands a unique opportunity to craft messages that truly resonate and drive measurable business results.

Numeris data confirms it: the 30 most-watched programs in Québec are all locally produced, a clear reflection of this strong preference for content rooted in local culture.

This cultural connection translates into advertising performance. A Léger survey reveals that ads featuring humour and a Québec spokesperson can increase their effectiveness by more than 25%.
Over the past 30 years, research has consistently shown that well-known Québec celebrities help brands:

• Capture greater attention 
• Strengthen message retention 
• Enhance brand awareness and persuasion 
• Stand out in a highly competitive market

In Québec’s dynamic media landscape, cultural relevance is not just an advantage, it is a true driver of performance.

Multiplatform strategies maximize impact 

Building a connection with Québecers starts with understanding their world and daily lives. Brands that tell stories inspired by Québec’s reality, brought to life by voices and faces the audience relates to generate stronger and more lasting engagement. Multiplatform campaigns reinforce this impact. The combination of television and radio increases spontaneous recall by 41% and brand consideration by 29%. Together, these two channels reach 95% of Québec’s population, including individuals who consume little or no television or radio individually.

The synergy extends beyond the screen. After seeing a television ad, 70% of consumers search online for the product, 21% request more information, and 11% make a purchase.

With its powerful reach and trusted credibility, television advertising also enhances digital performance, boosting media ROI by 19%. When combined with digital platforms, it drives 44% of the growth in purchase intent, clear evidence that multiplatform integration turns visibility into performance.

Radio : A Québec essential

Radio holds an essential place in the daily lives of Québecers. It informs, entertains, and influences audiences in real time through trusted local personalities who maintain a close connection with their listeners. Its ability to drive action and amplify the impact of other media makes it a key lever in any strategy focused on the Québec market.

According to Numeris data, Québecers aged 25 to 54 listen to radio an average of 14.2 hours per week, compared to 11.3 hours for the rest of Canada. This high level of engagement reflects the strong bond between Québec listeners, their local stations, and the hosts they trust.

Nearly 50% of Québecers have visited a store or website following a radio ad or an on-air host’s recommendation. The combination of radio and out-of-home advertising increases brand consideration by36%, while radio alone boosts online searches for a brand by 30%.
When integrated with digital media, its impact multiplies. Consumers are six times more likely to visit a brand’s website, and ad recall is 4.5 times higher compared to digital media alone.

These results demonstrate that beyond its continued relevance, radio remains an essential medium for generating both emotional connection and tangible consumer response among Québec audiences.

Bell Media in Québec is :

• Crave en français engages millions of Québecers with premium storytelling and exclusive local productions. More than 2,500 hours of original Québec-produced content will be available at launch, further strengthening the platform’s place at the heart of Québec culture. 
• A powerful television lever to make your brand shine, with 2 conventional networks, CTV and Noovo, along with 9 specialty channels that captivate 5.7 million viewers each week in Québec. A winning combination of diversity, accessibility, and media power. 
• RDS, Québec’s sports authority, reaches 2.2 million viewers weekly by broadcasting major events such as Canadiens hockey, Formula 1, CFL and NFL football, tennis, soccer, and golf, along with its flagship shows Le 5 à 7, Hockey 360, L’Antichambre, Sports 30, and Blitz. 
• A strong radio presence with 18 stations across 9 markets gives your brand a powerful and authentic voice carried by trusted local personalities who know how to engage their audiences. Each week, 3.6 million listeners tune in, demonstrating the strength and closeness of our network. 
• A cutting-edge digital offering reaches 5.6 million Québec internet users each month, combining precision, reach, and cultural relevance. 
• Astral’s out-of-home network reaches 5.3 million Québecers weekly and provides exceptional visibility across the province. 
• A creative ecosystem supported by our brand partnership team multiplies cross-platform collaboration opportunities through custom integrations within our shows and formats, designed to amplify brand impact in Québec. 

For advertisers, Bell Media is more than a bridge to Québec. It is a trusted strategic partner that helps brands create meaningful, lasting connections deeply rooted in the province’s rich culture and identity..

Partner with Bell Media for your campaigns

As the province’s largest media company, Bell Media offers unmatched reach across video, audio, digital and out-of-home. Our proprietary tools, including SAM (Strategic Audience Manager) and Bell Attribution Insights to help advertisers identify and influence Québec’s most valuable segments with precision.

Two examples illustrate the power of this approach.

A Québec-based job search platform stood out in a highly competitive category by using SAM to reach active job seekers through linear TV. The campaign delivered 2.2 times higher brand consideration and 74 % of total web traffic came from exposed households.

Similarly, a Québec financial institution used the same strategy to deliver tailored messaging to local households, generating a 104 % increase in website traffic and a 53 % ad recall rate, well above industry benchmarks.

These results show that in Québec, campaign performance depends as much on cultural relevance as on data intelligence. Understanding the province’s unique voice, humour, and values allows brands to create campaigns that resonate more deeply and deliver tangible business outcomes. When brands invest in Québec-specific creative and local talent, they build authentic and lasting connections with their audiences.

At Bell Media, we don’t just reach Québec, we understand it, and that makes all the difference.

Ready to take your brand to the next level? 

Sources: Numeris, Léger, Radiogauge, Radiocentre, Accenture, Think TV, IAB, Research Now, Google & Marketing Sherpa, Radio Ad Lab, Commb, Comscore